Wellness
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Recipe :: Fig and Goat Cheese Appetizers
Ficus carica, known to us as the common fig, originated in northern Asia Minor. Spaniards brought the fig to America in 1520. Sumerian stone tablets dating back to 2500 B.C. record the usage of figs. Cooked figs were used as sweeteners in lieu of sugar in historical times, and this usage still continues today in North Africa and the Middle East. Figs are high in potassium, iron, fiber and plant calcium, figs are also used for medicinal purposes as a diuretic and laxative. The fig tree can live as long as 100 years and grow to 100 feet tall, although domestic trees are kept pruned. (Source: About.com). Figs…
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Play :: Tips for Pool Safety
Cooling off This Summer by the Pool It’s summertime, which for kids is paradise. Summer vacation, freeze pops, and all the adventures you can squeeze in before dinner. It also means it’s hot outside – sometimes too hot. While the kiddos usually don’t mind running about till they drip like the half-melted popsicle clutched in their sticky little hands, sometimes it gets too hot outside to have any fun. Instead of huddling next to the air conditioner, the best way to beat the summer heat is to load up the floaties and noodles and head to the swimming pool. Swimming pools are fantastic for a number of…
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Culture :: Entering the World of Roller Derby
Enter the Fascinating World of Roller Derby: Years ago, I met Sariah through my husband’s good friend Darren. I immediately like Sariah as she is just one of those women who has a real zest for life and loves to push herself to the limits. And boy is she strong! She has five children and still continues to test her physicial and mental strength. For example, she wanted to learn how to fly so she decided she would become a fly-instructor. She started taking Yoga and Pilates and ended up getting certified to teach both and her latest adventure entails joining a Roller Derby team and entering the world of Roller…
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Recipes :: 5 Easy Summer Treats
Nothing says summer quite like eating fresh watermelon at the pool or beach. As kids, my younger brother and I would sit outside our front porch and go through a whole watermelon between the two of us! I can’t seem to get enough of it this summer and recently learned that it has moved up to the front line in recent research studies on high-lycopene foods. You have probably heard about Lycopene as it is a carotenoid phytonutrient important for cardiovascular health. This week I found some healthy fruit treats that you can feel good about serving to your kids and not have to worry about grumpy sugar crashes. You can even get the kids involved to…
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Ask the Doctor :: Symptoms of Fibromyalgia
Ask the Doctor: Question: I am in pain all the time – could I have fibromyalgia? Fibromaylgia is tough: tough to live with and tough to treat. And many doctors have no idea how to diagnosis or treat which makes getting better, a whole new challenge. The best suggestion I have is to find a doctor that you feel comfortable with and trust: Someone who will listen to you and be open to spending the appropriate amount of time with you to get you better. If you have any symptoms below, find that doctor as soon as you can because early treatment will result in a fast recovery. What…
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Recipes :: Easy Homemade Popsicles
For my daughter’s end of the year kindergarten carnival party I signed up to bring popsicles. Having my masters in nutrition has helped me to decipher through ingredient lists to see what our family should and shouldn’t eat. And to be honest, I am always a bit disgusted at the snacks – even the ones who claim to be “healthy” snacks that companies put out on the shelves for our kids. I grabbed some popsicles that I use to eat as a kid and looked at the ingredient list on my way up to the checkout. I didn’t like that High Fructose Corn Syrup was listed in the label as…