Essential tips for keeping your canine’s skin and coat healthy

Posted on Oct 27, 2015


If you love your dog like a true member of your family, you want to give him the absolute best. So when your furry friend seems to have a lackluster coat and flaky, itchy skin, you’re bound to feel concerned. It’s time to take a proactive approach so your dog can be healthy – both inside and out – for many years to come.

 
“Skin and coat issues are some of the most common problems that pet parents face,” says pet expert Tracie Hotchner, host of award winning NPR radio show DOG TALK (and Kitties, Too!), and author of The Dog Bible: Everything Your Dog Wants You to Know. “These issues are also frequently an indicator of your pet’s overall health. The best approach is a proactive one where you establish a care routine that both you and your dog enjoy.”

 
To keep your pet’s coat and skin dog-show perfect, follow these simple tips:

 
1. Brush regularly with the right brush
While pet parents have the best intentions, many of them do not brush their dog as often as they should. Hotchner says that most dogs need to be brushed two to three times a week with the right tools to promote healthy shedding and follicle stimulation for future fur growth. There are a variety of brush styles appropriate for medium or long-haired dogs, but if you have a short haired one, that doesn’t mean you get to bypass brushing responsibilities. For short haired breeds, use a curry comb made from rubber – each nub will help deeply massage skin while grabbing loose fur. Avoid curry combs made of plastic as they will scratch your dog’s skin and can cause severe irritation. 

 
2. Say yes to supplements 
Sure you already give your dog high-quality, meat-based foods that offer good nutritional value, but did you know that even the best natural or raw foods are still lacking in some essential nutrients? Dog foods typically have low levels of omega-3 essential fatty acids which are considered essential because they are required for optimal health but cannot be produced by the human or canine body, and therefore, must be consumed through diet or supplementation. Why should you be concerned? Omega-3s reside in the cell membranes, where they impact many biological processes in your pet’s body. Without adequate intake of these essential fats, cells may not function properly, and overall health is compromised. 

 
“Supplementing with a high quality omega-3 fish oil supplement will help your pet maintain healthy skin and coat, as well as a healthy heart and joints. I recommend Nordic Naturals Pet Collection, which includes a variety of fish oil supplements that have been specifically formulated for both dogs and cats.”

 
3. Bathe the correct way
Bathing your dog might seem like a simple task, but there is a right and wrong way to do it. Hotchner says to always use shampoo especially formulated for canines. Human shampoo does not have the right pH balance and can make skin problems worse. Work up a rich lather and rinse thoroughly. Next, consider massaging a conditioner over your pet’s coat that contains ingredients like vitamin E, chamomile, oat protein or sunflower oils. After allowing to sit for a couple minutes rinse thoroughly again. Your dog’s coat will be clean and shiny, and he’ll smell wonderful. Do this once a week – more if your dog gets dirty, less if directed by your vet. 

 
4. Keep pet pals hydrated
Hydration is imperative for healthy skin and a gleaming coat. Providing water may seem like a given, but in reality dogs can become dehydrated very quickly, especially during the warm weather months. Make sure Fido’s dish is always full of water so he can drink when needed. Hotchner adds, “Whether you’re driving across town or across the country, when you travel, always pack a jug of water and a small container to pour water in for your pet during rest stops. You never want to assume your destination will have a water source. If you have space, a small cooler filled with ice can be a tasty, hydrating treat for your puppy too.”
Read more

Can your morning cup of joe make the world a better place?

Posted on Oct 21, 2015

A growing number of Americans are embracing Fair Trade, which provides farmers a fair price for their crops, resulting in a better quality of life in their communities. Fair Trade benefits more than 1.2 million families in 70 developing countries throughout Asia, Africa and Latin America, according to Fair Trade USA – a leading Fair Trade certification organization. The majority of Americans (74 percent) believe it’s important to purchase products that are priced to compensate producers fairly, yet only one-in-five Americans (18 percent) are purchasing Fair Trade regularly, according to new research from Fair Trade USA.

Fair Trade results in quality products, because when farmers are paid more, they can invest back into the quality of the products they produce. “More and more people are shopping at their local farmers’ markets, because they want quality products, and want to know where these products come from and that they are grown or produced in socially and environmentally responsible ways. Fair Trade is like a global farmers’ market – it extends those same values to products that aren’t grown locally,” says Lindsey Bolger, vice president, Coffee Sourcing & Excellence for Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. (GMCR). GMCR purchased more than 54 million pounds of Fair Trade Certified (TM) coffee, making the company the largest purchaser of Fair Trade Certified coffee in the world.

