All posts by Deidre

A child of Colorado, Delaware, Oregon, and California – where she obtained her first college degree and became a Nursing Home Administrator – Deidre Edwards now resides in North Carolina. While helping her husband start a video production business and raising their two children, Deidre returned to college to earn her nursing degree. A teacher at heart, she soon applied her nursing skills and knowledge to helping high school students expand their medical career interests through the Health Science Program she established. After retiring from teaching, Deidre wrote her first book – Toolkit for Wellness – as a response to the health issues she witnessed while working. She witnessed both students and staff had struggling with excess weight, diabetes, poor food choices, and stress issues – yet everyone shared the desire for a healthier life. Her easy-to-understand explanations of body functions and how foods break down, clearly show her passion for teaching others. Deidre’s dual passion in learning about habits and habit formation is expressed in her books and regular blog writings so others can learn how to make big improvements through daily small changes. Life took a dramatic turn when Deidre’s husband became confined to bed under Hospice care at home for over two years. With all of her nursing skills on board, and a deep love between them to sweeten the moments, she provided the loving, quality-of-life care he needed. Still the teacher at heart, Deidre realized there was a huge need to light the way for others as they walked the path of caregiving for a loved one. Hence, she wrote Toolkit for Caregivers and Love Lives Here, Toolkit for Caregiver Survival. Together, both books address the caregiving processes, skills, and issues for before, during, and afterward. Deidre continues to be involved with her community through choral singing groups, volunteering for the North Carolina Symphony, Chamber of Commerce, church functions, and activities with friends and family. She also enjoys the time she spends promoting her books and speaking with others about health and caregiving.
Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Blogging for good health!, Exercise, This -n- That

Brain Food Part 2

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Don’t you love serendipity? Right in the middle of writing this series on what we can eat to boost brain power, this lovely gem plopped right into my lap: a mnemonic device to remember the ten foods that protect brain function and over-all health.

How cool is that?

While attending a virtual seminar to learn more about the Teachable platform I’ll be using for my online workshops, Jim Kwik presented a fabulous motivational program about how to learn. To prove his point that everyone can learn if the material is presented and consumed using all our senses, he shared his mnemonic for remembering the ten top brain foods.

A mnemonic (/ne’ monik) device is any learning technique that aids in information retention and retrieval. This device uses our body – head to tail.

Get ready to have some fun as we get physical and use our imaginations to expand our minds! This requires active participation on your part.

  1. Put your hand on top of your head. Don’t think about it…DO it! Imagine rubbing in our first good food for you right into your hair: some mashed up avocado. Maybe in the form of guacamole. Creamy. Maybe like a hair conditioner.

In fact, avocado oil is often used in hair conditioners. Avocados are a food source rich in antioxidants, healthy oils, and fiber. A powerhouse food.

  • Now point to your nose. Imagine blueberries coming out of your nose. Like Hammy might do in the comic strip – he’d love this one.

Last week, I talked about going for the colorful fruits and veggies. Go for the blue and you’ll be helping your heart, bones, skin, blood pressure, cancer prevention, and mental health. These little gems that you’re imaginatively popping out of your nostrils protect against cognitive decline and improve short term memory.

  • Point to your mouth and imagine you are trying to get broccoli out of your teeth. One of those little pieces of broccoli floret has lodged between your front teeth, and you’re trying to get it out.

Broccoli’s antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals help with cancer prevention by helping fight off the formation of free radicals. Along with its cruciferous cousins, broccoli benefits skin, bones, digestion, reduces inflammation. Inflammation is the cornerstone of most diseases and conditions. Yet another reason to go for the green.

Let’s review. Move your hand as we go.

Top of head: avocado/guacamole in your hair

Nose: blueberries are popping out of your nostrils

Mouth: you are getting some broccoli out from between your teeth

  • Point to your ears: Did your mom ever put warm oil into your ears as part of treatment for an earache? Imagine pouring olive oil into your ear and place an olive on top to keep the oil in.

Thanks to its antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, olives and olive oil are another one of our ten miracle foods that help the brain and body. This narrative is looking familiar: skin, digestion, lowering cognitive decline, lots of fiber, and great source of healthy fats.

  • Place your fingertips on your throat and swallow. Feel your Adam’s apple move? Imagine that is an egg.

If your diet allows, eating that egg will provide muscle-building protein, benefit cognitive function, help eyesight, improve heart health and cholesterol levels, and can be a key food for proper growth and development. All that for under 80 calories each!

  • Using both hands, pat your shoulders. Remember the era of padded shoulders? Or perhaps you can imagine the epaulettes of a military uniform. One shoulder is padded with leaves of spinach, and the other with leaves of kale.

