Kansans and Friends In Weight Loss

“I appreciate all that I am and all that I have.”

Stop focusing on what you do not have, and shift your consciousness to an appreciation for all that you are and all that you do have.

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Ladies and Gentlemen it is with great pleasure that I anounce a new addition to Kansans and Friends In Weight Loss.

Her name is Jesse and this is her bio.

Hi, my name is Jessica Viera (A.K.A Jessy).  I live in Lake Mary, FL, which is right outside Orlando.  I have lived in Florida my entire life and ready to move =).    Let’s see where to start…. I am happily married to my husband, Marco and we have a wonderful daughter (Madison).  We are expecting our son, Anthony in May.  Let me not forget our four legged son, Tater, he’s an English bulldog, who thinks he’s human.  I am very family oriented and love to do things with my family close as well as extended (friends etc.)   My daughter is 6 and will turn 7 when her brother is born.  She is not so fond of sharing the birthday week, she only wants me and her to have that week (her birthday is the day before mine).  I think we will be able to work around it, maybe =). 

 I recently started my own company, in Virtual Assistance.  I have worked for over 5 years in Administrative and over 7 years in Marketing & sales of some form.  I am still building it.  I do work ranging from emails to Bookkeeping and willing to learn anything if it means I can help you.  That is actually my company logo, “How Can I Help You”.  I established my company to be that one stop place for companies, web sites, etc., especially small.  I am fully aware of how hard it is to run a company.  I want to make it easier and a little less stressful for them.  Instead of searching and searching for the right person to do the services or even assist, that is what I am there for.  I will help and learn whatever it takes to make it easier and help your needs flow as smooth as possible.

I have several hobbies that I love to do.  I am a stickler for designing and writing, I love poetry and reading (I am part of an all mom Book Club), I absolutely love my CSI shows of any type (I know much of a hobby, but I guess when you have seen almost all of them it kind of makes it one) and pretty much anything with the family.  I hate to be idle; I’d rather have a ton of things to do than nothing. I really do not know what to do with myself if I have nothing to do

Well, that pretty much gives you a brief summery of me.  Questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

Jessica Viera

Virtual Assistant

Please welcome her to my team and also please hop on over to our message board and offer her your hello’s and greetings.

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When you serve meals to your children, are their plates piled sky high? If so, you may be teaching them to overeat without realizing it, say researchers from Cornell University. In their study, the experts found that serving sizes were the best predictor of how much a child would eat. This contradicts earlier studies that suggested children only eat when they are hungry or when they’re having a growth spurt. In fact, such big portions may explain why weight problems run in certain families. Parents who were raised in homes where plates were loaded up at mealtimes may in turn pass the unhealthy tradition along to their own children.

So, do your kids a favor and help them learn what an “average” serving size looks like. If you aren’t sure yourself, check out the nutrition label on the product package and use measuring cups until you can “eyeball” the correct amount. It’s a healthy lesson that you — and your child — will benefit from for a lifetime!

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WASHINGTON, Jan. 24, 2008 - Millions of Americans will settle down in front of the television on Super Bowl Sunday to cheer on their favorite team, making this the second highest day of food consumption in the United States after Thanksgiving. USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service offers some smart tips to help Super Bowl partygoers and hosts avoid committing their own food safety “personal fouls.”

“While football has the ‘two-minute’ warning, the food safety arena has the ‘two-hour’ rule,” said USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Richard Raymond. “One of the biggest food safety mistakes people make during these types of gatherings is that they let perishable food items sit out for far too long.”

The game and the party will go on for several hours, and food is often put out early for guests to munch on before and during the big game. Any foods — hot or cold — that have been sitting out at room temperature for more than two hours can easily allow bacteria to multiply and cause illness. When perishable foods are not kept on a heating source (chafing dish or slow cooker) or nestled in a chilling source (bowls of ice), they enter the Danger Zone between 40 °F and 140 °F where bacteria grow the most rapidly and should be thrown away after remaining at room temperature for more than two hours.

