Beach Condo

The Author of this post is Cheryl Martinez

Living in Florida is great, but I wish we lived closer to the beach. We live in Orlando, so we have to make weekend trips to go our to the coast. One of our favorite places to visit is Coco Beach. It is very family friendly, and not too far from us. We decided to buy a condo down there last year so that we can go down whenever we want. When we aren’t able to go, we rent it out to other vacationing families. Buying the apartment is a win-win for us since we make most of the mortgage back in rentals. We can rent it most of the year because the weather is so great down here. Since we are away from home more often since buying the condo, we decided to look into ADT florida and see if we should get a home alarm. My husband said he would feel much better if we at least tried to protect our home while we are away. My guess is that he is starting the installation now while the kids and I are at the beach.

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder. ~~Unknown~~

No Bake Nutella Cheesecakes

For the Crust

12 Oreo Cookies, crushed into crumbs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup Nutella
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 (8 ounce) tub frozen whipped topping, thawed

For the Garnish

whipped topping, optional
chocolate shavings, optional
toasted, chopped hazelnuts, optional

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the Oreo cookie crumbs and melted butter. Evenly divide the crumbs between your individual serving dishes and press into the bottoms of the dishes to form a crust layer.

2. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and Nutella until smooth. Add vanilla and mix to combine. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the whipped topping until well blended and no streaks remain.

3. Evenly pipe or spoon the filling into individual serving dishes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

4. If desired, garnish with additional whipped topping, chocolate shavings, and/or toasted, chopped hazelnuts.

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder. ~~Unknown~~

4 Ways to Beat Muscle Soreness

Treatment: Cherry juice The Info: A new study suggests this antioxidant-rich beverage (that has long been associated with reduced soreness in runners) can also speed muscle recovery after strength training. Your Rx: About an ounce of cherry concentrate (choosecherrish.com) right before your workout.

Treatment: Probiotics The Info: New research found that two strains of these healthy bugs, Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus paracasei, decreased cell damage after a month of regular intense exercise. Your Rx: A capsule with 1 billion to 10 billion cells, once a day.

Treatment: Lemon verbena The Info: An extract made from the leaves of this shrub reduced muscle and blood cell damage in volunteers who ran for 90 minutes, but didn’t block the beneficial tissue-building effects of the workout. It’s the best of both worlds, note researchers. Your Rx: A one-gram supplement each day. (It’s not clear if teas and other formulas have the same effects.)

Treatment: Omega-3 fatty acids The Info: Taking a fish-oil pill once a day reduces soreness and eases inflammation 48 hours after a strength-training workout, according to a new study in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine. Your Rx: Usually one 1.8-gram capsule (varies by brand)

Thinner...

I have noticed recently that I can fit into some of my clothes that I have not worn in a great time. I have lost some weight and inches. That is a good thing. Some dresses are looser and I can fit into a pair of jeans that I could not get up my thighs last year. What a relief. That smaller portions and increased movement are working. I just need to keep going.

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Diminishing Pain

A few years ago I was suffering with some mild back pain. I did not know what it was. I would wake up in pain in the morning. It would stay with me at times throughout the day. I thought it was my mattress because it was indeed old. I got a new one and I felt some relief but I was still painful. The change in the mattress being new, was so great that I knew that that was the culprit. I had been sleeping on a mattress that was bad and lacked support for so long that it hurt my back. Headaches were fairly common as well.

One Saturday I was in my local health food store and there was a woman there doing demonstrations about pain management and chiropractic care. I have never had faith in chiropractors even though I had never been to one. I had heard all the old wives tales about them. I spoke to this woman and while I did not let her do anything to me on the table that day, I did take her card. About a week later still in pain I decided to call her. Skeptical, I set up an appointment and went in to see her. It was one of the best decisions of my life. She set up a plan of care for me and and did several adjustments and my pain disappeared. My headaches went away as well. I saw her for about 8 months and had no pain at all after a while.

There really is no reason for anyone to suffer with any sort of back or neck pain these days. There are many ways to achieve pain management and many good providers as well. One such example is Pain Management NJ . They actually take a holistic approach toward each patient by developing an individualized care plan that is tailored to match their needs. Their goal is to eliminate or considerably reduce chronic pain via diagnostics and top of the line treatment. They treat pain in all areas of the body ranging from the neck, back and shoulders to the hip, feet and ankles. In general they use both surgical and non surgical procedures depending on the patient.

Pain Management NJ has a team of pain management specialists that are trained and licensed in their field. No shysters there! They provide treatment that is skilled and at the highest levels of patient care. Based on your medical status, some of the non surgical procedures that are available include physical and occupational therapy, as well as rehab. Some of the surgical procedures include neurosurgery and orthopedic surgery. Your need for services can stem from any source ranging from accidents, injures to diseases. Be sure to check the website because it is easy to navigate and had a wealth of information that will surely answer questions anyone may have.

