Delicious and Nutritious Veggie/Fruit Dinner-Yum!

I had this for dinner two nights in a row because I loved it so much! All I did was drizzle olive oil on slices of red bell pepper, zucchini and collard greens and stuck them in an 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes.  Then I added slices of fresh avocado and strawberries and sprinkled it all with black pepper and low fat feta cheese. I urge you to try it. You really do not have to have meat at every meal. This is super healthy and delicious!

The Link Between Eye Health and Diet

I don't know about you, but as I get older I find I need to put my reading glasses on more often than not. I have finally gotten smart about it and have bought several at the local discount store just to keep a pair in every room readily available to me. Having good eyesight is something I have always boasted about.I usually have been told that I have 20/20 vision which is pretty good. Even now, I really only need glasses when reading up close. Eyesight is such an important topic as we age. My own sweet mother lost her vision completely by the time she was 80 years old due to glaucoma. This indirectly lead to her death a few years later when, unable to see clearly, she fell and broke a hip. Her mother lost her vision while in her 60's! But back in those days with money being scarce folks didn't visit the doctor often and health was a very low priority to them. This was very unfortunate and probably a lot of her vision loss could have been prevented. This is why at my age now I routinely have my vision checked especially for that dreaded disease of glaucoma. My understanding is that it is a highly hereditary illness but one that can be kept very much in check with modern medicine. My oldest sister who is in her early 60's has already had cataract surgery. This is scary and makes me hyper-vigilant when it comes to my eyesight. Eye disease is one of the most common reasons people become permanently disabled in the United States. My husband's cousin, who is in his mid 50's, recently became totally disabled due to losing his vision because of untreated diabetes. Millions of people over the age of 40 have cataracts and millions of folks over 60 years of age have macular degeneration. These eye diseases occur as we age and proper nutrition has a lot to do with both of them.
Cataracts develop on the lens of the eye when proteins we all have in the lens are damaged. These proteins help to keep our lens clear, but when they are damaged the lens becomes cloudy and opaque, causing blurry vision. Cataracts also cause poor night vision and may cause you to have double vision. Surgery is usually necessary to remove them and replace the damaged lens with an artificial one. Macular degeneration happens when the cells in the macula of the eye die. The macula is located in the center of the retina in the back of the eye and is responsible for keeping your vision sharp for reading and such. The problem is once the macula is damaged your vision is no longer clear and you are unable to make out the fine details in objects. There is no cure for this disease, but proper nutrition may help to prevent it from getting worse.

The nutrients that benefit eye health are vitamins C and E, carotenoids, beta carotene, lutein, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, and vitamins B6, B9 (folic acid) and B12.
Here's a list of foods containing eye-healthy nutrients:

• Fruits and vegetables (good sources of vitamins C and E)
• Dark green vegetables such as kale and spinach (lutein, vitamin E)
• Yellow and orange fruits and vegetables (beta carotene and zeaxanthin)
• Anchovies, herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines, trout, tuna, and white fish (omega-3 fatty acids)
• Beef, eggs, lamb, milk, peanuts, pork, and whole grains (zinc)
• Bananas, chicken, dried beans, fish, liver, pork, and potatoes (vitamin B6)
• Citrus fruits, fortified cereals, dried beans, green leafy vegetables, liver, mushrooms, nuts, and peas (folic acid)
• Dairy products, eggs, meat, poultry, and shellfish (vitamin B12)

In researching this I found that a diet high in refined carbs, such as white rice, white bread, and pasta, may actually increase your risk of developing macular degeneration. These foods have a high glycemic index, which means they are broken down rapidly into blood glucose or sugar, so it is best for you to choose breads and pasta made from whole grains and brown rice for your complex carbohydrates.
Let's all take care of our vision! Life is too beautiful to miss even one minute of it. Have a happy, healthy day everyone!

The Hazards of Smoking

When I was young I used to watch both of my parents smoke. They would sit on the porch at the end of a long day and puff away. Our home smelled of cigarettes and no one thought anything of it. I grew up in the '60's and back then it was probably considered really cool to smoke. I can even recall being in junior high and having an area by the lunchroom designated for teen smokers.  It's almost like the school district was encouraging kids to smoke. Very strange now, but back then it was considered the norm. Of course only the cool boys would stand out there smoking and no respectable girls ever approached that area. Later in the '70's when I joined the workforce I would sit in an office where everyone smoked at their desk. Hard to imagine this now, but back then if you were a smoker you were allowed to sit and puff while you worked. It did not matter if you as a non-smoker were bothered by it. No one had rights back then to complain. I would have to just sit and accept it and go home reeking of smoke. Now when I see someone smoking publicly it almost looks unusual. The habit has come under great fire in recent years to the point that you hardly see anyone smoking out in public any longer. This is a good thing, because the health hazards are very numerous. Here is information I found posted on the Centers for Disease Control website that is very beneficial for all of us to know so I thought it would be a good idea to share with you:

Overview

Smoking harms nearly every organ of the body. Smoking causes many diseases and reduces the health of smokers in general.

