Month: May 2020

2020-05-27T08:07:00

(BPT) – At a time when you may be craving comfort food more than ever, specialty cheeses make it easy to bring a little more indulgence — and a lot of flavor — to your home-cooked meals and snacks. Simply switching to different varieties, such as a buttery havarti or a sharp blue cheese, can easily elevate your go-to dishes.

Everyday comfort foods like macaroni and cheese, omelets, grilled cheese sandwiches and burgers, can benefit from the marvelous meltiness of havarti or a tangy kick of blue.

Both cheeses are ideal to add to classic comfort foods, according to Katlin Sautner, New Product Development Manager Castello Cheese. “Havarti is a sliceable cheese with a creamy body that’s mild enough to suit all palates, making it a great choice for the entire family. And while you may be intimidated or even skeptical of the boldness of blue cheese, its unique nutty taste adds more flavor and creaminess to every bite.”

Go on a flavor adventure without leaving home

Here are some tips for incorporating cheese varieties into your meals, along with some cheese pairing ideas for comfort-food snacking.

Mac and cheese: A favorite among all ages, homemade mac & cheese spells comfort food like no other and requires little effort in the kitchen. Havarti cheese is the perfect selection to achieve ultimate creaminess. And, for a truly indulgent meal, try a version made with lobster.

Cheese omelet: Cheesy omelet recipes give a lovely texture to a time-honored, protein-rich breakfast treat; and topping with shredded creamy Havarti adds just a hint of tanginess. Add a salad, and it becomes a simple, flavorful dinner, too.

Blue cheese Bloody Mary burger: What’s better than burgers on the grill? Give an old standard an extra kick with a burger recipe using ketchup made with Bloody Mary mix, horseradish, celery seeds and pepper, topped with onion and crumbled blue cheese that packs a bold punch.

Buffalo hot wings with blue cheese dip: A true classic pairing, a decadent recipe uses traditional Danish blue cheese to take a bar snack favorite to an at-home dining experience. Crumble blue cheese in a bowl with mayonnaise, crème fraiche with a light topping of salt, pepper and honey, and voila! It’s joy in every savory bite.

Cheese pairings to explore: Looking for something new to nibble on throughout the day? Castello cheeses easily lend themselves to grazing and snacking, and both Castello havarti and blue cheeses are available in multiple flavorful varieties. For example, havarti dill cheese pairs well with cut vegetables, while blue cheese, with its sharper tones, pairs beautifully with apples, pears, and another ultimate comfort food: dark chocolate.

For recipes, plus more information and ideas, visit www.castellocheese.com or visit it on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

2020-05-27T09:01:00

(BPT) – Over the course of the last several months, hundreds of millions of people have sheltered in place as governments issue executive orders to help slow the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). As a result, many homes are becoming a fortress against the virus, a makeshift school, an office outpost and a daycare facility. As summer approaches and homeowners continue to spend more time at home with the air conditioner and the lights on, they are looking for ways to optimize the efficiency of their homes.

The typical U.S. family spends at least $2,200 a year on home utility bills, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. On average, that’s 7% of a consumer’s annual income. Utilities that used to be considered “optional,” such as Internet and mobile phone service, are now considered essential during the coronavirus era, adding additional expense to a family’s monthly budget.

So where can a homeowner look to cut back?

When thinking of a smart home, some people might just think of cool, connected gadgets that make life easier or more convenient. However, many smart-home solutions are becoming part of sustainable living, and they can save you money along the way.

Here are four ways you can introduce smart-home solutions into your daily life, reducing the monthly strain of high utility bills.

Don’t sacrifice efficiency for comfort — automate your thermostat

Our homes are our source of comfort and the temperature of your home should help you achieve that feeling. However, heating and cooling can account for nearly half of a family’s monthly utility budget. A smart thermostat, like the Honeywell Home T9 thermostat, can reduce this cost by tailoring to your temperature preferences during the day and at night. By adding smart room sensors to your most popular rooms, you can deliver the right temperature to the right room at the right time. And look for trusted brands that are ENERGY STAR certified. You’ll be doing your pocketbook and the environment a favor.