Pain Management NJ really seems to be a one stop shop. Contacting them and getting an appointment is easy. I know at times with some providers it can take weeks to get an appointment if you are a new patient. Getting a new appointment is as easy as signing up on line. There is even a method for signing up for an MRI on line as well. They even have all their forms on line so that you can print those out and prepare in advance for your appointment with the. Be sure to review some of the testimonials. They indicate that their patient care is good. Patients are happy with their care there and results of their treatment plans.

If you are in pain and want a provider that is dedicated to restoring you to a stronger physical condition and managing your pain, consider Pain Management NJ. You may be very pleased with the outcome.

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Rough Night

Last night I had a rough night. I had a case of acid reflux that happened when I was sleeping. That is really bad. It is like acid goes into my windpipe/lungs and I spend about an hour or so coughing up acid. It is not pretty. It happens when I eat late and am very tired. I fall asleep soon after eating and there in the the trouble begins. It was not too bad last night. I managed to wake myself up when I felt it happen so it was mild. I took an antacid pill and about an hour later I was back asleep. That was at 3:00 am. So I am somewhat tired today. I was up at 5am to start the day. I may need a powernap later on!

This afternoon I want to go to zumba class. I want to do some excersize today. That will be a 4 or 7. I do not which class I will attend. The remaining time will be spend doing some housework and maybe getting a nap in there somewhere. It will be a long day. But I will keep on keeping on! It is all we can do.

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Motion is Important

For the past few days I have been doing daily walking. Partly because I am dog sitting and the dog has a set walk schedule. I have just about let the dog walk take the place of my power walking because he has a mile dog trail we cover 3 times a day. That is a lot of dog walking. It is a little different because it is stop and go walking. There is a stop at just about every mailbox so he can hoist a leg. It is still exercise though. That is the key. Motion.

Motion as much as possible is the key. It shakes everything up and does burn calories. His owners will be back in three days then I am on my own as far as motivation to walk. It will still be there. The fall weather is so nice that it easily lends itself to my wanting to go outside.

The other thing I have been contemplating is my bike. I have a brand new woman’s mountain bike that is just begging to be ridden. It was a gift to me 4 years ago and I have yet to let my butt hit the seat.

It looks real good chained to the patio. It looks like a biker is in the house. I do need a helmet. That is the one thing I do not have. With this weather being so nice, I do want to ride. That will help as well. Every little bit of motion will help. It will help to with keeping my knees loose. When the weather changes there tends to be some stiffness now.

I am a firm believer that if you do not use it you do lose it! I am trying desperately to hold on to what I have now and to improve. So motion is it. Motion wherever I can get it! Walking. Biking. Zumba. I am committed to more movement.

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Habits: Pumpkin Ones

I have had to take my child to school three days a week and due to the fact she gets out before noon, most of the time I do not go back home. This saves on gas and trips back and forth. What I do is wait for her just down the street at a local Starbucks. I love Starbucks but over the years, I have come to know that I must limit those wonderful coffee drinks to a minimum. I still do that but in these past weeks of school I have come to rely on my venti bold coffee and a muffin or a piece of pumpkin bread. That does not sound so bad.

I know that is not the nice low calorie breakfast but it is so good at 7:00 AM in the morning. I must say that this is now a habit and about my only vice of the week...that muffin or pumpkin bread in the mornings. I mean, it is pumpkin. That is nutritious. I so not see me giving up this habit anytime soon. I guess I will have to add in an extra workout to work off those calories. Trust me when I say I have not been motivated to do this yet. Habits are so easy to fall into and so hard to manage once you become aware of them. More will power is what I need.

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

8 Tips for Controlling Portion Sizes - diabetes2 - Health.com

8 Tips for Controlling Portion Sizes - diabetes2 - Health.com

Portion control is key and I have failed miserable at it! It is a work in progress

Zumba

I took my first zumba class last week. I walked by the studio in the mall for about three weeks before finally deciding to try. Just watching the other women in the class made me think I was so uncoordinated. I used to dance, took ballet, danced in the nutcracker. I decided that inside me somewhere way down deep was a little grace. I finally decided to take the class.

It was a lot of fun. I stood in the back so that I would watch others and learn the steps. I did not learn all of then and I could not get all of them coordinated. It was fun and I did get a workout. Just what I needed and I was not the only new person in the class that day. We all had a great time.

I think I need this class. It was all about shaking it up, shaking those hips. I thought I was shaking it up and showing what I was working with. Apparently I was mistaken as the teacher kept looking at me and pointing for me to "shake it up" some more!! REALLY!! I guess my feel of being nimble and quick is all in my head.

Zumba! Just what the doctor ordered! Maybe I will get all those dance moves down and I can be really impressive on the dance floor. (Don't burst my bubble!) I can only hope~!