We’re going for the green again. In addition to the truckload of vitamins and minerals found in these dark green leafy vegetables, their fiber is gut-friendly. Kiss constipation good-bye and help irritable bowel syndrome. Help vision, diabetes, anemia; reduce the risk of heart disease; strengthen bones; improve that youthful glow in your skin and hair; prevent scurvy; improve cognition … the list goes on! What’s not to love?

Time for another review. Active participation is essential:

Top of head: avocado/guacamole in your hair

Nose: blueberries are popping out of your nostrils

Mouth: you are getting some broccoli out from between your teeth

Ears: olive oil drops and olives

Throat: an egg for an Adam’s apple

Shoulders: padded with leaves of spinach and kale

  • Move your hands over to your collar bones. Imagine a necklace draped about your collar made from salmon filets. Could get a little fishy. Imagine the coolness of your salmon beads. Maybe the salmon is in the form of sushi – think about the look and feel of your necklace.

Salmon is a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids that are crucial for brain health and total body wellness. Add in the minerals like iron, calcium, selenium, and phosphorus plus vitamins A, B, and D – well, say hello to another wonder food that is a lean protein.

  • Hold your hands out in front of you. You know how they would look – like you just ate Chez Doodles? That stubborn orange powder coating your fingers represents turmeric.

The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin. As an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, turmeric is protective of brain function. A shake or two of this powdered spice will not do anything beyond adding flavor. This item needs to be taken as a supplement. Look for a brand that is proven to be bioavailable in pill form – meaning, your body can absorb what you give it.

  • Hand on belly now. There are walnuts coming out of your navel! Walnuts even look like little brains.

Full of brain-friendly Omega-3s fatty acids and minerals, walnuts are a powerhouse snack or addition to recipes. A handful of walnuts will give you satisfying fiber, nutrition, and are anti-inflammatory. Need I say more?

  1. Lastly is your hind end. As you pat your rear, think dark chocolate. I’ll let you use your imagination on this one.

Dark chocolate is a champion in fighting off free radicals with its antioxidant properties. Helpful for the heart, blood pressure, and cholesterol, dark chocolate also reduces insulin resistance and is shown to be an anti-inflammatory.

You can do all ten now: head … nose … mouth … ears … throat … shoulders … Collar bones -what is draped around your neck? Orange-dusted fingers? What’s popping out of your belly button? And the end …

Okay! I am not responsible for your actions at the grocery store while you go through your ten item list.

For more on total body wellness, check out my first book, Toolkit for Wellness.

In health,

Deidre

Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Blogging for good health!, Exercise, Stress Reduction

Brain Food – Part 1

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Brain fog? Shorter concentration? Decreased ability to coordinate several processes to reach a goal? The focus here is not determining if Granny needs assistance. It’s about where we all are right now.

Age-related diseases are more of a concern now as people are living longer than any previous time in history. But, waiting until someone is ninety-five years old is too late to start building brain function.

Brain health is developed before we’re born and continues throughout our lifetime. Neglecting the promotion of brain health in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood spells disaster, not only later in life, but even earlier.

This topic is central to my studies and what I share on foodtalk4you. Much of what I am sharing in this series is derived from a nursing license renewal class I recently took: Brain Food: The Role of Nutrients in Memory and Cognitive Function by Annell St. Charles, PhD, RD, through the Institute for Natural Resources.

What and how much we eat are key factors in our brain health.

Many of us quake in our boots every time we forget something. The specter of Alzheimer’s disease seems to threaten us on every level. Epidemiological evidence is showing; however, that diet choices available to each of us every day can be key factors in reducing the risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

Foods good for our cognitive function share the effects of being antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. I wrote about an anti-inflammatory approach to eating and life itself in my first book, Toolkit for Wellness.

Research is finding some aspects of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) can be found in healthy young adults but do not become apparent until later in life. With brain maturity peaking in the 30s or 40s, there is ample time to boost brain health in the young and to continue throughout our lives.

A big predictor in developing late-life dementia is

1) mid-life obesity and

2) lower cognitive performance earlier in life.

Obesity brings on a cascade of body issues that play into body-wide inflammation and metabolic challenges. The overeating habit of poor quality of food is sweeping across America and other parts of the world under our fast food influence.

Obesity is preventable, and yet is becoming the scourge of modern society. Stress eating during this pandemic is probably at an all-time high – but our circumstances do not make it alright.

As I explained in my book, fast food and pre-packaged foods are all designed for us to eat more. Large food conglomerates employ people to find that sweet/salty spot, which will make consumers want to come back for more.

Sugar does not satisfy or quench. Sugar makes us want more sugar. It’s as simple as that.

