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Jog to Stay Fit: 4 Reasons Why Running is Good For You Right Now

Whether swimming pools, yoga or fitness studios: Most facilities that serve sporting activities are currently closed due to corona. But that’s no reason to hang up your sports shoes, because right now jogging is considered one of the most suitable sports.

4 reasons why jogging in Corona times is a good idea

Reason 1: No contacts – you train alone

You don’t necessarily need a partner for a run. To keep things interesting, you can listen to music or podcasts through headphones.

However, you may go outside with one person from your own household. Give other walkers or athletes a wide enough berth and choose paths that aren’t overly busy, such as country lanes or areas on the outskirts of town.

Reason 2: strengthening for the immune system

Running not only trains your muscles and cardiovascular system, but also your immune system. As a result, you don’t get sick as easily. Because when you jog, you not only absorb vitamin D from the sun, you also release killer cells and lymphocytes. These are immune cells that protect us from viruses and bacteria. Regular exercise therefore contributes to protection against diseases.

However, you should not exhaust yourself too much when running, you should not jog too fast or for too long – especially if you are a beginner. This overstrains the body and triggers the opposite effect (open windows effect): the body releases more of the hormones cortisol and adrenaline, which reduces the production of killer cells and lymphocytes. As a result, you are more susceptible to infections after exercising. It is therefore better to train at a slow to moderate pace and increase your distances instead of wanting to crack the ten-kilometer hurdle right away.

Reason 3: Exercise as a mood booster

The current situation is not easy for many and triggers inner stress. This means that in many people, the body is currently also increasingly producing the stress hormones just mentioned. Running can help here, because at a moderate pace it reduces the release of stress hormones and helps to clear your head.

In addition, when you run, your body produces more of the hormones norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin. These happiness hormones avoid mood swings and create positive feelings in you – your mood improves.

Reason 4: All you need is shoes and a step outside the front door

Since (almost) all fitness studios, swimming pools and yoga studios are currently closed, there is not much else left to do (endurance) sports. Try it, give running a chance. All you need is sports shoes and breathable clothing. Nice weather and music or podcasts can motivate, as can progress, which becomes more noticeable from time to time.

Beginners can walk briskly for 20 to 30 minutes at the beginning. Gradually, you can alternate walking and jogging slowly for about a minute, walking for a minute. However, avoid doing this training on public sports facilities, as these are currently closed. It is better to find a path that is not too crowded and has enough sunshine.

Important: Only go jogging if you feel healthy enough to do so! When you have symptoms of illness, exertion damages the body and slows recovery. In such cases, it is better to rest and inform your family doctor.

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Lifestyle

With These Tricks, Carpets Stay Fresh Longer

They are often the highlight of every apartment and spice up any room, no matter how bleak, drab or colorless: carpets and rugs. What just a few years ago only had the function of keeping feet warm is no longer more than just that nowadays: Even if carpets provide pleasant warmth, especially in winter, it is now primarily the look that makes many people to decide on a carpet or to have a carpet laid directly.

Fresh carpet floors

While carpets often look spotlessly clean and beautiful immediately after purchase or installation, this can change after a short time. Light-colored carpets in particular turn gray over time and develop stains. It can also happen that they no longer smell fresh. To prevent this from happening in the first place, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Treat stains immediately if possible

Stains in carpets and carpets cannot always be avoided. Especially those who have children will be confronted with it more often than they might like. In such a case, however, the carpet usually does not have to be disposed of. Most stains can usually be removed if treatment is started as soon as possible. The longer the stain can set in, the more likely it is that the liquid has penetrated so deeply into the fibers that it can no longer be completely removed.

A professional cleaning for carpet floors

If powder or wet cleaning no longer works, we recommend professional carpet cleaning and carpet cleaning. For this purpose, cleaning experts effectively clean the soiled carpets on site. Whether high-pile, wool, oriental rugs or even carpeting – anyone who has their rug or carpeted floor professionally cleaned can look forward to the result. Then see the carpeting how new it looks. Also note other useful home remedies for carpet cleaning.

