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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 21, 2005)
Page 15 Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, December 21, 2005 Arrive alive when the snow flies By BRYAN HARLEY IVN Staff Writer Through rain and sleet and snow and fog … No, it’s not the battle cry of the vigilant postal carriers, it’s winter driving in Oregon. We might live in South- western Oregon because, “It’s the Climate,” but locals are significantly aware how quickly that climate can change. In order to not get caught in a winter storm unprepared, the Oregon Dept. of Trans- portation (ODOT) of- fers a list of tips to as- sist travelers this busy holiday season. Want to know weather and road con- ditions? Use ODOT’S travel information Website: Trip- check.com before beginning a trip. See real-time camera views of locations through- out Oregon, including most major mountain passes. The site also displays current traffic and travel alerts to inform drivers when they may need to make adjustments to their routes or schedules. Road conditions also can be checked by phoning 511 or by dialing toll-free (800) 977-ODOT (6368). Calls to 511 are considered local when dialed from a pay phone or wire line phone, said ODOT. For California highway conditions use dot.ca.gov/ hq/roadinfo, or phone (916) 445-7623. ODOT also advises having the following list of winter driving supplies in vehicles: •Tire chains or other traction devices. •An ice scraper, battery booster cables, road flares, a properly inflated spare tire, a vehicle jack, lug wrench and basic tool kit. •A small shovel and a bag of kitty litter or sand for traction in case you get stuck, and a plastic tarp to help keep you dry when installing tire chains. •A flashlight with extra batteries and bulbs, an extra pair of winter gloves and a warm hat, a change of clothes and a warm blanket, snack foods, matches in a waterproof container, a pocket knife and a first aid kit. •A full fuel tank and a good highway map. •A large thermos container filled with water or hot drink. •A cell phone with fully charged batteries. •If you travel with an infant or young child, pack extra food, warm clothes and blankets, toys and games, and extra diapers. In addition, the American Red Cross suggests that you have your car winterized. Have a mechanic check your battery, anti- freeze, washer fluid, ignition system, thermostat, lights, heater, brakes, and defrost system; and install good winter tires. Most of all, use common sense. Slow down; allocate more time to get to your destination; remember to buckle up and be safe. “If people can delay their trips until after a storm passes, they can save themselves a lot of grief,” said ODOT District Manager John Vial. Healthy tips to keep holidays hopping From decking the halls to hitting the malls, prepar- ing for the holidays can leave you with no energy to spare for celebrating. Fortunately, there’s plenty you can do to fight off the fatigue that follows after preparing for the holi- days. The following tips from CyberWize, maker of supplements for stress, will help you remain stress-free. Drink plenty of water. Since dehydration can make you tired, carry a water bot- tle and sip the water throughout the day. Also, limit coffee and alcohol in- take. These two drinks can induce dehydration. Get a sufficient amount of sleep. Sleep at least eight hours a night. By being well-rested, you’ll have more energy to achieve a productive day. Don’t turn to sweets for energy. Candy is only a quick fix that will cause your energy level to crash and burn. Instead, eat healthy snacks throughout the day, like fruits and vege- tables. Ask family members for help. Preparing for the holidays with the family will not only take some strain off you, it also can be a great way to spread holiday cheer. Take an all-natural sup- plement. Including a supple- ment in your diet will help you get the nutrients your body needs to function at its best. For example, Vital StressX contains a unique combination of seven herbs, called adaptogens, that help your body regulate cortisol, the “stress hormone.” “Low levels of cortisol produce the energy your white cells need to keep you healthy,” said Dr. Nicholas Hall, director of the Saddlebrook Resort Wellness Center in Tampa, Fla. Focus on progress, not perfection. Instead of stressing over holding a flawless dinner party or finding immaculate gifts, remember that what really counts is the time you spend cherishing your fam- ily and friends. Plus, holi- day hiccups can always make for great stories come next holiday season. Holy cow! International gift giving made easy Want to give a mean- ingful gift that won’t be for- gotten or stashed away after the holidays? Heifer Interna- tional, an organization working to fight hun- ger worldwide, has a solution: livestock. By donating a sheep, cow, or any other farm animal in honor of a loved one through Heifer Interna- tional, you