Sweet!

We know we should avoid sugar. But the substitutes have their own dangers. What is the solution??

For me, it's Stevia. If you've never heard of it, Stevia is actually an herb that is sweet. One day when my mother and I were in a garden center, she found a stevia plant. We both picked leaves off and chewed them, and it was sweet. So I bought the plant and proudly planted it in the flower bed and nurtured it....right up until Dear Hubby decided it was a weed and got rid of it....

I digress....Anyway...I use Stevia all the time. It comes in 2 forms -- liquid and powder. I use the liquid in iced tea or other cold drinks. It only takes a few drops. And I use a shake of the powder in my smoothies.

Actually, it also comes in 2 other forms: a sticky, glycerine form and a tablet, but I don't like those.

The only drawback is that it is very expensive -- a small bottle like the one shown can be $12.00 or more. But it lasts a really long time, and it will not hurt you in any way. It is 30 times sweeter than sugar, so theoretically you can use 30 times less. Check it out at www.stevia.com.

You might be able to find a free sample online to make sure you like it. You can also find it at health food stores. I buy it at my Kroger, which has a special health-food section. I'm not sure all Krogers have this.

Extra hint: Wash and save the little dropper when you've finished a bottle of liquid Stevia -- it comes in handy for other things.

Hold the Door!!

It's amazing how little remedies make me so happy. This is pretty cool.

When we moved into our current home, the master closet light was wired to come on when the door was open. The only problem was, the door would not STAY open, so we couldn't get dressed or browse around in there without propping the door open with something (or darkness).

Voila! Dear Hubby found this neat little gadget. One part is a doorstop to replace the old one, and the other part goes on the back of your door. It snaps on to the doorstop with just a little nudge, and holds the door open. *Being the handy guy that he is, he also rewired the light so that it has a switch now.* But we still want the door to stay open when we're in there.

Not only did this solve the problem in our closet, but we put them on two other doors, too. The door from the laundry room into the garage -- for purposes of carrying in groceries. And on another door that was always being blown shut by the breeze when we had the windows open.

You can find them at home improvement stores (and maybe elsewhere) for about $3 or $4.

Now look me in the eye and concentrate.......pay no attention to the dust on the baseboard....pay no attention to the dust on the baseboard.....

Protect Your Checks from Being "Washed"

Did you know that there are corrupt people out there who can take your check and "wash" it and therefore change the amount and who it is written to? Yep. It happens.

They make special ink pens now for writing your checks - the one I have is called a Uniball Signo.

However, after I went through the trouble of tracking down this pen (finally found it at an office supply), I found out that an ordinary gel pen probably works just as well. And I have plenty of those!

My very favorite gel pen is the Pilot G-2. They come in different colors, and I stock up on them when Walgreens or other places put them on sale.

I don't write as many checks as I used to -- I mostly pay my bills online (another thing I LOVE) -- but when I do, I make sure I use my Signo pen or a gel pen. These days, it pays to be cautious.

Take note of this: Last summer, we had an outgoing check stolen from our mailbox. I've always been careful not to put mail out there overnight, but didn't know it wasn't safe in the morning. Our neighbor found the envelope ripped open and empty in her yard. It was a long process of closing the checking account, putting a fraud alert on our credit, repaying the bill, etc. What a pain! But it could have been worse if we hadn't found out.

Now I don't put any outgoing mail in our mailbox. And the incoming mail is locked - another thing I can highly recommend.

Rx for your pH

Here's another tip for balancing the pH of your body. Stir 1/2 tsp. of baking soda into a cup of water and drink. It's the classic "bicarb", but it has more benefits than just soothing indigestion.

Be sure to find some baking soda that does not have any aluminum in it. Bob's Red Mill is a good brand. Then keep it in the refrigerator or the freezer to keep it fresh. Save the other kind for cleaning or deodorizing something.

Cutting-edge naturopathic doctors say that "disease cannot exist in an alkaline environment". I drink this bicarb drink whenever I feel like I'm starting to get sick. It's also very good whenever you didn't get enough sleep the night before. Believe me, it works! And, of course, it's a lot better for the symptoms of indigestion than popping all those antacids. Often, simple is best.

Dr. Bob recommends drinking 2 tablespoons of Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar in a glass of water before you go to bed.

