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BOOKWERME's Recent Blog Entries

What you eat may protect your eyes!

Friday, October 28, 2011

I was recently told by a close friend (a nurse) that her grandmother had told her to eat 1/4 cup of spinach a day to protect her vision. She observed that those in her family who listened to that advice had their vision throughout their lives, though the ones who did not follow that advice were plagued with vision issues of various kinds.

This month's issue of Better Homes and Gardens has a short article on page 215 under the BetterHealth News banner.

"Feast you eyes

If age-related macular degeneration (AMD) runs in your family, tweaking your diet could save your sight, according to a 10-year study in the Archives of Ophthalmology. Dutch researchers tracked more than 2,000 volunteers over the age of 55 and discovered that those who had one of two high risk gene variations were 30 percent less likely to develop AMD when their diets were rich in zinc and omega-3 fatty acids. follow-up studies will determine why. In the meantime, follow the U.S. guidelines of consuming 8 mg of zinc per day and several servings of omega-3 rich food per week. Good sources of zinc include beef, oysters, pork, lamb, and fortified cereals. Omega-3s are found in fatty fish such as salmon and herring, as well as walnuts and flaxseed."

  
  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

HONEYDRIPPER 10/29/2011 6:26PM

    I should never have a problem then! Have loved spinach all my life. (evidently, I even liked baby food spinach) Sometimes spinach ends up in three meals but at least once a day.
I read somewhere though that you body absorbs the nutrients from it better if it is at least lightly steamed rather than raw. don't know how true it is.

Oh, and I like carrots too, although I don't eat them very often as the organic ones are pricey and they were listed as one of the "dirty dozen'

Comment edited on: 10/29/2011 6:28:35 PM

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LOVE2WALK1 10/29/2011 1:40PM

    I "see" I need to tweak my diet a bit....but it's worth it to save my eyesite!

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ONLYTEMPORARY 10/28/2011 12:52PM

    Interesting.

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BOOKWERME 10/28/2011 12:14PM

    Celeste', I don't know that carrots don't help...just that Spinach evidently does. I've always heard that eating carrots would help with night vision. I would settle for seeing well day and night!!!

I would think carrots AND spinach would be a terrific choice. The flaxseed is high in Omega-3....carrots high in beta-carotene. How can you lose with those?

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CELEST 10/28/2011 12:02PM

    And to think they used to say eat your carrots so you dont go blind....when its actually spinach.
Flaxseed is also excellent as a general health plan. My sister was given by a nurse a pot of flaxseed which she puts on her oats porrige, cereal, smoothies etc by the teaspoon fulls. It is what they give AIDS patients. Must be awesome. It also helps with the night sweats during menopause. No wonder Jah says the leaves are curing the nations.

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BOOKWERME 10/28/2011 11:55AM

    I am trying to be sure I have at least a quarter cup of spinach in a salad every..or almost every day. I like YOUR way, too....those breakfast omlet things you fix look delicious!

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COOLCALLALILY 10/28/2011 11:52AM

    Oh cool! I eat at least that much spinach almost every day! emoticon

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What have YOU lost?

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Seems like I have seen this before...and today someone shared it on FB so I thought I would share it here, too. I regret that I don't know the source, but it would be easy enough to put together one's own list! I have not quite lost as much as my custom bowling ball. lol


tell me ::: WHAT HAVE YOU LOST? :::

1 pound = a Guinea Pig
1.5 pounds = a dozen Krispy Kreme glazed donuts
2 pounds = a rack of baby back ribs
3 pounds = an average human brain
4 pounds = an ostrich egg
5 pounds = a Chihuahua
6 pounds = a human’s skin
7.5 pounds = an average newborn
8 pounds = a human head
10 pounds= chemical additives an American consumes each year
11 pounds = an average housecat
12 pounds = a Bald Eagle
15 pounds = 10 dozen large eggs
16 pounds = a sperm whale’s brain
20 pounds = an automobile tire
23 pounds = amount of pizza an average American eats in a year
24 pounds = a 3-gallon tub of super premium ice cream
25 pounds = an average 2 year old
30 pounds = amount of cheese an average American eats in a year
33 pounds = a cinder block
36 pounds = a mid-size microwave
40 pounds = a 5-gallon bottle of water or an average human leg
44 pounds = an elephant’s heart
50 pounds = a small bale of hay
55 pounds = a 5000 BTU air conditioner
60 pounds = an elephant’s penis (yep, weights more than his heart!)
66 pounds = fats and oils an average American eats in a year
70 pounds = an Irish Setter
77 pounds = a gold brick
80 pounds = the World’s Largest Ball of Tape
90 pounds = a newborn calf
100 pounds = a 2 month old horse
111 pounds = red meat an average American eats in a year
117 pounds = an average fashion model (and she’s 5’11”)
118 pounds = the complete Encyclopedia Britannica
120 pounds = amount of trash you throw away in a month
130 pounds = a newborn giraffe
138 pounds = potatoes an average American eats in a year
140 pounds = refined sugar an average American eats in a year
144 pounds = an average adult woman (and she’s 5’4”)
150 pounds = the complete Oxford English Dictionary
187 pounds = an average adult man
200 pounds = 2 Bloodhounds
235 pounds = Arnold Schwarzenegger
300 pounds = an average football lineman
400 pounds = a Welsh pony
;)))

