My Excellent Memory Came Back
My excellent memory came back. That’s right. I found out that losing my short-term memory was not an age related thing for me as everyone had told me. It’s back and my mind is sharper than ever. Hey, I passed the Florida Real Estate test and that right there tells you something. Boy, that is a hard test. I actually had to study for it.
Before in my younger days, I always had an excellent memory and could remember people’s names and details about them like their birth dates and favorite color; things most normal people couldn’t do. I also never made lists. I could stop at a grocery store and remember everything I needed to pick up without a list. To Do Lists where all in my head.
I could shock people when I said things as-remember that time we hiked to the Cascades and you got stung by that bee?- and the person I was talking to would have no recollection of the event.
Of course, having a great memory is not a good thing for my husband because like a hard drive in my brain, I stored everything he did that I felt was an assault on our relationship…and you know how that goes. I’ve learned to back-off on that one.
Yes, I relied on my quick wit and brain storage capability through my life so when I hit my 50’s and to my horror, I started forgetting things. Where did I put my cell phone? Where did I park my car? Oh my gosh, I completely forgot about calling that person back. I complained to a friend about my failing memory when he told me…it’s inevitable; a fact of old age. Nooooooo!
As the years progressed my short-term memory got worse. I was constantly searching for paperwork, sunglasses, car keys, and my handbag. There where days I couldn’t remember my own phone number or social security number. I would walk into rooms not remembering why I walked in and go to Google on my laptop forgetting what I wanted to search for. Does any of this sound familiar?
People suggested that I try supplements like Omega 3 but that never worked. I started placing Post It notes all over the house and write down in a notebook what I had done that day. Was this the beginning of dementia? I missed my great memory.
If some of you are following me on Facebook, Twitter, or one of my blogs, you know that I have become a rather health enthusiast. I have cleaned up my diet by “eating clean” which means I try to eat raw vegetables and foods with the least ingredients, and over time I have regained my memory. That’s right, it is reversible and I now have a sharp as a tack memory. I owe it all to giving up sugar, eating low glycemic foods (limit pasta, potatoes, crackers, bread), and reducing my alcohol intake to maybe a cocktail once every three months. Most of the time I will walk around with a glass of sparkling water at a social event. The fog that was creeping into my brain is gone. GONE!
The other day, I was at my hairdresser’s. She was putting highlights in my hair and I remembered that the last time I was there, a month ago, it was her 50th birthday. She had a friend sitting in a chair waiting for her to finish with me (I was her last appointment that day) and they were going to start celebrating by going to a couple of clubs. She was pretty excited and they opened a bottle of champagne to celebrate.
A month later I am back in her chair and I asked her how was her birthday celebration? She had a blank look on her face. I said trying to jostle her memory, “Ted was here and you two were going to go out and bar hop.” She said she couldn’t remember what they did and admitted that her short-term memory was terrible. She attributed to getting older. I let it pass then I asked her if she had remembered to order this product I asked her to order. She said she forgot. Then later someone asked her to recommend the plumber that my hairdresser had just used and she couldn’t remember his name and couldn’t find the number in her phone. I’d say her memory was terrible and she was heading for early dementia.
I said to her let me guess, you eat a lot of sugar? She said no I am not a big sweet eater. Okay, then I guess you eat a lot of pasta, bread and potatoes. She said yes and why? Those are high-glycemic foods that I found that when I eliminated them I improved my memory. “Oh, I wouldn’t know what else to eat. That’s all I eat. Pasta, pretzels, bread, and I don’t like vegetables,” she said. I already knew she loved to go to the bars because every time I am there she is telling me some story about her latest funny bar episode. Do you want to be like her or like me?
Eat your veggies!
Here are some suggestions if you want to get your short-term memory back:
- Balance your blood sugar with a whole foods, low glycemic diet
- Exercise daily — even a 30-minute walk can help
- Deeply relax daily with yoga, meditation, biofeedback, or just deep breathing
- Take a multivitamin and mineral supplement
- Take extra vitamin B6, B12, and folate
- Take vitamin D3 (I do 5k per day.)
- Treat thyroid or low sex hormones (I use bio identical hormone cream I apply to my arm)
- Get rid of mercury through a medical detoxification program
- Don’t drink alcohol
- Juice daily to increase your vegetable intake
- Eat simple foods or with the least ingredients
- Play games on the computer that challenge your brain
- Read everyday for enjoyment
- Write in a journal
- Take a class at the local college
- Pick a new hobby
- Get a good night’s sleep-read my book on Amazon.com The Insomnia Cure: How I Kicked Insomnia Out of My Bed by Terry Ryan
Now there are some drawbacks to having a great memory and here it is. Everybody wants to use your brain. I am constantly finishing peoples sentences for them and finding their car keys. Oh yea, it can become tiresome.
