Wine & Wellness Wednesday: 'Tis the Season for Peppermint!

Ok, confession time.

I hate pumpkin spice.

Well. Not exactly. That’s sort of mostly moderately true.

I hate the phrase, “pumpkin spice,” and I hate that it’s EVERYWHERE and in EVERYTHING for months on end. And speaking of that, why on earth does a poinsettia need to be pumpkin spice-colored? Really? No. Emphatically, absolutely no. For the record? Pumpkin spice has zero pumpkin in it. None. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Pumpkin pie spice is the more appropriate phrasing; apparently that takes too long to type or say. Ok, fine. I do, however, absolutely loooooooooove the spices that are IN pumpkin pie spice: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cardamom, clove. Ok, so cardamom might only show up in my homemade version. The phrase, though? Not a fan. 

My seasonal flavor obsession?

Peppermint.

When peppermint stuff starts showing up on shelves, I’m a very, very happy girl. Peppermint candy canes. Peppermint mochas. Peppermint ice cream. Peppermint & dark chocolate. Peppermint schnapps in hot chocolate. (Yes, I’m a health coach. Every so often, treats are good things!) Whatever form it comes in, I love peppermint! On second thought, mint & rum & citrus? Not a fan of mojitos. But otherwise, yes! It’s a cool, crisp, refreshing taste, and I can (almost) never get too much of it. (Almost.) And yes, I know, it’s something I can get all year if I want to. But there’s something about peppermint near the holidays in winter that is extra delightful. Maybe it’s that cool, crisp flavor going along with the cool, crisp weather.

Peppermint is also good for things that aren’t hot chocolate or candy canes.

Soothing an upset stomach. Calming the nerves in a cup of tea. Flavoring in toothpaste. (Side bonus! When I brush my teeth or eat something peppermint flavored, I’m less likely to snack. Not a lot truly goes well with the taste of mint toothpaste!)

The health benefits of peppermint are not entirely clear, and the research and results are not super straightforward. It can be very soothing, particularly when ingested as one ingredient in an herbal tea. Peppermint oil massaged into the stomach can help soothe gastrointestinal grumpiness; massaged into the temples it can help eliminate a headache. Taken in capsule form, peppermint may help calm the stomach muscles and soothe gastrointestinal grumpiness from the inside. (Note that if you have gastroesophageal reflex disease, or GERD, peppermint is not recommended.) It may have beneficial effects if you have a cold, a sinus infection, cramps, headache, muscle pain, or toothache.

In other words, it may (or may not) help with almost anything (or nothing).

At the end of the day, it’s still one of my favorite flavors and I’ve used the oil many times to soothe my tummy if I’m having issues.

Growing peppermint in your garden is problematic, for the record. The mint family is very, very invasive. This includes everything from peppermint to oregano. The plants spread rapidly by way of rhizomes, which means it’s going to go places you might not want it to go. The best way to contain peppermint but still enjoy it fresh from your garden is to grow it in a container; otherwise, plant it in a section of the garden and include deep edging to help guard against the rhizomes spreading.

So! Peppermint! What are your thoughts? Love it, hate it, can’t live without it?

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: The Mediterranean Diet (My Way!)

For quite a while now I’ve toyed with the idea of trying recipes that go with various dietary theories for a month at a time, in order to see what I like and what works well for us. Menu planning can be a chore, or it can be a lot of fun. Right now I’m in the fun phase, picking out recipes and ideas and plugging them in using the 80-20 rule. (80% of our menu is following the Mediterranean diet; 20% is not. It’s an idea I picked up from a friend who menu plans using the clean eating philosophy.)

Did I mention I’ve been having fun?

What is the Mediterranean diet? Short version: it focuses on healthy eating using common ingredients found and used in countries that border the Mediterranean Sea. This includes Spain, France, Monaco, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt, and Morocco. I haven’t listed all of the Mediterranean countries, to be honest. I focused on those whose cuisines I either already know that I like, or that I want to try! For example, I have two cookbooks by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi: OTTOLENGHI and JERUSALEM. I’ve been getting back into one of my favorite cookbooks, ITALIAN LIGHT COOKING by Marie Simmons, and I have several labeled, generically, “Mediterranean.” I am super excited to dive in and pick out recipes!

