Category Archives: This -n- That

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

Peace and Love? Groovy, Man!

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Is this a throw-back post about hippies?

No, it’s about a change in a protocol we have all learned well.

WELCOME TO KIM’S CORNER

In our first issue of Kim’s Corner at Foodtalk4you, Physical Therapist Kimberly Attwood, PT, DPT, FDN, will explain something which surprised us during a recent visit to her office.

You may have heard about the RICE method of treating soft tissue injury, such as a sprained ankle.

Well, throw out the RICE to make way for PEACE and LOVE!

Remember, the inflammation that happens with soft tissue injury acts as a defense and cleanup crew to initiate healing by sending immune cells and repair substances to the site, removing pathogens and debris, and setting the stage for tissue regeneration. While prolonged inflammation can hinder recovery, making a balanced response is crucial.

Here’s Kim with information about the better approach for soft tissue injury in the acute phase, 1 – 3 days after injury, and the days that follow:

The latest research shows that treating minor acute injuries with RICE is outdated and potentially detrimental to your overall recovery. 

RICE = Rest, Ice (NSAIDs), Compress, Elevate 

Anti-inflammatories (commonly ibuprofen, naproxen, ice, etc.) are very effective at interrupting the inflammatory process. 

Knowing this relationship, hopefully you can see how anti-inflammatories on board during the first stages of healing could slow down the healing process.  

But wait, it hurts! What should I do about my pain?

Well, this is where the elevation and compression come into play. Being able to keep swelling to a reasonable level will help with the pain that you have during those first few weeks. Keep in mind that pain is a sign from your body, and it’s meant to protect you!

What exactly do PEACE and LOVE mean for me after an injury?  As Physiopedia quotes: “Immediately after a soft tissue injury, do no harm and let PEACE guide your approach.”

PEACE = Protect, Elevate, AVOID anti-inflammatories, Compress, Educate 

P = Protect; give the injured body part a break from strenuous activity. Not complete rest, but don’t go jogging on a freshly sprained ankle! 

E = Elevate; the injured body part needs to be above the level of your heart to help reduce swelling .

A = Avoid anti-inflammatories; stay away from ice and medication that reduces inflammation – let your body do what it is designed to do! 

C = Compression; use an ace wrap or other bandage to help reduce swelling.

E = Educate; ask your favorite physical therapist to teach you about your injury, recovery expectations, and prevention strategies

Then, after the first days have passed, soft tissues need LOVE:

LOVE = Load, optimism, vascularization, exercise 

L = Load; gradually increase your activities and weight bearing  

O = Optimism; A positive mindset can carry you a long way in your recovery 

V = Vascularization; participate in low impact cardiovascular exercises to encourage blood flow 

E = Exercise; Go see your favorite physical therapist to learn how to best restore motion, strength, endurance and balance

While diving into the anti-inflammatories and ice packs is what we have all learned previously, Kim reports that the PEACE and LOVE methods are shortening healing times!

Here’s an excellent video that recaps these concepts.

Kim may be reached at kimberly.attwood@ivyrehab.com for your questions or concerns.

In health –
Deidre

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

Faces of Love and Peace

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Faces of Love and Peace

February is the month of love, and we will be exploring some very different variations on that theme in the coming weeks at foodtalk4you!

Love and Peace just go together, don’t they?

When we are at peace from within, we naturally reach out in love to others and to ourselves.

Our community felt deeply blessed to witness the monks during their recent Walk of Peace through our state. At a time when the news seemed to grow heavier by the moment, and our spirits were sinking, this quiet band of brothers moved through our shared space as a living testament to another way.

The image of them stays with me—shaping a quieter presence within myself and a renewed determination to walk each day with intention, toward peace, and toward being a light for others.

So, how am I doing that?

True confession. I had succumbed to the siren call of convenience, when I used liquid pods in my dishwasher.

The pods’ plastic wrap melts in the hot water, releasing the contents to wash the dishes and provide the sparkle we all love from a clean rinse.

