My Favorite Tools for a Healthy Lifestyle

One of the benefits of living in California is the abundance of fruit trees right in my backyard. With the unusual rains this year, the lemon tree is blossoming as is the orange tree. When my mother was alive and she visited me she couldn't believe the oranges that were in my yard. She made sure to eat one every day. Sometimes I'd ship some to her since it brought her such joy.

These days I find myself thinking of the number of ways I can use my oranges. First I bought a fruit picker so I could reach the oranges that were out of my reach. Once picked, I juice the oranges and make fresh-squeezed orange juice. Fresh orange juice is refreshing, loaded with enzymes and antioxidants, vitamin C which is an anti-aging collagen booster, a good source of magnesium and other minerals, and boosts your metabolism. Fresh OJ is just good for you! This juicer from Cuisinart which I use, gets the job done easily.

Six oranges typically will yield about 8 oz or more of juice. Since nothing goes to waste I then use some of the orange juice combined with water and make my daily green juice using the NutriBullet we got one year for Christmas. A little story - my husband bought this because he heard of its benefits. But honestly, once I discovered it I've put it to great use. It is better than a blender and he's never touched it, but he does enjoy the fruits of my labor! My green juice recipe is quite simple - half a cucumber, a handful or 2 of spinach or kale, a banana, and some blueberries all combined with liquid. This is my basic recipe to which I add Spirulina, Tumeric or Flaxseed.

No one can live on juice alone, though. The  Instant Pot has changed my life. (I have become a personal evangelist for the Instant Pot and no one is paying me to do so; I just think that anyone who cooks should have one.) I got mine in November - but when I fasted in January this was the primary way we were able to eat healthily and be satisfied. The Instant Pot is an electric pressure cooker that drastically reduces cooking times. For example, spaghetti squash takes about an hour to roast in the oven; in the Instant Pot, it takes 12 minutes. Just put the whole thing in, rest it on the trivet, put a cup of water in, cover and let it cook for 12 minutes. When done and the pressure is released, you have a perfectly done spaghetti squash. My current favorite recipes are:

Spaghetti Squash
Steel Cut Oatmeal
Lentil Soup
Carribean Rice & Beans - I don't have a link to a recipe yet. But in West Indian households, in particular, on Sundays, this is a staple for Sunday dinner. I tried this in the IP recently because my mom always cooked rice in her pressure cooker and it came out exceptionally well. My husband has fallen in love with me all over again! Recipe to come soon.

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;  you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Eating healthy and taking advantage of all that nature has to offer has made a difference in the way my family and I look and feel. I encourage you to make changes that will benefit you also.

--Nylse

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Are You Feeling Hot Hot Hot?

WebMD Magazine

As you know, I turned 50 recently! Yeah me! I still feel like my 23-year-old self but certain things are different. At the beginning of my 50th year of life, I noticed that I was hot, like boiling hot all the time and sweating profusely. I also noticed (without getting too detailed) that Aunt Flo was no longer paying regular visits. I was happy that Aunt Flo was no longer a guest but disturbed, disappointed and angry by the incessant heatwave I was in. I was miserable.

I tried different things - some things worked but most things did not or they only worked for a short timeframe. Eventually, I went to my gynecologist and had a thorough exam and a full blood workup. She confirmed that I was not nutty and that indeed I was going through some changes by showing me the data. All of my numbers were in the highlighted range below. I think she may have been in a bit of disbelief herself, because she said, "How do you look like 12 and this is happening?" You can't argue with the data. So here's the data that you should be aware of. If you're past the age of 45, ensure that your blood work is measuring these hormones.

	Luteinizing Hormone (LH)	FSH	Estradiol	Progesterone
Follicular Phase	2.4 -12.6	3.5 - 12.5	12.5 - 166	0.1 - 0.9
Ovulation Phase	14.0 - 95.6	4.7 -21.5	85.8 - 498	0.1 - 12.0
Luteal Phase	1.0 - 11.4	1.7 -7.7	43.8 - 211	1.8 - 23.9
PostMenopausal	7.7 - 58.5	25.8 - 134.8	<6.0 - 54.7	0.0 - 0.1

Seeing the data brought acceptance. This stage of life is not all bad. Some of the positives that I have noticed are:

• I have more energy - the constant fatigue that I had during the child-rearing years is gone
• No more PMS and its symptoms (this is a HUGE blessing!!!)
• Greater focus on self-care
• A willingness to take risks and try new things
• No worry of pregnancy

In talking to other girlfriends - as they go through this stage, whether naturally or because of a hysterectomy, the sudden changes due to surgery seem to be worse for the individual. Eventually, over time everything evens out and, as women, we adjust to our new normal.

Trying to stay cool!

Here's a short list of things that you can do to take care of yourself:
1. Reduce your caffeine and sugar intake
2. Minimize your ingestion of processed foods
3. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables
4. Drink lots of water
5. Minimize drinking hot beverages as it can increase the      heated sensation in your body
6. Try to get some exercise in a way that you like

Also, I've discovered that clothing with vents (i.e. keyhole backs, cold shoulder tops, or some creative way to bare flesh while being modest) or things made with breathable fabric, like these pajamas, or anything made with linen make all the difference in the world.

Every woman will experience this stage of life differently - some have no physical symptoms and some have all of the symptoms. I recommend that you find a doctor you trust and work with them to figure out what's best for you. My doctor has suggested that if you need to go on hormones, it may only be on a short-term basis, but again speak with your doctor as some of these symptoms can really affect your quality of life.

As a young traveler on any airline, I wondered why those vents were blowing cold air over each passenger. I always stopped the airflow and wrapped myself in blankets. The other day, I couldn't believe it, but I was so grateful for those vents. I kept the air flowing on me for most of my flight, with abandon. For me, I'm embracing this new stage of life while looking forward to what the future holds. What about you?

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. Psalm 139:14

If you're here and this is you, how are you handling this stage of your life?

--Nylse
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