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So here I am an hour early! Gotta love the return to Standard Time! I know my cell phone changes the hour automatically, but my kitchen clocks didn’t!  I got up went into the kitchen, had breakfast, checked my email, walked the dog, got dressed then looked at the clock and said, “oh no 7:45 I have to go! Joke’s on me it was only 6:45. No wonder the streets were so empty!  I got to the coffee hop…

Enough said! 29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so —Genesis…

Probiotics — The Good Bacteria

Our bodies are full of bacteria – good and bad.  Probiotics are good or beneficial bacteria.  They help the body in many ways; most notably the digestive system;.  Probiotics also can help improve mental health. Probiotic supplements are easily found in vitamin stores, natural health food stores, even on Amazon.  Probiotics can also be obtained from foods.  Probiotic foods include yogurt (make…

Biotin, also known as coenzyme R, Vitamin B7 or Vitamin H, supports the health of the skin, nerves, digestive tract, metabolism, and cells; however the reason I take it is for hair growth as I lost a lot of hair due to radiation treatments. Hair is made up of a protein called Keratin. Biotin is an essential ingredient in helping the body metabolize food into proteins including keratin.…

Another supplement I take regularly is Vitamin C. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a water-soluble vitamin that helps the body make collagen, necessary for the formation and maintenance of connective tissue, including bones, blood vessels, and skin.  Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and is vital for healing wounds, and maintaining healthy bones and teeth. Vitamin C helps to repair and regenerate…

Often combined in a single supplement, lutein and zeaxanthin (zee-ah-zan-thin)are carotenoids. Carotenoids are pigments that give fruits and vegetables their vibrant red, orange, yellow and green colors. Lutein and zeaxanthin absorb excess light energy to prevent damage to plants from too much sunlight, especially from high-energy blue light rays. Lutein and zeaxanthin are found in high…

D and B12 — Important Supplements for Vegetarians

Continuing on with my posts of supplements, I want to mention two important supplements for vegetarians — Vitamin D3 and Vitamin B12 Vitamin D Vitamin D is commonly found in foods such as oily fish like salmon, codfish, mackerel, and blue fish. Other food sources of Vitamin D2 include fortified milk. Known as “The Sunshine Vitamin”, vitamin D is made by the body naturally when skin is exposed to…

Some of My Favorite Supplements — Quercetin with Bromelain

Through the years I have learned about supplements from nutrition experts, doctors friends and relatives. I take a mixture of several which work for me.    People often ask me what I take and why and so I thought I’d develop a few posts about my favorite supplements. Note: Everyone is different and what works for me, may not work for you.  Additionally, while there is plenty of anecdotal evidence…

“You Learn” I was digging through some old papers and photos and I came upon this poem which I copied down in high school.  WOW. It must have been a message from the teenage me to my future self! After a while you learn the subtle difference Between holding a hand and chaining a soul, And you learn that love doesn’t mean leaning And company doesn’t mean security. And you begin to learn that…

Enjoy National Dog Day!

Shakira and I would like to remind you that next Thursday, August 24 is National Dog Day on August 24. As this blog is all about fitness and wellness, I thought I would share some fitness tips for your dog.  Just like for humans, exercise is important for dogs to keep them physically and mentally healthy and to help them live a long life. Remember to start off slowly and work your pooch up as his…

One of my favorites to have for lunch (or breakfast, or even a snack) is an açaí bowl. Açaí is a Portuguese word and is pronounced “ah-sigh-EE” in English.  In Portuguese it is pronounced  “ah-sa-EE”    An  açaí is  a small, dark purple, berrylike fruit with a juicy pulp. It is rich in antioxidants, high in fiber, protein and healthy fat.  The açaí is produced by a tall, slender palm tree native…

Have You Heard About PechaKucha?

I just got home from a really cool event.  It was called PechaKucha.  (That’s PaCHA KaCHA) It is a worldwide phenomenon. held in over 900 cities across the globe.  PK is all about the art of presenting a story concisely. The format is simple; There are 8-10 speakers.  Each speaker tells their story with 20 slides and they get 20 seconds per slide.   The presenters talk about something they are…

Dangers of Too Much Caffeine

As I sit here drinking my coffee, I’m watching the news about an otherwise healthy 16 year old buy who died from an overdose of caffeine.   Two hours before he died, he drank a large diet Mountain Dew, a cafe latte and an energy drink.  He died of arrhythmia – an irregular heartbeat.  Caffeine prompts the release of natural compounds called catecholamines, including norepinephrine, a stress…