#SmartStocking

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Jewellery Stock Management: Best Practices & Software for Seamless Inventory Control

Managing a jewellery business requires precision and efficiency in stock handling. From tracking gold, silver, and gemstone inventory to preventing stock shortages, having a robust jewellery stock management system is essential.

[digitalsanshta]

Unlocking Financial Freedom: ipobrains' Guide to Top Debt-Free Stocks

Top Debt-Free Stocks

Welcome to the ipobrains blog, where we empower investors with insights and strategies for financial success. In this post, we’ll explore the world of top debt-free stocks and how they can pave the way to a secure financial future. Join us as we uncover the key characteristics of these stocks and how they align with ipobrains’ commitment to intelligent investing.

Understanding Debt-Free Stocks: Debt-free stocks are companies that have managed to eliminate their debt obligations, positioning them as strong contenders in the stock market. These companies boast robust financial health, as they are not burdened by interest payments and can allocate more resources towards growth and shareholder returns. At ipobrains, we recognize the value of investing in such companies, as they offer stability and long-term growth potential.

Key Characteristics of Top Debt-Free Stocks:

Strong Balance Sheet: Debt-free stocks typically have a strong balance sheet with ample cash reserves and minimal or zero long-term debt. This financial stability allows them to weather economic downturns and capitalize on growth opportunities.

Consistent Profitability: Companies that are debt-free often demonstrate consistent profitability, indicating their ability to generate sufficient cash flows to support their operations and expansion plans.

Sustainable Growth: Debt-free stocks focus on sustainable growth strategies, avoiding excessive leverage and financial risks. This approach fosters long-term value creation for shareholders.

Dividend Potential: With lower financial obligations, debt-free companies have the flexibility to return capital to shareholders in the form of dividends, making them attractive for income-oriented investors.

ipobrains’ Approach to Investing in Debt-Free Stocks:

At ipobrains, we believe in a disciplined and research-driven approach to investing in debt-free stocks. Our team of experts conducts thorough analysis and due diligence to identify companies with strong fundamentals and growth prospects. By focusing on companies that prioritize financial health and stability, we aim to build resilient portfolios that withstand market fluctuations and deliver sustainable returns over time.

Conclusion: Investing in top debt-free stocks can be a prudent strategy for investors looking to build wealth and achieve financial freedom. At ipobrains, we believe in the power of intelligent investing and are committed to guiding our clients towards opportunities that align with their financial goals. By focusing on companies with strong fundamentals and a debt-free status, we aim to create value and drive long-term success for our investors. Join us on this journey towards financial independence and unlock the potential of top debt-free stocks with ipobrains.

[dinakaplan]

Are Sweet Potatoes Good for You? Everything You Need to Know

Sweet potatoes are a favorite fall food. But are sweet potatoes good for you and should you be eating them year-round? Here���s what you need to know about sweet potato nutrition, sweet potato health benefits, and more.

When I was a kid growing up in British Columbia, my kale and turnip-loving parents didn’t feed us processed sugar of any kind.

But once in a while, on a special occasion, we’d have sweet potatoes. When they were baking in the oven, our tiny cabin would fill with warmth (which was its own special treat, especially in the Canadian winter!) and the exquisite smell of sweet-potatoey goodness.

Clearly, I’m extremely fond of sweet potatoes. So when I decided to write an article about them, I had to check all my happy memories at the keyboard and look at the evidence.

Are sweet potatoes good for you? Are there any sweet potato health benefits? Where do they come from?

How can we prepare them, aside from in holiday casseroles and pies? And most confusing of all (to almost everyone), what’s the difference between sweet potatoes and yams?

Meet the Sweet Potato

iStock.com/smartstock

Sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) are large, starchy, sweet-tasting vegetables. They actually belong to the morning glory family.

Despite the shared name, sweet potatoes are only distantly related to the potatoes used to make French fries or potato chips. Non-sweet potatoes (including red, white, and Yukon gold varieties) are part of the edible nightshade family. Other members include tomatoes, tomatillos, eggplants, peppers, pimentos, and Goji berries.

Sweet potatoes are root tubers. Other root tubers include beets, carrots, parsnips, celeriac, and turnips. Root tubers store water and energy, like starch and other carbohydrates, underground. They draw upon these resources to feed the aboveground parts of the plant.

