Tag Archives: gluten sensitivity

God Winks

New Bern, NC – Have you done that DNA thing with a registry that will reveal from what part of the world your ancestors came? So tempting. A great gift idea, too. Haven’t taken that swab plunge yet, but sometimes a very Nordic, “Yah,” periodically comes out of my mouth that I wonder, “where did that come from?”

Anyway, I am in the middle of a “domino drop” of sorts that started out with a random cancelation. You know what I mean: some ‘random’ thing that leads to something else that leads to something else? The dominoes keep tipping over in a beautiful opening of blessings?

This past September, I received a call from my minister of music and senior adults, early on a Friday, that a cancelation had just occurred for the senior adult fall trip leaving for Pennsylvania in two days. Would I like to go? Well, sure! Let me pack my bag!

This trip was going to take me over the first bumps in the road to widowhood: my husband’s birthday and what would have been our 42nd wedding anniversary. Coincidence? We’ll see. Keep reading.

Our tour of the lush and rolling landscape of historic Pennsylvania took our group to Hershey, Lancaster, Gettysburg, Sturgis, and other wonderful places. Every day was packed with good food, splendid vistas, great company, laughter, and new experiences.

One evening, we dined with an Amish family who served traditional Amish fare supplied by a local restaurant and who opened up for an honest and frank question and answer period. As a personal thank you gift, I gave her a signed copy of my book, Toolkit for Wellness, as a gesture of sharing, in kind, a bit of myself.

Flash forward to late November, and what should appear in my mailbox but a book from our lovely Amish hostess. She shared in her inscription that someone had given her a copy of the enclosed book when her husband had died in 2010, but that she waited two years to read it. She said that reading the book, When God Winks at You, changed her life.

She said that I will find my God wink when I least expect it.

This is not an attempt to answer questions wondering why God allows “this or that,” when I also believe in God blessing random coincidences at times.

Let the author’s website speaks for itself:

“Squire Rushnell teaches you how to use the power of “God winks” — divine coincidences — to seize certainty in uncertain times and enrich your career and relationships.

Whether you call it synchronicity or coincidence, it is not an accident that you just picked up When God Winks. In fact, you may have suspected all along that there is more to coincidence than meets the eye. These seemingly random events are actually sign posts that can help you successfully navigate your career, relationships, and interests. By recognizing the God winks our Creator sometimes places in our paths, we can understand—and embrace—the journey God has laid out for us.

As my wink let me pass on this random blessing to you in the form of a book-giving idea for the holidays.

Speaking of book-giving at Christmas – where did that tradition come from? I have always loved giving and getting books for Christmas. Yah?

Yah? Well, seems the Icelanders started it all off. Their word for it is Jolabokaflod, which roughly translated is “Christmas book flood.”

Seems that during WWII, books were one of the most un-rationed items readily available to give as gifts at Christmas. Hence, a strong tradition of book ownership, reading, and Christmas gift preferences.

Whether we are from Iceland, Norway, or where ever, I can recommend not only anything from the God Winks books but also Out of the Maze by the author of Who Moved My Cheese.

While change is one of the few constants in this world, it’s the one we tend to like the least. The older we get, the tighter we cling to the old ways and resist anything new.

So many people in my community are being trust into change post Hurricane Florence. Out with the old, in with the new – maybe a new community altogether. Have you lost or changed jobs? Lost a loved one? There’s plenty of change swirling around us.

Want it or not.

I have to say that the simple wisdom found in this quick read of Out of the Maze has helped me in my own transitions of late. It’s a great book to pull off the shelf at the start of each New Year as we all move forward with our lives and pause to reflect on our progress or to consider if we are ‘stuck’ in a maze.

There you go. I’ve given you two great leads for presents for yourself and for your loved ones.

That’s why I call this Foodtalk4you, because these articles are targeted to be ‘food’ for your mind, body, and spirit.

Don’t forget to subscribe by clicking the subscribe button. You’ll get an email when there’s a new post. That’s it. No hard sales and no sharing of your information.

In health-

Deidre

 

This and That

New Bern, NC – Still enjoying some of the cornucopia of goodness from Thanksgiving? Leftovers may be my favorite part of the holiday, so it seems appropriate to have savored my Cranberry Secret Sauce over some peanut butter on gluten free toast for breakfast today.

Yum!

Check last week’s post to keep that tasty and versatile jewel of redness around for the whole holiday season.

This week foodtalk4you is serving a bit of this and that as well – a cornucopia of seemingly random information that is so appropriate for the season. Let’s dig right in!

GERMS

You’ve probably noticed how the trend has been away from anti-bacterial hand soap.

For those of us who wizened up to the more current wisdom that regular hand soap did a fine job, thank you, we were often at a loss to find regular liquid soaps. Seems that the relentless use of all things anti-bacterial can actually train germs to grow stronger to resist the effects of anti-bacterial germ warfare.