Almost like Sleeping at Grandma's House

Some of you are old enough to have the same kind of memories I have. I remember being a little girl visiting my grandmother in the winter. She only had one heater -- a large gas heater in the living area. The bedrooms were closed off and VERY cold. We would put our pajamas on in front of the heater, and then run into the bedroom and crawl under a whole pile of "covers". After shivering for a couple of minutes, I would suddenly get quite toasty and enjoyed amazing sleep in that cold room.

Dear Hubby and I have discovered we like sleeping in a cold room in the winter. We set the thermostat to let the temperature go down by bedtime, and then crawl under a sheet, a blanket, a quilt, and then a comforter. Sometimes I add an extra quilt on top of the comforter. He usually throws a couple of layers off in the night, but I normally keep mine on.

Everyone is different of course, but normally your body temperature will slightly cool in the evening (which makes you sleepy), reach its lowest point around 4:00 a.m., and start to warm up as it nears dawn. In ladies or men, if you wake up often between 2:00 and 4:00 a.m., you may have a hormone imbalance.

Getting some outdoor light during the day will improve your sleep. Get outside for at least a little while if you possibly can. Getting some exercise during the day is also a benefit to your sleep.

Happy Snoozing!

Better Sleep, Part 3

To continue talking about sleep and snoring, here is something else to consider. It may help you, depending on the cause of your snoring.

Dr. Robert F. DeMaria: "In studying pH, I have discovered that individuals who snore may, in fact, have an acid pH. Stress and what you eat in your evening meal have a correlation to the pH that your body will be when you go to sleep at night and your body will alter breathing to "blow off" acid in the system. If you have a history of snoring, here is my recommendation - I would encourage you to put a slice or wedge of fresh lemon in water, drink the water either during or after your evening meal and eat the lemon after drinking the water. What I am seeing is that if your body is in a neutral or alkaline environment prior to sleeping, your body will not need to work as hard to normalize the pH in your system. I have used this myself with great results. It would be common to think that when we consume citrus that the citrus would remain an acid. Lemon after being metabolized by the body, ends up in an alkaline state. The end result of the lemon metabolism in the body results in a substance that will help reduce acidity, which I have found may, in fact, be the primary cause for snoring." (Quoted from www.drbob4health.com)

I've been sleeping well, so I don't know if this is helping me sleep better, but I like the idea of trying to alkalinize your body before bedtime. We all eat too much acid-producing foods, and resetting your pH balance before bedtime just makes sense. During sleep, your body is trying to repair and rebuild itself, and it seems this would give it a lot better environment to work in.

This is actually a good idea for anytime in the day. Years ago, I had a mouth full of canker sores because my body had gotten out of balance from extended antibiotic treatment. Nothing was helping. When I read some literature that recommended drinking water spiked with lemon juice, it seemed like it would be painful. However, I drank it with a straw to get it past my sore mouth, and immediately began to experience healing. Within 24 hours, I had no more pain.

If you have any questions, I urge you to research online the ill effects of having a pH balance in your body that is too acidic and/or the dangers of sleep apnea. Give your body a fighting chance!

Better Sleep, Part 2

If you snore, there's a very real possibility that you have sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a serious matter, and one for which there are no easy solutions. When finally, at the urging of my doctor, I agreed to be tested, I had a hard time digesting the results. I stopped breathing, on average, 47 times an hour during the night. My oxygen level was going down to a level where brain cells start to die, and there are many other dangerous effects from sleep apnea. You normally can't tell that you stop breathing. Dear Hubby definitely knew that I snored, but did not think that I quit breathing.

For most people, the gold standard for treatment is a C-pap machine, which forces air into your lungs through a mask throughout the night. I know many people who use it and benefit greatly from it, and others who just can't get used to it. I opted for a dental appliance, and it has worked well for me, though I wasn't able to get our health insurance to pay for it. Mine was custom fitted by my dentist, but our friend Dwight uses a self-fitting one he bought on the internet and is quite happy with it. I know it wouldn't work in every case, but it may be the answer for some. The website he used is www.nosnorezone.com, and he bought the most expensive one at $169.95. My recommendation would be, if it worked for you, to keep checking with your dentist and make sure it's not affecting the placement of your teeth. I just read that a dental device is effective in about 52% of people treated.

If you snore, I urge you to have a sleep study done. It's not as bad as it sounds. You sleep overnight in a clinic, in a bedroom, while hooked up to machines, but it was far less difficult than I expected it to be. And it could just save your life! You can get a referral from your doctor, and find out exactly what is happening while you sleep. If this doesn't affect you, it definitely affects someone that you know and love.