What are common ingredients in the Mediterranean diet? They include olive oil, poultry, fish, goat cheese, vegetables, nuts, fruits, whole grains, coffee, and red wine. (Those last two? Moderation, definitely!) Low amounts of sodium, and many, many wonderful seasonings, such as oregano, garlic, lemon, turmeric, curry, and pepper, to name a few. And many of the recipes I’ve played with already have been very simple, easy to prepare, with not many ingredients. They taste fresh & light & yet are very filling & satisfying. (The photo with this post is one of my recent recipe experiments. Sweet potato, carrot, tomato, onion, garlic, chicken, curry, & turmeric. It was very tasty!)

Why is the Mediterranean diet a good option? There’s an emphasis on plant-based meals and healthy fats, which is good for your heart & brain and, among other things, may lower your risk for dementia by 30%. These are all really, really good things. (Clearly!)

I decided to start with the Mediterranean diet simply by random chance, and I’ve really been enjoying it. I know that I’m accustomed to fattier, saltier meals because I’ve been craving things like salted nuts or string cheese, but the more time I spend eating along the guidelines for this diet the less I succumb to the cravings. I also love to cook so I’m having fun with the recipes. Even one of my favorite Modern Table lentil pasta kits almost fits into the diet because it’s lentil pasta with a pesto mix and very few ingredients. I’ll take that as an option because it’s a quick meal on a busy night!

What diets or eating philosophies have you followed & enjoyed?

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Food Rule #30

I’m still struggling a bit with vacation brain, and when I’m struggling to come up with a topic I enjoy going back to Michael Pollan’s book, FOOD RULES, for inspiration. Today’s random number, 30, sent me back to August of 2017. I was certain I’d done a #winewellnesswednesday post about the difference between organic, natural, and chemical-free, and I was right!

Food rule #30 is as follows: Eat well-grown food from healthy soil.

He even says it would have been shorter & easier to say, “eat organic.”

As I wrote in 2017, what we put onto and into the soil matters, and that’s the point Pollan wants to drive home here. The quality of the soil in which the food is grown matters. Using quality (hopefully chemical-free) fertilizer, rotating crops, and paying attention to the land? That’s a really good start for really good food.

And because vacation brain is still ruling my life…here’s a link to the post from 2017. :) 

http://www.makeonechange.today/new-blog/2017/8/30/wine-wellness-wednesday-organic-natural-chemical-free

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Eggs Aren't Evil!

In the past, I’d say I loved eggs.

I loved them in spaghetti carbonara, cakes, cookies, on spinach salad, and as deviled eggs. I can think of only one egg dish that I liked when I could actually taste the eggs. Otherwise, eggs were, well, too eggy.

Then when my husband and I were on our honeymoon, I ate scrambled eggs and cheese, and he wondered who I was and what I’d done with his wife!

Nowadays, 8 days a week I am more likely to have eggs for breakfast than anything else. (Is this the point at which I say, “Sorry-not-sorry for the Beatles earworm!”?)

Eggs are evil! 

Eggs are magic! 

Eggs are the answer to all of the world’s ills!

Eggs are…

Take your pick, there’s probably been a version of one of those statements that’s been widely shared as the ultimate answer.  (Fads? In nutrition? Yep. No surprise there.)

What’s the current thinking and what does it mean for you? Eggs on a regular basis are not evil!

Eggs are full of protein and nutrients: vitamins A, B, and D; and lutein, to name a few. Eggs themselves contain very little saturated fat. The issue comes in when you cook them in butter or serve them with foods higher in fat. Veggies cooked in olive oil are a really good delivery vehicle for eggs. (Recently we’ve really enjoyed tossing in some crumbled feta as well!) 

How do you like your eggs?

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Gratitude

I’ve talked about this before, and it continues to be an important part of my life. I try to start every day with meditation and journaling, and my journaling starts with three questions:

• What am I grateful for today?