The Origin of the Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes are some of the oldest foods known to humanity.

They are native to Central and South America. We have fossil evidence that sweet potatoes were growing in the Americas 35 million years ago. But very recently, scientists discovered 57-million-year-old leaf fossils in India that appear to be ancient morning glory leaves. This could beat the American claim as the point of origin of the sweet potato family by about 22 million years.

Wherever and whenever they originated, and however they have traveled the globe, I’m incredibly thankful that most of us have sweet potatoes in our lives today.

What’s the Difference Between a Sweet Potato and a Yam?

People often mistakenly refer to sweet potatoes as “yams.” But these two plants aren’t actually related at all.

Yams are related to grasses and lilies and native to Africa and Asia. They’re usually cylindrical with black or brown, rough, bark-like skin, and white, purple, or red flesh. Sweet potatoes have characteristic tapered ends with smoother skin.

You can find sweet potatoes at just about any grocery store. However, in North America and Europe, you will only find true yams stocked at international and specialty markets.

You might be thinking, “but I see yams at my grocery store all the time” — and you’d be right that they’re labeled that way. But this label is deceiving.

There are actually two types of sweet potatoes in most mainstream produce sections: firm and soft. Grocers needed a way to differentiate between the two types. The soft kind, which includes the Garnet and Jewel varieties, resemble yams. This is how they picked up the false name.

How Many Sweet Potato Varieties Exist?

iStock.com/xuanhuongho

While most supermarkets carry one or two different types of sweet potatoes, about 25 varieties are available in the United States. And I was amazed to discover that this represents only a tiny fraction of the total diversity of sweet potatoes.

The sweet potato geeks of the world may be fascinated to know that the International Potato Center in Peru maintains a gene bank consisting of over 6,500 varieties of sweet potato. I don’t know about you, but personally, I wish I could try them all!

Sweet potato varieties range in color from dark red to brown to purple to orange-yellow to white. They also have different tastes, sizes, shapes, and textures.

Here are Just a Few of the Most Popular Types of Sweet Potatoes:

Garnet, Jewel, and Beauregard sweet potatoes have reddish-orange skin and deep orange flesh. These are often the ones masquerading as yams at mainstream grocery stores. Who knew sweet potatoes could be so sneaky?

White sweet potatoes are crumbly, with white flesh and golden brown skin. They don’t contain as many antioxidants as orange varieties.

Okinawan sweet potatoes are also known as purple sweet potatoes because of their high anthocyanin content. Anthocyanins are the pigments that give red, blue, and violet plant foods their beautiful colors. Anthocyanins are also what give Okinawan potatoes 150% more antioxidant power than blueberries.

Despite their name, Okinawan potatoes are actually native to the Americas. They were brought over to Japan sometime in the 16th century, where they grow well and have become a staple in Japanese dishes. In North America, you will most likely find true purple sweet potatoes in an Asian supermarket.

Japanese or Satsumaimo sweet potatoes are known for being sweeter than most other types. This is especially true when they start caramelizing in the oven.

Sweet potatoes are very hardy vegetables. They’re able to grow at many altitudes, in many climates, and under compromised soil conditions. Even if you don’t have the greenest of thumbs, sweet potatoes are pretty forgiving with just a little TLC.

What Makes a Sweet Potato Sweet?

iStock.com/HausOnThePrairie

Have you ever smelled a sweet potato caramelize in the oven or used them to make a pie or a cake?

If so, you know that even though they aren’t related to what we think of as potatoes, at least the “sweet” part of their name is entirely appropriate.

When you heat sweet potatoes, an enzyme starts breaking down their starch into a sugar called maltose. Maltose isn’t as sweet as table sugar. But it’s enough to satisfy a sweet tooth that hasn’t been entirely overwhelmed by M&M’s and Hershey’s Kisses.

You can control the sweetness of sweet potatoes somewhat by how you cook them. Cooking sweet potatoes quickly (for instance, by steaming them or cutting them into smaller pieces before roasting) can reduce their ultimate sweetness.

On the other hand, cooking sweet potatoes slowly on low heat will allow that maltose-making enzyme more time to convert the starch into sugar — giving you sweeter sweet potatoes.