My health has improved dramatically since I started being treated. Sleep time is when your body is supposed to be repairing and rebuilding itself. but mine was just fighting to stay alive each night. I am amazed at how much my memory has improved, and my long-lost creativity has returned. It's like parts of my brain that were dead or numb have come alive again.

A little extra caution: if you snore or suspect you have sleep apnea, don't fall asleep in a recliner. That was the only time that I was aware I quit breathing, because I would wake up choking. And I personally know of two people who had sleep apnea and died while taking naps in recliners. Until you have the opportunity to get treated, don't sleep on your back. One trick to help you do this -- I know this sounds weird but it will work -- put a tennis ball in a sock and pin it to the back of your pajama top. You won't be sleeping on your back! Extra bonus: your spouse will be getting better sleep also.

Better Sleep, Part 1

Sleeping is not always easy, especially as we get older. I've struggled with this, so I want to share some things I've learned that you might not have heard yet.

One of the things I've put into practice in the last year, and it seems to have helped a lot, is having no light in the room where we sleep. I even turn my alarm clock away from me so the light is not shining in my face.

If you get up in the night to go to the bathroom, it's best to have very little or no light in order to not bring your body into a wakeful state. You should try not to expose yourself to bright light at bedtime (which is hard if you like to read). The experts say we should turn off the computer and the television at least an hour before we want to go to sleep.

It's all because of something called a pineal gland in our brain that regulates melatonin and affects our sleep patterns. If it detects any light, even with our eyelids closed, it can affect our sleep.

Another thing I've heard from more than one health professional say: that an hour of sleep before midnight is worth two hours of sleep after midnight, because it optimizes melatonin production. It's not an easy thing these days to go to bed early, but it may be well worth it if you're not getting enough quality sleep. More tomorrow....

Brother P-Touch Label Maker

I love this thing! If you ever had one of the older type label makers, you know they were more trouble than they were worth. But I've been using this one for several years now, and it's great. It's easy to use, inexpensive, and fun. They usually sell for $19.99, but go on sale periodically at office supply stores for $14.99 or less. The tape cartridges cost about $10, but each one will last a good long time. I've even given a few of these as gifts.

Ideas for what to label:

• File folders
• Books
• Personal items - cell phone, Palm Pilot, mp3 player, etc.
• Glasses or contacts case
• Travel bottles (what's inside - the print has even held up well for bottles used in the shower)
• Light and fan switches
• Name tags
• Binders, dividers
• Baskets in closet or pantry
• Linen closet shelves

It runs on batteries, and they last a long time, too. You can change the size of the type, and buy different color tape cartridges, popping them in and out as needed. I usually just stick with plain old black lettering on white background. I've even labeled my label maker! Just so everyone knows it's MINE!

Bathroom Counter Pushups

Okay, so it's winter. You have no desire to be outside walking, running or biking, or whatever you like to do. But spring is right around the corner. Here's an idea -- every morning, do pushups on your bathroom counter. I'm not talking about climbing up on your bathroom counter - no! But plant your feet on the ground, put your hands on the bathroom counter, and start pushing! It's low enough that it uses your body weight to work your muscles, and you'll work muscles in your arms, chest, back, shoulders, and burn body fat. Be sure to keep your abs pulled in and your core tight.

According to fitness author John Peterson, you can build an amazing physique just from pushups alone. Eventually you want to end up doing these on the floor, and doing a lot of them each day, but just start wherever you are -- and I'm starting with the bathroom counter. Make sure you blow out your breath on the lift and breathe in as you lower yourself. You can vary which muscles you're working by changing the position of your hands. It will really get your blood pumping in the morning, and as an extra bonus, you can watch yourself turn red in the mirror!

Start slow and listen to your body. Build up slowly. Who knows, by the time we get ready to "bare arms" :) in the spring, maybe we'll be doing 100 or more pushups a day, in sets. (There are some famous athletes who do 500 to 1000 a day! Yikes!)

It's Magic!

I always learn something new when I stay with or visit someone. This summer my friend Joyce and I stayed a few days with our friends Mike and Debbie in California. One evening, while we were talking late into the night, somehow we got on the subject of cleaning, and Debbie pulled out her Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. We decided to test it on all kinds of things that night. Well, now I'm a believer.