In addition, through the community development funds that are generated by Fair Trade purchases, farmers and their families can help address other community needs, such as improving roads, building health care facilities and ensuring access to education for their children. “Purchasing Fair Trade products is a simple choice that can make a big difference in coffee communities around the world,” says Bolger. GMCR’s Fair Trade Certified coffee purchases contributed to more than $10 million in Fair Trade community development funds.

Fair Trade Certified products include tea-and herbs,-cocoa,-rice,-vanilla,-sugar,-flowers, fruit, wine-and-apparel. Coffee-is the most popular-Fair Trade-product in the U.S. and is a good model for how Fair Trade can benefit both farmers and consumers. Many coffee farmers are small landowners in remote locations and lack access to credit, so they are vulnerable to middlemen who offer cash for their coffee at a fraction of its value. Fair Trade means these farmers receive a fair price for their beans, which they can invest back into the quality of the coffee and the health of their communities.-

Finding Fair Trade Certified products is easier than most shoppers think. Many popular coffees are available as Fair Trade Certified blends and Green Mountain Coffee (R) offers one of the largest selections of Fair Trade Certified coffees in the U.S. This includes one of the brand’s newest coffees, Three Continent Blend, which combines the flavors and aromas of three continents (South America, Africa and Asia) in one harmonious Extra Bold blend. –

To learn more about Fair Trade, visit GreenMountainCoffee.com.

Read more

New ways to enjoy fall’s bounty

Posted on Oct 14, 2015



Here’s a sophisticated plate to serve while friends and family are watching the game at home, or for any gathering that calls for some creative gourmet cooking. The spicy grape chutney is a natural with roast beef.

Roast Beef Party Platter with Grape Chutney

Grape Chutney

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup tawny port

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 cinnamon stick

2 cups seedless red California grapes, halved

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 F. In a medium saucepan, combine the onion, port, vinegar, raisins, sugar, ginger, mustard seeds and cinnamon. Bring to a boil and simmer until reduced to 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of liquid, about 15-17 minutes. At the same time, spread the grapes on a baking sheet and roast until soft and juicy, about 10 minutes. Add to the chutney, season with salt and pepper and let cool. Can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. Makes 2 cups.

Party Platter ingredients:

2 pounds thinly sliced roast beef

1 pound thinly sliced sharp or mild provolone

Red, green and black seedless California grape clusters

A variety of rolls

Directions:

Arrange roast beef and provolone on a large platter along with the grapes. Place rolls in a basket and serve with the chutney. Serves 8.

Here’s a refreshing way to use grapes and apples to balance the strong flavor of cabbage with tart sweetness. Plus, the bold red and green colors make for a striking salad that is also easy to make. This versatile slaw pairs well with roasted chicken, hamburgers, pork chops and many other family favorites.

Grape and Red Cabbage Slaw

Ingredients:
 1/2 small head red cabbage (about 1 pound), finely shredded

2 cups halved green seedless California grapes

1 Granny Smith apple, julienned

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, grapes and apple. In a small jar, combine the vinegar, honey, mustard and olive oil. Shake well and pour over the cabbage mixture. Season generously with both salt and pepper and let stand 30 minutes at room temperature. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Serves 8.

Grape and flower centerpiece

Instead of using glass or plastic marbles to secure autumn flowers in a vase, consider filling your vase with grapes instead. Green, red and black grapes can easily complement your flower colors as well as securely holding the blooms and greens in place.

Directions: Fill a tall vase with grapes until about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Fill with water and arrange the flowers. Grapes can be placed in single color layers or mixed together like a mosaic.

For more grape ideas, go to grapesfromcalifornia.com or facebook.com/grapesfromcalifornia.

Includes recipes

Read more

Most Americans don’t have life insurance, but wish they did

Posted on Oct 13, 2015


If you know you need life insurance, but still don’t have individual coverage, you’re not alone. According to the Life Insurance and Market Research Association, most Americans say life insurance is important, yet only one-third of them are covered by an individual policy. That’s the lowest level in 50 years.

 
“Most Americans know life insurance protects their loved ones against financial hardship in the event of an unexpected death,” says Brian Murphy, who heads up The Hartford’s life insurance business. “But 40 percent of consumers get so discouraged by how long it takes to buy a permanent policy that they simply give up without getting the coverage they know they need.”

 
Applicants who want to buy life insurance are sometimes faced with perplexing forms and an approval process that can take more than a month to complete.

 
Murphy says there are new ways of buying life insurance that take the pain out of the process. He also has some suggestions for how to improve on the old way of doing things.

