Easing your pain at the pump -- joining us this morning with some tips to make your car more fuel efficient is Kateri Callahan, president of the alliance to save energy.
About Kateri Callahan: Kateri Callahan has been president of the Alliance to Save Energy since January 2004. In 2007, she was named to the new Living Green Editorial Board of Better Homes & Gardens and was profiled in the January 2008 issue. Callahan has appeared multiple times on all the major TV and radio networks to discuss escalating gasoline prices and appropriate responses by both consumers and policy makers. Find more information on Callahan and the Alliance to Save Energy at www.ase.org.
Background information on the 6 action tips: 6 Action Tips for Transportation Website Calculator
(*Tips are calculated as annual savings, driving the national average of 12,500 miles per year in a vehicle with a fuel economy of 20.1 mpg using regular grade gasoline at $3.78 per gallon-the projected 2008 annual average by the Energy Information Administration's June Short Term Energy Outlook.)
* Inflate Your Tires. Keeping your tires properly inflated is simple and improves gas mileage by around 3%, saving up to 20 gallons of gasoline, or about $75.
* Select the Right Oil. Using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil, including re-refined motor oil, improves gas mileage by 1 to 2%, resulting in annual savings of up to $45. Motor oil that says "Energy Conserving" on the API performance symbol contains friction-reducing additives. Also, change your oil as recommended to extend the life of your vehicle and remember to recycle the used oil which can be re-refined, saving even more energy.
* Cut Miles. If you can cut your vehicle miles traveled by just 5% through combining trips, walking, biking, or taking public transportation, you can save up to $115 per year on gasoline costs. Walking and biking are good for your health too!
* Curb road rage. Speeding, rapid acceleration (jackrabbit starts), and rapid braking can lower gas mileage by 33% at highway speeds. Drivers can save up to 80 gallons of gasoline, or up to $310, by driving sensibly on the highway. If you don't have a "lead foot," your savings may be closer to 10% at highway speeds - about $95.
* Drive sensibly. Around town, sensible driving can save 5% - up to 30 gallons of gasoline and up to $115.
* Ditch "junk in the trunk." An extra 100 pounds in the trunk cuts a typical vehicle's fuel economy by up to 2%. You can save up to 12 gallons of gasoline per year - about $45 - by removing an extra 100 pounds of unneeded items from the trunk.
In addition to the six actions drivers are urged to take, more tips are included on the site, including this one:
* If you own more than one vehicle, drive the one that gets better gas mileage whenever possible. If you drive 12,500 miles a year, switching 10% of your trips from driving a car that gets 20 mpg to one that gets 30 mpg will save you almost $80 per year.
For more information: Viewers should go to www.DriveSmarterChallenge.org to try out the website. Media can access our broadband media website, with lots of background on the campaign, the partners, driving and maintenance tips, and more, along with downloadable audio and video at www.dwjtv.com/DriveSmarterChallenge.
-----STEAK AND SALSA-----
Grilling the perfect steak, with some fun salsa on the side -- joining us this morning with tips is Jason Hensle, executive chef of Salt Creek Grille in Princeton, New Jersey.
What are some tips you can give our viewers on finding the best steak?
When possible, buy from the butchers counter not the pre-packaged section; get to KNOW your butcher
Get to know your local butcher
Look for steaks with fine texture and firm to the touch
You want the color to be a light cherry red color, not deep red; AVOID gray meat
Look for a steak that has marbling - thin threads of fat running through the meat that gives it it's flavor
What's the best way to prepare LEAN meat?
Lack of fat = lack of flavor, so there are a few things you need to do to inject flavor into your meat:
Increase marination time to increase the flavor profile
Baste the meat while cooking with a compound butter to enrich the flavor
A quick trick is to wrap the meat in bacon; this preserves moisture and adds a complex flavor
Lastly, cook the meat at a lesser temperature to enhance the flavors
Grilled Rib-Eye Steaks with a Red Pepper Salsa
For salsa
6 red bell peppers (2 pounds)
1 to 2 jalapenos
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
For steak
4 (1 1/2-inch-thick) bone-in rib-eye steaks (7 pounds)
3 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
Preparation: Salsa
1. Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (moderately high heat for gas).
2. Oil grill rack, then grill bell peppers, covered only if using a gas grill, turning occasionally, until slightly softened and charred, 15 to 20 minutes.
**Tip: Instead of grilling the peppers, you can broil them on rack of a broiler pan about 2 inches from heat, turning occasionally with tongs, until skins are blackened, 20 to 30 minutes, then proceed with recipe.
3. Transfer bell peppers to a large bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap, then let stand 20 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel peppers, discarding stems and seeds, and cut lengthwise into thin strips. Toss with remaining salsa ingredients.
