Category Archives: Stress Reduction

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

Camino

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Traditionally, a Camino journey refers to the Camino de Santiago, The Way of St. James, which is a Christian pilgrimage to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, where the remains of the Apostle James are said to rest.

Pilgrams walked this route as an act of faith, repentance, and devotion as they sought forgiveness, spiritual renewal, or a closeness to God.

Today, the spiritual roots of taking this Camino have evolved into a profound, personal experience that draws people from all faiths, perspectives, and walks of life.

The actual Camino in Spain is a walk of hundreds of miles, testing physical strength, determination, and fortitude. Yet, the steady rhythm of walking becomes meditative, allowing travelers a chance to listen to their inner voice.

Also, the Camino is a shared experience as fellow pilgrims from around the world connect with conversation, kindness, and the shared effort – creating a sense of community amid simplicity, generosity, and mutual care.

Little did I know that our family’s week-long visit to Tucson, Arizona, and specifically, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, would become our Camino experience.

From the moment we arrived at the hotel campus, we had started our journey. Every day, we absorbed this new terrain, climate, flora, and fauna.

We learned how to correctly pronounce “Saguaro” – the remarkable sentinels of the desert landscape. Hint: replace the “gu” with a “w” to make: “sa – war- o.”

This incredible cactus reminded us of nature’s time frame – so different from our frantic, connected world. You can appreciate this landscape more deeply by viewing this growth chart for the Saguaro:

Then, we capped off our week with a visit to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Just driving through the mountains on narrow winding roads, sharing the way with cyclists and motorcyclists, provided a much slower pace deserving of our awe and wonder.

The whole outdoors seemed to span space and time, reminding us of the broader truths we each were seeking.

Getting out of the car at the museum, we experienced the rhythm of our steps trough vistas of dessert beauty.

Our communal experience as a family appreciating the desert animals – a Puma napping; two very large, speckled squirrels; black bear; prairie dogs, and others – along with a landscape that cannot be contained by words or pictures – was so personally moving.

On the path through the winding roads, we experienced yet another view of the mountains on our return trip back to our hotel.

Each new curve around the mountains seemed to take our breath away.

Then it happened.

As we approached one particular mountain view, we were all silent. Tears started to form in my eyes. One of us started to sniff.

Still now, I can cry just recalling the experience.

We were on our own Camino.

The intimate messages of this journey are still being absorbed. So much had transpired that week for our family – so much to savor, ponder, and cherish.

I will be forever changed.

Have you had a Camino experience?

In health – Deidre


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

A Season Of Rest

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I was putting the finishing touches on a presentation I will be delivering at the Caregiver Summit on November 6th when I took to heart my own words: we are living in a season of our lives – it’s not forever – it’s a season.

Seasons come and go – we do not become the season – we go through the seasons.

Going full speed ahead; facing delays; healing; giving; receiving … are some of the seasons we experience.

I feel at my best when I am doing and creating, but the energy for those activities comes from cycles of rest and renewal.

Sure, we are hopefully getting rest each night, but sometimes … sometimes we need more than a few hours.

Sometimes, we need to embrace a season of rest.

While my mind has been saying, “but I want to …” – my body and spirit are saying, “Whoa! Slow down!”

I’ve just felt a little ‘off’ lately.

There have been half-day holidays from productivity. There have been whole days of very limited accomplishments when only major ‘fires’ are being put out.

You know what? That’s okay.

While my get-up-and-go has not vanished by any means, it hasn’t been lasting as long.

Today, I just woke up to the truth. Rather than feeling ‘less-than,’ I am feeling ‘enough.’

That fragrant cup of tea needs to be savored – the Asian persimmon from the corner fruit stand is slowly enjoyed and appreciated for its subtle flavor.

The warmth of the sun on my back is enjoyed longer as I read yet another chapter of a good book.

Who am I to turn away from the natural ebb and flow?

It may be your season to rest for a spell, also.

Let the ordinary become a source of building up your inner strength:

As you hydrate with water, feel its life-giving energy filling you.

As you linger over a cup of herbal tea, imagine its steam taking your concerns away.

Gently stretch each morning to open pathways that allow the natural flow of inner cleansing and nourishment.

Pause to embrace a sense of gratitude throughout the day. Open you eyes to the blessings that surround you, even on challenging days.

Reward your body with simple, nourishing, and colorful whole foods. Let go of the processed food with labels.

Am I sounding Zen? Perhaps … why not?