 
“When today’s consumers are used to buying products online and receiving them at home within 48 hours,” Murphy says, “they have little patience for waiting a month or more to receive a new life insurance policy.”

 
Fortunately, consumers can help streamline the application process. Murphy offers four tips for speeding things up:

 
* Do your homework first. Find out about your options before you fill out a single application. You should know how much insurance you need, what type of policy you want and the terms and premium you can live with before you submit an application to any insurer.

 
* Check your credit report before you apply. Many insurers take your credit score and habits into account when determining your life insurance premium. Knowing your score in advance can help ensure there are no surprises when you get your approved policy and the bill for your first premium.

 
* Be thorough and honest on the application. Virtually every insurer will ask health-related questions, and many will also require a health exam. Being less than truthful about weight, lifestyle habits and health conditions can cause your application to be delayed or even rejected.

 
* Allow sufficient time when scheduling your health exam so that neither you nor the examiner feels rushed or pressured. Ask what the exam will entail and if there are any requirements, like fasting or drinking lots of liquids. When making the appointment, also ask if you will need any additional tests – such as an EKG or X-rays – and find out if you can arrange for those to be done quickly.

 
* Consider taking a new approach. Consumers aren’t the only ones who recognize the importance of accelerating the application process; insurers do, too. The Hartford, for example, recently introduced a new patent-pending application process it calls Issue First. With Issue First, applicants answer eight questions and sign and file their application forms electronically. Issue First trims the time it takes eligible clients to receive a policy down from 48 days (an industry average) to as little as 48 hours.

 
“By creating a new way of assessing a person’s risk factors and accelerating the process, consumers can now get life insurance coverage in a fraction of the time it used to take,” Murphy says. “And that means far more people are getting the coverage they really need to protect their families and loved ones.” 

 
In a pilot conducted by the company, clients who opted for the Issue First process ended up buying a life insurance policy 95 percent of the time, compared to a 65 percent closure rate for clients who took the traditional application route.

To learn more about Issue First, visit www.hartfordinvestor.com/TheHartfordIssueFirst.
Read more

Cool weather crops are hot this fall

Posted on Oct 7, 2015


The growing season isn’t over with the arrival of cool weather. Until the first hard frost hits, you have plenty of time to plant, pick and plate cool-weather crops. You’ll save yourself some money in the grocery’s produce aisle too.

Fall is a great time for gardening thanks to cooler, milder temperatures, a decrease in garden pests, and moister, well-draining soil. These conditions make it ideal for crops that prefer cooler weather. Some vegetables taste even better when nipped by light frost.

 

July through August is the optimum time for planting cool crops, so don’t delay. Planting in summer ensures crops will have time to mature before the first freeze in fall. Choose varieties that mature quickly; you can find the days to maturity on plant tags. Starting with transplants, rather than seed, will help make the growing process much easier.

 
If you’ve been diligent in your garden all summer, you won’t have much work to do preparing it for cool crops. If your garden got a little ahead of your efforts, don’t worry. It won’t take long to get it into tip-top shape for a second season of planting. Just follow these simple steps:

 
Tidy up
Remove spent plants, like early planted beans, cucumbers or lettuce, since they’re pretty much done for the season and can harbor pests. Clear away holes left from pulling plants, and get rid of weeds before they go to seed. Throw away anything distressed and compost the rest.

 
Discard any fallen fruits, rotting produce can attract pests. Take note of where everything was planted so you can be sure to rotate crops.

 
Set up the soil
Freshen garden soil by removing the existing layer of mulch and replace it. Straw makes an excellent cover because it’s easily scattered, it’s also a favorite home for spiders that will help control insect pests in your garden. You can also use a layer of shredded leaves for mulch. 

 
Loosen compacted soil and fluff it up with a garden fork. Major tilling isn’t necessary; just move soil enough to allow new plant roots to settle in and let water get through. Test soil (you can buy a testing kit at most garden retailers) to see if it needs help. Add amendments, if needed. At the very least, work some compost in where your plants will be growing.

 
If you’ll be using a cold frame or hoop, set it up early so that it’ll be ready to go when you need it and you won’t risk damaging plants and roots once they begin to grow.

 
Pick your plants
Starting with transplants will buy you lots of time. Since plants are six weeks or older when you put them in the ground, you’ll harvest sooner than if you start from seed. Look for transplants from an established grower, like Bonnie Plants. Sold in biodegradable, environmentally friendly pots, you’ll find fall varieties selected for your geographic region at most local garden retailers.