Looking for even more control over the sweetness? The sweet potato enzyme is activated once they reach around 135°F and stops working at around 170°F. (That’s 57° to 77°C). So the more time they spend in that range, the sweeter they’ll be.

Are Sweet Potatoes Good for You?

iStock.com/piyaset

The people of Okinawa, Japan have traditionally enjoyed one of the highest life expectancies in the world. I discovered this when my dad was researching his book Healthy at 100: The Scientifically Proven Secrets of the World’s Healthiest and Longest-Lived Peoples.

One of those secrets, it turns out, is lots and lots of sweet potatoes. The traditional Okinawan diet consists of minimal meat, dairy, eggs, and processed foods. Instead, they eat mostly whole plant foods. And they get a remarkable 60% of their calories from sweet potatoes alone.

It’s partly because of this high-fiber and antioxidant-rich dietary pattern that Okinawans enjoy such a long lifespan. Living to be one hundred years or older is not uncommon in Okinawa. Okinawans also experience less chronic disease than Americans do — with significantly fewer deaths from heart disease and cancers of the colon, breast, and prostate.

Traditional Papua New Guinea Highlanders have also been known to eat a lot of sweet potatoes. In fact, tubers like sweet potatoes and yams provide 90% of their calories!

They don’t eat much, if any, meat either. How has a sweet potato-based diet affected their health?

A study published in the Journal of Internal Medicine in 1994 found that, when these native groups still followed this traditional way of eating, they enjoyed lower blood pressure and weight than Westerners. And they almost never experienced heart disease, strokes, or other modern chronic diseases.

So are sweet potatoes good for you? Yes, they are!

What makes them so good for you?

Sweet Potato Nutrition

Sweet potatoes are high in fiber, vitamin C, potassium, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), niacin (vitamin B3), vitamin B6, manganese, magnesium, and copper.

They get their orange color from beta-carotene, which is a pigment and antioxidant. Sweet potatoes also contain a modest but helpful amount of protein — around four grams per cup when cooked.

When compared to white potatoes, sweet potatoes offer more vitamins and antioxidants. Surprisingly, considering their sweeter taste, they also have a mildly lower glycemic index score. This makes them slower to digest.

But the greatest sweet potato nutritional glory of all may be its rich supply of vitamin A. A single sweet potato offers over double the daily value for vitamin A.

Sweet Potatoes Are Remarkably High in Vitamin A

Worldwide, vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of preventable blindness in children. An estimated 250,000 to 500,000 children become blind every year due to a lack of this critical nutrient. Half of these children die within a year of losing their sight.

Hoping to solve this problem (and with perhaps a few other less noble motives in the mix), over the last several decades, biotechnology companies, governments, foundations, and scientists have spent hundreds of millions of dollars attempting to develop and popularize “golden rice.”

This is a form of rice that’s been genetically engineered to provide beta-carotene (a precursor to vitamin A). Despite decades of effort, the product still hasn’t reached the market.

How ironic that this same effort could have gotten sweet potatoes and the means to grow them into the hands of most of the impoverished families now suffering from vitamin A deficiency. Of course, that wouldn’t have made biotech company, Syngenta, any money. But it would have helped a whole lot more people than golden rice ever has, and most likely, ever will.

News flash: The biotech industry and its supporters have long promoted GMO golden rice as an urgently needed solution to vitamin A deficiency. But in late 2018, in a surprising twist, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concluded its consultation process on golden rice by informing the current developers, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), that golden rice does not meet the nutritional requirements to make a health claim.

In effect, the FDA was saying that GMO golden rice offers no meaningful nutritional benefits.

Which again raises the question: How much better off would people be if the hundreds of millions of dollars spent on developing golden rice had instead been used to support the growth of sweet potatoes, carrots, and other vitamin A-rich vegetables in parts of the world where vitamin A deficiencies are a problem?

10 Incredible Sweet Potato Health Benefits

The unique nutritional profile of sweet potatoes makes them powerful allies in preventing disease and supporting overall health.

Here are some health benefits of adding sweet potatoes to your diet.

Sweet Potato Health Benefit #1: They Support Digestive Health

Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of fiber, especially when you eat the skin. Fiber is important for your digestive health, preventing constipation and serious diseases, such as colon cancer.

