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This and That

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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

 

 

 

Blogging for good health!, Food Talk 4 You!, Recipes

Thanksgiving’s Secret Sauce!

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New Bern, NC ­ ­- “It bears repeating,” so said my darling husband … often.

This truly merits a repeat! The keystone ingredient to holiday meals – in my humble opinion – rests with the cranberry sauce. Not the golden, moist turkey or the succulent ham.

No, my friends, give me a quality cranberry sauce that will sparkle next to the aforementioned meats, but will also redeem less-than-stellar attempts at the perfect protein.

Many eschew any form of cranberry sauce. Poor devils. They’ve never tasted mine.

When you grab a sack of cranberries to make the standard issue recipe – grab TWO bags!

It’s that good.

You’ll want to make a vat of this stuff now – and one for later. Some to share, (Oops, it’s gone!), and some to, (greedily), keep for yourself.

You will also want to throw a large navel orange, a small container of raspberries, and a pear into your cart.

Okay. I know this is getting weird but hang with me.

Here’s the recipe:

ULTIMATE CRANBERRY SAUCE

Ingredients:

2 bags of fresh cranberries, rinsed and sorted through for the elusive “bad ones”

1 large navel orange, washed and cut into halves lengthwise

1 pear, washed, peeled, cut into quarters, and cored

1 cinnamon stick

About 15 whole cloves

Nutmeg to taste – I had only powdered Nutmeg and used maybe a ¼ tsp or so; fresh grated would be great

1 ½- 1 ¾ cups sugar (save the last quarter cup to zero in on the sweetness later on during cooking)

1 ½ cups water

Directions:

Rinse raspberries and place into a small sauce pan with just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Cook on medium heat until all bubbly.

Place a sieve over a bowl. Pour raspberries and their juices into sieve. Using a spoon or rubber spatula, press the berries through the sieve until only seeds remain.

Scrape all the raspberry goodness off into the bowl.

Put cleaned and sorted cranberries into a large soup pot and add raspberry mash, water, sugar, and cinnamon stick. Set heat on stove to medium and start cooking the berry mixture.

While the berries slowly heat up, peel half of the orange and cut flesh up into small pieces; add to the cooking berries. Cut the other half orange with rind into thirds lengthwise and then make very thin slices; add to berries as well.

Dice up the peeled pear. I usually make a small dice by slicing through the thick part of each pear quarter, make lengthwise slices of both layers, then cut horizontally to make small pieces. Add pear to the cooking berries.

Stir the cooking berry mixture every few minutes.

Once everything is in the pot, add the remaining spices. Take the round head off each clove stem and rub between your first two fingers over the berries. Discard all clove stems. Add nutmeg to taste. Stir.

At some point when the berries start to pop, I will put a lid on the pot. From here on out, every time you stir, use the back of the wooden stirring spoon to smush the whole cranberries on the side of the pot. Lower the temperature a bit to allow for longer, slower cooking.

Ladle out a sample to test for sweetness – but remember to let it cool off first! Ouch!

Add that last ¼ cup or less of sugar to make the sauce “just right” for you.

When you deem the sauce is finished cooking by noting the consistency and the popped state of the berries, turn off the heat and allow to cool a bit. Remove the cinnamon stick.

Pour sauce into a couple bowls (this is a double recipe) and allow to cool on the counter, then cover and refrigerate if not eating immediately. This is a great make-ahead recipe and it lasts for a week or more in the refrigerator.

All you have to do now is wait for the raves!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Deidre

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

Pumpkin, Turkey, and Tears

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New Bern, NC ­- We are in the midst of what are supposed to be some of the happiest times of the year: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukah, and New Year’s Day – to name a few. Maybe a birthday or an anniversary will be added to the mix. Some of us, however, may be caught up in the poignancy of All Saints’ Day Memorials – remembering those who have passed away in the last year – or in Veterans’ Day tributes to those who have given their all for us in battles of war.

Still others are recovering from the storms and insults of life, or people who have left us feeling wreaked and gutted.

Whether it was Hurricane Florence or bitter family disputes that may have resulted in the physical and emotional rugs being jerked out from under us, many of us are just trying to suck in all of our emotions.

