Women seeking to rekindle their outdoor interests can do so at Leaverton Park in Palestine on Saturday, July 16^th. They have several fun things planned. They will teach hunting, fishing, boating, shooting, camping, hiking, bird identification, photograghy and other outdoor skills!

For more information, check out their website at www.womenintheoutdoors.org.

You can also call Wabash Valley RC&D in Lawrenceville at 800/585-6043, ext 4.

Earlier this year the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans were introduced. They call for adequate nutrients without consuming too many calories. For most people, this means you have to concentrate on eating more nutrient-dense foods and fewer calorie-dense foods. So, how do you get adequate nutrients without too many calories? These nutrients need to come from high-quality foods. However, you need to also control the amount of calories that you eat. The key to this recommendation is to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nonfat diary foods while limiting intake of fats and added sugars. Also, get back in your kitchen. Keep healthful foods on hand so you can prepare foods quickly and easily. Try new recipes and new foods. (You will also burn more calories by cooking versus sitting.)

Examples of nutrient-dense foods include berries, apples, oranges, broccoli, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, brown rice, oatmeal, whole-wheat pasta, black beans, pinto beans, chicken breast, salmon, skim milk, and light nonfat yogurt. Eat less of and eat less often calorie-dense foods including fried foods, most fast foods, ice cream, pastries, cereal bars, muffins, quick breads, biscuits, candy, cookies, cake, chips, regular soda, bread, bagels, crackers, cheese, and milk shakes.

At night, rub on a Medicated Vapor Rub gel (used for chest colds) on the bottoms of your feet. Then immediately put on socks to keep from getting your bedding greasy. You will need to sleep in your socks! After a few days, your feet will be noticeably softer!

It's messy – BUT it does the job!

If your doctor has told you to "cut salt out of your diet", you may be tempted to remove the salt shaker from the table and think that will do the job. However, with today's highly processed foods, salt lurks just about everywhere. The following tips can help you cut salt without sacrificing taste.

• Opt for unsalted pickles or choose fresh cucumbers with a sandwich.
• Add cinnamon to your popcorn instead of salt.
• Always carry a salt-free seasoning (not the same as salt substitute) shaker with you when you go out to eat. Ask restaurants to leave the salt out of your meal, then add your own seasoning.
• Read food labels for the sodium content. If the food contains lots of sodium, choose another brand with less sodium or make a different food choice altogether. Another alternative, whenever possible, is to make your own recipe and use herbs and spices as seasoning instead of salt.

The majority of calcium in the body makes up your bones and teeth and keeps them strong. However, beyond bone health, calcium is also needed to regulate certain body functions. Without calcium, muscles would not contract normally, blood would not clot, and nerves would be unable to carry messages. Calcium and bone health go hand-in-hand. Increasing scientific evidence indicates that adequate calcium intake reduces the risk of several major chronic diseases, most notably osteoporosis, a potentially crippling disease of thin and fragile bones. According to the National Institutes of Health, osteoporosis affects over 28 million Americans. If you do not get enough calcium from your daily diet to regulate body functions, your body will "rob" the calcium from your bones to make up the difference. Over time this can reduce bone strength and lead to osteoporosis. Optimal intake of calcium throughout life, from early childhood and adolescence through the postmenopausal and late adult years, reduces the risk of osteoporosis.

And, you don't have to think of weight-bearing activity as only "pumping iron," although it certainly is beneficial. Activities such as walking, dancing, yard work, and tennis also benefit bone health from childhood through later years. The effect of weight-bearing exercise on bones affects only those bones that are being used. Participating in a variety of physical activities is important to be sure that the entire skeleton benefits from activity, this is equally as important as eating a variety of foods to obtain optimal health.

• Drink milk with meals and snacks
• Add grated cheese to casseroles and salads
• Combine cottage cheese with fruit for a quick snack or meal
• Eat cream soups made with milk
• Consume more canned fish with bones (sardines, salmon)
• Serve a variety of cheeses and fruit for snacks or desserts.
• Cook hot cereal in milk instead of water
• Use calcium-fortified orange juice, breads, ready to-eat cereals
• Add 2 tablespoons of nonfat dry milk to every quart of milk.
• Prepare salad dressings and dips with yogurt instead of mayonnaise

Italian Cucumber Salad

2 medium cucumbers, peeled and sliced

1 c. halved cherry tomatoes

1 c. sliced red onion

1/2c. chopped green pepper

1/2 c. Italian salad dressing

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients; cover and refrigerate until serving. Serve with a slotted spoon. Yield: 8 servings