Category Archives: Blogging for good health!

Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Blogging for good health!, Recipes

The Oatmeal Verdict is Still Out

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As readers know, my house is gluten free by choice, not absolute necessity. There are times when an indulgence will happen – as in great crusty restaurant bread … mmm … but that’s a rare happening – especially now when we are, basically, staying home for every meal.

Passing on fluffy, yeasty “air rolls” our kids used to smush into gluten-y nuggets at restaurants is not hard at all. Easy-peasy.

But gluten-free oatmeal? Sounds safe. Maybe.

I was all set to extol the virtues of my new “gruel,” which has done an admirable job of sustaining me throughout the mornings recently, when I noticed – yet again – some unhappy hip and knee joints.

What’s this? No more oatmeal?

The jury is still out. Last time I got on an oatmeal jag, the same thing happened.

Was that a fluke? Is this a fluke?

I don’t know folks. The verdict on this one has not been pronounced for me.

But so many people simply love oatmeal and eat it on a regular basis. A friend of mine adores his bowl of steel cut oats with cinnamon, milk, and a hint of stevia each morning. Satisfying and somehow grounding – a great way to start the day.

So … occasionally, I will concoct my oatmeal potion. Taste buds do cartwheels and energy levels stay steady. Regular readers know I would have to ramp up the nutrition and sugarless flavor components using the usual suspects: hemp seed hearts, collagen, vanilla, and cinnamon.

Let’s whip up a batch of Super-Powered Oatmeal!

Super-Powered Oatmeal

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

Ingredients

½ cup gluten-free oatmeal

½ cup gluten-free steel cut oats

¼ cup hemp seed hearts

3 Tbs collagen hydrolysate

Pinch of salt

Cinnamon

Vanilla

1 ½ – 2 cups almond milk

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 usually put all the oats into a one cup measure and eyeball equality. This is in the morning while sipping my first cup of coffee, after all.

If you have not whipped that sweet tooth into shape, a modicum of sugar may be added to the pot – really, with all the vanilla and cinnamon – maybe a teaspoon could be used – that’s it.

Find a cute small bowl to add to the experience. You just don’t need a huge serving. Why?

Okay, kids. Back to home school. Quiz time.

What’s in hemp seeds?

Right! Omega 3 fatty acids! Quoting from pages 74-75 in my first book, Toolkit for Wellness:

Number two on everyone’s list is Omega 3 – the long chain fatty acid of EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid, and DHA, docosahexaenoic acid, which are found in wild fish and grass-fed meat.

A summary of its benefits include:

  • Decreasing cancer rates
    • Decreasing auto-immune responses
    • Increasing insulin sensitivity
    • Decreasing insulin resistance
    • Decreasing nerve degeneration processes
    • Promotes healing of the gut

Hemp hearts also have a whopping 10 grams of protein to every 3 tablespoons.

Next question: Why collagen?

Three tablespoons of unflavored collagen hydrolysate have over 16 grams of protein and all the essential fatty acids – remember science class: building blocks of protein – that you need to power up your body. That’s why Ms. Deidre adds collagen to so many things to ramp up the nutritional profile.

Well, Ms. Deidre, why are you always using cinnamon?

Good question! Don’t you remember on page 161 of your Toolkit for Wellness textbook, cinnamon not only helps mimic sweetness, but it also is loaded with antioxidants, calms inflammation, helps reduce insulin resistance, and helps with blood sugar levels?

When combined with vanilla extract, a non-sugary sweet factor can be achieved that will not scramble blood sugar levels or brains.

That’s a win-win for all home-schooling families. No squirrely kids! Yay!

In health-

Deidre

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Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Blogging for good health!, Recipes

The Bunless Greek Burger

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Grilled Portobella Mushrooms

As a follow-up to the Tzatziki Sauce recipe HERE, I want to share a recipe that just happened to come my way. When “bun-less burgers” are featured, there’s usually a portobello mushroom on either side of the burger.

Looks good in pictures, but when I tried it, I ended up with super juicy buns that were not at all what I had in mind. Mushroom juice dripping everywhere and fingertips breaking up the “bun.”  Even as a lover of mushrooms, the experience grossed me out.

So, when Greek Turkey Burgers with Portobello Buns popped up in my in-box, the only thing that caught my attention was “Greek.” Sure enough, I was not disappointed. Another place to enjoy Tzatziki Sauce!

