Quality Plus Auto - April 2021

Quality Plus Auto - April 2021

April 2021

The Best Game in the World If you know me, then you know I love golf. Next to my work and my family, it’s one of the most important things in my life. I think it’s the best sport out there because you, the player, are in charge of your game. It’s not about how much money you have or who you know. It’s about you, your connection to the club, and its connection to the ball. It really all comes back to you. I’m bringing up golf because not only do I love the game, but April 10 also happens to be Golfer’s Day. And with the weather improving, it’s a great time to talk about golf and actually get out for an afternoon! Personally, I can’t think of a better way to spend Golfer’s Day. Golf takes a lot of practice. You’re going to have a lot of bad shots, but that’s just part of learning the game. If you hit it into the water or a bunker, it’s on you, and you have to figure out how you’re going to avoid those traps the next time you play. I’m still practicing, too. I’ve been playing for years, and I still take lessons because I want to improve my game. At $30–$40 for lessons, that’s gold if I take something away from it. The game is also accessible to practically anyone. As long as you can hit that ball, you can play. A few weeks back, I was playing with an 83-year-old who held his own out there! I’ve mentioned this in the past, but I do wish I started playing when I was younger — I was 35 when I first took it up. But I see kids out on the course having a great time and doing very well, too.

It’s also good for you! It’s a great way to get a few hours of physical activity (and mental activity, when you consider the planning and strategy that goes into each shot). As an outdoors person, I love to take my time on beautiful days and not only enjoy the game but also my surroundings. Another thing I really love about golf is that no matter where you go, there’s a golf course somewhere nearby. So, if you’re really in the mood to play, chances are you’ll be able to find a course within driving distance (no pun intended). I’ve had the fortune of playing at some premier golf courses. I’ve been to St Andrews Links in Scotland and Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego. Pebble Beach Golf Links is one of my bucket list courses, and I’m hoping to get out there later this year.

If you get the chance to hit a few balls at the range or spend the afternoon at a local course, take that opportunity. I know I will!

Wake Forest • 919.453.0345 — Raleigh • 919.231.6164 -Randy Bunn

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Published by Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com

How Intuitive Eating Can Help You Quit Diet Culture The concept of mindfulness has fully saturated mainstream culture at this point. Though it’s more likely to conjure up an image of someone sitting cross-legged with closed eyes than sitting at a table looking wide-eyed at mealtime, it’ll serve you just as well on your dinner plate as it will on your yoga mat. What is intuitive eating? Eating mindfully, also known as intuitive eating, is trending in the health and wellness world. But it couldn’t be more different from fad diets or other trends like fasting and cleanses, which have restrictive lists of rules and foods to eat or avoid. Intuitive eating starts by simply tuning in to your body’s needs and cues, but it goes further than that. As a Harvard Medical School article put it, “In essence, mindful eating means being fully attentive to your food — as you buy, prepare, serve, and consume it.” And that includes focusing on how different

2 More Car Care Myt There are a lot of car care myths out there. We’ve shared a few in recent months, and this month, we have two more!

Rolling down the windows is bad for gas mileage. As the weather improves, people love to roll the windows and put down the top, but what happens when you do? Does your fuel economy really take a hit? What about running the A/C? They actually tested this myth on the Discovery Channel show “MythBusters” and found the truth.

Here’s the good news: Rolling down the windows does not have any effect on gas mileage. It doesn’t matter how fast you’re going. However, running the A/C on full blast on a hot day (85 degrees F or more) can drop your gas mileage by 1–4 miles per gallon. Running the A/C on a lower setting doesn’t have a noticeable difference. So, do what you like! The comfort of the drive is what matters most.

foods and eating habits make you feel, both physically and mentally.

While this may feel … intuitive ... it’s easier said than done in a culture with consistent and often confusing messaging around what constitutes healthy eating. Even the tried-and-true method of calorie counting has raised doubts in recent years due to

inaccuracies in calorie calculations for the nutrition labels and research on how calorie restriction can backfire by changing your hormone levels and even slowing down your metabolism. Kristen Smith, a registered dietitian and the spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, says it’s also linked to disordered eating habits. Intuitive eating may just be the antidote. Singer Demi Lovato, who has been open about her struggles with an eating disorder and body-image issues, credits a more mindful approach to eating with helping her overcome harmful eating patterns. How does it lead to better health outcomes? Having a regular exercise routine and eating well have long been known as the two pillars of physical health. When it comes to the latter, intuitive eating helps you create healthy and sustainable eating habits. The upshot is that when you eat better, you’ll feel better. Being attuned to that connection is the foundation of mindful eating. Most of us know that we should eat whole foods, including lots of fruits and vegetables, but feeling the outcome of increased consumption of these foods will help you stick with and build the habit.