Pressure points should be relieved regularly

Even if a rug or carpet does not have any acute stains, regular cleaning every three years is recommended. Because over time, dust, dirt particles and dirt are deposited in the fibers. These strain the carpet. Therefore, regular cleaning helps to let carpets shine in new splendor. In addition, it extends the service life. It is also advisable to eliminate pressure points in the carpets of furniture such as tables or cupboards from time to time.

So give your carpet a rest and relieve it. The heavier a piece of furniture, the deeper the pressure points. To ensure that these do not remain permanent and can no longer be removed, the pile should be regularly straightened up with a brush. In addition, you should regularly move pieces of furniture a few centimeters so that you don’t keep putting pressure on the same part of the carpet.

Tips for vacuuming carpets

If you vacuum your rug or carpeted floor, you should definitely make sure you choose the right nozzle. While short-pile carpets should be cleaned with an upright vacuum, high-pile carpets should only be cleaned with a smooth carpet nozzle. Special agents that were specially developed for carpets ensure that they do not become electrostatically charged, especially in the cold winter months in connection with dry heating air. Also, note the most common vacuum cleaner errors.

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Cooking Tips

Freezing Cherries: This is How They Stay Delicious After Thawing

Freezing cherries is a good solution when you have too many left over to eat them all fresh. We’ll show you what you should consider when freezing the sweet fruits.

Freezing cherries – the preparation

Leftover cherries can be easily frozen and stored for more than ten months. Nothing can go wrong if you follow these five steps:

select cherries
In principle, cherries do not ripen after they have been harvested, so you should not choose cherries that are too light or overripe for freezing.

wash cherries
Wash the cherries in a bucket or sink, then drain and dry well.

remove stems
Once the cherries are dry, the stems should be removed. This step is mandatory, but you have the choice of whether or not you also pit the cherries. The fact that they can then be processed further speaks for freezing without a core. However, less juice is lost if you freeze them with stone. If you let them thaw briefly after you take them out of the freezer, the core can still be removed easily.

Freeze cherries: first of all, shock-freeze

shock freezing
Before you completely freeze the cherries, you should definitely do this intermediate step. The shock freezing ensures that the cherries do not later freeze into a large lump. This keeps them crunchy even after thawing. Shock freezing also preserves more vitamins, since the faster freezing forms smaller ice crystals, which are well distributed in the cherry. How it works:

Add the cherries one by one
Then put them in the freezer or in the freezer compartment of your fridge for two hours at the highest level.
Freeze
The last step follows: the actual freezing.
Now fill your cherries in containers and store them in your freezer.
In order to protect the environment, you should not use plastic utensils, especially not disposable plastic (such as freezer bags). Instead, try mason jars or stainless steel cans, for example. Cotton bags are also ideal.

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Food

Storing Mushrooms: This Way They Stay Fresh Longer

Fresh mushrooms can spoil quickly in the wrong conditions. Here you can find out how to store mushrooms correctly and make them last longer.

Mushrooms are perishable

Mushrooms can be harvested all year round and can be used in a variety of ways – whether in the vegetable pan, on the grill or simply raw. Anyone who has ever bought mushrooms in the usual plastic bowl and put them in the fridge knows their disadvantage: the mushrooms start to mold and smell unpleasant after a short time. They end up in organic waste. With a few simple tricks you can extend the shelf life of the mushrooms.

How to store mushrooms correctly

First you should free the mushrooms from the coarsest dirt. Never wash them under running water, it is better to wipe them off with kitchen paper or a tea towel. You can also clean them with a brush.
Mushrooms keep longer in cooler temperatures, so it’s best to store them in the crisper in the fridge.
Condensation forms quickly in closed plastic bowls or bags, from which the mushrooms become mushy and go moldy more easily. It is therefore better to store the mushrooms in a paper bag or in a dry and clean tea towel – it is important that they get air.
It is advisable not to store the mushrooms next to other odorous foods, as they easily absorb foreign odors and thus lose their typical mushroom taste.
You can tell that mushrooms are spoiled by the open, darkly discolored slats on the underside of the head. Brownish bruises often form and the stem also turns brown.
With these tips, the mushrooms should stay fresh for at least three days. Even after that, they are usually still edible, but they no longer taste as good as the fresh mushrooms.