Stiff upper lip and all of that.

But is that the right approach?

Wisdom from the old adage about “a good cry will do you good” goes way beyond recognizing that a few moments of catharsis just feels good. There’s actual science behind this!

Here’s a summary of today’s research. Sources are cited at the conclusion of this post.

Tears are produced round-the-clock; in fact, our lacrimal glands produce about 10 ounces of   tears a day and 30 gallons a year. Toddlers probably exceed that.

There are three types of tears:

Basal tears – the protein-rich ones that are produced to provide moisturizing and antimicrobial benefits with each blink.

Reflex tears – the kind that happen as a natural reaction to irritants such as dust, wind, or onions.

Emotional tears – these are the ones we are talking about with crying. Crying is a natural human response to stress.

Turns out, tears have many physiological and psychological benefits from the chemicals they contain:

Tears release toxins from the body – The tears we release when crying actually wash away the chemicals that raise the stress hormone (cortisol) inside of us. Other chemicals found in our emotional tears include the “feel good” hormones, called endorphins, that help to decrease pain.

Chemicals in tears can kill bacteria – The antimicrobial properties in tears are so strong, they can destroy the cell wall of bacteria, and have been shown to help kill anthrax.

Tears improve vision – Who hasn’t noticed their blurry vision improve with the addition of moisture?

Tears improve our moods – Thanks to their hormone rich content – the happy, feel good, and pain-relieving hormones, oxytocin and endorphins, tears have been shown to work better than an antidepressant for self-soothing and mood elevation according to a 2008 study.

Tears relieve stress – Stress activates our Sympathetic Nervous System or our fight-or-flight response. Tears counter that by activating our calming system called the Parasympathetic System. Again, our tears cause the stress hormones and toxins to wash away, thereby reducing tension. As one article pointed out, tears are certainly a healthier option to punching a brick wall and cause no physical injury, no headaches, and do not contribute to higher blood pressures.

Tears can enhance communication – Tears can defuse tense moments and can put an emphasis on the emotional component of a verbal exchange.

So, like so many seemingly exclusively emotional things, tears in crying are the result of a build-up of stress in our body. This stress is not just in our heads, it’s physically in our bodies in the form of real hands-on hormones and toxins.

A good cry helps to physically wash those bad guys from our system and allows for the addition of feel-good and pain-relieving hormones. It’s that simple.

If you aren’t going to be home for Christmas; if your family does not look like a Norman Rockwell painting; if you are going to spend the first holidays without a special someone; chances are, a good cry may come your way.

That’s okay.

Hallmark movies are great opportunities to shed a self-focused tear or two. But my wish for you and myself is to make an extra effort to reach out to others in similar circumstances (or worse) and be a light in the darkness for them. Call others on a whim. Surprise an acquaintance with a small gift or flower, or physically be there for someone in need.

Now, if you find yourself crying all of the time for no apparent reason, or if it’s uncontrollable, you may need more than another box of Kleenex. You may need to see the doctor. Be alert for signs of depression in yourself or others which will also include some, or all, of the following indicators:

  • Trouble concentrating or focusing your thoughts
  • Trouble making even small decisions
  • Extra fatigue or loss of energy
  • Feelings of worthlessness, guilt, or helplessness
  • Feeling hopeless
  • Sleeping too much or not enough
  • Once pleasurable activities no longer give you pleasure
  • Over- or under- eating
  • Unexplained aches and pains
  • Anxiety that does not go away
  • Suicidal thoughts or self-harming actions

Depression will not be fixed by a good cry. Depression is not fixed by “pulling up your own boot straps.” If you see yourself in the list above, please make contacting a physician a priority. You do not have to feel like that. There is help!

Enjoy your pumpkin. Enjoy your turkey. And, yes, enjoy the benefits of a good cry. We all need to indulge once in a while!