One medium sweet potato has six grams of dietary fiber. They also contain resistant starch, a type of starch that plays a role in feeding your body’s “good” bacteria.

Sweet Potato Health Benefit #2: They Keep Your Heart Healthy

The high fiber content of sweet potatoes can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, helping to prevent cardiovascular disease.

Sweet potatoes are also high in potassium, which works in balance with sodium in your body to maintain healthy blood pressure.

They’re also high in copper, an essential metal for making red blood cells and keeping your heart healthy. Low levels of copper have been linked to dangerously high homocysteine, blood pressure, and LDL cholesterol levels.

Sweet Potato Health Benefit #3: They Help Stabilize Blood Sugar

The fiber and complex carbohydrates in sweet potatoes can help keep your blood sugar stable. And it can help you feel full longer. Sweet potato varieties also contain other substances that benefit stable blood sugar.

A 2004 study published in Diabetes Care successfully used Caiapo, an extract from white sweet potatoes, to naturally reduce and manage blood glucose in people with type 2 diabetes.

The 30 participants who were given 4 grams of Caiapo every day for 12 weeks saw a decrease in their HbA(1c) (going from 7.21 to 6.68), fasting blood glucose (143.7 vs. 128.5), and two-hour blood glucose (193.3 vs.162.8). The 31 participants who were given a placebo instead saw no such results.

Sweet Potato Health Benefit #4: They Can Boost Your Immunity

Sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants that prevent free radical damage in your body.

One cup of baked sweet potato contains 52% of your daily value for vitamin C, which is important for wound healing and tissue repair.

And the vitamin A in sweet potatoes helps your body make immune cells that stave off infections and disease and have anti-tumor effects. Purple sweet potatoes contain especially potent antioxidants.

Sweet Potato Health Benefit #5: They Are Good for Your Eyes

Sweet potatoes contain several nutrients that have been linked to improved eye health and vision. Some of the most powerful are the carotenoids. They include alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.

Beta-carotene, when taken as a supplement in isolation from the other carotenoids, can cause imbalances. But when eaten in foods, where it is always accompanied by, and in balance with, an entire suite of carotenoids, it’s been shown to have powerful anti-cancer and vision-enhancing properties.

Orange sweet potatoes (as well as other orange plants, including carrots) have particularly high concentrations of carotenoids.

It’s not just the orange sweet potatoes that are good for your vision, though. A class of anthocyanins called PSPA, derived from purple sweet potato roots, might also benefit your eyes.

A study published in Food & Nutrition Research in 2015 looked at whether PSPA could influence the health and growth of human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells.

Why does this matter? The RPE is responsible for helping your eyes absorb light. It also directs immune response when faced with a threat to eye health. The researchers found that PSPA promoted DNA synthesis and healthy RPE cell growth and survival. They concluded that PSPA could potentially find use as a supplement for maintaining healthy vision.

Sweet Potato Health Benefit #6: They Fuel Your Brain

Sweet potatoes also contain compounds that help your brain function at its best, including choline and manganese.

Choline is an essential nutrient for brain growth and development, as well as the synthesis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine that sends messages between cells.

Manganese is also important for brain health. It binds to neurotransmitters and helps move electrical impulses through your body faster. You can find 43% of your daily value of manganese in one cup of baked sweet potato.

The anthocyanins unique to purple sweet potatoes may also have memory-enhancing properties.

Sweet Potato Health Benefit #7: They Can Help Ease Stress and Anxiety

Sweet potatoes may help you relax. They’re high in magnesium, which has been shown to play a role in calming the brain. Magnesium deficiency has been linked to depression, mood disturbances, and headaches.

Other good sources of magnesium include avocados, legumes, tofu, nuts, seeds, and leafy greens.

(I’m dreaming right now of a loaded baked sweet potato piled high with a soft nut cheeze, avocado, a drizzle of flax oil, and a sprinkle of seasoning. It’s also accompanied by some freshly steamed and piping hot leafy greens for a delicious, magnesium-rich meal.)

Sweet Potato Health Benefit #8: They Can Help Boost Fertility

Vitamin A is an essential nutrient for healthy reproduction. And as we know, sweet potatoes are a fantastic source.