As the seasons surround us in a purposeful change, so too can we embrace our seasons with acceptance – so its purpose may be fulfilled.

Writing this is one of just a few accomplishments for me today – and that is enough!

Time to catch the sunset!


In health –

Deidre

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

Finally! The Book Signing!

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Telling the Story!

But first – a message from Deidre and Sheree. We thought we could do it. Get enough posts written and ready to publish in advance of Sheree’s major surgery and my book release to carry us through the thick of things. There’s a saying about “best laid plans” …

What was not on the radar was a life-threatening surgical complication that necessitated yet another serious surgery and lengthy recovery for Sheree.

Thankfully, she seems to finally be on the mend. I can tell – Sheree’s practically begging me to send her some more posts to put in.

So, here we go – a short message of a recent event for me and a hint of what is to come for our foodtalk4you readers.

During a recent book signing event, I shared with a roomful of people from my neighborhood how I came to be a caregiver and then an author. Hint – the teacher in me could still teach others; but this time it is through books and the speaking presentations I am able to give. The messages I share come from having been a caregiver to a loved one.

It was tough selecting just the right passages from my latest book, Toolkit for Caregiver Emotions, that would both give an idea of what was inside the book and also tell a cohesive story.

I think I was able to paint the story correctly, and the audience seemed engaged and excited to implement the coping strategies and techniques they heard about, practiced together, and will finish reading about in their copies of my book.

After door prizes, I signed a lot of books!

That’s my story.

Now, what’s to come for you, my dear readers, will include several opportunities for you to learn about some new releases from authors you might not know.

I have reviewed so many new releases these past few months and several of them are superb. I will be sharing books containing stories of resilience, struggles and recovery, hope found in grief, and so much more!

There will be a Reader’s Corner post every so often, interspersed with our usual array of health tips, recipes, and some of the latest on how to bring your best self to each new day.

In health –

Deidre

A note from Sheree: I just wanted to thank everyone who thought about me, sent good wishes, and prayed for my recovery. I believe I am on the healing side of things, which has proven to be much longer than anyone expected. I appreciate every one! God bless …

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

Honesty

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Everything I write is honest, from the heart, and from a mind seeking truth in all things.

So, being honest with myself and taking that truth to you, I am finding another teaching/sharing moment! Always a win!

I am putting into action more of what I preach – namely, knowing when it’s time to step back, take a breath, and prioritize my energies, and those of Sheree.

With our FoodTalk4You editor, Sheree preparing for surgery in a couple of days, (as I write this in mid-August), and with me involved with the book launch, preparing for a book signing later in September, and practicing for the Caregiver Summit presentation for November – I’m spinning all the plates I want.

Therefore, this is a short post containing a reminder to us all that it’s okay to pause, recharge, and concentrate in a better way on fewer things.

Next week, we hope to be back up to speed.

Is it time for you to reassess where your energies are going? How can you make the adjustments to give yourself space?

In health – hopefully – working and living smarter –

Deidre – and Sheree (who will be rehabbing in September)

Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Blogging for good health!, Habit Building, Stress Reduction, Titles Worth Reading

The Birthday Garden

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A cake with candles? Awesome!

And people who sing happy birthday? Fabulous!

But a garden? A birthday garden?

This was a new idea for me and was a gift from a trusted resource to mark my own recent birthday.

Our reflections of where we are now, and where we want to be in the future, often exist just in those few seconds it takes to catch a deep breath to blow out those candles on the cake.

The Birthday Garden is a tool developed by Julia Poernbacher, M.Sc., which is a metaphor she uses to reflect on the past year, celebrating personal growth, and to set intentions for the future.

Here’s a summary of the steps:

Look at your garden

With closed eyes, take a few deep breaths, and visualize your unique garden space:

What does it look like? Is it thriving or does it need care?

What’s growing? The flowers and plants represent your successes, joys, and potentials

How about weeds? They represent your challenges, habits, and things that no longer serve you.

Are there areas that need more attention or feel neglected?

Celebrate the harvest

The ‘fruits’ of your harvest are your successes, the moments of fulfillment through experiences and relationships of the last year.

Identify three significant successes or joyful experiences.

Reflect on what helped those successes bloom: what actions, people, or circumstances played a part?

Reflect on what those successes taught you and how they made you feel.

Pull the weeds

Maintenance is a part of every garden’s upkeep. Consider the habits, limiting beliefs, people, or challenges that may have held back your growth, no longer serving you.

