Am I hoarder?

I was preparing to make a little masterpiece in the kitchen today. I pulled out all my ingredients to make a bacon carbonara pasta dish (I know and I don't even want to hear it) and that's when I noticed the expiration date on the parsley container. 05MAR11. Yes, I was and have been using some freakishly old seasoning. As much as I detested throwing out my three-quarter full container, I knew it was for the best. Then I went on to review all of my spices. Do you know I threw out more than 15 containers, large and small. Then I started going through my baking ingredients and found myself ditching flour, vanilla extract bottles, and even cookie sprinkles. My whole dang kitchen was OLD. I couldn't believe it. Now at this point the spring cleaning spirit was in me and was running around the house tossing anything that remotely looked dusty into trash bags. I reviewed every item in the pantry, and the refrigerator. At the end of my cleaning rampage I threw out more than 4 tall trash bags of condiments, spices, pasta, popcorn, jello, vitamins, over-the-counter and prescription drugs (except for my Vicodin and Percocet...I would never throw out the good stuff), and hair and skin products. But seriously when is the last time you did an inventory of your kitchen, your medicine cabinet, your makeup bag, and under your sink? A lot, if not all, of these articles have an expiration date. When it comes to perishable foods it is easy to tell when they go bad because they usually develop mold or have a foul order. It's harder to tell when seasonings or processed food go bad because they might look and taste okay. Truth is when you go past the "Best by or Use by" date, the food's nutritional value decreases and the taste may not be as tasty as it once was. Likewise with medicine, it's best to throw out old vitamins and drugs as they lose their potency after the expiration date and what's worse they could potentially cause illnesses or other conditions. Unlike food, cosmetics may not display an expiration date, however, they go bad just the same. Old cosmetics can cause eye infections and skin blemishes. As a tip, when you buy a new cosmetic item immediately mark it with the date purchased with a marker. Did you know mascara goes bad at around 3-4 months? When's the last time you switched out that basic beauty item? Check out the guidelines for the basic types of make up products. 

Product	Toss it after. . .
Mascara	3 - 4 months
Concealer	12 months
Water-based Foundation	12 months
Oil-based Foundation	18 months
Blush or bronzer	18 months
Cream blush	18 months
Eye shadow	3 years
Pencil Eyeliner	3 months
Powder	2 years
Lipstick/lip gloss	18 months
Lip liner	12 months
Nail polish	12 months
Makeup sponges	Wash weekly,discard monthly

So let the spring cleaning spirits be with you so that you can prevent any illnesses or at the very least not be featured on an episode of Hoarders.

Take good care of yourself. 

A Fruitcake....no a Fruitarian? Oh I see!

I'll take the fruitcake on this one. So apparently Ashton Kutcher who is playing Steve Jobs in the upcoming biopic jOBS,  immersed himself into the role so much so that he adopted Steve Jobs' fruitarian lifestyle. Quick study: Fruitarianism is the practice of only eating fruits, seeds and nuts. Some die hard fruities will only eat fruit that has fallen from the tree because they don't want to harm the tree or plant. Yes, this is for real. It's hippee gone to heaven, literally. Apple founder and genius, Jobs, died of pancreatic cancer and Kutcher eerily landed himself in the hospital doubled over in pain from this diet with his "pancreatic levels out of whack." The moral of this story is moderation. And for the record I do hate the term "moderation" or maybe I fear it. I have addictive tendencies and don't want to admit to myself that I will have to police my eating habits for the rest of my life. From the high-protein, no carb Atkins diet to the master cleanse lemonade diet, ....I am the queen of extreme diets because I am the D student when it comes to balance and *arrgh* m-o-d-e-r-a-t-i-o-n. I will let Ashton Kutcher and Steve Jobs be a lesson to me and anyone in the same boat that extreme diets can cause major harm to your body. I've never ended up in the hospital in pain from a diet, but carrying around yo-yo diet pounds all day, every day is like living in a casket. Okay that was depressing...but it's real deal holyfield here. So one more time for the road. M-O-D-E-R-A-T-I-O-N

Take good care of yourself!