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Extra Eyes on the Road

ths

You can use any towel or cloth to clean the surface of your car. We touched on this in our March edition of the newsletter when we talked about pollen and car paint (pollen is bad news for

Is a Dashcam Worth the Investment?

paint!). As more people wash and clean their cars this spring, many reach for a towel to wipe away excess water to help get rid of water spots. But does it matter what kind of towel or cloth you reach for?

Dashboard-mounted cameras, or dashcams, are becoming more and more popular. They’re widely used in Russia and China, where auto insurance fraud is common and roads are packed with questionable drivers. In the U.S., they’re still relatively uncommon, but that’s quickly changing. Many people are buying dashcams as a way to potentially catch auto accidents and other bad driving behaviors on camera. In the event you need to call the police or your insurance company to file a claim, you have footage you can share. But are dashcams worth the investment? Dashcams come in a number of different varieties. They typically cost $50–$150, depending on the features. Some are designed to sit on top of your dash, others mount under the rearview mirror, and some can be mounted next to the mirror, attaching to the windshield using an adhesive. They can work in practically every type of automobile, from compact cars all the way up to semitrucks. In terms of insurance savings, no insurance carriers offer any type of discount or incentive for using a dashcam— at least, not yet. State Farm Insurance says, “While a dashcam may provide information about why a crash occurred, it is not a device that is designed to inhibit the crash from happening in the first place.” Though a dashcam cannot protect you from ever getting into a car accident, it can protect you if someone files a claim against you or if you need to file against someone else. A dashcam can provide footage of the wreck and give everyone involved more information about the incident. It’s important to keep in mind that having dashcam footage does not guarantee anything. While many dashcams record in high definition, there is always the possibility of poor lighting, glare, or just bad footage (for example, the camera may not have been pointed precisely in the direction of the collision). At the end of the day, dashcams offer peace of mind more than anything else. If you get into an accident, having a recording can work to your advantage.

In this case, yes, it does . Some types of cloth are more abrasive than others. They can even trap particles on their woven surface, and those particles are then

dragged across the surface of your car. The worst offenders include old T-shirts. The best choice for the job is the microfiber terry cloth towel. It’s absorbent and pulls particles away from the car surface. Just be sure to wash them after each use.

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Wake Forest 919.453.0345 Raleigh 919.231.6164

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INSIDE This Issue

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Golf Really Is for Everybody What Is Intuitive Eating? 2 More Car Care Myths Take a Break

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Should You Get a Dashcam for Your Car? How Lulu the Pig Saved Her Owner From a Heart Attack

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Man’s Smartest Friend LULU THE POT-BELLIED PIG’S CUNNING PLAN TO SAVE HER OWNER According to animal experts, pigs are smarter than any other domestic animal, including cats and dogs. That may seem hard to believe, as you probably associate pigs with a pink, smelly animal that oinks and rolls around in the muck. However, the story of how Lulu the pot-bellied pig saved her owner’s life might persuade you to reconsider. Back in 1998 (otherwise this story would have certainly gone viral), Lulu the pig was a permanent fixture at Jo Ann and Jack Altsman’s property in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. They had initially only taken Lulu from her original owner, the Altsmans’ daughter, for a temporary stay, but they ended up bonding with Lulu, and she was with them for much longer than expected. On Aug. 4, Jo Ann suffered from a heart attack. Jack was out of town on a fishing trip, and even though Jo Ann cried for help and even threw an alarm clock out the window, no one heard her cries from their somewhat secluded home. The family’s dog, Bear, barked and barked to no avail. Lulu, however, knew Jo Ann needed help quickly and waddled into action.

Lulu made her way to the nearest road, scraping her skin in the process and leaving it torn and bleeding. Once she reached the road, she laid down as if to play dead. Not long after that, a passing driver saw Lulu and stopped to check on her. Once Lulu was sure she had the driver’s attention, she got up and waddled back toward her home, leading the driver to where Jo Ann lay on the floor. When the driver found Jo Ann, he immediately called 911, and emergency services took her to a medical center for open-heart surgery. Had just 15 more minutes passed without help, Jo Ann would have died. For her heroism, Lulu received the Tiffany gold hero’s medal from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and made multiple television appearances as her fame spread. Hopefully, she was smart enough to know just how much she was appreciated.

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