• What am I positive about today?

• What are my creative intentions for today?

Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and November is the season of gratitude, but it’s a topic that can last all year long if we are mindful of it.

With that in mind, I’m returning to a post from 2017 in which a friend of mine talks about his daily practice of “What’s your positive?” As he said to me recently, it’s become more of a weekly community practice. Spreading the positive? That’s something I’m very grateful for.

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

http://www.makeonechange.today/new-blog/2017/11/29/gratitudepositivityguestpost

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Is Procrastination Bad for Your Health?

I’ve been thinking about this topic for a while, related to #winewellnesswednesday, but I’ve been putting it off.

(See what I did there?) 

There are obvious ways procrastination is bad for your health. You get a cough and you delay going to the doctor, or you put off an annual exam. You find a lump but you think it’s nothing, put it off, and then it’s not nothing after all and if you’d dealt with it sooner it wouldn’t have been as critical. (Ok, that last one is a pretty extreme example. Sadly, we all have heard stories about people to whom it applies.)

There are less obvious ways procrastination is bad for your health, and those are the ones I want to talk about. Procrastination can lead to stress, which can have a negative impact on both your mental and physical health. Specifically, it can impact (or cause) hypertension and exacerbate cardiovascular disease. (That’s not good, for those of you playing along at home.)  

Procrastination can have multiple causes (as well as multiple effects). Are you depressed? Avoiding something out of fear? Finding it hard to just get going? Everyone copes with procrastination differently, or not at all. Sometimes the hardest thing in the world to do is to pick up the phone. Or a pen. Or the keyboard. Or…or…or…whatever the case may be. Only you can figure out what’s getting in your way and causing you to procrastinate about whatever it is and why it is you’re procrastinating.

Keep in mind that there’s more than time involved. It’s important to your mental and physical health as well.

There is also a school of thought that says some procrastination can be good for you, related to making decisions, certain critical actions, or putting off tedious tasks in favor of quality time with loved ones. I’m honestly not certain what I think of that, but it may have merit!

Sometimes, but not always, I’ll set myself a timer and sit myself down and try to do something, anything, related to the task at hand. If it works, I will occasionally work past the timer going off. If it doesn’t, when the timer goes off I’ll go do something else and then come back and try again.

What do you do when you find yourself procrastinating and how do you get past it?

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Food Rule #7

Avoid food products containing ingredients that a third-grader cannot pronounce.

As with a couple of weeks ago, I’m getting back to Michael Pollan’s FOOD RULES. And this one is something I go back to time and time again: keep the ingredients simple.

I am reminded of a time when my husband and I were each enjoying mini ice cream containers from different companies. I happened to take a look at the ingredients on mine and there were five or six, and all of them were things I could pronounce and I could buy separately. The one he was eating? I lost count at about 28 ingredients, a majority of them didn’t look like food, and I couldn’t pronounce some of them, never mind handing the list to a third-grader.

Processed, store-bought food can have multiple and unpronounceable ingredients. It doesn’t have to.

Check the labels.

Can you read everything? More to the point, can you pronounce everything? Can you buy them all separately and make your own whatever-it-is? 

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Food Rule #42

Regard nontraditional foods with skepticism.

For this #winewellnesswednesday, I’m getting back to Michael Pollan’s FOOD RULES.

(I blame my husband for today’s number. Never ask a sci-fi fan for a number. It’s a really good chance they’ll choose 42.)

Pollan’s point in this rule is to look at so-called innovative updates to traditional foods with a healthy dose of skepticism. And I think he has a point. Soy sauce (gluten-free)? Absolutely. Soy isoflavones? Huh? What are those supposed to be and why are they food?

