- 4 medium chicken breast halves, skinned, boned, and cut into 1-inch strips
- 14 ounce(s) tomatoes, whole, canned, cut up
- 1 cup(s) chili sauce, low-sodium
- 1 ½ cup(s) pepper(s), green, bell, chopped
- ½ cup(s) celery, chopped
- ¼ cup(s) onion(s), chopped
- 2 clove(s) garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon basil, fresh, or 1 tsp dried
- 1 tablespoon parsley, fresh, or 1 tsp dried
- ¼ teaspoon pepper, red, crushed
- ¼ teaspoon salsa, mild
Follow these tips to help ensure that your time between the sheets leaves you feeling refreshed and renewed. Make breakfast your heaviest meal of the day. Digesting food takes energy, so if you eat a heavy meal late in the day, your body will have to work hard to digest it while you’re trying to go to sleep. Many people sleep better if they have protein at breakfast and lunch, and a light dinner with some carbohydrates.
Cut back on the sleep robbers. Cut out caffeine after 2:00 p.m., and refrain from drinking alcohol within 3 hours of bedtime. You may become drowsy after a couple of glasses of wine, but too much alcohol will make you wake up frequently during the night. In addition, although coffee is the most obvious source of caffeine, don’t forget that there’s also caffeine in colas, chocolate, tea, and some medications. (more…)
By Barbara Stewart
Question: We’re replacing our mattress set, which is about fifteen years old. What should we expect to pay for a quality mattress set?
Answer: The answer depends on your comfort preference. Fifteen years ago, manufacturers were building many more firm beds; today softer beds dominate the market. There are two reasons for this shift:
1. As we age, our muscle tone and connective tissue have less integrity, and more comfort layers are required to relieve pressure points on the body. The aging boomer generation continues to shift the market toward softer beds.
2. New sleep research continues to shows that firmer beds are not necessarily better than a softer bed with good underlying support.
Now, back to the original question of price. Firm beds are less expensive because there is less foam used in construction. If you’re buying a firm queen bed, expect to pay $800 – $1400 for a quality set constructed with a spring unit. And expect to pay $1400 – $2500 for a firm foam core bed (memory foam or latex).
The question of the price of a quality soft bed is more difficult to answer. A quality soft mattress will cost significantly more than a firm mattress because quality foam is expensive to manufacture. For a quality queen set, constructed with a spring unit expect to pay between $1000 – $1800 and up to $2800 for a soft foam core set.
Barbara Stewart is the owner of MattressMax, a 4000-sq foot Mattress Gallery located in Vienna, WV. www.mattressmax.biz
By Lee Rector
The skin is the largest organ of the body that is often neglected. During the winter and cold months, the behavior of your skin reveals the characteristics of your skin type.
Remember, your skin profile changes seasonally with age and your environment. The best solution is to consult with a skin care specialist to recommend the right skin care products for healthy -looking skin, at every age.
Since the skin is usually always dry during this time of the year, here are some characteristics that you will find in dry skin:
- No oil in T-zone
- Cheeks are uncomfortable or slightly dry
- Dryness may be present around the eyes
- Your face may feel a bit taut in areas without a moisturizer
- Blemishes are rare to occasional
- Possible visible flakiness
The objective to the dryness would be a monthly hydrating seaweed facial; and for a daily routine to add moisture and comfort to the skin would be to use a milky cleanser, an alcohol-free toner, a hydrating moisturizer, boosters, hydrators and exfoliators to target and restore the ph balance of skin cells. Both of these recommendations would be the perfect solution to protect your skin from the cold winter months.
Lee Rector is the owner of Lee’s Studio and Medispa, located at 3113 Murdoch Avenue, Parkersburg, West Virginia. For more information, call (304) 422-2940.
By Dr. Samia Turner
A new term coming up in the media concerning facial aesthetics is the “Liquid Lift.” This refers to the use of BOTOX® Cosmetic and Dermal Fillers to improve the look of facial lines and contour.
This safe, minimally invasive alternative to surgery is most attractive to patients because there is virtually no down time. Experienced physicians can “sculpt” the face using dermal fillers (Restylane, Perlane, Juvederm, Radiesse, etc.) to dramatically improve “laugh lines,” “marionette lines,” “frown lines,” “jowls” and more in about an hour in the office.
