Category Archives: Food Talk 4 You!

One of the most important elements to good health is how you fuel your body. Let’s talk about how you can make sure the fuel you are using is the best it can be!

Blogging for good health!, Exercise, Habit Building, Stress Reduction

Still Grateful and Breathing

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Remember my previous post about various breathing techniques, including Box Breathing and Emptying Breath?

Last week while scrolling through an author platform, I discovered an interesting book that called to me like sirens out of the deep. Written by a neonatologist, Edgar Reynoso Vanderhorst, MD, this book was about a holistic approach to health that included breathing techniques, and even tied into last week’s gratitude post featuring David Steindl-Rast.

In Wellness: Optimizing Yourself,  Dr. Vanderhorst mirrors Steindl-Rast in seeing the link of regular personal habits of gratitude to creating a more compassionate world.

How does this all tie together?

As I have written here before, positive thinking not only changes the hormonal chemistry of our bodies, but also influences the very structure and receptivity of our cells to positivity.

To paraphrase Steindl-Rast, gratitude comes from a place of satisfaction and a feeling of ‘enough’ rather than from a reminders of scarcity. Being grateful extends to better social connections that include respect and wanting the best for others.

Putting these together, we can see that transforming our own peace naturally leads to uplifting our interactions and concerns for others.

Dr. Vanderhorst has graciously agreed to share his thoughts with us on one aspect of wellness to combat the pull to our increasing stress response to today’s world.

His message to foodtalk4you readers:

“By incorporating simple breath practices, we can stabilize our minds, cultivate calmness and access our innate ability to choose how we respond to the world.

Physiology tells us, activating our parasympathetic nervous system reduces heart rate, oxygen consumption, and cortisol levels – a state described as calmness, which is what happens when we meditate.

Achieving this state can be simple. I developed a technique for myself that I implement daily to increase my awareness of the present moment that helps me navigate daily chaos in a more controlled way. I call this technique, “The Vanhorst Technique,” (meditation technique), which consists of simply taking a deep 4-second inhale, holding for 2 seconds, followed by a slow 6-second exhale, and holding for 2 seconds, repeating this cycle five times and working up to 10 minutes.

I usually practice this technique in the morning while lying in bed or when I’m in an emergency that requires my focused attention.”

Just yesterday, we witnessed horrible images of violence taking place at a political rally in America. Clearly, we need to have calming techniques ready to always use.

We can light only one candle to give light to a dark world, dear readers, and that’s our own.

Calming down with a breathing technique and staying in the moment to find what we are grateful for – even in an unpleasant situation – can help brighten our inner candle and set us up for a mindset that creates a listening ear, a reasoning mind, and helps us appreciate differences in the people around us.

In health – Deidre

Let me know in the comments below how you use breathing and reminders of gratitude to reframe your inner self.

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

Stop. Look. Go!

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Our parents’ simple, sage advice may well be the secret to life!

In his TED Talk, David Steindl-Rast presents the ultimate brief on happiness, and how living gratefully is the key to any circumstance.

With over 9 million views, his less than 15-minute talk represents a paradigm shift that transforms personal happiness – and, ultimately, world peace!

It all started with my quest to learn more about his quote:

“It is not happiness that makes us grateful,

but gratefulness that makes us happy.”

Ever notice how some people carrying the weight of the world can often seem to be the most content, while others who have food, shelter, and good health seem to be burdened and unhappy?

What’s up with that?

Could be gratitude.

It’s a chicken and the egg kind of thing. Which comes first?

Listen to David Steindl-Rast to learn how happiness does not come before gratefulness. It’s the other way around.

The “secret sauce” is in his simple formula of:

Stop

Look

Go

Stop the merry-go-round to be in the present moment. Is that hard to do? Sometimes I instruct myself with an audible, “STOP!”

Then, look around, and be open in your senses – absorb the sight, sound, smell, taste, and feel of the moment and enjoy the good that you can find.

Be open in your heart to the opportunity of that moment for you. Sometimes that opportunity is something difficult, very difficult, but it’s an opportunity for you to grow.

The final step is simply – go.

Take the life opportunity of that present moment and go forth to really do something.

The last five minutes of his message is pivotal for both personal and world happiness, starting with:

“…if you are grateful, you are not fearful, and if you’re not fearful, you are not violent.”

I want to quote his entire summary.

I want to make a poster of it to read and internalize every day.

