Healthy Heart Month

February is the month to think of your heart and how you can keep it healthy and since I have high blood pressure and a congenital heart defect, that was surgically corrected I thought I should spend a few minutes on the topic before the month slips through my fingers.

I urge everyone to eat a healthy, low fat, low sodium, low carb diet.

 I have made diet changes in the last few years that have made a difference in my life.  Besides watching my sodium which is really bad for people with high blood pressure, and everyone else, I have started eating a low carbohydrate diet.

Low carb was introduced into our lives by my husband's doctor because he is pre-diabetic.  He restricts his carb intake to 150 or less a day. I do not restrict mine as much, but we have given up bread, and most crackers because of all the carbs.

We use sugar and honey sparingly in recipes and when possible substitute Agave syrup.

We also eat primarily fresh fruits and vegetables and very little meat.  I eat less meat than he does and when I do it is usually shrimp or salmon.

We eat cheese, though again, I eat less than him.

We still have the occasional dessert, just not a very big one.  We have sub-sized (down-sized) our eating, instead of super-sized it. We will split a dessert, if we choose to have one.  I wish more places would do like PF Chang's Sweet Treats or Olive Garden's Dolcini and serve those little one or two bite desserts, because that is all you need to satisfy your sweet tooth.

I love cooking so this makes it fun as I love to try new recipes.
 
Since September of 2012, I have lost 10 pounds and am still working on loosing more.  I feel better, and have more energy.  I have also gone done a few pants sizes, and am thinking I may need to do some shopping.

Though I continue to take medication for my high blood pressure and leaky heart valve my last check up, just this week, was very good. My blood pressure was 102/ 63 and my doctor said that she could not hear the murmur in my heart, which means the medication is working.

I plan to continue on this path and see if I can loose another ten or twenty pounds by the end of the year.

Along with diet I workout, though not as much as I should according to my husband. I am looking forward to spring when the roads are clear of snow and ice so I can head out on my bicycle and we can ride our tandem again.  Until then I use my Wii Fit, Wii Zumba, Walk with Lesley, lift weights, and I may bring one of the bikes in the house and set it up like an exercise bicycle.

Library Lover's Month

My mom wrote this wonderful article about Library Lover's Month.  I want to share it with all my friends who love to read.   It was published in her local DAR newsletter. She is a wonderful woman and like me she loves to read. I am very proud of her article.

I was also lucky that I had a mother who read to me and I read to both of my boys. My oldest was read college textbooks while he was in the womb as I was working on my master's degree when pregnant with him.

Both boys were read all kinds of books when they were tiny as I would read whatever I was reading aloud when rocking them. When they were older they had favorite children's books we read.

I can remember their father reading them the Little House on the Prairie books.
 
I also remember having to read adult mysteries and teen novels when my oldest was in elementary school as he was such a bookworm that he had read all the books in the children's section of the library and the complete set of encyclopedias by the end of third grade. He also read Up From Slavery that year.

Books on tape and along with the novel were a hit with my younger son, as he enjoyed the stories but not the act of reading.

One thing I do enjoy about being retired is the time to read.  I have read more in the past two years than I did over most of my teaching career, I think.  I love to be taken away by a novel and transported to another time or place. It is relaxing. Books are some of my best friends.

I hope you enjoyed my mom's article.

"I'm So Excited and I Just Can't Hide It!"

I decided today was the day and got on the Wii-Fit.  It told me it had been 108 days since I had last gotten on.  WOW!  I thought I am probably in real trouble after the holidays. I stepped on to weight myself and was pleasantly surprised.

I lost 7.1 lbs since the last time I was on! 

I have not been very good about exercising and I have not been eating really well either.  You know the holiday junk food of candy, pie, cheesecake, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and such that you do not eat the rest of the year. 

I am thrilled that I lost that weight and just to be good today I worked out for an hour. I did strength training with weights, yoga, aerobics, and some balance exercises just for good measure. 

One of my goals for this year is to exercise and another is to eat healthy.  I have been working on both, though actually today is only the second day I have exercised this year.  Two out of four ain't bad.  I did a short workout of about 15 minutes on the first because they say what ever you do on the first day of the new year you will do all year long and that is one of my goals.

Now, if I can keep this up all year I will hopefully loose more than the 7 lbs that I set as my new three month goal. 