**Tip: The salsa can be made 1 day ahead, without parsley, and chilled, covered. Stir in parsley just before serving.
Preparation: Steaks
1. Prepare grill for indirect-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (moderately high heat for gas).
**Tip: If you're using a charcoal grill for the peppers first and then the steaks, the coals will need to be replenished and rearranged before you grill the steaks.
2. Pat steaks dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Oil grill rack, then sear steaks directly over coals, uncovered, turning over once and moving to area of grill with no coals underneath if flare-ups occur, until well browned, 4 to 6 minutes total. Move steaks to area with no coals underneath and grill, covered, until thermometer inserted into center of meat (do not touch bone) registers 120°F for medium-rare, 8 to 12 minutes more.
3. Transfer steaks to a cutting board and let stand 15 minutes.
**Tip: For indoor cooks, steaks can be grilled in a hot, lightly oiled, well-seasoned large (2-burner) ridged grill pan, uncovered, turning over once, about 10 minutes total. Reduce heat to moderately low and cook steaks, covered with an inverted roasting pan, turning over occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes more for medium-rare.
-----ENGAGEMENT RINGS FOR LESS-----
The symbol of love - the ring you'll treasure the rest of your life. You can get celebrity look-alike engagement rings without spending the celebrity cash.
Joining us this morning with some examples is Michelle Ponto with B2Cjewels.com.
1. Ashlee Simpson
Ashlee Simpson has a very popular vintage style right now. Hers appears to be a 4 ct Asscher cut center stone surrounded by smaller stones that can also be found on the band. An Asscher cut diamond is a more rare cut, but you can achieve the same look for less with a princess shaped diamond. Estimated value = $100,000.
B2C Ashlee ring: This ring has a very similar look but at a fraction of the price Pete Wentz spent. 1 ct princess center stone with additional 3/4 ct of accent diamonds. 18k white gold. $5,000.
2. Katherine Heigl
Katherine Heigl has a unique shaped ring but the setting is a very popular style nowadays. Her ring features a 3 ct teardrop or pear shaped center stone, with smaller accent diamonds. Estimated value = $70,000.
B2C Katherine ring: This ring, featuring a 1 ct center stone, would be priced around $4,800 in 18k white gold.
3. Fergie
Fergie's solitaire ring is very chic and classic. Hers boasts a 3.5 ct round, brilliant cut center stone on a platinum band. Estimated value = $75,000.
B2C Fergie ring: Achieve the same sleek look with a platinum band and a more reasonable 1.5 ct round center diamond from B2C. $8,900
4. Scarlett Johansson
Recently engaged Scarlett Johansson received an elegant 3ct round cut stone set in a yellow gold pave band. Estimated value = $90,000.
B2C Scarlett Ring: White gold band featuring 1/3 ct of accent diamonds and a 1 1/2 ct round diamond center. $9,300. This ring is currently a custom order - please allow 3 weeks for shipping.
-----ENJOY YOUR LABOR-----
Enjoying motherhood even during labor -- joining us this morning with answers to common questions about the labor process is Dr. Gilbert Grant, Director of obstetric anesthesia at the NYU Langone Medical Center and author of "Enjoy Your Labor."
How commonly are epidurals used today?
It depends on where the woman is delivering. Here in the U.S., nearly 70% of women choose epidurals or spinals for pain relief during labor and delivery - but some hospitals don't have anesthesiologists in-house all the time. So at smaller hospitals, the use of epidurals is lower. At large hospitals such as NYU Langone Medical Center, anesthesiologists are there on a 24/7/365 basis. Our epidural rate is higher than the national average, especially for first-time mothers, with about 90% of them choosing epidurals. Around the world, epidurals use is much less common. Unfortunately, an epidural is still a luxury that is unavailable to most of the world's women.
If epidurals are so wonderful, why are they so controversial?
It depends whom you ask. The bad reputation that epidurals got was mainly a result of the natural childbirth movement, which received a big boost during the 1960s from Lamaze. Feminists at the time latched on to the natural childbirth theories of Fernand Lamaze and his ideological mentor, Grantley Dick-Read. In so doing, these natural childbirth feminists discourage women from benefiting from a miracle of modern medical science: epidurals and spinals.
How bad is labor pain?
Although I can't claim to have experienced it myself, I have seen many thousands of women go through labor. I can tell you from my observations, it really hurts. Scientifically, it's been proven that labor pain is the worst pain that most women will ever experience in their lives. That's the bad news. The good news is that with modern pain relief techniques - epidurals and spinals - women don't have to suffer the pain of childbirth if they don't want to.
When's the best time to get an epidural?