The original recipe may be found here: EATING WELL

I chose to transform these burgers into meatballs which better support my serving size needs. Turkey is an agreeable alternative to the normal beef and is the perfect compliment to the other Greek-themed ingredients.

Without further ado, here’s my new favorite meatball recipe:

Greek Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground turkey

1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1/3 cup Kalamata olives, chopped

1 ½ tsp lemon zest

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

½ tsp dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup chicken broth or water

Tzatziki Sauce for serving

Method

Combine all ingredients in a large glass bowl using gloved hands to mix well. With a large cookie dough scoop, press the meat mixture into the scoop using the side of the bowl. Release meatball into your other hand to round out the flat side; place onto a plate and repeat until all meatballs are formed.

Use avocado oil to coat a large skillet on medium-high heat and brown the meatballs on all sides. Brown meatballs in batches, if necessary, to prevent over-crowding during the cooking process. Return all browned meatballs to the pan, lower the heat, add broth or water, cover, and simmer until cooked through.

Tzatziki Sauce

Serve with Tzatziki Sauce. These go well with rice and a side salad.

This recipe checks so many boxes for flavorful, nutritious ingredients. Hope you enjoy it.

In health-

Deidre

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

Sheltering in Place

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RESET!

Seems as though our bright, hopeful, shiny new year has been put on pause. If it were a computer, we’d unplug it for ten seconds and try again.

Just press the reset button, please!

Friends around the world have already been caught up in this novel coronavirus, COVID-19, and have been touched by the suffering. Whether physical, mental, emotional, or financial – the burden, inconvenience, and sorrow are all going to be felt for a protracted period of time worldwide.

In my town, we were just getting back on our feet from a devastating hurricane two years ago. In other areas around the globe, wounds are still fresh from fierce fires, floods, or devastating tornadoes.

As the virus creeps across America and starts to threaten us close to home, we are seeing the value of laying low and sheltering in place.

Work from home. Learn online. No more events that draw crowds. Just this weekend, at least five of my activities were cancelled until further notice.

We are a mobile society. We go and do all the time.

If possible, we are being asked to avoid crowds and to stay home. I totally applaud this approach as it is the only way we can be proactive – to get ahead of the eight ball – rather than waiting to react after it is too late.

How this laying low is going to further disrupt families with children and parents who still must work away from home is mind-boggling.

If we must press this RESET button then, let’s embrace it.

Are there neighbors who need help with childcare? Is your elderly neighbor lonely, isolated, and in need of food?

If we each take care of our own little spot, then we can all move forward in a better, healthier, and unified way.

Personally, how are you resetting yourself? I’m feeling such a calmness, as even enjoyable obligations are being released. This is a time of just being … and it can be refreshing.

Meditate, read, talk to others at home more, call friends and relatives, or putter in the garden.

This is my chance to declutter my environment – this is the “round tuit” I’ve been looking for. I’m “getting around to (doing) it” now. Pull out clothes I no longer wear; organize some drawers; get rid of outdated magazines, and anything else that might lighten my visual load at home.

As it is a holy season for two faith communities, I am reminded of the image of the first Passover when the faithful were hunkered down at home waiting for the plague of death to pass over their homes during the night.

Our season of staying home, being watchful and careful and praying for this virus to pass by us, will last longer than one night.

Being smart in our activities – mindfully following guidelines, helping those around us, and keeping calm are tasks we all can master – together.  

We can press this RESET button in unison-

Deidre

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Blogging for good health!

Got A Minute?

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How’s your list of “gottas” doing?

“Gotta start exercising.”  “Gotta get the garage organized.” “Gotta begin looking for a better job.”

You know the answer to all such predicaments and procrastinations? Begin by starting.

Stop talking/thinking/ruminating. Instead, use that energy to start – now. Even a small start is … a start and way ahead of where you were when you were simply ruminating.

Wait a minute. I’ve spoken about this before. Several times, in fact. 2015 – April on planks; 2015 May – Series of good things; 2019 8 – how to get started. What’s going on?

Things keep popping up that need doing or need our attention. You finally get that garage cleaned out and then the bushes need trimming. Time to organize a garden. Closet contents are spilling onto the floor.

