Duct Tape and Chocolate

Growing up we all heard, "Duct tape fixes everything."  And as an adult I learned that any meal (or day) that was a "disaster" could be fixed with piece of dark chocolate.  (Not a bag of chocolate...that just creates another "disaster"...but that's another topic for a post.)

Well, we recently learned the BEST use for duct tape ever!  Gardening!  Seriously.  Take a strip of duct tape to collect bug eggs off of leaves...they typically pull right off, sometimes with a little pressure on the opposite side.  And flying insects and small grasshoppers are easier to catch, too.  I can't grab them fast enough with just my (gloved) hand, but I can slap duct tape on them and they don't move!  This week alone we've removed over 10 sets of squash bug eggs...so our squash plants are not getting eaten this year!  Plus, the duct tape makes the removal of bugs and eggs quicker.

Chocolate?  Well, I've not figured out how to use that in the garden.  Except savoring a piece while watching the garden grow.  If I hear of anything, though, I'll pass it along.

Health eating and happy gardening!

Help is on the way!

The lettuce/herb salad and kale/leek frittata pictured here is 70% from our garden.  If our leeks were finished growing, it would have been 90% from our garden.  Organic gardening in your backyard is worth it!

This past year has been a time of trial and error, but with a lot of success, too.  Why?  We got help!  If you are looking for help, check out the books and links below.  These have proven to be the best help for organic gardening.

• http://www.gardenguides.com/
• http://whiteharvestseed.com/
• http://nashvillefoodscapes.com/
• Book - "Organic Garden Basics" by Bob Flowerdew  (love the last name as the author of this book!)
• Book - "The Edible Garden" by Sunset Books

Hope these help you in your organic gardening and healthy eating!

Weeds! Bugs!

When we started our backyard garden we were given a lot of advice...some of it helpful and some, of course, not so helpful.  One of the "not so helpful" phrases we heard many times was, "Start small.  Don't plant more than you can weed."  To an experienced gardener, I'm sure that means a lot.  To us, well, let's just say we didn't know how fast weeds would grow.  I'm not writing this post to discourage you from gardening.  It is well worth it!  Just plan extra time for weeding and bug prevention.

Here's a typical scenario:  You prep an area to plant and then plant it.  You think "That was easy."  So, the next weekend you start another (larger) area to plant, almost finishing.  By the third weekend, you get the second area finished and planted.  But, oops!  The first area (which have not have time to watch) is full of weeds already!  Unfortunately, the weekend is gone and the next week you are at work late each night and the next weekend you have planned to be at a family gathering, not gardening.

Plus, I have learned that I have no idea how long various gardening and landscaping projects will really take.  For example, when I guessed that installing 30 rosemary and lavender plants (to deter deer) would take 10 hours (surely, it can't take that long to dig a hole and put in a plant), it took 40 hours of digging out large limestone rocks.  Of course, not much weeding got done in those extra 30 hours.  After the 40 hours of digging rocks, we noticed bugs eating our garden and had to research how to kill and prevent them (organically).  And somehow the weeds didn't stop growing just because I was on another project.  (That's a life lesson, too.)

So, my recommendations if you are new to gardening:  First, multiply whatever time you are planning for a project by 3.  Second, estimate how much time you can devote to weeding each week.  The 6 foot X 9 foot herb plot pictured above took me 23 minutes to weed after being left for 3 weeks untouched.  So, if I have 20 minutes to weed each week, I should have no more than 3 beds that size.  Either I can weed all 3 every week; meaning fewer weeds per bed, but weeding 3 beds.  Or I can weed one bed every 3 weeks.  This assumes not having other projects (or vacations) instead of weeding.

You'll work out your own system, and this is not an exact science.  And don't be discouraged.  We "got behind" in weeding and bug preventing many times.  Most things still survived, and we are doing better in our second year (no 40 hour rosemary/lavender projects).  But hopefully estimating how long it takes to weed a 6X9 bed will help you know what "don't plant more than you can weed" means for you.

The Backyard Garden

The sod getting cut out (and then bagged).