Finally, Bath and Body Works and other purveyors of “soap-ness,” have returned to offering most of their wares in the non-antibacterial form. Excellent!

Having said that, I do like to use a foaming anti-bacterial soap before handling my contact lenses or touching my eyes.

Here’s the thing I just discovered. You DO NOT have to buy foaming soaps! It’s a rip off.

How do I know?

Well, after accidentally buying the regular liquid to refill my foaming squirt-top container, I discovered regular liquid is too thick to go through the apparatus. What to do? I tried diluting the liquid – one-part soap to 2-3 parts water – guess what? Foaming soap! Think of all the water I had been buying all those years.

You’re welcome!

No matter what soap we use, the trick is in proper handwashing technique. Rub, rub, rub those dirty paws thoroughly. Get to all surfaces of the hands, between fingers, and scrape your nails along the palm of the opposite hand to drive the soap bubbles underneath them. The rubbing process with soapy hands should last for 15-20 seconds or two hums of the Happy Birthday song.

Dont forget to include those wrists!

Says Deidre, “Using one soapy hand to wrap around the opposite wrist, twist back and forth several times. Repeat for the other wrist!”

No kidding. If your family is continually passing around the “crud,” truly proper handwashing, coupled with not touching your face, will break that hand-to-mouth/eye/nose circle of germ circulation.

RECOVERING FROM A HYPERVIGILANCE HABIT

Today’s next tidbit is something I’ve successfully employed in my recovery from being in a hypervigilant state for the past two years – even longer, as I endeavored to be “on-the-ready” for my husband’s changing needs.

Just because the need for hypervigilance is no longer there, does not mean our nervous systems magically switch to a normal maintenance mode. Some of my symptoms were manifesting as an irregular heartbeat at bedtime.

My former nighttime caregiver routine was busy and emotionally taxing; sleeping time meant keeping a constant ear out for my husband. No wonder I was showing stress: relaxing at night was contrary to what I was actually doing.

Maybe you, too, are trying to come off of a hypervigilant state. Whether it’s a different living circumstance, a change in jobs, or a change in relationships, converting to a calmer state of mind is not easy. Others may wonder why you may be having a rough time since the “problem” has been eliminated.

You and I know differently.

While I am still very much a work in progress, I would like to share a bit of success that may help you, too. Curing hypervigilance and anxiety requires a multi-faceted approach, often with professional counselors, but this may be a starting point for you.

By the time I had read up to page 62 of Virginia Ritterbusch’s book, Reframe Your Viewpoints, harness stress and anxiety, transform it into peace and confidence, I was writing in the margins with my epiphany.

Following her recommendations to look at today’s circumstances, with a focus suitable for our adult selves TODAY and not from our former traumatic focus of yesterday, I realized the source of my heart palpitations.

I learned to see/recognize my anxiety; to feel what I was feeling; and to substitute an alternate thought for my anxiety.

This is how that went for me – here comes that nightly tension; I’m feeling those strong erratic beats of my heart which causes more anxiety – and instead of the usual tailspin, I applied alternate thinking.

I thanked those feelings/friends for having kept me on alert for so long, but now the need was no longer there. All I needed to do was to relax to go to sleep and get some much-needed rest. Those helpful feelings of hypervigilance can assist me in the future when I need to be vigilant, but not now. Right now, I’ve got this, and I’m going to spend a few minutes of being mindful of my quiet breathing.

Those nightly heart palpitations have vanished. I keep with mindful breathing each night before retiring. Reading the print version of Virginia’s book each night also helps.

Remember to be “off screen” before bed each night; the blue light of electronic screens is detrimental to the production of sleep-inducing hormones. Read something relaxing and helpful from a good old-fashioned printed book. It can be part of your winding-down routine for a good night’s sleep.

FAST CHICKEN SOUP FOR FEELING BETTER

Last, but not least, a quick update on healing chicken soup.

As a vocalist in three choirs over the holidays, keeping the “pipes” working is a big job. While post-hurricane mold spores swirl in the air along with the usual mix of wintertime viruses, many of us are walking a thin line between health and vocal collapse.

I’ve ramped up the usual version of chicken, broth, garlic, and fresh ginger with the addition of some fresh sliced whole lemon and dill as a gently complimentary spice.

I’ve cheated the all-night simmering of chicken bones with large boxes of organic, free range, chicken bone broth.

 

Quick, Healing, Chicken Soup – 2018 version

With just the following ingredients you can have some yummy, healing soup:

2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

5 cloves of garlic, smashed and chopped

¼ sweet onion, diced

2 T. olive oil

Several thin slices of whole lemon from the middle of the fruit (about ½ lemon or more)

2 chicken thighs

2 chicken legs

1 large container of chicken bone broth

Salt, pepper, and dill weed to taste

In soup pot, sauté the ginger, garlic, onion in olive oil until fragrant. Add the chicken, bone broth (with some water to rinse container), lemon slices, and seasonings. Simmer until chicken is falling off the bone.