Sweet potatoes also offer a rich supply of iron, which has also been shown to be important in supporting fertility.

Sweet Potato Health Benefit #9: They Can Help Fight Cancer

Sweet potatoes are a rich source of cancer-fighting antioxidants, especially in their skin. They have other anti-cancer properties, too.

Up to 80% of the protein in sweet potatoes is a type of storage protein known as sporamin. This unique protein has been studied for anti-cancer ability and found to be effective in several disease types.

Research has been promising in the use of sporamin to inhibit tongue, gallbladder, and colorectal cancers. It has also been shown capable of slowing cancer cell growth and reducing cell migration and invasion in metastatic cancers.

Sweet potato peels, particularly those of the purple varieties, may be especially powerful when it comes to cancer prevention.

A study published in Nutrition and Cancer in 2016 looked at the antioxidant and anti-cancer effects of an extract from sweet potato peels. They found promising anti-cancer activity for cancers of the breast, colon, ovary, lung, and head/neck.

Sweet Potato Health Benefit #10: They Have Anti-Inflammatory Effects

Eating sweet potatoes may also help reduce inflammation.

This is chiefly due to their high levels of beta-carotene, vitamin C, and magnesium. Their abundance of antioxidants doesn’t hurt here, either.

One of the particular antioxidants that’s found most abundantly in purple sweet potato flesh is cyanidin. Cyanidin has been linked to reducing inflammation, especially in the digestive tract.

How to Choose and Store Sweet Potatoes

Next time you shop for sweet potatoes, here are a few things to keep in mind.

When you pick one up, take a close look at its skin (no, you don’t have to pack your magnifying glass). It should all be mostly the same color without visible signs of decay or cracking.

Give it a little squeeze. You don’t want your sweet potato to be squishy anywhere, as this could indicate rotting.

When you get your sweet potatoes home, make them a nice place to rest in a basket on your countertop or pantry. You should keep them dry and cool (room temperature, not refrigerated).

Typically, you should use sweet potatoes within a few weeks of purchase.

The Best Way to Prepare Sweet Potatoes

iStock.com/vaaseenaa

Maybe you eat sweet potatoes regularly. Or maybe you only think of them as a seasonal side dish.

Me? I’ve enjoyed a baked sweet potato for breakfast with a delicious organic tofu chive spread on it. Or for lunch with salad dressing or a peanut curry sauce. Or as a base for dinner, or even dessert.

I haven’t tried a steamed sweet potato smoothie (although, come to think of it, maybe I should!). Sweet potatoes are delicious, incredibly versatile, and you can eat them in more ways than you think.

You can prepare them by boiling, steaming, baking, stir-frying, grilling, or cooking and mashing.

But the bottom line is: You just might want to cook sweet potatoes in whatever makes you most likely to eat — and enjoy them.

The only way I’d recommend not preparing sweet potatoes is by deep-frying them. This isn’t the healthiest way to cook food anyway. But for sweet potatoes, it can actually lead to the creation of acrylamide — a potential carcinogen.

If it works well with your recipe, try leaving the skin on for some potent fiber and nutrients. Sweet potato skin is also full of antioxidants. In fact, sweet potato skin may have over 10 times the antioxidant power of the flesh inside.

Including a few grams of fat in your sweet potato recipes can significantly increase the amount of beta-carotene your body absorbs from the meal. Just use a small amount of nut butter, avocado, olive oil (if you use oil), or have a fat source in the same meal.

5 Healthy Sweet Potato Recipes

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My mouth is watering as I think about all the ways you can prepare sweet potatoes.

Check out some of these healthy recipes if you want some delicious ideas.

Oil-Free Baked Sweet Potato Fries from the Conscious Eater

These healthy, seasoned, oil-free fries take little time to prepare and could pair well with just about any meal.

Sweet Potato Casserole with Herbed Mushroom Stuffing from Forks Over Knives

Sweet potatoes provide the base of this filling, nutrient-packed casserole layered with mushrooms, onions, cranberries, and savory herbs.

Berry-Stuffed Breakfast Sweet Potato from Forks Over Knives

Sweet potatoes may not be a traditional breakfast, but this hearty recipe will have you starting your day with a slew of antioxidants and a nice, warm belly.