If exercising or eating healthy is one or more of your goals this year let me know how we are doing, maybe we can encourage each other to keep at it.  Let me know what your plan is.

I am reading the book Younger Next Year written by Chris Crowley & Henry S. Lodge, M.D.  It was recommended to me by a friend and so far I like it.  They say there are three things you have to do to be younger.

First and most important is Excerise.  It is the biggest change for most people and the secret to good health. It is also the hardest for me.  They say your should exercise six days a week and to include strength training. You should lift weights, at least two of those day. Exercise is key.

Secondly, Nutrition is important.  It can help you get down to your true weight. They say to eat rationally, and to eat less of everything.

Lastly, Commitment is important. They say you have to care about something. They suggest setting goals, thinking about the people - like your family, causes, and hobbies that you care about. This can include your job.  It does not have to be something that is important to society, it has to be what is important to you.  Remember the people you care about are a reason to stay alive.  They need you.

Tom and I do eat healthy and we both have hobbies we are committed to as well as family and friends, but I know I need to work on the exercise part.  Tom exercises everyday to help keep his blood sugar down, since he is pre-diabetic.

I have also ordered the book: Younger Next Year for Women as this one is aimed more toward guys, but it works.  I plan to  encourage my husband to read this one after I am done.

Best wishes for healthy eating and exercising this year!  I will let you know what else I learn from my reading.

Welcoming 2013 with ZEN

"A whole new year stretches out before you ... What kind of footprints will you leave? ... gigantic leaps of faith. Or ... tiny steps of slow, steady progress ... You have imagination, intellect, and most importantly, a soul." 

- from Daily Wisdom for Women.

 

Today starts a new year and a new beginning, What do I hope to  accomplish or achieve during these 365 days?

"Nobody sees a flower, really, - it's so small - we haven't time, and to see takes time..."

- Georgeia OKeefe.

This year I want to take time to stop and see the flowers, to see the little things in life and enjoy them.

I have also decided it is time to focus on mind and body.  I chosen ZEN as my word for the year.  

ZEN is "1. ...a total state of focus that incorporates a total togetherness of body and mind.  ZEN is a way of being. It is also a state of mind. ZEN involves dropping illusion and seeing things without distortion created by your own thoughts...
2. The closest translation for Zen is contemplation (Watts 22)... 

3. Complete and absolute peace." 

 Urban Dictionary

I also considered Creative Meditation or Creative Reflection, as well as Harmony for my word or phrase for the year, but picked ZEN as I think it incorporates them all.

My goals, not resolutions which are often broken, for 2013 include: 

  1.   Exercise

  2.   Meditation

  3.   Quilting

  4.   Reading

  5.   De-Cluttering

  6.   Making Improvements to our Home

  7.   Eating Healthy 

  8.   Journaling

  9.   Blogging

10.   

"Set a goal, write it down, and release the outcome. Small steps make a big difference."  

- C. Richardson

You will notice I left number 10 blank and that my goals are very broad, this makes it easier to meet them and harder to break them. It also gives me flexibility to add to them if I so choose, after today.

 I want to achieve my goals for the year and they are ones that can me long term and carry over into other years.  They are also not in any particular order. They are goals that I want to focus on this year, and each day will include some, but not others and it will vary from day-to-day. 

I am looking forward to what this new year brings and am welcoming it with open arms.  There are some I have heard express apprehension regarding the number 13, but I do not feel that. I feel excited to see what the new year will bring. 

I look forward to this new year and am hoping that you are anticipating the experiences it may bring as well.

Happy New Year to all! 