Smoking and Death

Smoking causes death.

• The adverse health effects from cigarette smoking account for an estimated 443,000 deaths, or nearly one of every five deaths, each year in the United States.
• More deaths are caused each year by tobacco use than by all deaths from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), illegal drug use, alcohol use, motor vehicle injuries, suicides, and murders combined.
• Smoking causes an estimated 90% of all lung cancer deaths in men and 80% of all lung cancer deaths in women.
• An estimated 90% of all deaths from chronic obstructive lung disease are caused by smoking.

Smoking and Increased Health Risks

Compared with nonsmokers, smoking is estimated to increase the risk of—

• coronary heart disease by 2 to 4 times,
• stroke by 2 to 4 times,
• men developing lung cancer by 23 times,
• women developing lung cancer by 13 times, and
• dying from chronic obstructive lung diseases (such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema) by 12 to 13 times.

Smoking and Cardiovascular Disease

• Smoking causes coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States.
• Cigarette smoking causes reduced circulation by narrowing the blood vessels (arteries) and puts smokers at risk of developing peripheral vascular disease (i.e., obstruction of the large arteries in the arms and legs that can cause a range of problems from pain to tissue loss or gangrene).
• Smoking causes abdominal aortic aneurysm (i.e., a swelling or weakening of the main artery of the body—the aorta—where it runs through the abdomen).

Smoking and Respiratory Disease

• Smoking causes lung cancer.
• Smoking causes lung diseases (e.g., emphysema, bronchitis, chronic airway obstruction) by damaging the airways and alveoli (i.e., small air sacs) of the lungs.

Smoking and Cancer

Smoking causes the following cancers:

• Acute myeloid leukemia
• Bladder cancer
• Cancer of the cervix
• Cancer of the esophagus
• Kidney cancer
• Cancer of the larynx (voice box)
• Lung cancer
• Cancer of the oral cavity (mouth)
• Pancreatic cancer
• Cancer of the pharynx (throat)
• Stomach cancer

Smoking and Other Health Effects

Smoking has many adverse reproductive and early childhood effects, including increased risk for—

• infertility,
• preterm delivery,
• stillbirth,
• low birth weight, and
• sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Smoking is associated with the following adverse health effects:

• Postmenopausal women who smoke have lower bone density than women who never smoked.
• Women who smoke have an increased risk for hip fracture than women who never smoked.

Obviously, the bottom line is if you have never smoked don't start! If you are a smoker, do all within your power to stop immediately. I realize this is easier said than done, but at our age you cannot afford the health risks involved. There are many resources to assist you in stopping this ugly habit. I encourage you to seek help. Besides all the health hazards smoking also affects our looks too. It affects the elasticity of the skin causing unnecessary wrinkles and we sure do not need any extra wrinkles on our face. Let's all stay healthy, we have a great life, so let's make the most of it! Have a great week everyone!

The Importance of a Cardio / Aerobic Workout

With all the recent gardening I have been doing I have been getting an excellent cardio workout even though I have not hit the gym in a week. This is so important because our hearts are just like any other muscle, you have to push yourself in order to stay heart-healthy! With this in mind, I wanted to share another tidbit of information that Stephanie, my trainer at the gym, shared with me!

What occurs during an aerobic workout?

• Your breath deepens and becomes quicker, increasing the amount of oxygen in your blood.
• Your heart beats faster increasing blood flow to your muscles and lungs.
• Your capillaries open, delivering more oxygen to your muscles and taking away more waste products.
• Endorphins, your natural pain killers, are released giving you an increased sense of well-being.

Cardio on a regular basis - your body adapts!

• Your heart becomes stronger and more efficient.
• Your heart rate decreases ( a stronger heart is able to pump more blood with each beat).
• Your muscles become more efficient at consuming oxygen.
• Your mitochondria (the fuel your body uses to move) increase in number. They use oxygen to burn fat and carbs.

Working a regular cardio/aerobic workout 20-60 minutes per session, 3-5 days a week leaves you with a strong, fit heart and body! (If you are not in condition, split it up into 10 minute segments, increase the duration by 5 minutes until you reach your desired goal)

The Result:

• your clothes fit better
• you have more energy and endurance
• you have a better outlook on life
• your chance of heart disease, cancer and several other diseases and conditions decreases

Stay strong and healthy over 50! Happy Friday everyone!

