Job Posting - Data Entry

Job Title:       Data Entry
Duration:      4 Months Contract
Location:      Lansdale, PA, 19446

Description:

• 0-2 yr of Experience. Operates numerical and/or alphabetical key station to transcribe data from standard source documents.
• Checks and corrects data entered through terminal or hard-copy. Relies on instructions and pre-established guidelines to perform the functions. Data Entry Skills, Typing, Confidentiality, Attention to Detail, Thoroughness, Independence, Documentation Skills, Problem Solving, Analyzing Information, Dependability, Results Driven.

Responsibilities:

• Maintains database by entering data. Prepares source data for entry by opening and sorting mail; verifying and logging receipt of data; obtaining missing data. Records data by operating data entry equipment; coding information; resolving processing problems. Protects organization's value by keeping information confidential.
• Accomplishes department and organization mission by completing related results as needed.

Thanks & Regards,
Angela Sultana
Abacus Service Corporation
Direct: 214-989-4353
Toll Free US: 866-402-2228 Ext. 4353
E-mail:angela@abacusservice.com
Website: http://www.abacusservice.com

How to Really Enjoy Summer Fruit

Have you ever stopped to think about that peach you’re eating, and how far it traveled to get to your plate? Let’s imagine two scenarios.

In the first story, the peach grows on a tree in a large commercial farm in a distant country where the climate is warmer. It is picked when it is still hard as a rock and maybe even has a green tinge to its skin. This is because the peach cannot be left to ripen in the sun, as it is about to go on a long journey. It is picked and binned, and shipped to a central facility where it is packed into crates. It goes through various formalities of export before being imported to your country via mass freight.

The peach arrives at a warehouse where it stays for some time and is exposed to a gaseous ripening agent before eventually being trucked to your supermarket. It is handled by shipping staff and stocking staff and lots of other shoppers before it finally makes it into your plastic produce bag.At this point the peach hasn’t seen the sun for days and has lost many of its antioxidants and vitamins, and much of its flavor. It is a little bruised from all of the shipping and handling, and generally is a sorry excuse for its kind.
Now on to the second scenario. Here we have a peach growing on a tree in a medium-sized, family-run orchard a short drive outside of your town. It is allowed to ripen in the sun until it is blushing with red and yellow hues, and nearly bursting with sweet juices. It is plucked from the tree at its prime and placed in a basket, which the farmer brings to your farmer’s market the next morning. You pick up the basket of fragrant peaches and take them home to enjoy. You are eating them within a couple of days of picking, meaning that you are able to enjoy the full spectrum of vitamins and antioxidants that a peach should ideally offer.
Which sounds more natural, gratifying and appetizing? You probably answered the second one!
The first peach has decreased nutritional value and an increased carbon footprint, as compared to the ideal nutrition and sustainable business model of the second peach. This is just one of the reasons why eating seasonally is so important.
These days we have a hard time naming what is in season at any given time. Most of us might know that strawberries become ripe and are picked as things warm up following the spring, tomatoes are ready in the heat of summer, and apples are harvested in the autumn.
But what about brussel sprouts, or plums, or currants? With the recent slow food and local food revolutions starting at the grassroots level, people are making the effort to get back in touch with the natural cycles of the earth and what amazing foods are offered up at different times of the year.
The long, warm days of summer give us a mind-boggling array of different fruits and berries. Here is a summary of the different types of summer fruit to look out for in the coming months, and some tips on developing a keen eye for the best specimens.
Fruits in season now:

