Good Morning Dear Reader:

Yesterday I shared my experience with Nordic Walking and I was thrilled this morning to find a comment from a gentleman, James, who lives in the UK:

“I saw Nordic Walking in a magazine a year ago, had a one-hour try out on a Saturday morning, and went straight out and bought the poles.

Before … Obese and couldn’t walk a mile. Lost 100 lbs in 7 months, cured type 2 diabetes, and now I take the poles everywhere.

And I walked 50 miles in 3 days to celebrate my 62nd birthday.”

Our beloved Spanx has another line, Assets, that I had not seen in our area. I got a pair in New York and must say they are quite powerful. The other good part is that they retail for around $18 and should be available at Target, Dillard’s, Belk’s, Motherhood Maternity, etc. The line includes a cami, maternity Spanx, tights, pantyhose and a bra.

Good Morning Dear Reader:

I wanted to bring you up to date on several burning issues. First many of you have expressed concern over my new fitness program which includes attempting to walk rapidly while carrying two long metal poles and not injuring any pedestrians or innocent wildlife. This “sport” is known as Nordic Walking.

My husband insisted that learning to do this would be very beneficial to my over all health, that is, if I did not have to go to court over any consequences of my exercise program. He bought me a lovely set of Lecki poles and directed me to an instructional video on YouTube which didn’t take me more than 10 days to get around to watching. In the video, several athletic people are seen literally gliding along the road using their Nordic walking poles, which look exactly like ski poles with no skis or snow.

While my technique is really bad, I can already see that done correctly, adding Nordic poles to your walk can strengthen your shoulders and arms, plus help tighten up that little “jiggly” arm issue. If you think it might be something you want to try, go to a specialty sporting goods store like REI where someone can fit you with the correct size poles, adjust them and demonstrate the technique. Then after 10 days or so, check out the very first Nordic Walking video on YouTube (210,000 people really liked it). Seriously, it’s not that difficult. Besides, it has great entertainment value for the neighbors.

Pizza that borders on healthy

After seeing Eat Pray Love and loving it, the Italy segment of the movie drove me straight home to fix a pizza. Julia Robert spends the first one-third of the movie eating beautiful Italian food. Judging from her hollow cheekbones, her stunt double must have done the swallowing.

The pizza I made after the movie was one which was not only healthy, but was easy and delicious. I started with Pillsbury Refrigerated Pizza Dough. Follow the instructions for baking. When the dough is pressed onto the cookie sheet or pizza stone, I prebake it for about 5 minutes or until it puffs and begins to lightly brown. Spread with a thin coat of your favorite tomato-based pasta sauce. On top of that I place thick sliced, ripe tomatoes that I have baked in the oven, brushed with olive oil at about 350 degrees for 20 minutes to firm up.an

In the microwave for 2 minutes I place sliced red and green bell peppers, sliced onion, mushrooms, any veggie you like. Drain well and place on top crust. Add chopped olives, capers and any other non-meat topping you like. On top of the veggies, I sprinkled shredded mozzarella cheese. On top of the cheese I placed thin strips of proscuitto from a 3 ounce. package–high in flavor, low in calories. It will pretty much cover the entire pizza. On top I spread some fresh basil ( I gave my plant a haircut) and fresh oregano. Then, the good part, I placed generous teaspoons of skim milk ricotta cheese about ever 2 or so inches. Bake until lightly brown.  Buon Appetite!

Arrivederci Amico!!

Diane

P.S. I think I am turning into an Italian! Momma Mia!

Good Morning Dear Reader:

Could it have been something I ate? 3 cream-based soups perhaps?

I probably have not told you about my new fitness program necessitated by the strange phenomena of my zippers quite suddenly not meeting. It was almost as if it happened overnight. One minute I am breathing perfectly normal while shoving great quantities of delicious food into my mouth and the next looking for some discreet location to unbutton anything not visible to innocent bystanders.

I blame the whole problem on travel, which I do love. However, when removed a sufficient distance from my safe and relatively empty refrigerator and confronted by meal choices that sound way better than low-fat boiled turkey, what’s a person to do? Most restaurants I visit have no really unappetizing choices. The Weight Watcher specials might be there but they are hidden by the deep fried, the honey crispy and the well-sauced entres. Did I mention I have no will power? The only real answer for me is going to have to be exercise, as painful as it is.