Do not eat this
Terry Ryan is a blogger and health enthusiast.
Amazing Turmeric
Turmeric has been a main spice ingredient in Indian food and I may have purchased the orange colored spice once in my life and left it in the spice cabinet for years where it hardened and I threw it in the trash. To tell you the truth I never knew what to do with it. But now that I am reaching Master Juicer title (self named) I have been researching the different herbs and vegetables to super-size my juice recipes turning me and my followers into SUPER HUMANS!!! Da da da TA! So here is what I found out about turmeric.
Turmeric has a peppery, warm and bitter flavor and a mild fragrance slightly reminiscent of orange and ginger, and while it is best known as one of the ingredients used to make curry, it also gives ballpark mustard its bright yellow color.
A Potent, Yet Safe Anti-Inflammatory
The volatile oil fraction of turmeric has demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory activity in a variety of experimental models. Even more potent than its volatile oil is the yellow or orange pigment of turmeric, which is called curcumin. Curcumin is thought to be the primary pharmacological agent in turmeric. In numerous studies, curcumin’s anti-inflammatory effects have been shown to be comparable to the potent drugs hydrocortisone and phenylbutazone as well as over-the-counter anti-inflammatory agents such as Motrin. Unlike the drugs, which are associated with significant toxic effects (ulcer formation, decreased white blood cell count, intestinal bleeding), curcumin produces no toxicity.
“Curcumin may provide an inexpensive, well-tolerated, and effective treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) such as Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis, recent research suggests.”
Relief for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Clinical studies have substantiated that curcumin also exerts very powerful antioxidant effects. As an antioxidant, curcumin is able to neutralize free radicals, chemicals that can travel through the body and cause great amounts of damage to healthy cells and cell membranes. This is important in many diseases, such as arthritis, where free radicals are responsible for the painful joint inflammation and eventual damage to the joints. Turmeric’s combination of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects explains why many people with joint disease find relief when they use the spice regularly. In a recent study of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, curcumin was compared to phenylbutazone and produced comparable improvements in shortened duration of morning stiffness, lengthened walking time, and reduced joint swelling.
Cancer Prevention
Curcumin’s antioxidant actions enable it to protect the colon cells from free radicals that can damage cellular DNA—a significant benefit particularly in the colon where cell turnover is quite rapid, occurring approximately every three days. Because of their frequent replication, mutations in the DNA of colon cells can result in the formation of cancerous cells much more quickly. Curcumin also helps the body to destroy mutated cancer cells, so they cannot spread through the body and cause more harm. A primary way in which curcumin does so is by enhancing liver function. Additionally, other suggested mechanisms by which it may protect against cancer development include inhibiting the synthesis of a protein thought to be instrumental in tumor formation and preventing the development of additional blood supply necessary for cancer cell growth.
Turmeric and Onions May Help Prevent Colon Cancer
Curcumin, a phytonutrient found in the curry spice turmeric, and quercitin, an antioxidant in onions, reduce both the size and number of precancerous lesions in the human intestinal tract, shows research published in the August 2006 issue of Clinical Gasteroenterology and Hepatology.
Five patients with an inherited form of precancerous polyps in the lower bowel known as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) were treated with regular doses of curcumin and quercetin over an average of six months. The average number of polyps dropped 60.4%, and the average size of the polyps that did develop dropped by 50.9%.
FAP runs in families and is characterized by the development of hundreds of polyps (colorectal adenomas) and, eventually, colon cancer. Recently, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs such as aspirin, ibuprofen) have been used to treat some patients with this condition, but these drugs often produce significant side effects, including gastrointestinal ulcerations and bleeding, according to lead researcher Francis M. Giardiello, M.D., at the Division of Gastroenterology, Johns Hopkins University.
Previous observational studies in populations that consume large amounts of curry, as well as animal research, have strongly suggested that curcumin, one of the main ingredients in Asian curries, might be effective in preventing and/or treating cancer in the lower intestine. Similarly, quercetin, an anti-oxidant flavonoid found in a variety of foods including onions, green tea and red wine, has been shown to inhibit growth of colon cancer cell lines in humans and abnormal colorectal cells in animals.
In this study, a decrease in polyp number was observed in four of five patients at three months and four of four patients at six months.