• Apricots: In the United States, nearly all of the commercially-sold apricots are grown in California, but some also come from Washington and Utah. Worldwide, China and Turkey are the largest producers. It’s worth seeking out a small-scale local source of these delicate sweet gems. If you live in the right climate, ripe apricots will be available through May, June, July and August. Nutritionally, you will benefit from good doses of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, potassium and fiber. If you have some apricots at home that are too firm, try placing them in a paper bag for 1–2 days with the company of a banana or apple. Once they yield to pressure (but before they begin to feel mushy), enjoy those apricots right away!
• Plums: Plums are in season in late summer, around August and September (in North America). California is the most prolific plum-growing area in the U.S. with fruit being produced for several months of the year. It’s best to seek out organic plums, since conventionally grown plums can have over 40 different pesticide residues on their skin. Try the many different varieties, which range from green and yellow to dark purple, and can be as small as a grape or as large as an apple. Enjoy fresh or preserved plums for your daily dose of potassium, vitamin C and fiber, plus disease-fighting phenols. When choosing plums, ensure the skin is taut and smooth with a little bit of softness. If you want to ripen plums that are too firm, put them in a plastic bag with an apple or banana.
• Cherries: The United States is the world’s second largest producer of cherries, following Turkey. The main producing states include New York, Pennsylvania and Utah for sour cherries, and Washington and Oregon for sweet cherries. Cherries are highly perishable so buying them locally within just a few days of picking, around late June and July, is your best bet. This should also help cut down on the pesticide load, since they rank pretty high in the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen list. Cherries boast a range of antioxidants plus potassium, vitamin C and fiber. They even have anti-inflammatory anthocyanins, which are believed to fight disease.
• Blackberries and raspberries: July and August bring a bountiful berry crop throughout most of North America. Also called “brambles,” these jewel-like berries come in a range of colors from pale yellow to red to almost black. Brambles rank in the medium range as far as pesticide load goes, so organic is best, but local conventional berries should be okay too. Both raspberries and blackberries rank in the top 10 list for the highest antioxidant content, and the polyphenols found in color pigments are no slouch either. Be sure to choose firm berries that have been freshly picked, since they turn mushy and grow mold very quickly. Making jam or freezing are good ways to preserve large amounts of berries.
• Nectarines: The time for nectarines is from late July into early autumn. As with many other fruits, nectarines are frequently treated with pesticides so it is wise to choose organic. This fuzzless cousin of the peach serves up lots of fiber and vitamin C, and goes great with yogurt and gluten-free granola. Choose smooth and shiny nectarines that are still a little firm, since they lose flavor when they get too soft.
• Strawberries: There’s nothing quite as sweet as picking your own strawberries and piling them into baskets to make jam or strawberry shortcake. They are available from late May through early July. The strawberries you’ll find at the local fruit stand or farmers’ market are a far cry from the giant flavorless ones shipped into the supermarket. Local strawberries are small, bright gems bursting with flavor, and correspondingly higher levels of vitamins and antioxidants. Did you know strawberries are the only fruit that carry their seeds on the outside? Choosing organic and small-scale production here is very important, since strawberries rank as one of the absolute worst for pesticide use. Choose firm strawberries and remove any moldy ones. Waiting to wash them until just before you eat them helps them stay fresh longer.
• Peaches: Peaches are available throughout the summer in North America and are much-celebrated throughout the United States — they are an official fruit in three states and the focal point of many festivals. White peaches are sweeter while yellow ones have a little more pucker. Both have good levels of vitamin C and cancer-fighting anthocyanins. Choosing peaches is easy if you follow your nose to the most fragrant fruit with no bruises.
• Melons: Melons can be enjoyed from mid-summer through to early fall. The top-producing states are California, Arizona, Texas, Georgia and Florida, since melons need ample sun to grow and become ripe. You’ll find that local melons have much more flavor and juice than anything you would find at a breakfast buffet at a hotel chain. Since the skin is not eaten, melons belong to the Environmental Working Group’s Clean 15 list, but it’s still wise to ask your local farmer about their growing practices. Choose a good fruit by weighing it in your hand — it should be heavy and have no soft spots or damage to the skin. You will be rewarded with plenty of vitamins A and C, potassium, folate and fiber, as well as beta-carotene among other antioxidants.

Check out your local farmers’ market this weekend, or go the next step and join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) so that you have a steady supply of local produce coming in. Not only will you enjoy the fresh flavors of the earth and support hard-working farmers in your area, your body will gain vitality from the abundant nutrition that seasonal fruit contains. Need some inspiration for what to make with all that bounty? Start here with some info on ripe summer melons.

