What Are The Greatest Changes In Shopping In Your Lifetime

What are the greatest changes in shopping in your lifetime? So asked my 9 year old grandson.

As I thought of the question the local Green Grocer came to mind. Because that is what the greatest change in shopping in my lifetime is.

That was the first place to start with the question of what are the greatest changes in shopping in your lifetime.

Our local green grocer was the most important change in shopping in my lifetime. Beside him was our butcher, a hairdresser and a chemist.

Looking back, we were well catered for as we had quite a few in our suburb. And yes, the greatest changes in shopping in my lifetime were with the small family owned businesses.

Entertainment While Shopping Has Changed
Buying butter was an entertainment in itself.
My sister and I often had to go to a favourite family grocer close by. We were always polite as we asked for a pound or two of butter and other small items.

Out came a big block of wet butter wrapped in grease-proof paper. Brought from the back of the shop, placed on a huge counter top and included two grooved pates.

That was a big change in our shopping in my lifetime… you don’t come across butter bashing nowadays.

Our old friendly Mr. Mahon with the moustache, would cut a square of butter. Lift it to another piece of greaseproof paper with his pates. On it went to the weighing scales, a bit sliced off or added here and there.

Our old grocer would then bash it with gusto, turning it over and over. Upside down and sideways it went, so that it had grooves from the pates, splashes going everywhere, including our faces.

My sister and I thought this was great fun and it always cracked us up. We loved it, as we loved Mahon’s, on the corner, our very favourite grocery shop.

Grocery Shopping
Further afield, we often had to go to another of my mother’s favourite, not so local, green grocer’s. Mr. McKessie, ( spelt phonetically) would take our list, gather the groceries and put them all in a big cardboard box.

And because we were good customers he always delivered them to our house free of charge. But he wasn’t nearly as much fun as old Mr. Mahon. Even so, he was a nice man.

All Things Fresh
So there were very many common services such as home deliveries like:

• Farm eggs

• Fresh vegetables

• Cow’s milk

• Freshly baked bread

• Coal for our open fires

Delivery Services
A man used to come to our house a couple of times a week with farm fresh eggs.

Another used to come every day with fresh vegetables, although my father loved growing his own.

Our milk, topped with beautiful cream, was delivered to our doorstep every single morning.

Unbelievably, come think of it now, our bread came to us in a huge van driven by our “bread-man” named Jerry who became a family friend.

My parents always invited Jerry and his wife to their parties, and there were many during the summer months. Kids and adults all thoroughly enjoyed these times. Alcohol was never included, my parents were teetotallers. Lemonade was a treat, with home made sandwiches and cakes.

The coal-man was another who delivered bags of coal for our open fires. I can still see his sooty face under his tweed cap but I can’t remember his name. We knew them all by name but most of them escape me now.

Mr. Higgins, a service man from the Hoover Company always came to our house to replace our old vacuum cleaner with an updated model.

Our insurance company even sent a man to collect the weekly premium.

People then only paid for their shopping with cash. This in itself has been a huge change in shopping in my lifetime.

In some department stores there was a system whereby the money from the cash registers was transported in a small cylinder on a moving wire track to the central office.

Some Of The Bigger Changes
Some of the bigger changes in shopping were the opening of supermarkets.

• Supermarkets replaced many individual smaller grocery shops. Cash and bank cheques have given way to credit and key cards.

• Internet shopping… the latest trend, but in many minds, doing more harm, to book shops.

• Not many written shopping lists, because mobile phones have taken over.

On a more optimistic note, I hear that book shops are popular again after a decline.

Personal Service Has Most Definitely Changed
So, no one really has to leave home, to purchase almost anything, technology makes it so easy to do online.
And we have a much bigger range of products now, to choose from, and credit cards have given us the greatest ease of payment.

We have longer shopping hours, and weekend shopping. But we have lost the personal service that we oldies had taken for granted and also appreciated.

Because of their frenetic lifestyles, I have heard people say they find shopping very stressful, that is grocery shopping. I’m sure it is when you have to dash home and cook dinner after a days work. I often think there has to be a better, less stressful way.

My mother had the best of both worlds, in the services she had at her disposal. With a full time job looking after 9 people, 7 children plus her and my dad, she was very lucky. Lucky too that she did not have 2 jobs.