Remove chicken; take meat off the bones. Cut cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces and return to soup pot.

Ladle up a fragrant bowl of healing goodness.

Enjoy!

Until next week-

Deidre

 

 

 

New Beginnings

The fall still strikes me as a season of fresh starts. Are you the same? The whole back-to-school atmosphere of late August makes me think of fresh yellow No. 2 pencils and a brand-new box of Crayola’s.

In fact, I do have a new pack of watercolor brush pens. They are so fun to use and allow for better blending of colors, unlike my usual markers. I’ve taken up adult coloring opportunities once more and have even dabbled in some free-hand drawing. It’s a part of my device-free going to bed routine.

After taking 28 days of vacation out of town to reconnect and refresh – my physical and emotional fatigue, grief, and jet lag have taken a toll. Spending 15 minutes with my new watercolor brush pens takes me away from those blue electronic screens, and completely relaxes my mind and body in preparation for a restful night.

If sleep is eluding you, if you just cannot unplug your mind, bring out those crayons, pens, pencils, or brushes to help disconnect and calm yourself for sleep.

Speaking of going on vacation and the start of school, do you remember those composition assignments that are often assigned?

“What I did during summer vacation?”

As regular readers already know, it’s been two or three years since I’ve had any kind of time off. It was pure bliss to reconnect with friends I hadn’t seen for forty years in Sacramento, California. Then I flew to the Big Island of Hawaii where I basked in paradise at my daughter’s home. I hope you have had some type of time away from your normal schedule. It’s so healing to just walk away from it all – even for just a few days.

Deidre and Serena

However, we cannot save our “reset” time for just two weeks each year. There needs to be more stimulating, yet relaxing, time   plugged into our weekly lives – other than another Hallmark movie. Getting together with a few friends to play a board game may be just the trick you need for a mid-week time of de-stressing.

I remember our daughter doing this through college, medical school, and residency. She would have a few friends over and play a board game to socialize and relieve stress. We played board games, cards, and dominoes, with our kids when they were younger; but the habit stopped there for me except for playing Uno with the grandkids.

Well, after several rounds of Rummikub one evening this week, I’m – shall we say – back in the game! I had forgotten how much fun it was to laugh over a game. It was the crowning jewel to the day. If you are trying to expand your social circle, or to reach out to another person, an evening of playing board games is non-threatening and almost guaranteed to be a good laugh.

Along with all this laughter and positive attitude, I am finding a need to reset myself. Other than the obvious changes that come with grief and widowhood, my body is clamoring for some attention. Too many good habits have gone by the wayside as caregiver stress mounted for over two years.

Are you feeling the pains of back-sliding from healthful habits? We’re all in the same boat. For whatever the reason, we need to stop and press reset. This fall season of fresh beginnings seems an ideal time to refocus on personal well-being.

Like the classroom instruction starting up all around us, we would do well to remember how learning happens. Teachers guide young minds to learn one concept at a time. When that concept is mastered through practice and application, the next concept is introduced. Children put all of those concepts together to create a bigger whole. Learn the alphabet and the sounds each letter makes. Put those letters together to form words and then sentences. Eventually, books are read.

What do you want to accomplish for yourself? Lose weight? Cut out soda? Exercise more? Write a book? Start a business? Go back to school?

Remember the children? They didn’t start with Moby Dick, they started with letters. One letter at a time. Even before writing letters, they had to learn how to hold the pencil!

I’m feeling the same way about losing the weight and flab that have crept on these last two years. The reset button has been pushed, folks.

Silver Sneakers Aerobics class attendance has been ramped up from once a week to twice!

Daily one-minute planks have resumed each morning. Confession: my public foodtalk4you Facebook quest to keep up planks during vacation traveling was a dismal failure; but they were replaced by a lot of walking, and even heavy yard work.

Today, I just started keeping a food and exercise journal. Nothing like logging in every bite and sip I take! This creates a lot of personal accountability and has already encouraged me to do an extra round of planks and squats and to drink extra water.

Everything that has been shared about journaling for goals is true. The effect is immediate. The desire to improve is fleshed out in action through this simple accountability tool. Grab a piece of paper and write down your daily progress for a personal goal.

Take things a step further by liking our foodtalk4you Facebook page where you will see the picture of my little journal entry. Please make a comment below that picture to share your goals. Check in periodically with an update as to your progress or share some difficulties. We’re in this together to help and cheer each other on to success!

Time to start putting together my dinner salad consisting of sliced grilled chicken on a bed of mixed greens topped with freshly sautéed green beans and corn kernels,  pear chunks, blueberries, carrots, and blue cheese crumbles. All topped off with a simple balsamic vinaigrette.

Starting over –

Deidre

 

 

 

 

 

The Continuum of Life

I often think of life in terms of a river. In the beginning, we are each a drop of water floating along…sometimes at a lazy trickle over pebbles … sometimes on top of a leaf scurrying along a fast stream …sometimes rushing along in the swift currents of a raging river. We ride alongside other drops in an ever-changing scene. Some drops are carried away from us at a faster pace, but with the ebb and flow of currents we may once again float along with them as neighbors.

