Month: July 2023

Healthy Lifestyle Tip ~ Reap the Benefits of Tomatoes

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My dad had a large tomato garden when I was a kid. He grew so many tomatoes my mom canned them in jars for the winter. I’ve always loved tomatoes, especially the ripe ones picked off the vine on a hot summer’s day.

I asked the AI program ChatGPT to list 5 health benefits gained from eating tomatoes.

Tomatoes are not only delicious but also packed with various nutrients that offer several health benefits. Here are five notable health benefits of eating tomatoes:

  1. Rich in Antioxidants: Tomatoes are a great source of antioxidants, such as vitamin C, vitamin A, and lycopene. Lycopene, in particular, is a powerful antioxidant that gives tomatoes their red color. Antioxidants help neutralize harmful free radicals in the body, reducing oxidative stress and lowering the risk of chronic diseases.
  2. Heart Health: Regular consumption of tomatoes has been linked to improved heart health. The antioxidants and potassium in tomatoes can help lower blood pressure, reduce bad cholesterol (LDL), and prevent the oxidation of cholesterol in the blood vessels. These effects contribute to a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke.
  3. Cancer Prevention: The high levels of lycopene in tomatoes have been associated with a reduced risk of certain cancers, including prostate, breast, lung, and stomach cancers. Lycopene’s antioxidant properties help protect cells from damage and inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
  4. Skin Health: Tomatoes are beneficial for skin health due to their high vitamin C content, which is essential for collagen production. Collagen is a protein that maintains skin elasticity and helps prevent premature aging. Additionally, the antioxidants in tomatoes protect the skin from damage caused by UV rays and environmental pollutants.
  5. Weight Management: Tomatoes are low in calories and high in fiber, making them a great addition to a weight management plan. The fiber content helps you feel fuller for longer, reducing overall calorie intake. Moreover, the low energy density of tomatoes means you can consume a reasonable portion without significantly impacting your daily calorie allowance.

 

Feeling Good Tip ~ Happy People are Not Bored

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Boredom is a Burden

According to the Time Magazine article “6 Secrets You Can Learn from the Happiest People on Earth,” The happiest people are those that are very busy but don’t feel rushed: . . . Too much time is a burden: . . . surveys “continue to show the least happy group to be those who quite often have excess time.” Boredom, it seems, is burdensome. So what do you need to be doing? Things you’re good at. “Signature strengths” are the things you are uniquely talented at — and using them brings you joy. People who deliberately exercised their signature strengths on a daily basis became significantly happier for months.

NOTE: Jump into life with two feet. My mom lived into her 80″s and she was never bored. She worked in a shoe factory until she was 82. And, she loved to bake cookies. She baked them for family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors. Baking cookies was her signature strength. She wasn’t educated in the formal sense, but she knew that it was healthier to stay busy than be bored.

Photo for Today ~ The World Needs You

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Joke of the Day

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Joe: “My girlfriend thinks she is perfect.”

Pete: “Why?”

Joe: “She said, “I’ve only been wrong once and that was when I thought I was wrong.”

Poem for Today ~ A Song

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A Song

Lucretia Maria Davidson

Life is but a troubled ocean, 
     Hope a meteor, love a flower
Which blossoms in the morning beam, 
     And whithers with the evening hour. 

Ambition is a dizzy height, 
     And glory, but a lightning gleam; 
Fame is a bubble, dazzling bright, 
    Which fairest shines in fortune’s beam. 

When clouds and darkness veil the skies, 
    And sorrow’s blast blows loud and chill, 
Friendship shall like a rainbow rise, 
    And softly whisper—peace, be still.

 

Source

Word Jumble Challenge: Unscramble the Nutrition and Fitness Word

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Today’s Word: cpotriobsi

Yesterday’s Word: Digestion

The Answer to Today’s Word will appear in tomorrow’s Word Jumble Challenge

Feeling Good Tip ~ A Simple Way to be Happier

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Being Happy – It’s Really Simple

In a Time Magazine article, “6 Secrets You Can Learn from the Happiest People on Earth” the authors cite a 70 year longitudinal study of Harvard University men. The study which followed men all their adult lives is known as the Grant Study or Harvard study. It found that “the capacity to love and be loved was the single strength most clearly associated with subjective well-being at age eighty.”

NOTE: It’s easy to confuse texting, emailing, or Zoom with close contact, especially with those we love. While those digital methods keep us in touch in our mobile society, they can’t replace the importance of connecting at a person to person level. A welcoming hug or kiss can’t be replaced by an emoji. Love transcends all. Love is the single most important healing agent we all have. The deepest wounds give way to love’s healing touch. Love Always.

Poem for Today ~ Star of Ethiopia

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Star of Ethiopia

Lucian B. Watkins

Out in the Night thou art the sun 
Toward which thy soul-charmed children run, 
    The faith-high height whereon they see
    The glory of their Day To Be—
The peace at last when all is done. 

The night is dark but, one by one, 
Thy signals, ever and anon, 
    Smile beacon answers to their plea, 
    Out in the Night. 

Ah, Life! thy storms these cannot shun; 
Give them a hope to rest upon, 
     A dream to dream eternally,
     The strength of men who would be free
And win the battle race begun, 
    Out in the Night! 

Source

Joke of the Day

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Joe: “A woman came to the door collecting for the senior citizen center.”

Pete: “What did you do?”

Joe: “I gave her my grandpa.”

Healthy Lifestyle Tip ~ Leeks are a Low Calorie & Provide Vitamins A, C, K and B6

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Leeks Are a Nutritionally Healthy Food

According to Precision Nutrition’s Encyclopedia of food, “One cup of raw leeks contains 54 calories, 13g of carbohydrates, 1g of protein, 2g of dietary fiber, and no dietary fat. They report that leeks are high in vitamin A (one cup offers 30% of your daily requirement), and they’re a good source of vitamin C, vitamin K, and vitamin B6, as well as the minerals iron and manganese. Leeks also have a high concentration of flavonoids and polyphenols, leeks and offer protection against oxidative stress and cancers as well as cardiovascular disease.”

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