Sweet Potato Coconut Curry Soup from Minimalist Baker

Here’s a sweet and creamy soup with a little bit of spice and fewer than 10 ingredients.

Healthy Sweet Potato Pie from Chocolate Covered Katie

You don’t only have to reserve your sweet potato pie consumption for the holidays. Enjoy this flavorful, filling, healthier dessert any time of year.

Sweeten Your Health with Sweet Potatoes

Fiber, complex carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals are essential for good health. And sweet potatoes are a fantastic way to add them to your diet.

Many of us have ancestors who reaped their benefits for a very long time, and there’s certainly no need to stop now. Luckily, sweet potatoes are affordable, easy to use and store, and available in many parts of the world all year long.

Sounds pretty sweet to me!

Tell us in the comments:

Did any of the sweet potato health benefits surprise you?

Will you eat more sweet potatoes now?

What’s your favorite way to enjoy sweet potatoes?

iStock.com/Eleonora Tuveri

Read Next:

Are potatoes healthy? The surprising truth about this controversial vegetable

[Read More ...] https://foodrevolution.org/blog/sweet-potato-health-benefits/

[crazytummyblog]

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Dixieamp;reg; – SmartStock Plastic Cutlery Refill, Spoons, Black, 24 Packs of 40, 960/Carton – Sold As 1 Carton – Pre-Counted Refills Make restocking Easy.

Price: (as of – Details) Pre-counted refill packs make restocking efficient and easy. For use with SmartStock Cutlery Dispensers sold separately. 40 pieces per pack 24 packs per carton. Utensils Type: Spoon Materials: Polystyrene Colors: Black Grade: Mediumweight. Utensils_Type – SpoonMaterials – PolystyreneColors – BlackGrade – Mediumweight

[davidsvlogs]

A lot of people have been talking about David investing into Tesla. If anyone is interested in "investing" there's a website called SmartStocks where you can pretend to invest and see if you make profits! It's a really cool way to learn and super important if you want to understand how society works!

oh fun! school doesnt teach us this shit so we have to teach ourselves lmao

[fitnesshealthyoga-blog]

New Post has been published on https://fitnesshealthyoga.com/aspirin-the-controversy-and-new-guidelines/

Aspirin: The controversy and new guidelines

Cardiologists have recently put out new guidelines recommending that a person’s risk of life-threatening bleeding should be factored into the decision whether to start taking aspirin to prevent a first-ever heart attack or stroke.

smartstock/iStock(NEW YORK) — Aspirin — is it safe to take?

Cardiologists have recently put out new guidelines recommending that a person’s risk of life-threatening bleeding should be factored into their decision whether or not to start taking aspirin to prevent a first-ever heart attack or stroke.

These guidelines, published in the medical journal Circulation, are in line with recent studies that have raised an issue with the medication.

How aspirin works

Aspirin is made of salicylic acid. It works by stopping COX-1, a specialized protein in our body that activates a type of cell called a platelet. These are found in our blood and are responsible for making it sticky. When platelets pile up, a clot can form. If the clot forms in the heart, a heart attack can occur; if the clot forms in the brain, a stroke is possible.

By intervening on platelet function, aspirin can potentially prevent a heart attack or stroke — but the blood can also become less sticky, and a person can become prone to bleeding in general. In certain areas of the body, specifically the gut and brain, bleeding can be deadly. A history of certain medical conditions like kidney failure, liver failure and age makes the risks of bleeding even higher.

Aspirin protects the heart and brain, and should be taken for secondary prevention

Decades of data support the use of aspirin for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease, meaning a repeat event like a heart attack or stroke. In people with blockages of blood vessels in the heart and brain, including those with prior heart attacks or stroke, the rate of repeat events drops by 1.5 percent each year aspirin is taken regularly.

Despite the risk of bleeding that still exists, the benefit is so great that aspirin is generally recommended to be taken as a life-long medication.

“It’s an unwavering, workhorse agent for these people,” Dr. Paul Grubel, an interventional cardiologist and research director at the Inova Center in Falls Church, Virginia, told ABC News.

He hopes the updated guidelines, which discuss possible risks to taking aspirin as a primary prevention — preventing something that hasn’t happened yet — don’t cause those people with prior heart attacks and strokes to all of a sudden stop their aspirin regime.

