Get well:)

Poppies, love poppies:) This is available as a print in my shoppe.
Love spelling shoppe with an extra p and e.

I'm having a hard time staying away from extra food. Winter is always hard for me in that respect. I am not drawn to crunchy cool green salads but warm stews and buttery slabs on anything! Watched Oprah as I made supper last night. She's on a start the year off right kick and it was motivational to watch. Talked about all the weight she's gained yet again. I am going to pop over to her site to see what sort of support stuff they have. Actually, I just did. HERE

Got caught up in it:) Here are some numbers that are very important to our health by Dr.Oz. I didn't plan on turning this entry into a health bulletin but I want to keep these numbers in a place where I can refer back to them again and I thought you might find them interesting too:)

1. Blood Pressure 115/75 is optimal. Most North Americans are 130/80, the number guidelines for healthy pressure have dropped lower. Exercise so you are sweating 1 hour per week to help lower your numbers. It takes ten minutes to start sweating so if you do 30 min workouts you'll need to do three.

2. Resting heart rate 83. Take it in the morning when you are just getting up. Anything higher means you are at increased risk for heart attack. To improve it, make your heart beat faster for at least one hour per week.

3.Cholersterol 2:1 ratio. You should have LDL (bad) 2 times more than (HDL good) Try to keep LDL under 130 and HDL above 50. To improve numbers, include soluble fiber in your diet from sources such as oatmeal, kidney beans, and apples, aiming for 25 grams a day.

4. Omega-6s to Omega-3s: 4 to 1 ratio. We need more Omega 3s. You get it from Flax seed oil, crushed flax, seafood, fish, beans, nuts. The ratio in North American diets is 20:1!!!

5. Inflammation: 1 If you've seen an apple slice turn brown 20 minutes after being cut, you can picture what inflammation does to your body: It causes the rusting of tissue. You can gauge your level of inflammation with a blood test that measures C-reactive protein (CRP), which is produced by the liver and is part of the body's battle response. A healthy level is under 1—meaning you've got less than half the chance of heart disease than if your level is greater than 3. A number above 10 suggests you may have another ailment (such as an autoimmune disease) that should be diagnosed. To reduce CRP: Try to eliminate low-grade irritants like gingivitis (floss daily) and vaginitis (see a doctor, especially if it recurs). Also move toward a Mediterranean-style diet (lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; fat from olive oil; moderate amounts of wine).

6. Vitamin D: 30 When you're deficient in vitamin D, you may be at increased risk for heart disease, cancer, multiple sclerosis, and immune disorders, not to mention osteoporosis. To make sure you're getting enough, take a blood test for vitamin D: Your level should be greater than 30. To boost vitamin D: If you can't get 15 minutes of sun exposure daily, take a supplement containing at least 1,000 IU of D3, the most potent form of the vitamin, or chug a tablespoon of cod liver oil every morning.

7.Waist Size: 32.5 Ideally, your waist should measure less than half your height (do it at the belly button—go ahead and suck in). That means if you're 5'5", yours would be less than 32.5 inches. The reason: The omental fat beneath your stomach muscles causes inflammation, which drives many of your body's other critical numbers in the wrong direction. To lose inches at your waist: Focus on slicing off 100 calories a day.

8. Blood Sugar: 125 The other danger of omental fat is that it can block insulin's ability to work, which increases blood sugar and puts you at risk for diabetes. Your blood sugar should be less than 100 after an overnight or eight-hour fast and less than 125 if you aren't fasting. To lower blood sugar: Try chia seeds, which contain omega-3s and fiber (sprinkle them on yogurt or salads). It's believed that they form a gelatinous substance in the stomach that helps slow the speed at which sugar is absorbed.

9. Bone Density: -1 It's a good idea for all postmenopausal women to get a bone density scan, especially those who are not on hormone replacement therapy, stand taller than 5'7", or weigh less than 125 pounds. You should also be tested at around age 50 if your mother has had osteoporosis or either of you has had a hip fracture, if you take steroids, or if you drink excessively or smoke. The standard DEXA (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) scan provides a T score—your bone density compared with that of a healthy young woman: Above -1 is normal; between -1 and -2.5 indicates osteopenia, which may lead to osteoporosis; below -2.5 means you have osteoporosis.

To strengthen your bones: Along with 1,000 IU of vitamin D, take 1,200 milligrams of calcium and 400 milligrams of magnesium (to prevent the constipation that calcium can cause)—half in the morning, half in the evening. Also, start a program of resistance training (using gym equipment, dumbbells, or exercises like pushups and squats) for at least 30 minutes a week.


Don't Forget...2 days until my birthday giveaway!!