BOTOX® Cosmetic is used to weaken the muscles that create dynamic wrinkles like frown lines, forehead lines and crow’s feet. These combined procedures can be performed in a single office visit for an instant lift with no down time.
The results last from 6-18 months, depending on the products used and the individual patient. Some fillers are permanent, but most physicians recommend treatment with absorbable fillers first, to get a feel for what the permanent results might be. For those wanting a “lift,” but not the downtime that comes with surgery, the “liquid lift” is a great alternative.
Dr. Samia Turner is the owner and medical director of Turner Medical Spa, located in Cross Lanes, West Virginia. For more information, call (304) 776-1611.
The heart is not an inanimate pump: It is a living, dynamic community of millions of hardworking cells. Its job is to deliver blood to organs that would die without it. Blood contains oxygen and nutrients necessary for the functioning of every cell in the body, including heart cells.
Everyone’s heart beats around 70 times per minute, or 100,000 times per day, or about 2.5 billion times in the average lifetime.
This vital organ is programmed to work automatically for every second of every day for as long as you live, no matter what else you’re doing mentally or physically.
In other words, the heart never rests. Your heart is located just about in the center of your chest and is divided into four chambers: The two smaller upper chambers are known as the left atrium and right atrium and the two larger lower chambers are the left ventricle and right ventricle.
Oxygen-poor blood enters the right atrium and is then pumped into the right ventricle and through the pulmonary artery to the lungs, where it is enriched with oxygen (and loses carbon dioxide). The oxygenated blood is then carried to the left atrium via the pulmonary veins, from where it enters the left ventricle, the main pumping chamber of the heart. It is the thick, powerful muscle of the left ventricle that pumps blood to all the organs of the body via the aorta. From a cardiologist’s point of view, it is the left ventricle that is the most important chamber because it is the area of the heart most likely to be affected by a heart attack.
As blood enters the aorta, some is immediately directed to the coronary arteries. The left main coronary artery divides into two major coronary arteries the left circumflex artery (LCx) and the left anterior descending artery (LAD). A third major artery, the right coronary artery (RCA), has its own point of origin from the aorta.
All of these arteries have branches, which are also known as coronary arteries. They supply the beating heart muscle with blood and oxygen. If anything obstructs the flow of blood through one of these arteries for more than 20 to 30 minutes, the heart will likely not receive enough oxygen, and the part of the heart muscle fed by that artery will die. This is what happens when you have a heart attack. Heart failure occurs when your heart muscle damaged to the point that your heart can no longer pump sufficient blood to the rest of your organs.
When your heart is damaged and can no longer pump efficiently, blood also tends to back up into the lungs, making them heavier, which results in difficulty breathing.
For more information, visit www.everydayhealth.com
Entrepreneurs can take advantage of new, free online training and other resources offered by the U.S. Small Business Administration to assist them during this period of economic recovery. The SBA offers a variety of online courses to assist small businesses in more effectively managing their firms in the current economy.
The new course topics, available directly at www.sba.gov/services/training/onlinecourses, include revising business plans to reposition with current conditions, winning customers in a slowing economy, restructuring existing debt, and diversifying your customer base with federal contracts.
The most recently added course is “Downshifting in a Slowing Economy: A Business Planning Guide.” This course is designed to help business owners reorganize and streamline their business strategies. Other related business tools include a new automated business plan template, and an assessment and strategies guide for surviving in a slowing economy.
“The SBA is helping small businesses with the resources and tools they need in the current business cycle,” said Jeff Andrade, Associate Administrator for Entrepreneurial Development. “In addition, SBA offers a variety of resources and referrals to small businesses uncertain about what to do in the current economy on its Web page on Economic Recovery at www.sba.gov/helpingmainstreet.”
Each free course is self-paced, and provides practical guidance on how to stay on top of economic conditions. These and other courses can be accessed from the SBA’s Web site at www.sba.gov/training. To access them, click on “Free Online Courses,” then make a selection under the header “Surviving in a Down Economy.”
The SBA can also help to find local agency offices and lenders. Business owners can: talk with an SBA representative about financing options and identify local, participating SBA lenders; learn about SBA’s Loan Guaranty Program using an electronic guide with audio assistance and many targeted links; and train with expert counseling and mentoring services by talking with a Small Business Association representative or resource partner about management assistance.
For more information, visit www.sba.gov.
