Keeping It Farm Fresh

Picture it - sunny warm days, blue skies, green grass, flowers blooming, trees offering shade, sandals, T-shirts, shorts etc., love is in the air - summer is almost here.

The thought of enjoying healthy and delicious fresh fruits and vegetables makes my heart leap for joy. I can recall having the most delicious and juiciest tomato ever that we purchased at the market in Nevis, West Indies. I had no idea that tomatoes could be so sweet. Thank goodness, there are many farmers market throughout New York even in the city - yes it's true. Stroll on through Union Square and there you will find a fabulous farmers market.

Tom Vilsack, the Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture has an initiative to promote the farmers market. Do you know your farmer? If not, get to know your farmer and learn more about the food.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

With carrots, cucumbers and tomatoes for starters and soon some more will be added. Gardening can be quite a work out. First, you are working out in the yard so exposure to sun requires that you wear the proper clothing to protect your skin from the sun. A wide brim hat, a light long sleeve shirt, a pair of pants, a pair of gloves, comfortable shoes and sun screen lotion would be the ideal gardening gear.

As a child, I remember gardening with my mother. At first it was an exciting experience as I was able to plant the seeds, water the area and watch the sprouting of the plants as some of them looked like flowers. I was amazed at how they took shape and blossomed into solid vegetables. The best part of all was to have them placed on the plate knowing that I was a part of the process. However, as childhood interests goes, I was over it and ready to do something else much more exciting - like playing with my friends.

Now as an adult, my husband has taken an interest in gardening. He had the landscapers to come in and clear an area so that he could plant his own vegetables. Shortly after planting his seeds, the weeds appeared. The weeds that grow and attach themselves and dangle so beautifully across the fence,yet clinging on for life. He summoned his personal weed plucker, handed me a cute pair of pink gloves and I started plucking away. Getting rid of weeds is not easy as they are sometimes tangled around the plants.

However, the joy of seeing a clear garden was worth it. Now the plants are free to grow and deliver some delicious, nutritious vegetables. Have you thought about gardening? Perhaps you should give it a try, the benefits are just too good to miss :-)

Listen to the benefits of gardening

Healthy Habits Healthy Homes.........

Seems like it was just yesterday when I was a little girl having fun in my very own land of make believe. In my land, I was all grown up, married with children - a boy and a girl. I played with my dolls and pretended that they were my children and I would go through great lengths to give baths, dress and feed my babies (pretend food). In my land of make believe, my babies were fed cakes, cookies, ice cream, candies, chips and all the tastiest snacks as if it were a never ending, all you can eat buffet.

However, in my real world, I was raised with the morning ritual of taking the cod liver oil in liquid form which was absolute torture as it gave me the shivers every single time. One A Day vitamins were also a part o the daily routine. Most importantly, we were served the healthiest breakfast choices. Our house was filled with fruits for snacks, 100% Fruit Juices, yogurt the real original no fruit mixed smelly yogurt, nuts and grains. Cakes and ice cream were treats that would come on birthdays or after a Sunday dinner.

As a child who was raised in a home where healthy foods were emphasized, I looked forward to my adult life where I would one day be able to eat whatever I wanted. Before you knew it, the time had come where I was able to make my own choices. I became a mom and for some reason, I just could not stray too far away from my dietary habits. My children had to take their vitamins which were flavorful, chewable and made in their favorite cartoon characters. They had the cod liver oil capsules. The yogurts were plentiful with a variety of fruit flavors and the breakfast was mostly healthy choices. Incredibly enough, they love salads, whole wheat bread, vegetables, fish and fruits with a great appreciation.

Here I am now well beyond my dream of becoming a mother. Now as a grandmother of Autumn and Theo, I can be confident that the healthy habits will continue with them. Autumn loves fruits, vegetables and at two years old, she would eat her salad as if it were a tray filled with desserts. Theo is only a few days old but it is only a matter of time he will also share in the healthy habits.

We enjoy eating desserts and snacks. We eat the pastas, the fried foods, the desserts. However, we are fortunate enough to have had a foundation that set the standards of eating healthy which is key in keeping us in line. One of the greatest things that my parents gave me, is a healthy start. No matter how much I may have resented it as a child, I am so glad that they did - it has made a difference in our lives. With the high rate of obese children who are now facing diseases that were once considered for adults or the elderly, it's time for parents to take control and make health habits for the home.

The Small Things..........

As we go about or daily lives, we often take things for granted. Of course we look at the weather to see what the day will be like and prepare accordingly. However, how often do we take a moment to stop and look at the sky, marvel at the display of the clouds and the brightness of the sun (do not look at directly :-)

When you walk through the park or driving along seeing the trees lined up standing tall and spreading their glorious branches, do you take it in and all that it means to be a tree?

As I reviewed my twitter feed today, I saw several tweets that mentioned - breathe. One tweet simply said - Breathe. Another tweet said Good morning :) Remember to breathe. I thought to myself, how can we forget to breathe? Then I realized that there are so many things that we take for granted.

I have a great appreciation for mother nature and I am in awe of all of it's beauty. In fact, I have many pictures of the sky, it is an amazing canvas that changes from one moment to the next. It all began when I was a little girl and I would lay in the grass and look at the clouds. Some clouds looked like animals or had profiles or figures of people. I loved sunny days and hated when it rained. Thunder and lightening always frightened me. I am not a fan of winter although I love to see the snow, spreading out like a beautiful white blanket.

Now, I try to see the beauty and purpose of the everything nature has shared with us. I would much prefer to dwell in the late spring early fall period but I am also giving in to the seasons and their purpose which presents us with it's own beauty. The flowers, the trees, the fruits, the vegetables, the animals, the ocean, the rivers, the lakes, the grass, the water falls, the sea, the sand, the dirt, the rocks, shells, the fish, the birds, the sun, the moon, the stars, the clouds, the sky and most importantly, the air that we need. It's the small things we must take a moment to appreciate - just breathe.

Fruits and Vegetables

Of course you know that your vegetables and fruits are good for you. Our parents did not allow us to leave the table until we ate our vegetables and if we were too full to finish our vegetables, dessert was certainly off the menu. In some cases, many adults have given up on eating their vegetables and fruits because they are old enough to make their own choices and no one can make them eat it now. However, it's time to get back to eating your fruits and vegetables. The benefits of eating your fruits and vegetables are just too great.

How about this?

• May help prevent cancer
• Reduces the risk of heart diseases
• Reduces the risk of strokes
• Reduces the risk of the digestive complications
• Reduces the risk of eye diseases
• Lowers your blood pressure

The recommendation is to have about nine servings which is 4½ cups of vegetables and fruits a day. Mix it up with vegetables that are rich in color. Go for it, the orange, red, green, yellows - make yourself a pretty vegetable treat. Of course not all in one serving but each day can be quite the meal.

Get your shopping list out and add the following:
• Carrots
• Corn
• Tomatoes
• Squash
• Pumpkin
• Broccoli
• Lettuce
• Spinach
• Swiss chard
• Mustard greens
• Cauliflower
• Cabbage
• Brussels sprout
• Bok choy
• Kale
• Oranges
• Lemons
• Lime
• Grapefruit
• Kiwi
• Grapes
• Bananas
• Apples

You can add more to the list just know that potatoes do not count as a vegetable :-) Cook with butter and please for the love of everything good for you, do not add to much salt. Keep in mind, the more salt added to your food, it elevates your blood pressure.

Now is the perfect time to keep the fruits out on the table or the kitchen counter top. Introduce it or reintroduce it to your family. The more you eat it, the more it will become an enjoyable habit. Most importantly, the health benefits are just too great to pass on. Here's to your health and wellness!