Reflect on three things you are ready to release that have held back your growth. Perhaps, create a releasing ritual to help you let go of them. Consider writing them down on papers and holding each one close to your chest as you reflect on how it has affected you. Acknowledge its role in your life and how it made you feel. Then, with a deep breath in and out, set that paper down away from you.

Plant new seeds

Choose what you want to plant in your garden for the new year ahead.

What personal qualities do you want to develop, and what are the exact steps you will take to nurture them?

Reflect on three goals, qualities, or intentions for your garden, aligning your ‘seed’ with your action steps to keep it alive.

Tending your garden

As you create a plan for success, consider how you will maintain your garden through the coming year, asking yourself:

What goal am I growing? What habits will help me? How will I stay accountable? Who or what can support my efforts? How will I know that I have succeeded?

A vision statement

Write one that summarizes your over-arching goals and keep it somewhere you can see a reminder.

For example: “This year, I nurture a more-balanced approach to my efforts and interests. Being mindful that change takes time, I will celebrate the small victories all year long!”

In health –

Deidre

It’s 100% live! Toolkit for Caregiver Emotions is now available both in print and as an eBook! Pre-orders have been delivered today by Amazon! Get yours today HERE.

This has been a flower in my garden that has taken extra love, attention, and time for it to blossom! Please share this helpful resource with caregivers you know. The emotional tangle family caregivers experience is often the last topic to be addressed when, in fact, it should be top of the list!

If you have read it – Thank you! Please leave a helpful review on Amazon to help others discover a path to resilience in caregiving.

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

Save The Date!

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With our editor, Sheree, recovering from surgery as you read this, I am sending her this post in mid-August so she can get it set up to send out in advance of her surgery. Wishing you well, sweet friend! Speedy recovery!

It is with great pleasure that I announce I will be speaking at a special conference designed for family caregivers!

Sponsored by the WellMed Charitable Foundation, along with their podcast Caregiver SOS, and with Alamo Area Council of Governments – Area Agency on Aging, Drs. Barry Jacobs, and Julia Mayer will be the morning speakers and I will be presenting in the afternoon.

WellMed does so much to support family caregivers, and I have appeared on their Caregiver SOS podcasts several times. Area Agencies on Aging, nationwide, offer tremendous resources for family caregivers.

My presentation is, “Strong Enough to Care: The Caregiver’s Trifecta for Surviving and Thriving,” in which I will highlight how prioritizing yourself, accepting help, and daily self-care can save your sanity – and your spirit.

This is a FREE event that is online and in person! All you need to do is register using the QR code or by calling 1-866-390-6491.

The in-person locations are located in:

San Antonio

Corpus Christi

Brownsville

Harlingen

McAllen

Dallas

Two locations in the Orlando, Florida area

So, dear readers, please share this with your friends, family, house of worship – or anywhere! And if you are a caregiver or someone who supports a caregiver, register for this event!

CEUs are available for nurses and social workers.

A similar Spanish Language Caregivers Summit is also happening on Thursday, November 13, 2025, 10 am – 12:30 pm CT. Different speakers – same great impact to help family caregivers!

In health, and with love and prayers for Sheree’s recovery!

Save the date! Thursday, November 6, 2025, 10 am – 1 pm CT

Deidre

Blogging for good health!, Exercise, Habit Building, Stress Reduction, Titles Worth Reading

Greetings Healthy Deviant!

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Strange title for this week’s post. Healthy Deviant.

But really, it’s why I got into the business of writing this blog and my first book.

I saw the need to be a healthy deviant from the evolving norms of health in my country, and anywhere we had influence – especially about food.

That’s just about everywhere!

As we look around, we can see different norms in the population than what our parents saw.

Quoting from Pilar Gerasimo’s book, The Healthy Deviant: The Rule Breaker’s Guide to Being Healthy in an Unhealthy World, the ‘norm’ today looks like this:

50% of U.S. adults are diagnosed with a chronic illness

68% are overweight or obese

70% are taking at least one prescription drug (for folks over 60, the average is FIVE)

80% are mentally or emotionally ‘not flourishing’

97.3% are not maintaining healthy habits (decent nutrition, adequate exercise, not smoking, healthy body composition)

It takes concerted effort to not become part of this norm.

The options that surround us hardly inspire health. Interspersed between endless commercials pedaling drugs with the promise to solve the ills of all the ‘normal’ chronic diseases are:

ads for double-dosed perfumed laundry products that will smell ‘so good’ longer,

ads for fast food dripping with cheese-like substances and deep fried accoutrements

and over-sized portions of restaurant fare that would clock in with calories exceeding what is needed in a day

What to do?

