Perfect Simplicity - Frozen Grapes

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”

   ― Leonardo da Vinci

We've had a heat advisory in the Midwest that's going to last through the weekend.  It's the perfect time for one of my favorite summertime treats - frozen grapes!  Nature has given us a healthy ready-made snack and freezing them takes them to a whole new level.

If you've not tried them before, just rinse them off, take them off the stems, throw them in a freezer safe container and you're done!  Depending on how many you freeze, it will likely only take a few hours for them to firm up.  I like them best when they start to thaw a bit and become somewhat slushy as you bite into them.  Perfect Simplicity!

Resolving Muscular Pain with Trigger Point Therapy

As someone who's struggled with chronic pain from injuries sustained in a car accident as well as from overuse of my hands, I wanted to share what has helped me.  It's called Trigger Point Therapy which is detailed in The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook by Clair Davies.

I happened upon this book after struggling for months with what appeared to be tennis elbow.  I wore a brace for some time with no relief and two months of physical therapy left me no better off.  By this point my work was suffering as was my ability to perform simple tasks; all of my active pursuits were lost as well.  In desperation I took to the internet for any other remedies that might help and it was then that I discovered The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook.  I ordered the book and within minutes of trying it I was feeling relief from the pain - it was miraculous. I had to be diligent in completing the exercises several times a day but within two weeks my tennis elbow was totally resolved.

Trigger point therapy operates on the premise that trigger points are formed in the muscle as a result of overuse, trauma, inflammation as well as activation of other trigger points.  The Therapy Workbook is well laid out with detailed information.  The reader is educated on the various muscles and their functions as well as how to locate them and the corresponding trigger points.  It's easy to apply pressure on the trigger points, using either a supported thumb or a tennis ball against a wall.  There are also trigger point tools available like the Theracane that can provide additional assistance, saving your hands from additional strain.

I've since used Trigger Point Therapy for other issues that crop up - neck pain, trigger finger, lower back pain - and it always brings relief.  So before you resort to steroid shots or surgery for chronic pain issues, you might consider the Trigger Point Therapy Workbook.  It has worked for others like me; hopefully it will help you too.

Prepare It Fast: A Cookbook Recommendation.

Life can be very hectic and fast paced; at these times we want to find healthy meals that can be quickly fixed. Recipes don’t have to be complicated to be good and thankfully a number of chefs have compiled cookbooks with that theme in mind.  One of our favorites is a vegetarian collection called Fresh Food Fast by Peter Berley.  Each recipe comes with a grocery list and instructions on coordinating the components of each meal. Some of the recipes contain eggs and/or cheese, but all can be adapted to be vegan.

We’ve fixed these meals for our meat eating family and friends and have always received rave reviews.  Even my father, a meat and potatoes man who was in his 80s, always wanted a list of the ingredients so he could tell his friends about it.  Our favorites include the Buckwheat Vegetable Pancakes with Spicy Yogurt Sauce paired with the Lemon Lentil Soup with Spinach or the Black Bean Tostadas with Cherry Tomato Salsa paired with the Radish, Orange, and Avocado Salad – there are many more.  The recipes are divided by season and each section ends with quickly prepared desserts.  All are unique and quite delicious.

The recipes are simple and made with items most households will already have in their pantry. All you need to add are the fresh vegetables.

Check it out and enjoy! 

Making Healthy Decisions

These are important questions for you, your friends and family to consider.  Choices that have a consequence to our health are present in decisions we make every day.  Since we only have one life, these decisions are important to us on a very personal level and it’s important that we be mindful of the effects they have on our life and those around us. 

Most of us are aware of the basics of healthy living – a diet of whole foods, adequate sleep, and regular exercise.  Unfortunately we sometimes fall into routines that don’t support such a lifestyle, primarily because we are busy and our established routines save time.  Making the decision to live healthier is the first step.  More difficult but most important is incorporating those changes into your routine, for only then will you see and feel the benefits.

Just think of the benefits of regular exercise – elevated mood, decreased stress, increased level of energy, fitness.  All of those things contribute to your general well-being, which in turn affects your level of productivity as well as relationships with friends and family.   You only notice these benefits if exercise becomes an established routine, not an occasional activity.  The same goes for little tasks such as brushing and flossing your teeth or more involved activities such as cooking wholesome meals.

The purpose of this blog is to introduce ideas, research, and concerns that you might want to take into account in living a healthy life.  We will try to always research and cite the sources of the information that we share with you.  

Some of the information we share will be from personal experiences and might be as simple as recommending a cookbook that allows you to prepare healthy dishes quickly.  Other information will be more technical.  Either way, we will provide you with the sources we have used to provide you with important information.

With that in mind, it is time for our first blog post.

Cheers to your health!