May tone calves, thighs & rear or may lead to hospitalization

I had started walking around my neighborhood, more of a stroll really. Then my husband decided to join me. If you remember, I bought a pair of the Sketcher Shape-Ups, the walking shoes with boats for soles. My stride in them was not quite perfected when he decided we should add trekking poles to our walk. He has watched the training video, studied the technique on the Internet and has it perfected.

As for me, did you ever see Elaine dance on Seinfeld? That’s about my form. I am sort of an accident in slow motion, not quite colliding with anything, but just on the verge. I am sure with my husband’s coaching I will be excellent in no time or one of us will be in traction. It’s a dangerous sport. If you see us on the walking trail just get out of the way.

Some good health news…

The new Consumer Reports is out for September and it is an excellent issue. It addresses the issue of multivitamins and supplements. There has been so much in the press lately about their safety and questions of whether we should even be taking them. Their research confirms that most are perfectly safe and that price is not a real factor in purchasing quality. There is also a list of safe and unsafe supplements that is very helpful. (Complete article, page 21) The article also suggests that we really should be taking our vitamins in the form of healthy food!

In an abbreviated list, the top multivitamins are:

Adults (the children’s list is almost all the same brands, plus Flinstones as costliest)

Kirkland Signature (Costco)

Equate Complete (Walmart)

Up and Up (Target)

Centrum

One A Day Maximum

Among recommended supplements:

Calcium (fights osteoporosis), Cranberry (fends off urinary infections), Fish Oil (decreases risk of heart attack), Glucosamine Sulfate (slows arthritis of knee), Lactase (combats lactose intollerance), Acidophilus ( prevents diarrhea when taking antibiotics) , Psyllium( helps lower cholesterol/mild laxative) , Pygeum (may reduce systems of enlarged prostrate), SAMe (may reduce depression/fight osteoarthritis), St. John’s Wort (helps with depression), Vitamin D (compliments calcium)

Finally, a cookbook with me in mind!

Also in this issue:

The best running shoes

The best laptops and printers

Surviving worst case scenarios

There is still more—saving money on cell phone bills and smart phones & the latest 3D TV’s!

It is a magazine that pays for itself every month.

Have a lovely Monday!

Diane—P.S . Tell your buds about our Girlfriends’ European Christmas Market Tour–deadline for great price is Aug. 13, click on TRIPS at left.

Good Afternoon Dear Reader:

Turquoise statement necklace $48, earrings $22 at Chico's

I remember an interview years ago with a well-known actress from the 50’s and 60’s, Polly Bergen. The reporter commented that over the years, she had worn the same short hair style.

Bergen responded by saying that years ago, she had found that she looked best with short hair. She also observed that every year, some variation of a layered, short cut was considered stylish. She merely had her hair stylist adjust the length of the top, sides or back to reflect the current trend, but always staying true to “her best look”.

I think that is where we sometimes get lost fashion-wise. We are swayed by what we see in the stores, magazines, on TV, and in the movies. I loved every episode of Sex and the City, but could I wear the shoes, the clothes? No. Do I wish I could? Yes!

I love watching What Not to Wear and seeing a woman totally transformed by simply changing her wardrobe. Oh, the hair and makeup artist certainly make a difference, but the clothes are the key. You can almost see her confidence rising as she learns that, yes, she can wear a fitted dress or there are jeans that compliment her body.

Chico's extra-wide cuff, $38, a ringer for one in Bazaar at $800

I think Oprah is one of the best examples of a woman who knows what looks good on her and never succumbs to fashion’s whims. Yet, she wears well-fitted, bright clothes, big belts, and full skirts and looks fantastic. Unless you drop in on her feeding her dogs, you probably won’t see her in a billowy caftan.

Bootie heels are here for fall, saw these at Dillard's

Fashion icons have all discovered what looks great on their bodies and they may wear variations, but they are always true to their style. Think of Audrey Hepburn and Jackie Kennedy. What comes to mind for me is classic, yet never boring. Can you imagine Hepburn with long hair or Jackie Kennedy with a pixie cut?

Remember the year Sharon Stone showed up at the Oscar’s wearing a designer full-length skirt with her husband’s white Gap dress shirt? There were women there in gowns costing thousands of dollars and yet her outfit was the one people raved about, she wore it with such confidence. That is where style starts, inside, knowing what looks good on your body with a nod to what’s hot this season–a scarf, leggings, bootie heels, etc.