Read the package carefully, because there are some things you should not use it on, like stainless steel. You wet the eraser, squeeze it out, and then go after marks on doors, floors, walls or other things. I don't know how it works, but it has kept dear hubby from having to touch-up paint in quite a few places. The weird thing is, it kind of melts away as you use it. In the picture, see the new one on the left, and the used one on the right.

They're available at just about all stores and not expensive. Give it a try!

Salad Secrets, Part 2

Now you know how to get your lettuce ready, so it's time to build the salad. I used to only make the same salad my mother always made - iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, onions, dressing, maybe some avocado. Now I've branched out and experiment a lot -- it's tasty, nutritious and fun.

First of all, any kind of lettuce is more nutritious than iceberg -- green leaf, red leaf, romaine, spinach, whatever. Find what you like and use a variety.

Next, you can add just about anything. I buy what's on sale that week, what's in season, and/or what looks fresh and pretty. Here are some ideas:

• Tomatoes
• Onions
• Avocado
• Artichoke Hearts
• Black Olives
• Green Olives
• Celery, peppers, chopped zucchini, cucumber, any raw veggie
• Corn, raw - cut off the cob (try it!), or canned, drained, or frozen, thawed
• Sesame Seeds
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Sunflower Seeds
• Canned beans, any kind, rinsed and drained
• Sliced Pear
• Sliced Apple
• Pineapple, oranges or grapefruit
• Sliced Strawberries or any fruit
• Dried Fruit, Raisins
  
• Nuts, any kind, raw or toasted (try pistachios)
• Cheeses, any kind, grated or cubed
• Chicken, fish, beef
• Boiled eggs, sliced or chopped
• Stir-fried veggies
• Croutons or crushed tortilla chips

The sky is the limit! Basically, just see what you have in the pantry or the refrigerator, and toss it in. You'll be surprised how good it is. Try chopping or slicing in different sizes -- for instance, I don't like big pieces of cucumber, but I don't mind it when they're chopped up small. When you find an especially good combination, write it down. Here's a simple salad I "invented" that my husband loves:






Debi's Apricot Nut Salad

• Spread washed lettuce of any kind on each individual salad plate.
• Add to the top of each bed of lettuce:
• Tomato spears
• Dried apricot, snipped into small pieces with kitchen scissors, 2 or 3 per salad
• Chopped nuts - I usually use chopped walnuts, but pecans or sliced almonds would be good
• Drizzle with this dressing:
• Real mayonnaise thinned with balsamic vinegar, until it is thin enough to drizzle

Hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

Salad Secrets, Part 1

We all know we should eat a salad every day, and it would be so easy if someone would just lay out a salad bar before us, so we wouldn't have to do all the work! The biggest chore in salad-making, to me, was washing and preparing the lettuce. Because of that, I would shy away from making salads on most days.

BUT, now I've come up with a system that isn't hard, and I make salads much more often. I hope this works for you, too, and encourages you to eat more salads.

1. I tear or cut the lettuce and put it in a large plastic bowl filled with cool water. You can use a knife, your hands, or kitchen scissors. Swish it around a little, then let it sit for at least a few minutes (while you're getting another part of the salad ready). This allows any dirt or grit to settle to the bottom of the bowl.

2. A little bit later, lift the lettuce out by the handfuls (without disturbing the grit on the bottom of the bowl) and put into a salad spinner. I previously had a salad spinner that just wore me out. I hated using it. I finally spent $25 on an OXO salad spinner, and I LOVE it! It has changed everything. It really does a good job of spinning off the water. It has a basket inside another bowl which catches the water, and you can pour off the excess water. It even has a little button to push to "brake" the spinning and bring everything to a halt. I spin it a couple of times, then the lettuce is ready to use. Any extra lettuce will keep well in the salad spinner in the refrigerator for a day or two.

The plastic bowl and the salad spinner are easy to wash, and I store them together for quick salad prep. I usually use this method even for pre-washed lettuce mixes, because I think you can't be too careful. But take the kitchen scissors and snip up those big pieces so they fit in your mouth. It will be like a chopped salad -- thanks to my buddy Michele for that idea.

I can highly recommend the OXO salad spinner. You can find it at a lot of stores, but at Linens-N-Things or Bed, Bath and Beyond, you can use one of their 20% off coupons. I look at it as a tool that I use almost daily, well worth the expense, because it works!

