JenEcklund's Blog: February 2011

Amazing Cucumber

This information was in The New York Times as part of their "Spotlight on the Home"
series that highlighted creative and fanciful ways to solve common problems.

1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber
contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid,
Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber.
Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that
quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber
slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like
fragrance.

4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin
and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber
react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden
pests crazy and make them flee the area. (WOW)

5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool?
Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes,
the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming
up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!!
(DOUBLE WOW)

6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before
going o bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough
sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping
everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!

7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been
used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick
meals to thwart off starvation.

8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don't have enough
time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will
provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber sliced rub it along
the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an
entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from
the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a
soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college
students during final exams.

11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or mints? Take a slice of
cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to
eliminate bad breath, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible
for causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice
of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of
tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won't leave streaks and won't harm your fingers
or fingernails while you clean.

13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to
erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to
decorate the walls!!

Okay, so I've yet to try any of the above, however I did find eating a half of a cucumber
this afternoon to be a very satisfying snack (along with a cup of tea).

Tea Time!

One of my dearest friends treated me to some artisan brewed tea at 'teance' in Berkeley yesterday. This was my first visit to a tea bar and I must say I loved every minute of it. Tasting tea is a little similar to wine tasting as you will enjoy the aromas of each tea and learn about the varieties. My favorite was the "Phoenix Single Grove" with a honey fragrance and mild sweetness. Most interesting to me was the brewing process. (While I don't microwave my water at home to make tea, I do not time the boiling of the water nor do I use a tea pot for steeping.) With green teas for example, you don't want the water to be too hot or it will burn the tea yielding an unpleasant taste. If you haven't been tea tasting yet, I recommend 'teance' in Berkeley.