  
  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

RASCALSMOMMA 10/31/2011 8:12PM

    Ok Ive lost 60 pounds BUT Im equalizing it with SIX times the amount of chemical additives (besides what do you think I LOST??! ) HUGS


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TREVUG 10/27/2011 11:50PM

    1 BALD EAGLE, 1 CHIHUAHUA, AN OSTRICH EGG, AND 9 GUINEA PIGS.(I had to be different) Actually I recently purchased a 25 pound bag of beans and had to laugh because that is what I had lost at that point.

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CINA-MINI 10/27/2011 4:25PM

    A cinder block! (33) It's amazing to think in these terms! (I also agree about the 60.)

I have lost the same weight 3 times now! If I can just KEEP it off now!

Have a great day Asta!



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BOOKWERME 10/27/2011 7:39AM

    I agree re: 60 lbs. Did a quick google search and came up with Lozinit2's Sparkpage where she said 60 lbs equals 7.2 gallons of water. That sure is easier for me to relate to also...I carry gallon jugs of water for watering plants quite frequently!

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AMJSATURN 10/27/2011 12:34AM

    Wow....thinking in these terms does make a difference. emoticon

(25)I have lost a 2 year old. And gained the chemical additives an American consumes each year. (10) emoticon

Comment edited on: 10/27/2011 12:37:00 AM

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ONLYTEMPORARY 10/26/2011 7:38PM

    5 gal of water for me. They need something different for the 60#

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GOOSIEMOON 10/26/2011 6:30PM

    OMG - I've lost an elephant's penis!

This made me laugh so hard I could hardly catch my breath!
Thanks for that!

Have a wonderful day!

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LOVE2WALK1 10/26/2011 6:22PM

    yay, I've almost lost a tire....I knew there was a spare tire around my middle!

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"FAT TAX"

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

From Better Homes and Gardens January 2011 page 128

Fat Tax
One more reason to start that diet: Being overweight can cost you big money - an average of $4,879 a year in medical costs, sick days, lower wages, and even extra gas, according to a recent study by George Washington University researchers. emoticon

  
  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

AMJSATURN 10/17/2011 6:38PM

    Excellent ideas! On growing your veggies

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AJCHARTERS 10/14/2011 10:08AM

    I couldn't have said it any better than Shari. My husband and I are always talking about this, even with our kids. It's very frustrating to think we are constantly polluting our bodies with food.

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BOOKWERME 10/14/2011 8:07AM

    Nice to have the dialogue.

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ALMYEARTHLYBEST 10/14/2011 7:54AM

    Shari, I could repeat all you said! We must be reading/listening to the same info. :)
This sort of thing - what Shari said & what Asta said is the greater part of my current research. I started with researching my own "illnesses" & "disabilities" in an effort to find a way to reverse things for me (since I'm now going to be raising my niece and she's only 9 - I "have" to be healthy enough for the challenge, for her). Where it's led me to is the American Food Industry, and somewhat the "pharmaceutical industry" too. But what American entities have permitted, allowed, and approved for our regulated food processing is appalling!!!

The worst of it is that "THEY" KNOW these things (additives and methods) are detrimental to human health! In many cases the scientists working on a given research or program will take steps to protect themselves and their loved ones from consumption of the end results!!!

I talk to people in other countries about this too. Foodwise, I'd prefer to live anywhere else but here... because in most other developed countries it's fairly easy and less expensive to get fresh, raw, unadulterated whole foods. Yet, people in those countries marvel (and want) all the options they see & hear about here - the convenience foods, the frozen meals, the box dinners, the huge variety of fast foods, and don't even get me started on all the sweets!