Until I noticed a mysterious ‘dust’ on the back of my plates coming straight out of the dishwasher!

Enter micro and nano plastics …

There is no minimum daily requirement for ingesting plastics. None. No level of consumption or absorption is associated with good health.

Plastic is forever! It does not return to the earth as some kind of compost … it breaks down to particle sizes smaller than dust.

We breathe it. We eat it. We absorb it.

Nano plastics cross defensive barrier systems in our body such as our skin and the lining of our intestines. They are now found in our blood, tissue, and organs.

Consider this quote from the NIH dated January 23, 2024: “The researchers found that, on average, a liter of bottled water included about 240,000 tiny pieces of plastic. About 90% of these plastic fragments were nanoplastics.” 

Many people believe that drinking 64 ounces of water a day from single-use plastic bottles is good for their health—but is it? Doing so can result in an estimated 480,000 plastic particles entering the body.

Awareness comes first. We cannot undo what we have done, we just take our next steps forward doing better.

While we just had one pod to eliminate at our house, many people are using pods in the laundry as well.

Did you know that our skin is our largest organ? It’s an organ of absorption! Plastic dust from laundry pods gets trapped in the fabric of clothes we wear!

There will be more about finding ways to eliminate plastics from our lives in future posts.

Now, we have a special announcement!

Foodtalk4you would like to welcome Kimberly Attwood, PT, DPT, FDN, and Clinical Director of IVY Rehab in Garner, NC, as a guest contributor! Very soon, you will see the first edition of Kim’s Corner as she shares with readers her insights into how we can show love to our bodies through the latest techniques for recovery!

In health –
Deidre

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

Aye, Aye, Captain!

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It’s a verb.

An action verb.

Not like wishing or wanting but – DOING

We may want to be healthier, move more, learn more – but without the ACTION to back it up … those wants are nothing more than hot air.

It’s not the, WHAT we want to be or do – it’s the, HOW are we going to get from point A to point B in our plans? You know, stop talking and start showing by doing.

That’s why my word of the year is “captain.”

Not the noun. Not a person with a fancy cap and epaulettes.

The verb means to lead or command a team or group … or myself.

I am reminding myself to captain my boat – actively steering it with intention.

Rather than thinking of resolutions which often turn into wish lists, I am setting my intention on owning my role as “captain of my boat.”

I steer myself into calmer waters starting first thing each morning.

The pressure of the news media blowing up every day, and the import of the headlines, is affecting my very soul. I now reject diving into my phone or my emails first thing just to get the latest.

Rather, gazing out at the backyard view while I sip my coffee, helps ground me for the day ahead.

Seeking a sunny spot from a south-facing window calms and centers me like nothing else – a far better way to ease into the day.

Reading uplifting words from a print book – followed by personal thoughts and meditation – is a cherished tool for reaffirming my values.

There are personal projects that have needed my attention. Rather than saying I should do whatever, I am approaching the need with an ownership mindset – because, well, I do own it.

Whether the project is small, like drawers and closets that need tidying, or large – like managing finances, I am finding the inevitable delays that come from working with a ‘should’ mindset to a “where are we headed today, captain?” mindset is helping me get a lot more done.I leave you with one question.

What are you doing to encourage yourself to be intentional amid unsettling and uncertain energy from any source?

In health – Deidre

A reminder to all reading today – subscribing to foodtalk4you.com is the best way not to miss any posts. Just fill out the subscription form and you will receive one email each Tuesday with the link to the new post. So, easy! There will be a few introductory emails, but that’s pretty much it. I will not inundate your inbox, and your information is never shared.

Blogging for good health!, Holiday Celebrations, This -n- That

So … Did You Spatchcock Your Thanksgiving?

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The results are in!

What could go wrong?

We enjoyed the largest turkey I’ve ever bought.

Harboring serious doubts about having a pan and rack large enough to accommodate the bird all splayed out; but comforted by the adequate instructions I shared last week – bolstered by the insider tips my daughter gave over the phone.