Sign up for rebates

When a sudden heat wave hits a large swath of the country, air conditioning systems in houses, apartments, hospitals and office buildings all crank on at once, and utility companies go into overdrive trying to meet their clients’ increased energy demands.

This kind of short-term increased demand puts a strain on our electric grid and can even become a public safety hazard if overloaded systems crash just when consumers most need to cool their indoor environments. To prevent this from happening, utility companies implement a variety of voluntary energy saving programs (known in the industry as demand response, or DR) that incentivize consumers to reduce their energy use during periods of peak demand.

Many utility companies offer consumers a rebate for joining energy savings programs that connect to smart thermostats. You can search for rebates at Resideo.com/rebates.

Light up the room, but only when you’re in it

Parents can often tell the exact path their children have taken based on what lights have been left on throughout the house. Turning off lights is an easy thing to forget, even as adults. We’ve all accidentally left that closet light or bedroom lamp on all day. Consider installing automated and motion-activated lighting solutions. With easy DIY installation, a weekend lighting project can give you long-term energy savings. Interested to know how much energy and cost are associated with running various home appliances? Check out this energy calculator from Energy.gov.

Get to know your water usage

Most of us don’t think twice when turning on the faucet, flushing the toilet or running a warm bath, which takes energy to heat. Water is our planet’s most precious resource, but it’s something we take for granted because it’s available at the turn of a tap. Monitoring and being aware of your water footprint can help reduce your monthly bill, while reducing strain on water supplies. For example, your money goes down the drain when dishes are washed by hand — using up to 27 gallons per load — instead of using an ENERGY STAR certified dishwasher that can use as little as three gallons per load.

Smart washing machines can help you optimize your laundry preferences — and can find the right wash cycle and water-temperature preferences suitable for that load.

Resideo’s Wi-Fi Water Leak and Freeze Detector can alert you and your smartphone if it detects a possible water leak.

Are you feeling like you want to start improving your home’s efficiency, but don’t know how to begin? Summer is a great time to start, and HVAC contractors and security dealers are considered essential businesses during the coronavirus in many states. Most credible professionals have adjusted the protocols when interacting with homeowners as well. Contact a professional that can recommend efficient whole-home solutions to help optimize your home’s water and energy resources.

2020-05-26T10:45:00

(BPT) – Every year in the United States, more than half a million people with a thyroid nodule undergo testing to determine whether they have thyroid cancer. Recent research has shown that many of these patients aren’t fully informed about the possible outcomes of this testing and don’t know what questions to ask their doctors. This can increase patients’ anxiety and decrease their chances of receiving the best care for their thyroid nodule or thyroid cancer. A new educational campaign is now available to help patients better understand thyroid cancer diagnosis and their testing options.

What is a thyroid and what does it do?

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in the neck that releases important hormones to regulate metabolism, help the body use energy efficiently, and keep the brain, heart and organs working. It is a vital contributor to health.

What are thyroid nodules and how are they tested?

A thyroid nodule is a solid or fluid-filled lump that forms in the thyroid. These nodules are usually harmless, but up to 10% will be cancerous. To determine whether a patient with a thyroid nodule has thyroid cancer, doctors use a very thin needle to collect cells from the nodule. These cells are then evaluated under a microscope.

Unfortunately, these procedures — known as fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsies — provide an “inconclusive” result up to 30% of the time, meaning doctors cannot confirm whether the nodule is cancerous or not. This can create significant anxiety and frustration for patients. To get a diagnosis in these cases, doctors have traditionally conducted surgery, removing all or part of the thyroid. In 70-80% of patients who undergo this surgery, the nodule is not cancerous, meaning the surgery was not necessary. These surgeries are invasive, costly and can often lead to the need for lifelong, daily thyroid-hormone replacement drugs.

