Allergies

My daughter suffers from allergies which can trigger her asthma at any given time. Trying to find the right medication, whether OTC or scripted, is a challenge. There are so many different medications out there and it really is trial and error. Benadryl seems to knock her out within the hour. Other medications just have her "feeling like her head is floating" and only slightly relieves the allergy symptoms.

I took her to our family doctor who performed a blood test and diagnosed her with some common allergies which include dust and pollen of course. Nothing really surprising other than a slight allergy to milk. Which to me doesn't make sense because she can drink up the milk and leave me with none for a bowl of cereal and not once has she had an "allergic reaction." My daughter begged the doctor for a note for school so that she can have water or juices with her lunch. We haven't seen any significant changes....because she still drinks up all the milk. NOW she's upset because the school won't allow her to drink milk with her lunch. I told her that's what she gets for being a blabber mouth.



Getting back to allergy relief, this spring season has been killer on her allergies. The best allergy medication for her (this year) has been Claritin D. It's the 24 hour type of relief so she only has to take it once a day. That has been key since she's horrible at remembering to take her medication. Go figure, she's the one that suffers the watery eyes, sneezing, and just feeling miserable, yet she forgets. Apparently, hindsight is not 20/20 when you're "Super Teen."

Most importantly, as with any medication, its best to take it before your symptoms show their ugly head. Using an OTC nasal salt water rinse also cleans out deposits that may trigger allergic reactions.

Spicey tips

While reading Women's Health magazine I learned that some spices have healing powers. Did you know????

Allspice blocks glycation, which is connected to aging.


Aniseed (anise) aids in digestion and stamps out date-killing bad breath.

Chili powder curbs appetite and reduces calorie intake.

Cinnamon contains antioxidants that keep blood sugar and energy levels on an even keel.

Cumin is used to improve digestion and contains more energy-boosting iron than other spices.

Curry Powder contains antiocidants that may combat heart disease by reducing fat buildup in arteries.


Fennel Seeds have a licorice-like flavor and if you chew on a few you can freshen up your breath and help relieve bloating after a pig-out.

Ginger Powder is an anti-inflammatory compoud that can tame postexercise muscle pain.

Mustard is high in selenium, which may protect against skin cancer.

Paprika is brimming with vitamin A, which aids vision, bone growth, and immunity.

Saffron has been found to ease PMS symptoms.


and my personal "Wow Really?" is Vanillin, the active component in vanilla, has been shown to help kill cancer cells.

Incorporate some of these spices into your recipes for some yummy, healthy and healing dishes.

Deals, deals, deals

I wanted to take this opportunity to share a special deal that I found for students from Microsoft. Microsoft Office Ultimate 2007 is available at a 91% discount to qualifying students. That's not a typo....91% discount ($59.95) to current students of a registered and approved and you must have a valid .edu email address.

Visit Microsoft's site to verify that you qualify and you can see all of the highlights of this special offer. You can also find other deals on this site especially for students.

Happy shopping and saving.

Safe gardening

While gardening this past weekend I discovered two things. One is just how important stretching is prior to any type of strenuous activity. I awoke muscles that have been sleeping even while I'm at the gym. Two days of extending my flower beds which including tearing out lawn, beating the lawn sections to get the dirt out of them, bagging, dragging, cultivating soil and fighting off the dog, really took a toll on my body. I didn't "feel it" until Sunday evening.

The second thing I discovered is no matter how how much the sun is covered by clouds, skin protection is important. Although I didn't get sunburned I did notice a bunch of freckles that I normally get when I'm out in the sun too long.

I did remember to keep hydrated. I drank so much water that I could hear sloshing as I was going along. So here are my tips for gardening stretches and sun protection:

Stretching:




Sun protection:
While researching minimum SPF, which I believed was 15. I discovered the new recommended minimum, by the American Academy of Dermatology, is SPF 30. Doctors are now recommending SPF 30 to their patients and the reasoning behind this is that those that do apply sunscreen are not doing it as often as they should so at SPF 15 they were really receiving only half of the recommended protection. Therefore, at SPF 30, at the minimum you're receiving SPF 15 and adequate protection.