If you are looking for a positive word, something to start a dialogue, or the path for your next step, take a few minutes to listen to his message.

In health and filled with gratitude –

Deidre

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Blogging for good health!, Stress Reduction

Gone Fishin’

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When we first moved to Eastern North Carolina in 1980 from California, there was some culture shock.

People, unknown to me, would give a friendly wave when passing by.

There was the whole southern drawl thing – which I adored and secretly tried to emulate for a time.

“Bless his heart” took on a new meaning.

I grew to love collards, okra, and assorted greens.

Barbeque did not mean sliced grilled beef with red sauce.

Iced tea came SWEET!

There was one other cultural phenomenon that irritated us at the time that is hardly ever seen anymore.

Namely, businesses shuttered their doors the first week or so of July. Period.

Gone fishin’.

Need a car part? Catch us sometime around the 8th.

How about plumbing supplies? Nope. Closed for the week.

If you needed an oil filter, a fitting for under the sink, or much anything else, you were simply out of luck.

In those days, folks in the area took their family vacation time and the Fourth of July very seriously, indeed.

We look back at those precious, seemingly backward and inefficient times while shaking our heads.

Maybe we shouldn’t.

This girl is going to hang out the “Gone fishin’” sign and skedaddle to Hot-Lanta to take in some family time, attend a Braves’ game, and watch some fireworks!

In health –

Deidre

Blogging for good health!, Stress Reduction

Life Under the Parachute

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The image remains clear in my mind today.

I was a videographer recording footage for a sales presentation for a company that runs long-term care facilities, for severe and profoundly handicapped children. The kids and their helpers were in a gymnasium, standing in a circle – and each one had a grip on the edge of a small parachute.

“Up!”

Their arms went to raise the parachute as they watched it billow into a dome, and then gradually float back down to the floor when they dropped their arms. Up and down. They laughed and giggled with delight.

Sometimes, a worker would take a child with them into the center of the parachute just as it was starting to billow. Then, before it deflated, they would rush back out! Such fun!

As a caregiver, I felt like that parachute had settled down on top of me and my loved one. We could not get out. There were no giggles.

We all experience situations when we feel like we are living under that deflated parachute with no way out.

There was a phase when I privately punched and railed at that parachute, as it limited – not only my physical space – but also my view of the future.

Punch. Punch. Punch.

Then I realized there was a choice to make.

I could keep fighting to get a beautiful open sky of possibilities above me, or I could look more intently at my new world – under the parachute – to discover the depth and wonders of what was at arm’s length.

Grab a magnifying glass and study the shape, size, texture and design of a leaf or a flower. There are worlds smaller than that under the surface you are studying!

Just because we are denied the vastness of a journey to … anywhere … does not mean there is not an equally large world available to us close by.

While the patisseries in Europe may miss seeing you this year, you can learn more about baking that luscious treat yourself at home.

If that hamster cage is getting smaller and smaller as you run your daily course, make sure to value and celebrate yourself – even during the briefest of respites.

Life, I believe, is a mind game from within that requires great control over our daily actions and responses.

Life under the parachute, especially, demands an awareness of possibilities and mindsets which, in turn, requires daily, hourly, or moment-by-moment resets in thinking – to avoid the slippery slope of despair.

When my thinking was right, I learned to stop punching, and began to stretch and move more gracefully under that parachute.

A quote by William James came my way today that may inspire you:

“Acceptance of what has happened is the first step to overcoming the consequences of misfortune.”

I value your comments and encourage you to share this post using the options under the MORE button below.

In health –

Deidre

Blogging for good health!, This -n- That

Hair Relaxers and Cancer

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Health Alert!

For eons it seems, people – especially women – want to look different than the way they were born.

You know the drill. Maybe you can find yourself in these scenarios:

One of my students was blessed with drop-dead gorgeous blonde hair. While other young women were doing everything in their power to become blonde, this high school senior dyed her hair black.

Other students with curly hair turned to flat irons or straighteners to loosen or lose their curls.

I finally stopped getting permanent waves on my straight hair and learned to embrace my true self, only using curling irons to add a bit of curl.

Today, I read an article on my free New York Times news feed that, while not totally surprising, nonetheless shocked and shook me to the bone.

And it made me sad.

And mad.

Written by a NY Times contributing magazine writer, Linda Villarosa, this article, “Relaxer Reckoning,” revealed a year’s worth of research and interviews concerning hair relaxers and their links to early puberty, uterine fibroids, preterm birth, infertility, and cancers, (breast, ovarian, and uterine).

