Pantry Moths: Prevention and How to Deal with Them

Have you ever had pantry moths? Consider yourself lucky if you haven't. Those little suckers will not only leave you with less food, but you'll also end up losing a day in cleaning up after them.

Speaking from experience, prevention is the key to maintaining your sanity and your food supply. Now that I'm a few months older and wiser, I've learned how incredibly easy it is to prevent them! These are especially an issue for anyone avoiding highly processed food. So, if you eat real food, you need to take note.

Preventing Pantry Moths

There are a few easy steps to take in preventing pantry moths:

Pantry moths: the offenders

• Every time you bring new dry food into the house, pop it in the freezer overnight. This will kill any moths regardless of life stage.
• Always freeze nuts or other bulk items overnight.
• The next day, or whenever you get around to it, pour the food into glass containers. I keep all of my dry food in either glass jars or canning jars.
• Clean your cabinets from top to bottom, in every nook and cranny as soon as possible. Pay close attention to the upper inside of the cabinet. Soap and water works just fine.

It seems rather simple, and it is!

Getting Rid of Pantry Moths

Already seeing these pests? Be prepared to spend some time cleaning up.

• Completely empty all cupboards in which food is stored.
• Clean every nook and cranny inside the cupboards. Again, play very close attention to the upper inside of the cabinet. Soap and water is your friend.
• Spray with vinegar. You want every part of the surface of the cabinet wet with vinegar.
• Let the vinegar dry, but close the cabinet while the vinegar is drying. While it may take longer to dry, this way you know a wayward moth won't fly back into the cabinet while your eyes are elsewhere.
• Go through all the food you removed from the cabinet. Throw away anything that may be suspicious. Personally, I thought I was doing a good thing putting things into glass jars when I brought them home. But, I made the mistake of not freezing one bag of nuts, and (of course) the jar wasn't sealed perfectly and I hadn't made the transition to placing everything in sealed jars.
• Note: Do not open any containers or bags that look suspicious inside your home! Take them outside and dump the contents out then. 
• Transfer any salvageable food into glass containers.
• Wash the outside of any containers and freeze overnight. 
• Restock your pantry.
• Add a few Pantry Moth Traps for good measure. The traps I am linking to are reasonably priced (less than $9 for a set of two) and are non-toxic. You don't want anything potentially toxic around your food.

As you can see, a little prevention goes a long way with these pests, but you can deal with them in a way the keeps your household free of toxic chemicals. I've had to deal with them once, and certainly don't plan to ever again! 

What's Wrong with Me? A Detailed List of My Diagnoses

While I primarily focus on blabbering about my diagnoses of latex allergy and fibromyalgia, I have a number of other related- or not related- issues. The following is a list, some of which I am no longer suffering from but have dealt with at some point. If you'd like to know more about my experiences with any of them, please do let me know. I'm happy to share!

Surgeries:

• Appendectomy 
• Sinus surgery
• Laparoscopy with laser
• D&C
• Cryocautery
• Kidney stone surgery
• Hysterectomy

Diagnoses:

• Fibromyalgia
• Migraines
• Restless leg syndrome
• Periodic limb body movement syndrome
• Narcolepsy
• Insomnia
• Hypersomnia
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Hypertension
• Raynaud's syndrome
• Dysmenorrhea
• Adenomyosis
• Ovarian cysts
• Osmotic diarrhea
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Asthma
• Nausea and vomiting
• Kidney stones
• Dizziness/vertigo
• Psoriasis
• Sprained ankle
• Broken ankle
• Ulcers (caused by NSAIDs)

Allergies:

• Latex
• Penicillin
• Doxycyclines
• Excedrin Migraine
• Mold
• Trees
• Grass
• Ragweed
• Candida
• Dogs
• Smoke
• Cockroaches (ew!)
• Bandages/Adhesive
• Wheat
• Rice
• Soy
• Garlic
• Lettuce
• Cinnamon
• Corn
• Coconut
• Bananas
• Cucumber
• Cashews
• Black pepper
• Raw tomatoes
• Spandex/Lycra/Elastic
• Chlorine
• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Body wash
• Deodorant
• All soap with the exception of 3 bar soaps
• Perfumes
• Lotion

Tests:

• Blood (lots)
• Allergy (multiple types)
• Endoscopy (lost count of the number)
• Colonoscopy (don't recall how many)
• Arterial blood gas
• Methacholine challenge
• Many more

If you're wondering why in the world I just shared my medical record with the world, there are multiple reasons:

• It shows others with similar problems that they are not alone (could be you!).
• It provides a glimpse into my background and some context as to where I am coming from.
• It probably makes anyone with fewer issues feel better (though many are worse off than I am). 

And the #1 reason why I shared?

             ... drumroll pelase...

I can't lose it!

So You Think Fibromyalgia Is Fake?

Dresses on Sale- Regular and Plus Size!

What a find! Amazon currently has the following dresses on a great sale. Make a note of the material, as not all are spandex/ latex-free. These all ship free with Prime (unless noted otherwise), and are eligible for free returns if you don't like them. Remember, Amazon changes prices frequently, so be sure to check the price before you check out.



The Wrapper Women's Plus-Size High Low Jersey Dress is currently available from Amazon for just $8.47! This dress does have spandex in the material, and is machine washable. Available only in the pictured color, but what a lovely color it is!