Judy K. Sheppard Receives WIPP "Member to Watch" Award for Advocating Women in Business
PARKERSBURG, W.Va. – Judy Sheppard is a lot like the Energizer Bunny. As the president and CEO of Professional Services of America, Inc. (PSA, Inc.), Sheppard is constantly on the go seeking business opportunities for her human resources and human resources development business headquartered in Parkersburg, W.Va.
She also is a strong advocate of women-owned and West Virginia businesses, two groups she relentlessly promotes throughout her travels around the country. “Each day I set a goal to do something that will make a positive impact on West Virginia’s business climate,” said Sheppard. “Making a difference in West Virginia and for West Virginia businesses is what keeps me going.”
Sheppard was recognized at the Women Impacting Public Policy’s national conference as the 2008 WIPP Member to Watch which demonstrates her commitment to the advancement of women-owned businesses.
PSA was incorporated in 1996 as a derivative from two companies established by Sheppard, Accumark Services, Inc. and Plastic Source Alternatives. As a result of being situated in West Virginia’s Polymer Alliance Zone, much of PSA’s work was reliant on the chemical industry. Sheppard felt even though PSA was doing well and growing, she needed to explore other avenues of growing the business.
That is when she looked into the U.S. Small Business Administration’s certification programs. “I knew in order to take the company to the next level, government contracting was the way to go,” stated Sheppard. “Being a Native-American, woman-owned small business fit SBA’s certification program criteria and provided the channel into the world of government contracting.”
“Two words come to mind when I hear the name Judy Sheppard; passionate and believer,” said Melissa Loder, Business Development Specialist for the U.S. Small Business Administration’s West Virginia District Office.
“She believes in West Virginia; in her fellow small business entrepreneurs; in doing her absolute best; and she believes all this with great passion. A person like this is always a pleasure to work with.” The U.S. government is the world’s largest buyer of goods and services –from spacecraft and advanced scientific research to paper clips and landscaping services. Federal agencies are required to establish contracting goals, with at least 23 percent of all government spending targeted to small business. The SBA’s certification programs are aimed at leveling the playing field to allow small businesses to obtain a fair share of these government contracts.
“The fact that PSA, Inc. is an 8(a), Small Disadvantaged Business and HUBZone certified company has helped my business achieve higher margins,” added Sheppard. “It really makes a difference when competing against larger companies.”
The 8(a) program is an essential instrument for helping socially and economically disadvantaged entrepreneurs gain access to the economic mainstream of American society. The program provides access to sole-source federal government contracts. “So far, we have been able to obtain approximately a dozen government contracts through certification programs,” said Sheppard.
“Though each contract is a bit different, they all have been well worth the effort. I would encourage anyone remotely interested in government contracting to take the initiative and see if they qualify for any of the certification programs. I am certainly glad I did.”
Sheppard was recently recognized for her outstanding business achievements by West Virginia University at Parkersburg. She received an honorary degree at the institution’s graduation ceremony this past December.
If you are interested in learning more about government contracting, contact Melissa Loder at SBA’s West Virginia District Office at (304) 623-5631 extension 224 (email: melissa.loder@sba.gov), or visit the SBA’s Web site at www.sba.gov and select Contracting Opportunities under the Services heading.
The mission of the SBA is to aid, counsel, assist and promote the interests of small businesses by providing financial, procurement and business development assistance and advocating on their behalf within the government.
All SBA programs are extended to the public on a non-discriminatory basis.
With many holidays being celebrated in the November through January, family traditions and rituals lead to decorations, and lots of new objects for your loving pets to get their teeth into. Following are Pets911.com’s “Holiday Do’s and Don’ts”. We hope these tips will help keep everyone safe and merry during the most wonderful time of year.
1. If a Christmas tree is a part of our families’ celebrations, beware of all the tantalizing opportunities it can bring for your pets. Tree water, shiny objects, hanging tinsel or blinking lights can be beckons in the night for our four legged friends. Placing the tree in an area your pets can’t get to will help to preserve the beauty of your tree and the health of your little ones. If not, try to create barriers around the tree and always supervise your pets when they are near it.
2. If the Festival of Lights fills your house, make sure to keep your pets away from your menorah. A waging tail or jumping cat can knock over candles and easily start a fire during your Hanukkah or Kwanzaa celebrations. (more…)