Stress@work

I'm back!! Took some time off from blogging but I'm rested and ready to talk. So let's get to it.

There's a lot in the news these days about mental health, wellness and the impact of stress on the mind and body. Job stress can be the worst especially in this unstable economy. Most of us carry a certain amount of work stress and we cope with it by engaging in good and bad activities. Some of us exercise (GOOD) and some of us drink our problems away (BAD)...but I'm not pointing fingers at what you do to get by.  I just refuse to believe that merely getting by should be the norm. Well here's what my daddy told me when I was just knee-high to a grasshopper. He said to get relief from stress on your job...get a second job! I don't care if you are an attorney by day and have a paper route on the weekends. My daddy's thinking is that having multiple streams of income actually helps you sleep better at night. Not just because you are tired as heck from working "10 jobs mon" but because you know that you are no longer completely dependent on ONE paycheck. Even if you are only making chump change on your side hustle, the point is your self confidence is boosted because you know you have other skills and means to fall back on or could potentially grow into a primary source of income if you ever lost your main job. People that have multiple streams of income tend to be more creative and offer more "out of the box" solutions to their company's problems and show more initiative. Why? These self-starters are not afraid of making a mistake. They know to succeed you have to fail but you have something to fall back on if things got tough. Hey, if you don't want to believe my daddy, you can believe God. 

Ecclesiastes 11:6

Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both.

Free your mind from work stresses. It may go along way for your career endeavors and your overall health and well being. 

Take good care of yourself.

Get Shiny and Thick Hair in Your Kitchen

Three months after giving birth to my little one, I noticed my hair looking rather dry and dull. I heard that while pregnancy does wonders for your hair, postpartum has quite the opposite effect. Many of my girlfriends with children complain about hair loss after birth. The rise in hormones during pregnancy keeps you from losing your hair. After delivery, the hormones return to normal levels, which allows the hair to fall out and return to the normal cycle. The normal hair loss that was delayed during pregnancy may fall out all at once therefore freaking you out! I don't know if any remedy to stop postpartum hair loss, but I have a great solution for dry and dull looking hair and getting you back on the road to hair growth. All of the ingredients are in your kitchen or local grocery store.

In a blender, add the following ingredients:

• 1/3 cup of olive oil 
• 1 avocado 
• 1/4 cup of honey 
• 1 - 15oz can of coconut milk (full fat) 

Blend all these ingredients until extremely smooth. Work the mixture into your dry hair (no need to wash hair). Put a shower cap over hair and let sit for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Rinse hair thoroughly. You can wash hair with a regular conditioner if you don't like the smell of the deep conditioner, but do not use shampoo to rinse. Style as usual. Get ready for some serious shine and moisture. Repeat once a week for best results. You can refrigerate the mixture you don't use. 


Other quick tips: 

• Drink plenty of water.
• Avoid hair and skin products that include the ingredient "Sodium Laureth Sulfate." It's a strong detergent that causes dull hair and other damage.

Take good care of yourself.

The Fibroid Invasion

I recall the early morning that I arrived at Holy Cross Hospital in October 2008.  I was scheduled to have my two cantaloupe-sized uterine fibroids removed.  I wasn’t scared, if anything I was relieved to finally to be getting rid of these unseen gremlins who had attached to my uterus and caused all types of physical pain and emotional worry.  It was troubling. What was more troubling was there were several other young women in the waiting room that morning. The nurse told me there were nearly 35 patients scheduled that day for the same surgery I was having.  I realized then that the fibroids are taking over.

Fibroids, most commonly uterine fibroids (although there are also breast fibroids), are non-cancerous tumors that grow on or within the muscle tissue of the uterus.  According to the A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia, “as many as 1 in 5 women may have fibroids during their childbearing years (the time after starting menstruation for the first time and before menopause). Half of women have fibroids by age 50.”  Fibroids are more common among African-American women.  Some statistics indicate that up to 80% of African-American women will develop uterine fibroids. These growth aliens can cause infertility and pregnancy complications if not treated.