Resist!

Yes, we might join a picket line somewhere; but the resistance that we’re talking about happens with every choice we make.

Where is your food sourced?

Is it highly processed – coming from a box with many ingredients?

Are you making choices in restaurants which include fresh vegetables and salads?

Are you sharing your over-sized portion or taking half of your portion home with you?

Are you choosing unscented versions of your laundry products?

Are you moving regularly throughout the day?

Are you exercising?

Are you wearing sunscreen and shading your face with a hat?

The list goes on.

Quote of the day from Jiddu Krishnamurti:

“It is no measure of health to be well-adjusted to that sick society.”

In healthy deviance –

Deidre

Remember to pick up your copy of Toolkit for Caregiver Emotions on Amazon! You can find it here. Both the eBook and print book are specially priced for this introductory period. Once you finish reading it, please leave a helpful review on Amazon to assist others in understanding how they can benefit. Thank you!

Blogging for good health!, Exercise, Habit Building, Stress Reduction, Titles Worth Reading

Oh, And One More Thing …

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This One Thing

I just learned how to increase my endurance by 240X!

No potions. No app to install. No purchases necessary.

Intrigued?

On just two pages of a new book I’m reading about techniques used to develop your best self, I felt like I had been given the golden key that unlocks the treasure chest of all knowledge.

It starts with rats. I know – rats …

The author, while opposed to many aspects of animal testing, related the findings of an old study.

Back in the 1950’s, a Harvard-trained researcher named Curt Richter, conducted some studies through Johns Hopkins.

He wanted to see how long rats could swim under two different conditions.

In the first one, he let rats swim as long as they could before they drowned. They lasted fifteen minutes.

I know – lab studies …

In the second one, rats were allowed to swim up to the point where they looked like they were about to give up – around their threshold of fifteen minutes. At that point, they were removed from the water, toweled off, and allowed to briefly rest before they were returned to the water.

How long do you think they were able to swim?

Maybe just a few minutes? Another fifteen?

Shockingly, they swam for sixty – yes, 60 HOURS!

Two hundred and forty times longer!

What?

What had changed for those rats?

The researcher concluded that they had experienced one simple thing: HOPE.

They had experienced the possibility of a better future. They ‘knew’ there was a chance of that better future, and they kept swimming and swimming towards it.

How’s your HOPE meter doing these days?

Hope is believing our future will be better than our present. Take that away, and we succumb like the poor rats in group one. Hopeless.

Whatever the muck we may be mired in, if we can sustain our HOPE, then our endurance is strengthened.

How do we create or find hope for a better future?

We need to SEE a better future and have GOALS that inspire us.

We need to believe that WE CAN take the steps needed to make our goals happen.

We need to have a PLAN to move forward with those steps – and be flexible enough to modify our plans to include different approaches that will ensure success.

Bringing your best self to each day’s starting line means you are committed to a brighter, better future.

You are going to show up!

With HOPE!

For success!

In health –

Deidre

NEXT Tuesday, August 19th, will mark the 100% full launch of Toolkit for Caregiver Emotions!

Yippee! Those of you who have pre-ordered, the eBook version will be ready to read that day! There will be lots of book promotional sites advertising the eBook on sale at $0.99.

In the meantime, the paperback is currently also at a discounted introductory price, so it’s a great time to pick one up for yourself or someone else who could use a helping hand with their caregiving emotions.

The honest, helpful reviews of readers are pure gold to authors, and I thank each of you who have chosen to take a minute to do that. Just a sentence or two can make a big difference. Thanks!

Blogging for good health!, Habit Building, Recipes, Stress Reduction, Titles Worth Reading

Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot!

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It’s too darn hot!

Ninety-five percent humidity can take its toll!

It is summertime here in the Northern Hemisphere, and finding cooler ingredients and cooking methods is a priority.

Got meat? Grill it outside, please – no added heat in the kitchen!

For the rest of the meal? I keep turning to salads.

Cool, crisp, full of veggies salads.

No label reading is needed for these whole foods.

Until …

Maybe we think using bottled dressing would be an okay shortcut?

Truth be told – I have succumbed to the sirens of bottled dressing from time to time – even the pricey ‘good ones’ touting no chemicals – but they break all the rules for homemade goodness and freshness.

I know folks who always splash on just enough oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper to do the job.