In health-

Deidre

Medicaldaily.com, Lizette Borreli, May 19, 2015

Psychologytoday.com, Judith Orloff, MD, July 27, 2010

Medicalnewstoday.com, Lena Burgess, October, 7, 2017

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

New Beginnings

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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

 

 

 

 

 

Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Blogging for good health!, Food Talk 4 You!, Habit Building, Titles Worth Reading

Earliest Food Explorers

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I’ve been a silent blogger of late. Somehow the inspiration of sharing helpful messages about healthful habits and recipes with my readers escaped me. Earlier this year, I pushed through the pressing personal concerns surrounding me to nurture the creative process, but I have sort of let you down of late. Apologies.

I had been trying a different coping technique, whereby, I gave in to my limited bandwidth. I just concentrated on being a dedicated caregiver and staying active, with weekly trips to the gym and outings to enjoy a leisurely breakfast in solitude. It was so nice drinking coffee I did not brew and eating a brunch I did not prepare. A needed journey in self-indulgence, perhaps.

Then there was springtime at the local nurseries! I wrote about the rejuvenating atmosphere found in nurseries last year (HERE), and I, once again, bathed in the essences of new growth and promise. Spent a bundle buying my little plants, but I am assured of months of color and beauty.

I get a relaxing therapy session every time I look out the back windows. Why, even doing dishes is fun while glancing up to appreciate my own little Eden.

 

But something was missing.

 

When there’s a song in your heart, you sing – right?

The teacher/writer in my soul still wants to help others.

Looking around some of my favorite online resources for nutrition and book marketing, I began to see, the nutrition camp is melding into a marketer’s paradise. So well, in fact, I hardly ever open their exhausting, sales-pitching emails anymore. I now recognize when I’m being encouraged and steered into making another purchase.

They are just trying to earn a living, I know; but the “lather, rinse, and repeat” process was becoming so transparent that it created a great ennui. It’s like putting the gum by the cash register. Here’s how it works:

Savvy marketers love labels. Identify (or create) a need. Write a book with an answer to that need. Write a blog to grow the mailing list. Sell a product that embraces the new hip label. Go to the bank.

Have you noticed the paleo writers all seem to have a side hustle about “Keto” related? After writing how-to books, recipe books, and countless blogs, my favorite paleo gurus are now on the Ketogenic bandwagon. Their new book releases all sport Keto-friendly labels. Their latest products are “Keto-centric” as well- meaning, they are totally focused on low-carb, high-fat foods.

Just another “trendy” diet?

New, deeper knowledge is never a bad thing. I’ve been aware of ketogenic diets for fifteen years as a part of successful approach to dealing with seizure disorders and perhaps a life-extending diet for cancer patients. Getting one’s metabolism to burn body fat through ketosis is all fine and good for weight loss as well.

When a new thought turns into a buzz word, however, I get a little suspicious – especially, if there are related products to sell. Of course, selling a product puts food on the seller’s table; I understand that.

While we’re at it, please buy my own book, Toolkit for Wellness! (Pssssst! There’s good stuff in it!)

But my readers are still floundering a bit with the whole label thing. Should they be learning about this new way of eating? Maybe there’s some keto magic pill they should be taking each morning? To be sure, there are books, blogs, recipes, and a ton of keto products to buy!

Is the label going to make you feel better?

NO!

LET’S RIP ALL LABELS OFF!

Label exploration can be an excuse to delay action – which is what is really needed – not study.

A recent Facebook posting by my son brings this very point home. With his permission, I am quoting his post to demonstrate what our actions are doing for us:

———————————————–

James: Wow! I gained, then lost, 12 lbs. inside 7 days. Because biscuits, gravy, syrup, and fried food, followed by none of that nonsense. Also zero trips to the gym.

Friend: What did you eat?

James: Make that 13 lbs. …. Garbage, essentially. Sweet, sweet, delicious garbage. Followed by the usual steak, salmon, eggs, sausage, bacon, olives, oils, tons of nuts, red wine, and lots of spinach salad…all the stuff I post food pics of! …down 35-40 lbs. in last year and was reasonably fit when I started. It’s just astounding though that carbs have such an overnight effect.

Friend: Diet is everything but exercise helps a lot too!

James: Exercise is a must, for sure, but seems to relate mostly to muscle mass and overall metabolic rate. Diet composition (rather than calories eaten…because I eat like a champ) seems to be directly tied to body fat % and water retention/bloat.