Some woman can go through life with fibroids and never have a symptom and will never need treatment.  We not so lucky gals will have one of the following symptoms that can upset your quality of life if not treated:

• Spotting/ Bleeding between periods
• Heavy menstrual bleeding sometimes with the passage of blood clots
• Menstrual periods that may last longer than normal
• Increased frequency of urination
• Pelvic cramping or pain with periods
• Sharp pains in the stomach
• Fatigue due to anemia
• Sensation of fullness or pressure in lower abdomen
• Pain during sex

The causes of fibroids are unknown, but we do know that fibroids are sensitive to the hormone estrogen and therefore a woman with fibroids who is menstruating will continue to have growing fibroids.  Or if you are a heavy meat eater or can't put down the milk and cheese then you are also likely to create a safe haven in your body for fibroids to thrive.  Animal flesh, dairy, and other foods have natural estrogen and added hormones (thanks to the major food manufactures for the extra growth boost! NOT!).

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms,you should contact your primary physician or OB/Gyn as soon as possible. Back in the day, the only option to get rid of the fibroids was to have a hysterectomy.  Science has come a long way and there a lot of less-invasive options available that will have you in and out of the hospital with all your goodies still intact and with the ability to conceive down the road if you choose.

Whether you have fibroids or not, there are things you can do to help prevent these nasty buggers from coming back or at least slow down the growth rate.

• Maintain a healthy weight
• Avoid foods that contain estrogen (here’s a list http://dogtorj.tripod.com/id45.html)
• Discuss with your doctor the option of limiting birth control usage, hormone replacement drugs, spermicides, etc.  
• Avoid alcohol and tobacco products
• Try stress reduction techniques
• Incorporate apple cider vinegar/ lemon juice in your diet everyday to help eliminate toxins

Take good care of yourself.

Walking for the Mind

A walk in the park can do more than just burn a few calories.  In times like these when we are staring upon an unstable financial market, record high rates of unemployment, and unusually harsh weather patterns, anxiety and stress can throw you into an overwhelming downward spiral.  Equally important to your physical health, your mental health and spirit help you work through the challenges you encounter daily, cope with major stresses, and keep you thinking positive and smiling.

A stroll outside is just what the doctor ordered.  Walking acts like an anti-depressant but without the nasty side effects and for once no health insurance is needed!  A leisurely walk has therapeutic benefits that span all levels— physical, social, and psychological.  When you move your body your brain releases endorphins that naturally make you feel full to the brim with happiness, confidence, and energy.  Pharmaceutical companies couldn’t bottle this natural mood lift if they tried.  According to a Public Health Report, The Relation of Physical Activity and Exercise to Mental Health, physical activity and exercise appear to alleviate symptoms associated with mild-to-moderate depression, improve self-concept and confidence and social skills, reduce symptoms of anxiety, and may alter some aspects of the stress response and ‘Type A’ behavior.

Get moving today!  Three 10-minute walks a day can do wonders for your mind.  There are several beautiful parks with scenic trails and walking loops in the Prince Georges area.  To find the park closest to you, visit www.pgparks.com.  Here are a few of my favorite walking spots.  Hope to see you on the trails.