Ask Jillian: How Can I Maintain My Weight Through Menopause?

Q: I’m nearly 50 years-old and I lost 25 pounds about a year and a half ago. Then, menopause started with a vengeance and now I'm slowly gaining it back. I change my workouts around constantly so I don't get bored, but I don't have time to spend an hour or more exercising every day. Any suggestions for those of us trying to keep the weight off while going through menopause? — Jody Renzelman (via Facebook)
A: Jody, this is a question I get very often. Many women feel that once they go through “the change”, their body is doomed to get flabby and pack on stubborn body fat. While it’s true that our hormones do change as we age, weight gain is by no means a forgone conclusion.
Just look at Madonna, Jane Fonda, Demi Moore and so on. Let me guess, you are probably thinking these over 50 stars are the exception to the rule, correct? They’re unrelatable celebs that have tools you don’t? Not so. In my personal experience working with women in or past menopause, I have been able to take a tremendous amount of weight off them and get them in exceptional shape. Let’s look at Helen Phillips, the winner of season 7 of NBC’s The Biggest Loser. Here was a 48 year-old woman who came to the show “morbidly obese.” When she was done with her BL journey, she had run a marathon and lost the highest percentage of weight in the history of BL up until that point.

I want you to think of your body like a car. When it is well taken care of — given good fuel, regularly serviced and so on it — it can stay in top-notch shape for years and years. However, when you don’t garage the car, rotate the tires, replenish the fluids, or use premium fuel, the car falls apart. Your body is like the car in this analogy. It oxidizes (ages) as time passes and the more you force it to fight the effects of poor diet and lifestyle the faster and more severe the oxidation process will be. Many blame the weight changes their body goes through with age as menopause when it’s really the manifestation of years of neglect.

Here is the good news, you CAN get healthy and turn things around at any point. The answer is simple: healthy diet, exercise, and clean living. While it’s true you can’t continue to burn the candle at both ends like you did when you were younger, you can reclaim your health in every way if you work at it.
Many think that the solution to “their” weight loss dilemma is unique. They say things like “how do I lose the baby weight?” or “How do I lose the weight gained during menopause” as though these supposed reasons require a special solution. The good and bad news is that there is only one answer to weight loss: diet and exercise. Here are a few simple tips to get your body back on track:

 

1. Count calories.I have said this many times — and I’m certainly not changing my tune now. Remember, no matter who you are or what your circumstance, to lose weight you must burn more calories than you consume. A pound is 3,500 calories so in order to lose two pounds a week you must burn an additional 7,000 calories than you eat. My suggestion is to set your calorie intake at 1,200 a day — with the only exception being that you can eat as many raw, grilled, or steamed green vegetables as you want.
2. Workout. Hard. Exercise releases many anti-aging, fat-burning hormones. And the harder you workout, the better your results will be. Many think that because they’re older they’re fragile and weak. Absolutely not so. In fact, I believe it’s quite the opposite. When I used to have the time to personal train clients, I always noticed that the moms in their 50s were often stronger than their daughters in their 20s. (I have a theory on this, although it’s not science based. I believe that we manifest the mental strength we’ve built over the years to overcome struggles and adversity into our physical strength, enhancing our fitness capabilities.) Obviously talk to your doctor before beginning a fitness regimen and get proper advice on fitness form, etc., but don’t be afraid to push yourself. Lift weights and I don’t mean 2 pounds. Start running, not power walking. Take a kickboxing class. You get the idea.
3. Eliminate chemicals from your life. While it’s true that for your metabolism to function optimally you must balance your hormones, the best way to do this is with clean living. Toxins in our food, water, cosmetics, cleaning products, and so on are filled with chemicals that throw our weight and overall health into a state of havoc. The simple solution is to go natural. Use baking soda or lemon water to clean your counter tops. Use olive oil as a moisturizer instead of the expensive face cream loaded with chemicals. Eat as clean as you can and go organic whenever possible to avoid pesticides, preservatives, hormones, and antibiotics in foods.
While I know this probably isn’t the advice you wanted, it’s the advice that will work for you over time. I’ve found that hormone supplementation is a dangerous thing. Studies have linked it to different types of cancers, stroke, blood clots, gallstones, dementia and the list goes on. You should do your own research, too. In my experience, the natural solution is always the right one.