Health and Nutrition

What are nutrients?Every molecule in the body is created by Nutrients & there are more than 45 nutrients. These nutrients build molecules, cells, and tissues of the body.We get energy from Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats that we eat.These are called macronutrients. These macro nutrients are broken down / metabolized to give energy to the body.Vitamins and minerals (called micronutrients) are not themselves metabolized for energy, but they are important in helping the macronutrients convert to energy.What is a healthy diet?The optimal diet has to be individualized to meet your unique needs. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) food pyramid suggests that we use fat “sparingly,” and that our daily diet include 2 – 3 servings of dairy products; 2 – 3 servings of meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans, or nuts; 3 – 5 servings of vegetables; 2 – 4 servings of fruit; and 6 – 11 servings of bread, cereal, rice, or pasta.These are general guidelines. Healthy diet is dependent upon many factors like: age, gender, body size, pregnancy, and status of health. A clinical nutritionist or nutritionally oriented doctor can help you determine what type of diet is best for you.While you know it is important to eat a healthy diet, it isn’t always easy to sort through all of the information available about nutrition and food choices.Nutrition has a vital importance to human well-being. Nutrition should play a leading role to improve our quality of life. Nutrition is a key for reducing your body fat percentage.Better nutrition means stronger immune systems, less illness and better health. Better nutrition is a prime entry point to ending poverty and a milestone to achieving better quality of life. Safe food and good nutrition are important to all.Basic nutrition knowledge is constantly taking shape every day, producing new diet trends to an ever growing audience of people who want to know the latest and greatest ways to achieve their physical fitness goals.Get nutrition facts and discover how you can use dietary recommendations to improve your health. As you grow older, getting a nutritionally rich diet becomes even more important. The link between nutrition and health is necessary to achieve optimal health.Good nutrition is a clear path to optimize our quality of life. An important starting point for achieving optimum health is to achieve optimum nutrition and get the proper nutrients from the food.Diet and nutrition are the principle preventive measures against diseases.Reading labels and eating a diet rich in vitamins and nutrients is optimal for healthy nutrition. Research confirms that good nutrition in the early years of life is crucial for human growth and mental development.The study of human nutrition dates back to the 18th century, when the French chemist Lavoisier discovered that there was a relationship between our metabolism of food and the process of breathing.The field of clinical nutrition has evolved into a practice that is increasingly incorporated into mainstream medical treatment. The term “nutritional supplement” refers to vitamins, minerals, and other food components that are used to support good health and treat illness.A clinical nutritionist or nutritionally oriented doctor can help you determine what type of diet is best for you.During the initial part of the visit, the clinical nutritionist will ask you questions about your medical history, family history, and personal lifestyle.In hospitals, nutrition is used to improve the overall health of patients with a wide range of conditions. Effects of exercise and nutrition on postural balance and risk of falling in elderly people with decreased bone mineral density: randomized controlled trial pilot study.Healthy LifestyleHealthy people are stronger, are more productive and more able to create opportunities to gradually break the cycles of both poverty and hunger in a sustainable way.Healthy eating is associated with reduced risk for many diseases, including the three leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, and stroke. Healthy eating is fundamental to good health and is a key element in healthy human development, from the prenatal and early childhood years to later life stages.Healthy eating is equally important in reducing the risk of many chronic diseases. We spend a lot of money on food, but there are ways to cut costs and still serve healthy delicious meals.When you choose healthy foods instead of sugary or high-fat foods you can actually improve your health by adding extra phytochemicals and fiber. Breakfast foods should be healthy but they have a tendency to be high in fats and sugar.We always hear that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so why ruin a healthy breakfast.Good nutrition is vital to good health, disease prevention, and essential for healthy growth and development of children and adolescents. Fiber is an important part of a healthy diet.Many of us work very hard to eat healthy meals, but struggle with the urge for candy, cookies, cakes, ice cream and anything else full of sugar and sweetness. Most experts agree that snacking is a part of a balanced and healthy diet, as long as the snacks don’t pile on empty calories.When your best efforts go awry, and you order pizza or serve another meal that doesn’t exactly fit into a healthy diet, you still have many options for making it healthier. Just about everyone knows that fruits and vegetables are a very important part of a healthy diet.Having a well-stocked pantry and refrigerator can be a busy cook’s best weapon in the war against resorting to fast-food, high-fat, unhealthy meals. Fresh oil is a source of essential fatty acids, which help keep the skin healthy and the hair shiny.We believe eating sensibly, combined with appropriate exercise, is the best solution for a healthy lifestyle.FoodsWhen you choose healthy foods instead of sugary or high-fat foods you can actually improve your health by adding extra phytochemicals and fiber. The goal is to balance negative foods with positive foods so that the combined rating for all foods eaten in a single day is positive.If you want to restrict your caloric intake without feeling hungry, find foods highest in any vitamin or mineral or lowest in carbs, saturated fats, or sugars. Our general state of health is partially driven by the types of foods we consume.To make vegetable oils suitable for deep frying, the oils are hydrogenated, so trans fats are commonly found in deep-fried foods such as French fries and doughnuts. Trans fats, beyond a limit, are not good for our health.Hydrogenation solidifies liquid oils and increases the shelf life and the flavor stability of oils and foods that contain them. Other sources of trans fats are vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, cookies, snack foods, and other foods.Since trans fats increase a products shelf life, many pre-prepared foods and mixes (for example, some pancake mixes and pizza dough) contain trans fats.The solution: Whenever possible, eat whole, fresh, and unprocessed foods. When buying packaged foods, put in at least as much time into reading labels and selecting products as you do when choosing a shower gel or shampoo.A good diet is central to overall good health, but which are the best foods to include in your meals, and which ones are best avoided.Fast food has become much more popular of late and all over the world the outcry regarding harms of fast foods is on increase.Be aware that there is little scientific information about the effect of so-called functional foods –foods to which vitamins, minerals, herbs, or other dietary substances are added — despite their growing popularity in the market place and claims of beneficial effects.Some common foods, including nuts, wheat gluten, dairy products, fish, shrimp, soy, bananas and eggs may trigger allergic reactions.FatFats add taste to meals and give one a feeling of fullness when eaten. When you choose healthy foods instead of sugary or high-fat foods you can actually improve your health by adding extra phytochemicals and fiber.Breakfast foods should be healthy but they have a tendency to be high in fats and sugar. The human brain is almost entirely composed of unsaturated fatty acids.You deprive yourself of more than fats when you go for the fat-free or low-fat salad dressing. We need fats to absorb all the beneficial elements of salads and other fruits and vegetables. Learn which are the right types of fats, to create beautiful, supple skin, and a healthy body.Eating more whole foods is a good way to replace many of the processed snacks and foods that have a lot of extra sugar, fat (including trans fat), salt, and other things added to them and a lot of good things taken out, like fiber.In addition to food labeled fat-free and low fat, healthy low fat foods include most fruits and vegetables.Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats (called macronutrients) are broken down (metabolized) to give the body energy.For example, lowering fat and cholesterol intake and adding whole grains to the diet can prevent atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in the arteries), which can lead to heart disease or stroke.Fish is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential components of cells and can protect the heart from, for example, fatal arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythm). Omega-3 fatty acids found in cold water fish (such as herring, tuna, and salmon) have been reported to reduce inflammation and help prevent certain chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis.Safe food and good nutrition are important to all. Basic nutrition knowledge is constantly taking shape every day, producing new diet trends to an ever growing audience of people who want to know the latest and greatest ways to achieve their physical fitness goals.Did you know that you can drastically decrease your chance of heart disease and cancer by eating a healthy diet and following the recommended nutrition guidelines?Proper nutrition is a powerful good: people who are well nourished are more likely to be healthy, productive and able to learn.Good nutrition benefits families, their communities and the world as a whole. Malnutrition is, by the same logic, devastating.

