The Perfect Cake Recipe For Those Who Have to Stay Away From Dairy Products

There are a lot of people out there who absolutely love dairy products or more specifically who love cakes but cannot eat them because of cholesterol problems. Such people have been advised by their doctors to stay away from eggs and milk especially. Now eggs are a crucial part of the cake; an ingredient that holds the cake together. Milk is another important ingredient but cake recipes have been developed over time to cater to the needs of those people who cannot eat products with milk or eggs in them. This is one such cake recipe that will surely be a huge hit with all those people who are under restrictions.

The ingredients used in the cake recipe to make six servings are:

One and a half cup of sifted unbleached all-purpose flourTwo teaspoons of baking powderHalf a teaspoon of baking sodaQuarter a teaspoon of saltThree quarters of a cup of white sugarEgg replacer - three tablespoons (dry form)Four tablespoons of waterSour cream - one cupHalf a teaspoon of vanilla extractQuarter cup of fresh blueberriesQuarter cup of chopped walnuts (this addition is up to you)Five tablespoons of white sugarTwo tablespoons of soy margarineHalf a teaspoon of ground cinnamonThe procedure to follow for this type of cake recipe is:An oven is heated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Accordingly a 9 * 9 inch baking pan is greased for use.

Take a large mixing bowl. At first in this cake recipe, you need to resift the flour and the baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. In another bowl, you need to take the dry egg replacer and add to it some water which should approximately be about an egg's quantity. Once the egg replacer mixture forms, vanilla and sour cream are mixed in. This forms the egg mixture. Once you add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, beat it thoroughly. Next the batter is spread in uniform layers in the baking pan. If you want, at this point, you can add blueberries and walnuts to this mixture. Slightly stir this to ensure that these additional items stay in the top layer alone.

Use another bowl, in order to prepare the topping you need to add to the cake. It will require about five tablespoons of sugar, margarine and cinnamon. The mixture is mixed with a fork until it looks like a cornmeal which means it should not look smooth. The topping is then sprinkled over the batter in any way that you like.

The cake is then baked in an oven that has been preheated for about twenty to twenty-five minutes. Another way to ensure that the cake has been thoroughly cooked is to insert a toothpick in the batter. When and if it is properly heated, the toothpick will come out of the crown of the batter on its own. Before you serve the cake, it is advisable that you cool the cake a little.

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SHOULD YOU HAVE THE AIR DUCTS IN YOUR HOME CLEANED?

Knowledge about the potential benefits and possible problems of air duct cleaning is limited. Since conditions in every home are different, it is impossible to generalize about whether or not air duct cleaning in your home would be beneficial.

If no one in your household suffers from allergies or unexplained symptoms or illnesses and if, after a visual inspection of the inside of the ducts, you see no indication that your air ducts are contaminated with large deposits of dust or mold (no musty odor or visible mold growth), having your air ducts cleaned is probably unnecessary. It is normal for the return registers to get dusty as dust-laden air is pulled through the grate. This does not indicate that your air ducts are contaminated with heavy deposits of dust or debris; the registers can be easily vacuumed or removed and cleaned.

  

On the other hand, if family members are experiencing unusual or unexplained symptoms or illnesses that you think might be related to your home environment, you should discuss the situation with your doctor. EPA has published Indoor Air Quality: An Introduction for Health Professionals and The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality for guidance on identifying possible indoor air quality problems and ways to prevent or fix them.

  

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Seasonal Allergies: Nip Them in the Bud

Spring means flower buds and blooming trees — and if you're one of the millions of people who have seasonal allergies, it also means sneezing, congestion, runny nose and other bothersome symptoms. Seasonal allergies — also called hay fever and allergic rhinitis — can make you miserable. But before you settle for plastic flowers and artificial turf, try these simple strategies to keep seasonal allergies under control. 

Reduce your exposure to allergy triggers

To reduce your exposure to the things that trigger your allergy signs and symptoms (allergens):

• Stay indoors on dry, windy days — the best time to go outside is after a good rain, which helps clear pollen from the air.
• Delegate lawn mowing, weed pulling and other gardening chores that stir up allergens.
• Remove clothes you've worn outside; you may also want to shower to rinse pollen from your skin and hair.
• Don't hang laundry outside — pollen can stick to sheets and towels.
• Wear a dust mask if you do outside chores. 