Then there are the things we’ve let go by the wayside that should have received our due diligence on a regular basis. My beloved plank exercises … where have they gone? That mushy mid-section needs to get ready for something more stylish than a tent top. What kind of healthy life-style promoter am I?

I know the answer. It involves one minute. Who does not have one minute to give? That’s how I did it before. One minute. My commitment would be one minute until I wanted to do any more. Oh, and my first cup of coffee in the morning is held hostage until my “one-minute routine” is completed!

That’s when I got a friend to be a plank buddy. We text each other a thumbs up every morning when we have done – at least – one minute of planks.

Funny thing is, we’re texting two thumbs up symbols. What happened? Well, when you conquer a little, are showing consistent effort, feel good about yourself, and are encouraging a buddy, then you just want to do more! One minute painlessly morphed into two. (Secretly…my goal is even more! Shhh!)

First, half-planks had to be reintroduced. After all, it had been over a year since I had done one, and my buddy had not done them at all. We started with 15 seconds and worked up to a full minute of half-plank. Those are done with feet/knees, and elbow/lower arms resting on the ground. When you do a full minute, text your buddy with a simple thumbs up.

Once half-planks were conquered, we started our “minute commitment” with 15 seconds of a full plank followed by a full minute of a – now easy – half planks. Gradually, the full plank time increases to a minute; still followed by a full minute half-plank. That’s when you can proudly text two thumbs up!

Since I am doing two minutes of each, I am now starting my little routine with 15 seconds of straight arm plank. You know the drill … I’m shooting for three thumbs up!

I find that planks are the most effective way for me to reconnect with my belly. When doing the half-planks, I feel my lower belly working. Full planks from elbows addresses the full core. Full planks from straight arms adds arm and shoulder involvement.

You know what a straight arm plank looks like? You got it. The starting position for a push up. Hmmm. Maybe I’ll find another minute … and if that’s too hard … there are bent knee push-ups.

Point being – sometimes we must start from scratch – again. I don’t mind. This is fun with a buddy. Certainly, a minute (or five) of morning exercise does not supplant going to my aerobics class, but it is a little something I am doing EVERY day … sometimes twice a day. As I told my plank buddy, “This is war!”

Yes! You see, not only are my pretty spring dresses going to need to be worn soon, but there’s a wedding coming up in September that I want to look good for! I get to see my daughter walk down the garden isle in Hawaii! Woohoo!

Okay – I’m off to do another round of planks. Can’t wait to send my buddy – two more thumbs up!

In health –

Deidre

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Blogging for good health!, Recipes

TREMENDOUSLY Tasty Tongue-Twisting Tzatziki Sauce!

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Tzzzzaaahtzeeekeeeee Sauce

You know!

That Greek cucumber sauce?

How do you say it?  tuh·zee·kee

If the “t “in front of the “z” bothers your tongue, go for “zaaahhht.”

Say “zaht” a few times. Easy.

Then practice the “zeeekeee.”

Put the two parts together and repeat several times.

As you practice putting the first part – which ends with that troublesome “t” – with the second part, you’ll get the hang of the “tz” combination.

Add the opening “t” and you’ll be walking through the house proclaiming: “Tzatziki!”

Your kids may question your sanity, but they won’t question how delicious and versatile this sauce is. With three main ingredients – cucumber, garlic, and Greek yogurt – it’s a cinch to make.

The basic recipe can easily be halved or doubled, can be tweaked for, more or less, garlic taste, and can be made with mint or dill to add a wonderful top note of flavor interest.

But where do you use Tzatziki Sauce?

As a dip with pita, chips, or veggies. As a mouth coolant to spicy dishes – add a dollop on top of the food or at the side of the dish to dip forkfuls into. As a flavor companion to salmon, lamb, pork, beef, chicken. That’s just about everything.

I especially appreciate the adaptability of recipe size. When buying an English cucumber, I’m often not dutiful enough to eat it every night and some gets wasted after a while.

Cooking for one has its drawbacks.

But, using half the cucumber for a few salads, and the other half to make just over a cupful of Tzatziki sauce, and I’m happy.

You will find you can adapt this to your personal and family palate preferences by tweaking quantities and flavor additions.

Without further delay, I present Tzatziki Sauce 101.