That sort of works for me in the winter, but …

Lately, I’ve been into whole meal salads featuring high protein, gluten-free pastas!

First, we need some flavorful salad dressing to pull it all together!

So, grab a small mixing bowl and add as many of these ingredients as possible – I didn’t have the shallot, or enough lemon juice and it turned out fine!

Dressing

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ white wine or champagne vinegar

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 Tablespoon fig preserves (honey will do nicely)

1 small shallot finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

½ cup mixed fresh herbs: dill, oregano, basil

Salt and pepper to taste

A sprinkle of chili flakes, if desired

Whisk the ingredients well and set aside.

Then, cook 1 lb. or 1 box of salad pasta of choice to al dente. I like using chickpea or red lentil pasta for the protein boost, which makes this salad a full meal.

Once cooked to al dente, drain the pasta and toss with the dressing so all those yummy flavors can coat each piece!

Assemble a montage of ingredients in an over-sized salad bowl such as:

Two heads of Romaine lettuce, sliced

½ of a head of Radicchio, sliced

A sampling of nitrate-free salami, pepperoni – I use turkey based when available – sliced

1-2 cups of cherry tomatoes, halved

A variety of olives, torn or sliced

Bell pepper, chopped

2-4 Tablespoons of sliced pepperoncini

A cup or more of fresh basil leaves, torn

A cup of mozzarella cheese balls – these may be halved or quartered if they are not mini size

A cup of provolone cheese, cubed

Shaved Parmesan to taste

As a concept recipe, I never always have all the ingredients, so types and quantities of ingredients will vary.

Once the salad is assembled and tossed, add the pasta with its dressing and toss thoroughly.

Served fresh with the pasta still warm, or cold from the refrigerator, this is a satisfying meal!

If we have some grilled meat, I will thinly slice the hot meat and arrange the slices on top of each serving of salad.

Bring on the iced sangria!

In health –

Deidre

Dear Readers:

Be a surprise blessing to a friend or family member who is a caregiver by sharing this link with them to Toolkit for Caregiver Emotions. Better yet, buy a copy for them as a gift! Also, the eBook is on pre-order for $0.99 with delivery on August 19th!

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

Longevity 5

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Deep Z’s

We rejoin our bewildered hero regarding her data showing subpar minutes spent each night in deep non-REM sleep.

What to do?

Something about sleep hygiene?

We’re not talking about cleaning up your dreams – we’re going to have a serious conversation about how we spend our time before going to bed and what our sleeping environment should be like.

Sleep experts agree that there are things we can do to optimize our chances for a good, restful sleep. Their suggestions all make sense but may necessitate change on our behalf from ingrained habits.

Change? I can feel resistance already!

Just keep an open mind and ask yourself, “Are we on the same team with our body or not?”

Do we want strong bones, muscles, and immune systems? Not getting enough good sleep may make us more prone to physical and mental health issues. Just saying.

For good sleep hygiene, it is recommended to:

Establish a regular sleep-wake schedule every day of the week. Avoid major swings in your routine on your days off.

Limit caffeine, alcohol, large meals, and strenuous exercise several hours before bed.

Keep your sleeping space dedicated to sleep and intimacy. Watching TV in bed, trains your brain to stay alert, not rest. Moving from a separate space for screen time to your sleeping space helps signal your brain that it’s time to sleep.

Ensure your sleeping space is dark, quiet, cool, and free from electronics.

Bedtime routines that relax you before sleep, also help signal the body sleep is coming. Switch off the TV thriller or stop scrolling social media at least 30 minutes prior to bed and relax with music or take a warm shower.

Blue light stimulates our brains into daytime alertness, so taking your eyes off the blue screen of any electronics helps the brain to realize it’s nighttime. Be sure to turn on your phone’s red-light filter well before your bedtime routine even begins – so if you accidentally look at it, it will not be as disruptive.

We control what we can because there are things we cannot control. Let’s keep in mind deep sleep tends to decrease with age, and sleeping disorders such as sleep apnea can reduce deep sleep.

While there is no way to make ourselves sleep deeper, we can increase our chances of sleeping well by making modifications such as these.

I’ve already activated the red light filter on my iPhone so I can turn that feature on after sunset. While the screen may be safer to look at, it’s not conducive to long looks, so my habit of random scrolling may painlessly disappear.

To activate the red light filter, follow these instructions:

How to set the red light filter-1Download

I have not gotten around to getting new blackout curtains for the bedroom since moving; but now, they are a priority.

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In health –

Deidre