Tomorrow - great salad ideas!

Best TV Show for Health Information

I am happy to introduce you to my favorite educational television show - Your Health. I regret that not everyone will be able to access it, because I think you can only get it through cable or satellite. It is on the FamilyNet channel, and comes on Monday through Friday at 11:00 a.m. Central Time. Dr. Richard Becker, with the help of his wife Cindy, explains preventative and alternative health in such a way that you can understand and apply it to your life. I think if you could absorb everything he says each day, you'd be more knowledgeable than most doctors. I get behind on watching the shows, and usually have them stacked up on the DVR, because I want to listen carefully and learn as much as I can.

The Beckers do have their own line of nutritional supplements, but you can apply the knowledge without using their particular brand of supplements.

Here's the bottom line: If something is wrong, don't just let a doctor treat you for the symptoms. Find out what the root of the problem is and go after it. Live the most healthy life you can, and you can only do that with knowledge.

If you are able to receive the show, please check it out. I highly recommend it!
The website for the television show is http://www.bioinnovations.net/yourhealthtv/home.htm#
The website for the FamilyNet channel is www.familynet.com

Is Paper Taking Over Your Car?

If you're like me, you spend a lot of time in your car. And there are things we need! I finally found a way to keep up with all the paper I carry in the car. I got one of those plastic file holders, the kind with several pockets that has an elastic band on the outside to keep it closed. You can find them anywhere office supplies are sold.

In one pocket I have the small local phone book and a copy of my church's directory. In another I have menus from restaurants around town, so I can order and pick up food, or just decide what I'm having before I dine there. Another pocket holds restaurant coupons, one has coupons to other stores (like the office supply or department stores), and one holds maps. This is not where I keep my grocery store coupons -- I'll cover that in a later post.

When you're stuck waiting in your car somewhere, or someone else is driving, you can clear out the expired coupons. Or, carry it in the house and clean it out while watching TV. I don't do this as often as I should, but it is helping me stay a little more organized in the car.

Best Scrapbook Idea Ever!

This idea comes from my niece, Tanya, and you can use it whether you are the one making scrapbooks or not! Tanya made a beautiful large scrapbook with pictures from my son's wedding. After the large scrapbook was completed, she took the pages to the office supply and had them make color copies on card stock of each page. They experimented a little until they were able to reduce the images of each page to the perfect size to fit an 8 X 8 scrapbook page. I think it was between 68% and 72% reduction in size.

Then, I was able to trim the pages and put them back-to-back in 8 X 8 scrapbooks, and you could hardly tell they were not the originals. We were able to send one to my son in Afghanistan (his wife in Germany got the large one), and also give one to each set of parents and grandparents. The picture you see is my copy. All the beautiful work Tanya did on the original scrapbook was suddenly multiplied for many people to enjoy. The bonus is, if anything ever happens to the original, we've got backups!

Now Tanya has copied some of her older scrapbooks for other family members. So, if you are a scrapbooker, or have someone in your family who is, start multiplying!

**Extra hint: the large office supply companies often put color copies on sale - watch the ads and save a bundle. The scrapbooks go on sale quite often, too.**

My Favorite Bath/Hair Products

If you know me, you know I’m an extreme health nut. Therefore, I am very careful what I put on my skin. Do you realize how many medicines are applied to the skin now? Whatever you put there goes straight into your system.

I know this is controversial for some, but most natural health experts agree that we should not use products with sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfates (an inexpensive detergent/foaming agent). When you start reading labels, you’ll find this in most shampoos, hand and body soaps, and even toothpaste. See this website for more information: http://www.healthy-communications.com/slsmostdangerousirritant.html

Another thing you might not know — those antibacterial soaps are not good for your skin, and not any more effective. Plain soap and water, plus the rubbing action of washing your hands, has been proven to get rid of germs as well as they do. The antibacterial soaps strip your skin of the good bacteria that keep it healthy. When I use it, only in other people’s homes or public restrooms, my hands get dry and cracked and sometimes actually bleed.

At home, I use JASON brand hand soap, shampoo and body wash. They’re mild and contain no SLS. For shampooing, you’ll probably need to shampoo, rinse and repeat to get through the layer of hair spray and/or gels most of us use. I like the smell of these, too. They're available at health food stores, but my Kroger also has them in the health food section of the store.

