I realize my lifestyle may seem extreme but it’s really just routine to me, not a hardship at all. But if it seems overwhelming, here are five small changes anyone can make towards better health. No step is too small to make a difference:
Reduce or eliminate soft drinks. There is nothing redeeming in these beverages and even worse are diet sodas. You could start by adding sparkling water to a variety of fruit juices. Orange juice with sparkling bubbly water is good, or start with a flavored bottled water but beware of “zero calories” which usually means artificial chemical sweeteners. I would rather have a drink with sugar than artificial sweeteners. If you’re hooked, try diluting your soda with sparkling water as a first step.
Vegetables With Every Meal. Vegetables, especially cooked vegetables, are your lifeline to good health. So no matter what you’re having for lunch or dinner, make sure there is some vegetable with each meal (preferably more than one). At home, a steamer makes this really easy. I routinely steam carrots, beets, zucchini, Brussels sprouts, green beans, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and cauliflower. I add them on the side with casseroles and pasta dishes. When eating out, if your meal doesn’t include veggies, most restaurants have side orders of vegetables you can add and share at the table.
Make your own salad dressing. You are eating salads, right? 🙂 You don’t need the store-bought dressing when it’s so easy to make your own with heart-healthy, vital olive oil. Just stir it up with any vinegar of your choice or fresh lemon juice with some herbs, mustard if you like, salt & pepper. You can make it on the spot as needed or make it in a jar to keep refrigerated, like I do. Olive oil has numerous health benefits and is also great for your skin. (p.s. I just looked up a popular Ranch dressing – 😳 it has MSG and other things I can’t pronounce! 👎)
Learn to love dark chocolate. I like this part because I like sweets. I used to enjoy milk chocolate but knowing the health benefits of 70% dark chocolate, I learned to like it and now I love it. I started with bars with more cacao, from 40-50-60% and eventually 70%, which is where the heart health comes in. I love 70% dark chocolate and now I use it to make my own cashew or almond clusters. Don’t try too hard! 80 and 90% chocolate is a tough sell! Stick to 70% for the best taste and its many healthy benefits.
Eat less sugar. This is a challenge for me because I love sweets! But I’m working on reducing my sugar and you can too. I’m baking my cookies smaller or have half a cookie for dessert. You don’t have to give up ice cream, just eat less (and never out of the carton! 🥄 I rarely bake cakes any more and most of my desserts are a small cookie or one or two of my dark chocolate clusters. When eating out, when I had a fancy, rich dessert, I always felt overloaded. These days, I don’t even want it. So now we split dessert, if we have it at all. Going out for ice cream or gelato? Ask for a child’s portion or ask for a smaller serving. We go for gelato occasionally, and I just say, “That’s enough right there.” I enjoy the treat and feel better afterwards.
p.s. My husband then asks if he can have the part of gelato that I didn’t get! This is what I have to deal with…. ❤️❤️
Yes, I have my own way of making a sandwich. They are always open face with lots of lettuce on top. I use either baby romaine leaves or chunks of iceberg lettuce. I always add fresh vegetables. This time it’s cruciferous radishes, crisp carrots, and important leafy greens. (Thank goodness we don’t have a hungry pet rabbit! 🥬 🥕🐇) Does that not look delicious?? That and a cup of tea makes a fantastic lunch! I’m never too full because it’s not a lot of bread, which is my own whole wheat bread. Salmon is my favorite but I also make tuna, egg salad, and sardine sandwiches this way. Other favorite lunches are: almond butter & banana sandwich, lentil soup, or potato pancakes (when I have time). It’s usually a quick sandwich since there is always lots to do.
I’m on my feet all day so I put on sneakers first thing in the morning. I remember an all-day shopping spree with my older sister when she was wearing sandals and I was in sneakers. At the end of the long day, she was dead on her feet and I could have still gone for hours. Sneakers are a must!
My afternoons are usually spent stocking up on a couple of our “staples” like making tortillas, granola bars, or bread. Other times it’s almond or peanut butter or hard boiled eggs, salad dressing, butter-mix, things like that. (This is NOT all in one day! 🙂 just a sampling) It’s also when I try out new recipes. When everything you eat is made from scratch, its takes effort. To me, it’s worth every effort. This probably seems like a lot of work but to me, it’s a labor of love, a gift I give to myself and my husband, that keeps us healthy.