Christmas

     Another Christmas has come and gone and the retail circus has passed, though with after holiday sales starting today I am sure that it is just as crazy out there.
     What saddens me is that so many people forget the reason for the season and see it as just another party or gift to be given or received. Christmas is a time for family and caring, it is not a reason to see how many gifts you can get and who gets more or better gifts. Don't get me wrong, I love giving and receiving gifts as well as anyone, but there is more to this time of year than just gifts and parties.
     Without Christ in our hearts Christmas would never have come.  It is because of him that we have this holiday and it is for this reason we need to remember him at this time of year more so than others.  His birth brought great joy to his family and his life to the world.  Many people forget he is the reason for the season, not the parties and gifts.
     It brought me great joy to see one branch of my family put aside their differences for this holiday season and spend Christmas together as a family, all nineteen of them.  My uncle is ill and I know it made him very happy to have all of his children and grandchildren under one roof for Christmas.  This is what Christmas is all about and what Christ wants us to keep in our hearts.
     To me this is what is special about Christmas, more than the tinsel and the gifts. Showing love for one another is an important part of the season.  Seeing friends and family and sharing news through letters and cards with those that are far away. The joy that you feel when you get a card or a note from someone you have not seen in many months or years, but still feel close to in your heart.
     It is the memories of laughter and joy that make the season special, the tree lit up, and the smells of Christmas that make it special.  The gifts are an added bonus, not the reason to celebrate. Don't get me wrong, I love the gifts and the wrapping paper, but the memories we make are more important and last much longer than the gifts. 
     You do not have to spend Christmas Day itself with them, but making sure you let them know that you care during this season is important. Be a dinner out, a phone call, or a card or gift, touching base with those you care about is important at any time of the year, but more so during this season of the year.
     It saddens me that many simply see this as the time of year when getting more expensive gifts is the most important thing. I enjoyed time watching movies with my youngest son and dinner out with my oldest. Both were times spent with family and meaningful.
Wishing everyone a very joyful end to 2012 and a very happy start to 2013.

Today's Ramblings about grocery shopping, cleaning the pantry, and clutter

      Today I went grocery shopping.  Let me tell you the commissary at JBER is a mess. Nothing is where it used to be and things are so confusing. I hate to shop to begin with, unless of course it is for fabric.  I was looking for Miracle Whip and it took me forever to find it, and it was of all places over by the potato chips, as was the peanut butter. Now please tell me, why they would put Miracle Whip and peanut butter together?
     Then I went searching for other things on my list and of course most of them were not where I thought so I had to spend more time going up and down isles looking for them.
      I know why I do not like to go shopping for groceries, unless it is at the farmer's market. It is way to complicated.
      I did go to the farmer's market to as well.  that I love doing. Yes, we still have a farmer's market in Anchorage in the winter. It moves inside the Sear's Mall and is on Wednesdays instead of Saturdays.  It is not as big as the summer market, but my favorite farm is there and they have the best carrots. They are sweet and crunchy.  I love. Today they had carrots, beets, snow apples (turnips), sweet pumpkins, parsnips, Daikon radishes, cabbage, and a wide variety of potatoes to choose from.  I bought carrots, of course. I love munching on carrots every day.  They go very good with hummus, or alone.
      I also like the spice, nuts, teas, and dried fruits that another vendor sells at the farmer's market.  They have salt free pepitas, and sweet crystalized ginger, as well as fresh dried spices, and other dried fruits, mushrooms and flavored salts.  They also have a few flavored olive oils for sale as well.  I love the pepitas, and crystalized ginger. They make great snacks.
      I also cleaned out the pantry. I put everything that is out dated or that we do not eat in bags to get rid of.  I told my husband I do not care where it goes, I just want it out of the house.  There were about five large bags of crackers, noodles, soups with too much sodium, and cereals.  All were foods we do not eat because they are too high in carbohydrates, made with wheat, or too high in sodium. I hope that they find a good home and help keep someone's belly filled.  I like my nice neat organized cupboard.  I can find things now.  I also did a little cleaning out of the refrigerator, but will save the rest of that for after the holidays.
     I am continuing to clean out other areas of the house, though it is an on going job and will take a while before I get through everything. Twenty years in one house is a long time and stuff does pile up.  I think I need to hire some one to help me who does not have an emotional attachment to things so I can get rid of more. I get side tracked by some things and others I am just not sure if I am ready to let them go, or if I might need them again.  That is the problem with trying to sort through stuff, that some call clutter and others call treasures.
     Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!  I am off to bed for the night.

Pumpkin and Black Bean Taco

In November I went to a craft fair here in Anchorage and Two Fat Guys Catering had a booth. They were selling several items but the one that caught my eye was their butternut squash taco.  I tried it and it was to die for. This sent me on a mission, find a recipe that was similar and make them at home.
I spent several hours searching the internet and came up with several recipes that I then used bits and pieces of to make my own version of the tacos. I made them last week and my husband said they were a keeper. In fact I am thinking that I may make them again tonight.
My version is below.