A Day For Those Who Truly Care
National Caregivers Day is on the third Friday in February. Started in 2016, it sets to honor the health care professionals across the country providing long-term and hospice care. Caregiving is by no means an easy job so we are all here for the richly deserved recognition. Caregiving takes many shapes and forms, however, so today I would like to extend the honor not just to the professional caregivers, but also those that have had to step into the role for their own family members. Those brave, dedicated and unsung heroes that give unbridled support in any way that they can muster - the visitors, the chauffeurs, the cooks, the food blenders, the shoppers, the bill payers, the appointment makers, the medicine administrators, the organizers, the entertainers, the listeners. The ones that wake up in the middle of the night and are up at the crack of dawn. The ones who think of what is needed before they are even asked. The list is endless for those that are continually out there in the trenches doing whatever it takes to improve the lives of someone close to them who is going through. This too, on top of their own lives and responsibilities, is not an easy job.
Squash It
Fall is a great time to get more squash into your diet. It's hearty. It's available. And it's GOOD for you!
My favorite way to prepare squash is to roast it in the oven. Drizzle your favorite olive oil over it with some black pepper, fresh rosemary, maybe a few garlic cloves, sprinkle some turmeric or curry powder to taste, and add minimal salt. Other options - raisins, cranberries and/or pecans! Yum!! Bake away - though this method does take a while to cook all the way through.
I Live My Life for Pumpkin Spice!
Fall is here. There is a slight chill in the air. In most places around the country panoramic views are bursting with golds and reds and oranges. The ultimate sign that autumn has arrived? Pumpkin everything is in full effect.
Pumpkin is one of the most celebrated foods -- grocery store end caps lure us in with all the pumpkiney goodness they can push. Breads. Pastas. Sauces. Soups. Desserts. Pie, pie and more pie.
Photo Credit: IG @VanaBlack
I LOVE it all. Even the color pumpkin and all of its beautifully bronzed cousins take over in the clothing stores. Pumpkin sweaters and butternut dresses bring out the best in women of ALL shades. There's no denying it -- for these months in between Labor Day and Thanksgiving pumpkin permeates and pulsates through us all and I am here for every last minute of it!
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Know The Signs
Statistic show that the 1 in 8 women in the US will get breast cancer at some point in their lives. That's ONE in every EIGHT women. Statics are also telling us, however, that the mortality rate is also decreasing. That is - more women are getting it but less are dying from it. That gives us solace anyway, it is no longer the death sentence that it once was. While the journey to recovery is still long and arduous, it is a journey that can have a positive outcome. My family is a testament to that. In 2016 my sister was diagnosed at age 41 with stage 3 breast cancer. She beat it. The family came together and rallied around her. It is an experience I wouldn't wish on anyone, but FAITH and an amazing team of doctors and researchers got us through. Oh and a little thing called Obamacare.
Mental Health. It's Hurting Us. It Needs Your Attention Too.
World Mental Health Day takes place every year on October 10 aims to educate and raise awareness of mental health issues. It was established back in 1992 by the World Federation for Mental Health and has different themes every year. Suicide prevention is the primary focus for 2019. According to the World Health Organization, "Every 40 seconds, someone loses their life to suicide."
" Close to 800 000 people die by suicide every year. Furthermore, for each suicide, there are more than 20 suicide attempts. Suicides and suicide attempts have a ripple effect that impacts on families, friends, colleagues, communities and societies. Suicides are preventable. Much can be done to prevent suicide at individual, community and national levels."
What Flavor Is Your Water?
Becoming ONE with your H20 is an easy way to alleviate some of these ailments. Some people just don't like the taste of water. We get that... A few of my favorite things to add to my water are MINT and LEMON. Both are great ways to add a little freshness to your water and are not too hard to keep on hand.
In fact, you can make it really easy by growing your own! I took a sprig of mint that I purchased from the grocery store and placed it in a small jar to grow roots. It took a few tries, but eventually the roots sprouted! Once there were enough roots in the jar I moved it to a baby pot to continue to strengthen. Eventually it out grew that and I replanted it outside in a larger pot. Now I have no excuse - there are plenty of mint leaves to add to my water every day!
TAKE A NOTE: MENTAL HEALTH
May is National Mental Health Awareness Month. Learn to evaluate WHAT you are feeling, WHY you feel that way and that it’s OKAY to feel that way. We gloss over and ignore and hope our luggage will just go away some how. Face it. Own It. Don’t let “it” take charge.Like the song goes, EXPRESS YOURSELF! One of the best coping mechanisms is to talk. To a friend, a professor, family, mentor, doctor. Holding it in is almost never the answer. We are bound to explode. There is no shame in exposing your vulnerabilities. Therapy is not for the weak as we may have been subconsciously taught. If talking is not your thing… find another outlet that helps YOU release. Exercise. Get crafty. Read. Write. Volunteer. Pray. However you choose to express yourself, the world is waiting.