“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” to borrow a phrase from author Charles Dickens in his novel, “A Tale of Two Cities.” Even though people are quarantined by mandate or personal decision, the internet is making connecting with other people much easier than in past crisis situations. Funny photos, stories, and inspirational messages are plentiful and just a click away. You can even create your own inspirational messages on websites like canva.com and postermywall.com for free. Churches continued with worship services online and may have even reached more people than ever before. Neighbors are…
Browsing: Healthy Habits
I was recently asked to contribute to a cookbook that uses garlic in every recipe. I wrote the foreward and cooking tips. The book, “Aglio Garlic Lover’s Cookbook” by Arabelle Publishing of Chesterfield, includes savory and sweet recipes for everyday meals and special occasions. Never thought I would see a recipe for garlic vanilla ice cream, but there it is on page 84. The author, Caroline Sherman, has enjoyed the flavor of garlic for over 20 years and finally put her recipes on paper to share with anyone else who likes the pungent flavor. While researching for the book, I…
You may have heard terms like “leaky gut,” “gut bacteria,” “healthy gut floral,” etc., but what does it all mean and how important is your gut to your overall health? The answer is: more important than you probably realize. Skin rash? It may be related to your gut health. Other signs of concern may be bloating, belching and burning sensations in your abdominal area. These are the more obvious signs, but some you might not think about are; weak or cracked fingernails, dilated capillaries in the cheeks and nose, iron deficiency, easily bruised skin and fatigue. These are just a…
Ever heard of the Clean 15 and the Dirty Dozen? No, it isn’t the name of a movie or TV series. The Dirty Dozen are foods you should always buy organic because they are the most susceptible to pesticides and toxic sprays. The Clean 15 are foods that are OK to enjoy conventionally. The list was created by the Environmental Working Group, a national watchdog that researches and recommends products that are generally safe and those that have a high percentage of pesticide residues or are most often genetically modified. Organic produce will deteriorate quicker than conventional, so check for…
It seems our society is obsessed with quantity instead of quality. Less is more when it comes to eating to live. This doesn’t mean starving yourself. Eat foods that are flavorful and satisfying that don’t have processed sugar in them, and you won’t feel deprived. I used to crave ice cream before bedtime, but since I have cut out processed sugar in my diet, ice cream is just too sweet for my taste buds. Never thought I’d say that! Ice cream truly is a treat for me about every six to eight weeks instead of every night. Instead of eating…
When I grew up candy was something I got on special occasions; holidays, a reward for good behavior, a treat from our once a week grocery store shopping, but never anything that I had access to on a daily basis. Today there are candy bars at the grocery and many stores and public places have candy and soda machines right at the front door, all very tempting. It seems that food manufacturers are well aware of the studies that show there is a psychological relationship between sugar cravings and a reward response similar to addictive drugs like cocaine. I’ve been…
How many of you have started a diet and failed to accomplish your goals? Maybe 10 pounds a month over the next three months for a total of 30 pounds lost. That is an admirable goal if that is what you need/want to lose. For those who accomplish this goal, how many manage to keep it off? Often the course of action is lose the weight, quit the diet, and within six months to a year, you’ve gained it all back. There is a term for this: a yo-yo diet. Lose, gain it back, and repeat. Not a healthy practice.…
Cynthia Piazza HOPEWELL — The John Randolph Foundation recently announced a new memorial fund at its Jan. 17 awards ceremony. The Cynthia Piazza Mind and Movement, or M&M, Fund will honor the life of a Chester woman who died Oct. 31 after battling brain cancer. Piazza taught for more than 20 years and was a Title I math specialist at Harrowgate Elementary School for 14 years. She was named the county’s elementary teacher of the year in 2010. The M&M Fund will carry on Piazza’s passions of improving the education of underprivileged students and encouraging physical fitness. Her husband, Michael…
Feeling stressed during the holidays? Maybe all you need is a good cry. Shedding tears is actually a process your body uses to release pent up emotions that can be caused by sadness, grief, stress, anxiety, frustration or even joy. It signals that you have reached an intense emotional level that your body can no longer handle. At this point, just let the tears flow. It is a healthy and healing response. Crying actually releases a stress hormone called prolactin. Women produce more prolactin than men, which supports the common theory that women cry more than men. There are three…