TZATZIKI SAUCE

Basic ingredients

1 English cucumber – at least partially peeled and grated or very finely chopped – put grated/chopped cucumber in a sieve to drain and squeeze with towel or paper towels to remove excess fluids

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups Greek yogurt – if you desire an even thicker sauce, let the yogurt strain through a sieve or cheese cloth over a bowl overnight in the refrigerator before using.

Finishing touch ingredients that may vary

Dill weed to taste – fresh or dried

Fresh mint, chopped

Pepper to taste – white pepper would be optimal

1 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tsp white vinegar or lemon juice

A note on ingredients: When I’ve been around those who made this at home, myself included, no olive oil or lemon juice have been used – just vinegar. I’ve only used a liberal amount of dried dill – but after looking at many recipes, the mint leaves may be an interesting addition – depending upon the purpose.

Method

Nothing much to do except stir together the squeezed out grated/very finely chopped cucumber, minced garlic, and yogurt. Add the vinegar, pepper and dill weed; stir to combine.

Cover and refrigerate at least one hour before using to allow flavors to meld.

Some recipes call for using a food processor; that would eliminate the fine texture of the sauce, but may make it more dippable.

Whatever you do, you will end up settling on a texture level, garlicky level, and dill level that suits your tastes and needs.

Three main ingredients with countless uses. What could be better?

Remember to sign up to receive the latest addition of Foodtalk4you each week at the top left of this page.

In health-

Deidre

Blogging for good health!

The Present

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Dear readers,

I enjoy passing along worthwhile things to you and this one is a gem! This has been going around since the late 1990s, but a good thought is a good thought, and there’s no time limit on good thoughts.

So, here it is, my gift to you – Happy Valentine’s Day!

Imagine there is a bank that credits your account each morning with $86,400. It carries over no balance from day to day. Every evening the bank deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day. What would you do? Draw out every cent, of course!

Each of us has such a bank. Its name is TIME. Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purposes. It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft. Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the remains of the day. If you fail to use the day’s deposits – the loss is yours. There is no going back. There is no drawing against the “tomorrow.” You must live in the present on today’s deposits. Invest it to get from it the utmost in health, happiness, and success! The clock is running. Make the most of today.

To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade.

To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby.

To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.

To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train.

To realize the value of ONE SECOND, ask the person who just avoided an accident.

To realize the value of ONE MILISECOND, ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.

Treasure every moment that you have! And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time. And remember that time waits for no one.

Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery that may never arrive. Today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the PRESENT!

In health and love-

Deidre

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Blogging for good health!, Food Talk 4 You!, Stress Reduction, This -n- That

Then This Happened on the Way to Sharing a Recipe

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To fill the “one bite at a time promise” for this post, I was going share a recipe or a cooking tip, but on the way…

Grief struck. Abject sadness. Tears. Quiet sobs.

It will be two years this May since I bid my husband goodbye, until we would meet again.

Grief never ends, and it rears its sad, sometimes choking, presence at unexpected times.

It was a beautiful day. I happily cooked breakfast for my grandkids whom I watched that week. I had slept well enough – although there was a dream about my husband’s last moments – but I’ve had those before with no discernable aftereffects.

Surely, this episode of overt grief will pass; it usually always does – but there was a different quality to this – something … sadder … deeper.

Thoughts of sharing recipes are replaced with the need to breathe and not break into tears with full-blown sobbing in front of grandchildren before they leave for school.

Get out.

Pull myself together.

Walk the dog.

Get into the car and drive somewhere in this unfamiliar town I’m visiting.

Be pro-active.

Help myself.

“Yes, Ma’am!”

So, I dutifully checked off all the things that had helped in the past, and by the time I got home, I was much the same …

This was new grief territory for me. Have you experienced something like this? Just when you think you have that “grief thing” pretty well-experienced, some new reaction pops up to blind-side you?

I moved on to reach out to a friend who provided the phone support I needed, but still …

Taking the smallest measurable amount of a prescription nerve pill helped get me across the line from lingering deep sadness to genuinely okay. Taking any medication is a last resort for me and many of my readers.

Knowing how to self-reboot is important. Notice that rebooting went through several stages. Did I feel like leaving the house – walking the dog – driving to a store?

Absolutely not.

I felt like diving under my weighted blanket for the rest of the day.

But take the necessary steps I did. Don’t wait until you feel like helping yourself. That might not happen.

“Oh, you’re sad! Take an anti-depressant … take a nerve pill.”