I know Caucasians who get their curly hairlocks relaxed; but the author cited that almost 90% of Black women have used a chemical hair relaxer to straighten their hair – often starting when little girls.

Beyond the fact that women are buying into the allure or need to look different, (that’s a complicated sociological conversation for another day), researchers are seeing a practice – often started in childhood – that may be the link to why Black women are experiencing such a high rate of uterine and other cancers.

Citing a 2022 study  that followed almost 34,000 women for 10 years, Villarosa shared that those who frequently used hair-straightening products, were nearly twice as likely to develop uterine cancer as those who did not.

The European Union is actively involved in regulating 1,300 chemicals used in cosmetics, while the United States had restricted only nine. Five of the chemicals banned in Europe are used in hair relaxers used by, mostly, Black children and women in America.

One of those chemicals is formaldehyde and is yet to be regulated.

Oh yes, there are lawsuits; but the products are still available, and the ingredients are still not regulated.

In the meantime, Black women are facing cancer, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and the life-changing results of not being able to start a family.

Our skin is our largest organ! One of its critical jobs is absorption. It does not take a great leap to understand that exposing our skin to harsh chemicals might cause bad things.

Thinking that US regulators have our back when it comes to safe ingredients in things we use is a false comfort. We need to educate ourselves and advocate for change.

I have long been troubled by the statistics showing persistently higher rates of preterm labor for Black women – despite efforts to expand their access to prenatal healthcare. Maybe the use of these products could be a factor?

There is no one simple answer for any issue; but the parallels of those using chemical relaxers and the alarmingly higher incidence of cancers and preterm labor among users cannot be ignored.

It’s sad to think any woman believes she needs to change her looks to fit in or feel beautiful.

It’s inconceivable to assume we are not better protected from hazardous chemicals.

What can one person do?

If you are using such chemicals on your hair – STOP!

If you have friends or family who are using relaxers, share this post using the options under the MORE button below and start a conversation about how they can change their health for the better.

Get educated and advocate for protective regulations.

In health –

Deidre

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

Which Came First, The Chicken or The Egg?

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Continuing Education requirements were beckoning me to ramp up my learning for the biennial renewal of my nursing license.

I am taking a deeper dive into topics I already like, (ex.: probiotics), and am gleaning some new information from other areas of interest.

The course about the frequency of depression among people with diabetes promised to offer something that could be of great value to foodtalk4you readers.

Did you know depression is the leading cause of disability in the world?

I learned that people with diabetes are 1.5 times more likely to also have depression. And yet, depression is only treated in about a third of those with diabetes.

Also, mothers in one study who had gestational diabetes, (diabetes symptoms showing only in pregnancy), had a twofold increase in post-partum depression than those without diabetes.

Back to the original question, which came first? Is there a link between depression and diabetes?

Well, we can’t answer that one today, BUT we can be on the lookout for signs of depression when diabetes is on board.

Why would that be important other than general quality of life?

The daily management of diabetes through self-care is jeopardized when depression is also present. Living a life with depression and diabetes is reflected in poorer outcomes, complications, and earlier death.

Can you see this added diagnosis in yourself, in a friend, or loved one?

A condition called diabetes distress is the emotional response to living with diabetes when the following are experienced:

  1. less than optimal self-management of diabetes
  2. elevated A1-C levels (blood level reflecting long-term blood glucose levels)
  3. more frequent episodes of severe, low blood sugar
  4. decreased quality of life

Those with diabetes and depression might experience:

  1. anxiety and guilt about their inability to self-manage their condition,
  2. fears about long-term effects,
  3. constant concerns about food and eating – all the while knowing daily ups and downs of blood glucose levels can generate feelings of fatigue and anxiety anyway.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a decline in successfully managing their diabetes and their quality of life is being affected, the health care provider should be alerted to the possibility of depression.

The good news is, there are so many therapies that can address depression. Some may be as simple as connecting with others socially, to prescriptions that will ease the symptoms and not aggravate diabetes.

Addressing what may be a hidden depression for someone with diabetes, could be a double blessing for them because their diabetes can be better controlled when their depression is controlled.

That’s a win-win.

It’s easy to share this post using the options under the MORE button below. Thanks for reading.

In health –

Deidre

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

Fingers and Toes!

