Realty Rave for August

David Burke Tel: 760-250-2570 August 2015 Welcome to this month's edition of the RealtyRave newsletter. We hope that you find it filled with interesting and useful information! Please think of me with any real estate related questions you may have - now and in the future. It would be my pleasure to be of assistance to you. The single highest and best compliment a Real Estate Professional can receive is a referral to friends, family or colleagues. As appropriate, please feel free to forward this Newsletter and/or my contact information. Thank you! David Burke HEALTH AND SAFETY Get Inspired. Help fight heart attack and stroke for generations to come (BPT) - There are 71 million Americans living with high levels of “bad” cholesterol, also known as low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), which can increase the risk for life-threatening cardiovascular (CV) events, such as heart attacks and strokes. While statins have helped manage high cholesterol, heart disease remains a leading cause of death worldwide. There are up to 18 million high-risk patients who do not reach their LDL-C treatment goals even with a high-dose statin prescription. It’s clear there is a need for advancements in treatment options. “With more people dying of cardiovascular disease than all forms of cancer combined, it is imperative that cardiologists and the scientific community commit to finding new LDL-C lowering therapies that could potentially help millions of Americans,” explained Dr. Christie M. Ballantyne, the chief of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research at Baylor College of Medicine and the director of the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at Houston Methodist Hospital. “Heart disease is on a path to become the leading cause of death throughout the world by 2020, and by the year 2030 direct and indirect costs of CV disease could rise to $918 billion. The time to research new and effective treatment options is now.” To help test new LDL-C lowering therapies, Pfizer and other companies are sponsoring clinical trials in this area. The studies are evaluating investigational drugs and their effects on LDL-C and cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes. HELPFUL HINTS Health consequences of hard water (BPT) - When you look at the cities that attract the most new citizens, particularly those in the senior age brackets, Phoenix and Tucson are usually up near the top of the lists. With sunny days, warm temperatures and golf courses galore — both have stunning outdoor environments to be enjoyed throughout the year.   Unfortunately, both Phoenix and Tucson are among the top 10 U.S. cities facing water problems. As residents are well aware, the water they use on a daily basis is laden with minerals from the Colorado River. The water hardness figures regularly posted in the City of Phoenix Water Quality Annual Report vary between 170 and 292 parts per million (ppm), placing it well into the very hard water zone. Perhaps the greatest concern is on the role of hard water on the condition of the skin — our original body armor — the largest organ of the body and the one responsible for protecting us from all environmental challenges. The combination of soap and hard water has long been known to result in dermatitis. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases warns that the skin of people with dermatitis lacks infection-fighting proteins, making them susceptible to skin infections caused by bacteria, viruses and all forms of mold, conditions leading to further serious complications. “Hard water contains minerals such as calcium, magnesium and iron, which can dry and harden on the skin," says Barbara R. Reed, MD, clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver. “Minerals drying on the skin can clog pores and cause flaking and itching.” But the problems with hard water extend way beyond that. The health effects of hard water are mainly due to the effects of the high levels of calcium and magnesium. More than ¾ of kidney stones are generally composed of calcium. Environmental and nutritional factors that cause kidney stones include dehydration, a diet rich in animal proteins and calcium. Studies show that softened water is preferable to hard water, since it is associated with a lower risk for recurrence of kidney stones. Fortunately, a salt-based water softener is the most functional and cost effective means of removing hardness minerals. It is a time-tested, highly reliable tool to improve health and to lower maintenance costs for home appliances like dishwashers and washing machine. It also reduces the need for detergents and high water temperatures, leading to a smaller household carbon footprint. Although leading an active outdoor life in a beautiful environment can be very desirable, it is important for consumers to be aware of the challenges they face and ensure that the water they use promotes good health. RECIPE OF THE MONTH Chicken Noodle Casserole I Makes 6 servings and ready in 30 mins! Ingredients: 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 6 ounces egg noodles 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup 1 cup sour cream salt to taste ground black pepper to taste 1 cup crumbled buttery round crackers 1/2 cup butter Directions: Poach chicken in a large pot of simmering water. Cook until no longer pink in center, about 12 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside. Bring chicken cooking water to a boil and cook pasta in it. Drain. Cut chicken into small pieces, and mix with noodles. In a separate bowl, mix together mushroom soup, chicken soup, and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper. Gently stir together cream soup mixture with the chicken mixture. Place in a 2 quart baking dish. Melt butter in a small saucepan, and remove from heat. Stir in crumbled crackers. Top casserole with the buttery crackers. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 30 minutes, until heated through and browned on top.      View my website  Email me  View Featured Listings  Property Search   Compliments of: David Burke Realty Executives Desert Lifestyles 78065 Main St. Suite 101 La Quinta, CA 92253 Tel: 760-250-2570 Cell: 760-250-2570 Fax: 800-774-5902 David@LaQuintaRE.com e-Pro Household Tips Sticky Windows Snap the rope or chain and windows will usually loosen up.   Loosing Windowpanes Dig through old putty with a very hot instrument to loosen a windowpane.   Window Cleaning Newspaper is much cheaper to use for drying freshly-washed windows than paper toweling.   Drying Windows Dry the inside panes with up-and-down strokes, and the outside with back-and-forth motions to see which side has smudges.   Window Cleaning Solution The best mixture for cleaning windows is 1/2 cup of ammonia, 1 cup of white vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in a bucket of warm water.   Cold Weather Window Cleaning Add 1/2 cup of rubbing alcohol to the above mixture on cold days to prevent ice from forming on your windows.   Clean Window Sills To remove spots on window sills, rub the surface with rubbing alcohol.   Puttying Windows Mix some paint into the putty to match the woodwork before puttying windows.   Aluminum Window Frames Use cream silver polish to clean aluminum window frames. DID YOU KNOW? Did you know the electric chair was invented by a dentist Did you know your more likely to be killed by a champagne cork than by a poisonous spider Did you know a crocodile can't stick out its tongue Did you know rubber bands last longer when kept refrigerated Did you know women blink twice as much as men Did you know ostriches don't bury their heads in sand Did you know only female mosquitoes bite Did you know Scotland has the most redheads Did you know household dust is made of dead skin cells Did you know the past tense for the English word 'dare' is 'durst' About Us Whether you are looking to buy or sell, we are here to assist you in accomplishing your real estate dreams. Burke and Associates has been awarded the "Top Listing Agent, 2011, and 2012" by Keller Williams Realty. Call today and let us put our tools, techniques and skills to work for you! Also, be sure to ask us about our monthly specials for our new construction developments! P.S. Referrals are the highest compliment a sales professional can receive from a client. Please pass my name around to your friends, family, and acquaintances so that I can provide them with the best real estate experience possible!