What to eat? Nutrient dense foods as found in the Mediterranean diet will supply the nutrition our brains and bodies need for optimal health. Whereas, nutrient-poor diets rely on consuming highly-processed food, which lack the antioxidants and anti-inflammatory elements needed for brain/body health.

Diets favoring nutrient-poor foods are affecting the size of our brain part associated with learning and memory – the hippocampus. Of note – both long-term and short-term consumption of foods high in saturated fats have resulted in changes in brain function. Think how this plays out in children consuming a fast-food biscuit on their way to school each day.

A higher intake of fruits and vegetables will help prevent and reverse age-related deficiencies by decreasing inflammation and oxidative stress.

In sum, look for the following to select nutrient-dense food:

  • Go for the color in fruits and vegetables
  • Aim for fiber-rich foods
  • Seek lower-fat dairy
  • Switch to lower fat cuts of meats
  • Eat more poultry, fish, eggs, beans, nuts, and seeds

The colorful plant food choices will ramp up protective phytochemicals that have been shown to be protective for the brain and nervous system. Talk about brain food – plant-based foods rock!

Rome wasn’t built in a day. A consistent effort in making tiny changes is a sustainable approach to build sustainable health. Choose one meal to improve each day.

On a personal note – I’m into my second week of daily, sweat-producing exercise and am loving it! Contrary to what one might think, my appetite is less than before starting this program. I needed the structure of a program and I chose to join something online. My neighbor does it for free as she taps into an endless array of YouTube routines each morning.

Everything works together – exercise energizes and creates a positive frame of mind. A better outlook will boost us all into making better choices. We can do this!

In health-

Deidre

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Blogging for good health!, This -n- That

the Worker Bee

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I’ve done it again. What is this tendency to pack up my day with … busy? I’m looking at a nearly blank calendar and am still feeling behind.

Whaaat?

In psychology, there’s a term called flight of ideas which is a thought disorder. A person darts from one topic to another, one idea to another.

I suffer from flight of projects. Quite possibly born from over-commitment, and an inflated sense of self and poor follow-throughs – who knows?

I prefer to think I’m a Renaissance Woman.

Before COVID, I was starting to get overly busy. Too many groups. Too many meetings. Lots of go-go-go. A blank day in my planner was greeted with glee and a sigh. Crazy.

When COVID hit, I was wielding a giant eraser over the calendar. Nothing. Nope. Not that. Not that, either.

In six months of flying solo at home, I have managed to do it again. My time is filled. Almost to the max.

Is this bad?

Twiddling thumbs or being bored just doesn’t happen. Longing for the physical company of family and friends can be a soul-challenging struggle, however.

That’s my answer.

No, it’s not bad. It’s called survival.

We expand where we can. Multiple projects – especially if we are learning something new or finding a new way to share what we know – can help fill in the gaps experienced in other areas.

How are you coping with reduced social interaction? How have you filled your time? Are you learning something new?  Are you brightening someone else’s world?

An author friend of mine started playing the ukulele at the start of the Phase One shut down. Her first Facebook post this spring showed her carefully placing her fingers on the strings to create a simple tune. As time progressed, her fingering reflected confidence from practice and her songs were more tuneful. Not only was she learning something new, but she was encouraging others.

Whenever this time of COVID ends, I hope that we will look back not at a wasted passage of time, but as a time of learning, creativity, and service.

Please comment with something new you have learned and how you have shared it. Meanwhile, I’m going to finish several hand-crafted cards to cheer-up some friends going through hard times.

In health,

Deidre

Blogging for good health!

Oh, Go Fly A Kite!

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Feeling fragmented? Disconnected? I think we are all card-carrying members.

I am having to dig deep into my Toolkits for new answers this year, folks. No kidding.

A story dating back to 1897 has given me pause to think about an approach that may push us all toward a more unifying mindset and one that could pave the way to wholeness for ourselves and our world.

It all starts with a kite aptly named Union, and a 15 year old boy named Homan Walsh.

As I recount the story, that can be found HERE.

I want you to mentally draw parallels to our current day and time with all of the division we are experiencing, both internally and externally.

Back in the day, there was a divide between two countries no one had been able to bridge. The icy, turbulent, and dangerous waters of the Niagara River were often impassable by ferries. Building a bridge between the United States and Canada required stretching strong cables across the wide expanse separating the countries.

How to start bridging the gap?

Developers decided they would start with getting a kite to fly across the river and securing the kite string on each side.

Who better to fly kites than kids?