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There is the childhood song, “Head, shoulders, knees, and toes,” that gets the little ones moving around while they point to body parts, but this post is not that.

Today, we’re looking at fingernails and, mostly, toenails.

I thought my research – based on a hot tip from a loved one who is having success with a home remedy – would be straightforward.

Whew! Two hours later, and I’m just now crawling out of the rabbit hole!

The Latin word part, onych, refers to toenails and fingernails.

Throw on a variety of letters afterwards and you get: slitting nails with ridges (onychorrhexis), nail lifting with fungus (onychomycosis), nail lifting without a fungal infection (onycholysis) … you get the picture.

After a year of using over-the-counter and prescription treatments for my unhappy big toenails, improvements seem to have plateaued.

Upon learning that a home remedy seemed to be yielding better results for someone, I thought there was nothing to lose in trying it.

Enter Tea Tree oil – also known as Melaleuca oil – derived from an Australian tree.

Did applying this oil to my nails after filing and buffing their surface really make a difference?

Well, yes.

There’s enough improvement that I will continue the twice daily application of Tea Tree oil to see if I can finally turn the corner toward healthy toenails.

My dive into all things “onycho” has revealed detailed advice about step-by-step nail care, how many people think Tea Tree oil should be diluted by another oil to enhance absorption and to ward off irritation, and that additional ingredients (including 10% undecylenic acid) creates the perfect balance.

The dilution of 10% undecylenic acid seems to be only available through that one company selling it HERE. Everyone else uses 25%. Hmmm.

I will be upping my toe hygiene game, however, just in case there is a fungal infection present with my nail lifting problems.

Sanitation of all nail trimming, filing, and buffing implements is key. Don’t forget foot soaking areas, care surfaces, and towels, and wear gloves!

When keeping the nail as short as possible without discomfort, and gently filing and buffing the nail surface to thin and smooth the surface, care must be taken to thoroughly clean equipment each time – even between one toe and the next. Nail trimming, filing, and buffing are not done daily, but the application of the Tea Tree oil is done morning and night.

Here are some other hints for happy, healing toes:

After careful daily cleaning, make sure the toes are thoroughly dry – using a hair dryer is recommended.

After the application of the Tea Tree oil (or the expensive 10% mixture), allow nails to dry completely before putting on socks and shoes or going to bed.

Make sure to wear open-toed shoes or roomy, well-fitting shoes along with moisture-wicking socks to prevent moisture build up. Use clean socks daily and rotate shoes to allow for proper drying.

Nail lifting can be the result of foot injury – how well I remember walking too far in the wrong shoes!

There’s no guarantee this is going to result in total improvement for me or you. I just wanted to share some anecdotal evidence that it might be helpful.

So far, there have been no bad reactions to the full-strength Tea Tree oil, and things are looking better. As an experiment, I’m trying this approach with the splitting fingernails as well!

Just wanted to share – which you can do as well, using the options under the MORE button below.

In health –

Deidre

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

Heal Thyself

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How often do we read about some high-profile guru dispensing advice about … just about anything … who fails to follow their own suggestions and burns out in flames?

While I am not a high-profile guru to be sure, I do self-checks to verify that I am modeling my beliefs in balance, harmony, and all the aspects of self-care expressed here at foodtalk4you.

Lately, there have been too many spinning plates, and I have felt like a circus juggler trying to keep all those plates balanced on their poles.

Most of the, seemingly, high-priority projects have been of my own creation: writing and speaking deadlines, book relaunch deadlines, Garden Club, and other neighborhood obligations. Car problems just plopped into my lap, uninvited to boot.

Then there are the personal, family, and dear friend concerns and events that are most important of all.

I paused the other day when given another choice to maintain an obligation over the summer or to step back.

This was a seminal moment, and with a great sense of power for my self-care, I said, “No.”

So it is, dear readers, I am keeping my message this week brief.

My thirteen-month-old grandson naps upstairs, while we enjoy an amazing and rare, full-family visit for two weeks.

I am choosing family above all this week.

There are pressing issues and deadlines that will gradually be tackled in these next two weeks; but I think it a worthy, albeit short, message to share with you the need for life balance is critical.

Are you on a precipice? Do you feel yourself nearing a ‘splat?’

Our undone projects would probably go on if we dropped dead. Why do we need to die to take a break?

Maybe we cannot take an extended leave, but a mental health day/morning/hour to reset can do us all a world of good.