Jib Jab

Press the PLAY button above. This is so fun!

Thanks to my sister Vicky and brother-in-law Eric, I found out how to go to jibjab.com and make my own goofy video. You have to register, and then you get the first video free. They walk you through the steps. You can then e-mail the link to whomever you want, and embed it in a website like this. I think those dancing lessons have been paying off, don't you? Especially for dear hubby. Poor dear couldn't dance a lick before.

Don't send a lame Starring You! eCard. Try JibJab Sendables!

Blender Adventures, Part 3

Set up a Smoothie Station

If you want to make smoothies on a regular basis, it helps a lot to set up a Smoothie Station. Make a place to keep all your smoothie ingredients together, preferably near the blender. Keep any refrigerated ingredients in one spot in the refrigerator. This cuts way down on thinking in the morning and sort of automates your smoothie making. You might want to post some smoothie recipes inside the cabinet door just about your blender.

All in all, it just really doesn't matter what you put in your blender as long as you like it and hopefully, it's good for you. Experiment and see what you like.

I tend to make all my smoothies with fruit, but vegetables are good, too. I haven't tried this yet -- I'm going to -- but here is what Dr. Oz (of Oprah fame) drinks in the morning. So far I've never had all the ingredients on hand at the same time.

Dr. Oz Green Drink

• 2 cups spinach
• 2 cups cucumber
• 1 head of celery
• 1/2 inch or teaspoon ginger root
• 1 bunch parsley
• 2 apples
• Juice of 1 lime
• Juice of 1/2 lemon

After everything is combined in a blender, this recipe makes 28 to 30 ounces—about three to four servings. (I'd have to cut this way down since there is no way dear hubby would let this even touch his lips.)

Quick Way to Wash Blender

Fill it up with hot water, put in one drop of dish soap, put lid back on, and blend! Rinse thoroughly. This works best if you do it immediately after using. Don't let it sit for too long.

That's all for our smoothie adventures right now. Happy Blending!

Blender Adventures, Part 2

Yesterday you heard all about Bill and Gayle and the inexpensive blender. Today I want to tell you about Bob and Margaret, also fellow health nuts and dear friends. Staying with them when we go to Houston is a delight. And every morning they make their own brand of smoothies. Actually, each of them has a different brand. They each pull out their own blenders, their own peelers, get out the fresh fruit and start peeling. They put in whatever fruit they have in the house, and then they each add their favorite vitamin powder and protein concoction. It's a sight to see, and taste. And they both literally glow with good health.

Here's my recipe for Frozen Fruit Smoothie. Adjust it any way you like. Again, I don't actually measure anything. As Rachael Ray says, "Eyeball it."

Put in blender:

• 1/2 cup any juice, or water (can add more later)
• 1 cold banana (or frozen)
• 4 or 5 frozen strawberries (or other frozen fruit, remember to thaw a little unless your blender's very powerful)
• 1 scoop protein powder (chocolate goes good with strawberries, yes indeed...ummm actually chocolate goes good with pretty much anything)
• 1 scoop vitamin powder (optional)
• 1/4 tsp. powdered stevia (or sweetener of your choice)
• 1 cup crushed ice (or regular ice cubes)

Blend until smooth, adding just a little more liquid if too thick to blend. Pour and enjoy. Serves 1.

Debi's rule #13. Be extremely cautious when using a blender in the presence of a toddler. I remember a time when a chubby little finger came out of nowhere and hit the blend button before I put the lid on! Have you ever tried cleaning smoothie off the ceiling??

Blender Adventures, Part 1

If you're going to make smoothies, you're going to need a blender. A few years ago, when mine died, I went hunting for the perfect blender. I thought, the more you spent the better. I bought a fairly expensive name brand, took it home, tried it, packed it up and took it back. I ended up at a restaurant supply and spent a lot on a Vitamix, justifying that I use it every day. You know what, it's great.

But my dear friends (and fellow health nuts) Bill and Gayle have found what I think is a better option. They bought a $15 Hamilton-Beach blender at Wal-mart, the small individual kind. They use it every day, even take it with them when they travel, and it's just started to wear out after 2 years. Hey, even if it only lasted 6 months, you'd be better off buying a new one every six months than spending a lot of money on one. Now, if you're using frozen fruit, it would be best to thaw it a little before trying to blend it in a less expensive blender. They put their frozen fruit out on a plate for about 10 minutes while they're doing other things to get it ready for the smoothie. Tomorrow I'll give you a good recipe for a frozen fruit smoothie.