If you are hosting or preparing food for a Super Bowl party, then you are the head coach for this big event. As the head coach, you need a game plan and you call the plays. You can ensure your guests won’t end up on injured reserve by following USDA’s basic food safety messages.

Clean — Avoid penalties for Illegal Use of Hands. In the every day game of food safety, this penalty occurs when you or your guests prepare or handle food without first washing your hands. Always wash hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds before and after handling food, and don’t forget to also wash surfaces often.

Separate — Avoid Encroachment and don’t jump offsides. Keep raw meat and poultry separate from cooked foods. You’ll get a flag for encroachment in your kitchen if you cut raw veggies on the same cutting board that was used to cut chicken and other raw meats. The juices from raw meat can contain harmful bacteria that cross-contaminates other foods. Use one cutting board for raw meat and poultry and one cutting board for veggies. If you use only one cutting board, wash it with hot soapy water after preparing each food item.

Cook — Use a food thermometer to make sure your foods are in The Red Zone. You’ll be sure to score when you use a thermometer to ensure that the food you prepare is thoroughly cooked. Meat and poultry including chicken wings, sausages and hamburgers, should be cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7.

And remember, color is not a reliable indicator of doneness — internal temperature is. Use a food thermometer to be sure meat and poultry are safely cooked. Steaks should be cooked to 145 °F, ground beef should be cooked to 160 °F and all poultry should be cooked to 165 °F. Once your foods have reached The Red Zone for food safety, protect your team from the Danger Zone. Don’t leave foods sitting out for more than two hours at temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F.

Chill — Your defense for good Pass Protection. In food safety, to ensure your guests continue to be food safe when they come back and blitz the table for seconds, refrigerate leftovers promptly. Your pass protection will block offensive bacteria from multiplying and running up the score. Refrigerate or freeze foods promptly. Keep cold food cold, the same rules of the Danger Zone apply for cold foods, too. If cold food has been sitting out for more than two hours, do not eat it.

Make the Right Call. In football, referees can use instant replay to ensure they made the right call. One of the best resources available before kickoff is USDA’s virtual representative, “Ask Karen,” a feature that also allows you to ask food safety-related questions 24 hours a day. Visit “Ask Karen” at AskKaren.gov. Food safety coaches are available by phone at the USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854). Recorded messages are available 24 hours a day and the Hotline is staffed with food safety experts, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern Time.

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You know that walking helps your heart and reduces your waistline, but did you know it also cuts your cancer risk? Researchers say 30 minutes of walking per day can keep cancer at bay or increase the survival odds of those who get cancer. Why? They maintain it’s because those who walk on a regular basis are much less likely to be obese, and obesity is a major risk factor for many types of cancer, including breast cancer.

So, instead of thinking of your daily walk as “just exercise,” try thinking of it as a gift you’re giving yourself and your family — the gift of a long and healthy life! Doesn’t that just make you want to go put on your walking shoes right now? Let’s go!

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“I treasure all of the experiences I’ve had in my life.”

Each expereince in your life was absolutely necessary in order to have gotten you to the next place, and the next,up until this very moment.

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Cooking with seafood doesn’t have to be complicated — you can fix up this gourmet-tasting meal in just minutes! By adding the veggies and pasta, you have a completely balanced meal that your whole family will enjoy. It makes for a very nutritious dish! So dive in!

Pasta With Shrimp and Broccoli

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients
2 cups whole-wheat ziti, penne, or other tubular pasta (for 1,600- and 1,800-calorie plans, use 3 cups)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
5 ounces peeled and deveined shrimp (about 15 large or 24 medium shrimp)
1 1⁄2 cups broccoli florets, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (optional)
Directions
Prepare the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and return to the pot.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, warm 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic or garlic powder and cook for 30 seconds. Add the shrimp. Cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the shrimp turn opaque. Add to the drained pasta.

Add the broccoli and the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil to the skillet. Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes, or until just tender. Add to the pasta and toss to mix. Sprinkle with the basil (if using).

Per serving: 339 calories, 11g fat, 41g carbohydrates, 163mg sodium, 9g fiber, 23g protein, 1g sugar

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Congressional and Public Affairs
(202) 720-9113
Laura Reiser

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12, 2008 - Rochester Meat Company, a Rochester, Minn., firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately 188,000 pounds of ground beef products because they may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.

