REalty Rave April 2016

David Burke Tel: 760-250-2570 April 2016 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 2 ways to protect your vision from blue light (BPT) - Blue light is everywhere — from the sunshine you enjoy on a beautiful day, to the digital devices you have come to depend upon. You might think blue light does not affect the quality of your vision now, but studies are showing that the cumulative effects of blue light can negatively shape your vision quality many years into the future. Blue light from light-emitting diode (LED) televisions, smart phones or computers can cause accumulating damage, increasing the risk and severity of developing Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD). Blue light can damage photoreceptors: the rods and cones within the eyes. Blue light exposure over time contributes to an increased risk of superoxide, according to Stuart Richer, who serves as director of Ocular Preventative Medicine at Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago. Superoxide is toxic, eventually causing damage to the photoreceptor cells, ultimately leading to cell death. Since rods and cones can’t be regenerated, vision problems like AMD develop. “Modifying environmental factors is currently the only approach to reduce genetic risk of AMD,” says Richer. Zeaxanthin and lutein, two carotenoids found within the eye, have been found to benefit by virtue of protecting and enhancing vision. These carotenoids create macular pigment, which is found in the retina, or back of the eye, and are found at a ratio 2:1. One way to protect photoreceptors from blue light is to increase the density of macular pigment. The macular pigment acts as a pair of internal sunglasses, shielding photoreceptors from blue light. If Macular Pigment Optical Density (MPOD) is at suboptimal levels, this pigment can’t properly protect the photoreceptors from damage and oxidation. Another way eye care professionals can help patients is to offer a Macular Pigment Optical Density screening. Measuring the macular pigment can serve as a biomarker for patients and assess whether supplementation is necessary. Since zeaxanthin and lutein aren’t produced by the body, they must be ingested in order to ensure optimal macular pigment density. Because the average American diet is scarce in zeaxanthin, supplementing this antioxidant can be beneficial to many. Eye vitamins can replenish macular pigment optical density levels. This brand of macular health supplements is guaranteed to help patients increase their MPOD levels within six months. In spite of the consequences to vision, blue light is here to stay. In fact, LED is expected to take 90 percent of the lighting market in the next 10 years because the lights are more energy efficient. Be smart about your sight and find an optometrist who measures MPOD. Benchmarking your MPOD score gauges whether you’ll need supplementation. This measure can protect your eye health while you enjoy your digital devices now and in the years to come. HELPFUL HINTS A new treatment option for obstructive sleep apnea Get the sleep without the snore, here's how (BPT) - Al Pierce from South Carolina had always been a snorer, which kept his wife Gail awake night after night. Eventually, she went to her doctor for sleeping pills as a last resort. After explaining why she wasn’t sleeping, her doctor suggested that Al’s snoring may have been related to an underlying serious condition called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA is a common condition, affecting about 18 million Americans (Peppard et al., 2013). It occurs when the tongue and other soft tissues relax during sleep and block the airway. The brain senses a problem and wakes the body up just long enough to take a breath. This can happen hundreds of times throughout the night, resulting in poor and unrestful sleep. “When left untreated, obstructive sleep apnea can cause an increased risk in motor vehicle accidents, daytime sleepiness, irritability, weight gain and high blood pressure, as well as more serious complications such as heart disease or stroke,” says Dr. Jennifer Hsia of the University of Minnesota-Fairview Health. At the request of his wife, Al underwent a sleep study and was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, a revelation that explained years of sleep troubles. His doctor prescribed him a CPAP, or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine, which required him to wear a mask during sleep to keep his airway open. Though CPAP can be a successful way for many patients to manage their OSA, studies show 40-70 percent of people are unable to make CPAP work for them (Kushida et al., 2012). Pierce tried multiple masks and machines but none seemed to work. Eventually, he just stopped using it. New treatments available Fortunately for people like Al, treatment options are expanding. In 2014, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new device called Inspire Upper Airway Stimulation therapy, specifically for people with moderate to severe OSA who are unable to use or get consistent benefit from CPAP. In contrast to CPAP, Inspire therapy works inside the body without a mask or hose. The device is composed of a breathing sensor and a stimulation lead powered by a small battery. Implanted during a short outpatient procedure, Inspire therapy continuously monitors breathing patterns during sleep. The system delivers mild stimulation to key airway muscles which gently moves the tongue and other soft tissues out of the airway. Al was implanted with the device in 2011 as part of a clinical trial studying Inspire therapy. Nearly five years later, he is still using the device all night, every night. His energy levels have increased dramatically and he no longer wakes up feeling tired. “Using my sleep remote, I simply turn the device on before I go to bed and turn it off when I wake up, then go about my day,” Al says of his daily use of the device. “Before Inspire therapy, I didn’t know what it was like to feel this good in the morning. Now, I do.” RECIPE OF THE MONTH Easy Smoked Sausage Skillet Makes 4 servings and ready in 20 minutes! Ingredients: 1 (14 ounce) package Hillshire Farm® Smoked Sausage, diagonally cut into 1/4-inch slices 1/4 cup olive oil 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 large red bell pepper, sliced thin 1 small yellow onion, sliced thin 1 (10 ounce) package frozen broccoli, thawed 1/2 cup chicken broth or water 1/2 cup tomato sauce 2 cups instant rice 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese Directions: Heat olive oil and crushed garlic, stir in smoked sausage slices and cook until smoked sausage is browned. Add pepper, onion, broccoli, chicken broth and tomato sauce and simmer for about 10 minutes until vegetables are tender and the liquid is absorbed. In the meantime, cook rice according to package instructions. Stir rice into the skillet, sprinkle with cheese and serve.      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 How To Clean The Blender Quickly Fill the blender partially with warm water and a few drops of liquid soap, put on the lid and run the blender for 5-10 second, then pour out the solution, rinse and sit out to dry. (You will still need to wash the lid thoroughly, and the outside of the blender.) Cleaning Your Butcher Block Cover your butcher block with coarse salt and let it sit overnight. The salt will absorb the fat and oils, and you can just brush it off. (This does not disinfect though.) Stained Porcelain Teapots If you have tea stains in your porcelain teapot or porcelain tea cups fill the pot or cup with warm water, and then add a few drops of bleach and let the solution sit for a couple of house. Once the stains are gone was normally with soap and water. Odors From Wooden Cutting Board Make a paste of baking soda and water, rub it on the cutting board and let sit for an hour or so, then rinse and let the cutting board dry. Coffee Stains From Cups Fill the stained cup with water and add a denture cleaning product, soak for a couple of hours and then rinse and wash as usual. Getting Utensils Cleaner In The Dishwasher Place the utensils handle down in the basket of the dishwasher. Crumbs In Your Kitchen Cabinets Instead of shelf paper periodically use the brush attachments on your vacuum to clean up dust and food crumbs in your kitchen cabinets. Keep Drips From Your Oven To avoid messes in your oven place a baking sheetlined with aluminum foil or a sheet of foil underneath any food that has a tendency to bubble over. DID YOU KNOW? Did you know cats have over 100 vocal chords Did you know camel's milk doesn't curdle Did you know elephants sleep between 4 - 5 hours in 24 period Did you know it's possible to lead a cow up stairs but not down Did you know frogs can't swallow with their eyes open Did you know elephants are the only mammal that can't jump Did you know a 1/4 of your bones are in your feet Did you know your tongue is the fastest healing part of your body Did you know on your birthday you share it with 9 million others Did you know 1 googol is the number 1 followed by 100 zeros Did you know a 1 minute kiss burns 26 calories 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!