After securing the great find of a Wilton Mega Baking Sheet and Cooling Grid at Walmart, I felt pretty confident going into the spatchcocking arena.

Plus, I had a partner in crime to share duties.

The day before Thanksgiving, I removed the mostly thawed bird from the fridge, freed it from the package, and placed it on the cutting boards set up on the counter. In retrospect, I should have covered the countertop with an opened up garbage bag, and used just one large cutting board on top.

Things will get juicy. Have paper towels close at hand.

After removing the apparatus, keeping the drumsticks together and setting the neck and giblets aside for gravy duty, we were ready!

The newly purchased poultry shears worked flawlessly. This process does take some strength – especially when navigating around the bird’s hip juncture. Thanks to my daughter’s tip, we manipulated the leg every which-a-way and avoided plowing through the bones themselves.

I often used a two handed grip on the shears to avoid hand strain.

My sweetheart and I took turns and we assisted each other when doing the cut around the turkey’s hip. Once the spine was removed, we repositioned the turkey with the inside surface facing the cutting board.

Some describe flattening the breast like CPR. I followed my daughter’s excellent tip of getting up on a step stool to put myself above the bird while doing ‘compressions.’

But, unlike CPR, the goal IS to hear and feel the crunch as the breast cage gives way and flattens out.

Still with me?

Somewhere in here, we were either ready to never eat turkey again or to become vegan!

But there was a high-five moment as we celebrated our accomplishments, and we were very grateful for this turkey feeding us and our friends the next night – and providing us with meat for countless meals in the future.

After salting both sides, and separating the skin over the breast, thighs, and any where we could reach to deposit the savory butter compound (unsalted butter, garlic, herbs combined by the food processor), it was time to let the salt do its job overnight as the uncovered turkey in its huge pan somehow found a way into our refrigerator to rest.

Whew!

The baking process was just as I shared with you last week in the link to Crispy Edges. Pull the turnkey from the fridge two hours before oven time to bring the meat closer to room temperature.

When it’s time to roast the turkey, preheat the oven to 425F. Roast the spatchcocked turkey for 45-60 minutes. When the breast hits 150-155F, pull it and let it rest for at least 30-60 minutes.

Resting results in juicy meat! I covered mine with foil to retain heat; but after resting, the turkey can return to the oven set at 400F for 10-12 minutes to bring back up to temp.

Then, be prepared for the juiciest breast meat ever as you slice it to serve.

Thank you, Mr. Turkey! We honored your life by making your meat the best we have ever eaten!

In health –
Deidre

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

Hunting For Hummus? We Can Help!

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We have always liked hummus. We buy it frequently, and I have made it on several occasions. But, during our Tucson adventure recently, we ate A LOT of it!

A restaurant soon became our favorite in Tucson because of its hummus. The Pita Jungle offers an appetizer plate with three kinds of the delicious spread, along with enough pita bread to dip into – until your heart’s content.

And we did!

Especially our two-and-a-half year old grandson. We couldn’t figure out which of the three flavors was our favorite – tried as we might.

So, upon returning home, we longed for some delicious hummus – homemade, please! Why? Because, there is a difference!

Good hummus is, generally, thick and smooth; and gives you the impression of heaven – floating on a pillow-soft, airy-like fluffy cloud! Ahhhh!

After perusing old messenger entries – I use messenger like a filing cabinet for things I want to remember. Do you do that? I found a video of some fellow who seemed to know his way around a chickpea, so I followed his lead.

While the ultimate recipe for hummus may start with dried chickpeas/garbanzo beans, I used the tried-and-true canned variety, using two cans – equal to 3 cups – of chickpeas.

Before throwing those chickpeas into the food processor, however, there’s a secret first step!

After draining and rinsing the canned chickpeas, put them into a saucepan, cover with water, and add 2 teaspoons of baking soda. Bring it up to boil and lower it to a simmer for 5 minutes. The hull of each chickpea will be released.