Quick Tips to Boost Metabolism

A sluggish metabolism can thwart even the best attempts at weight loss. Find out how to increase metabolism to burn calories and slim down.

Sometimes life just doesn’t seem fair. Your best friend feasts on whatever she wants and never gains a pound, while you suffer through carrots and celery and still can’t lose an ounce. Could your metabolism be to blame? It’s possible. Although genetics play a role in how your metabolism runs, you do have some power to increase metabolism and help burn calories more quickly.
Metabolism is a chemical process that converts your body’s fuel (calories) into energy. It’s involved in everything your body does, from breathing to moving and thinking. If your metabolism runs fast, it’s like a furnace quickly burning through fuel. If it runs slowly, it’s more like a smoldering fire using up your fuel supply gradually.
A slow metabolism is actually a very efficient one, says Michael Zemel, PhD, professor emeritus and former director of the Nutrition Institute at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. He explains that our ancestors were hunter-gatherers who often didn’t know when their next meal would come. Their bodies held onto calories as a matter of survival. And because only the fittest people lived to pass along their genes, modern humans probably evolved from those with slower metabolisms.
Fast forward to you: Here’s how to boost metabolism for better weight management.
Build Muscle to Boost Metabolism
Lean muscle burns more calories than fat, even when you're at rest, says Dr. Zemel. So increasing your muscle mass will help increase metabolism and burn calories more quickly. This is especially important as you move into middle age, a time when metabolism naturally slows down and you risk a loss of muscle mass. The answer is to add weight training to your workout routine. Zemel says this can be as easy as working out with resistance bands while standing in front of the TV.
Get Some Shut-Eye to Increase Metabolism
Sleep deprivation or having an erratic sleep schedule can contribute to a sluggish metabolism, says Zemel. Inadequate sleep also puts you at risk for metabolic diseases including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, he adds. According to a study from the University of Chicago, even a few nights of poor sleep can do damage. Researchers say that healthy study participants who got only four hours of sleep for four nights became more resistant to insulin — and insulin resistance is a common precursor to developing diabetes.
Boost Metabolism by Spreading Out Your Meals
Rethinking how you eat can help with better weight management. If you eat cereal and yogurt for breakfast, have the cereal but save the yogurt for a mid-morning snack. At lunch, save part of your meal to eat in the middle of the afternoon. Zemel notes that spreading out meals can have a positive effect on metabolism and blood sugar levels.
Get Off Your Duff to Burn Calories
Zemel says that long periods of inactivity can contribute to a sluggish metabolism and bigger health problems. British researchers analyzed results from 18 studies that looked at inactivity and the risk for disease. They found that the most sedentary people have a higher risk for developing cardiovascular disease and an even bigger risk for diabetes.
At the office, don’t spend hours at a time sitting at your desk — get up and move around, says Zemel. Look for opportunities like walking over to a colleague’s office and having a conversation instead of sending an e-mail. Or consider walking around your office while talking on the phone. While watching TV at home, you can get up during commercial breaks to tidy the house or just move around.
Don’t Try a Starvation Diet to Lose Weight
A very low-calorie diet or skipping meals to lose weight can backfire. “Your body will fight you and slow down your metabolism,” says Zemel. It’s possible to lose 30 pounds on a low-calorie diet, but it takes fewer calories to maintain your body weight after a prolonged dip in calories — and most people gain back that weight and then, when they try to take it off again, it’s harder.
Have Your Thyroid Checked
If your weight gain is sudden, it may be due to hypothyroidism, which is an underactive thyroid gland. This is a common condition, especially in women older than 50. When the thyroid gland is not producing enough hormones, body functions, including metabolism, slow down. One of the biggest symptoms of hypothyroidism is unexplained weight gain. Simple blood tests can detect an underactive thyroid. There is no cure, but treatment using synthetic thyroid hormones is very effective.
Beware of Metabolism-Boosting Hype
Although spicy food is often touted as a metabolism booster, the effects may be exaggerated. One study in the European Journal of Nutrition did find that people who added capsaicin (the active ingredient in chili and other peppers that makes them hot) to their breakfast food felt more satisfied and ate less the rest of the day. Green tea and caffeine are other examples of dietary factors that can give a minimal boost to metabolism, Zemel says. Just remember that it’s fitness — not food — that can definitely help you burn more calories.