Book Review: Start Your Own Business

If you want to start a business, but don’t know where to start, then the place to start is with Start Your Own Business: The Only Start-Up Book You’ll Ever Need by Rieva Lesonsky. The book is put out by Entrepreneur Press and is essentially a compilation of Entrepreneur Magazine’s large knowledge database regarding starting a business.The book literally takes you through the entire business process – from determining if you really have what it takes to run a business to how to deal with failure if your business doesn’t work out, and everything in between. The best part about the book is that it covers nearly EVERYTHING in some capacity. If you need more information, it does a great job of suggesting further reading and pertinent web sites.The book is broken down into seven sections, each with several chapters. The first section, ‘You Gotta Start Somewhere’ covers determining if you can be an entrepreneur, how to come up with an idea for your business, and whether you should launch your business part time or full time. Most people who buy the book will already have answers to these questions, but going through the exercises in the book can still be helpful.The second section of the book is entitled ‘Building Blocks’. It covers how to name your business, choosing a business structure, creating a business plan, and how to hire a lawyer and accountant. I think that this is the most valuable section of the book. These are the things that most entrepreneurs either struggle with or ignore. The Naming Your Business chapter in particular helped me a great deal. Naming your business is not nearly as easy as you think – you need to consider all registered trademark names, registered domain names, and names that are being used but not trademarked. One of the worst things that you can do is to pick a name that is already being used by someone and face a legal battle down the road.The third section covers financing including where and how to get money to run your business. The fourth section, ‘Setting the Stage’ is absolutely massive and covers numerous important things such as choosing a location for your business, creating a professional image, offering customers credit, hiring your first employee, and business insurance. Needless to say, all of these things are extremely important to every business owner.The fifth section covers buying company computers, cell phones, and cars. These things probably won’t be very difficult for most business owners. The sixth section, however, covers one of the hardest thing every business owner faces – marketing. The section is nearly 100 pages about advertising, marketing, and public relations. It also briefly touches on web-marketing but those looking to seriously profit online will need to look elsewhere because the book is a little thin when it comes to e-commerce.The final section, entitled ‘By the Books’ goes over every entrepreneurs favorite things – accounting and taxes. It gives solid advice regarding basic bookkeeping, financial statements, budgeting, and taxes. For most business owners this section and the web resources listed should be more than enough to get them started on keeping their business legal.I can’t overemphasize how important I think it is for every business owner to have this book. It is a mini-encyclopedia (ok, so 800 pages isn’t THAT mini) for everything business related. Having this book on your shelf will save you countless hours. I read it from cover to cover when I got it and I constantly refer back to it. I have recommended it to every person I know that has talked with me about starting a business. Each and every one of them bought it, and each and every one of them came back to me raving about it.For the amount of depth that is covered in the book, Start Your Own Business: The Only Start-Up Book You’ll Ever Need by Rieva Lesonsky is an amazingly easy read. Anyone over the age of 16 will be able to comprehend the simple nature of the book. Reading this book won’t guarantee your success as an entrepreneur, but it will help reduce the risk of starting a business by providing you with a sound foundation to build upon.