The facts:

• Every year in the United States, doctors perform more than 565,000 biopsies to determine whether thyroid nodules are cancerous
• Up to 30% of these biopsies provide an “inconclusive” result, often leading to thyroid surgery
• 70-80% of patients who undergo surgery turn out to have thyroid nodules that are not cancerous, making the surgery unnecessary
• Loss of all or part of the thyroid can lead to lifelong hormone-replacement treatment which can result in long-term health issues such as osteoporosis, difficulty maintaining a normal metabolism and irregular heartbeat

Improving diagnosis and treatment

For those patients who do have thyroid cancer, cells taken during the FNA biopsy can provide important information to help guide surgery and treatment decisions. This genomic information is now accessible through a test that looks at the molecular make-up of thyroid nodule cells.

Recent research has shown that many people with thyroid nodules do not know that their FNA biopsy could provide inconclusive results. Additionally, many of these people do not know about the availability of molecular testing, which can provide both clearer diagnostic answers and valuable, individual treatment information without the need for surgery. A new educational campaign called “More About You” is now available to help address these challenges. It offers information about thyroid nodule diagnosis, what different testing results mean and how molecular testing can help. It also provides a list of questions for patients to ask their doctors. For more information, visit AskForAfirma.com.

2020-05-26T09:01:00

(BPT) – For kids, biking is one of the gateways to growing up. Popular films and TV hits such as “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” and “Stranger Things” highlight the joy a bike can bring as a fun way to explore or spend time kicking around the neighborhood. Yet, according to a study from the Outdoor Industry Association, bike riding among kids declined 19% between 2007 and 2019.

With the weather getting warmer, there are plenty of good reasons for anyone to get outside and ride a bike. Especially during this time of social distancing, bike riding offers the perfect opportunity to shake off cabin fever and safely enjoy the fresh air.

Benefits of bike riding

For tweens and teens in particular, there are many benefits of owning and riding a bike, including:

• It gets kids outside away from screens to enjoy fresh air and vitamin D–giving sunshine.
• It promotes cardiovascular health.
• It builds muscles, while improving balance and coordination.
• It improves mental health by helping to reduce anxiety or stress.
• It is good for the environment, offering an emissions-free mode of transportation.
• It helps build self-confidence and relationships with others who like cycling too.

Help for foster kids who need bikes

Unfortunately, not every kid has the opportunity to enjoy the many positive aspects of bike riding. Children in foster care, tweens and teens in particular, don’t always have access to a bike, so they aren’t able to experience this important milestone of growing up.

To help address this issue, and in recognition of National Bike Month and National Foster Care Month, Honeycomb cereal is donating $50,000 to Together We Rise, a national nonprofit dedicated to helping improve the lives of youth in foster care. The donation will provide 600 bicycles to tweens and teens in foster care nationwide, helping them to build their confidence and experience the many physical and emotional benefits that having a bike brings.

Bikes have been part of Honeycomb’s history since the 1970s, featured in its advertising and promotions. Kids growing up in the ‘70s and ‘80s fondly remember collecting Honeycomb bike-sized state license plates, which were given away free inside cereal boxes each year. Honeycomb’s latest “Always Be Big” spot features a bicycle with a nostalgic nod to the past.

“We’re thrilled to team up with Together We Rise to give kids in foster care the chance to experience the fun and joy that biking brings,” said Michelle Titus, senior brand manager of Honeycomb cereal. “Throughout its history, Honeycomb has been a champion of the small yet big moments for kids. This donation will make the dream of owning a bike a reality for these kids.”

Safety tips

Kids heading out on their bikes should follow basic guidelines to protect their health and safety. Remind your tween or teen to:

• Always wear a helmet, even for a short trip.
• Be visible by wearing bright clothing and using reflectors or lights to ensure others can see you, especially in the early morning or around sundown.
• Always use sunscreen to protect exposed skin from UV rays.
• Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids.
• Stick to bike paths, if possible, rather than riding on the street.
• Obey all traffic laws.
• Stay alert while riding.
• Don’t use ear buds or headphones that could prevent you from hearing traffic or other dangers.
• Don’t use your phone or text while riding — stop and get off the trail to use any device.