It is best to buy mushrooms only as needed

If you can’t harvest your own mushrooms, you can often find loose mushrooms at the market or in a health food store. On the one hand, you avoid the plastic packaging and, on the other hand, you can determine the amount of mushrooms yourself. If you do have too many mushrooms left, you can also preserve them by either drying or freezing them and then using them as needed.

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Food

Eating Figs: Why The Skin Should Stay on

Figs are considered the fruit of paradise – they are not only wonderfully sweet, but also healthy. Here you can find out why it is best to eat the fruit with the skin on and what you should consider when shopping.

The fig is considered a sacred fruit in many cultures. It originally comes from Asia Minor and has been cultivated in the Mediterranean region for centuries. Figs are not real fruits, but pseudo-fruits – the flowers grow inward and form the pulp of the fig.

Eating figs is healthy

Figs taste sweet and nutty – they promote digestion and are low in calories. Fresh figs contain only about 63 kilocalories per 100 grams. The fruits also provide many healthy nutrients:
Fresh figs contain many important B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9). Among other things, they regulate the metabolism and brighten the mood.
Potassium lowers blood pressure and supports heart activity.
Vitamin E strengthens your immune system.
Vitamin K and calcium are good for bone structure. If you avoid dairy products, figs are a valuable vegetable source of calcium.
Iron helps your body make blood.
The alkaline fruit stabilizes the acid balance in the intestine and provides it with plenty of fiber. Eating figs gets your gut moving and aids digestion. Figs are therefore a natural, gentle laxative that you can use for mild constipation.

Eat figs: preferably with the skin on

It is best to eat fresh figs whole – including the skin. In this way you also absorb the vitamins that are located directly under the shell. Simply wash the fig gently and twist off the stalk. Now you can eat the rest of the fruit.

If you buy organic figs, you can be sure that you are not eating any chemical pesticide residues.

Eating figs: the right choice

Most figs come from the Mediterranean region. There they grow in harmony with the Mediterranean climate and are therefore ecologically compatible crops. It is best to buy figs from these regions – they have to travel less than fruit from Asia or America and are therefore more climate-friendly.

In the Mediterranean region, the sweet fruits are harvested between July and October. In winter and spring, figs are imported from America or Australia.

Part of the fig harvest is dried and is therefore available all year round. Dried figs contain a particularly large number of nutrients – but also more fructose than fresh ones. They are a healthy snack between meals, a delicious addition to muesli and a good alternative when the figs are not in season.

Tips for buying figs

Figs come in many varieties – green, yellow or purple, with light or red flesh. To test the degree of ripeness, you can press the skin lightly – if it gives way softly, the fig is ripe and particularly tasty.

Don’t buy mushy figs. The ripe fruits are sensitive: they do not tolerate pressure and keep for about a day at room temperature and up to two days in the refrigerator. Unripe figs, on the other hand, only ripen on the tree, at home they age and spoil over time, but do not ripen. They can only be eaten cooked because of the milky juice that escapes. Therefore, make sure to buy ripe figs and eat them promptly.

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Cooking Tips

Freeze Chives: This is How They Stay Fresh and Tasty

Chives are one of the most popular kitchen herbs. Here you can find out what you should consider if you want to freeze chives. With our tips, the leeks stay fresh and tasty.

Freezing chives: you should know that

Fresh chives refine many dishes with their slightly spicy note. However, the popular kitchen herb is only in season from April to October. The rest of the year, chives come from greenhouses, which use a lot of energy. In addition, the leek plant usually has long transport routes behind it in the colder months.

To be able to use chives with a clear conscience outside of the season, you can freeze them in the summer. In this way, it retains its characteristic taste and nutrients. Important: Harvest the chives before they bloom. After flowering, the culms tend to be bitter and less aromatic. In this article you will learn how you can easily grow herbs yourself. Alternatively, you can buy organic chives at the weekly market or in the organic shop and freeze them.