Take extra steps when pollen counts are high
 
Seasonal allergy signs and symptoms can flare up when there's a lot of pollen in the air. These steps can help you reduce your exposure:

• Check your local TV or radio station, your local newspaper, or the Internet for pollen forecasts and current pollen levels.
• If high pollen counts are forecasted, start taking allergy medications before your symptoms start.
• Close doors and windows at night or any other time when pollen counts are high.
• Avoid outdoor activity in the early morning when pollen counts are highest. 

Keep indoor air clean
 
There's no miracle product that can eliminate all allergens from the air in your home, but these suggestions may help:

• Use the air conditioning in your house and car.
• If you have forced air heating or air conditioning in your house, use high-efficiency filters and follow regular maintenance schedules.
• Keep indoor air dry with a dehumidifier.
• Use a portable high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter in your bedroom.
• Clean floors often with a vacuum cleaner that has a HEPA filter. 

Try an over-the-counter remedy
 
Several types of nonprescription medications can help ease allergy symptoms. They include:

• Oral antihistamines. Antihistamines can help relieve sneezing, itching, runny nose and watery eyes. Examples of oral antihistamines include loratadine (Claritin, Alavert), cetirizine (Zyrtec Allergy, others) and fexofenadine (Allegra Allergy). Older antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton), are also effective, but they can make you drowsy.
• Decongestants. Oral decongestants such as pseudoephedrine (Sudafed, Afrinol, others) can provide temporary relief from nasal stuffiness. Decongestants also come in nasal sprays, such as oxymetazoline (Afrin) and phenylephrine (Neo-Synephrine). Only use nasal decongestants for short-term relief. Long-term use of decongestant nasal sprays can actually worsen symptoms (rebound congestion).
• Nasal spray. Cromolyn sodium nasal spray can ease allergy symptoms and doesn't have serious side effects, though it's most effective when you begin using it before your symptoms start.
• Combination medications. A number of allergy medications combine an antihistamine with a decongestant. Examples include the oral medication Drixoral, which combines the antihistamine dexbrompheniramine maleate with the decongestant pseudoephedrine sulfate, and the nasal spray Claritin-D, which combines the antihistamine loratadine with pseudoephedrine sulfate. 

Rinse your sinuses
 
Rinsing your nasal passages with distilled, sterile saline solution (nasal irrigation) is a quick, inexpensive and very effective way to relieve nasal congestion. Rinsing directly flushes out mucus and allergens from your nose. Look for a squeeze bottle or a neti pot — a small container with a spout designed for nasal rinsing — at your pharmacy or health food store. Use water that's distilled, sterile, previously boiled and cooled, or filtered using a filter with an absolute pore size of 1 micron or smaller to make up the saline irrigation solution. Also be sure to rinse the irrigation device after each use with similarly distilled, sterile, previously boiled and cooled, or filtered water and leave open to air-dry. 

Interested in alternative treatments? Consider these

A number of natural remedies have been used to treat hay fever symptoms. Treatments that may help include extracts of the shrub butterbur and spirulina (a type of dried algae). A number of other natural remedies are used to treat allergies, but the benefits aren't clear and some may not be safe — so talk to your doctor before trying one. 

When home remedies aren't enough, see your doctor

For many people, avoiding allergens and taking over-the-counter medications is enough to ease symptoms. But if your seasonal allergies are still bothersome, don't give up. A number of other treatments are available.

If you have bad seasonal allergies, your doctor may recommend that you have skin tests or blood tests to find out exactly what allergens trigger your symptoms. Testing can help determine what steps you need to take to avoid your specific triggers and identify which treatments are likely to work best for you.

For some people, allergy shots (allergen immunotherapy) can be a good option. Also known as desensitization, this treatment involves regular injections containing tiny amounts of the substances that cause your allergies. Over time, these injections reduce the immune system reaction that causes symptoms.