We must be careful. Being sad is a normal part of life – the ebb and flow of normal human experience. Knowing when some extra help is needed is crucial for the balance we all hope to find.

Self-awareness will guide us to know when extra help is needed. For the grief process, a national group called Grief Share holds meetings across America. Our local chapter is even expanding its group sharing opportunities to meet the needs of the growing number of people dealing with grief.

Perhaps you may be having too many of those days with a black hole of grief that cripples your participation in the world. Just one day was more than I ever want to have.

Join me into looking for a Grief Share meeting nearby and making the time in what may be a jam-packed schedule to put your needs first.

We’ll share recipes next time. I’ve got a meeting to go to.

In health-

Deidre

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

Oodles For Doodles!

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I live in the best of three worlds.

At my home, I answer only to myself. Sneezes are caused by the pollen of spring or the dust bunnies born of my own housekeeping neglect. Leaving home is never a bother – pack and go – no concerns except providing for withering houseplants.

At my daughter’s, I am blessed with grand-cats. Feline independence can be charming. Watching this sister-pair explore and tame their world is both, a relaxing and amusing pastime. One quick to purr, and one who is a great gecko chaser. These two send my daughter off to work from the driveway and manage to frequently greet her from the doorstep at day’s end.

At my son’s, I am blessed with a grand-dog, and her, frequently-visiting, litter-mate from across the street. Blurs of fur streaking through the house in total glee of brother and sister antics fill our eyes. Two shades of Golden Doodle delight. All gentleness and ever-present love.

Sneezing is high on the list today as my grandkids and I had to wage war on fur balls and the resulting dust gathering in them. So much sneezing! Ahhh-choo! Amazing how these hypo-allergenic dogs still shed enough to alter air quality.

But all’s good now.

Who would mind a little extra effort if it afforded a daily gaze into eyes filled with love and adoration – to that wagging tail signaling delight at seeing you – to that softness of fur as you stroke and pat a creature that accepts you just as you are? Or to that purring we interpret as total contentment in our arms?

While it’s nice to not have to worry about what to do with a beloved pet when I exit the house or leave for a trip, there is something I’m missing by being animal-free. But there’s one lesson I’m definitely taking home with me as I leave my furry grand-dog.

Our four-legged friends are the perfect example of how to live in the present.

Granted, their realms of responsibilities are not the same as ours. While we may stress about earning enough money to afford their kibble, they’re only anxiety is getting their bowl filled if we neglect their exact mealtime.

Overall, our precious, furry friends seem to be models of living in the present.

Wisely, this is the only thing anyone or anything can affect. Make this moment the best and enjoy it!

Be your best self – right now.

In health-

Deidre

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Blogging for good health!, This -n- That

2019 – A Year In Review

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It’s going to be great to see reminders of 2020 blessings when I sit down for the New Year’s Eve Blessings Review less than twelve months from now.

Are you dropping slips of paper into your Blessings Jar for 2020 yet? See the post about that HERE.

Lacking a Blessings Jar to review 2019 activities, I decided to scroll through Fooktalk4you posts from this previous year.

As a result, I can share this past Year in Review:

The Purely Positive

We hit an all-time high last year! Twenty-six posts! That makes an average of one post every other week! The results of major life-changing events smoothed out to allow for a more consistent effort on my part.

Readership for Foodtalk4you is up. We started a welcome package for all new subscribers, and a thank you gift to all, including our first, original followers.

My business site, DeidreEdwards.com, was launched as a central location for information about Foodtalk4you, my books, and seminars.

Two additional books were published – under one cover – as Toolkit for Caregivers. Readers are finding the tips, skills, and ideas to be just what they need as they traverse the often-troubled waters of being a caregiver to a loved one.

Agencies and resources were contacted that could help spread the word about Caregiver Workshops to those who need it.  Very soon, a presentation was given to a group of Stephen Ministers to help give them insight into caregiver’s emotional concerns and how they might help them address those needs.

My first live TV interview was a success! You can see that HERE.

The 2019 Holiday Gift Show booth proved to be a hit, and I was so pleased at least half of my book sales were as gifts to friends, neighbors, or family. I’m so happy to share my experiences and knowledge with caregivers, and those who seek a healthier lifestyle, and all I had to do is look around me.

