,

Mint & Eggplant

,

Penne with Eggplant, Tomatoes and Mozzarella was the dish for tonight.  Limit the mozzarella to lessen the calories and buy whole grain pasta for higher nutrient value (check the ingredients, don't rely on the package advertising). 

Mint was the herb in this dish that caught my attention.  Its easy to grow on your own and adds a very fresh taste to the dish.  Mint can help with stomach aches and chest pain.  It has also been used to whiten teeth and is found in everything from tea to shampoo. 

This dish was very tasty, juicy from the tomatoes, flavorful from the red pepper & garlic!  There are lot's of colors and that's what I look for in my food, it makes it taste better, look better and I just know its full of vitamins and minerals!

Plant mint near a door to drive ants away or take it camping to repel mosquitos.  This plant has many uses, from culinary to practical!!! 

IMG_5808.JPG

Energy Suckers & Brain Drainers!

You often hear me mention the brain in regards to mental health, personal growth and when it comes to activating your muscles.  With all the hard work you are doing, be sure the simple tasks you perform every day are not holding you back!  I don't think its worth being paranoid over every little task and every object in your home.  Its easy enough to put your alarm clock with the LED lights on the other side of the room and to turn off the cell phone or put it in airplane mode during your sleep.  

Having a balance and enjoying life is just as important.  However, a picture says a thousand words and when I saw these 4 photos, it said it all.  Sure, it may be fake - but what good would that do to the person who wrote this article anyhow?  We all know food tastes better when its cooked on the stove (assuming your pots and pans aren't radiating chemicals from the non-stick coating - we will save that for another day).  

Stop grabbing that Starbucks twice a day and start paying attention to the energy suckers and brain drainers in your life!!! 

Click Here and learn about your microwave!

Thanks Fit With Jenny for the link!

,

I am connected to WHO???

,
You have heard of the 6 degrees of separation? Within 3 degrees could be your reason for gaining weight, for picking up a new slang term or trying a fabulous restaurant! Someone to blame? or are you to blame? And on a more positive note, perhaps you are the one to be thanked, for making a positive change in someone else!

What do you think of when you hear the word MEDICINE?

I went to my sisters Sociology of Health & Illness class at DePaul University on Monday as a guest.  The discussion that these students were having was of great interest to me. 

Some notes from my page:

  • $1 of Direct to Consumer (DTC) advertising translates to $4.20 for pharmaceutical companies
  • Doctors who are looking for $$$ vs. Doctors who have passion to heal others
  • Consumers seem to create the demand for these "quick fixes"
  • Is the newest disease coming out going to be something like, "Slow Walking" & then a drug for that?
  • Does our medicine make us evolved and give us an edge?  Does it make us innovative?
  • Are we eliminating diversity?  By submitting to a "standard" to be the ideal human being?  With the perfect genetics?
  • We seem to have little patience for the aging process and a small capacity to embrace it.

 

These are just a few of my notes from the class, items that stood out in my mind.  Perhaps some thing syou can ponder or discuss with your loved ones as you make decisions for your own "health".  With all of the confusion and controversy I think it is important to re-emphasize the importance of having control over our own health and using the doctor as our guide or as our partner in this journey we call life. 

Please send me your comments or feedback and thoughts, I am curious to know what you think!!!