Each patient received curcumin (480 mg) and quercetin (20 mg) orally 3 times a day for 6 months. Although the amount of quercetin was similar to what many people consume daily, the curcumin consumed was more than would be provided in a typical diet because turmeric only contains on average 3-5 % curcumin by weight.
While simply consuming curry and onions may not have as dramatic an effect as was produced in this study, this research clearly demonstrates that liberal use of turmeric and onions can play a protective role against the development of colorectal cancer. And turmeric doesn’t have to only be used in curries. This spice is delicious on healthy sautéed apples, and healthy steamed cauliflower and/or green beans and onions. Or, for a flavor-rich, low-calorie dip, try adding some turmeric and dried onion to creamy yogurt.
(Source: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=78)
So, there you have it. I, for the first time, added some fresh turmeric to my juice today. Wow! It was one 
spice combo. Here is my recipe for today: (everything OF COURSE organic)
- Apple
- Pear
- Celery
- Carrots
- Sunflower sprouts
- Slice of tumeric
- Knob of ginger
- Cucumber
I made about 16 ounces and shared with my husband. I’m trying to convert him and I think he is coming around.
Happy juicing!
Terry Ryan is a blogger and health enthusiast.
The Wonderful Benefits of Celery
Celery, and it must be organic, is one of my favorite vegetables to juice. I love the fresh taste, the ease of pushing it through the juicer, and the smell of fresh celery just being juiced. I find it so refreshing. I just lowered my blood pressure and I believe I owe it all to celery juice.
Celery is also claimed to have a calming effect on the body. If you are feeling stressed, don’t grab a chocolate bar, juice some celery instead and mix in a little apple and WOW do you have a healthy tonic.
A juice fast with celery is know to help the body eliminate toxins. Toxins ofter accumulate in the gallbladder, liver, and kidneys thereby reducing the toxins and possibility of the development of stones. (Ouch!)
There are a lot of other claims about the benefit of celery:
- Stops tumor growth
- Cures asthma
- Gout
- Weight problems
- Menstrual problems
- Treat inflammation
- Relieve headaches
- Nervousness
- Has vitamin A for your eyes
- Reduces your cholesterol
- It replenishes electrolytes
- Curbs sugar cravings
- It is a great snack and fill you up
That should convince you that celery is an incredible vegetable to juice and I try to use it everyday. It is considered one of the worse vegetables to eat non-organic so make sure you purchase it ORGANIC. Eat a lot of it everyday and it will keep you Slim, Healthy, Sexy!
Celery contains a lot of potassium, good sodium, vitamin A and C. Plus it is so inexpensive you
should have a pile in it in your refrigerator at all times. Hungry? Munch on some celery. Want a snack? Put some almond butter on a stick of celery. Working out? Replenish with a couple sticks of celery or carry some freshly made celery juice with you. Think ahead!
Juicing For Slim Healthy Sexy
I have a buzz going on in my body but it is not from an overdose from coffee. Heaven’s no! It’s from the juice I just drank in the sun by my pool. I started the day off with hot water and lemon and I love the combo very much. I. goodbye coffee breath, 2. Bye brown teeth, 2. Hello liver cleanse, 4. How ya doing alkaline body!
What a glorious way to start your day! Please join me in juicing. You will be amazed at how much your health will improve. How has it helped me?
- No colds this year
- Better digestive health
- Glowing skin
- More energy
- Excellent memory.
- No need for reading glasses.
- Reduction in my thyroid meds
- Better and deeper sleep
:Last Saturday I went to Jessica’s Organic Farm in Sarasota. It is practically hidden in the middle of Sarasota County and even with my GPS I made a few wrong turns, but I did find it. There were acres of veggies growing and the humble stand was full of produce, and organic produce at that. In fact there was only one item that wasn’t organic; coconuts from Thailand.
At the entrance is a large display of different edible grasses and sprouts. I recognized wheat grass but the rest was foreign to me. I saw a man with long dreadlocks and thought he looked like a juicer but when I asked him he answered in a very thick accent and I really couldn’t understand him except that part that he was not a juicer. The prices were reasonable and a lot of variety that is mostly grown at the farm. The hours are limited: Friday, Saturday and Sunday only and closed June, July and August.
I selected beets, dandelions, parsley, kale, 2 gorgeous artichokes, cucumber, and English peas. The entire bill came to $22.00.
Today’s recipe was:
- Dandelion
- Parsley
- Cucumber
- Lemon
- Celery
- Apple
I am still using my garage sale find, a juice extractor I call Old Faithful.
If you want to be slim, healthy, and sexy at any age, I recommend juicing and signing up with my blog for updates and tips.
Happy juicing!
.