The problem was discovered through an investigation initiated by the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services and the California Department of Public Health into five illnesses in Wisconsin and one illness in California. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a physician.

	Preparing Ground Beef For Safe Consumption USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHOTLINE or visit www.fsis.usda.gov Although these products are not available at retail establishments, consumers preparing ground beef products should heed the following advice. Wash hands with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat and poultry. Wash cutting boards, dishes and utensils with hot, soapy water. Immediately clean spills. Keep raw meat, fish and poultry away from other food that will not be cooked. Use separate cutting boards for raw meat, poultry and egg products and cooked foods. Consumers should only eat ground beef or ground beef patties that have been cooked to a safe internal temperature of 160°F. Color is NOT a reliable indicator that ground beef or ground beef patties have been cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria such as E. coli O157:H7. The only way to be sure ground beef is cooked to a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria is to use a thermometer to measure the internal temperature. Refrigerate raw meat and poultry within two hours after purchase or one hour if temperatures exceed 90°F. Refrigerate cooked meat and poultry within two hours after cooking.

The ground beef products subject to recall were produced on Oct. 30, 2007, and Nov. 6, 2007. The products subject to recall were shipped to distributors nationwide for further distribution to restaurants and food service institutions. These products were not available for purchase by consumers in retail establishments.

The following products are subject to recall:

• 10-pound boxes of “SEASONED BEEF BULK” bearing a product number of “09068,” as well as an eight-digit lot number beginning with “730314.”
• 10-pound boxes of “100% PURE BEEF PATTIES” bearing a product number of “09071,” as well as an eight-digit a lot number beginning with “731013.”
• 15-pound boxes of “CHEYENNE SEASONED BEEF PATTIES” bearing a product number of “12017” or “12018,” as well as an eight-digit lot number beginning with “730314.”
• 10-, 15- and 20-pound boxes of “100% PURE GROUND BEEF PATTIES” bearing a product number of “1340,” “127533,” “135724,” “158843” or “158852,” as well as an eight-digit lot number beginning with “731013” or “731014.”
• 10-pound boxes of “100% PURE GROUND CHUCK BEEF PATTIES” bearing a product number of “158898,” as well as an eight-digit lot number beginning with “731014.”
• 10-, 15- and 25-pound boxes of “100% PURE GROUND BEEF CHUCK PATTIES” bearing a product number of “85227,” “227806,” “407823,” “407830,” “407840,” “417841” or “437531,” as well as an eight-digit lot number beginning with “730314,” “731013,” or “731014.”
• 10-pound boxes of “OUR HOMESTYLE 100% PURE GROUND BEEF PATTIES” bearing a product number of “208033,” as well as an eight-digit lot number beginning with “731014.”
• 15-pound boxes of “SEASONED BEEF PATTIES” bearing a product number of “357835,” as well as an eight-digit lot number beginning with “730314.”
• 15- and 15.3-pound boxes of “USDA CHOICE OR HIGHER 100% PURE GROUND BEEF PATTIES” bearing a product number of “437507” or “437521,” as well as an eight-digit lot number beginning with “730314,” “731013,” or “731014.”
• 15-pound boxes of “USDA CHOICE OR HIGHER GROUND BEEF CHUCK PATTIES” bearing a product number of “437822,” as well as an eight-digit lot number beginning with “731014.”

Each box bears the establishment number “Est. 8999” inside the USDA mark of inspection.

Consumers and media with questions about the recall should contact company Quality Assurance Manager Michelle Risius at (507) 529-4759.

E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration. The very young, seniors and persons with compromised immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness.

Consumers with food safety questions can “Ask Karen,” the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov.  The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday.  Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.

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Yes you heard it right Inner Wisdom Wednesday is back for GOOD! I have just about gone through the deck but I will continue to use the deck as I think it is a good tool to see certain affirmations over and over again. I also get Insights of the Day from Christopher Guirrero and I will throw those in as well. Who knows maybe I will rename this weekly feature Inner Insight Wednesday.