For me, this goes back to eating whole foods that I can pronounce as much as possible. It’s hard, sometimes, to do, particularly when in a hurry or when traveling. And I’m getting much better at planning ahead and taking my own foods when I’m traveling, as well as having more whole-food-based-stuff available at home that I can eat in a hurry. (I know, I know, that’s not a great word. Let’s agree to get over it.) I like being able to pronounce the ingredients. I like eating things with limited numbers of ingredients. And, honestly, there aren’t many ways to improve on a spinach salad when the spinach in question comes from one of our favorite farms. Spinach isoflavones? Huh? Nah. I really hope that isn’t a thing. (Also? Gesundheit!)

Whole foods, made in more traditional ways, and minimally processed. These are good things.

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: World Mental Health Day

“They can also be times of stress and apprehension however. In some cases, if not recognized and managed, these feelings can lead to mental illness. The expanding use of online technologies, while undoubtedly bringing many benefits, can also bring additional pressures, as connectivity to virtual networks at any time of the day and night grows.”

On the information page about World Mental Health Day 2018, the specific theme is Young People and Mental Health in a Changing World.

The lines I quoted, though, can apply to anyone and everyone, young and not-so-young.

Mental health care is a critical piece of living a full and healthy life. Sometimes, our mental health can be fragile; sometimes it can be robust and seem indestructible. Building mental resilience, as the WHO describes it, is a critical tool not only for adolescents, but for everyone.

There are many, many tools available today to help us cope, function, survive, and even thrive. And, yes, I include myself. I took an anti-depressant for years; it was prescribed for an off-label function as an appetite suppressant and it also served to stabilize my moods and keep my depression from running my life. When I eliminated gluten from my diet, one of the end results was an overall leveling off of my moods and depression, enough so that in conversation with my physician I ended up eliminating the medication from my life. For the most part, depression has not been as impactful on my life since that time. There are, on rare occasion, days when I feel as if I’m sitting under a large, deep blue-black weight and I can’t see past it to the light I know is there. I’m fortunate in that those days are few and far between. They happen, and I’m working on the coping mechanisms. Sometimes it’s taking valerian root. Sometimes it’s crying uncontrollably for what seems like no good reason. Sometimes it’s exercise. Many times – in fact almost daily – meditation serves as a valuable tool. I’m deeply hopeful that with the dietary changes I’ve made and the activity changes I’ve made, I won’t need pharmaceutical help again. Please take careful note of what I say next: needing pharmaceutical help is not a weakness or a bad sign or a negative thing. It is absolutely critical that everyone finds the right tool for your own mental health. Once you have those right tools, the clarity and peace that come with them? That’s priceless. Nutrition, exercise of some kind, social activity of some kind, and maybe medications can be in the toolbox. Everyone is different. Everyone has different needs. Everyone has different solutions. Everyone needs support. Everyone needs to know they are not alone.

It isn’t morning, but this is a good item with which to end this week’s #winewellnesswednesday.

Waking up this morning, I smile.
Twenty-four brand-new hours are before me.
I vow to live fully each moment and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion.
~Thich Nhat Hanh~ PEACE IS EVERY BREATH

“…look at all beings with eyes of compassion.” Start with yourself.

 On this World Mental Health Day, please know that your health matters. Mental health isn’t always a visible health issue. Look at yourself and those around you with love, patience, and kindness.

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Going Gluten-Free (Again!)

This topic has been on my mind again recently, as I’ve seen things come across my path that make me want to shout from the rooftops, “GIVE UP GLUTEN, YOU’LL FEEL BETTER!” I also went looking for additional information, because learning something new is always good.

I was not terribly surprised to find some web sites warning people against going gluten-free, and for valid reasons. Many gluten-free foods are highly-processed and (honestly) terrible for you. Many gluten-free foods cannot even be remotely qualified as healthy. Cheetos, for example, are a gluten-free food. I’m not kidding. I wish I were.

I was also not surprised to find information about potential substances other than gluten that can cause similar digestive and other physical reactions. Specifically and most prominently I’m talking about a substance called fructan, a collection of fructose molecules. (Fructose is fruit sugar.) It is possible to have a fructan intolerance that may manifest as intestinal issues after consuming foods such as garlic, onions, chickpeas, raisins, or watermelon, to name a few. Fructan intolerance can be confused with gluten intolerance, as many meals might include ingredients that have both substances.

