SALT

Salt Is Essential

Ye art the salt of the earth:  but if the salt has lost its savour  wherewith will it be salted?  It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot by men.

Matthew 5:13

Salt is ancient, to say the least.  Salt is essential to life.  It is found all over the world in different forms.  Salt  found in oceans is the main mineral, thus the term “sea salt.” In its natural form it is called rock salt or halite which is a crystalline mineral.  

Common table salt is composed of sodium chloride. The taste for salt is basic to the human taste buds.  However, only 6% is used for human consumption.  Sodium is essential to human health because it is an electrolyte.  With this being a fact, consuming too much salt can be harmful to the human body. 

A fact to note: ancient people who raised animals and ate animals from their herds did not use salt in their food, because there is more salt in animal tissue than in plant tissue.  

Because salting is probably the oldest method of preserving and seasoning food, salt was highly valued by the ancient Hebrews, Romanians, Chinese, Greeks, Romans, Hittites, Egyptians, and Indians.  In other words the world, as it existed at that time, valued salt as a precious commodity for trade.

The ancient Hebrews used salt in making a Covenant with God.  They sprinkled salt on their offerings to show their trust in Him.

  Wars were fought over salt as the need increased for preserving and salting food.  In fact, Roman soldiers were paid a “salary” in salt; thus, the word “salary” comes from the Latin word salarium.  

Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French salarie, from Latin salarium, originally denoting a Roman soldier's allowance to buy salt, from sal ‘salt' (dictionary definition).

This mineral, salt, has many uses aside from seasoning and preserving:

• manufacturing: polyvinyl chloride, plastics, paper pulp
• water conditioning processes
• de-icing roads
• agricultural use
• soaps
• glycerine

These are some of the uses in manufacturing.

Other Uses:

• Clean oil stains on garage floor by using a paste of salt and water

• Epsom Salt for the garden (must be Epsom salt, not table salt)  Epsom Salt is a mineral containing magnesium, sulphur, and oxygen. It is an inorganic salt.

• 2 tablespoons of Epsom salt 
• 1 gallon water
• Dissolve the Epsom salt in water, then water the vegetable garden once a month.  
• For tomatoes mix a tablespoon of the Epsom salt into the soil before planting. The magnesium in the Epsom salt will help the tomatoes grow.  

Every 2-3 weeks water with the water/salt solution.

Here is a new tip that I just discovered:

• If you have a swimming pool and you are thinking of updating it, consider making it a saltwater pool.
•  Building a new pool?  Make it a saltwater pool.  You will be exposed to less chlorine, as the salt dissolves it can cleanse and sanitize the water.  Just a thought, 

        goodtips

OLIVE OIL-Benefit and Uses

What to do with Olive oil

One of the oldest ingredients used in all parts of the world is olive oil, originally, a product of the Mediterranean area.  From the olives come oil that is used in many ways with benefits for the entire body, inside and out.  

The oil is derived from the olives and refined from a heavy oil to a fine extra virgin consistency for use on salads and where a thinner oil is preferred.  

There are other uses for this natural product from olives.  

• Olive oil is beneficial as a skin ointment to minimize and smooth wrinkles.  It provides protection from the harmful rays of too much sun.  Applying olive oil to the hair gives the hair a smooth enriched appearance, and makes it more manageable.

• Taken internally by eating food with olive oil provides nutrients that benefit the skin and hair directly from inside the body.  This oil is used in the manufacturing of many products because it is natural and beneficial

• Soap, cosmetics, cleaning compounds, hair and skin preparations contain some amount of olive oil.  These are vegetable based products

• Even pet food now may contain olive oil for the benefit of the pet and its outside coat

• Got squeaky hinges?  Use a little olive oil on those hinges, the squeak will be gone in no time

• Shoes look dull from wear?  Rub a little olive oil on them.  They will look new and revitalized.  This is a good solution in a pinch.  As a last resort, you have no shoe polish, do this and your shoes should look as good as the rest of your outfit

• Use olive oil as a polish for wooden furniture.  Mix olive oil with lemon essential oil and you have a cleaner and a polisher in one:

    1/2 teaspoon olive oil

    5 drops lemon essential oil

Pour into a spray bottle, spritz, and wipe with lint free cloth. The lemon disinfects and olive oil adds the shine.  

• Lemon juice and olive oil mixture can be used to mop a wooden floor.  Add vinegar to cut grease, deodorizer and disinfect: 

    3/4 cup olive oil

   1/2 cup lemon juice

   1/4 cup vinegar 

   1 gallon of water

• Pour a small amount of olive oil on a cloth.  Rub over a sticker that is hard to come off.  Rub until the sticker loosens and turns into a ball.  Wipe away the ball and the gooey access.  That’s how you remove a sticker easily, using a product from your pantry.

• Got paint brushes with dried up paint in them?  Soak them in olive oil for 30 minutes, then wipe them clean with a rag.

 Another use for an ingredient from the pantry,  goodtips 

Living Green

GREEN LIVING

For me, green living is living within the Eco system responsibly.  That means no polluting or pouring noxious gases into the atmosphere.  Using the natural elements of nature to sustain life is green living.

Solar power, wind power, and using rain water to the ultimate is part of this plan. 

The Sun is a natural resource that is free to all. Although, there may be those who would harness its energy (if possible) and attempt to sell it only to a privileged few.  Solar energy can benefit everyone, especially  those living in deprived areas and countries.  One does not have to pay a utility company to use it.  Where there is abundant sunshine 80% of the year, this can benefit the people by providing electricity. What a blessing! Living green.

There are large appliances such as washers, dryers, and refrigerators designed to be used with solar power. 

It seems that there is a lot of foot-dragging or some intentional obstacle to prevent people from using energy from the sun for electricity.  The greed for making money and hoarding it seems to be the impetus for not instituting solar energy into the power system for town and country.  

Controlling non renewable energy and making a profit by doling it out for a price is the greatest hindrance of developing renewable sustainable energy for the masses.

A few States in the U.S. have programs that make it affordable for the average citizen to incorporate renewable energy into the power source to generate electricity going into their home.  This is used with the local power company.  This is a great savings for the homeowner.  The local utility usually ends up paying money to the consumer for electricity not used, since usage is prorated.

Wind energy is free also. There are areas where the wind is strong enough to sustain enough power to generate electricity for near and far.

Wind turbines are starting to appear all over the world.  Instead of raising sheep a young farmer overseas decided to develop a wind farm. There is plenty of strong wind power in many areas.

Rain water is a natural resource with many uses.  As it comes down it cleanses the air, therefore, it is dirty.  Even in this form it can be used to water the plants and animals. The waterways are replenished.  

Gathering rainwater in a barrel or another large container and recycling it can save money.  Use this water for outside chores, cleaning outdoor furniture, watering the garden, washing the car, anything that does not need potable water.  

There are ways to purify the rainwater.  There are about 7, or more, stages of filtering that takes out the impurities. Living green.    

Renewable energy is here and will eventually overtake the need for purchasing electricity only from the electric company.  (My opinion)

This planet has resources for all people. No one should be in the dark, be cold or too hot, or even thirsty. goodtips