Being Italian, I find McDonald’s Latte(s) taste more like hot milk than a Latte with espresso. So I used to request an extra shot of espresso and depending on the McDonald’s location I visited I was charged extra (between .61 and .95). I also found it quite bitter and didn’t really enjoy it all that much. Therefore, I found a work around saving myself that extra charge and now really enjoying my latte. Not so strong, not so bitter, just right.
I enjoy my latte much more these days without the bitter taste. Here is what you do… Purchase a small jar of Nescafe Gold Express Instant Coffee. With one teaspoon of this in your latte you will have that espresso taste and true Latte flavor without the bitterness. Start with one teaspoon and you can add more if you like it stronger all while saving the extra cost of 61 cents or 95 cents plus tax and enjoy your McDonald’s latte. TRY IT.
theRipregistryFor All You Latin Lovers! or Should I Say… Latte Lovers!
Give Homage to these great trees! After reading this article, I felt a need to share a poem I wrote, years ago (1980), for all you poets out there.
What Beauty A Tree.
A tree is beauty… A tree gives shade… A tree gives comfort to all this day A glamour to see with all its leaves Flourish in beauty mobility at ease Man kills the trees as ancient they may be For man has eyes though he cannot see With all it’s beauty it brings when old A tree won’t harm and is quite bold What Beauty A Tree. By Adriana Fanti
They are alive, spectacular living things and if they could speak, just imagine the stories they tell as life moves forward into new generations.
Staying healthy is important as you start your life in a new country. That’s why it is a good idea for women to get checked, or screened, for breast cancer. Cancer of the breast is the most common cancer in women living in Canada, and one in nine women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Each year, about 9,500 Ontario women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and almost 2,000 will die from this disease.
Screening tests can find breast cancer before you have signs or symptoms. If breast cancer is found early, when it is very small, there is a good chance of treating it successfully.
Who should be screened for breast cancer?
More than 80% of breast cancers are found in women over age 50. Therefore, in Ontario it is recommended that women between the ages of 50 to 74 get screened for breast cancer by having a mammogram every two years.
Some women may have a high risk for breast cancer because of their family or personal medical history. These women should have a mammogram and an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) once a year if they are between the ages of 30 and 69. If you think you may be at high risk for breast cancer, ask your doctor whether you need high risk screening.
What is a mammogram?
A mammogram is a low-dose breast X-ray. It can find breast changes even when they are too small to feel or see. Most women will have normal mammogram results.
While mammograms are the best way to screen for breast cancer, there are limitations. Your doctor can answer any questions you might have.
How can I make a mammogram appointment?
You can make an appointment or ask your doctor to make an appointment at the breast screening clinic in your community. Mammograms are free for residents who have the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). They are also free for women without OHIP who have an average risk (as opposed to high risk) of getting breast cancer. If you do not have OHIP coverage, speak to your local community health centre.
Why do some women get a letter about breast cancer screening?
Breast cancer screening is so important that Cancer Care Ontario, an agency of the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, sends letters to eligible women to invite them to have a mammogram. Women also get letters that tell them their screening results and remind them when it is time to return for screening. It is your choice to be screened or not.
For More Information
Breast Cancer Screening (multilingual) – Information in many languages on how to get screened for breast cancer. From the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.
Breast Cancer Screening – Videos, resources and information on breast cancer screening. From the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.
Cancer Screening Program – Information on breast cancer, cervical cancer and colorectal cancer screening. From the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.
Breast Cancer: Myths and Facts – Information on common misconceptions about breast cancer. From Alberta Health Services.
My CancerIQ – An online tool that provides information about your risk for breast, cervical, colorectal and lung cancer. From Cancer Care Ontario.
excerpts from https://settlement.org/ontario/health/nutrition-and-healthy-living
For more information as to how to love yourself, take care of yourself and family matters because I’ts Your Legacy… You Matter! follow us at https://twitter.com/theripregistry Like us on https://www.facebook.com/theripregistry/
More and More we are hearing about deaths due to possible Vaping and E-Cigarettes. You must see this article. Pass it on.
Its in the news, on TV programs (Dr. Oz, Dr Phil etc.). Everyone is talking about it.