Here’s the thing.

Everyone is different. (I might mention that a lot original post, FYI.) Everyone has different reactions to foods. Some reactions are outright allergies. Some are intolerances. Everyone is different. (I really cannot stress that enough.)

It is very, very difficult to diagnose food allergy issues. One method is by going through something called an elimination diet and removing all of the major culprits: soy, egg, dairy, corn, and wheat (gluten). Once all of your symptoms have dispersed, gradually add one food back at a time. If the symptoms come back, that’s likely to be your issue. Elimination diets are not easy, although if you enjoy a challenge they can be interesting and almost fun. I do say almost, because when I tried an elimination diet and had to cut out dairy it was brutal! Although I did discover that I like coconut or almond milk in my coffee.

Did I mention that everyone is different?

Have you tried a gluten-free diet? (Or, for that matter, have you tried a fructan-free diet?) What has been your experience?

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Healthy Oils for Cooking

This morning, as I frequently do, I cut a piece of parchment paper for my baking sheet before I laid out breakfast to go into the oven. I thought back to a recent conversation I had with my father about why I use parchment paper. For certain things, it allows me to completely skip using oil or butter when cooking or baking. Yes, there are a lot of very healthy fats & oils that I can use when I’m cooking. Skipping them isn’t a bad idea either on occasion!

Naturally that made me start thinking about the oils I use and why and what the benefits are of each type. My favorites are olive oil, occasionally coconut oil, and, to be honest, butter. I also occasionally use grapeseed oil.

Let’s start with the least obvious: butter. In moderation, butter is not as unhealthy an addition to your diet as various fads (fed by bad science) have led us to believe over the years. Butter contains fat-soluble vitamins, healthy saturated fats, and unlike margarine, will not increase your risk of a heart attack. Also? It’s tasty. My preference is normally for unsalted butter as I like trying to control the amount of sodium in my diet. Sodium is necessary for good health, as I wrote in April, however, too much sodium is a bad idea.

I include coconut oil on the list as it can be a good choice for cooking on occasion, although after I used it almost to the exclusion of everything else (except olive oil) for quite a while, my bad cholesterol numbers were much higher than they should have been. Granted, I did not track everything else that I ate during that time so I don’t know what else in my diet might have contributed. Coconut oil has saturated fats, however, it may be better than certain other sources of the same types of fats. It also provides phytochemicals that are helpful antioxidants. I still like coconut oil and it has some benefits; I simply use it more sparingly now. (I’ve even used it to cook with when my father is having dinner with us. If you’re concerned about the flavor coming through for those who don’t like coconut, don’t be! If he can’t taste the coconut, nobody could. He doesn’t like coconut at all!)

Grapeseed oil is one that many people may not be familiar with. This oil is a byproduct of the winemaking process, and one particular brand I’ve used is a truly odd shade of green, but that’s the natural color. (It’s a really bright green and that takes me by surprise every time I use it!) It has some vitamins (mostly E) and omega-6 fatty acids. Not much research has been done on the health benefits (or problems) for humans, so there isn’t much to say. It has a somewhat different flavor from olive oil, of course, but it’s a nice change when I don’t have or don’t want olive oil for whatever reason.

I’ll close with the oil I use more than anything else: extra virgin olive oil. Antioxidants. Vitamins E & K. Good fats. May fight inflammation and protect against cardiovascular disease. (Also? It’s an excellent oil base for flavored oils, such as garlic olive oil, which is also one of my very favorite oils to cook with!)

What’s your favorite fat or oil to use when you cook?

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

p.s. Tonight’s wine is a lovely peach wine concoction from a winery in Wisconsin that I had the opportunity to visit a few months ago. Cheers! :)

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Good Foods to Boost Your Moods

Have you ever been in either a bad mood or just a blah mood and thought that maybe grabbing a candy bar or a bag of chips would fix everything?

How’d that work out for you? I’m guessing it didn’t work as well as you might have liked. (Although sometimes potato chips might be the right answer, but not often or always!)