Are Light Bulbs Hurting Your Health?

Are Light Bulbs Hurting Your Health?

Posted on August 22, 2015 By The Alternative Daily

Did you know that when you turn on a light to do a little bedtime reading, you are putting your health at risk? Nighttime lighting can throw off your sleep schedule and disrupt your body’s internal clock. Being deprived of sleep can lead to illness and diseases like depression, memory loss, cancer, and more.

Potential hazards from lighting

Exposure to certain lights has been scientifically shown to disrupt sleep, alter circadian rhythms, and exacerbate migraine symptoms. It also inhibits the body’s ability to produce the hormone melatonin.

Melatonin is a big part of the body’s process in preparing for sleep. It makes you tired and decreases your alertness. Low levels of melatonin have been linked to metabolic syndrome and obesity.

Circadian rhythm is the technical name for your body’s internal clock. It is a 24-hour cycle that controls when your body sleeps, along with functions like growth, blood pressure, appetite, body temperature, and the release of some hormones.

“The primary human concerns with nighttime lighting include… potential carcinogenic effects related to melatonin suppression, especially breast cancer. Other diseases that may be exacerbated by circadian disruption include obesity, diabetes, depression and mood disorders, and reproductive problems,” wrote the American Medical Association in its official statement regarding nighttime lighting.

Biological lighting to combat negative health effects of improper lighting

The Lighting Science Group, a Florida-based lighting company, produces a product line of biological lighting that they claim is better for human health than traditional bulbs. They base this claim on the idea that the proper kind of light for the time of day is beneficial to health.

The Lighting Science Group has products that are supposed to create different effects, such as inducing better sleep or promoting wakefulness. The company believes that the public should be aware of the serious health problems associated with exposure to light at the wrong time of day.

“We are hopeful that the industry will follow us on this,” said Fred Maxik, the company’s chief science officer. “We are saying to the public this is something you should be aware of. We aren’t saying, ‘Don’t use light,’ we are saying ‘Why take the risk?'”

The company has announced that all of its products will be labeled with warning notices that “exposure to certain electric lights may cause biological effects, some potentially disruptive.” The notices will also contain website information listing possible health issues that can be caused from exposure to artificial light.

Harmful effects of light can come from more than bulbs

Harmful effects can come from more than just exposure to light bulbs. High energy light sources, such as computers, TV screens, tablets, and smartphones, can greatly disrupt your sleep and health.

“And think about how many people look at Facebook at 2 a.m. That is way more disruptive, but this is certainly a good start [and] we need to keep increasing awareness in a larger population that light at the wrong time of day can harm you,” commented Paolo Sassone-Corsi, director of the Center of Epigenetics and Metabolism at the School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine. Sassone-Corsi has authored studies on circadian rhythms, metabolism, and the negative effect on health from artificial light source exposure.

Being exposed to light sources that stimulate the body during evening hours will definitely upset your body’s natural rhythm of sleep and wakefulness. Consider setting aside an hour or two before bedtime to turn off the TV, computer, or phone, and begin to unwind for bed with a hot bath and candlelight.

18 Ways to Clean Your Home with Vinegar

You can hardly watch half an hour of television without seeing an ad for the best new dish detergent that leaves dishes sparkling clean, or a shower cleaner that eats away every speck of scum while leaving behind a spring-fresh scent.

These products are highly convenient, and we tend to buy them without a second thought. But did you know that they could be one of the main contributors to toxin exposure?