A contest was launched and young people on both sides converged to get their kites in the air. Our young man, Homan, from Nebraska, set off to the Canadian side of the gorge by getting a ferry ride. Armed with his trusty kite named Union and plenty of string, he had to clamber up steep cliffs and walk two miles to the appointed location of the future bridge.

Up, up, up went his kite. He thought he had succeeded in crossing the great divide, but suddenly, his kite string went slack. Turned out, the kite had crossed over but as it settled down on the American side and the string was cut by jagged rocks.

Homan spent eight days trapped on the Canadian side because the river had frozen. After staying with friends, he was finally able to ferry home, retrieve his kite, and cross back to try again.

His second attempt was successful when his kite drifted to the ground on the American side and was, eventually, secured on both sides. In a few days, a stronger cord was attached and pulled across. Then a rope. Then wire. Then cable. Eventually a bridge was built.

It’s a short, fun read and I hope you will enjoy all the details later.  

Point being this: a great divide was bridged. A mighty bridge was built thanks to a slender kite string.

Fly a kite today.

Symbolically, about everything we’re doing is through the air (waves). Send out a kite to a friend you haven’t reached. As the temperatures moderate, bridge the gap to 6 safe feet outdoors with a friend or two.

I flew a kite today to reconnect with my body. Self-motivation for daily solo exercise is at an all-time low, so I utilized an online app to exercise in a class. After one session, I felt a positive connection to doing something good for me. I am ready to tie a stronger cord to that kite string as I do a second session today.

With each victory, a stronger connection is established.

Whether you are sending out a tiny feeler, peace offering, meditation, prayer, or a new activity, remember that strong, unifying bridges can be started with a tiny kite string.

Where are you flying your kite today?

In health-

Deidre

We are working on making my business website as helpful as possible. Check out deidreedwards.com and let me know what you think.

Blogging for good health!, Recipes

Ode to Fall

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In the southeast of the United States we are still sweating. The sun still streams down on us as we harvest the last of the dwindling tomatoes from the garden. We keep an eye on each wave in the Atlantic for tropical development into a hurricane.

But the air is different. For several weeks – maybe the whole month of August – there’s been a subtle difference in the weight, feel, and smell of the air.

Fall is for connoisseurs of subtlety. Similar changes happen in reverse with the arrival of spring, but fall is like a fine wine, with gentle undertones and aftertastes. If you are more of a red or white wine drinker, spring is probably best appreciated by your senses.

Give me fall!

Dogwood trees are still green but with a gentle blush creeping into their leaves. Flower petals silently float off their perches after a puff of breeze or slight touch; while hummingbirds stay at their feeders longer, grazing on every garden bloom for that last sip of nectar in preparation for their long flights south. Glorious butterflies dancing from flower-to-flower – each one adding its own color show.

Granted, the joy of gradually turning in to the home and hearth will look and feel different this year. We have spent most of 2020 already gathered in. We long to take flight.

The seasons and the school calendar say otherwise.

There’s abundant time to enjoy fall activities outdoors. I am looking forward to a socially distanced lawn concert at a friend’s house this coming weekend. Cooler temps – when they arrive – will mean I can safely have friends over for dining alfresco, playing lawn darts, or corn hole. Maybe, I’ll finally get a gas fire pit so we can extend outdoor social distancing into cooler weather.

I’ve already added pumpkin spice to my oatmeal/steel-cut oats/buckwheat/hemp/collagen morning cereal. That recipe I shared earlier this year is now new and improved, so here it is:

Super-Powered Oatmeal 3.0

Serves 2-3 (So hearty, you don’t need as much!)

Ingredients

1/3 cup gluten-free oatmeal

1/3 cup gluten-free steel cut oats

1/3 cup gluten-free buckwheat

¼ cup hempseed hearts

3 Tbs collagen hydrolysates

Pinch of salt

Cinnamon /OR/ Pumpkin Pie Spice

Vanilla

1 ½ – 2 cups almond milk or water

Method

Throw it all in a small pan; cook on medium until bubbly; reduce heat and continue to cook, stirring occasionally.

Purists may want to add the vanilla at the end.

Variations on milk depend upon how creamy you want your cereal, and on how much steel cut oats you use – geez, who really measures this stuff? I put all the oats and buckwheat into a one cup measure and eyeball equality.

If you have not whipped that sweet tooth into shape, a modicum, (small quantity), of brown sugar may be added to the pot – really, with all the vanilla and cinnamon, that’s it.

Find a small, cute bowl to add to the experience. You just don’t need a huge serving.  Top with a bit of fresh fruit, if desired. I used mango in mine.

Enjoy the process of these shifting seasons. Lean more into the changes and the subtleties therein rather than mourn the loss of an ‘endless summer’ mirage.

In health,

Deidre

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Blogging for good health!