When the time is up and the hulls are starting to release, remove the pan from the stove, pour off the water and the hulls, adding cold water to stop the cooking and aid in eliminating the hulls.

In practice, the hulls were released but did not easily pour off. I ended up skimming and manually removing most of the hulls as I placed the hull-less chickpeas into the food processor. I look forward to improving my pouring-off technique. If most of the hulls are removed, that will be fine.

To the food processor with the chickpeas, add the juice of one lemon, ½ teaspoon of Kosher salt, and 2 cloves of garlic.

Process this mixture for 7-8 minutes. The mixture will get warm so don’t be alarmed.

Add 1/3 cup of tahini to the mixture, about 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and process for 3 more minutes. The tahini is added late because its proteins would otherwise cause a coagulation of the hummus, which cannot be reversed.

Taste test for any desired seasoning adjustments. We felt it needed more salt and garlic, but I couldn’t add more raw garlic at this point, so we settled on a couple additions of garlic salt with a tasting in between additions to guide us. A few pulses from the food processor did the trick.

Transfer this very warm cloud of hummus to a bowl and place it in the refrigerator for three hours to cool.

Please feel free to download the recipe below!

HOMEMADE HUMMUSDownload

At home, we used tortilla chips to scoop up this delightful dish. It can be stored for a week in the fridge.

We served it at a party we held; and are now enjoying lunches consisting of a few chips and our hummus and some leftover homemade guacamole – you couldn’t ask for a healthier snack.

I hope you will try making your own cloud of hummus soon!

In health – (and hummus!)

Deidre

November is National Family Caregiver month! Show your love and concern for caregivers you know by sharing my caregiver series with them:

Toolkit for Caregivers

Toolkit for Caregiver Emotions

Thanks!


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!, This -n- That, Titles Worth Reading

Rolling The Genetic Dice

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Did you get Dad’s green eyes? How about Mom’s curly hair?

It’s always interesting to see how children turn out – who they will favor and what they will look like.

All lighthearted musings for most of us.

What if there was a 50/50 chance you could have inherited an incurable, always fatal disease from one of your parents?

What if that parent didn’t clearly show anything very out of the ordinary and didn’t even know they had that disease?

Would you even want to know if you inherited it?

That’s just a few of the endless questions family members of loved ones with Huntington’s Disease (HD) ask themselves.

With approximately 41,000 Americans symptomatic for HD and 200,000 at risk of having inherited the disease, there is a chance you might not know much about this disease.

Because of two of my new author friends, Sarah Foster and Lori Jones, my eyes have been opened to the poignant minefield of how this disease can unfold in individuals and in the families that surround them.

Reading this quote from Spared: A Memoir of Risk and Resolve by Lori Jones, you can begin to appreciate the weight of an HD diagnosis:

“Often called “the world’s cruelest disease,” according to the Huntington’s Disease Society of America, HDSA, Huntington’s disease is described as, “having ALS, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s simultaneously.”

This article from HDSA contains part of Sarah Foster’s story:

Sarah Foster has written two books, Me and HD (2015) and This Is Me Smiling (2025). In both, she holds nothing back in recounting her decision to get tested for HD; how her diagnosis confirmed her mother’s own – untested – diagnosis, and the ever-changing landscape of living with HD.

When Sarah shared this article from the BBC:

I joined the jubilation!

To quote:

“An emotional research team became tearful as they described how data shows the disease was slowed by 75% in patients.

It means the decline you would normally expect in one year, would take four years after treatment – giving patients decades of ,”good quality life,” Prof. Sarah Tabrizi told BBC News.

The new treatment is a type of gene therapy given during 12 to 18 hours of delicate brain surgery.”

Clearly, with this lengthy brain surgery, treatment will be incredibly expensive – but there now is a treatment they can work with!

Yay, science!

Yay, to funding researchers!

If you know of someone with HD or not, both author’s stories deserve to be read and understood because their stories are a part of our collective humanity.

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)

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