Amazing Woman, Kathie! Slim, Healthy, Sexy!
I have a friend, Kathie, from England whom I met through her sister in Sarasota, FL. From time to time, Kathie crosses the “pond” for visits and over the years I have gotten to know her. What a truly remarkable woman she is.
First of all she is knock-out beautiful and now single after raising two children she has her own successful business that she built from hard work and perseverance. Plus, she has one of those outgoing personalities that has never met a stranger. Meaning, she has no problem starting conversations with people in the cafes and pubs in Sarasota. I too have no problem striking up a conversation with a stranger so we have that in common and I immediately liked Kathie.
But Kathie is a force to be reckoned with. She is a size 2 (yeah, that part is where we are vastly different) and an exercise enthusiast. She has a pretty heavy work load at her business in England and you would think she would take the opportunity to kick back when her feet hit Sarasota sand, but nooooo! She uses the warm weather as a good excuse to participate in keeping up her exercise routine; mainly biking. It is nothing for her to ride her bike from Palmer Ranch to Venice and back, and then try to talk someone into biking with her to the beach in the heat of the day. We (her sister and I) usually hide from her in fear she may try to talk us into a run across the Ringling Bridge.
One night we were having a few cocktails at Mattison’s on Main when she informed me that she was going to Cuba in October (2013) to participate in a 400 kilometers (250 miles) bike ride with a group called Action For Charity (AFC). I almost fell off my bar stool and spilled my Mudslide.
What is AFC? (from the website)
Action for Charity and Dream Challenges have raised millions for UK charities with exciting challenge events in the UK and around the world. With many years experience in organizing events for charities we guarantee a life-changing experience for everyone that takes part.
We have an amazing calendar of events lined up for 2014/15. Why not take on one of our hugely popular team challenge events such as Race the Sun Lake District or join the next amazing Women V Cancer challenge Cycle Africa. Alternatively join us for a once in a lifetime trek to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro or track the famous mountain gorillas of Uganda on our exciting Trek Uganda challenge. The first Women V Cancer Ride the Night challenge will also be taking place in 2014. This event is fully booked but registration for 2015 will be open in June 2014.
Join the Women V Cancer team for a stunning 400km cycle challenge across the Caribbean island of Cuba.
It will be a journey full of fun, friendship and incredible support as women of all ages and from all walks of life challenge themselves for an amazing cause. This fantastic challenge is a great opportunity to get fit, lose weight and have an experience of a life time all whilst raising significant funds to help in the fight against breast, ovarian and cervical cancers.
Funds raised by Women V Cancer will be divided equally between three important charities: Breast Cancer Care, Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust and Ovarian Cancer Action and used to support their valuable work.
When I regained my composure, I asked Kathie where she came up with that crazy idea? Cuba in October…400km…yikes! She said she saw it in a fitness magazine.
Kathie said she was training for 18 months by biking whenever she could fit it in her busy schedule, about 50 miles per week, and also taking a lot of spinning classes. Her weekly schedule looks like this: get up and drink a protein shake for breakfast, walk to work along the seashore in southern England (sounds pretty), eat protein bars for lunch and snacks, and go directly to the gym after work. Rinse and repeat Monday thru Friday.
I got her to confess that she does slack off on the weekends with a little telly (TV) and chips (potato chips). Aha! She is not perfect!
Fast forward to when we meet again in Sarasota after the Cuba trip. She admitted that the adulating hills that they said on the AFC website was more like steep mountains and it was unbearably hot. The group of women (around 72), oldest 74 and youngest 24, stayed in remote motels along the way and got up at 6:00am every morning to ride for about 70 kilometers. There was a bus that traveled with them that you could ride in if you got tired, and she said a lot of women did when the heat got to be too much. But not Kathie even though she suffered with heat exhaustion and stomach upset; she pressed on. 
(The entire trip took 5 days.)
The upside was the amazing beauty of the landscape and seeing the small little towns along the way. And she was able to raise $3,000 for charity.The downside was the food was not that great and it was bloody hot!
Kathie said the camaraderie was great and there were many women who were in the ride had either cancer or was a cancer survivor who she rode side by side with. She mentioned one woman in particular that had picked up a rare parasite in the Falklands that was slowly destroying her internal organs and she rode everyday. Her name was Jill and she had already lost a lung and a kidney to the disease and unfortunately broke her wrist on the trip. Kathie says she got her inspiration to push on from women like Jill.
So, what is Kathie’s next trip? Vietnam to Cambodia possibly, Nov. 2015. If anybody wants to go, check out this link. http://www.actionforcharity.co.uk/
D5 Creation