We can see various forks in the river up ahead.

Virgil James Edwards

My sweetheart and I had been riding along this beautiful river of life for almost 42 years, and we knew the river would soon split. Soulful, heartfelt, and practical preparations were made as the leaf we were riding on ever-so-gradually began to split in two. The last tender thread that connected us gave way, and Virgil’s portion floated away onto another river branch called Eternity.

Rest in Peace, my Love. We will be together again one day.

Later this summer, I will be busy writing again. There is much to share in Foodtalk4you about life habits, great foods to eat, and exercise tips that will increase our quality of life. Remember, we’re floating along this journey together.

Bone health is a topic foremost on my mind as I will share my efforts to move that bone density scan from osteopenia/osteoarthritis to normal bone density. Hint: There’s a lot more exercise happening and collagen consumption going on.
But first, there is the business side of dying that is on the front burner; then catching up on home projects clamoring for attention, and finally, taking that long overdue REST with my family!

Oh, joy!

This fall, I will also be writing the last chapters of my next book, Toolkit for Caregivers. It is a project I hope to share with others on a grand scale. There will be presentations nationwide for caregivers who need tips, hints, and practical how-to ideas for taking care of someone who is confined to a hospital bed at home. The need for this supportive and encouraging information is great, and I feel “called” to help others walking that path.

So, my dear and patient readers, I’ll be getting back in touch with you at the end of summer and early fall. Until then, I am listening to my body, mind, and soul and am entering into a period not of inactivity but of calm. My transition into flying solo has actually been full of activity but has lacked nature’s touch.

Ocean waves beckon. Stargazing beckons. Quiet forests beckon. I need to heed the call of nature and the deep desire to spend time with family.

Peace-

Deidre

I’m Walkin’ On Sunshine …

Have you ever taken a bath in a forest? I don’t mean skinny dipping in a cold stream, either.

It’s called shinrin-yoku, and is Japanese for “forest bathing” or, just time spent outdoors drenching yourself in the wonderfulness of the natural expanses around you.

I remember special times as a child doing this high up on my perch in a giant tree in Portland, Oregon, gazing at the world above, below, and around me. Then there were times in San Jose, California, as I lay sprawled out on the grass trying to feel the  world turn while watching the clouds above float by.

The happiness, joy, peace, and contentment I felt was more than just being a kid without responsibilities; although that did help, I’m sure. It was a part of a deep primal need to be grounded to the earth and to be connected to nature.

The results we all know and have experienced – but yay – (wink) – they are now confirmed with science! Stress hormones drop, anxiety lessens, and blood pressures normalize when we surround ourselves with nature. Did you need a study to tell you that concrete jungles and office cubicles aren’t healthy?

Me neither.

As a 24/7 caregiver, I miss bathing in nature the most. There’s just not enough time away to do the necessary errands, get some exercise time, and bathe in nature to any great extent.

Last summer, a walk with our adult children in the majestic redwood forests of Northern California was a holy experience. Quietly stepping into the ancient tabernacle of giant redwoods was life-changing! I return to that experience often to relive the awe and wonder of it. Presently, extended slow walks to the mailbox and some time spent on the back porch swing have to satisfy that deep need for now.

Where do you go to bathe in nature?

Here in Eastern North Carolina, many turn to the water. Time in a boat on the river or time sitting on one of our beautiful beaches satisfies many. Time to unplug from the rat race and reconnect to the REAL WORLD of nature.

Still others in our area enjoy year-round golfing opportunities. While designed by man, golf courses do follow the natural terrain and are certainly a place of green-ness. Pun intended. While hitting that little white ball around can often be frustrating, golfers’ experiences can be tempered by the loveliness of the course.

Keep forest bathing tucked in the back of your mind for a minute while I seem to change subjects.

I recently listened to a TED talk about the biggest predictor of longevity. Diet? Exercise? Weight control?

Nope.

All of the usual suspects were way down the list.

Friends? Social connections? Getting warmer…

The best indicator of longevity turned out to be the number of daily face-to-face connections we had. Smiling at people. Striking up brief conversations with strangers. Laughing about the human condition with someone while in line at the bank. Lamenting about the price of tomatoes with a fellow shopper. Little connections. With humans. Face-to-face.

Not all that different from connecting with Mother Nature.

Making connections. It’s vitally important to a well-balanced life. In fact, I have long called such pleasantries with strangers as “making the day.” We need to do more of that.

Having philosophized about connections with man and nature, let me share with you something wonderful that happened recently that sort of ties this all together.

As a member of our local Chamber of Commerce, I always try to schedule an outing from caregiving duties that coincides with our Chamber’s monthly Business-AfterHours event. It’s a time to make connections: renew personal friendships and a chance to start new business connections. There are always door prizes.