Since summer is upon us, I thought I would (try to) inspire you to grow a little of your own food this year.  There are so many options...a few herbs on a sunny window sill, a tomato plant in a pot, a "lasagna garden" (layers of organic material, no-digging or tilling required) or a full-blown garden plot.

Ours started a year ago this month.  I am lazy (efficient?) about maintenance.  I did not want to put in landscaping to be "just pretty" and take a lot of time.  But if I could eat it, too?  I'm in.  The problem was that putting in decorative lettuce instead of monkey grass would not work in our neighborhood, due to the deer that roam.

So, we called Nashville Foodscapes and they solved the problem.  Put in a blackberry arbor and some rosemary/lavendar to deter the deer.  It sounded simple enough.  (It was simple, just not easy because of the hard clay and limestone rock.)  The garden as a whole sounded like a 2 month project.  (Oops.  A year later, we're almost done finishing setting up the garden.)  We've learned a lot of lessons which I'll share over this month, as well as resources/people who have helped us.

But it truly is worth it.  While the "beauty" of the garden is still getting set up, the food itself is growing.  We know how it is grown and it is very convenient to have whatever herbs or vegetable I need just outside my backdoor.  So, I encourage you to start something.  Teach your kids how things grow.  And if you want to grow a large space, recruit a few neighbors to do a community garden.

Happy planting!

The soil has been delivered and spread, the arbors are in, and the 1st attempt at a retaining wall is set up.  This is 6 weeks after the sod was cut.

Exercising for (well, against) Arthritis

So you want to prevent or manage arthritis? Whatever you do, don't stop moving!  Here are just a few of the ways exercise helps your joints and bones:

• Exercise moves the synovial fluid through your cartilage.  While not an "oil," synovial fluid is the "grease" of your joints and has been shown to slow the progression of osteoarthritis.  It also brings nutrients to your joints.
  
• Exercise strengthens the tissues around your joints to help absorb impact.
  
• It increases your range of motion.
  
• Exercise improves your biomechanics (which means less stress on your joints).
  
• Most exercise strengthens your bones.
  

While I know you want to exercise after reading that list, you are probably debating what type of exercise.  Swim?  Bike?  Walk?  Run?  Recent research actually supports all of the above, including running...with some qualifications.  According to a report in the Caspian Journal of Internal Medicine (2011;2 [2], 205-12), mild (1st qualification) knee osteoarthritis responded well to progressive (2nd qualification) higher-impact exercise.  Patellar cartilage thickness improved by 7% and leg strength improved.

So, keep moving...and talk with your Health Care Provider or Certified Personal Trainer about an exercise program that is right for your specific situation.

(For more information, read "The Arthritis Cure - Revised Edition" by Jason Theodosakis, MD, MS, MPH, FACPM and Sheila Buff.  The list of arthritis-specific exercise benefits is based on this book.  The research article can be found in the Caspian Journal of Internal Medicine.)

Eating for Arthritis

It is National Arthritis Month. One in three Americans suffers from arthritis.  Is your family prone to arthritis?  Do you want to decrease your risk, regardless of family history?  Now is a good time look at your eating habits to prevent it. 

Let's focus on just one aspect this week:  Prevent inflammation in the body through what you put in your mouth.  (We'll talk about exercise for arthritis next week.)

• Eating fish?  Make sure it is WILD caught and not FARM raised.  In general, wild caught lowers inflammation.  Farm-raised increases it.
• Control your blood sugar.  Eat carbohydrates that digest slowly (vegetables, beans, old-fashioned oatmeal, etc.) vs. carbohydrates that digest quickly (processed cereal, white flour, etc.)
• Increase your use of garlic and warming spices, like chili pepper.
• Increase your anti-oxidant intake with more vegetables and berries (Hmmm...that seems to be a theme in all "eating healthier" research.)
• Increase your healthy oils, such as extra virgin olive oil and walnuts.
• So, dinner tonight is wild-caught salmon with a garlic and chili pepper rub, a salad with lemon-infused extra virgin olive oil, spiced garbanzo beans and spiced walnuts, then a warm berry compote for dessert.  Right? 