Dark chocolate, almonds, strawberries, oranges, and tea are just a few of the things that I’ve found improve my moods when I need a bit of a pick-me-up or if I need to get out of a bad or blah mood. There are other things as well, such as bananas, chickpeas, coconut, edamame, or avocados that can help lift your spirits. Why are these foods beneficial as mood-lifters?

Dark chocolate, the darker the better (at least 70% cocoa), and with very few other ingredients, contains serotonin, which is an antidepressant. Almonds also boost serotonin levels; go for raw, unsalted nuts and keep the portions small. They’re high in calories so while they’re good for you, don’t go crazy! Berries such as strawberries help battle cravings for sweets without raising your blood sugar. I have a strawberry plant in a hanging basket and one of the best parts of the day is coming home and munching a few super-fresh strawberries right out of my garden! The vitamin C in oranges helps regulate stress hormones and lower your blood pressure. And afternoon tea, anyone? Theanine and caffeine in green or black tea can help with afternoon attention levels. (Or a peppermint herbal tea is refreshing and soothing without the caffeine!) 

Those are some of the things that I knew act as mood boosters for me. Some of my other favorite things are on the list, too! Feed your brain with the triglycerides in coconut chips, which help prevent sugar crashes and drooping moods. One source recommended banana slices in cottage cheese, as the combination gives a boost from fructose in the banana plus fiber to prevent blood sugar spikes. And I love chickpeas in many, many forms (including hummus) so I was delighted to see them on the list! Vitamin B6 in chickpeas is one of the things that can help prevent low energy and anxiety. Folate (another B vitamin) in edamame can have a positive effect on mood as well.

Finally, the healthy fats in avocado help increase endorphins and dopamine, which can also help improve your mood. (I’m working on appreciating avocado more than I do!) 

What’s your go-to healthy snack that helps boost your mood?

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Get Some Fresh Air!

“Even walking through a park or your own backyard can help you feel calmer and happier when you catch a whiff of freshly cut grass.” (Huffington Post, 08/08/14)

Opening the windows, I encounter the ultimate.
How wondrous is life!
Attentive to each moment, my mind is clear like a calm river.
~Thich Nhat Hanh, PEACE IS EVERY BREATH

Fresh air. It’s a wonderful thing, and something that’s easy to take for granted. With gratitude, I take a deep breath every time I’m able to open the windows and shut off either the furnace or the air conditioner and let fresh air sweep through the house. It helps clean out the mental cobwebs after a long winter of dry, heated air or a long summer of refrigerated air. And, conversely, I find myself resenting it a bit when it’s time to close the windows back up and turn the machinery back on. There’s a different feeling to fresh air; a different energy. It can help boost your immune system, decrease stress, and increase your happiness and energy levels. I frequently sleep better when I’ve been outside, even if it’s just to sit and read instead of working in the yard.

Go outside. Take a walk. Sit on a bench, basking in the sun, and breathe deeply.

Don’t you feel better now?

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Apples Again!

I am, again, obsessed with apples and fresh, local produce. It’s getting to be that time of year when we start looking forward to cooler, crisper weather, and crisp, fresh apples (and pears) from local orchards. (I was also completely delighted to go looking for the September hand towel that my mother cross stitched for me and find that the design was apples! Fun!)

I went back, again, to an old topic for this week’s Wine & Wellness Wednesday, as apples have been on my mind lately. I was really pleased with myself on a recent road trip to use apples as a snack instead of getting junk food. The soluble fiber in apples helps keep me feeling full longer, they are a good source of water, and they’re delicious. They're also an excellent snack as I drive home from work! :) 

Cheers! Here's to your health!

http://www.makeonechange.today/new-blog/2017/9/20/wine-wellness-wednesday-an-apple-a-day

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Take a Vacation!

Since I did exactly that for the first couple of days this week, I'm reposting a topic that is near and dear to my heart. Take a break. Take a vacation. Even a short vacation can be very beneficial!

