Category: Choose Health

Aren’t Friends Great?

My honey is not a complainer. When the going gets tough she doesn’t whine or moan; she just keeps plodding along until the task is done. She has missed 3 weeks of playing tennis due to a shoulder injury and now is sick with a cold. She still isn’t really complaining but I know she is hurting and feels crappy.

Last week I wanted to plant the seed that maybe she should go see her doctor about the shoulder. We chatted for a few minutes and then moved on. Before I left the room, I asked if she was ok and she just looked at me like I was a bit crazy. “No, I’m not ok, I am hurting.”

Planting the seed…

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Common Sense is Not Common

By definition, shouldn’t common sense be common? From my experience it is really not all that common and those that have it are blessed. When you use common sense you are able to identify problems in advance, solve simple issues that arise, go with the flow and deal with interruptions.

According to the dictionary, common sense is “sound and prudent judgment based on a simple perception of the situation or facts”.

Some situations I have come across that make me go HUH?

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I Like To Wing It!

Do you like to cook?

I love to cook. I usually have a main ingredient in mind and then start perusing the fridge and the cabinets to see what else is on hand that I can toss in the pot. I think about what protein I want, what fresh vegetables I have and the spices that will bring it all alive.

Preparing dinner is my down time at the end of the work day. I usually drink a glass of wine or an ice cold IPA while cooking and sing along to my favorite tunes. I start a meal while still thinking about what else to add to it and the final product is often nothing like what I had in mind when I started.  I will stop what I am doing to run out to the garden to pick some fresh basil, parsley and tomatoes  or at the last minute prepare some type of sauce or salsa to top it all off.

I love homegrown tomatoes!

You see, I am not a perfectionist when I cook in the kitchen. I am more of a creator or a sculptor.

Laughing out Loud!!! Ok, Ok. That is a stretch. No one has ever accused me of being an Artist in any way, shape or form.

Maybe paint and sip!

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Another Milestone Passed

There are some rather big milestones built into our life that we pass through as we grow and mature into adulthood and beyond. Think “Terrible Two’s”, “Sweet 16”, gaining the right to vote at 18, the right to drink at 21,  and the ability to collect Social Security at 65.

This week, I got to experience another one of these milestones that it is often neglected. The right to have a colonoscopy at the age of 50. Personally, I waited until age 51, this was not a right of passage that I was looking forward to or one that got me excited.

Time for a tantrum

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Waste Not, Want Not

Did you know:

According to the USDA, the average American throws away over 200 pounds of edible food every year. Yes, I said 200 pounds.

The USDA also reports that over 13 million children under the age of 18 live in households where they are unable to consistently have access to nutritious food.

Think about those numbers for a minute. 13 million children in the US have difficulty obtaining healthy food.  13 million. After contemplating that statistic for a minute, I literally teared up. If you have even 1 drop of empathy in you, I imagine you did too.

Don’t tell anyone but I cry really easily!

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A Piece of My Mind

You know when Facebook asks “What is on your mind”?  Well I have a lot on my mind but have been too busy to get it written down and posted on My Little Blue Kayak! Here is a snapshot of what I have been thinking about. Don’t be surprised if some of these ideas become posts in the near future!

I have been thinking how foolish it is to waste food. I used to be one of those people who would buy fresh fruit and vegetables but didn’t always consume them before they went bad. I would never in a million years throw $5 bucks into the trash so why would I toss $5 bucks worth of fruit away?

Find a way to use it. Don’t toss it.

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Say Good-bye

As you know, learning Tai Chi is one of my goals for 2017. I chose this goal because I want to strengthen my left knee which has been a problem for over a decade.  I don’t intend to have balance issues in my old age.

Learn more about how and why I prioritized this goal here and here!

Here is my Tai Chi update!

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Whole30 Mission Complete (Part 3)

If you missed the first 2 parts of My Whole30 Experiment check them out here and here.

Day 17-30  Last 2 weeks of the Whole30.

My honey and I have had several conversations about what we will do when our 30 days are over. Overall, we both feel good eating this way and don’t feel the need to permanently reintroduce any of the food groups that we eliminated (soy, legumes, sugar, vegetable oils, dairy, and grains).

That being said, I am confident I will eat the occasional slice of pizza, brownie and grilled cheese sandwich.   I will need to reintroduce these favorite foods in a manner that will allow me to tell if they have a noticeable impact on my energy, my digestion or my sleep. Number 9 says when he reintroduced corn he realized it caused itchiness and some increased irritability.

Still looks yummy!

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Eat Your Veggies

Everyone knows vegetables are good for you. Everyone knows we should eat them everyday. How many did you eat today?

The more I read, the more convinced I am that not only are they good for you, they are critical for maximizing health. Eating a lot of vegetables is good, eating a wide variety is even better.

Vegetables contain different vitamins, nutrients and phytonutrients which are important for overall health. Overall, vegetables are low in calories and high in nutrients. That is a win-win! According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), “eating more fruits and vegetables adds nutrients to diets, reduces the risk for heart disease, stroke, and some cancers, and helps manage body weight when consumed in place of more energy-dense foods”.

Remember President Bush and his statements on broccoli? Take a trip down memory lane here!

President Bush was not a fan of broccoli!

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Rocking the Whole30 Program (Part 2)

Whole30 Update: I recently posted that my honey and I are completing a Whole30 Program experiment to improve our health. If you missed that post, check it out here.  If you are unfamiliar with the Whole30 Program you can read about it at the Whole30 site.

Today’s post is a diary of sorts from the first 2 weeks.

We have cleaned out the cabinets and now have several boxes of food stored in the basement. In theory, it is out of sight and out of mind but I can hear the dark chocolate calling for me and this is day 1.

I can hear it calling me from the basement…

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