Linen tunic, sale, $29.99, belt $84, sale $19.99 & jeggings!

Chico’s has lots of great basic pieces for women of all sizes, except you little zeros and negative numbers. Their ongoing sale is terrific. I bought great denim jeggings with an animal style print called Chocolate Chip Wash that I love for $29.99, regularly $79.

Their statement necklaces are fantastic and most are around $50. Buy one and get the second for half-off. Same deal on Spanx. Sunglasses and readers are 50% off. A number of the items on the sale racks are great for fall. I am lusting over a platinum-colored crop jacket with a wide collar in the fall collection, $118, but I can wait!

Tomorrow, I’d like to talk about your brand, because we all have one, even if we don’t know it. We just want to be sure it is the one we want to project.

Have a lovely evening.

Diane

Good Evening Dear Reader:

I am still tucked away in Babyland where I have discovered that two three-year old boys are way  smarter than I am. They look so innocent. Staring up at me with those big baby blues and letting me know that their mother and daddy always give them jelly beans at bedtime and big glasses of chocolate milk.

Bedtime at 8 p.m., which is when their parents told me to put them to bed, seems to be only a suggestion to the boys. Oh, they pretend that they are going right to sleep and even seem actually happy about it.

I proceed through all the instructed bedtime rituals–bathing, teeth brushing, potty visit, and collection of the necessary elements required to provide the perfect slumber. For one, it is a collection of 4 fluffy blankets which have to be arranged just so–none actually used for cover. There should be at least one car in the bed and a book.

Boy #2 wants only two blankets, a tractor-trailer rig and a water cup.

I turn on the night light, after reading  two thrilling  stories about big trucks, and kiss each boy goodnight. They look like angels. I close the door and breath a sigh of relief. They will soon be asleep.

Of course they aren’t going to sleep. They are simply waiting for that door to close and they shout, “All clear–commence jumping on the bed!”. I hear the bed springs creaking from the second floor. Back up the stairs I go.

I love that moment of surprise when you open the door and catch them in the act. They look shocked and then let loose a torrent of uncontrollable giggles. I want to laugh as well, but no, back in the bed they go. Brief lecture ensues about the importance of bedtime. Re-arrange blanket configuration. Kiss, kiss, goodnight.

Fifteen minutes passes, twenty–success ! A victory for me. It is brief.  A crash sounds from upstairs. I fly up, two stairs at a time ( yes, I will need to see my chiropracter). I fling open their door and their beds are empty. I look in the bathroom where as Boy #1 likes to say, “I nekid”. And they are.

Clothes are scattered everywhere and there they are on their little step stools, playing in the water in the sink. It is probably one of the funniest moments ever, but I cannot laugh. So I look very serious and say something like, “I hope your daddy doesn’t find out that you aren’t in bed. ”

Then there was some speed dressing, but three-year olds don’t really dress very well alone, and have no idea which is the front and which is the back of their underwear.

I like to think that I found the secret to finally getting them to sleep with the daddy threat, but truth is, I think they really were tired. Lord knows, I was. Tomorrow is another day. I’m sure they have something fun planned for me.

Green Tea is Good For You!

I know green tea has so many great health benefits and one I found which is really good and reasonable is at Costco. It comes in packages of 100 in precious little fine tulle tea bags. $19.95 at Amazon.com and significantly less at Cosco.

Have a beautiful day!

Diane

Good Morning Dear Reader:

These are not in my yard!

It appears that in my absence, spring has sprung! I can tell that, not so much by the warmer temperatures, but by the enormous size of the weeds in my garden that are blooming right next to the mushy pile of rotting vegetation that used to be my lovely plants!

At least the weeds are green!

I don’t know if I have ever shared how I came to acquire the “lovely” garden bench that sits in my backyard. Several years ago I attended a charity auction where the auction items were lovely concrete garden benches that had been painted by local artists. I had not bid on a bench knowing how excited my husband is when I bring home items that weigh in excess of 250 pounds.

The auction was about to close and no one had bid on this particular bench which featured a rahter provocative woman. I felt terrible for the artist that no one had bid so I plunked down a bid, certain that someone would follow my lead. Okay, I guess not. Which is how we became the proud owners of “Moaning Lisa”.

"Moaning Lisa" is available to add to your fine art collection!

I was sure that rain and sun would fade “Lisa” until she was not so much moaning as simply fading into the concrete.