“If there’s any confusion that patients have, they should not make changes in this therapy — or any medical therapy — without talking to their physician first,” Dr. Grubel said.

The benefit of aspirin for primary prevention is murky

The evidence for taking aspirin is much less compelling when it’s taken as a primary prevention, meaning to prevent a first heart attack or stroke. Its use remains contentious because the bleeding risks more closely match potential benefit.

A large study in 2009, and three studies in 2018 called ARRIVE, ASCEND and ASPREE, showed that rates of significant bleeding related to aspirin were similar or even greater than the rate at which it reduced a first time heart attack or stroke.

The latest guidelines

The new guidelines published by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association in Circulation suggest that for a select group of people, aspirin taken for primary prevention may be appropriate. This is in line with recommendations put forth by other medical groups.

These new guidelines recommend considering low-dose “baby” aspirin every day, between 75 and 100 milligrams, in people between the ages of 40 and 70 who are at high cardiovascular risk but low bleeding risk, as determined by providers.

Ultimately, starting aspirin is an individual decision that should be made between patients and their care providers, with careful consideration of the risks and benefits. If you have questions about whether or not you should be taking aspirin, you should speak with your healthcare provider first.

Copyright © 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.

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Literally a chunk of Fluorite by Smartstocks via reddit

[erp-software-1]

Jewellery Stock Management: Best Practices & Software for Seamless Inventory Control

Managing a jewellery business requires precision and efficiency in stock handling. From tracking gold, silver, and gemstone inventory to preventing stock shortages, having a robust jewellery stock management system is essential.

[jodybouchard9]

6 Home Maintenance Tasks You May Not Even Realize You Have to Do

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Home maintenance and ownership go hand in hand, so you’re no doubt aware that there’s plenty you should be doing (hello, gutter cleaning!). Sorry to lengthen your to-do list, but we thought you should know that there are actually a few more home maintenance tasks that may require your attention—and odds are you don’t even realize it.

Curious what you might be overlooking? Here are some home maintenance chores that might be flying under your radar—and why they’re important to cross off your list.

1. Clean your refrigerator drip pan

Did you know many refrigerators have drip pans? I did not. But as you can imagine from the name, it’s a thing you really should be cleaning once in a while.

Doug Rogers, president of Mr. Appliance, puts it this way: “Failing to clean the refrigerator drip pan will result in mold growth.” Yuck.

How to do it: To clean it, first you have to find it.

“Remove the kick panel at the bottom of your fridge, and trace the defrost drain line to the pan, which is where it empties out,” says Rogers. Use a flashlight if you need to.

“Be sure to gently pull the pan out as it may be full of water, and dump any excess liquid in the sink before cleaning with an all-purpose cleaner,” he says.

2. Flush the water heater

“Flush” the water heater? What does that even mean? Great question. According to Doyle James, president of Mr. Rooter plumbing, you need to remove the water sitting in your water heater to remove any sediment that may collect there.

“Sediment causes corrosion, reduces efficiency, and shortens your water heater’s life span,” James explains.

How to do it: First, turn off the electricity or gas to the heater. Open a bathroom hot water tap and let the hot water run for a few minutes to lower the temperature of the water in the heater. Then shut off the cold water valve at the top of the tank, and put a bucket under the water heater drain valve. Open the valve and drain the water until it runs clear, with no sandy stuff. Be careful, because the water can come out hot! When it’s clear, put everything back the way it was and you’re done until next time.

To keep your water heater running at its best, James advises setting the temperature no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. Reseal your grout

When your tile was installed, whether it’s floor tile, bathroom surround tile, or countertop tile, the grout was sealed to protect it from wear and tear. But did you know that you’re supposed to reseal it every year? If you said no, you’re not alone.

“You have to reseal grout every year, and most people don’t,” says Debbie Gartner of The Flooring Girl blog.

The reason: Most grout is a mixture of sand and cement, which can absorb water, bacteria, and stains.

“A grout sealer protects your grout so it’s waterproof,” explains Gartner. Sealing will help your grout look better and last longer. The only exception is epoxy grout, which is generally used with glass tile.