Now is the perfect time to get your kids biking and consider helping foster kids do the same. For more information about the Together We Rise Bikes for Foster Children program or how to sponsor a bike for kids who need one, visit TogetherWeRise.org.

2020-05-22T11:49:00

(BPT) – With National Wine Day around the corner on Monday, May 25, Milano cookies is encouraging everyone to save a moment for themselves by enjoying happy hour in a fun new way — by pairing Milano cookies with wine. To help achieve the perfect pairings, Milano created a Happier Hour Guide, featuring five expert pairings ideas for how to match Milano cookie flavors with your favorite wine. Below they’ve provided a few tips for how to make the most of this holiday by hosting a virtual “Happier Hour” cookie and wine tasting for 21+ friends or family to join the fun.

1. Get creative with a video meeting evite for the tasting

Ahead of National Wine Day, use an online evite platform to generate an invite for friends or family to join you for the “Happier Hour.” The evite will make this video call feel like a formal event and allow you to share recommended cookie and wine pairings ahead of time.

2. Reference the Milano Happier Hour Guide for Cookie + Wine Pairings

Milano has released a guide with wine and cookie pairings recommended by Maureen Petrosky, sommelier and Milano connoisseur. The guide will help you identify wines with the appropriate tasting notes for pairing with various Milano cookie flavors available wherever Milano cookies are sold.

3. Enjoy the new Milano x Nocking Point Happier Hour Box

Milano is partnering with Nocking Point Wines, known for delivering exceptional wine experiences in collaboration with influential celebrities and artists, to offer a box of five Nocking Point Wines inspired by the Milano cookie Happier Hour Guide. This one-click purchase will help you stock up for many at-home tastings to come.

4. Celebrate with Me Time

Need a moment completely for yourself this National Wine Day? Make it a personal celebration by referring to the Milano Happier Hour guide for the best wine to pair with your favorite Milano cookies. A fun way to sip, snack and relax alone.

2020-05-21T18:47:00

(BPT) – Sponsored by Horizon Therapeutics

An estimated 9 million Americans are living with gout,² but despite its prevalence, many misconceptions keep people from prioritizing getting the help they need to address this debilitating condition.

Why is it important to not ignore signs and symptoms of gout? For starters, gout is a serious form of arthritis and if it becomes out of control it can lead to permanent damage. When the body makes more uric acid than it should, or the kidneys do not remove as much as they should, uric acid builds up and tiny needle-like crystals begin to form.³ These crystals can accumulate anywhere in the body (called tophi) and cause permanent joint damage.^4,5 The buildup of uric acid also puts you at risk for having a gout flare — which involves inflammation, redness, swelling, tenderness and intense pain.⁶

“When the pain of a gout flare goes away, many people assume the gout is gone, but without lowering your uric acid levels, these crystals will stay in your body and can continue to cause damage,” said Orrin Troum, M.D., clinical professor of medicine, board certified internist and rheumatologist. “It’s critical for people to realize that gout is a chronic condition linked to other conditions like cardiovascular disease and kidney disease. It is important to pay attention to signs and symptoms of gout, not just during a flare, in order to best address the disease.”

Here are three things you should know about gout, its symptoms, and why addressing the disease is so important:

1. Uric acid can build up almost anywhere in the body. While some may believe that gout only affects the bones and joints, the truth is uric acid crystals can build up in your organs, like the kidneys, too. While crystals in your joints can cause severe pain during flares, the buildup of uric acid in your organs can lead to even more serious complications like chronic kidney disease.^4,5,6,7
2. Damage from gout can occur even when the pain is gone. The buildup of uric acid crystals can cause damage to the bones and joints, even if you’re not feeling pain.^4,5,8,9 Getting rid of crystal buildup can help prevent future flares and permanent joint damage, making it important to be honest with your doctor about your symptoms and ensure your uric acid level is well controlled.
3. Gout can become out of control. It’s important to keep track of your symptoms especially if you are taking gout medicine and you still have:¹⁰

• • Continued gout flares, sometimes called attacks
  • Tophi beneath the skin that aren’t getting better

Because it can be difficult to remember everything you want to share with your doctor, consider developing a list of your symptoms to discuss during your appointment. This can be helpful whether your visit is in person or taking place virtually — no one knows your symptoms better than you! You might even consider making a separate list of the questions you want to ask your doctor to ensure you’re addressing any possible concerns.

