Springing Forward

Welcome to one of my favorite weekends of the year.  Tonight, if you are in an area of the US that changes your clocks, you will spring forward.  Yes, you will lose an hour, tonight, but what you will gain in evening sunlight, will hopefully be well worth the loss!  I celebrate this “holiday,” with great excitement and anticipation of the change from winter to spring, next weekend!  Even though a cold front has come through south Florida, I know that my swimming days are just around the corner.

I NEED swimming to kick my winter body, back into summer shape.  Every BODY needs a change every once in a while to make us most importantly more fit, but also for those visual changes we love to see.  My dentist, who yesterday refilled a tooth that lost it’s filling recently, told me he is skipping the gym for a while to do INSANITY with his 16 year old daughter.  He has lost almost 5 pounds so far (he does NOT need to lose weight, just saying) and says most days he the routine is about 45 minutes, which is saving him time from his usual gym workout.  I tried INSANITY with Kyle, but after 2 days I knew it wasn’t for me.  It is, in fact, IN SANE!  But for me, swimming is exactly what my body needs on top of what it already does.  You, too, may want to consider adding or switching something out in celebration of the season change and in preparation for less layers of clothes and more skin showing as summer always follows spring.

Shopping in Publix, yesterday, I noticed that they carry both Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar and Braggs Amino Acids.  The amino acids are often used instead of soy sauce in many recipes.  I did not buy the bottle yesterday, but plan to on my next trip through Publix, which should be any day.  It really has only taken me a few days to get used to the daily routine of mixing a d drinking a glass of  water, honey and a tablespoon of ACV.  I started on Tuesday and there is actually one positive change I notice, but it seems too coincidental, so I will wait a while before I mention it.  IF there is a connection between what I am aware of and the ACV, I will be continuing to drink the drink forever.  I did stop and take my blood pressure while at the grocery store and it was 115/71.  That might be a little low for me, so that’s good.  I will keep track of that, too and my cholesterol when I donate blood again, next month.  Carole, you mix it in warm water.  I have been mixing it in cold.  Do we think it makes a difference?  Let me know your thoughts.  Rita?  Cold or warm?

As for the mulberries from Carol’s tree, they are really beautiful and delicious.  Thanks for sharing!  I wanted to put them out on the table Thursday night and share with the VFT crowd, but I was afraid to have purple everywhere!  Anyway, more for me!  I googled their nutritional value (even though I knew with that gorgeous color they have to be high in anti-oxidants) and this is what I learned…

Mulberries are high in antioxidant phytonutrients called anthocyanins which have many health benefits.

Anthocyanins are the blue/red pigment found in fruits which contain many beneficial disease fighting properties. Anthocyanins improve the function of vitamin C, help support the structures of the veins and the vascular system and helps to improve the collagen matrix. Anthocyanins prevent free radical damage, thereby helping to prevent cancer.

Mulberries are a very good source of vitamin C which helps to protect cells and tissues from free radical damage, thereby helping to prevent the risk of cancer. Vitamin C also aids dietary iron absorption.

Mulberries contain good levels of potassium which helps the muscles and nerves to function properly, maintains the bodies’ acid balance and helps lower the risk of high blood pressure.

Mulberries are also a good fruit source of calcium which helps to maintain healthy and strong bones and helps your blood to clot.

Mulberries contain good amounts of niacin (vitamin B3) which can help lower cholesterol levels and stabilise your blood sugar. B3 also helps your body to process fats.

Mulberries also contain reasonable amounts of magnesium which we need to relax muscles and nerves and to help blood circulation.

One cup of mulberries contains around 60 calories.

For all the people who have shunned fruits because they are trying to lose weight, I get it.  We DO have to watch the sugar and insulin spikes and falls that make us hungry, but I am still convinced if we eat for our health and count calories, we should be able to enjoy the taste and more importantly health benefits of all fruits.  Without them, we are missing out on so many really important nutrients that are not only good for us on a daily basis, but helping to prevent those big diseases that we definitely want to avoid at all costs.  I am pretty sure a 60 calorie cup of mulberries never hurt anyone…except maybe a the weasel who went pop when the monkey chased it around the bush!

The comments and emails are great.  That was very sweet of Valerie, Derek’s co-worker, for reaching out to mention the peanut-butter banana bread was yummy.  I am so glad Derek shares his leftovers with his co-workers on Fridays.  Makes cooking more than enough, even more special.  The year all the celebrities started a campaign to commit to making the world a better place (I saw it on Oprah, of course) I committed to feeding hungry people on a regular basis.   Now that gardening seems to be going well, I will work on increasing the quantity of foods I can get out of those gardens and hence be able to feed more people, for less money and organically, at that!  It will be work in progress, but aren’t we all?

My next big project related to the garden and the world at large, is to start a compost bin.  Derek has been suggesting it periodically as he remembers us having one many years ago when he was a kid and we lived in our old house.  As I remember, it was really easy to do and before this weekend is over, I will have secured a bin to get it started in.  I am not a fancy girl, and I don’t want to invest a lot of money in it, so I am pretty sure a plastic garbage pail, with a good secure lid, from Home Depot, will be just perfect.  I will keep you posted.

For now, though, it’s time to get ready for the gym.  If you are a local, I hope to see you there.  If you are a local and NOT a member and are looking for a good over-all workout this morning,  I’ll be teaching at 9:30 at Tamarac Fitness Center on McNab Road in Tamarac.  The phone number is 954-726-1070.  Call for directions or just come on in.  If you have NEVER been there before, you are welcome to come as my guest.  Just tell whoever is at the front desk that you read about the class on Bonni’s website.  If not this morning, perhaps another day.  My schedule has been taken down for security reasons (life can be so dangerous on the world-wide web!) but feel free to email me directly through this site (just go to the “contact” page) and we can figure out which class is best for YOU.

Keeping good thoughts for all who have been impacted by yesterday’s natural disasters.  Much love…

Having covered so many topics this morning, I thought I might add some links to go with…

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• Swimming; Tones Your Body & Helps Lose Weight (gogreenstreet.com)

• Taste the Rainbow! (dishinaboutnutrition.wordpress.com)