How to prepare for freezing:
Wash the chives.
Dry it thoroughly with a tea towel. This is important, otherwise it will clump together when frozen and you won’t be able to use smaller portions.
Cut the chives into small rings. You shouldn’t freeze whole straws, as they may stick together. Use sharp scissors to chop. If you chop the chives with a knife, the stalks will crush and lose their flavor.

Freeze chives without waste: Here’s how

You can use a plastic container or an old plastic bag as a freezer container for freezing chives if you have one at home. Important: In order to avoid the production of new plastic, you should not buy classic freezer bags. In another article you will find out what else you can do to reduce your plastic waste. But plastic cans or bags that you have already used can also be contaminated with pollutants.

It is therefore best if you reuse a disposable screw-top jar for freezing. Glasses that are as round and straight as possible with a wide opening are suitable for this. You can simply fill the chopped chives into the jar and store it screwed on in the freezer. Glass lunch boxes work just as well.

You should consider this if you want to use the frozen chives:
Make sure that you only interrupt the cold chain for a very short time. If the chives are thawing, they will become mushy and clumpy if you refreeze them.
Only use the chives when they are frozen: if the chives are thawed beforehand, the cell walls will burst and they will lose their aroma.

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health

7 Ideas for Fitness in Everyday Life to Stay Fit

Stay fit in everyday life for physical and mental health. Bring more fitness into your daily life with simple tricks and get rid of bad habits. So you don’t necessarily have to go to the gym, but can become more physically active at home or at work.

Fit in everyday life instead of expensive gym

You pay for months for your membership in the fitness center, but then all too often you don’t have the time and motivation to exercise regularly. And so we pay our membership fee every month without benefiting from it. But don’t panic! If you integrate simple exercises into your daily routine and pay attention to a balanced diet, you can save yourself a trip to the fitness center and the money. Use simple fitness exercises and healthy habits. As a result, you can stay fit with more everyday exercise. You do something for your physical and mental fitness.

Tips for staying healthy and fit

Since there are many reasons to increase physical activity, you should start today. In addition, it is very easy to stay fit in everyday life. And in the long run, you will feel better. The more active you become, the easier it is for you to move every day. You can also do something good for your health if you have regular preventive health checks when you visit the doctor.

1) Bring more movement into everyday life

Every step makes you slim. In fact, you burn a lot of calories when you set out on foot. So it’s worth walking to do some shopping, go to the doctor or pick up the kids from school. In this way, you store routes that can be described as a tight walking program or as walking training. So that you can get through the day stress-free even without exercise, try the following methods to move more:

  • Move when you call.
  • Get a glass of water more often.
  • Get off a stop or two earlier.
  • Choose the farthest parking spot when shopping.
  • Don’t eat your lunch at work, but outside.

2) Ride a bike more often

Improve your fitness by getting on your bike more often than usual and cycling to your destination. Because cycling is healthy and also saves fuel and ticket money. If you have a little more time, you can also choose the most beautiful bike route to your destination, maybe you can cycle through a great piece of nature. But a bicycle in the form of fitness equipment for the home can also be useful and fun.

3) Go for a walk and stay fit

A walk in the morning or evening ensures more exercise and fitness in your everyday life. Going out in the fresh air can also be a great way to relax. In addition, regular walking can reduce the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, go for walks alone or in a company more often.

4) Window cleaning fitness

Even cleaning the windows can strengthen the back muscles with the circular arm movements and is really fun when your favorite music is playing at the same time. If you have steps in your own house, you can use them to strengthen your calf and leg muscles. To do this, go up and down the stairs quickly several times, taking two steps at a time, it’s a lot of effort.

5) Climb stairs and stay fit

As already mentioned, you can strengthen your leg muscles by climbing stairs. In addition, you use up as much energy and calories when climbing stairs as with intensive weight training. So from now on, take as many stairs with you as you can. Run to the children in the basement and on the first floor. Or use the stairs instead of the elevator.

6) Watch your posture

In order to stay fit and avoid pain in your back or neck, you should pay attention to your posture. An upright posture while sitting at work or while walking will help you strengthen your muscles. And your health benefits from it. Also, note useful home remedies for neck pain.