Cheers! Here's to your health!

http://www.makeonechange.today/new-blog/2016/6/1/wine-and-wellness-wednesday-take-a-vacation

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Green Cleaning

I thought back to this topic from March of 2016 when I cleaned my toilet today at 5:15 a.m. Because of course that’s normal, to clean the toilet at 5:15 a.m. Why not? It needed it. I was using up some cleaning stuff I’d found as I did some decluttering. Next time, back to my baking soda and vinegar…

*****************************************************************************************************************

Health is about more than what’s in your body and the exercises you do. It’s also about what’s around you!

This week, I want to raise a glass to green cleaning! Have you ever thought about the warnings on modern cleaning products? I was struck by something I read on a cleaning solution in my house, particularly all of the horrible stuff that you had to think about related to what would happen if your skin came in contact with it.

White vinegar is a good alternative.

You know what happens if your skin comes in contact with white vinegar?

You smell like a pickle.

Compared to the dire warnings on cleaning products, smelling like a pickle doesn’t seem that bad.

I’m trying to use baking soda and vinegar more. Yes, it requires more elbow grease. Yes, it makes my house smell like pickles. (For the record, I’m not really a huge fan of pickles, particularly dill pickles.) That’s ok. I prefer the pickles to the toxic chemicals. What can you do to be green clean and healthier at home?

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Hugs!

*HUGS*

It's wondrous what a hug can do.
A hug can cheer you when you're blue.
A hug can say, "I love you so,"
Or, "Gee! I hate to see you go."
A hug is, "Welcome back again!"
And, "Great to see you!” or “Where've you been?"
A hug can soothe a small child’s pain,
And bring a rainbow after rain.
The hug! There's just no doubt about it.
We scarcely could survive without it!
A hug delights and warms and charms.
It must be why God gave us arms.
Hugs are great for fathers and mothers.
Sweet for sisters, swell for brothers.
And chances are some favorite aunts
Love them more than potted plants.
Kittens crave them. Puppies love them.
Heads of state are not above them.
A hug can break the language barrier,
And make the dullest day seem merrier.
No need to fret about your store of 'em,
The more you give,
The more there are of ‘em.
So stretch those arms without delay
And give someone a hug today.
~Author Unknown~

I have an old, battered photocopy of that poem taped to one of the doorways in our house. I absolutely love it, because it’s a good reminder that hugs are important.

I was thinking about hugs recently when I had the happy occasion to get half a dozen or so within a very short time frame as we were saying goodbye to some friends. A long time ago, a good friend of mine was insistent that 7.2 hugs per day, on average, was the ideal number of hugs.

(No wonder so many people are cranky. They aren’t getting 7.2 hugs per day!)

It was fabulous.

There’s something simply wonderful about a really good hug.

And, naturally, because I’m me, I started wondering about hugs & health.

Hugs boost oxytocin levels, leading to decreased feelings of loneliness and anger. An extended hug can increase serotonin levels and make your mood better, increasing your happiness. Hugs relax muscles and release tension in the body. Hugs can decrease your levels of cortisol, a stress hormone. Frequent hugs can potentially decrease your susceptibility to catching a cold or decrease your symptoms if you have one.

Sometimes, I’ll stop my husband as he’s walking through the house because I need a hug. I don’t even need to be in a bad or a sad mood; I might just need a hug to generally feel better. It always, always works.

Mood lifter. Health improver. All in one simple action! That’s a pretty darn good deal.

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Pets for Your Health

Are you a dog person? A cat person? A betta in a bowl person? While some studies say that people with dogs are generally healthier, having a pet of some kind has definite health benefits.

Something to keep in mind, naturally, is that having any kind of a pet is a fairly sizeable responsibility. So if you aren’t already owned by a pet, take a good look at your lifestyle in order to determine what type of pet would be best for you before you add one to your home!

Ok, what are the benefits of pet ownership (or of being owned by a pet)?

Lower blood pressure and heart rate as well as a decreased risk of heart disease are probably top of the list, along with fighting off feelings of anxiety, depression, and loneliness. I know that my blood pressure drops when I pet our dogs, and my mood improves when I spend time with them. Also, if I’m upset about something, one or both of the dogs will frequently notice and then try to make me feel better.