Some women have told me that the best time would be before pregnancy! Seriously, though, it was previously thought that a woman should wait until her cervix opened a certain amount - this was arbitrarily set at four or five centimeters. But it turns out that it doesn't matter when the epidural is administered - that is, it doesn't mater with regard to the effect the epidural has on the labor. In fact, the most recent studies show that epidurals and spinals given early in labor - before the cervix is opened four centimeters - actually speeds up the whole process. But whenever the epidural is given, it makes a world of difference for the woman in pain. And everyone is different. Some women have excruciating pain in labor when their cervix is only open two centimeters. Some have relatively little pain when their cervix is open seven centimeters. Because everyone is different, each woman deserves to be treated as an individual.
So, are you saying that women can get epidurals when their cervix is only two centimeters open?
I most certainly am saying that. Women should not be held hostage to their cervix, over whose dilation they have no control. When you're in pain, minutes can seem like hours. Can you imagine being told that you have to wait a while until your cervix opens a bit more? I'm as firm believer that human beings should be entitled to get pain relief whenever they want it - and that includes women in labor. I can't tell you how many times I've seen women wait until their pain becomes unbearable before they ask for an epidural. But what man would do that at a dental visit? Can you imagine? Allowing the dentist to start the root canal and then, during the drilling, asking for local anesthetic? I know it sounds silly, but that's the way most women still approach labor pain. There is a double standard here, and as usual, women come out holding the short end of the stick.
Why is that? Why do women still wait?
I think it's mainly a matter of misinformation. Most people - and I include health care workers in this category - still are not completely comfortable with modern pain relief techniques. And non-health care workers certainly harbor many misconceptions about pain relief procedures. This is actually the reason I wrote my book. When my wife was pregnant, I quickly realized that there was no goo book for her to read that would give her accurate information about the modern epidural I was administering to my patients.
What's a walking epidural?
The old, classic epidural numbed the lower body completely, and immobilized the legs. By contrast, the walking epidural, which became popular in the 1990s, relieves the pain of labor and delivery while maintaining muscle strength, preserving the ability to walk. One of the distinct advantages of the walking epidural is that it preserves pelvic and abdominal muscle tone, which may be helpful in pushing the baby out during the second stage of labor. The muscle weakness produced by old-fashioned epidurals sometimes made this difficult. The walking epidural is now the standard epidural that we use. In addition, we permit the woman in labor to control the amount of pain relief she receives using a technique called PCEA - Patient Controlled Epidural Analgesia. The woman is able to self-administer her own doses of pain medication by simply pushing a button. This allows each woman to "fine-tune" her own pain relief - to get just as much as she wants.
Childbirth is one of the most profound life-changing experiences. For most women, it is a very stressful time - and many women spend months worried about their upcoming labor and delivery. Pervasive myths about epidurals and spinals contribute to this anxiety. In Enjoy Your Labor, Dr. Grant answers the questions that mothers-to-be have asked during his many years of practice.
The natural childbirth myth
From time immemorial, women have suffered the pain of childbirth. Although consistently downplayed by "natural childbirth" advocates, this pain has been documented through the ages in literature, drawings, etc. One of the wonders of modern medicine is the epidural, for it has that has radically transformed the childbirth experience. Techniques of pain relief that are available to women in 2008 can make childbirth nearly, if not completely, painless.
The subject of labor pain relief is very controversial
Interestingly (and unfortunately for women), labor pain is viewed differently than all other types of pain. Although we know that it is the most severe pain that most women will ever experience in their lives, it is still seen by many as a "natural" pain that should not be meddled with. Some proponents of "natural childbirth" are fervently opposed to the modern epidural, which is indisputably the most reliable way to effectively relieve the pain of childbirth.
"This is not your mother's epidural"
Today's "walking epidural" would not be recognizable to a woman who delivered 20 years ago, when epidurals were so strong they prevented the mother-to-be from moving her legs. They certainly would not be recognizable to 20th century women who received injections of narcotics, as this type of treatment typically caused drowsiness and amnesia, not to mention nausea and vomiting. The epidurals of 2008 enable women to be pain free, awake, alert and mobile throughout their labor and delivery. Although most women don't actually walk around much during labor, they have the muscle strength they need to push effectively when the time comes.
The guilt trip
Although nearly 70% of American women use epidurals and spinals to relieve the pain of childbirth, many feel very guilty about their choice, as they are told by opponents of pain relief that they are depriving themselves of a life-defining experience and that the procedures are dangerous for their babies.
The information gap
There is a lack of accurate information about state-of-the-art pain relief techniques for childbirth. Most expectant mothers make their pain relief decisions based on myths, rumors and hearsay - and decades-old information. Enjoy Your Labor is the first book written for the public to specifically redress this information gap.
Goal of the book
The goal of Enjoy Your Labor is to provide expectant women with the information they need to make an informed choice about what type of pain relief, if any, they would like for their labor and delivery.
For more information, please go to www.enjoyyourlabor.com