Article Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/seasonal-allergies/AA00060/NSECTIONGROUP=2

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Energy Star Portfolio Manager Helps K-12 Facility Managers Avoid Millions in Energy Costs

The cost to heat, cool, and operate the approximately 98,800 public elementary and secondary schools in the U.S. comes to about $7.6 billion annually, says Lauren Pitcher, a communications director with Energy Star. That's more than the tab for textbooks and computers combined. Indeed, energy costs are typically a school's largest operating expense after salaries, Energy Star reports. The size of the nation's schools' utility bills, combined with ongoing budget constraints, are prompting many k-12 school district leaders to carefully consider ways to save energy. One way they're doing so is by using Energy Star Portfolio Manager

Fortunately, many school districts can cut energy use and costs. Operating costs at the most energy-efficient schools run about 40 cents per square foot less than the costs at average schools, while the least efficient schools use three times more energy than the most efficient, Energy Star reports.

Moreover, reducing energy use doesn't have to mean compromising the education students receive. "We don't teach in the dark," says Eric Hamilton, director of buildings and grounds with the Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose (BHM) Schools in Buffalo, Minn. "We just have a dark room when we leave." BHM, an Energy Star Leader, has avoided about $13 million in energy costs over the past decade, Hamilton says.

It appears that many school districts have taken note of the value of Energy Star. Of the approximately 5,900 Energy Star Partners, about 1,179 (just under 20 percent) are school districts. Partner organizations have committed to measure, track, and benchmark energy performance. They also commit to develop and implement plans to improve energy performance using the Energy Star strategy, and to educate their employees and communities about their organizations' partnerships and achievements with Energy Star.

Moreover, school districts make up 85 percent of all Energy Star Leaders. These organizations have achieved portfolio-wide energy efficiency improvements of at least 10 percent, when measured against their baselines, or have earned an average rating of 75 or better, again, across their portfolio.

The results can be impressive. For instance, the Nash-Rocky Mount school district in North Carolina, which consists of 32 facilities comprising 2.6 million square feet, has avoided $8.1 million in energy costs over the past eight years, says Charles Lamm, energy management coordinator. "We've had up to a 30 percent reduction in (annual) energy use." Even though energy prices jumped about 53 percent between 2003 and 2012, the energy budget increased just $120,000, Lamm says.

The district's work with the Energy Star program, as well as with an outside firm that has helped it track and reduce energy use, were keys to its success, says Mark Strickland, executive director of operations. "We were doing a good job, but realized that we needed outside help and talent," given the rate at which energy costs themselves were increasing.

The St. Tammany Parish Public School District in Covington, La., had similar reasons for partnering with Energy Star, says William Brady, assistant superintendent of administration. "The district could be provided with many valuable resources and ideas in order to help us meet our energy goals and ensure that students are learning to be good stewards of the environment." In the seven years ending in late 2012, the district avoided more than $11 million in energy costs, Brady says. St. Tammany includes 55 schools and 16 support sites.

Article Source: http://www.facilitiesnet.com/energyefficiency/article/Energy-Star-Portfolio-Manager-Helps-K12-Facility-Managers-Avoid-Millions-in-Energy-Costs--13864#

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Water Damage Dangers

Water damage happens often in homes of all ages and kinds. An aging structure, problematic plumbing, or problems from nature can cause this. Since you may not notice water damage right away, it is something that you need to check for regularly. If you let it get out of control, you may end up with a severely compromised structure, as well as other issues building up that are dangerous to your health and entire wellbeing. Mold and weaknesses in the support structure of the house are just a couple of ways that this can become a serious issue for you. This leaves you in an unsafe environment and with expensive, necessary repairs ahead of you.

To grow, mold and bacteria would need dark, damp places. When there is water damage behind your walls, under your carpet, and in other hidden areas around the home, you are going to see a growth in mold, bacteria, and other dangers. These can develop into major health risks, like in the case of black mold, that require larger scale fixes and might end up affecting your health or that of those close to you. This also attracts annoyances, like gnats, that like the damp and dark spaces. They end up growing in numbers and spreading across your home, making it an uncomfortable place to stay.