Watkins Regional Park – is located between MD-214 and MD-202, near the First Baptist Church of Glenarden.  This park features a 2 mile walking loop trail.  Several of its facilities are available to the public year-round: tennis courts and a baseball field, campgrounds and hiking trails, Old Maryland Farm and the Nature Center.  During the summer there is a carousel, a working miniature train and a mini-golf course.  A Festival of Lights is held each year, between November and December.  301 Watkins Park Drive, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774 

Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Tour – The tour is open daily for hiking and bicycling, and open Sundays for vehicles.  The tour connects Jug Bay Natural Area with Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary and features educational displays, observation towers and a 1,000-foot long wooden bridge across the marsh.  Visitors can pick up a self-guided tour brochure from the Patuxent River Visitor's Center, and guided programs are available by reservation.  16000 Croom Airport Road, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 

Woodrow Wilson Bridge Trail – A 3.5 mile trail that extends from Oxon Hill Road across the Potomac River to the Huntington Metro Station in Virginia.  The trail connects to the network of trails in Northern Virginia, including the Mount Vernon Trail.  To access the trail in Maryland, there are at-grade road crossings at Oxon Hill Road and National Harbor Boulevard.  For more information, call 301-669-2255.

Take good care of yourself.  

What Do You Know About St. John's Wort?

I received a request for information on St. John's Wort. I'm happy about this request because I have taken this herbal remedy (a yellow flowering plant) on and off for about 9-10 years. St. John's Wort, also known as Hypericum Perforatum, has absolutely nothing to do with warts and everything to do with stabilizing moods. For over 2,000 years, people have used St. John's Wort to treat mental disorders, nerve pain, depression, sleep disorders, and to treat wounds, burns, and bites. The main use of the herb today is to treat mild to moderate depression. The herbal remedy comes in a tablet/capsule, liquid extract, and in tea bags.

There is an ongoing debate around the effectiveness of St. John's Wort. Some tests have shown that it's useful in treating mild to moderate depression and even severe depression, while other studies say it is no more effective than a placebo. In my personal experience with the herbal remedy, it is effective for treating minor bouts with depression and regulating moods. As a Gemini, my mood swings can be a little off the hook and I have used St. John's Wort to decrease my anxiety and keep my mind calm. The plant has practically no side effects and more affordable and safer than prescription antidepressants. I've included the formal definition and symptoms of depression below. And for the record, most adults will deal with some degree of depression at some point in their lives.  

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, depression is " a medical condition that affects nearly 21 million American adults each year. Mood, thoughts, physical health, and behavior all may be affected. Symptoms of depression commonly include:

• Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" feelings
• Feelings of hopelessness and/or pessimism
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and/or helplessness
• Restlessness or irritability
• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities that the person once enjoyed
• Fatigue and decreased energy
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and/or making decisions
• Insomnia, early–morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping
• Overeating, or appetite loss
• Thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts
• Persistent aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not ease with treatment.

Depression comes in several forms and its symptoms and severity can vary from person to person. For example:

• In major depression (also called major depressive disorder), people experience symptoms that interfere with their ability to work, study, sleep, eat, and take pleasure in activities they once enjoyed. Symptoms last for at least 2 weeks but frequently last for several months or longer.
• In dysthymia (also called dysthymic disorder), a less severe, but more chronic form of depression, people experience symptoms that are not as disabling but keep them from functioning well or feeling good. Symptoms last at least 2 years. Many people with dysthymia also have episodes of major depression.
• In bipolar disorder (also called manic–depressive illness), people have periods of depressive symptoms that alternate or may co-exist with periods of mania. Symptoms of mania include abnormally high levels of excitement and energy, racing thoughts, and behavior that is impulsive and inappropriate.

In addition, milder forms of depression exist that fall into the category of minor depression. In minor depression, people experience the same symptoms as major depression, but they are fewer in number and are less disabling. Symptoms last at least 6 months but less than 2 years continuously."

You can take anywhere from 200mg - 1000mg of St. John's Wort daily. I recommend starting at 200mg and working your way up to 1000mg so that you can monitor the effects. I'm a big fan of journaling and if you are having major ups and downs in your life, I encourage you to write down your day's events and how you felt/handled different situations. Journaling will help you see patterns and trends, and help you monitor the effectiveness of the herb.

Do not mix St. John's Wort or any other herbal remedies with prescription antidepressants or other prescription drugs like birth control pills. However, if you do decide to mix drugs please consult your doctor to see if the drug interactions are harmful.

Take good care of yourself.