This Wrapper Sequin Bodice Halter Dress is so cute! Available in size small to XL, it's on sale for $15.75. Made from polyester and rayon, hand wash only. You can buy a black one for nights out on the town, and a white one for carefree summer days!








I am loving this Plus Size Rosette Cocktail Dress. In sizes 14 and 20, it is 100% polyester and I'm not seeing any indication of elastic- which means it should be safe for those with latex allergies! For $14.98 plus $5.95 shipping, what a great price on such a lovely dress!







This Plus Size Black and White Polka Dot Dress isn't the most adorable dress in the world, but it looks super comfy. At $15.98 after shipping, this 100% polyester frock is well worth it for anyone with latex allergies. I'd love to have it to wear around the house. It just looks so comfortable!








I am also loving this Ladies Fashion Maxi Dress, available in Medium and XXL. Currently $13.98 after shipping, this silk and polyester piece looks like it may have elastic in the arms, neckline, and upper torso sections. If it does and you're allergic to latex, Amazon is fantastic about accepting returns. I have had nothing but wonderful experiences with Amazon!





I knew that keeping an eye on Amazon's clothing selection would eventually result in finding something affordable that I could wear. Without being able to really go shopping anymore, I almost cried when I saw these and other dresses!

Want to know a secret? One of the reasons I love comfy dresses now is that I have less laundry! I can take a shower, toss on a dress, go to sleep, and not have to change clothes when I wake up!

Chronic Illness and Relationships: A Series

Recently I've had to take a good hard look at my relationships with both family and friends as a result of hateful, hurtful verbal attacks. I refer to these as attacks as I have simply not responded to these uneducated, ignorant remarks. As a result, I've decided to start a series of posts discussing the issues anyone with chronic illness faces when it comes to relationships.

I've also started looking at what the Bible says regarding these sorts of things. Before you decide to dismiss these posts since I am approaching this from a Biblical perspective, not every post will be filled with Bible verses. While I feel very strongly about my faith, I also respect those of other viewpoints. Even if you think the Christian faith is a bunch of bologna, you have to admit there are some great kernels of advice in the Bible.

This series will be quite personal, but I believe that the chronic illness community needs more people who are willing to be authentic about their situation and failings, as well as the stark reality of living with illness. Many of the topics and situations I discuss will be applicable in other situations as well, and hopefully will provide anyone who doesn't suffer from an invisible malady a glimpse into our world.

Since this is a very broad topic, I'll open it up to you. What do you want me to address? What issues/problems are you having?

Confession #5: I Don't Always Wear My Gloves and Mask When I Should

I'm bad. There are so many times when I really should be wearing my respirator and nitrile gloves... but I don't. Such as right now, when I'm typing on the computer. My fingertips are getting painful and are incredibly itchy, and I have a mild headache. It's due to the latex behind the keyboard. Every key press releases more particles from their little home, making every word of this post more harmful to me.

Have you TRIED wearing nitrile gloves all the time? Your hands get sweaty, and they get so uncomfortable. My respirator starts digging into my face or head, leaving marks where the straps were. And with overactive sweat glands, I can't type very long at all before I can picture streams of water flowing out from under my gloves. Granted, this has never happened, but it could. Right?

Every exposure to latex makes a latex allergy worse. I know this. I'm fully aware that latex is in practically everything. Most of the time I wear my gloves and mask, but dang it, sometimes I just want to LIVE!

In short, yes, I am a huge hypocrite. Aren't we all? But as long as I'm a good girl the vast majority of the time, I think I'll be alright. At least that way I'll be able to maintain the tiny thread of sanity I have left, and get a few things done.

Payback: A You-Know-What

A few months back I went to a doctor for one of those useless disability evaluations. Before I even walked in the door I had a bad gut feeling, but I didn't have a choice- I had to go in.

The place just gave me a bad vibe. I wanted to turn around and run. Years of relying on my instincts in dangerous situations in social work were screaming at me. The ladies at the front desk were just plain rude. I got called back when my hubby and mom had left the waiting room for a minute, and I informed the ladies at the office that they needed to come back with me. I'm doing much better now at identifying when a reaction is starting, but not so much then.

Naturally, while I was in the back they refused entry to both my mom and my husband.

The nurse was about to check my vital signs, after I had informed her of the latex allergy. I asked if the blood pressure cuff was latex free. She literally waved it in front of my face and taunted me! "Look, there's no rubber here! I don't see any rubber, do you? Nope, no latex here!" (This was only 1 or 2 weeks after I had a hysterectomy, so I wasn't exactly feeling so great anyways.)

I had taken my boots off to be weighed. I looked at my boot, looked at her. Back and forth. I seriously considered throwing my boot at her, but I decided it wasn't worth the effort. Instead I covered myself with my winter coat and refused to let her touch me until I could see myself that it was safe.

At least the doctor didn't make me take off my respirator or gloves, but the so-called exam was a joke.

So, fast forward 2/3 months. Remember my bad gut feeling about the place? There was a reason for that. The DEA raided the place. The doctors and some employees have since been arrested. Evidently there was all sorts of crazy stuff going on with pain killers, in a number of cases resulting in death.

Payback's a you-know-what. It's especially nice when it comes along during this life. ;)

Everyone will get theirs. What goes around comes around. It's been oh-so-satisfying to see that actually happen.

In all things, be safe. Listen to your gut. And don't be afraid to look at people like they are flipping idiots, because if they won't listen to you, they are indeed idiots.