Is Vaping Safer than Smoking Cigarettes?
Laura Gottschalk, PhD, John-Anthony Fraga, Jared Hirschfield, Diana Zuckerman, PhD, National Center for Health Research
Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, are being marketed as the “safe” new alternative to conventional cigarettes. By September 10, 2019, reports of six deaths and more than 450 possible cases of serious lung injuries related to vaping have made it clear that vaping can be even more dangerous than smoking.[23] Many of the patients report vaping marijuana products or marijuana and nicotine products, but others only vaped nicotine products. Based on what they know so far, doctors believe that the cause is chemical, not bacterial. But until these reports of hospitalized teens and adults are scrutinized in greater depth, we won’t know what types of vaping are most dangerous and under what circumstances.
E-cigarettes come in a variety of forms and include vape mods, Juuls, and vape pens. There are brand name products (Juul is the most widely used) and “home-made” versions. Some contain high levels of nicotine, while others contain marijuana or just contain flavoring. The focus of this article is on e-cigarettes because most of the research that exists has been done on them, but much of the information below is relevant to these other products as well.
The big questions are: Are they safe? Will they reverse the decline in smoking—giving new life to an old habit—or can they help people quit smoking? Here is what you need to know.
What are E-cigarettes?
E-cigarettes are battery-operated devices that were initially shaped like cigarettes, but now include vape mods, Juuls, and vape pens. The brand-name products contain nicotine, an addictive drug that stimulates, relaxes, and is naturally found in tobacco. It is the nicotine in cigarettes that makes smoking so addictive, and the same is true for most vaping and juuling. These electronic products allow nicotine to be inhaled, and they work by heating a liquid cartridge containing nicotine, flavors, and other chemicals into a vapor. Because e-cigarettes heat a liquid instead of tobacco, what is released is considered smokeless.[1]
Is Vaping Safer than Smoking Traditional Cigarettes?
The key difference between traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes and related products is that the latter don’t contain tobacco. But, it isn’t just the tobacco in cigarettes that causes cancer and other serious diseases. Traditional cigarettes contain a laundry list of chemicals that are proven harmful, and e-cigarettes have some of these same chemicals.
While smoking can cause lung cancer, breast cancer, emphysema, heart disease, and other serious diseases, those diseases usually develop after decades of smoking. In contrast, in 2019 it became clear that vaping could cause seizures and serious lung damage after just a year, possibly less, based on CDC reports of almost 200 patients hospitalized for lung damage apparently caused by vaping.[2],[3] While there have been warnings about the possible risk of e-cigarettes for a decade, it was not expected that they could cause such severe damage in such a short period of time.
Since 2009, FDA has pointed out that e-cigarettes contain “detectable levels of known carcinogens and toxic chemicals to which users could be exposed.” For example, in e-cigarette cartridges marketed as “tobacco-free,” the FDA detected a toxic compound found in antifreeze, tobacco-specific compounds that have been shown to cause cancer in humans, and other toxic tobacco-specific impurities.[4] Another study looked at 42 of these liquid cartridges and determined that they contained formaldehyde, a chemical known to cause cancer in humans.[5] Formaldehyde was found in several of the cartridges at levels much higher than the maximum EPA recommends for humans. In 2017, a study published in the Public Library of Science Journal showed that significant levels of benzene, a well-known carcinogen, were found in the vapor produced by several popular brands of e-cigarettes. [6]
The body’s reaction to many of the chemicals in traditional cigarette smoke causes long-lasting inflammation, which in turn leads to chronic diseases like bronchitis, emphysema, and heart disease.[7] Since e-cigarettes also contain many of the same toxic chemicals, there is no reason to believe that they will significantly reduce the risks for these diseases.