So without further adieu here is the first Inner Wisdom of the year.

“I release all feelings of worry and guilt.”

Throughout life, the two most futile emotions are guilt for what has been done, and worry about what might be done.

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WASHINGTON - Jan. 7, 2008 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture is providing recommendations to the regions affected by severe winter weather and flooding in Western states. USDA is hopeful that this information will help minimize the potential for foodborne illnesses due to food spoilage from power outages and other problems that are often associated with severe weather events.

“Power outages can occur at any time of the year and it often takes from a few hours to several days for electricity to be restored to residential areas,” said USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Richard Raymond. “Without electricity or a cold source, foods stored in refrigerators and freezers can become unsafe. Bacteria in food grow rapidly at temperatures between 40 and 140 °F, and if these foods are consumed, people can become very sick.”

Steps to follow to prepare for a possible weather emergency:

• Keep an appliance thermometer in the refrigerator and freezer. An appliance thermometer will indicate the temperature in the refrigerator and freezer in case of a power outage and help determine the safety of the food.
• Make sure the freezer is at 0 °F or below and the refrigerator is at 40 °F or below.
• Freeze containers of water for ice to help keep food cold in the freezer, refrigerator or coolers after the power is out.
• Freeze refrigerated items such as leftovers, milk and fresh meat and poultry that you may not need immediately — this helps keep them at a safe temperature longer.
• Plan ahead and know where dry ice and block ice can be purchased.
• Store food on shelves that will be safely out of the way of contaminated water in case of flooding.
• Have coolers on hand to keep refrigerator food cold if the power will be out for more than 4 hours. Purchase or make ice cubes and store in the freezer for use in the refrigerator or in a cooler. Freeze gel packs ahead of time for use in coolers.
• Group food together in the freezer — this helps the food stay cold longer.

Steps to follow after the weather emergency:

• Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature.
• The refrigerator will keep food safely cold for about 4 hours if it is unopened. A full freezer will hold the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) and the door remains closed.
• Discard refrigerated perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, soft cheeses, milk, eggs, leftovers and deli items after 4 hours without power.
• Food may be safely refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or is at 40 °F or below when checked with a food thermometer.
• Never taste a food to determine its safety!
• Obtain dry or block ice to keep your refrigerator and freezer as cold as possible if the power is going to be out for a prolonged period of time. Fifty pounds of dry ice should hold an 18-cubic-foot full freezer for 2 days.
• If the power has been out for several days, check the temperature of the freezer with an appliance thermometer. If the appliance thermometer reads 40 °F or below, the food is safe to refreeze.
• If a thermometer has not been kept in the freezer, check each package of food to determine its safety. If the food still contains ice crystals, the food is safe.
• Drink only bottled water if flooding has occurred.
• Discard any food that is not in a waterproof container if there is any chance that it has come into contact with flood water. Discard wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby bottle nipples and pacifiers.
• Undamaged, commercially prepared foods in all-metal cans and retort pouches (for example, flexible, shelf-stable juice or seafood pouches) can be saved. Follow the Steps to Salvage All-Metal Cans and Retort Pouches in the publication “Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency” at: www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/
  keeping_food_Safe_during_an_emergency/index.asp
• Thoroughly wash all metal pans, ceramic dishes and utensils that came in contact with flood water with hot soapy water and sanitize by boiling them in clean water or by immersing them for 15 minutes in a solution of 1 tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of drinking water.
• When in Doubt, Throw it Out!

FSIS has available a Public Service Announcement (PSA), available in 30- and 60-second versions, illustrating practical food safety recommendations for handling and consuming foods stored in refrigerators and freezers during, and after, a power outage. Consumers are encouraged to view the PSA at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/news/Food_Safety_Videos/.

News organizations and power companies can obtain hard copy (Beta and DVD) versions of the PSA by contacting the Food Safety Education Staff in FSIS’ Office of Public Affairs Education and Outreach by calling (301) 344-4757.

Consumers with food safety questions can “Ask Karen,” the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.

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