Yours truly won one of the main door prizes! I had never heard of a Dash Caddie before, so the young inventor and his wife had to show and demonstrate it to me.

Jeff Duncan was having a problem keeping track of his golf possessions while riding around the course in his golf cart. You know: extra balls, tees, cell phone, pencils all seemed to be at the bottom of his bag. Irritating. Not what a golfer is looking to have more of.

Necessity is the mother of invention, so he invented the Dash Caddie, which is a portable box that can mount into almost any golf cart or suction-cupped onto the dash of an RV or boat with ease.

After two years of the Duncan’s engineering, design changes, and making manufacturing contacts, I won one of the first Dash Caddies to come off of the assembly line! Their website at dashcaddie.com is taking pre-orders, but something tells me those orders will be filled real soon!

This is where the whole post ties together. If you are bathing in the wonders of nature on the golf course, on the waterways, or as you travel the open road, the Dash Caddie will eliminate many of those nagging problems that irritate some of the restorative joy you are seeking.

It just seemed to be a perfect moment to share with you readers:

  1. Our deep primal need to reconnect with nature and why it is good for us
  2. Our need to connect with each other even on a casual basis and how doing so can boost our health.
  3. An opportunity to spread the word on a good thing with no personal gain on my part.

I encourage you to “bathe in nature” more. Ramp-up those casual connections with others in public, and check out Dash Caddie.

With spring upon us, we can all dive into nature every day possible. Regardless of season, there are always ample opportunities to reach out to others during our daily life. If there is a golf cart, RV, or boat in your life or someone you know, a Dash Caddie is the perfect gift for them!

 

In health and “making the day”-

Deidre

 

 

Welcome All! Let Our Journey Begin!

Welcome to the growing family of foodtalk4you.com readers! By signing up either here, on our site, or as the result of talking with me at a recent book signing, you will never miss a new post full of ideas on how to improve your health one bite, one breath, or one movement at a time.

Whether it’s a new recipe featuring nutrient-dense foods, a reminder about how to survive the flu season, or some thoughts about finding your “word of the year” to guide your life intentions, there’s always something valuable to read and apply to your life.

We are always growing and changing.  A good “stretch” in our comfort zones never fails to strengthen our souls.

At a recent luncheon sponsored by the local chapter of the American Association of University Women, I was honored to be one of their ten featured authors. In addition to the book signing venue, we were treated to a great lunch and then were given the opportunity to give our “story” in five minutes to the 100 in attendance. What we said might inspire those listening to take a look at our book and buy it.

No pressure.

Do you know that the number one thing people fear – even more than death – is public speaking?

It was interesting how each of us ten author’s responded. If ever there was an opportunity for self- growth and “stretching” this was it.

To the best of my recollection, every one of us had notes. Leaving nothing to chance, we authors wanted to put our best foot forward.

What was so interesting to me was the vast array of public speaking skills that were presented. Clearly many had done this before, myself included, but those less skilled at speaking to groups were still effective in telling their story.

One author used breathing techniques to help himself. He blew through his lips after each page he read, as if he were saying, “Whew, that’s over!” It was beautiful watching him grow and stretch! After a while, he looked up more at the crowd as he described the passion behind his story.

That’s what we need to do. Find our passion and share it. It may require some stretching. If we aren’t pushing our comfort zones just a little bit, we are stuck in a rut.

Learn. Grow. Stretch.

Explore your passions and include a stronger relationship with your body. We expect our bodies to always be on duty for us, doing what we expect of them, expecting perfection.Are we doing our part? It’s a two-way relationship. What are you feeding your mind, body, spirit? Is it good food?

Ask yourself every day if what you are doing, eating, or thinking going to do your body good.

In health-

Deidre

Author, Toolkit For Wellness

 

 

 

 

It’s Not Your Normal (Fattening) Dessert – It’s Chi-Chi-Chi-Chia!

Dessert? I want!

But wait. That’s not good for me. RIGHT?

 

 

 

You’re not going to give me a stick of celery and call it dessert are you?

No way!  Instead, I’m going to share some options with you that revolve around some pretty amazing seeds.

If you’ll permit me to review a short segment from my book, Toolkit for Wellness, I’d like to reintroduce you to:

Chia Seed Secrets

Chia seeds. Possibly the 8th wonder of the world!

Consider this nutritional profile for 2 tablespoons of chia seeds:

  • Protein keeps you full and decreases appetite, two times the protein of other grains or seeds
  • Calcium, calming and beneficial to bones, 5 times the calcium of milk with 18% of the RDA
  • Omega-3 fatty acids, very anti-inflammatory and beneficial, 5 grams
  • Fiber, essential for smooth functioning bowels, 11 grams; 40% fiber by weight
  • Net carbohydrates, which we do not want in abundance, 1 gram
  • 30% RDA of manganese, magnesium, and 27% RDA of phosphorus
  • Full of anti-oxidants
  • Slow absorption which keeps you feeling full and satisfied

If you are just starting to “do your body good” with each meal, you may have some sense of a lack of fulfillment – or downright panic -with no added sugars. Dessert seems to be a thing of the past.