In fact, a preliminary study presented at the 2018 annual meeting of the American Chemical Society found that vaping could damage DNA [8]. The study examined the saliva of 5 adults before and after a 15-minute vaping session. The saliva had an increase in potentially dangerous chemicals, such as formaldehyde and acrolein. Acrolein has been proven to be associated with DNA damage, for example, and DNA damage can eventually cause cancer. [9]
A study of mice funded by the National Institutes of Health found that e-cigarette smoke could cause mutations in DNA that could increase the risk of cancer. These specific mutations have been shown to potentially contribute to the development of lung and bladder cancer in mice exposed to electronic cigarette smoke. The researchers claim that these chemicals could also induce mutations leading to cancer in humans. Although mice studies aren’t always relevant to human health, this study seems to confirm the studies of human health and e-cigarettes. [10]
Because they are smokeless, many incorrectly assume that e-cigarettes are safer for non-smokers and the environment than traditional cigarettes. However, a study published in the International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health found that the use of e-cigarettes results in increased concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and airborne particles, both of which are potentially harmful when inhaled.[11] Although e-cigarette vapor may not result in the obvious smell and visible smoke of traditional cigarettes, it still has a negative impact on air quality, especially when vaping indoors.
There are no long-term studies to back up claims that the vapor from e-cigarettes is less harmful than conventional smoke. Cancer takes years to develop, and e-cigarettes were only very recently introduced to the United States. It is almost impossible to determine if a product increases a person’s risk of cancer or not until the product has been around for at least 15-20 years. Despite positive reviews from e-cigarette users who enjoy being able to smoke them where regular cigarettes are prohibited, very little is known about their safety and long-term health effects.
There is also danger from e-cigarettes exploding in the user’s mouth or face. Last year, the British Medical Journal used data from several agencies to estimate that there were roughly 2,035 e-cigarette explosion and burn injuries in the U.S. just in a three-year period from 2015 to 2017. One of the authors of the study stated that the number was likely higher as such incidents were not well tracked. The report also said that e-cigarettes, commonly powered by a lithium-ion battery, could overheat to the point of catching fire or exploding, a phenomenon known as “thermal runway”.[12]
Your home is likely the biggest asset you’ll ever own. So how can you protect it in case something were to happen to you?
Canadians owe $2.17 trillion in household debt, according to the Bank of Canada. More than 70% of that is residential mortgage debt. To protect these mortgages, homeowners have a couple of options. You can buy mortgage insurance from a financial institution. Or you can get mortgage protection with life insurance and critical illness insurance from an insurance company.
Mortgage insurance works by paying off the outstanding principal balance of your mortgage, up to a certain amount, if you die.
Mortgage protection, on the other hand, uses a combination of insurance policies to protect you:
Term life insurancecovers you for a set period, such as 10, 15, 20 or 30 years. It can be suitable if you’re looking for low-cost insurance. While the premium may be low for the first term, the cost will increase when it’s time to renew. Buying coverage for a long enough term to match your mortgage term – 30 years, for example – will keep the cost steady. (Read more: Is term life insurance right for you?)
Critical illness insurance gives you a one-time payment if you are diagnosed with a serious illness that’s covered under the policy (and you meet the other policy conditions). You can use the money for medical expenses, to pay off your mortgage or for anything else you wish – it’s up to you. (Find out how a serious illness could affect your finances.Try this Critical illness insurance calculator.
Key differences between mortgage insurance and mortgage protection with life insurance and critical illness insurance
The main difference with mortgage insurance is that the payment goes to the lender. The amount you’re covered for declines as your mortgage balance declines. With mortgage protection, critical illness insurance gives you a one-time payment you can use for your mortgage or other expenses as you choose. And life insurance pays a tax-free amount to your chosen beneficiary (the person who receives the benefit) when you die. The payment can cover more than just the mortgage. The beneficiary may use the money for any purpose.
Beneficiary. With mortgage insurance, the money goes to the lender. With critical illness insurance, the money goes to you. With life insurance, it goes to whomever you name as the beneficiary.
Portability. If you change mortgage providers, your mortgage insurance doesn’t automatically move with you. If you move your mortgage to another lender, you’ll have to prove that your health is still good. You’ll also pay the mortgage interest rate the new mortgage provider offers. With life and critical illness insurance, you can take your policy with you if you transfer your mortgage to another company. There’s no need to re-apply or prove your health is good enough to be insured.
Flexibility. With mortgage insurance through a lender, your needs may change over time. But you don’t have the flexibility to change your coverage. With mortgage protection, you can convert term life insurance and term critical illness insurance plans into permanent plans later on.
Recent Comments