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Blog: On Health. On Writing. On Life. On Everything.

Be Prepared – Flu/Cold Season Is Upon Us

Cold and flu season is upon us. Are you prepared? For a minimum, have GSE (Grapefruit Seed Extract) and GAIA Quick Defense capsules in your house, so if it hits you, you can start taking something fast (they don’t pay me – I say this from many years of experience!). By the way, the main difference between a cold and the flu is that a cold is more slowly in the making, getting worse from day to day. The flu hits you like lightning: Fine in the morning, half dead in the afternoon. Take GSE in much warm fluid - it's caustic! 16 drops - four times a day. "Quick Defense" by GAIA (a phyto-capsule of an extract different herbs - just follow directions – usually nibs any cold in the bud. And do deep breathing: Three deep breaths every hour on the hour - you don't want to end up with pneumonia! And get a lot of sleep! People who are run down, get sick. And, something not on the point: Last night we walked the Pacific beach here in La Jolla. New with each new wave, the ocean never bores. It was full moon. We were playing escaping the waves - just like kids - and had fun for nearly two hours. Nobody else was there – what a waste of a wonderful full moon! Hopefully, tomorrow more about invasive plants! P.S. I just caught a lizard – or something like a lizard, with four legs and a long tail – in my bathroom and set him free. - Glad I found him before Otto did. Read More 
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Laying It On For The Hard Times To Come

Studies show that people put on a few pounds more in the fall – and they lose some come bikini season. You don’t want to increase your weight even more? Basically, that is a good concept. But laying on the pounds in the fall used to be a mechanism to help people cope with the starvation that inevitably came at the end of the winter. Now, of course, starvation never comes (we hope!). What is a person to do? Don’t fight it, is my advice. Count on that you will (and should) gain a few pounds now. Don’t start a diet right now. Eat the autumn goodies like braised meats (in moderation!), the pumpkin pies (better of course is the pumpkin without the pie!) and the berries now. After the holidays in December is the time to naturally slim down. This is not a free pass to putting on pounds like a whale. My educated guess is that should be one, two, three pounds – never more than five!! But to fight the natural rhythm will only bring you defeat: We are hard-wired for weight gain during this season. During the holidays, nibble a bit of everything: gingerbread men, plum pudding, stuffed goose, glazed onions, rugelach, gefillte fish, fruitcake, red cabbage with raisins, honey-soaked ham (organic!), cranberry sauce, anise star cookies. Let be all real, fresh foods – no candy sticks, no marshmallows – but don’t pig out on all these because with the winter solstice comes the turn in the year and the turn in your body: Then starvation – or dieting – should set in. Your body is not a machine, and you shouldn’t will it to go against its yearly rhythm. You will only lose … but not pounds. Go with the seasons’ flow – to a degree. And go for a fall walk and watch the turned leaves. Read More 
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Everybody Gains Weight When They Marry

You probably heard it: On average, people gain fifteen pounds in the first few years after their wedding. It is only natural that we want to pamper our spouses and want to feed them – the birds and the animals do it. The point is to put the right and healthful morsels in your spouse’s mouth. Because food can hurt. And food can heal. Also: Get moving – together! Because marriage can be more than watching the same TV programs for fifty years from the same sofa. Here a few ideas: - Attend a cooking course together - Alternate who prepares breakfast and cooking dinner - and then discuss after which meals you feel better - Stop all snacks, preferably before you have children who will follow your example - Plan an outdoors activity every weekend: a hike, a bike tour, a walk, a (healthy) picnic, a dive - whatever moves you - Have sex often – it’s good for the marriage and good for the immune systems - Take turns on a simple rowing machine/stationary bike in front of TV - Eliminate all dairy (butter, cream, yogurt, milk, cheese, etc.) most of the time – and experience the difference - Find recipes for a sinful birthday cake made without flour (hint: Viennese walnut cake - made of nuts and cream) - Don't spend your money on juices and soft beverages; stick to water, herbal teas, green tea, black tea. Hug and kiss and touch often – and have a happy marriage! Read More 
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