Several Caregiver Workshops have been booked for the first quarter of the new year. Sheree, my editor, worked on making an awesome PowerPoint to go along with my presentation.

What Needs Tending and Tweaking

This is where I start to use my Word of the Year – POLISH.

Always wanting to improve for my Foodtalk4you readers, I will strive for weekly posts of a more consistent length.

That polishing elbow grease will be liberally applied to book marketing, which has been my weakness. Writing books is not a problem for me, but mastering the marketing they need in order get into reader’s hands has been lacking. I may even seek an agent and a publishing house.

One of the priorities for my Caregiver Workshops is to get into area community colleges, which is already in the works! That could mean continuing education points for students and attendees. My first out-of-state goal will be to hold workshops where I often travel.

Saturating my local market with information about Caregiver Workshops will require consistent outreach, public appearances, and expanding media formats. I’m going to attend a local workshop about marketing and media to learn how to do it.

Onward and upward!

Personal Insights from 2019

I accomplished a fair amount of reaching others by sharing ideas with them, but I have just scratched the surface. Clearly the next steps of “Polishing” will help fulfill the destiny that last year’s projects deserve.

Stepping up to the plate with my best effort daily is what is needed.

I feel ready for the job.

______

To register for a Caregiver Workshop to be held at Craven Community College in New Bern, North Carolina, go to this LINK.

There are three workshop dates currently on the books with different selections to meet the needs of caregivers’ schedules. College students can even earn .25 CEUs for attending.

DOWNLOAD/PRINTABLE CAREGIVER-WORKSHOP INFORMATION PDF

In health-

Deidra

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Blogging for good health!, Habit Building, This -n- That

And We’re Off … !

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It happened again – unbidden and out of the blue.

POLISH

Not relating to the country, but the verb and the resulting noun.

Polish something to make it gleaming. Note the fine polish.

The 2020 Word of the Year just floated into my mind sometime during the scurry and flurry of activities in December.

I put several irons to the fire in 2019 to “REACH others by sharing ideas with them.”

My focus this year is to POLISH each activity with care to reveal its deserved luster and outreach.

There is focused and intense work in polishing something. Consistent effort, pressure, polishing cloth and compound – all judiciously applied to make an object gleam – or make a project fulfill its destiny.

This is easily guiding my actions from timely home renovations; using my talents in the best way to maximize benefits for others; business marketing and even tidying up.

Just getting something done or out there is not enough. Am I polishing my efforts to get the best results? There may be changes – oh, dear! That dreaded word.

It’s okay if the change makes things better … more polished … the best version of itself.

Has your new personal Word of the Year come floating into your consciousness?

Write it down.

A post-it note will do – or something more elaborate to put in a prominent location as a beautiful reminder of your year’s intent.

A Word of the Year approach has far surpassed the fruitless exercise of New Year’s resolutions for me.

Try it.

Let one thought pervade all your activities this year – you’ll note great results because it’s a mindful approach to tweaking some aspects of your life.

No deadline – just a gentle leaning in and a refocus each day.

That’s the first idea.

The second one is going to become a new tradition for me that I hope sparks your imagination, as well.

We’ve all heard of gratitude journals. Do you write down something each night that brought gratitude to your heart that day? It’s been cited as being a practice that promotes a more positive frame of mind.

It’s just that I have so many journals around, I did not want another – and my bedside table does not need one more book on it.

If you can relate, perhaps the approach a dear friend just shared with me may inspire you as well!

As a cancer survivor, my friend participates in a Live Strong support group of fellow survivors. One of them shared the idea of a “good things” or “blessings” jar with her. As with any good idea, I am passing it on to you, my readers.

A new year lays out before us. Good and bad will happen. How about noting the good things each week – or more often – collect them in a jar, and review the blessings each New Year’s Eve?

Now residing in my kitchen is a jar equipped with a pen and baggy of blank blocks of paper ready to have the good things noted and deposited inside. See how I’ve set up my new habit in a way that will ensure success? No searching for a pen or a piece of paper. All set.

There are already several entries! The first was reconnecting with my dear friend on the phone to start the new year!

Take a picture of your jar, or Word of the Year picture/post-it note, and send it to me at foodtalk4you@gmail.com. I’ll share it on FoodTalk4You!

Wishing each of my readers much peace, love, natural health, and renewed focus on the positive in all you do in 2020!

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In health,

Deidre