I've started talking to local farmers in my efforts to reduce food costs and eat healthier. Time after time I'm shocked at how much they have to go up against to even grow food without chemicals, pesticides, and other treatments that are supposed to bring them larger outputs!!! Farmers are actually paid by various entities to grow unhealthy food that they themselves will refuse to eat!!! But they do it so they have enough money to meet their bills and sustain a lifestyle above poverty level! :( It's not that methods aren't known, many cheaper too, that will allow for healthy choices in the growing process as much as it is the government and "big business" pay them more to NOT do things that way!!! It doesn't make any sense when you get to knowing all this. The bottom line is most farmers can't make a liveable wage without the subsidies and straight out cash from these sources. It's all about money!!!

Most of the farmers I've talked to have a separate plot of land, carefully planned and protected, where they grow food for themselves... many do this very quietly. Their top recommendation for me and others like me who want to find affordable ways to eat healthier??? Learn how to grow my own food!!! Straight from the people making a living by growing foods - forget all the stuff in the stores and a lot of the stuff in the farmer's markets even - GROW YOUR OWN!!! Find people who are willing to do the same - grow in healthy ways, without harmful chemicals, pesticides, genetically modified 'garbage', etc., and barter the foods grown for your own consumption. Say you grow really great cucumbers and you know someone who grows the best tomatoes - each of you grow enough to give some of your produce in trade for some of their produce.

This is sorta going back to the old ways of living! lol

But my kids and I have in a small way proven to ourselves that this is what we need to do. (and I have the brownest thumbs ever) We spent 10 days last month eating only fresh whole foods - local fruits & veggies, mostly veggies. We would shop every other day for this - 1 because the quantity needed & the appropriate storage for it could only be managed that way, and 2 because we wanted it as fresh as possible. We bought organic when available to us, but also had to settle for other produce due to no other choice. Even tho we only managed 10 days - due to the time factors mostly - we all noticed some really positive differences. The biggest one was feeling better in lots of ways! Next was weight literally falling off - I lost 11 pounds and my girls lost 7 and 5 - each of us can correlate loss to how much we each need to lose. The most overweight lost the most; the least overweight lost the least. It's like eating this way was giving our bodies just what they needed to begin adjusting our personal weight to where it should be!

I've also talked to people who have been able to maintain eating only the healthiest, virgin whole foods, prepared simply and safely (without adding harmful ingredients) and they quickly lost extra weight, reversed all sorts of health problems, and feel and think so much better than before! One of our CO's was so impressed by this he began making similar changes and just between visits to our congregation he lost 80 pounds! He's a changed man! lol Our new CO and his wife are really into eating this way too and are impressing upon all of us, with each visit (one's coming up end of month), the benefits of changing up what we each do personally in this regard.

Somewhere in all this the scripture of man ruling over man to his ruin comes to mind. It is so apparent to me now in this area! The whole idea of a "fat tax" is just one more "piece" being put into play in that regard.

A few decades back it was unusual for households to NOT have their own garden of veggies & fruits and even a few chickens for eggs and some even a goat or cow for milk. It was part of life. Just like it was part of life to take that homegrown produce and spend time preparing it in delicious ways to eat (other than just fresh from the plant, vine, tree, etc). For me, and my household, this is where we are learning to go now.

We can't change the food industry. We can't change the gov'ts. All of that is part of a bigger picture and we know the outcome there. The time is short that we must endure living in this system. To help us be our best physically we need to take steps to avoid what big business and other entities would provide for us and do what we can to provide for ourselves. No one will argue that growing your own food isn't cheaper, even the cheapest option when it comes to buying what we eat. The challenge is making the time to grow it, cultivate it, and then deliciously prepare it to eat! In our little 10 day run it was more the time involved that caused us to drop it. We're working out the kinks with that and we will figure it out or move into it gradually is what it's turning out to be. :)

OK - stepping of 'my' "soapbox" now... LOL

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SHARISHORTCAKE 10/13/2011 11:51PM

    BTW: regarding the post below---the frustrations I voice here are in no way directed at Asta. I just have some pet peeves in this area and sometimes they come bubbling out. emoticon

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SHARISHORTCAKE 10/13/2011 11:19PM

    The problem is these studies time and again fail to address the real issues behind metabolic problems: Toxic Crud in, on, and all over all of our food. Pesticides, herbicides, artificial preservatives, way too much soy, gluten, msg, HFCS, and myriads of other man-made toxic crud. Good food being replaced by hormone-soaked, antibiotic laced products. Real food being replaced by lab-created substitutes. And then it's all marketed as something good and wonderful. And, just like the government always does, they ignore the fact that they're knowingly poisoning people which wrecks delicate systems and ruins metabolisms so they can get richer and richer and then they blame all the victims.