7) Carpet as a yoga mat

You can also bring a little exercise into everyday life with yoga exercises at home and stay fit. There are a lot of good videos on the internet for beginners. And in the living room, the carpet replaces the yoga mat. As a result, you can do light and varied exercises comfortably without any effort in the living room to nice music or while watching your favorite film.

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Food

Store Strawberries Correctly: This Way They Stay Fresh Longer

Strawberries are very delicate and perishable. Therefore, it is important to store strawberries properly. You can find out here how they stay fresh the longest.

Freshly picked strawberries are very aromatic and rich in vitamin C, folic acid and other important nutrients. Unfortunately, they are also easily perishable and quickly lose their aroma. That’s why you should always buy them fresh from the region or pick them yourself. In addition, it is important that the strawberries are not crushed during transport and get fresh air.

It is best if you store the strawberries at room temperature and eat them the same day. Since water strips the flavor of the fruit, wash it and remove the stems and leaves just before eating. You should always cut out bad spots immediately, as mold in strawberries spreads quickly due to the high water content.

Store strawberries in the fridge

Strawberries will keep in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator for up to two days if you store them properly. For this it is important that you keep the strawberries unwashed in the fridge. Additional moisture would cause the fruit to spoil faster.

So that the strawberries get enough air, it is best to put them in a large sieve. But be careful not to stack them too high. It also makes sense to line the bottom of the crisper with kitchen paper, as it will absorb excess moisture. If you don’t have a large colander, you can store the strawberries on a large plate or tray lined with paper towels.

Freeze strawberries

If you want to store the fruit longer, you can also freeze the strawberries. Unfortunately, they get a bit mushy when defrosting, but you can still make a delicious strawberry sauce or a smoothie out of them, for example.

Tip: In order to be able to portion the fruit better later, you can freeze them individually before you freeze them properly. To do this, place them on a tray or large plate and freeze them for a few hours. Then fill them together in a freezer.

canning strawberries

Instead of freezing them, you can also cannish the strawberries. It works like this:
Wash the strawberries thoroughly and remove the pulp.
Place them in clean, boiled mason jars.
Boil water with sugar in a ratio of 3:1 in a saucepan.
Allow the resulting sugar water to cool.
Pour the sugar water over the strawberries up to the rim of the jar and seal tightly.
Now you boil the jars. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can also do this in the oven:
Place the mason jars on the rack in the oven.
Fill a baking sheet two inches high with water and slide it onto the rail under the rack.
Heat the oven to 130 degrees until the water on the tray starts to boil.
Turn off the oven and let the jars cool in the oven for about 30 minutes.
When the jars have cooled, you can remove them from the oven, label them, and store them in a cool, dark, and dry place.

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Food

Storing Aubergines: This Way They Stay Fresh for a Long Time

If you want to store eggplants, you should consider a few things. In this article you will find out how to recognize fresh aubergines and at what temperature you should store them.

Although aubergines are warm-loving vegetables, they can only be stored for a limited time at room temperature. We explain how to store aubergines correctly and what you should pay attention to.

Aubergines belong to the nightshade family and originally come from India. Also known as eggplant, this vegetable is very common in Mediterranean cuisine. Aubergines come in many different colors and shapes, with the dark purple version being the most well-known in this country.

If possible, use organic aubergines for cooking: They are free of chemical-synthetic pesticides and come from more sustainable agriculture. If you get the aubergines from regional cultivation, you also avoid long, energy-intensive transport routes.

Aubergines are in season in Germany between August and October. You can get unpackaged organic aubergines at farmers’ markets, directly from farmers or in organic boxes.

Storing aubergines: You should pay attention to this

When you buy eggplants, you should pay attention to the quality and degree of ripeness. A ripe eggplant has a shiny skin and is firm. If you press gently, it gives slightly. If the aubergine doesn’t yield to pressure, it’s unripe and tasteless. On the other hand, if it is too soft, it will soon spoil. Aubergines taste best when you prepare them fresh. However, you should not eat eggplants raw.

