My thinking can be very socially inappropriate at times. Usually filters will stop the most egregious thoughts from reaching my tongue. But, well…if you are ever at a wake service and the priest starts to use the name of someone in the room and not the dearly departed, try not to smile. I guess part of my attitude comes from my theory that funerals are for the living, not the dead. My filters still need some work.
Life can be absurd so learn to laugh at it. Continue reading
There are plenty of reasons people say that you should not drink coffee at all. It is addictive. It can increase anxiety and stress hormones. It creates an artificial high that leads into a crash. It stains our teeth. It can negatively affect blood sugar levels.
Knowing all of that, I still love my joe. It does have antioxidants. It can increase alertness and metabolism, perhaps only short term, but it works. It can help headaches and dilates airways. Maybe that is why it is found in medications. There are studies that found that it may help to prevent some illnesses, such as cancer and type II diabetes. As I described in a previous post, I am usually tired. Even with coffee, I sometimes have to use tools that I learned playing sports to jazz myself up to be productive. Instead doing sprints at the end of practice, I am finishing up paperwork.
I used to have dreams that my teeth were crumbling apart and falling out of my mouth. This is, apparently, a common dream that many believe is symbolic on insecurities and stress. I was a teenager so, well, enough said. However, the dream may have had more to do with the clenching and grinding that was forming fracture lines in my teeth. I have been clenching and grinding since I had 2 teeth to rub together. The night guard I have is helping but still needs some adjusting. [Most of the best night guards are custom made by dentists or TMJ specialists. A mold is taken of your teeth and a lab makes the guard to your doctor’s specifications. They tend to be thin and smooth on the outside. The cost can range greatly. I have seen between $350-$2500. The more specialized the practitioner and the more severe the cause, usually the more expensive it gets. I am trying to get away with a lower cost one.]
If teeth and gums are are sick, so the body may be as well. Bacteria can enter the blood stream through damaged gums. Some research suggests that the inflammation seen with gum disease may be linked to systemic inflammatory conditions such as: diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and heart disease. They are still trying to identify exactly if and how they may be related. Patients that have had joint replacements are often advised to take antibiotics in preparation for dental work to avoid an infection that could result in another joint surgery. I met one person who had an infection in their teeth that spread into their brain and tho the infection is long gone, she has chronic pain the length of her spine. Not having good chompers can Continue reading
It was only two and a half days, however, I am so happy to be home with my juicer. I feel kind of silly. I have not been juicing for that long, but I really missed my fresh, organic veg and the juicer. I really tried to eat well while I was away. Not having a refrigerator was very limiting. The local store had some organic juices but they required refrigeration. I survived on nuts, dried fruit, apples, peanut butter, protein bars and an instant rice noodle bowl. A bagel and packaged juice made it into yesterday’s fair. I never really wanted to go out to eat because most of the local restaurants were either expensive or specialized in bar food. I think I’m becoming a food snob.
Garbage in, garbage out. This is an computer term referring to notion that if you put bad programming or information in, that the computer can only give you bad information back. So many things seem to operate on the same principle. If you eat garbage, you feel like garbage. Since I have been juicing, I feel better. Since I have been reading many lovely blogs about health and taking the time to enjoy beauty in world, I have a more positive and calm perspective on life’s challenges. I am not ready to give up my DVR, but I will be more conscious about what I voluntarily expose myself to going forward.
I was people (or car) watching on a 4 hour drive this afternoon. I was not in a hurry so quirky drivers served as my entertainment. Here is some of the advise I would have given to my fellow road warriors today: Tailgating me does not make the car in front of me go any faster. Just because you have a big, fancy car does not mean that the fast lane belongs to you alone. Take a lesson from the hot guy in the convertible, if you must be on the phone, you still have to pay attention to the cars around you. When you drive into a rainstorm/fog bank/sun glare do NOT slam on your brakes. While I am sure that everyone behind you appreciates you checking out how well their brakes work, it’s not really the right place for a safety check. If you are reading a map while driving, chances are, you do not need to be in the fast lane.
What tips do you have for your fellow travelers?
A few years back I was in a course that had its participants construct a personal mission statement. I had only seen them for corporations prior to that moment. While I do forget about it from time to time, I always come back to it. It has focused my mind when trying to make decisions and has given me an additional sense of purpose. It also ‘has my back’ in an unexpected way. It has given me the strength to make decisions that I felt others would think silly or just wrong. However, in my mind, I knew the decision was true to my mission and therefore a net positive. To create it, I began by identifying my various roles in life (ex: sister, daughter, employee). Then my weakness and strengths. What would I want others to describe me as? I looked for inspiration and found it in a quote from Gandhi (or as one website suggests not really him). My mission statement:
The juice I made this morning was, by far, the best I have made. It starts smooth and sweet with a light pear flavor and finishes with just a suggestion of heat. (I think I watch too many reality cooking shows, hehe).
The Mix: 2 colors of Kale; one scallion, parsley, yellow carrots, broccoli, a touch of cauliflower, 1/2 a hot pepper, one each of pear, orange, apple and tomato.
The picture shows everything I used.
Many people set out every day to make more healthful decisions. Some start with diet and some with exercise. How many of us think of our hearts and minds?
This week, I had the privilege of speaking with a survivor of Katrina and the flood. To respect her privacy, I will not go into specifics. She first told me of the storm and the flood. I believed that she would then go on about how her family was reunited and, well, some Hollywood ending. That was not to be. The stress from the aftermath, NOT the storm or levees breaking, has taken the lives of several of her family members and friends. It almost crushed her. She has now decided to focus on caring for herself. “A little me time”, she said.
This morning I awoke motivated and ready to roll. After a little Zumba, I set to juicing up some berries. This is the second time that I have used this mix and it is a nice break from the veg mixes. After dipping my toes in the water, I think I am ready to start juicing more often. Tomorrow I have a mix of swiss chard, kale, spinach and apples planned. I may throw in 1/2 of a grapefruit that a friend harvested from a neighbors tree.
Real Woman's Health 