Find Your Personal Happiness to Stay Healthy

Hi everyone..
It is so important that we all find whatever it is in our personal lives that brings us happiness. Research indicates that happiness is truly the key to a healthy life. With this in mind please do whatever it takes to figure out what makes you happy and pursue it. Whether it is going to a job that is totally fulfilling, spending time with your beautiful children or grandchildren, playing in your garden, going on a hot date with a new "friend" or just hanging out doing a bunch of nothing...whatever it is find it and do it and do it often! Happiness is so important to our well being, not only to our mental health but to our physical health as well! We all have heard how our mental health directly impacts our physical health especially when it comes to stress and how it affects our body. I have to say that for me personally a day never goes by that I don't reflect on the happiness I feel inside when I commune with nature. I absolutely love and adore working in the yard and making things beautiful. I love the feel of the grass on my bare feet, I love the feel of the dirt when I am digging, I love the sound of the sweet birds singing overhead, but most of all I love the way my body feels healthy from all the exercise I get. Nature, for me is the ultimate when it comes to bringing me happiness.

Feeling fulfilled in life is so important to our mental well being. I can recall many times in my past where I felt very unfulfilled. I was working long hours at a job that did not satisfy me and where I felt that my talents were going unrecognized. I would literally count down the years, months and finally the days to when I would be able to retire and get out of what I considered a dead end job. Thank my lucky stars I was able to hang on and finally leave to find what really made me happy. I am in a great place now and I hope you are as well. If you are not there yet, do not fret, instead just focus and keep your goal in mind. Eventually you will be in your own personal happy place which is where you were meant to be all along!

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone and remember! Healthy Living Over 50 is so important for all of us! By the way here are a couple of photos of my personal happy place. Enjoy the pics!



My garage apartment



I love antiques! I found this old mailbox for $1 at a garage sale and turned it into a planter to hang by the garage apt door



Red geraniums are my favorite! Sitting atop 2 antique farm wheels



Our little cottage in the country



I found this old tub at a sidewalk sale in Smithville, Tx filled it with pink geraniums. So pretty!



Laid this cobblestone sidewalk and still have much to plant to fill the sides!

Brain Games are Healthy!

Hope all of you had a wonderful Monday! As for me I did two of my favorite things today. I spent about 4 hours in the garden planting ferns in my flower beds. I burned tons of calories with all the digging and lifting I did all day. I got a great deal on some beautiful ferns at the local grocery store of all places! I had to beat the rain today so I spent all morning getting them into all the empty spots throughout my garden. Later this evening I got to do one of my other favorite things which is to work the daily crossword puzzle! Believe it or not, I love a challenging puzzle. I recently started printing the L.A. Times crossword which is fun. Studies have proven that for folks our age it is highly important that we not only exercise our body but that we exercise our brain as well! Working crosswords is an excellent way of getting that exercise. If crosswords are not your thing there are any number of brain games out there such as Sudoku or word search. If you just go to Google and type in "brain games" you will find an extensive amount of online games that can be a great benefit to your mind, including puzzles, card games, concentration games or optical illusion games. If you are not able to access a computer, go to your daily newspaper and play all the games and puzzles they offer. Save  your answers and check them the next day to see how many you got correct. You will find that you will look forward to this bit of fun every day. It's very enjoyable and you will gain great benefits by doing it. Remember! It's important to stay healthy over 50 not just in body but in mind too!

Over 50 Is the Happiest Age To Be!

Recently there was an article all over the web and the morning talk shows that stated that age 33 was voted the "best" year of life. That is the age that researchers found most people to be the happiest. When I think back to age 33 all I can recall is the harried person I used to be, the one trying to juggle all of the duties required of me. I was a full time employee in a management position for a large corporation that did not care much about the health of its' employees. I was also the mother of two rambunctious, precious boys (our twins would follow 2 years later) who also were very busy at school. During this time my husband also spent many months away from the family on assignment which meant I had the entire burden of running the household squarely on my shoulders. So for me 33 was not the ideal time of my life. When I reflect on this I come to the realization that now is the best time of my life! I truly feel very blessed to be at the stage of life I'm in now. At almost 55 years of age I have been through quite a bit and this is really the best time of my life! All of our children have turned out wonderfully. They all are very well established in their jobs or college life. Every one of us is healthy and happy. My husband and I no longer have to rush home to anything in particular. After 35 years of marriage we still enjoy each other's company and look forward to growing old together. I live in a small town where the mad rush of the city no longer intrudes in my daily routine. I work out of my house and play in the garden all I want. I have friends and family who keep in touch daily. I feel excited when I bound out of bed each day just to get started and to see what the day will bring. Life at this age is truly the most amazing it can be. Life can be very rewarding at any age, but ultimately the happiness you feel is determined by your attitude. You can choose to stay in bed and dwell on all the negatives that occur at this age. You might suffer from aches and pains you didn't used to have. You might feel depression or feel indifference about things you used to care about. That is why it is important for us to focus on all the wonderful, positive things that happen after 50! There is so much to be grateful for. Dwell on the here and now and not in the past and make the most of the age you are today! Hope all of you have a great Friday tomorrow and a wonderful weekend....I know I will!