Speaking of blenders, when our youngest son Barrett was stationed with the Army at Ft. Benning, he got the idea that he needed to make smoothies in the barracks. He questioned me about what kind of blender to buy. That was one of the rare times that he had too much time on his hands AND internet access, so pretty soon I got a copy of this e-mail he sent to family and friends.

Oh man, this is hilarious. I was talking to one of my friends and I was like "my mom was telling me about the expensive blender she got, it's like a restaurant blender...... you could stick a cat in that thing and have a nice smooth drink in about 5 seconds!" Then a little later I say "I honestly wonder what that would taste like... I'm sure you'd have to shave it first..." And that got me thinking, so I made this picture! I know, I'm VERY sick and deranged.... Deal with it!- Barrett (see picture below)

He's serving in Afghanistan now. We have 3 wonderful sons, each with a unique, twisted sense of humor. (Debi's Theory #26: You marry a smart-butt, you're going to have little baby smart-butts.) On the rare occasion when we're all together in one place, we can't stop laughing. *sigh*

Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie

As promised - here it is - the recipe for my delicious Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie. This makes a great breakfast. Coming soon - fruit smoothie!

What I use is on the left, with possible substitutions shown in parentheses. I don't exactly measure any of this -- experiment to find the right taste and texture for you.

Put in blender:

• 1/2 cup rice milk - can add more later if needed (or milk, soy milk, almond milk)
• 1 cold banana (or frozen banana)
• Natural peanut butter - golf ball sized scoop
• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder (if your protein powder is plain, add a heaping Tbs. of cocoa)
• 1 scoop vitamin powder of your choice (optional)
• 1 tsp. healthy oil (optional - flax oil, mac nut oil, olive oil)
• 1/4 tsp. powdered stevia (it's an herbal sweetener - or Splenda, or honey)
• 1 cup crushed ice (regular ice)

Blend until smooth. Add a little more milk or some cold water if it's too thick to blend. Pour, pop in a straw or a spoon, enjoy! Serves 1.

The Best Way to Sell (or live in) a House

The last time we sold our house, a very enterprising realtor gave us the best advice. He told us to declutter and make the house look like a model home. We pondered his concept, and promptly rented a storage building. It was a big house, so it had been easy to collect a lot of stuff. We removed excess furniture, clutter and knick-knacks, and made each room a clean, pleasing-to-the-eye picture. It also helped that my husband had always maintained the house immaculately -- touching up paint, etc., on a regular basis. But without that decluttering, I doubt that we would have sold the house as quickly as we did. People commented that it looked like a new house (after 5-1/2 years of living in it). By the grace of God, we sold the house ourselves in 7 weeks, which was a very good thing since we'd already closed on another house (not a recommended idea under normal circumstances).

The interesting thing is this: Once we decluttered the house, we were amazed at how good we felt living there, and how easy it was to clean. So, we decided to live that way from now on. As we moved to our new house, we got rid of A LOT! I decorated with only a moderate amount of large-scale pieces, we've pretty much banned knick-knacks, and we refuse to add any more furniture (always a temptation with me). The result is a home that is easy to maintain and is almost always company-ready. Another trick - when picking out floor colors - anything dirt color is a great choice!

The Neti Pot (nasal bidet)

Okay, don’t snurl your nose up at this until you’ve tried it! When you get sinus congestion, or an infection, instead of reaching for a medicine that dries up the secretions (and leads to more infection), reach for your neti pot (no specific brand recommended).

Most people have to be talked into this, but then find out it’s not unpleasant at all, and really does the job. If you want to see how it works, here is a link to a video in which Dr. Oz explains and demonstrates it on Oprah:

http://www.oprah.com/health/oz/oz_20070426_350_106.jhtml

NO, YOU WILL NOT DROWN!

You can find these at many drugstores and most health food stores. Just make sure it’s certified lead-free. You can sanitize it in the dishwasher.

To use, dissolve 1/4 tsp. Salt in 1 cup of warm water. Pour into the neti pot, then lean over the sink and clean out your sinuses. Then switch to the other side. Directions will be in the box. I used it this week while battling a virus, and avoided taking sinus meds and getting a sinus infection. I personally recommend that you use purified water, and un-iodized regular salt. Sea salt may be too strong.