I’m Gonna Huff and Puff And …

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Let’s go back to the fairy tale of the Three Little Pigs. I often used this story as an analogy while teaching Health Sciences to future medical professionals. I tried to impress upon my students that their behaviors could keep the wolf at the other side of the door. Sure, maybe a disease was in their family, but they were not doomed to become affected by it unless what they ate, how they exercised, or how they thought opened the door to let the wolf in.

Scientists and researchers are coming to call this epigenetics. It’s the idea that our genes are not the end-all-do-all verdict of our health’s fate. Usually, how we eat, think, and exercise influences whether our genes turn on and express themselves or not.

Last week I covered the first half of an article found HERE,   that underscored the importance of improving our brain’s healthful functioning – with the resulting benefits being passed on to our bodies – through positive thinking.

Not that bad things don’t happen. Not that we don’t have uncomfortable conversations and thoughts. But a constant negative internal narrative is affecting our very cells by making them MORE receptive to the negative neurotransmissions our brains are sending.

“I can’t help it!” My students often exclaimed.

Wait. You can’t control your brain? While we may not be able to control a reflex knee jerk, we most certainly CAN control how we are actively, consciously thinking.

Perhaps past negative experiences have brainwashed some of us into seemingly reflexive negative narratives about ourselves or others. With guided professional help, people can learn a new narrative. If the audio reel in your head is constantly berating yourself, it need not be that way forever. I would urge readers to become actively involved in resetting that narrative through recommendations of a professional counselor.

Negative thinking does more than make a gloomy day in our heads. It is something that does not contribute to a healthy sustainable life as we explored last week.

The article I shared from the Huffington Post also says:

Only about 5 percent of gene mutations are thought to be the direct cause of health issues. That leaves ninety-five percent of genes linked to disorders acting as an influencer, which can be influenced one way or another, depending on life factors.

Genes acting as influencers instead of being the one and only driver of your health destiny?

This is BIG.

WE are the drivers of our health destiny. Just because a gene sitting in the back seat says we should turn right, doesn’t mean we have to turn right. Our positive influences and practices can create a total new GPS system to guide our body’s health outcome.

The mind-body connection is being studied more every day and is being found to be the greatest influencer of all for our health outcomes. Meditation and mindfulness are just a couple tools at our disposal to deepen and strengthen that connection.

Such things were once considered fluffy and out there, but the current scientific studies of the mind-body connection and epigenetics are revealing concrete evidence that validates the hopeful message that we are much more in control of our health destinies than previously imagined.

Yes, you CAN keep that DNA/gene wolf on the other side of the door.

I would like to conclude this post with something that will get your positive hormones humming today. This may be one of the funniest comedy routines I have ever heard. John Branyan will lead you through the best Three Little Pigs you have every heard – a la 16th century! Enjoy!

.

In health,

Deidre

Blogging for good health!, Stress Reduction, This -n- That

Do You Have A Problem With ANTs?

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Some of us are overrun with ANTs. The influence of those ANTs affects every cell of our body. It changes the cell’s make-up and how it reacts. In fact, as those ANTs-influenced cells divide and reproduce, the resulting new cells will become more receptive to ANTs.

Is this another horrible 2020 health scare? Are we being taken over by giant zombie ants? Sigh.

No. You can rest easy. Breathe.

These ANTs are not the picnic variety, sending scouts to scope out what useable scraps and crumbs you might leave for them.

These are eons-old Automatic Negative Thoughts: ANTs.

This is all a Segway into my series about sustainability. Is how we are living – eating, moving, thinking – creating a healthy, sustainable life?

From my perspective, being unhealthy is not sustainable because it causes decline and premature death. While people do sustain unhealthy lifestyles, what they are doing is not sustaining life.

We’ve all heard the adage, “You are what you eat.” Garbage in; garbage out. Not hard to understand. Hard to apply to daily food choices unless we wear blinders to the advertising that surrounds us and are armed with knowledge.

But here’s a new twist on the old ideas about positive thinking: “You are what you think.”

I’ve long studied about negative thoughts compounding the spiral of stress. That’s not new. But negative thoughts kick off a domino chain reaction that ends with changes in the structure of cells in our bodies.

A more detailed description can be found HERE.

Let me summarize by example. Thoughts are more than some invisible vapor zinging through our physical brains. Thoughts are things that cause chemical changes in our brains that affect how we feel and function. Watch a happy movie and notice how relaxed, refreshed, and happy you feel. Anticipate an evening of challenging, uncontrollable events and observe the reflux kicking in and the muscles in your neck tightening.