You can rest easy!  All you need to do is incorporate a modest amount of chia seeds into your cuisine.

It’s amazing what you can do with just one tablespoonful of chia seeds, one-half cup of near boiling water, a half-cup of unsweetened applesauce, and six minutes! Just watch as I share with you some chia seed magic!!

One tablespoon of chia seeds in bowl-

 

Add one half cup of near boiling water-

 

 

Seeds are swelling a bit at 1 minute 30 seconds –

 

 

It will be thicker at 5 minutes-

 

 

 

Now stir in your favorite unsweetened applesauce-

 

 

Voila! She won’t win a beauty pageant, but she’s good!

In the recipe section of Toolkit for Wellness, I included a few ideas to dress up these seeds into what I call a jam. If you add berries and cook them in on the stove, you can get a bowl of chia goodness (that will be prettier).

I had some unsweetened strawberry applesauce I used the other day, so the color and texture is a nice shade of seedy looking dark pink. And just remember, this has natural sweetener – no added sugar!

What this chia seed, pudding-like mixture is doing for me is providing satiety through its protein and high-fiber content. That little gnawing feeling that can creep into your tummy around eight o’clock at night will go right away with a bowlful of chia seed pudding.

Your constipated bowels will love you. Regular ingestion of chia seeds can be a great part of assisting in normal bowel function.

No guilt! The seeds are flavorless in and of themselves; what you add creates the flavor. A small handful of dried fruit works well, too.

By the way, this can make a great snack any time of day, and has often been my quick breakfast if I was short on time or didn’t want to eat a lot first thing in the morning.

Chia seeds check ALL of the boxes for “doing a body good.”

In health and EMBRACING all of the goodness chia seeds provide-

Deidre

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Superbugs – The New Super Villians

Tag. You’re it!

Let’s talk about disease transmission!

Yawning yet?

Better not. Your life could depend on it!

Oh, sure. Hopefully, you have mastered not sneezing into someone’s face…but there’s more!

While this flu season has not been declared and epidemic – yet – the numbers are staggering, and not only are the seniors succumbing to the flu, but healthy young children – and even young athletic adults are DYING! I can’t wipe the faces of the recent healthy victims from my mind.

It’s so sad when I think about it.

At this point, it’s important to share this challenging flu season is expected to last another 13 weeks! It is NOT too late to get your flu shot. While this year’s vaccine is reported to be approximately 30% effective, it can still be helpful in reducing your symptoms if you fall victim to a flu strain not specifically targeted by the shot. It does take two weeks to achieve full protection from the shot, so time is of the essence.

Additionally, many of my friends are actually experiencing more than one infection – simultaneously! Running to the bathroom with a Norovirus and thinking it’s the flu, then going to the ER only to find out they also have double pneumonia – with no symptoms!

Contrary to what you might think, a virus or a bacteria’s sole mission in life is NOT to kill you. Think about it. You are the host – their home – and they don’t want to burn down their home. What they want to do is MULTIPLY – pure and simple. Keep their species viable; alive and well. As long as you are alive, they are pretty happy feeding off of you.

If you can assist them in spreading their whereabouts, all the better! Go ahead. Sneeze. Cough. Touch a doorknob a sick person touched. Put your contaminated hand to your nose, eyes, or mouth and… Tag! You’re it!

These micro-organisms do all kinds of crazy things to stay alive. When conditions become unfavorable for their survival, for instance, some form spores. Spores are like time capsules full of DNA instructions and materials that – some day or century – when conditions once again become favorable to grow, multiply, and flourish, they will spring back to life. Presto!

What to do?

Citizens in Asia understand the importance of wearing paper face masks. While both my husband and I are healthy, I am going to buy a box of face masks on my next trip out to the store, just in case. I’ll wear one to prevent spreading disease to my husband – sure. Out in public? Well… Maybe we can start a trend in America. It’s only a matter of time before we wise up in the face of an epidemic.

What we need to do is wear dog cone collars to stop us from touching our eyes, nose, or mouth! As ridiculous as that seems, hold that vision in your mind for a minute.

Just count the number of times you touch your face. Better yet, count the number of times someone else touches his/her face. I don’t know what it is; but just why do we do it? Making sure we haven’t lost our face?

It’s a terrible habit. Our faces contain the three most important portals into our bodies: our eyes, nose, and mouth.

Door knobs, elevator buttons, table tops, electronic devices, gym equipment…the list goes on. Anything we touch can be the temporary residing place for the micro-organisms someone else put there through their touch, cough, or sneeze. We touch that contaminated surface and what is it we do all the time with our hands? Touch our faces. Eyes. Nose. Mouth.

Tag. You’re it.

The norovirus that attacks digestive systems, is particularly determined to find a fresh host. Even though you have stopped throwing up or having diarrhea (or both) and you think you are out of the woods – think again.