“Reach out to a gout specialist, often a rheumatologist, if you’re experiencing symptoms of gout or believe your gout may be out of control,” shares Dr. Troum. “It’s important not to let misconceptions about gout get in the way of getting the care you need.”

More information is available at Gout Revealed, which provides helpful information and stories of people living with the condition, as well as videos from gout specialists sharing some of the latest research, including the importance of recognizing and treating gout early.

References: 1. Nicolaou S, et al. Dual-energy CT: a promising new technique for assessment of the musculoskeletal system. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2012;199:S78-S86. 2. Chen-Xu M, et al. Contemporary Prevalence of Gout and Hyperuricemia in the United States and Decadal Trends: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2007-2016. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2019 Jun;71(6):991-999. 3. Doghramji PP, et al. Hyperuricemia and gout: new concepts in diagnosis and management. Postgrad Med. 2012;124:98-109. 4. Schett G, Schauer C, Hoffmann M, et al. Why does the gout attack stop? A roadmap for the immune pathogenesis of gout. RMD Open 2015;1:e000046. 5. Park JJ, et al. Prevalence of birefringent crystals in cardiac and prostatic tissues, an observational study. BMJ Open. 2014;4:1-6. 6. Neogi T. Gout. Ann Intern Med. 2016 Jul 5;165(1):ITC1-ITC16. 7. Singh J. & Cleveland J. Gout is associated with a higher risk of chronic renal disease in older adults: a retrospective cohort study of U.S. Medicare population. BMC Nephrol. 2019;20:93. 8. Edwards NL. Primer on the Rheumatic Diseases. 13th ed. New York, NY: Springer; 2008:241-249. 9. Rada B. Neutrophil Extracellular Traps and Microcrystals. J Immunol Res. 2017;e2896380:1-7. 10. Fitzgerald J, Dalbeth N, Mikuls T, et al. 2020 American College of Rheumatology Guideline for the Management of Gout. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2020.

2020-05-21T11:05:00

(BPT) – In uncertain times, there is one source of comfort we can all agree upon, and it is the unconditional love provided by our beloved four-legged friends. Pets are family and are there for us when we need it most. And when tragedy strikes a family member, whether through a natural disaster, domestic abuse, a health problem or job loss, we do everything we can to help.

Bringing animals out of crisis and into care and strengthening the bond between humans and animals is at the heart of everything RedRover does. Through emergency sheltering, disaster relief services, financial assistance and humane education programs, we are able to unite our community of pet lovers to help make the world a better and safer place for pets and their people. No matter the crisis, people and their pets can stay together whenever possible, or be reunited when separation is unavoidable.

In the current time of economic and social uncertainty, there are a variety of programs that can help people and pets who are struggling, including:

Urgent veterinary care grants

The RedRover Relief program offers financial assistance and resources to pet owners struggling with economic hardship when pets are facing life-threatening emergencies. These grants are intended to fill a small gap in funding that is keeping an animal from receiving urgent veterinary care. In addition to financial support, case managers are there to provide emotional support and guidance throughout the application process.

Domestic violence assistance program

As few as 10% of domestic violence shelters in the U.S. allow pets onsite. And reports show that nearly half of domestic violence victims won’t leave their abusers if they can’t bring their pet with them. RedRover and Purina have partnered to create the Purple Leash Project to help expand pet-friendly domestic violence shelters across the United States. Purple Leash Project grants, an extension of RedRover’s Safe Housing program, enable shelters to build on-site housing for pets. Adding pet-friendly spaces to domestic violence shelters can save the lives of people and their pets — and allow them to begin their healing process together.