Armed with that, read this paragraph quoted from the link above:

The article, How Your Thoughts Program Your Cells. explains it this way:

There are thousands upon thousands of receptors on each cell in our body. Each receptor is specific to one peptide, or protein. When we have feelings of anger, sadness, guilt, excitement, happiness or nervousness, each separate emotion releases its own flurry of neuropeptides. Those peptides surge through the body and connect with those receptors which change the structure of each cell as a whole. Where this gets interesting is when the cells actually divide. If a cell has been exposed to a certain peptide more than others, the new cell that is produced through its division will have more of the receptor that matches with that specific peptide. Likewise, the cell will also have less receptors for peptides that its mother/sister cell was not exposed to as often.

This should give us pause as we partake in negative chatter. From inner dialogue – “I’ll never be able to do this!” “I’m not good enough!” – to outward conversations or negative Facebook feed.

Negativity does not create just a bad mood, but it causes negative things to happen in our cells. As those cells swim in an environment of negatively inspired neuropeptides and are influenced by them, they create daughter cells that respond more readily to negativity and not positivity.

This colors how our bodies function. That smooth heart rhythm we count on. How food is broken down and absorbed for growth and repair. How our blood sugar is regulated. How we sleep.

Time for some mindful breathing, folks.

Time for some quiet meditation.

Time to count your blessings.

Time for thanksgiving.

Time to smile.

Time to love.

Reprograming our thoughts will reprogram our cells which will reprogram how smoothly and sustainably we function.

And just maybe … the ripples will flow right out into the world.

Next week, I’ll continue the theme of sustainability as we explore the last half of this link with the topic of epigenetics and how our life-styles – and thoughts – can turn our genes on or off. Click on the subscribe button so you won’t miss out!

In health-

Deidre

Blogging for good health!, Stress Reduction, This -n- That

Sustainability

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Sustainability?

As the world still reels from this pandemic, each of us has been rocked to our core. Many are finding that what they counted on was, in fact, unreliable. Supply sources dried up; daily schedules and destinations were rewritten or vanished altogether. How we stay connected has radically changed.

As a result, sustainability – or, more aptly, self-sustainability – has been on my mind.

How can I sustain myself, and what merits being sustained, in my life? I am continually re-examining what is worth keeping. How can I organize what I want to do or possess so it is sustainable without creating over-commitment or clutter?

Collectively, we have been forced to deal with having relied on other nations for goods. As individuals, many of us have depended upon a store for every bite of food.

Is that wise?

In terms of PPE, Personal Protective Equipment, we learned that, no, relying solely on other nations during this COVID pandemic was not a good idea. Many manufacturing companies in our country have taken up the gauntlet by shifting their factories over to making vital equipment and supplies for medical staff and patients.

Individuals have turned to their sewing machines and 3-D printers to ramp up production of some of the masks and gear we are now wearing to protect others’ health and lives.

So, that leaves food. I was asked recently why I had started a garden – I had never grown anything more than herbs. Why now?

I wanted to bolster my food supply. Of course, I also had the time to tend it…

After 40 years in hurricane-prone Eastern North Carolina, I am well-versed on how to stock up on bottled water, peanut butter, canned beans/tuna/chicken, and such to take me over the short haul. As you read this, the storm/hurricane Isais will have just passed (over?) my head.

But the long haul?

Suddenly, visions of Grandma in days-of-old, canning the garden produce in the heat of summer sounds wise for the here-and-now.

While I haven’t surrounded myself with mountains of Mason jars and vats to can them in, I do have an eye out for ways to extend my harvest. The dehydrator may be my go-to method this year since I already have a nice one.

Nothing in 2020 has turned out as planned. We could never have imagined a shutdown of how we do business, education, medicine, long-term care, sports, or entertainment. Many aspects of our former ways have not even begun to reopen because it is still not safe.

Hoarding is not the answer – witness the toilet tissue nightmare – it’s so unnecessary and selfish.

But becoming more self-reliant and self-sustainable in times of crisis can be addressed in gardening.

My sod-busting efforts to create a new 6’ by 6’ plot for corn has yielded a mix of full and partial ears. Not exactly what I had hoped for; but the satisfaction of harvesting and eating your own crops is priceless.

Learning how okra looks when growing has provided endless delight. Its flowers are stunning and the plant itself is a fascination. There will be enough to share.

Baby-sized butternut squash are so cute! Unlike their full-sized counterparts, these little gems are a cinch to peel with a carrot peeler. Baked, sautéed, or dehydrated – not a one will go to waste!

Japanese eggplants dangle like ornaments on a Christmas tree. They, too, have uncharacteristically tender skins that do not need peeling at all. There are enough to share and can be sautéed with okra for a dinner side dish of fresh goodness.