You are like a walking Typhoid Annie.

You are CONTAGIOUS for at least TWO WEEKS. These little noroviruses are still living inside your intestines and colon even when you feel “better.”

You may have been extra careful washing your hands after hanging over the commode, puking your guts out, but now? How about after a round of diarrhea? Of course  you scrubbed your hands! But now that you are well?

There is no other way to say this: our poop is STILL contaminated after we get well! If the “stomach flu” is racing through your family or through your child’s classroom, it’s because of germ-filled poopy hands touching things. Those things get touched by those who, not wearing a human version of a doggy cone collar, are touching their faces. It’s what people tend to do.

Stop it!

SCRUB your hands after visiting the restroom EVEN when you are well, and stop touching your face!

Well, how are we supposed to wash our hands you ask? I was waiting for that question. Let me cut and paste a segment from my up-coming book about tips for home caregivers of loved ones:

We all think we know how to wash our hands. In a caregiving environment, extra attention needs to be given to hand washing techniques.

Here are the steps:

  • Turn the water on to a comfortably warm temperature and wet your hands
  • Apply a squirt of hand soap onto your wet hands
  • Start humming the “Happy Birthday“ song at a normal tempo two times through during the washing phase; that should translate to 20 seconds which is how long you are supposed to be rubbing those soapy hands
  • Rubbing the palms together, create a good lather
  • Continue rubbing, moving to the back side of the hands, around the wrist, and between your fingers
  • Scrape your fingertips along the palm of the opposite hand, driving the suds under your nails. Repeat for the other hand.
  • You have finished humming “Happy Birthday” twice by now
  • Rinse hands under the running water while continuing to rub all areas of the hands, wrist, fingers
  • Dry with a clean paper towel.
  • Turn off the faucet with a dry paper towel to prevent contamination of your clean hands”

So there you have it. Preventing the spread of disease is up to each of us. Scouring the house with Clorox wipes is helpful, but proper hand washing and not touching our faces will go a long ways in avoiding not becoming the next victim and in not spreading the bad news around to others.

I just made another vat of Chicken-Ginger-Garlic-Lemon soup and some more Ginger-Honey-Lemon Tea today. Yum!

Deidre and Virgil Edwards

 A great discovery from using the leftovers from the last vat was the addition of a can of minced clams! Oh, my goodness! That was so good! The lemon and dill perfectly complemented the clam addition! Make sure to check out last week’s post to grab the original recipes!

In health-

Deidre

PS:  For some reason, I’m going to wash my hands again!

 

 

A Little Bit of T.L.C. To Calm The Winter Storm

Have you noticed?

Can you hear that?

People whimpering… Aches, pains, and just feeling bad are all around.

After maintaining stable health and immune systems through the fall and early winter, folks are dropping like flies to bronchitis, strep, sinus infections, colds that travel through the entire family and even to the pets, (a Chihuahua sneezing is a sad state of affairs), flu, and pneumonia. I have friends on Facebook with tender bodies who even complain their hair hurts.

That’s bad.

Forget the New Year’s party hats. Where’s the chicken soup?

If you or your loved one fall into the category of the “whimpering needy,” then some serious TLC is headed your way! With minimal energy, you can fix these soothing, nutrient-enriched recipes in a jiff! With a few basic ingredients, you can go a long way to body-friendly comfort measures.

One is a healing and strengthening tea, and the other is soup. While others are dashing to the store for peanut butter, bread, milk, and eggs in the face of winter storm advisories, make sure you grab: lemons, fresh ginger, fresh garlic, honey, chicken, quality broth, and green tea.

Background information:

Fresh ginger, lemon, and honey tea is a tried-and-true standard for throat therapy and protection.

Ginger is often referred to as a universal medicine and dates back to ancient Chinese and Ayurveda traditions. Ginger tea contains high levels of vitamin C, amino acids, and trace minerals. As an anti-inflammatory, ginger calms down unhappy tummies and helps to open airways.

Lemon is also a good source of vitamin C and has long been touted as a benefit to daily detox, get-your-body-started-for-the-day, and a help for regularity. My spry grandmother was a firm believer in daily lemon water; she lived a healthy 100 years. So, there you go!

Honey is not only a good source of energy, but packs a powerful load of antioxidant, has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, and is a natural cough suppressant.

Hot or cold, ginger-lemon-honey tea can be just what the doctor ordered. Given the current freezing temperatures, hot is preferable.

Here’s what you’ll need to do for a quick healing brew:

GINGER LEMON HONEY TEA

In a saucepan, assemble:

About 1 to 1 1/2 inch of peeled, sliced fresh ginger

Juice of 1 lemon – And a few extra slices of lemon to float around, if desired

Honey to taste

5-6 bags of green tea

6 cups of water

Heat all ingredients on medium heat and let steep awhile.

Strain and serve. Refrigerate leftovers to reheat.

