Spring Cleaning idea

The best way of cleaning dirty grout from your tiled floor without using harsh chemicals.

 

Ingredients

7 cups water

1/2 cup baking soda

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup vinegar

 

Method

Pour the combined ingredients into a spray bottle and spray your floor.  Let it sit for a couple of minutes then scrub

The Ingredients in Cow's Milk

Water
The main component of milk is water, around 87 per cent. Water is necessary for the newborn calf and also serves as a carrier for all the other ingredients in milk.

Carbohydrates
The majority of carbohydrate content of milk is lactose. Lactose is a sugar that serves as the main source of energy for the newborn calf. However, for lactose to be digested the enzyme lactase is necessary. All human babies have this enzyme but only some retain it after weaning. In fact, most of the world's population are unable to digest lactose after infancy. That's why lactose is the most common food allergen. The reason for the absence of lactase in many children and adults is evolutionary. No other mammal species needs this enzyme after weaning and therefore, given that it would be redundant, the body simply stops producing it as it's genetically programmed to do so. Drinking milk after infancy is just not what nature intended.

Protein
The proteins in milk can be divided into two categories - caseins and whey proteins. Caseins can be very difficult to digest, are often causing allergies and have been linked to type 1 diabetes. Caseins are so tough they are even used as a basis of some glues! The amount of protein in cows' whole milk is around 3.3 g/100g (3.4g in semi-skimmed milk) while it is only 1.3g/100g in human milk. Moreover, the ratio of caseins to whey proteins is 40:60 in human milk but it is 80:20 in cows' milk. Calves need extra protein because they need to grow fast. Human babies, on the other hand, need less protein and more fat. Not only is the higher amount and wrong ratio of proteins in cows' milk difficult to digest, it also contributes to acidic (unwanted) reactions in the body that may weaken bones.

Fat
While cows' milk always contains saturated fat - and this 'bad' fat is completely unnecessary for humans - it contains only traces or very little polyunsaturated fats that are not only essential for human body but also have a whole range of beneficial properties (eg are anti-inflammatory).
Fat Whole milk (g/100g) Semi-skimmed milk (g/100g) Human milk (g/100g) Total 3.9 1.7 4.1 Saturated 2.5 1.1 1.8 Monounsaturated 1 0.4 1.5 polyunsaturated 0.1 Trace 0.5

Vitamins and minerals
Small amounts of these vitamins and minerals are found in cows' milk: Minerals sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, chloride, zinc, iron (very low levels), selenium, iodine and trace amounts of copper and manganese Vitamins retinol (vitamin A), carotene, vitamin E, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folate, pantothenate, biotin, vitamin C and trace amounts of vitamin D Hormones and Growth Factors Cows' milk contains a cocktail of 35 hormones and 11 growth factors. This cocktail is meant for a calf and is perfectly suited for the growth and development needs of a calf. However, these hormones/growth factors can accelerate cancer growth in a grown-up human body because there's nothing else to grow but malignant cells. Two of the biggest concerns are the oestrogen and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) content of milk as both are linked to breast and prostate cancers in humans. Even small increases of IGF-1 raise the risks of several other common cancers including lung and colon cancers. IGF-1 is not destroyed during pasteurisation.

Infectious particles and somatic cells
Dairy cows are prone to disease and due to large numbers of cows on farms and the intensivity of production, diseases spread fast. In the UK, cows suffer from a range of infectious diseases including brucellosis, bovine tuberculosis, foot and mouth disease, mastitis, viral pneumonia and Johne's disease. As a result various contaminants can occur in milk. Mastitis (inflammation of the mammary gland) is very common. It is caused by bacteria and leads to the whole udder or a part of it being inflamed, swollen and very painful. The cow's body responds to the infection by producing white blood cells (somatic cells) that combat the infection in the udder. These cells, together with dead cells and waste products of the inflammation are components of pus and are inevitably excreted into the milk. Milk containing up to 400 million somatic cells per litre is perfectly legal to be sold in the EU.

Why cats love you?

10 Signs Your Kitty Actually Loves You by Abigail Geer

Ever wondered if your kitty really loves you? From finicky to feisty, our feline friends aren’t always the easiest to read. Unlike dogs who make their affection for us loud and clear, cats have far less obvious ways of communicating how they feel. If you want to discover just how much your cat cares about you, then check out these 10 signs of true love:

1. Head butting. If a person were to do it to you, then you’d have a pretty good idea of what they were trying to tell you, but with a cat it’s a whole different story. To be on the receiving end of what is actually known in the cat world as ‘head butting‘ is a very special privilege indeed. During this exchange your cat deposits facial pheromones that represent their feelings of trust and safety they have with you.
2. Powerful purrs. Cats purr for all sorts of reasons, but there is one unique full bodied rumble that your kitty saves exclusively for their true love. Purring also lowers your kitty’s heart rate and helps them to relax and exhibit feelings of contentment.

3. Love bites. If your cat is a chronic nibbler, then chances are they’ve got a thing for you. It’s pretty easy to tell the difference between a love bite and a regular cat bite, one hurts and the other tickles! Nibbling isn’t a common sign of love, but when a cat employs it, they’re trying to say “you’re awesome.”

4. Tail twitching. You can tell a lot by looking at a cat’s tail. Just as their tails puff out when they get scared or agitated, their tail will twitch at the very tip when they are feeling bliss. If you notice this action when your cat approaches you, then you can be sure that they think you rock their world.

5. Tummy up. When your cat throws itself on the floor and starts rolling around, they are trying to get your attention. Cats only show their tummies voluntarily to those they can trust. Feeling safe means a lot to a cat, so when they sprawl out in front of you, this is a sign that they feel loved and protected.

6. Licking your hair or ears. It’s not often that humans are deemed worthy of these very special grooming sessions, but if your cat has chosen to bestow you with hair or ear licking, rest assured you have been welcomed into the inner circle. Grooming is one of the most obvious signs of the friendship and trust you have with your furry companion.

7. Kneading. Kittens knead against their mothers to stimulate milk production, which is why experts believe that kneading behavior in cats is nostalgic of kittenhood and acts as a way of reliving the happy moments they experienced as little ones. So next time your kitty starts moving its paws up and down on you, remember that they are not just trying to soften you up before taking a nap, but that they’re expressing their adoration for you.

8. Slow blinking. It is said that cats kiss with their eyes, so don’t expect to share this sign of affection with any old cat. Cats save eye contact for people they know and trust. If that eye contact is coupled with slow blinking then you’ve just received a kitty kiss. Return the love by mimicking the behavior.

9. Nap time. Kitties crave warm safe places to sleep, so if your fluffy feline decides to snuggle down beside you or better yet, on your lap, then you should feel especially honored. Cats are most vulnerable when they are sleeping, and there is no greater compliment than when they choose you as their snooze spot.

10. Gifting. There is no denying that a small dead something is not at the top of our wishlist, but a kitty that presents you with this bounty deserves to be praised. Despite our domestication, cats still have the inner hunter and sharing their prizes with you is a sign of true friendship. If you’ve been fortunate enough to share your life with a cat, then you’ll understand that they are consciously connecting with us. Whether it’s via grooming, purring or snuggling up, cats are loving and affectionate individuals that form very special bonds with their favorite people