Scattered Thoughts

I have a lot on my mind, and today’s blog is going to be “all over the place,” as a result.  A mosquito woke me at about 2:30 am and my wheels have been spinning since.  Don’t expect continuity this morning,  just prepare to jump from thought to thought…

Potatoes.  No one loves one more than me.  They got a bad rap from that ol’ (may he rest in peace) doc, Atkins.  Potatoes are chock full of nutrients including tons of potassium, vitamin C and iron (just to name a few).  At a couple of hundred calories in a baked one, they are a great source of fiber (about 7 grams in a potato that is about 250 calories) and provide 7 grams of protein.  IF you are on a low carb diet, these are definitely OUT for you, which is one of the reasons I can’t buy into low carb diets.  With no cholesterol and no fat, how can a potato be a bad guy???  I will say that for woman, once they hit menopause, it does seem that easing up on the carbs is a good way to keep weight gain at bay, but a potato here and there is NOT going to make you fat and is a nutritional powerhouse (and a great value!)  I have been on a mission to “bring back the potato,” for some years, now.

And beans.  I am still thinking about beans and how they really can solve the hunger problem in our world.  One can of beans (cannellini, northern, garbanzo) mashed with some olive oil, lemon juice and garlic (I use the food processor, but if you didn’t have one,  mashing by hand would be just fine) can make an entire bowl of hummus.  At well under $2.00, the finished product can make a handful of sandwiches and feed an entire family.  Since I rambled on about legumes last week,  I won’t repeat myself, but they are so nutritionally dense, I really do think they could solve world hunger.  Not only that, but I am thinking we might find world peace through hummus, as well.  Think about its origin.  They eat it in all middle eastern countries.  Though the Arabs and Israelis may use different beans for their hummus, they both agree that it’s a staple.  Finding commonalities is a great way to find peace.  Peace on earth and the solution to world hunger.  Could it lie in a bean?  “You may think I’m a dreamer….”

Speaking of missions.  Many of you know my distress and disgust over the fact that Broward County has become the Pill Mill capital of our country.  Three moms, who have had family members directly affected by these clinics and who are also healthy care employees, have come forward and started a movement called STOPP NOW.  Yesterday was the second Monday in a row that they  picketed outside of a Dania Beach clinic called the Pain Relief Centers of South Florida and others came out to join them this time.  Try to wrap your brain around this statistic:  Broward county, in one six-month period, dispensed 9 million pain tablets. Almost everyone I know, has a story of a friend or family member that has been involved with taking these pills.  Highly addictive and definitely fatal, we have had an alarmingly high increase in deaths in our country, since these clinics started operating.  I beg you to visit their website at www.STOPPNOW.com and if you have the time, please write to our elected officials.  THEY AREN’T DOING ENOUGH TO SHUT THESE PLACES DOWN and every single day we lose more of our loved one.   There is something VERY wrong going on here in Broward County and if you reside here you should care!  Someone is making an awful lot of money at the expense of human lives!  Please help these woman who only want to stop the madness.  Do anything you can to help draw more attention to this travesty!  Even a letter to the editor applauding their attention to this matter, helps.   How many lives must be lost?

It seems that we can’t decide what to call my 12:30 on Monday senior class.  Changing it from SilverSneakers1 to Senior Fitness seemed to create some havoc at the club yesterday.  I think this is pretty telling that some people just DO NOT want change.  Oh well.  For those of you that attend that class, I will keep you posted and explain all in person.  My guess it that next week it will show up as a SilverSneaker1 class, as it had been.  Eh, what’s in a name?

Well just 12 and half more hours till Biggest Loser, Season 10!  Think I am a little excited?  I’ll pass the time running with my morning client, walking with Blaze, swimming, (and savoring each day that I can still get in the pool) meditating and teaching my 2 TFC classes, tonight.  But first, I better go make sure the DVR is set!  Sure as the beautiful sun rises, I will be back in the morning to talk it up about our season 10 contestants.  I can’t wait to read what YOU have to say!!!

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