This can be a bit tangy thanks to the ginger and lemon; vary the amount of honey to balance the sweet-to-tangy ratio.
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That wasn’t too hard to do! Now you have something helpful to sip on while you prepare this gentle, healing, and easy-to-prepare meal.

Background information:

Garlic is rich in allicin, which has powerful antioxidant properties and is beneficial to blood pressure and blood sugar regulation (See my book, Toolkit for Wellness for more information about garlic and other allicin-containing foods.)

Chicken soup – aromatic and therapeutic – just ask Grandma. It works!
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GARLIC LEMON HERB CHICKEN

Any cut of chicken will do. Today I used a chicken breast, semi-frozen and chopped into small pieces. Other times, I have used thighs with bones in to stew a long time. Whatever cut of chicken you have around will do.

About 5-6 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped (do this at least 10 minutes prior to cooking to release the good things – allicin – that make garlic good for you)

About 1 inch to 1 1/2 inches of peeled, sliced fresh ginger

One lemon, rind ends removed, sliced and seeded

Some onion, chopped (Do this 10 minutes before cooking, as well)

Salt

Pepper

Dill weed – The dill weed pairs very well with the lemon

Chicken Broth – free range, if possible

Optional, rice-based, gluten-free noodles

Sauté the onions, garlic, ginger, and lemon slices in butter and olive oil until onions are translucent.

Add chicken. If cubed, stir until all sides lose their pinkness. If whole pieces, brown on each side.

Add broth and seasonings to taste. Simmer until meat is done and flavors have incorporated.

Optional: Before serving, add some Thai, thin rice noodles if your tummy will allow. These cook in a couple minutes.
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The good thing about this soup is you can eat it in stages as your constitution allows:

Savory broth first.

Broth and a few noodles next.

There is nothing like Mama’s TLC and chicken soup, to be sure, but this comes in at a close second- especially if you are the source of your own TLC!

Cuddles to my friends in need. Sorry you have whatever version of the “crud” you have. Nurse yourself back to health with this healing tea and soup. Don’t try to get back onto your feet too fast or your body will let you know who is boss for sure. Relapses are usually worse that the first round!

Be safe!

In health-

Deidre …  Healing from a sty that has made me feel like I had a cold.

Now, where’s my tea?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lessons From a Gardener’s Promise

If by recent post we have inspired you to take in the “pulse of life” at a local nursery, maybe you are wondering how so many people are gushing with optimism and hopefulness? How can holding a little six-pack of plants instill such anticipation and confidence? Are there bigger lessons for us to absorb and to apply in other aspects of our lives?

How does the gardener approach … well, gardening?

Soil prep. This step is essential for a plant to thrive. Can’t grow in rocks. Think about it. Are we expecting our bodies to thrive while we ‘plant’ them in rocky soil filled with added sugars, unpronounceable chemicals, or ingredients that are incompatible with digestion?

Plant selection. What’s the goal for the plant? Beauty, crop yield, or an attractiveness to butterflies, bees, or hummingbirds? What are our goals? What is the effect of our actions today? Are we being true to ourselves? Are we adding beauty, yield, and attractiveness to the world around us?

Care. This is where the “Gardener’s Promise” comes in. The gardener knows, by doing the right things consistently, the results will come … in time. Water. Pull a few weeds. Prune as needed. Fertilize regularly. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

Will the desired results come in a day… a week … or even a month? Often not! Why do we expect instant results for ourselves?

One kind word to an unfriendly acquaintance will not yield a bosom buddy. Relationships are built over time. Generally, a consistent effort to reach out in friendship will break down barriers.

Launching any self-improvement program will need careful and patient tending as well.

Case in point. I wanted to build upon my at-home exercise efforts which always include 2 minutes of daily planks and Super Brain Yoga with Power Poses. I started going to a gym in January that features a 30-minute circuit, along with its other activities. Twice a week. Like clockwork. Hadn’t gotten a swimsuit look; but if I skipped, I could tell a difference.

I wanted more. More results. Is it possible to really have a tighter tummy? I’ve seen videos about grannies who have turned things around. Why not me?

Time to apply the “Gardener’s Promise.” More sunshine (more effort and a wider variety of exercises), fewer weeds (sugar and carbs), better fertilizer (fortified protein shake for lunch), and patience. If you are doing the right things, keep at it day-by-day, and the results will come.

My morning plank routine is now twice a day. I have added 15 minutes of cardio before hitting the machines and doing other exercises. Still not ready for that swimsuit quite yet.

But I am standing taller. I am stronger. When my abs hurt a bit the next day, I know that I am making a difference. Some recently acquired winter bulges are disappearing.

I am remembering the “Gardener’s Promise.”

Happy “gardening”-

Deidre

PS- Cardio exercise today will be 5 minutes longer. Smoothie already enjoyed for lunch. (Primal Protein, frozen cantaloupe, frozen banana, ground flax seed, collagen hydrolysate).