Oh, I also grocery shop about every third day. It’s mostly “perimeter” shopping because that’s where all the good stuff is: produce, dairy, and meat, while most of the processed foods are in the cereal, snack, bakery and beverage aisles.
I’m not done yet! There is also laundry, washing dishes, and making the bed. I have no housekeeper because I prefer a less hectic household and don’t mind doing my own chores. I also monitor my website and YouTube comments every day, answering some questions when I can. By the way, companies approach me every week asking to place ads on this website or asking me to promote a certain product. It’s a firm no every time.
So there’s a typical, busy afternoon. Doing all this keeps me productive and stimulates my brain every day. I hope some of this might be of interest. I have lots more to share but it’s hard to find the time… and now you know why. 😀
How did we live before freezers? I grew up in Canada and I’m old enough to remember the ice man coming to the house with a giant block of ice for the “ice box.” My immigrant parents were so excited to have that new modern appliance! Today, you can operate your freezer with a phone! Who knows? Some day they might say, “Remember when people actually had freezers?” 😀 These days, the freezer is the star of my kitchen. Here’s what’s in my freezer:
Several kinds of homemade breads, sliced, separated with wax paper, and ready to use.
Homemade chicken stock, frozen in one cup containers.
Toasted nuts ready for baking.
Apple or lemon blueberry bread, sliced and separated with wax paper.
Cookies. Lots of homemade cookies!
Ice cream: One pint usually stays around for about 2-3 months.
Muffins: homemade oatmeal and bran.
Leftovers.
Open packets of yeast.
Shredded Parmesan cheese.
Tortilla chips. I only use them for taco salad so they stay fresher longer when frozen.
Bacon. Wait…WHAT? 😳 WHAT DID SHE JUST SAY? 😳 I said it ➡➡ Bacon! Before you drop your spatula, allow me to elaborate. Three or four times a year, I make club sandwiches as a treat. Club sandwiches are a waste of time without bacon. Here’s how I do it: I buy low sodium bacon, separate all the slices, take a sharp knife and cut away all the big chunks of fat. (there’s not much left but that’s okay) I then place the remaining lean parts onto wax paper and freeze them. When I’m ready to make club sandwiches, that lean bacon is ready for me!
p.s. The last time I made club sandwiches my husband was so happy to get bacon that after dinner, he watched “Dancing With The Stars” with me – the entire TWO-Hour Finale! ❤️❤️ That’s the power of a club sandwich!
You know how I’m always making my dark chocolate cashew clusters? I just thought it was a healthy sweet treat considering the health benefits of dark (70%) chocolate and the protein from the cashews. Plus, I keep them refrigerated and cashews stay softer than almonds. So last night, I saw this article about my favorite snack! Who knew?
To see “The Surprising Snack Dietitians Say Helps Keep Your Blood Sugar in Check,” click here.
p.s. Cashews must be toasted first! I buy them raw and dry-roast at 350 until they’re light brown (about 12-15 minutes) and they taste much better than store-bought toasted ones.
I’ve always believed that it’s more about what I DON’T eat than what I DO eat that keeps me healthy. You can eat lots of broccoli but it you follow it with a can of Pilsbury crescent rolls, that little doughboy will haunt you in your sleep! 😀 Here’s what’s not in this kitchen:
No Soft drinks
No Fruit juice
No Energy drinks
No Beer
No Wine
No Alcohol
No Store-bought salad dressing
No Cured meats or sausages (*see exception posted Dec. 1st.⬆)
No Ultra-processed foods
This story was all over the news yesterday. ➡ ➡ “Ultra-processed foods are linked to chronic health conditions like obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, chronic kidney disease and overall higher death rates. Common examples of ultra-processed foods include sugar-sweetened beverages, packaged snacks, instant soups, breakfast cereals, energy bars, mass-produced packaged breads, ready-to-eat meals, ice cream and pizza.” (Ice cream and pizza!? That’s just sad!! 😭)
But don’t fret. Almost all of these foods can be made at home to be enjoyed so you don’t have to give them up, just make them yourself. I make my own snacks, soups, granola bars, breads, meals, and pizza and I encourage everyone to do the best you can to avoid processed food. Read labels. If you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it.🤓
Oh… more things that are not in my kitchen: Cheese Whiz, Spam, Pringles, Ding Dongs, Twinkies or Funyuns! (…but you knew that ❤️).