Structural problems are also common with water damage. When the wood that holds your home together is weaker due to flooding or leaking, it is more likely to rot and break. It will not be capable of supporting your home as well, which results in sinking ceilings, weak floors, and a failing structure. If the source of the problem is constant and continuous, the problem is worsened even further. It becomes much more than a soft spot; it becomes a major security risk. This can result in a structural collapse and crumbling areas of the home, which can cause serious injury.

Avoiding this issue is possible. When you buy a home or have one built, make sure that the structure is in good condition. You need to have all areas checked, from top to bottom, by a capable inspector. Once this is done, remember to take care of problems as soon as they arise. Faulty plumbing or a leaking roof will bring problems into your structure, leading to serious complications. Call a professional quickly to have these problems fixed before everything builds up.

Sometimes, you are simply too late in the prevention stage. When this happens, you need to contact someone right away. Water damage will not become better with time, which is why you need to make sure that it is cleaned up right away. Before it worsens and before it has a chance to cause any degree of issues, whether it is flooding or rotting wood, you need to take action. A professional will be able to drain the area and help you to prevent anything from happening or persisting.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7590520

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Understanding the Effects of Thorough Air Duct Cleaning

Many people shudder when thinking of going into a hospital for fear of the germs, and refuse to own pets because the say that they are dirty. What may startle you, however, is that your home is likely harboring more germs than either a hospital room or a pet cage. Most air duct systems within residential homes are never put through a proper deep cleaning and therefore continuously build up contaminants that recirculate into the air of the home. Simply through thorough duct cleaning residents can create healthier, cleaner air for the easy breathing of their families.

It is important for any homeowner to understand the role of air ducts within his home. This will help you to understand how these ducts impacts your daily life and how cleaning will help them to work more effectively and beneficially. Your ducts are the system through which the air of your home is circulated throughout the rooms. The ducts draw the air through either the furnace or the air conditioning system and moves it throughout your rooms to address your home's climate needs. As the air circulates, however, any form of contaminant that is present in that air is introduced into the air ducts where it will continuously pollute the air that your family is breathing.

What may truly shock you is the types of contaminants that are commonly present is residential homes. The duct systems of most homes contain contaminants such as dead skin cells, pieces of insects, dirt, fungi, mold, dust mites, animal droppings, bacteria and viruses. Other environmental contaminants such as paint dust and carpet fibers can also be present. When these contaminants are breathed in by your family they can make a serious negative impact on their health. This is particularly true if any of your family members suffers from asthma, allergies or another form of respiratory problem.

Through a thorough air duct cleaning homes can enjoy the benefits of fresher, cleaner air. An effective cleaning of this type will remove the buildup of these contaminants from the entire air duct system, not just the visible span of the ducts themselves. It is important that all parts of the system including the cage, filter and blower are also thoroughly cleaned and that the entire system is treated with a sanitizing solution to hamper the growth of common allergens, viruses, bacteria and mold. This cleans the system for the moment, but also keeps the system, and therefore the air in your home, cleaner and more healthful. Air duct cleaning professionals recommend maintenance services once or twice per year to support the highest functioning of your system.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7471850

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Great Organization Helping Youth. Check Out Their Ribbon Cutting Celebration Event, Sat Apr 20th

 

RIBBON CUTTING CELEBRATION!

 

YOU ARE INVITED 

to the Yippie Yogurt® Job Training Center's

Ribbon Cutting Celebration

on Saturday, April 20, 2013 @ 1:00pm

 

There will be FREE small Yummy Yippie Yogurt

for the first 50 customers

Books and Stuffed Animals for the kids;

Face Painting, Cupcake walk, Balloons and More!

 

Yippie Yogurt® is a true community resource helping our most

disadvantaged youth gain employment skills and work experience.

  

"We hope you will come!"

 

Yippie Yogurt® is located at 1955 West Texas Street, #4 in Fairfield (Park in FoodMaxx parking lot).  Yippie Yogurt® is a program of the Yippie Foundation and is a true community resource helping our most disadvantaged youth gain employment skills and work experience.  Hope you will come!  Sponsored in part by Travis Credit Union and Dannon’s YoCream Yogurt.

 

 

 

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