Next week, I hope to share some very exciting news! Until then, breathe and choose what is the most important of all for you.

In health –

Deidre

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

Happy Hour!

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A listener to my webinar, Unique Tips for Family Caregivers That Will Amaze You, recently confided in me that my tip to, “bring the party home,” in a caregiving setting – imparted a special message to her even though she was not currently a caregiver.

She and her husband both work; and apparently, they have been morphing from working, to doing their evening time routine without any fanfare. No pause. No exchange of thoughts.

When she heard me describe how happy hour was such a lifeline to both me and my loved one, and how it gradually changed over time but was always maintained, she got to thinking about her own life.

That very night, she asked her husband to stop what he was doing so they could sit on the front porch together for just a few minutes. To pause. To reflect on their day.

Ten minutes.

No alcohol.

Soda and iced tea.

They got out of their respective work selves to just be them. Together. Having a moment.

She practically had tears in her eyes as she related to me how this simple idea – although golden for caregivers – transformed their evening and blessed their relationship as well – and is really a golden idea for everyone.

So, remember happy hour – every night.

Alone? Call a friend over.

Want to socialize a bit extra? Call some more friends over.

Fancy charcuterie trays are optional. A bowl of gluten-free pretzels will do nicely.

Also optional is alcohol. Hot or cold coffee, tea is great, or try sparkling water with a splash of fruit juice.

Want to be alone tonight? Find a special spot to relax, reflect, and to tie up the busy day before jumping into dinner prep.

No cell phones.

Just sayin’.

In health –

Deidre

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

May Thoughts

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Thoughts?

Maybe ‘random thoughts’ would be more appropriate.

My mind is wandering in several directions about things I want to share with you.

First, I hope everyone was able to enjoy beautiful moments this past weekend as Mother’s Day was celebrated in the United States. Whether in a shared event together, or in a precious memory of your own mother or mother-figure in your life, I hope you were able to honor that mothering influence.

Second, because of a great conversation with my dental hygienist recently, I am re-reading Breath – The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor.

In 2021, I wrote two posts about breathing, HERE and HERE, because his message was life changing in its simplicity and in its depth.

“What do you mean?” you ask. “How hard is it to breathe?”

Whether you are a new or old subscriber to foodtalk4you, I urge you to read those two posts. I also hope you will be intrigued enough to purchase and dive into his book.

My hygienist understands the very tight connectivity of all the elements that affect our health, and we both agreed that those connections are probably even tighter than we had imagined.

To wit – could my reflux be tied to other issues in the GI tract, and is it causing the need for throat clearing at night, and could that all be due to breathing abnormalities while asleep?

Oh, my. So many questions.

But I do know to look inward for most of my cures – both from exploring my mindset and in exploring my actions in eating, moving, and living.

A couple of months ago, I was relieved to hear that I could safely take my antacid twice a day. Man! That second dose around 5 pm really helped with late evening reflux – for a while.

After that conversation with my hygienist, a switch flipped in my brain. Our stomach is supposed to maintain an acidic environment.

What was I doing while trying to neutralize everything?

What was that doing to the rest of my GI system? The balance in my small intestine – home to my microbiome – would surely be affected.

And how about the quality of my sleep? While not a mouth breather, maybe I was just not taking in enough air because of my poorly constructed nasal passages.

Should I resume wearing a nose strip to keep my nostrils more open?

Hey, I stopped using those nose strips a couple of years ago … just when that reflux started to ramp up!

In truth, I cut my nose strips into three strips because that was enough to do the job.

That very day, I had a different mindset. Following the creed that ‘we are designed for health,’ I rooted around to figure out what action I was doing impeding my health.

So, I resumed my nightly nose strip ritual and have not taken a single antacid since.

Continuing to closely monitor normal dietary reflux triggers – spicy foods, bending over too soon after eating, and excessive alcohol – I am feeling I am on the road to straightening out some health issues.

My message to all is, how we breathe makes an enormous difference in health matters that may seem far removed from the nose.

If you or someone you know is frequently clearing their throat, there is a strong likelihood there may be a reflux issue involved. There may also be inhibited breathing.

Maybe a sleep study will be needed for some people if the recommendations in Breath do not help, but it’s worth checking out, getting informed, and following up.

It’s a beautiful day to breathe freely and clearly. As always, sharing this post is easy using the options under the MORE button below.

In health –

Deidre