Recognizing there is no one-size-fits-all solution to help domestic violence survivors and their pets, there are additional types of grants for shelters to house pets offsite or partner with organizations like pet shelters to care for pets while a domestic violence survivor is in shelter. Survivors can apply for direct support through the Safe Escape program, which provides up to 90 days of pet boarding to individuals leaving abuse.

COVID boarding grants

The new “Emergency Boarding” grant program helps animals who need temporary boarding while their owners are ill due to the COVID-19 virus. This grant will cover the cost of up to two (2) weeks of boarding while a pet owner is hospitalized, or if the pet owner is recovering at home and unable to care for their pet or place him or her with a friend or neighbor.

Resources

Beyond providing grants and support, RedRover has also assembled a list of COVID-19 emergency resources for pets and people with links to:

1. Pet food and equine resources to connect pet owners to pet food pantries and hay donations;
2. Other financial assistance programs such as low- and no-cost spay and neuter, as well as transportation services and foster resources;
3. Resources for parents looking for engaging, at-home activities to do with their children, as well as educators who are looking for resources to use with their remote students;
4. Emergency planning for pets including the COVID-19 Preparedness for Pets PDF, RedRover Pet Disaster Preparedness tips and an Emergency Pet Caregiving Agreement.

With so many struggling right now, these resources will help keep your family safe during the pandemic, and beyond.

2020-05-21T12:17:32

(BPT) – Choosing a home is strongly influenced by the layout and appearance of its bathrooms. But no matter how long you’ve lived in your home, there are bound to be improvements you’d love to make. And almost everyone needs options for optimizing bathroom space.

Before remodeling, it’s best to think through your plan. Unless you’re selling your house immediately, don’t make the mistake of considering resale value alone. Take a good look at how you use the room, paying attention to what’s working — and what’s not.

Ask yourself about daily issues that bother you before committing to a major overhaul. Be sure any changes you make will solve your problems or enhance your experience of the room.

Does anyone use the bathtub?

If baths are popular in your household, upgrading your tub can have a big impact. For spacious bathrooms, standalone tubs are trending in bathroom design. But for those with limited space, a large tub may not be an option.

If the tub is not used in your home, switching to a high-quality shower set-up instead could increase your bathroom’s functionality — and make better use of the space. Today’s choices are customizable and even high tech, so it’s worth exploring your options.

Is there enough storage?

Unless you have a newer home, chances are you do not have enough storage space — or outlets for all your gadgets. Here are some options for rethinking your storage.

Vanities: Robern’s Cartesian Collection offers customizable options in a range of colors and textures. You can purchase modular units that can be ganged or stacked to fit a variety of spaces, as well as to accommodate existing plumbing.

Their vanity drawers have white shatter-proof glass bottoms that dissipate heat, allowing hot items like hair dryers or curling irons to be stored without fear of leaving heat marks. You can choose an LED night light feature to illuminate drawer interiors, and in-drawer electrical outlets for powering your electronic grooming gadgets.

Cabinets: For stylish and innovative modular wall cabinet options, the Robern Uplift Tech Collection is designed with a vertically opening door, which you can open as low or as high as needed.

To help you find things even at night, the interior light of the cabinet turns on when the door is opened and shuts off when the door is closed.

How’s the lighting?

Do you find yourself mis-applying makeup, or have trouble putting in contacts or performing other tasks? Do you think you look different in other mirrors than the mirror in your own bathroom? Having a well-lit, clear mirror makes all the difference. Mirror lighting on cabinets is also a great option.

For additional lighting improvements, consider adding pendant or chandelier lighting, which provides great overhead light without taking up much space.

Do you just want a more beautiful space?

Consider minor changes to your bathroom that can transform your experience. When was the last time you painted the room? A fresh, bright color can really improve any size space.

Biophilic design is on trend, which just means making your interior spaces greener and more natural. Incorporating colors found in nature, plus adding natural elements such as houseplants, can make any room feel more peaceful and livable. Consider plants that thrive on warmth and humidity when “greening up” your space.

For more information on enhancing your bathroom, visit Robern.com.