Chemicals used in cleaning products are often irritating to the eyes, skin and respiratory system, and contain compounds that disrupt your hormones and the healthy bacteria that you need to thrive. Young children and pets are particularly vulnerable to the toxins in cleaning products. These chemicals can also affect fertility.

If you’re investing in good quality organic vegetables and free-range eggs, don’t throw it all away by dousing your home with nasty chemicals!

There is one natural substance that can replace many of the commercial products you’ve been buying all these years. Not only will you reduce your family’s exposure to chemicals, but you’ll save money too!

It’s vinegar! Simple white vinegar can be used in so many ways to keep your home sparkling clean and free of mold or excess bacteria. If vinegar by itself doesn’t do the trick, you can be sure that some combination with other non-toxic natural cleaning agents will.

Experts say that using natural cleaning agents like vinegar is just as effective as using chemicals. It may take a little more effort or time, such as leaving things to soak for a few minutes to get the maximum effect, but it’s worth it for your health.

Here are 18 ways to use vinegar for cleaning your home:

Remove grease: White vinegar’s acidity cuts through grease effectively. Use it on stovetops or microwaves.

Discourage mold and bacteria: Applying white vinegar to surfaces kills viruses, mold and bacteria, and also discourages them from growing there in the future.

Remove toilet stains: If you see hard brown stains around the rim of the toilet, look no further than vinegar. Simply add one gallon of vinegar to the toilet bowl and let it sit. At the same time, saturate a number of paper towels in vinegar and then lay them around the toilet rim to effectively soak the stains. The toilet bowl will end up clean, shiny and disinfected. If stains are very tough, leave the vinegar overnight then sprinkle with baking soda before scrubbing and rinsing.

Fabric softener: Add a quarter cup of vinegar to your wash cycle to soften fabrics effectively without artificial perfumes and toxins. This simple method also stops static cling!

Deodorize the drain: If you have trouble with a kitchen drain that smells and harbors drain flies (those tiny brown flies that are more annoying than fruit flies), pour vinegar onto a bottle brush, sprinkle with baking soda, and scrub to remove built-up residue in the drain.

Window and screen washer: Use a 50-50 mixture of white vinegar and water to clean windows and TV or computer screens.

Tea or coffee pot cleaner: Heat one cup of vinegar and four tablespoons of baking soda until boiling. Pour into tea and coffee pots to remove mineral buildup.

Dishwasher rinse aid: Instead of buying rinse aid, simply fill the compartment in the dishwasher with vinegar. It works great for shiny dishes without the chemical residues.

Chewing gum remover: Rub sticky spots with undiluted vinegar.

Unclog the shower head or faucet: If you have trouble with uneven water output from a shower or faucet, put some vinegar in a small bag and secure to the fixture using a rubber band or twist tie. Leave it on overnight and remove in the morning.

Clean and deodorize the refrigerator: Make a solution of equal parts water and vinegar and spray onto interior surfaces of the refrigerator, then wipe dry.

Shower curtain cleaner: Use a sponge soaked in vinegar to remove and prevent mildew on your shower curtain.

Remove salt stains from shoes and boots: Add one tablespoon of vinegar to one cup of water and wipe it over salt stains on footwear. This works best for leather shoes that you can polish afterward.

Sticker and decal remover: Apply vinegar to stickers or glue residue and let it soak in, then scrape off. This works great for bumper stickers.

Remove stains from carpet: Make a paste using two tablespoons of vinegar and a quarter cup of salt or baking soda. Test a patch first to ensure the color is not affected. Rub on the stain then vacuum up the next day.

Get rid of antiperspirant stains: Rub clothing gently with vinegar, then wipe with a clean cloth.

Clean chrome fixtures and appliances: A great cleaning scrub can be made with one teaspoon of vinegar and two teaspoons of salt. Rub onto fixtures and then wipe clean with a cloth.

Clean and condition wood furniture: Mix a quarter cup of vinegar with one cup of olive oil and a few drops of lemon essential oil. Wipe wood furniture with the mixture using a clean cloth.

Save your home and your family from toxic products, use vinegar instead! You’ll be impressed with how much you can get done with this versatile natural cleaner!