Friend: Sodium is another weight adder. I recently had a cheat day where lunch was a cheeseburger with chili cheese fries followed by Chinese for dinner. I woke up the next day 7 pounds heavier! Couldn’t believe it. Went back on the good diet and lost all that water weight in three days

James: Exactly. Crazy.

———————————————-

Our son posts mouth-watering pictures of his large Reverse Sear Steaks…  Oh, my goodness…  Along with huge green salads. No baked potatoes. No dishes of linguine.    

“Boy, his cholesterol must be through the roof! How’s that doing for him?”

Funny you should ask. The doctor just checked his levels and pronounced them “phenomenally good,” with a marked improvement in blood sugar readings, which were down from a pre-diabetic level 4 years ago.

Remember the science lesson from my book (listed above): Carbohydrates drive blood sugars and insulin levels, and insulin levels drive cholesterol. Done.

In the coming posts, I shall share some awesome, health-friendly, taste bud rapture-worthy meals that will send you to the kitchen to duplicate.

In the meantime, re-read James’ post. It’s really that simple. Love that boy! He’s been teaching Mama a trick or two that she’s going to be sharing with all of you!

In health-

Deidre

 

 

 

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

I’m Walkin’ On Sunshine …

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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

 

 

Blogging for good health!, Food Talk 4 You!

Welcome All! Let Our Journey Begin!

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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

 

 

 

 

Blogging for good health!, Food Talk 4 You!, Recipes

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

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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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blogging for good health!, Food Talk 4 You!

Embrace Your Word!

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“And the award for the Word of the Year goes to…”

No, it’s not that kind of thing, even though this is awards season.

Have you ever been directed in a yoga class to think of your intention for that session? I have; and it really helped me color what I was releasing with an exhale, and what I was absorbing when I was inhaling.

Sometimes my mind would drift to calm – worthy – flow … or other concepts that reflected my needs at the moment. We never shared our intentions … It was just something that helped us enrich our yoga experience, and something to carry with us as we walked out the door of the studio and back into the world.

Recently, I stumbled upon a book that promised to guide the reader through the process of selecting their own “Word for the Year.” The author’s website extolled the benefits of doing this, and how they were going to lead the reader through a process of questions and reflections in order to find that perfect word. Testimonies of readers praised the author and her process; they had been doing this for years and had experienced personal growth and achievement.

Okay. With my yoga experience as my own personal testimony, I could hang my hat on this idea. But in spite of being a self-help author myself, I just did not want to spend $14.99 to find my word … and I did not want to go through pages and pages of exercises to get one.

I just filed all this information away in my brain and heart.

Then, after ten days of being home bound due to snow and ice and a lack of caregivers for my husband, I was gratefully out and about once again, sitting at a favorite breakfast spot, sipping coffee.

“Embrace.”

The word just came to me out of nowhere. Well, I know where due to my personal faith.

Embrace is my word for the year. My personal intention for my inner self.

  • Embrace the day, this moment, and give to it my best.
  • Embrace myself, accepting myself as I am – warts and all.
  • Embrace others with good intentions and actions.
  • Embrace my gifts and use them.
  • Embrace my weaknesses and find a way to improve them or get help to do so.
  • Embrace even the hard situations in life; lean into them, and learn from them.
  • Embrace the beauty of the world and absorb it into my very being.

Every day I am finding new ways to embrace. I have been somewhat energized with this experience. It is improving my outlook and my take on each day’s activities, and I’m excited to share this concept with you, too.

Maybe you can ponder on this idea of creating your own Word of the Year.

If your life seems to be stuck, maybe you need a word such as reach, or grow, or discover.

If you are starting a long stretch of schooling, maybe words such as steps or empowered, or learning, would meet your needs.

Sorry, but I can’t offer a questionnaire nor probing exercise to plow through to get to your word. This is something you must find by your own journey!

“Just ponder on it, and it will come.”

Embracing my day-

Deidre

 

 

 

 

Blogging for good health!

Superbugs – The New Super Villians

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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!