I've actually stopped even listening to the John Tesh Radio Show, which is on my local radio station every day, every time I get in the car and turn on my radio, because he continuously reports on "studies" that fat people cost everyone money, employers shouldn't hire fat people b/c it affects their profits and fat people aren't as productive as "normal" people. He even reported on an article that "proved" that if you're friends with a fat person you will get fat too. So....fat people are lazy, cost other people money, they shouldn't be hired, people should stay away from them or they'll catch the disease, and they must be pretty stupid too or they'd go on a diet. Give me a break.

I know good and well that is not at all the reason you passed on this particular information, Asta, because I know you don't feel that way, but this world increasingly does and it's just plain discriminatory. Everyone knows it's dead wrong to pre-judge a person b/c of her color, age, religion, or gender. But if a person is overweight---no matter that the reason is often a medical reason caused by this toxic world rather than from being gluttonous---it's fine to label them however you want to. I have heard mutterings of a fat tax possibly being implemented in the US in the future which would actually charge a tax to people who's BMI's aren't w/in government-approved parameters. I think these "scientists" (ha) should spend their time and our tax money on exposing the REAL cause of obesity, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease and stop trying to infer blame on those who are just struggling to get by.

OK, I'm off the soap box now. emoticonI hope you can understand my frustration with this world and it's lack of sense.
emoticon

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SAIMABAIG 10/13/2011 6:30AM

  this really great. thanks for this nice sharing.
http://www.orangecountytaxrelie
f.com

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ANITA_CHANGE 10/13/2011 5:26AM

    Oh yeah, and in another country, in Denmark, they are actually putting a fat tax into prospective. All foods that are unhealthy are getting a raise! emoticon emoticon emoticon emoticon

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LOVE2WALK1 10/12/2011 7:59PM

    emoticongreat incentive!

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ONLYTEMPORARY 10/12/2011 5:16PM

    emoticon

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JOYCEATH50 10/12/2011 4:36PM

    Alot of people are overweight because to eat "unhealthy" is really cheaper. Many cannot afford "healthy diet". It is so sad. They should tax the companies that make the unhealthy foods not the ones who have to buy them to survive. Just another symptom of the "system" we live in. Love Joyce
emoticon

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GODZDESIGN95 10/12/2011 2:45PM

    So much research but no addresses the cost of healthy food now when they start tackling that they have my attention, emoticon

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TREVUG 10/12/2011 2:10PM

    And that is just an average. Imagine how much more it costs to be morbidly obese.

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CELEST 10/12/2011 1:25PM

    Wow I wouldn't have thought of that aspect either. Incredible.

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BOOKWERME 10/12/2011 11:33AM

    That comment about the cost of extra gas did get my attention. When I lived in the Virgin Islands, we didn't ever have far to go...the island is so small. HERE, for the last two years, I have been commuting nearly an hour each way most days each week to care for my youngest grandchild. That is a lot of driving...and I purged the vehicle of a lot of stuff I had been routinely carrying to reduce the amount of excess weight. I NEVER thought about that extra 25-30 I take Everywhere with(on) ME! Guess that would add up over time!

Comment edited on: 10/12/2011 11:34:44 AM

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MA_DIDDLES 10/12/2011 11:29AM

    So far, I have been blessed, but I know this could be very true if I don't continue to exercise and eat healthy.

Food prices are going up-up-up. Lets hope they keep the prices down on healthy food to encourage healthy living.

I just bought a new trike. It gets me to almost everywhere I want to go including the grocery store. Once in a while I stop at the gas station to buy a cup of coffee.

Hope all is well with you. ((HUGS) MA

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FOOD MATTERS video...watch today!

Saturday, October 08, 2011

www.foodmatters.tv/screeningeventcin
ema

  
  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

BOOKWERME 10/12/2011 11:50AM

    no..didn't order it. but got to view the program..over an hour of information. will have to check to see if there is another link. Apparently there is a book called Food Matters. I have so many books now I will never get through them all, so I won't be ordering that one either. There are a bunch of links you can check out on the Food Matters website (I think that's where I found them...google it for info) Some of that info is included on the presentation I saw.



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MA_DIDDLES 10/12/2011 11:35AM

    Tooo Late. I missed out on the special.

Did U order this? Let me know how it goes.

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CINA-MINI 10/10/2011 4:32PM

    WOW!

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ONLYTEMPORARY 10/8/2011 7:16PM

    emoticon

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Pedometer in the hayfield?

