Happiness Prevents Heart Disease According to New Study

In today's news, there's a lot of media coverage of a new research study done by American researchers and published in the European Heart Journal that happiness prevents heart disease.

In other words, happy people don't get heart attacks, according to these findings.

Now, we've already heard about eating more fruits and veggies, eating whole grains, and avoiding bad fats to avoid heart disease.  And there was recent news coverage of another study that pointed to adequate levels of Vitamin D as preventing both heart attacks and diabetes. 

Well, seems to me that living a life of simplicity could be said to prevent heart disease, too.  Living a simple life, as least as I've been doing it, means things like:

Getting some sunshine every day (sunshine is an excellent source of Vitamin D);
Eating lots of fresh vegetables and fruits (even juicing them);
Getting stress out of your life (and keeping it out); and
choosing to live a life that is peaceful, focused, and appreciative of daily blessings.

How to Buy Gold - Should You Prepare for an Economic Collapse, Like Mike Pitts Foresees?

South Carolina Representative Mike Pitts has made the national news this week with his introduction of a proposed law to that state's legislature that gold and silver coins replace the Federal Reserve Notes we all use for cash within his fair state as its legal currency.   It seems Representative Pitts fears that those dollar bills are too risky - that if the federal government were to collapse, then they would be worthless paper.  

It's happened before.  It happened in Germany after World War I (they were printing money like crazy, it became worthless).  It happened in the American South after the Confederacy lost the War Between the States.  The Civil War victory by the North mean all those confederate dollars were worthless. 

So, what if you're fearful -- or maybe feeling that the prudent thing to do would be to buy some gold (or silver)?  Maybe you think that investing in gold (or silver) just seems like a good idea in these uncertain times, but you're not sure what to do.  How do you do it? There's not exactly a gold section at the grocery store (yet). 

Here's what I've learned about how to buy gold:

1.  buy coins, not jewelry.  Coins are more liquid, they're easier to use as currency -- because they ARE.

2.  buy the American Buffalo Gold coin because it is labelled with the federal mint's guarantee that it is pure 24 carat gold (the American Eagle coin, for example, is not pure gold -- it also contains other stuff).

3.  do your research to find the best prices.  Web searches can reveal various places like Northwest Territorial Mint that will sell you the Buffalo coin and you can also go to the U.S. Mint website to discover a list of local gold dealers in your area that will sell you a Buffalo coin. 

Today, you could buy a single American Buffalo gold coin from NW Territorial Mint for $1303.17.  It weighs 1 ounce and is .9999 pure gold.  They also sell nice charms and necklaces so these can be incorporated into jewelry pieces.  The US Mint site had the same coin for $1360.00, the "collector's edition," which brings the coin to you in a nice hardwood box. 

It's recommended that you never buy gold that is over 7% the "spot price of gold."  Otherwise known as the cash price. 

4. buy from a reputable dealer.  There are some shady characters out there, and it's wise to buy your gold from someone who's been in the business at least 10 years, and make sure your seller buys his product from wholesalers supplied directly by the U.S. Mint.  Check for membership in either the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG) or American Numismatic Association (ANA).  You prefer a PNG member but if there's not one in your area, then go with a member of ANA.  Buy in person, and get references on the dealer as well as visiting his shop and talking with him before you start doing business.  Trust your gut.

5. have a plan in advance on where you're going to keep your gold coins.  The safety deposit box you have down at the bank isn't the perfect haven for coins or other currency -- you're not covered by the FDIC policy for any losses from someone stealing from your safety deposit box.  (And this isn't just bandits wearing hooded masks, more often these losses happen when someone legally accesses a safety deposit box as a signatory on a power of attorney and falls prey to the temptation to swipe stuff.)

House Smell Like Dog? How to Get Rid of Dog Scent - OdoBan

I've owned dogs for years, and there's always that worry that you've become accustomed to the dog smell in your house, but that anyone visiting your home will feel they're entering a kennel.  Not good.

And, over the years, I've tried lots and lots of remedies for this problem - because no, I will not go with the easy alternative of moving the dogs outside.  I LIKE having the pups inside with me.  They do play outside, they have a nice yard.  But at night, or now, while I'm working, they are nearby.  It's comforting, it's fun. 

Dog lovers totally get this. 

Plus, as pack animals, you'll get a lot better results in training your dog by maintaining that Pack Persona.  Leave your dogs alone and away from you, and they'll form their own mini-pack bond, and you'll lose some Pack Leader Power.  They don't have to be your shadow, but especially at night, it's a big pack thing to be near each other. 

However, there are always negatives with the positives and, well, they are dogs.  And dogs will leave a scent, no matter how much you bathe them.  What to do?  I have the answer.

1.  Air out your house often.  This is just good for you anyway, get fresh air circulating inside.
2.  Use OdoBan DAILY.  It's cheap, it's used in nursing homes and day care centers all over the place because it really, really works.  Doesn't cost that much either.

Me, I have OdoBan spray bottles scattered throughout the house (the big gallon bottle at Sam's comes with a quart size sprayer), hidden in cabinets, underneath the desk, etc.  I buy the big gallon bottle at Sam's Club - it comes undiluted, then replishish my stash bottles as often as needed.

OdoBan smells nice.  A little eucalyptus-y.  And it kills the odors.  You can spray it EVERYWHERE.  Sofas, rugs, doggie beds, never stains. 

What all does OdoBan do?  From the OdoBan site:

1. Deodorizer… eliminates unpleasant odors on washable surfaces such as upholstery, carpets, bedding, showers, walls and floors while leaving a fresh scent.  
2. Sanitizer… kills 99.99% of germs such as †Streptococcus pyogenes (Strep), Escherichia coli 0157:H7 (E.coli)(pathogenic strain), Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus (Staph) and Klebsiella pneumoniae on hard, nonporous, nonfood contact surfaces in 60 seconds. 
3. Disinfectant… fungicidal against germs ‡such as Trichophyton mentagrophyte (the athlete's foot fungus), when used on surfaces in areas such as locker rooms, dressing rooms, shower and bath areas and exercise facilities.  
4. Mildewstat… effectively controls and inhibits the growth of mold and mildew. 
5. Virucide*… kills *HIV-1 (AIDS Virus), Influenza A/Hong Kong and Herpes Simplex type 2 in 60 seconds.

I've just discovered that OdoBan has an entire line of pet-related products.  I'll be investigating them, but I don't know how they could surpass my current basic OdoBan stuff.  It's just fabulous.  Maybe the pet urine product would be good for my friends that just got the new puppy ....