Utilizing a hat and other gear is recommended as well while working in the sun.


I did a lot of work in the garden and the rewards are still to come. I can't wait to add more to the new beds and to watch the new perennials bloom and get stronger every year. Happy & Safe Gardening.

Best and worst brain foods

I was reading today about foods that are good and bad for your brain. Being three quarters of the way done with this semester, which has been hell I might add, I wanted to see what I should be consuming/avoiding. At this point I'll try anything. So here's what I've found.




To help you concentrate: Studies found that the scent of peppermint is supposed to help you focus and boost performance. Better yet, when you have a long drive peppermint helps you to remain more alert and less anxious.


For sharpened senses: Include a tablespoon of ground flaxseed daily to your diet. You can sprinkle it on salads or add it to a smoothie or shake. Flaxseed is a healthy fat that improves the function of the cerebral cortex.



For good moods: Eat more leafy greens such as spinach, chard or arugula. According to a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience Nursing, a lack of B6 can cause nervousness, irritability, and even depression.

Looking for an energy boost: Stay away from a high-carbohydrate breakfast such as pancakes or bagels. Choose instead a high-protein breakfast. Two hours after eating, the carb eaters had tryptophan levels four times higher than those of the people who had eaten protein.

Short-term memory boost needed: Coffee is the ultimate brain fuel. Caffeine has been shown to retard the aging process and enhance short-term memory performance. However, too much caffeine, especially from late afternoon onward can have a negative effect on the short-term memory as well. Too much caffeine can interrupt your normal sleep pattern. Sleep is reboot time for your mental computer, and you don't want to mess with it.

Here's one that I know.



Long-term memory boost: Eat blueberries. Blueberries contain antioxidants which protect the brain from free-radical damage and lower your risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. If you can find wild blueberries, they have even more antioxidants than the cultivated variety. Another tip within this tip is if your favorites are out of season, buy them frozen. Freezing them locks in flavors and nutrients, so the berries' antioxidant capacity is maxed out. It's better consuming the off-season berries.

Spreading the word......

This is for my beautiful niece....Love you Sweetie!!!

Friday March 26th is Epilepsy Awareness Day....Wearing purple on Friday demonstrates support for epilepsy sufferers, showing them that they are not alone.

Message heard around the world

Creative advertising is said to be the best way to get your message across about your product. However, one of the new commercials by GlaxoSmithkline has crossed a line.....or has it? The commercial is titled "Message in a Bottle" and the message is Cervical Cancer Kills. GlaxoSmithkline has a new vaccine to compete with Merck's Guardasil and GS is not taking the subtle approach. But is scaring the best method of educating us to the preventative measures to take for cervical cancer?

The reviews are mixed. Some are horrified and have gone so far as to post on Ihatecommercials.com that the marketing technique GS has used is one they do not like. When I first saw this commercial I was taken back. I was wondering what new perfume was on the market. What a surprise it was to me to see on the pretty bottle the words, "Cervical Cancer." Another commercial in GS's campaign to educate America was an instant message conversation between two friends concerning another girlfriend who wasn't able to partake in drinks with the girls. When the other girl questions "why not?" the response is that "she just found out she has cervical cancer." GS is getting down and dirty about this subject.

I agree that cervical cancer is nothing to take lightly. My family has been crushed by the loss of a very young mother of two to cervical cancer. So our fear was one of reality and enough to have the women of our family to have anual Papsmears, educate our friends, and to simply speak openly about it with our children. I also support parents vaccinating their daughters, as I myself have chose to do with my own.

So is the new commercial harsh and tasteless??? It has many women talking about it...therefore bringing awareness to the reality of cervical cancer.....so yes it's a strong message....but one that is being heard. Knowledge is power. Learn about cervical cancer prevention at helppreventcervicalcancer.com