 

Until%20the%20first%20hard%20frost%20hits%2C%20you%20have%20plenty%20of%20time%20to%20plant%2C%20pick%20and%20plate%20cool-weather%20crops.Here are some top crops for fall planting:

 
* Top bunch collards – This hybrid is heavy yielding, early maturing, and more uniform than traditional varieties. They grow best in full sun, tolerate partial shade, are rich in vitamins and sweetened by frost. Space transplants 36 inches apart.

 
* Spinach – A cool-weather vegetable related to beets and Swiss chard, Bonnie’s Spinach is a fast-growing plant, yielding many leaves in a short time in fall. Although spinach prefers full sun, it’s  one of the few vegetables that produce a respectable harvest in partial shade.

 
* Winterbor kale – This nutritious leafy green is a vigorous producer that endures winter easily. Cut the outer leaves so that the center can continue growing. Space transplants 12 inches apart.

 
* Early dividend broccoli – Popular, productive and easy to grow, this broccoli is high in fiber and calcium. Space transplants 18 inches apart.

 
* Mustard greens – Offering spicy hot leaves, this is a very fast-growing, nutritious vegetable, and always tastes sweeter when nipped by frost. Space plants 12 inches apart.

 
* Bonnie hybrid cabbage – Grows large, round, blue-green heads. Cabbage is especially high in beta-carotene, vitamin C, K and fiber.
Get started now to ensure your fall harvest is healthy, hefty and fulfilling. With preparation, the right plants and some diligence, you can bet on fresh, low-cost produce well into fall.
Read more

Bathroom remodeling ideas that add style and space

Posted on Sep 30, 2015


Now, more than ever, homeowners are adding to the value and comfort of their homes by renovating bathrooms into private retreats with luxurious touches that rival those of an upscale spa or resort.

Ron and Susan Bishop of Adams Township, Pa., recently completed an extensive remodel of the master bathroom in their 20-year-old home. The remake covered nearly every square inch of the space, including the installation of new cabinets, tile, floor coverings and lighting. The couple says one of the biggest highlights is the custom shower enclosure, made from Clarvista glass by PPG, which uses a fused-on coating to keep its showroom appearance over time.

“Few things detract from the appearance of a luxurious bathroom more than a shower door covered with water deposits and soap scum,” Ron Bishop says. “Susan and I made it a point to find a product that would keep its good looks and be easy to maintain. We completed the renovation on our master bath more than a year ago, and the glass on our shower enclosure still looks brand new.”

When considering an update for your bathroom, whether you choose to do an extensive remodel or a smaller project, most kitchen and bath designers agree on these tips:

* Consider the size of the bathroom. If you have a small room, look for ways to make it feel more expansive. A sleek, stylish glass shower enclosure helps your bathroom appear more spacious, and in most instances, a frameless shower enclosure will provide the cleanest, most open look. If you decide to go with a framed shower enclosure, you’ll have two choices: frameless sliding doors or framed doors. For framed doors, be sure the finish of the metal framing and handles matches your bathroom fixtures.

* Think outside the box. Taking a creative approach to bathroom necessities can help you make the most of your space. For instance, the majority of shower enclosures are square or rectangular, but today’s designers encourage you to think about other shapes. Don’t be afraid to consider a circular or oval-shaped enclosure, a triangle or even a standard shape with an artfully bowed glass door, which can redefine the space and make your bathroom more versatile.

* Don’t skimp on the glass. All glass used for shower enclosures is safety glass, which means it is tempered to make it stronger and more shatterproof. That doesn’t mean all shower glass is alike, though. Most shower doors and enclosures are fabricated from conventional clear glass – which typically has a light, almost imperceptible green cast – or some variation of frosted glass. If you want a look that’s chic and ultra-clear, ask your bath designer or showroom retailer about Clarvista on Starphire glass.

* Brighten things up. Repainting your bathroom with light colors can make it feel more spacious. If your bathroom has windows or skylights, use window treatments and accents that maximize the amount of light that comes through to give the room a more airy feel.

* Find the best use for your space. Move bathroom cleaning items to a hall closet if you are stretched for storage space in your bathroom, especially if you have freestanding storage units that are taking up valuable floor space. If you need more storage space, consider adding built-in compartments if possible between your wall studs to maximize usable space.

It’s been shown time and time again that remodeling a bathroom can add to a home’s value. Whether you want to sell or just enjoy your home more, it’s one of the most practical and dramatic ways to make your home more appealing. To discover more great ideas and inspiration for bathroom remodeling, visit www.ppgclarvista.com.

Read more
Bashore Properties LLC, 9577 Osuna Rd. N.E., Albuquerque, NM | Privacy Policy