For detailed resources check out the Arthritis Foundation website, www.arthritis.org and the book Inflammation Nation by Floyd H. Chilton, Ph.D.

Motivation for Moms

It is the week of Mother's Day.  Mothers deeply love their children and others.  And we all appreciate it.  Unfortunately, many mothers focus solely on taking care of everyone else and forget themselves.  It's time for Moms to take care of themselves so they can soar.

Here's a little motivation you can share with women who need to remember the truth that "You must be cared for, too."

Proverbs 31:17 (Amplified) "She girds herself with strength [spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her God-given task] and makes her strong and firm."  Make time for your workouts!  Even 30 minutes each day of a focused program will help you to stay strong throughout life.

Proverbs 31:22 (NKJV) "She makes tapestry for herself, her clothing is fine linen and purple."  Make time to do what you love and what re-charges you emotionally.  And enjoy the best you can afford.  Perhaps right now you cannot buy luxury clothes like the woman in Proverbs 31, but don't let that stop you from doing what you can do to look and feel beautiful.  (And if you do buy something luxurious - that you can afford without debt - don't feel false-guilt.  Proverbs 31:22 does not say "her clothing was fine linen and purple, but she felt guilty about it" or "went into debt for it."  Neither false-guilt nor debt is healthy.)

Remember to take care of yourself so you can fulfill your potential and soar!  Happy Mother's Day.

Cancer Prevention...Lifestyle

So, we've talked a little about nutrition and exercise.  How about lifestyle to decrease your cancer risk?

Let's touch on four areas:  smoking, alcohol, de-chlorinated water and stress management.

• Smoking:  I'll keep this simple.  Not smoking?  Don't start.  Smoking?  Stop.  Find a way.
• Alcohol:  Consumption of alcohol increases estrogen levels in 10 minutes.  That's not good for breast cancer risk.  And according to Janet Friedmann, PhD, RD at Vanderbilt Medical Center, "there is a substantial amount of data linking alcohol to increased cancer risk for the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, liver, colon and breast."
• Water:  Increasing water intake decreases risk of colon cancer, likely because it increases bowel transit time.  However, chlorinated water has been linked to an increase in various cancer risk.  A simple solution?  Use an at-the-faucet chlorine remover and then drink up!
• Stress Management:  "How to" is a topic for several blog posts, but for now remember that unmanaged stress increases cancer risk.  In a University of London study "unmanaged mental stress was six times more predictive of cancer and heart disease than cigarette smoking, high cholesterol levels, and elevated blood pressure" (The Seven Pillars of Health, Don Colbert, MD).

take a stress break everyday!

So, don't let all of this information about decreasing cancer risk stress you out!  Keep it basic. 

• Eat a variety of several (ideally 7-8) vegetable servings a day.
• Be physically active (exercise) most days of the week, including a 2-3 days of vigorous exercise, if your medical situation allows.  Call your doctor and ask what intensity is good for you.
• Don't smoke.  Don't drink alcohol.  Drink chlorine-free water.
• Find avenues to manage stress - exercise is one of them.
• Get help where you need it - whether your physician, a Registered Dietician or a Health Coach.

Keep at it!  You can Find Your Path so you can Fulfill Your Potential.  And you can enjoy the journey!  Let us know how we can help.

Cancer Prevention...Exercise

I'll admit.  This topic may not be as appealing for some folks as Nutrition for Cancer Prevention.  But here we go.

Make sure you walk the beach this year on your summer vacation.

Let's start with the general benefits of exercise on cancer risk.  According to an editorial in the British Medical Journal, by epidemiologists David Batty and Inger Thune, exercise impacts immune function, energy balance, bowel transit time, hormone levels (tissues become more sensitive to hormones), antioxidant defense and DNA repair.  In an article review presentation by Patricia Martin, MS, Vanderbilt Medical Center, exercise also decreases anxiety and elevates mood.  (This is important for the Stress Management we'll talk about next week.)