The Early Girl tomato is a prolific producer, flavorful, and is still growing.

The Heirloom Tomato has lots of flowers, but slowly produces one or two good-sized gems at a time – excellent sliced for that ‘mater sandwich I described here a few weeks ago.

What about fall crops? This garden-to-table habit needs to continue!

I’ve already been assured that the local big-box garden store will have abundant choices for fall planting later in August and early September. Fall collards, cabbage, and definitely Brussels sprouts will be on the menu.

There may be more sod busting or building of raised beds in the future. Looking for ideas on that one.

All told, in a time of uncertainty, gardening does impart a sense of relative control in supplementing my food supply.

In a time of disconnect, being connected to my food helps to fill the gap.

I hope readers will share what they are doing with their gardens or how the world situation has changed their gardening efforts this year.

My son, James, has expanded beyond his usual hot peppers and herbs to include an Early Girl that doesn’t know when to stop growing, as well as tomatillos that are probably double the normal size.

My daughter, Serena, living in the tropical climates, is growing pineapple, mango, avocado, papaya, limes, lemons, and a few other exotic fruits.

Maybe one day I can garden like my friend, Patricia. Her garden looks like a small farm and her crops are abundant.

Speaking of sustainability – is what you are eating and how you are living going to sustain you in health? I will be starting a series of articles next week that will delve into what I have learned about the gut-brain connection in terms of memory, cognitive function, and the effects of stress. Make sure to click the subscribe button so you won’t miss out.

In health,

Deidre

A fruit tree from Serena’s tropical garden!

James’ Early Girl tomatoes and tomatillos – that won’t stop growing!

Blogging for good health!, This -n- That

Feeling Hot Hot Hot!

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Do the seasons find you wishing your life away?

“It’s too cold – can’t wait for summer!”

“Ooo, it’s too hot!”

“Can’t do anything because of the heat!”

“When will fall get here?”

If there’s anything worth learning this year, appreciating the moment should be tops on our list.

When the heat index for your locale is in the triple digits even after dinner, just going for the evening stroll can be dangerous.

This summer has been very … summer-like.

I would not complain. Does no good anyway; and I do not want to wish this glorious season away.

But, since getting a health tracking device to wear on my wrist, being cognizant of my steps, activity levels, and sleep patterns has prompted me to be more consistently active throughout the day. By taking breaks from computer work, with activities ranging from mild stirring to a 10-15-minute exercise session while listening to the Beach Boys, has made me feel better.

My health tracker rewards me with a digital high-five when I’ve met the day’s step count. Such celebrations usually come during dinner walks around the waterfront areas of my town.

All had been going well until the heat index hit triple figures recently. Even a slow stroll will leave me drenched by the end of my evening constitutional.

Besides, walking slowly has never been a preference, as my former clinical students learned when trying to keep up with me in a hospital. I walk with a speed born from the purpose of getting somewhere. 

Alas! Desire to walk meets brick wall of heat and humidity. There’s no fix to the heat results except to shower head to toe. With tresses that give Rapunzel a run for her money, washing my hair nightly has become an added chore.

Fine. Take a day off.

That didn’t work either. Tried that Sunday, claiming my day of rest, but got no rest that night as my arms and legs were rebelling from lack of exercise. I could feel the muscle fibers complaining – crying out to be challenged.

Geez.

With the heat index still pegging 100 the next evening, I knew it would not be safe to get so overheated walking outdoors. Fortunately, throughout the day, I had had multiple exercise sessions that provided ample arm and leg movements while still being indoors.

What have I been doing? Well, I took a page out of my book, Toolkit for Wellness. Pages 243-244, specifically.

Watch this video to see what can be accomplished in less than two minutes.

You can tell from my breathing; this short exercise will get you a good workout in no time at all. Adding even light 2-3 pound weights, will help engage the arm muscles for a more complete full body involvement.

NOTE: Before doing any form of exercise, always check with your healthcare provider to make sure what you are planning to do is wise based on your medical needs or limitations.

Be safe in this summer weather. My friends from down under can file this away for December! If you must be outdoors, aim for the early morning or late evening hours; wear loose-fitting, light-colored clothing; carry water with you to stay hydrated, and listen to your body.

If feeling lightheaded, dizzy, nauseous, or if you have stopped perspiring – STOP. Head for the shade and get help.

If you feel challenged by the heat at all – stop then – before things get out of hand.

UPDATE ON COLD BREW POST – Even early morning gardening is a challenge. I head out to water my food sources even before that first cup of coffee, so by the time I get back inside, a cup of hot coffee is not appealing. The news is that I’ve shortened the time for my cold brew for iced coffee to 30 minutes! Perfect!