can help impoverished families get the resources they need to get out of poverty and become self-reliant. The farm animals pro- vided by Heifer Interna- tional give families wool, milk, eggs, transportation and other necessities. Fami- lies can sell their surplus products and use the money for school supplies, medi- cine, farming supplies and housing improvements. A goat, for example, can supply a family with several quarts of milk each day. Extra milk can be sold by the family or made into cheese, butter or yogurt. Heifer International also provides llamas, water buf- faloes, heifers, chicks, ducks, geese and hives of honeybees - to name a few. Here is how to set your gift in motion: Contact Heifer Interna- tional to receive a free gift catalog. Request a unique gift card that you can personal- ize and send to your honor- ees, describing the generous contribution you’ve made in their name. Revel in the joy of knowing that, thanks to your gift, a strug- gling family is on the road to self-reliance. Watch your gift multiply. Every receiv- ing family promises to “pass on the gift” of its animal’s first offspring to another family in need. Thanks to this act, entire communities can lift them- selves out of poverty. For more information, visit www.heifer.org or phone (800) 696-1918. A Heartfelt thank you to all our cus- tomers. We wish you all the joy of the holiday season now and throughout the new year! Symbols speak to holiday stories Christmas is the cele- bration of Jesus’ birth -- God’s own son. Following are high- lights of a recent Bridges to Motherhood lesson, about the true meaning of Christmas, given by the Pregnancy Center of the Illinois Valley. *Why do we give Christmas presents? The tradition as we know it started in the late 1800s, although the early Romans gave “New Year’s gifts” and the Wise Men brought gifts for Jesus af- ter His birth. Note that the Avoidance of sugar proves no easy feat Would you give your child a 5-pound bag of sugar for a snack? New data show that this is the amount of sugar kids consume every month, most of which does not come from sugar bowls or cookie jars. Rather, it comes from liquid sugar: soda, juice, and fruit drinks. A recent study at Cor- nell University found that on days when children drank sweetened drinks, they were consuming 244 more calo- ries than on days when they did not. During a two-month period, kids who consumed more than 16 ounces of sweetened drinks per day gained an average of 2.5 pounds: Those who drank between 6 and 16 ounces only gained 0.7 to 1 pound. According to “Prevention” magazine, too much of any sweetener can increase children’s risk of obesity, poor bone density, and type 2 diabetes. Sweet- eners do this by adding calo- ries and making kids less apt to eat healthier food such as dairy products, fruits, and vegetables -- not to mention the tooth decay it causes. The World Health Or- ganization recommends no more than 40 grams (10 tea- spoons) if any type of sugar per day. But most experts suggest that amount should be less: closer to 30 grams. Don’t be fooled -- sugar often masquerades as many other ingredients: *Dextrose *Evaporated cane juice *Fructose *Fruit juice concentrate *Glucose *High fructose corn syrup *Honey *Lactose *Maple syrup *Molasses *Sucrose cross. The red berries re- mind us of the blood that Jesus shed on our behalf. *Why is Christmas Eve a big deal? Christianity has Jewish roots. In the Jewish tradi- tions, a day ends when the sun goes down (therefore, a new day begins in the evening). *What’s the history of candy canes? A candy maker in the 1800s developed the candy cane. The white symbol- izes the purity of Jesus, the three narrow stripes repre- sent the Trinity, and the darker red stripe represents the blood that Jesus shed for us. The cane represents a shepherd’s crook, and if you turn it upside down, you have a “J” for Jesus. gifts given to Jesus signi- fied truths about His life on Earth: gold was for a king, frankincense was for worshipping God/royalty, and myrrh was used for burial. *Why do we have Christmas trees? The tree signifies life and strength with Jesus. Evergreen trees symbolize eternal life (the promise of going to Heaven if we be- lieve in Jesus and ask Him to be our savior). This tra- dition originated in Ger- many around 700 A.D. *Why are holly and red berries popular at Christmas? The sharp edges of holly represent the crown of thorns placed on Jesus’ head as he hung on the To all our patrons - May the joy of the holidays be yours. Precision Glass 592-3399 from The Eye Care Group Drs. Hamada, Matti, Vidlak, Walters, Pelson & Richardson Optometric Physicians 335 Caves Hwy., Cave Junction 592-3921 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to One & All from Country Hills Resort May He whose birth we celebrate, bless you with true happiness. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! From all of us at The Boarding House Reach I.V. Building Supply