Wednesday, October 05, 2011

When we took another walk to look for the pedometer lost Sunday as we repaired down fences, I took photos to show you. Hope this works.

Turkeys were grazing (?) seed in the front yard as we headed out.


The walk towards the hay field. You can see where the riding mower mowed as we used it for a ride back and forth to the field.


The fence line looking towards the road (looking East)...I mowed all that with the push mower.


Looking West from the same spot on the fence line.


The grass really is greener in the hay field. Here DH is helping me look for the lost pedometer...truly like looking for a needle in a haystack!


My dear Daisy supervising our search.


This is the cow that is so curious that she is getting tame(r).


That gives you an idea...I don't even know where to look with all the walking and work I did last Sunday. I am enjoying retracing my steps since our weather is beautiful right now. The exercise is gentle, but good none the less. And who knows, just maybe I will spot that tiny pedometer out there somewhere!


  
  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

BOOKWERME 10/14/2011 8:10AM

    No pedometer yet. We have walked the areas several times..but as you can see, even having an idea of where I worked/walked, it is like looking for a "needle in a haystack" since the pedometer is so small...lime green and black also helps it blend right in! Figures, I suppose. Who knows...I may find it after frost kills the grass so the green of the pedometer stands out in the browned grass.

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ALMYEARTHLYBEST 10/14/2011 8:00AM

    so - this is days later -

Have you found the pedometer yet?

emoticon

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MA_DIDDLES 10/12/2011 11:47AM

    Wow! You must have blister on your hands from all that mowing.
I enjoyed veiwing the photo's of your property.
Do you have turkey dinners often?
Your dog is as bad as my bird - just likes to supervise.
Like that white cow too - Do you suppose he found an ate your pedometer or stepped on it and buried it?
Bummer for the loss. You better just go buy a new one. MA

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ANITA_CHANGE 10/11/2011 11:01AM

    Wow, you have a lot of property! I wish I had half of that! I guess I will have to wait until the new system! emoticon

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BOOKWERME 10/7/2011 7:45PM

    I mow our yard around our house with the push mower...mowing the cattle fields fence line with the mower was just to help get it done...DH was using the weed whacker most of the time. It was great exercise, but probably not very practical. Better yet would be to keep things trimmed so we don't have this issue in the first place! (DS...you should be doing this!!!) Some areas also have rocks to contend with...not good for lawn mowers.

DH did learn to use the riding mower for this job ...you can do a lot of the fence line that way and then just finish it out with the weed whacker.

I DO mow under the entire fence line around the house. I generally mow for about an hour at a time to spread the exercise of mowing over several days. DH occasionally weed whacks around trees and fence posts etc where I am not getting close enough with the mower. With all the specialized cutting with the mower that I do...I call it "fussy cutting" using the quilting term! emoticon

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CINA-MINI 10/7/2011 6:18PM

    What a beautiful farm you have! I hope you find it soon!

I can see why you like to mow it with the push mower. LOTS of exercise!

Nice pictures.

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RASCALSMOMMA 10/6/2011 11:00PM

    This is weird but i can SEE your pics! Cool Farm hon. Hope you find it! HUGS Laurie

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JOYCEATH50 10/6/2011 9:49AM

    Love the pictures...all I see when I go out are cars, streets, stores, apartments and roads and houses...etc you wouldn't like my pictures LOL. But I still notice the trees and flowers and bushes when I can. At least we have alot of those scattered about but you have to drive out of town to see fields, cows and such. (Plenty of dogs out in service though lol)

I hope you find your missing pedometer! Looks like you need it for sure with all the walking you need to do! Don't give up!

Love Joyce emoticon

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TREVUG 10/6/2011 1:24AM

    Nice pictures. Sorry about your pedometer. I lost my pulse reading watch at work the other day to natural causes.

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LOVE2WALK1 10/5/2011 4:49PM

    Did you check the friendly cow? Maybe she wants to monitor her walking as well! Love the pics! emoticon

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CELEST 10/5/2011 3:21PM

    Well thats wishful thinking...if I look at ALL that space you mowed and walked, but never say never is my attitude so maybe just maybe you will actually find it. Loved the photos.

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ONLYTEMPORARY 10/5/2011 2:32PM

    Beautiful pics! Thanks for sharing.

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1CRAZYDOG 10/5/2011 10:39AM

  Well, good luck finding that pedometer. I can't begin to tell you how many I have lost! Right now I have a Sportline which has an awesome clip. So far so good (fingers crossed!) LOVE the pictures, esp. the tame cow. She's a beauty.

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