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Motivation Escapes Me!

I am always motivated. In my mind. Or at least I think I am. But then I do so good for a few days, I loose my focus and in goes the bad food. As soon as I eat it I remember! I stop, often spitting it out. I want it to become second nature....no more anything sweet. I guess it will always be a struggle but I so wish it were not.

I want the easy way I guess and nothing in my life has been easy. It always has been hard and often times impossible seeming. I want it easy...just for a little while.

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Buy Scrubs Online

My child works at a vet clinic and has to wear scrubs to work. So far we have visited about 3 local places to find a variety. We had been to Walmart and 2 uniform stores. The place with the best prices if Walmart. The place with the best variety are the uniform stores. It seems those two things cannot be found together where I am. I want good prices and variety all in ONE place.

She has worked at the vet clinic for over a year now and loves it. But her scrubs are now showing signs of wear and tear. She has come home on two separate occasions with bleach stains on her black scrub pants. Now, that is NEVER going to come out. They are ruined. She still wears them but they do not look new anymore.

I have recently discovered this site for scrubs on line. Please check it out: http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/categories/Scrubs/ . They have variety and great pricing all in one place!! Yeah! Blue Sky began because a young resident did not want to wear an ill fitting hat in the OR, so she designed her own. Her hat has grown into a full line of products that are of high quality, affordable and comfortable. There are scrubs for men, women and if you want custom made scrubs just for you...well you can have that too!

Something which looks new to me are the urban scrubs. They are professional but have a casual, urban air. I think mu daughter would like those. Something else I have never really considered is scrubs for kids. There is an entire collection for kids that can be used for play but are still comfortable for them.

I would definitely consider the option to buy scrubs online . The ease of being to do it from the comfort of my home is appealing. The pricing and the variety of what is available on the site is great and there are even some items on sale! Another great thing about Blue Sky Scrubs is that they are paying it forward. As purchases are made, they will ship a free hat to a cancer patient or a paying customer as part of a program called, Project Blue Sky. It is their effort to give back to others.

If there happens to be any issues with your order, there is a 90 day exchange policy and a guarantee that is focused on customer satisfaction. I will be passing this link on to my child so that we can look at some of the options available for her. I know she will just love some of the colors and styles on the site!

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Ginger and Inflammation

Recently I have been noticing that I have been having a little swelling of my left knee and sometimes the ankle. It almost gives me a cankle! Who wants that?? I have been keeping it raised and that helps but I have been wondering the cause.

As a result I have been exploring natural anti-inflammatory foods. Foods that will naturally reduce inflammation in the body. From reading that is one of the most common ailments we all have and it leads to many bad things. There are many common things that will help. Some are garlic, beets, ginger, green tea, ginger, sweet potatoes, berries, curry„ cinnamon..just to name a few.

About a week ago I did buy some ginger root and it has been sitting in the fridge. Well last night I broke it out and cut off about a dime size piece and ate it. I like the taste of ginger. Pungent and strong when eating it fresh. I was unable to swallow the piece, so I just chewed and chewed till all the flavor was gone. I followed that with a hot cup of green tea and this morning, the swelling in my left foot and ankle is MUCH reduced.

Reduces Inflammation

Ginger inhibits the metabolism of arachidonic acid, a fatty acid that produces inflammation in the body. Health-care practitioners often prescribe ginger for inflammatory joint diseases such as arthritis. In a study reported in the “Indian Journal of Rheumatology,” scientists compared the effectiveness of indomethacin, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, to ginger in 52 participants with osteoarthritis of the knee. The study concluded that ginger is as effective as indomethacin, and may be an option for patients who currently take anti-inflammatory drugs to control their pain.

I do believe I will be taking a closer look at what I eat and the benefits of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory foods. Ginger has many benefits. I have known that it has been used in the middle east and Asia for centuries. I have know that it was a digestive aid and have used it as such before. I was not really aware of the benefits for reducing inflammation.

I feel enlightened! Knowledge IS power!

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Coming to Town

Coming to Town

This guest post from Doris Dillon

Recently, I just found out that my father will be coming into town for a couple of weeks. Normally, I would be very excited about this because my dad and I get along so well but I really have so much going on with work right now that I don’t have time. My boss just promoted me and put me in charge of one of the largest projects in the company and I honestly believe I’ve been working 60-hour weeks. Personally, the promotion has been a double edge sword because I got to move up in the company at such a young age but I don’t really have time for my family and friends at the moment. I really hope my dad can understand the fact that I won’t have much time to hang out with him while he’s here because I can’t really take off and just drive around all day making small talk like we use. Living in the city is difficult to keep up with all the expenses of rent and utilities. Thankfully, a friend of mine sent me this link www.SHOPELECTRICITYRATEStexas.com a couple of weeks ago and now at least I have fixed energy costs and that’s one thing I have to worry about.