For anyone curious, there’s lots of empty space on the shelves of my refrigerator but the vegetable drawers at the bottom are standing room only. Why don’t I start with what’s always on the shelves in my fridge:
Container of crudité (carrots, cabbage chunks, radishes)
Container of cut papaya or mango
Milk
Eggs
Buttermilk
Mayonnaise (avocado-based)
My butter-mix
Avocado oil
Champagne vinegar
Homemade salad dressing
A few mini apples
Granola bars
Four containers of nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews, and pistachios)
Dark chocolate cashew clusters
Homemade peanut butter and almond butter
Container of apple bread or lemon blueberry loaf (depending on season)
Blueberry and blackberry jam
Low sodium soy sauce
Mustard
Pickles
And down in the crisper drawers, I always keep….
2 kinds of lettuce (usually romaine and red leaf)
Cabbage
Carrots
Celery
Onion
Radicchio
Granny Smith apples for baking
Iceberg lettuce for sandwiches
Baby spinach
Broccoli
Bell peppers
I buy other vegetables when needed for a certain recipe like zucchini, green beans, Swiss chard, beets, or Brussels sprouts (don’t make a face! 🤢) You don’t have to love Brussels sprouts but put on your big boy apron and cook them! 🙂 They’re one of the top cancer-fighting vegetables you can eat. Next post, I’ll talk about what’s NOT in my fridge and why…
Here is an un-retouched photo taken at home. I was anxious about showing myself at this age but I want to be transparent with this new Health and Beauty section and all the things I plan to share. I have so much I want to post here, I didn’t know where to start. So I will start with this morning. Here’s my typical morning routine:
We all wake up a bit dehydrated so I drink a few sips of water, not cold but lukewarm water, which feels kinder to the body. I then use a moisturizing lip balm (no Chapstick), and spray my face with a facial spray. It provides a little moisture until I wash my face.
Still in my pajamas, I follow that with a big cup of green tea while I check my emails & comments, here and on YouTube, and answer what I can.
After that, I wash my face and put on a serum followed by moisturizer.
While it sets, I get dressed, put on my walking shoes and put on sunscreen. Sunny or overcast, I always wear sunscreen.
Wearing a wide-brimmed hat, long sleeves, and carrying water, I head out for a brisk 10-12 minute walk. Some of it is uphill (I hate that part!) so when I come down that slope, I do a light jog because stressing the bones helps with bone density. (It’s easier to do that going downhill). It’s not really jogging it’s just pounding the pavement to create a weight-bearing effect.
Back home and cooled down, I’m ready for breakfast.
My typical breakfast includes a hard boiled egg, a slice of my whole wheat bread, a cup of black tea, and 1/2 slice of apple bread for dessert. 🍏
Now I’m ready for another, always full, day.
I hope this little start is helpful. I plan to post more on what we eat and drink, or never eat or drink, what about snacks, what’s in my fridge and freezer, specific exercises, supplements (you might be surprised), my skincare routine, and much more. I can’t wait to share more and hope it’s helpful. Experts believe that up to 80% of chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes are preventable with a healthy lifestyle and some cancers as well. I believe that.
I make pretty much everything we eat from scratch at home and I can tell you that we never ever get colds or the flu. Not in decades! My grateful husband is a beneficiary of my healthy cooking and the standards I maintain in the kitchen. He loves me for it and shows it with his pet name for me…. “Warden.” 😍
“How do you get your skin so glowing?” “Seriously, you NEVER get a cold or the flu?” “How can you go all day and never get tired?” “No way you’re about to turn 80!”
Those are the questions I’m asked most often… and that’s why I’m here. I figure if I can help people eat healthy meals by sharing my recipes, maybe I can help someone look better, feel better, or maybe even live longer by sharing what I’ve learned over my 79 years. There. I said it. SEVENTY-NINE! Boom! 🧨
I’ve been a student of nutrition and skin care since I was seventeen. I think it might be paying off. If I’m wrong, someone will undoubtedly let me know. 🙂