How to store aubergines correctly:

Store eggplants in a dark, cool place in the pantry or basement. Temperatures between ten and 13 degrees Celsius are well suited. Properly stored aubergines stay fresh for around three to four days.
The fridge is actually too cold for aubergines. If you don’t have a pantry or basement, you can still store the eggplants in the crisper of the refrigerator, which is better than storing them at room temperature. It is best to wrap the eggplants in paper to absorb excess moisture. Alternatively, you can place them loosely in the crisper in your fridge. Aubergines stored in the refrigerator quickly become stained and soft. You should process them within a day or two.
Eggplants stored at room temperature are best prepared on the same day or the next day at the latest.
Don’t store eggplants near apples or tomatoes. The escaping ethylene allows the aubergines to ripen more quickly.

Store sliced aubergines

You can store cut aubergines in the fridge until the next day before they spoil.

Place the sliced eggplant in a sealable container.
Keep the container in the fridge and use the leftover eggplant quickly.
Then remove the dried part of the eggplant and wash the fruit thoroughly again.
Aubergine slices turn brown in the air within a short time. It is therefore better to overcook them immediately and not to keep them raw. You can store cooked aubergine dishes in the refrigerator for two to three days.

Store eggplants in the freezer

To store eggplants for a particularly long time, you should freeze them. Eggplants can be frozen for up to nine months.

Wash the eggplants thoroughly.
Cut the vegetables into cubes.
Blanch the eggplant pieces for three minutes.
Immediately cool the vegetables in ice water.
Drain the aubergine pieces well in a hair strainer. Alternatively, you can pat them dry with a tea towel.
Place the blanched cubes in a freezer container. You can also freeze aubergines in jars.
Label the freezer container so you can remember what’s inside later.
Also write the date. This will help you keep track of your freezer.
Frozen aubergines are particularly good for soups, sauces and spreads.

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Food

Storing Cucumbers: This Way They Stay Crisp for a Long Time

If you want to store cucumbers, you should consider a few things. In this article you will learn what you need to know to keep cucumbers fresh for a long time.

Cucumbers consist of 97 percent water and are therefore relatively sensitive. If you store them incorrectly, they are prone to staining and mildew. In this article you will get many tips on how to store cucumbers properly.

Since the micronutrients are concentrated in and under the skin, you should eat cucumbers unpeeled. Therefore, use cucumbers of organic quality: they are free of chemical-synthetic pesticides.

In Germany, cucumbers are in season between June and September. During this time they are available from regional cultivation. Regional products have shorter transport routes and therefore have a smaller CO2 footprint. You can get unpackaged organic cucumbers at farmer’s markets, from direct sellers in your area or in organic boxes. You can find more information about the season of different vegetables in the Utopia Seasonal Calendar.

Storing cucumbers: You should pay attention to this

It is best to buy cucumbers unpackaged. The plastic wrap is meant to protect the cucumber. However, sometimes the cucumber starts to mold faster due to the condensation under the foil because it is packed airtight. However, opinions differ on this. You can also read online that cucumbers wrapped in plastic wrap last longer. From the point of view of environmental protection, however, unpackaged cucumbers are preferable to those sealed in plastic. More about this here: What is more sustainable: organic or unpackaged?

How to store cucumbers correctly:

Store the cucumber in a dark and cool place in the pantry or basement. Cucumbers do well at temperatures between ten and 13 degrees Celsius. Properly stored cucumbers can be kept for up to three weeks.
If you don’t have a pantry or basement, store the cucumber in the crisper of your refrigerator. This is better than storing the cucumber at room temperature. Cucumbers only last four to five days in the fridge.
Stored at room temperature, you should use cucumbers within a day or two.
Avoid storing cucumbers near apples or tomatoes. The cucumbers ripen faster due to the escaping ethylene.
Because of the high water content, you should not freeze cucumbers. The cold destroys the cell structure and the cucumber becomes mushy.

Storing Cucumbers: Store chopped cucumbers

Once you cut the cucumber, you should use it as soon as possible.

Place the sliced cucumber in a sealable container. You can also store small leftover cucumbers in a jar.
Store the container in the refrigerator and use the cucumber within a day or two.
Before the next meal, remove the dried part of the cucumber and wash it thoroughly again.

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