Salt & Pepper Bunnies

Are these the cutest things you've ever seen? Actually these are called a Salt Ball and a Pepper Ball. Besides working really well, they're make for great dinner conversation. I first brought home the Salt Ball, and within a couple of days, my husband insisted we get a Pepper Ball also, even though we already had a pepper grinder. He loves them. The brand is Chef'n. I got mine at Kohl's, but I've seen them in other places also. These are the large ones. They have small ones with magnets that stick to your refrigerator, but I would think they would run out of salt or pepper too often.

To use, grip the "ears" with one hand and squeeze to grind the salt or pepper. Good workout for your hand grip.

They're a little pricey, so wait until they go on sale, or use one of those 20% off coupons from Linens N Things or Bed, Bath and Beyond.

My Favorite Microwave Popcorn

Now, of course, the best popcorn is the kind you pop yourself with healthy oil. BUT, we don't often feel like doing that and then cleaning up the popper. So, my favorite microwave popcorn is Orville Redenbacher's Natural Buttery Salt & Cracked Pepper. It's widely available, and comes in mini-bags, just the perfect size for one person.

Just the right accessory for our Netflix subscription, another of my favorite things (more about that later)!

A Banana is a Terrible Thing to Waste

There are two banana camps – those who like their bananas more green (my husband), and those who like them ripe (me). That works out well in our household, but what if you have more bananas than you can eat while they're in their prime?

I'm sure most of you know this, but I recently found out that some don't (Alicia!). When a banana is in its perfect condition, you can put it in the refrigerator and it will stay that way for several days. The skin will turn brown on the outside, but the inside will be preserved.

Another idea – peel them and freeze them in zippered freezer bags. You can then use them in smoothies, banana bread or muffins, or just eat one frozen -- – yum! Tastes like ice cream. Don't add a fresh banana to a bag of frozen bananas – it will mess them all up. Start a new bag. Sometimes I buy those paper bags full of ripe bananas at the grocery store (usually 99 cents a bag) just so I can freeze them. I like to have a smoothie almost every morning – recipes will be posted at a later date.

Favorite Web Site to Look at in the Morning

I am no cat lover, but I like to start every morning with a little peek at this site. They post a few new pictures every day of these silly cats, who have their own language and their own creative spelling. When I find one that really makes me laugh, I right-click and save it in a folder on my computer. Warning: There are hundreds of pages of pictures. I just look at the new ones each day. You could get lost for days browsing through all the pages. The web site's name came from the first picture of a fat kitty asking for a cheeseburger.

You might want to make this one a favorite on your toolbar:
icanhascheezburger.com

My Favorite Dark Chocolate

If this is an addiction, I don’t ever want to be free of it! I LOVE dark chocolate. You know the experts say now that it is actually good for you, but you don’t want to take in too much sugar.

In my opinion, the very best is Endangered Species Extreme Dark Chocolate with 88% cocoa content. I’m drooling just thinking of it. I limit myself to 2 or 3 small squares a day, and it satisfies my chocolate cravings.

This brand is available at Kroger (and probably some other places, too). They put it on sale every few weeks. As an extra bonus, there’s a 25 cent coupon inside the package, and Kroger normally triples it, so that’s 75 cents off. Look for those panther eyes on the wrapper for the most concentration of chocolate.

I know it’s good for ME — it makes me smile :).

Save the Earth – It’s the only planet with Chocolate!

Keep Your Core Warm!

Are you staying cold, especially your arms and legs, either outside or inside? The truth is, if your core (trunk) is not warm, your body will divert all resources from your limbs to protect your heart and lungs and keep you alive. Until recently, I never understood the value of those quilted vests. I thought, what is the point if you aren't keeping your arms warm??? Turns out, they are quite valuable, because they keep your core warm. I am wearing one as I sit here in my office writing this. (Notice I'm wearing it in the Santa picture posted today. This one I got on sale at Old Navy. I got another good one - Gap brand - at the Goodwill store.)

My husband tested this theory out on his motorcycle. He has a heated vest and gloves that he wears when riding on cold days. (I tease him -- "Get a car!") When he has the heated vest turned on, his arms and legs stay warm, even though they're not included in the warming process. When he turns off the heat on the vest, the first things to get cold are his limbs. So, try it at home and outside this winter -- you'll see how much it helps!