How to do it: To reseal grout, apply grout sealant, wipe off any excess that gets on tiles, wait 15 minutes, apply a second coat, then clean the tiles again. Let it cure for 24 to 48 hours. After it cures, test it: Water should bead on top of the grout instead of being absorbed.

Here’s more on how to reseal grout.

4. Test for water leaks

Checking for water leaks around the home—even small, slow ones—will pay off big-time down the road. Why? It can help you save water (and money on your water bill); but more importantly, it will eliminate damage to your house done by water behind the walls or in other hard-to-see places.

How to do it: “Take a water meter reading and avoid using your water for a couple of hours. After two hours, if the reading changes, you have a leak,” James says.

If you have a leak, inspect the pipes of your water-using appliances like the dishwasher and washing machine for cracked, bulging, or damaged hoses. Leaky hoses are easy to replace yourself. If, however, the damage is more extensive, you can hire a plumber.

5. Reseal stone countertops

If you have granite or marble countertops, you should be sealing those babies every year, or possibly more often. The only exception is if you have a presealed countertop. In that case, you’re excused from this one. Not sure if you need to seal? Put some water on your countertop. The more quickly it is absorbed, the more porous your stone is, and the more frequently you should be sealing. That’s also a good test to see if your sealer has worn off: If the water doesn’t bead on the countertop, it’s time.

How to do it: Wash your countertop with mild soap and water, and wipe it dry. Apply a stone sealer, let it sit 15 minutes, then wipe away the extra.

Here’s more on how to reseal countertops.

6. Wash your dryer lint screen

You know that thing gets gross, right? You’re always scraping piles of lint, shredded tissues, and other weird substances off of it. But it can get clogged in less obvious ways, too. The residue from dryer sheets and fabric softener can start to build up on the screen, blocking the airflow. That can lead to less efficient drying and even fires.

How to do it: “Soak it in hot water and dishwashing soap designed to remove grease and oil,” says Rogers. “Gently scrub the screen with a soft brush, rinse it, and let it air-dry before reinserting it into the slot.”

It’s a small thing, but it’ll help extend the life of your dryer, reduce your energy bills, and keep your home safer.

The post 6 Home Maintenance Tasks You May Not Even Realize You Have to Do appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

[catherinedmccracken]

Boomers at High Risk for Opioid, Heroin Death

by Gary Strauss, AARP, November 27, 2017|Comments: 0. Boomers, millennials & the opioid epidemic. Smartstock/iStock. Mortality rates from overdoses could ...

        http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/501046504/0/catherinemccracken~Boomers-at-High-Risk-for-Opioid-Heroin-Death.html

[arthurstewartfs-blog]

Murder charges for doc who prescribed alleged “horrifyingly excessive” opioids

Murder charges for doc who prescribed alleged “horrifyingly excessive” opioids

—- Murder charges for doc who prescribed alleged “horrifyingly excessive” opioids // Ars Technica Enlarge / Pills. (credit: Getty | smartstock) An Oklahoma doctor is facing five counts of second-degree murder charges following the opioid overdose deaths of her patients. Prosecutors charged osteopathic physician Regan Ganoung Nichols, 57, on Friday in Oklahoma County District Court. Oklahoma…

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Dixie SSF51 SmartStock Plastic Cutlery Refill, Forks, Black, 40 Per Pack (Case of 24 Packs)

Dixie SSF51 SmartStock Plastic Cutlery Refill, Forks, Black, 40 Per Pack (Case of 24 Packs)

Price: (as of – Details) These pre-counted and pre-assembled refills make it fast and easy to restock an empty dispenser. Just pick up a new cutlery refill, slide it into the dispenser, rip and pull away the binding tape, close the door and you’re done. It’s really that simple! There are refills for forks, knives and multi-purpose spoons (basic teaspoon shape with a deeper profile for…

[pizzbiscuit]

Dixie Ultra SmartStock® Wrapped Cutlery Dispenser- Full Instructions

Dixie Ultra SmartStock® Wrapped Cutlery Dispenser- Full Instructions (more…)

[500smiles]

Lil hamster doesn't wanna wake up {:3 credit: u/Smartstocks

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This little stone by Smartstocks via reddit

[500smiles]

Happy big guy got his m8 credit: u/Smartstocks