COMING UP: I will share reflections on the grand “Reluctant Farmer” turned “Happy Farmer” experiences. Don’t miss a single post by clicking on the subscribe button now. Remember to share this post with a friend so we can grow the Foodtalk4you tribe as we explore health one breath, one bite, one movement at a time.

In health –

Deidre

Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Blogging for good health!, Recipes, This -n- That

The Birth of a ‘Mater Sandwich

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In the American South, there are moments in midsummer of sublime satisfaction when the tomatoes start to ripen and are plucked off the vine. The moment comes only after impatient sweet anticipation while crafting the perfect ‘mater* sandwich.

To the rest of the English-speaking world, it is a tomato* sandwich.

Humble and pure, two slices of mass-produced factory bread smeared with the region’s favorite mayonnaise, a slice or two of vine-ripened tomato, with some salt and pepper, create summertime heaven on earth for many.

My favorite gluten-free bread does not live up to this image – not even a little bit. Plus, I can hardly remember when I have eaten two slices of bread at once anyway. Just too many carbs.

The mid-night visitation of belly angst from glutenous bread is just not worth it.

What to do?

There are rare times throughout the years – certainly not in 2020 – when eating at a fine restaurant with its own version of predinner slices of sourdough bread, I would indulge just so I could dip my fragrant bread into some of their fine olive oil with pesto.

I suffered no ill effects from such gluten indiscretions. Hmmm. Did the glorious atmosphere of the festive meal simply sweep side-effects away? Or was there a reason here?

Sourdough bread is a fermented food! Duh. If I made the stuff, I might have put two-and-two together.

It is fermented from lactobacillus cultures (great for the gut probiotics); but unfortunately, the cultures do not survive the baking process. However, a helpful byproduct is created: lactic acid.

Turns out, lactic acid lowers the naturally occurring phytates in grain-based bread. I refer you to page 105 of my first book, Toolkit for Wellness, where you will learn, phytates block our ability to absorb minerals from the food we eat.

So, for my tomato open-faced sandwich, the occasional bread indiscretion is well-tolerated on sourdough bread.

Let me show you what I did:

Spread some fresh homemade basil pesto onto a slice of lightly toasted sourdough bread.

Here’s the recipe for the pesto:

Sweet Basil Pesto

Pesto can be a great spread on crackers or bread, or as a great way to zip up the flavor factor in veggies, seafood, or an omelet!

Ingredients

2 cups/500 ml fresh sweet basil leaves, packed

½ cup/125 ml Parmesan, Parmesan-Reggiano, or Romano cheese, grated

½ cup/125 ml extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup/75 ml walnuts or pine nuts (activate nuts first!)

3 cloves garlic

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste (I use not quite a ½ tsp/2.5 ml of Kosher Salt and about the same of black pepper)

Method

Using a food processor, pulse the nuts a few times.  Add the garlic cloves and pulse some more.  Add the basil and pulse until in fine pieces.  With the food processor fully on, slowly pour the olive oil through the shoot.  Stop to scrape the sides down and add the grated cheese.  Pulse until combined.  Add salt and pepper and pulse a few more times.

The pesto is ready to use.  I store mine in small jars and float additional olive oil on top as a seal. 

Back to the sandwich: Add slices of fresh-out-of-the-garden tomato with salt and pepper to taste.

Add slightly mashed avocado on top with salt and pepper to taste. Smashing the avocado first helps it stay in place better.

There you are.

  • Less bread overall, but great bread that is even good -ish for you.
  • Pesto for fragrant greenness with
  • Health-promoting garlic
  • Olive oil for healthy monounsaturated fat and,
  • If using walnuts, omega-3s fatty acids as another anti-inflammatory
  • Fresh tomato – high in heart healthy lycopene as well as vitamin C, K, potassium, and folate

The addition of avocado finishes turning this tomato sandwich into a powerhouse meal. As a transplant from California, this girl loves avocados!

  • High in vitamins and minerals (remember, the sourdough bread helps our bodies absorb those minerals), avocados are naturally low in sugar and high in fiber. In fact, a great snack is one half of an avocado – keeps you full thanks to the fiber. Avocados do have fat, but it’s monounsaturated fat which is a good fat that helps lower cholesterol – when eaten in moderation.

There you have it! Something delicious and satisfying, with a yummy factor through the roof.

Many of our readers are in countries using metric math. My apologies for having ignored your needs before. An author friend of mine living in Greece was inquiring about measurements for last week’s post about iced coffee.

My coffee scoops are 12 grams each; so, a totally of 24 g coffee is used. The filtered water would be 750 ml.

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Thanks!

In health-

Deidre