June & July 2019

I really enjoyed visiting Portugal recently. I needed some down time and found just the place to relax and get away.  It’s nice to go to a place where you don’t see anyone walking around with their cup of coffee. If you want coffee, you must sit and enjoy it. Just that one little action has a calming effect.

 

 

   

Watermelon’s Superpower

 ^{article from medicalnewstoday.com}

A study published recently in Medical News Today, noted that supplements with L-citrulline, an amino acid found in watermelon can improve blood flow and improve oxygenation of skeletal muscles, thereby enhancing exercise performance. It has a positive effect on blood vessels and is being looked as an effective treatment for erectile dysfunction if taken in a concentrated form. The key ingredient is converted into nitric oxide, which dilates blood vessels throughout the body. The results are more pronounced with concentrated watermelon juice which has higher concentrations of L-citrulline than the fruit.

 

Mushrooms for Health

^{by Sanna Delmonico, MS, RDN}

As we know, mushrooms are fungi, more closely related to yeast and molds than to plants. They are eaten on every continent and valued for its medicinal and nutritional qualities. The number and varieties are so great, it may never be known. Hundreds have been studied for their medicinal properties and about 25 are used as food. In the U.S., the familiar mushrooms are mostly limited to three: white button, shitake and portobello. Nutritionally, mushrooms offer fiber, protein, minerals like potassium, copper, selenium and B vitamins, including thiamin, niacin, riboflavin and B12. They also have pantothenic acid, and vitamins C and E. Some are high in vitamin D.

 

 

Mushrooms have been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. The properties of mushrooms show promise for inhibiting cancer of the breast, cervix, prostate, lung, stomach and colon. Mushrooms also contain immune stimulating properties. Reducing risks of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Less than an once a day could keep the doctors away so find some ways to add them to your diet.

 

 

 

Let’s Get Real about Reuse

Let’s reduce our use of plastics that can’t be recycled. Billions end up as litter every year. The fact is that about one trillion plastic bags are used each year worldwide. As we think about that, we be on the lookout for alternatives. I am excited about my new reusable produce bags. These great little mesh bags are durable.  Perfect for fruit, veggies and bulk items lake beans, nuts and rice.  You can throw them in the washing machine. Keep them handy in your shopping bag that you already bring to the store. Be a more sustainable shopper and be part of the solution. Plastic produce bags are clogging up landfills and are of no use to recyclers. We have been sending all of these types of plastic on container ships to Asia.  They are now drowning in our garbage. The president of the Philippines, just announced he was sending about 85 of our containers back with our non-recyclable plastics.

Order yours at mightynext.com/ftproducebags

 

Mindful Ways to Connect with Nature

by Micoh Mortali of Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health

Meditate to the sound of water:  Close your eyes or maintain a soft gaze, connect with your breath. Let your attention rest on the sound, whether it’s a fountain, a creek babbling or the ocean waves

Hike with your hands:  Take a mindful walk incorporating the sense of touch. Run your finger over the bark of trees, the moss on a rock, or the smooth surface of a stone.

Visit a sit spot:  Choose a place in your yard or a nearby natural space that you can return to in every season, observing the changes in the flora and fauna over time. Even five or 10 minutes a day spent in your spot will result in a growing bond with the landscape.

Walk barefoot outside:  Walking with an awareness and without shoes can be a profound experience. How long has it been since you walked barefoot on the grass?

Offer gratitude and care:  We often speak of nature in terms of what it can give us-health benefits, recreation, fuel for our fires or vegetables for our meals. We can reframe our relationship with the natural world by consciously offering gratitude for what we receive. Acknowledging the lives of the living things around us.

 

 

Energy and persistence conquers all things

^{Benjamin Franklin}