Wednesday, February 03, 2010

I have never tried any of these tips/hints

The Amazing Cucumber

This information was in The New York Times several weeks ago as part of their "Spotlight on the Home" series that highlighted creative and fanciful ways to solve common problems.

1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.


2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area. (WOW)

5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!! (DOUBLE WOW)

6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!

7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.

8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don't have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber sliced rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.

11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemicals will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won't leave streaks and won't harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean.

13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!

Pass this along to everybody you know who is looking for better and safer ways to solve life's everyday problems..


15 comments:

Reanaclaire said...

wow.. i wanna go out to buy cucumbers now!! lol... didnt know cucumbers are so useful.. thanks for the info, patty.. great benefits in cucumber!

Arkansas Patti said...

Can't eat those beauties myself but am glad they have other purposes. May try that grub thing.

claude said...

Oh my !
I eat a lot of cucumbers in salad from my garden and I cook soups too with them.
I know the cucumber has an astringent power for the oily skins.
About the other tips, I do really
not know.

Beth Niquette said...

My word! Thank you--I think I'm going to plant some cucumbers this spring! I did not know about this--I'm going to try 'em all!

Thanks, Patty!

Winifred said...

I'm taking these ideas with a pinch of salt.

I remember reading something like 101 uses for bananas. They suggested cleaning your shoes with the skin. Not only does it not work it takes absolutely ages to get the gunge off! So I'll pass on these tips Patti!

Clytie said...

I haven't heard of most of these cucumbery tricks. Maybe it's time to buy a couple and do some testing!

Gigi Ann said...

Who would have thought that the cucumber could do so much.

Number 5 is my favorite, but, I would need a bushel of cucumbers, so I could rub, tighten, and firm the whole body. LOL...

Anonymous said...

Do we eat enough cucumbers? I like them and sometimes think they taste like watermellon.

Wanda said...

You know other than in a salad and two slices for tired eyes.... I've never heard of all those uses!!

Thanks!

Lady Di Tn said...

Patty
I like cukes but they turn on me so I would need some Pepcid to take with the cuke. I still can eat my weight in pickles, does that count. Last time I use something to polish that was not polish ruined an antique light fixture. So I will not try to polish things with cukes. thanks the lesson Peace

Cheryl said...

I love to eat cucumbers and never realized how many uses there were for them. I loved the cellulite one though, I would need a bushel basket of them to do that job! LOL!

Margaret Cloud said...

These are my favorites, I eat at least four a week. The number one I did not know they were loaded with that much nutrients, thanks for posting this.

Renie Burghardt said...

I can't eat much cucumber either, it gives me the burps! But I will buy some tomorrow and try it on my wrinkles! Haha.

Does Abe still have his taste buds, by the way? Haha.

Have a nice evening, Patty!

Renie

sandy said...

ahh will copy and paste this again. I saw this elsewhere, but don't remember what "folder" I put it in...thanks.

Twisted Fencepost said...

Someone sent this to me in an email, too.
Not sure about all of them, but I will be trying a few of them.