Exercise! We happen to have a fairly large back yard, so we typically simply let the dogs out into the yard and they have fun chasing each other, or chasing squirrels, or being confused when a neighbor is on their roof, or simply basking in the sun. (That one doesn’t make sense when it’s 98 degrees outside, to be honest!) Having a dog can be a great way to get more exercise; it’s as simple as leashing the dog and taking a walk around the block. Or down the road to the dog park. Or out to the wildlife refuge. Or any of a thousand different dog-friendly places. My New Year’s resolution one year was to take the dogs for a walk at least once a week. I didn’t always get there, and sometimes the back yard had to be their exercise (as well as daycare), but it was a lot of fun when I did.

Are you a pet person? If you aren’t, there’s a lot to consider before adding a pet of any kind to your home. If you are, enjoy the health benefits that you might not have fully considered before now!

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Go Plant Something!

In March of 2017, I did a #winewellnesswednesday post about gardening and why it’s good for your health.

http://www.makeonechange.today/new-blog/2017/3/15/wine-wellness-wednesday-gardening

I’ve been thinking about this again recently as I was finally able to get out into my yard and make some progress battling weeds and actually enjoying my gardens again. Even though the forecast for the next couple of weeks includes upper 90s again (seriously?!), and even though the lack of rain means weeding feels more like harvesting, it’s still extremely rewarding to be out in the yard, cleaning, planting, and enjoying my garden.

Mood booster. Yep, I get tired. On the hot days I get sweaty and drippy. Sometimes I get sore from overdoing it or (maybe) pushing it a little too much for some of the injuries I’ve had. Oh, but the feeling! Sunshine, a little extra vitamin D, and the feeling of accomplishment are great mood boosters.

Exercise. Gardening is good exercise. Even mowing the lawn, as annoyingly boring as it can be, is good exercise!

Productive. I love fresh fruits and veggies. I love knowing where a lot of what I buy is grown. Even better is when I pick strawberries or orange cherry tomatoes or fresh thyme from the plants in my own garden!

You don’t need a huge garden. You don’t need a huge yard! All you need is the interest, a little potting soil, and a container.

Plant something! It’s good for your health! (It’s also good for the environment. Plant a flower for pollinators, such as milkweed or butterfly flower, coneflower, or any of dozens of others. Bees & butterflies are our friends!)

Cheers! Here's to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Best Bedtime Snacks

If you suddenly get hungry before bedtime, you’re not alone. There can be many reasons you get snackery (as I call it) late in the day; among the possibilities are meals loaded with unnecessary fats, preservatives, and sugars. It’s also entirely possible that over the course of the day, if you’ve been very active, you’ve burned up more calories than you’ve consumed, and that can cause hunger pangs as well!

Things to avoid before bed include anything spicy or high in fat; these foods can cause acid reflux and indigestion, and that’s definitely going to keep you up! (No more rocky road ice cream before bedtime!) Avoid foods high in sodium, as it raises your blood pressure and dehydrates you. On the flip side, if you’ve sweated a lot you might need to replace sodium that’s been lost due to sweating in order to avoid leg cramps. Everything is about balance, right?

Herbal tea is a great bedtime snack, especially peppermint or chamomile. No caffeine and each of those herbs are soothing, which can help you wind down and sleep better. Focusing on foods that promote production of serotonin is helpful too; much of the body’s production of serotonin happens in the gut, so have high-fiber foods such as popcorn (in small quantities). Nutrients such as the B vitamins, iron, magnesium, and calcium, for example, promote better sleep. Non-fat or low-fat milk or yogurt, nuts, pumpkin seeds, tart cherries, spinach, popcorn, turkey, kiwi, tuna, or bananas; you have multiple options for healthy, sleep-supporting snacks!

And while this is Wine & Wellness Wednesday…alcohol before bed is not actually great for helping you sleep. So skip the red wine and the dark chocolate at bedtime; have it with dinner instead!

Cheers! Here’s to your health!