All of this is good news to decrease your cancer risk.  "But how much exercise is enough?"  Great question.  I'm glad you asked.

Research studies show various results and it also depends on what type of cancer you are researching.  Always remember that "some is better than none."  It is never all-or-nothing.  Breast cancer and colon cancer in relation to exercise have been widely studied.  Breast cancer risk is decreased about 30% through exercise.  And specifically vigorous activity.  According to Leitzmann, M.F., et al (2008) in Breast Cancer Research, vigorous activity such as heavy yard-work, digging (yet another reason to put in that backyard garden), running, competitive sports that involve intermittent running, such as tennis, and aerobics lowered risk of breast cancer.  Non-vigorous activity, such as walking, bowling and dusting did not lower risk in this study.  So, if your joints and medical condition allow it, add in interval training a couple of days each week.

Colon cancer risk is decreased by half in active men and women.  And exercise for decreasing colon cancer risk does not have to be vigorous.  Just consistent.

So what does this mean to you?  To decrease your overall cancer risk, get active.  And, if you are medically able, increase your intensity of exercise a couple of days each week.  Why not everyday?  Because for long-term consistent exercise, alternating "vigorous days" and "gentle activity" days will protect your joints and increase your enjoyment. 

To design a specific plan to fit your lifestyle and what you enjoy, contact ViREO Life.  We are here to help you Find Your Path and Fulfill Your Potential.

Cancer Prevention...Nutrition

April is Cancer Control Month.  Of course, my preference, and I assume yours, is to Prevent Cancer.  So, even though February is National Cancer Prevention Month, we will focus on Prevention now.  This week:  Nutrition Tips to decrease your risk.  Next week:  Exercise Tips to decrease your risk.

Vegetables.  You knew that would be the first item on the list.  But why? 

• Fiber:  When fiber ferments in the intestines it produces a protective fatty acid called butyrate.  Simply put, butyrate interacts with our genes to slows/stops the growth of cancer cells in the colon.
• Folic Acid:  This nutrient, in dark green vegetables (and dried peas/beans) is associated with decreased risk of cervical dysplasia (a precursor of cervical cancer).
• Vitamins and Antioxidants:  You've seen the research already.  I won't go into details.
• A few research stats:  "More than 200 studies have examined the relationships between fruits and vegetables and cancers of the oral cavity, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, colon, lung, bladder, breast, cervix and ovary...for most cancers, low intakes doubled risk compared to high intakes...effects generally remained significant even after controlling for smoking...and fat or energy intake."  And the protective impact was more with vegetables than with fruits.  So eat both, but focus on the vegetables.  (Janet Friedmann, Ph.D., R.D. Vanderbilt Center for Human Nutrition.)  

Fish.  Specifically wild caught salmon (a couple of servings per week) has been shown to decrease the risk of cancer in the prostate, digestive organs, pancreas and ovaries.  Also, selenium, an element found in seafood, may protect against breast cancer.  But make sure you are not creating another issue by increasing your mercury content.  I personally order from Vital Choice because of how they ensure safety.

Cooking Methods.  I know that the outdoor grilling season is almost here.  Be careful not to char your food.  And if you do splurge on a char-grilled burger, increase your vegetable servings at that meal...bell peppers, broccoli/carrot slaw, etc.

For more information, go to the American Cancer Society or Vital Choice websites.

www.cancer.org

www.vitalchoice.com

What does ViREO Life mean?

Not the garden of eden, but a familiar and beautiful sight in colorado.

"Vireo" is Latin for "I flourish.  I thrive.  I am strong and active."  It took several ideas, Greek dictionaries, Latin dictionaries, discussions and prayer to select the name for this business. 

Why ViREO LIfe?  Think about the Garden of Eden.  The plants, the animals...and especially Adam and Eve flourished in the Garden.  They were all that God created them to be.  And they could do all that God created them to do.  ViREO Life exists so that you can flourish and thrive and be strong and active in your life.  Live the ViREO Life!