It is possible that like other works of artists who are not appreciated in their life time, that “Moaning Lisa” will find fame in the next century. Or perhaps there is an art lover among you, with a really strong back who might like to own “Lisa”. Call me.

Beauty Help Is On The Way!

Crammed right in the middle of all my mail from vacation was one of my favorite magazines, Allure, April 2010. They always feature the most up to date beauty products and about wellness and fitness. Here are a few items of interest:

The Good News…

According to Michael Roizen, chief wellness officer at Cleveland’s Clinic Wellness Institute, 80% of the aging process is dictated by lifestyle after age 50; the other 20% is controlled by genetics. So we can stave off illness and the shriveling process by incorporating good health habits, even after 50. It’s not too late!

One of the tools we can use to eliminate stress from our lives (which shows up in our face, bodily functions, and posture) is yoga.  It adds flexibility to muscles and helps quiet our mind, which for most women is generally a racing locomotive.

Yoga also incorporates meditation which can help you achieve joy, confidence, and help you rise above petty frustrations and people.

Yoga doesn’t require perfect posture, great balance or the ability to stand on your head. It is a very personal type of exercise with each person working at their own ability level.

I like to place my yoga mat in the back of the class, lest anyone consider my poses to be a model to follow. When I do lose my balance and end up splayed on the floor, there is a smaller audience to observe me.

You don’t need a glamorous wardrobe–a loose tee shirt and some loose pants, knee length or longer work fine. Most classes supply mats and any supplies you need.

Insecure? Isn’t Everyone?

I love this quote from Actress Viola Davis about her insecurities: “That they make these clothes for women who have no behind and thighs. And I have been endowed with some of both.” Amen.

It's spring planting time--see you at the nursery!

Have a positively secure day!

Diane

Good Evening Dear Reader:

Janet and "Lucky" Loretta

Yesterday, while my sister was driving me to Jackson, Mississippi to catch a flight home, her barn burned to the ground. Under normal circumstances, her two show horses would have been in that barn, because the weather has been terribly cold. As it turns out, her husband, Steve, had planned to take Loretta to the trainer in another city, but the horse stubbornly refused to load into the trailer, something she has never done before.

To get the horse into the trailer, Steve brought out the other horse, Scarlett, and loaded her in first. Loretta calmly walked in after. Sometime after they left, the barn caught on fire and burned.

Any other time, both horses would have been lost; or if Loretta had gotten in the trailer without a fuss, Scarlet would have been lost.  All the barn cats escaped unharmed. Everything else was a total loss. I have never doubted that God looks after us, but I cannot help but feel he was looking after these animals as well.

Today, being D-Day or the first day of my own personal self-improvement program, I found this quote that really spoke to me:

“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”–unknown

That says to me that we don’t have to be satisfied with where we are in our journey. We can redraw our path, at any time. This feels like the time for me. Maybe it is for you as well.

Sweet Barn Kitty

Forget about reading Cleaving by Julie Powell (Julie and Julia) unless you love a good (true) story where the heroine (Julie) cheats on her soulmate, Eric with a college sweetheart for two years while she drives 2 hours a day, both ways, to be an apprentice in a butcher shop. This is after having a best seller book and a movie deal. That’s only to chapter 3.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been dying to learn how to butcher a cow or a pig or just make my own pork chops. I am pretty sure this book is not going to be a movie or even around long.

I did find a book review in today’s Houston Chronicle that I think I do need to put on my “to read” list, Buddha’s Brain:  The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love & Wisdom, (New Harbinger Publications) $17.95, by Rick Hanson.

He believes there are two important elements to happiness in your relationships, with everyone, empathy and compassion. By focusing on what you feel while expressing those emotions, you can actually strengthen the circuits in your brain that control those emotions, making you nicer and happier. Wouldn’t you like to have more empathy and compassion coming your way? Me, too. I think we are going to have to work on our own skills in that area to generate a better return. I’m adding that to my “to do” list, as well!

Tomorrow is a fresh start!

Diane

Good Morning Dear Reader:

This morning I am blogging from the very Deep South, the heart of it in fact. My sister lives only a few miles off the Natchez Trace, one of the most beautiful highways in America. It runs from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee, and is approximately 400 miles long. It was an Indian trading trail and now is a national park. In fact, Desoto fought the Indian chief, Tuscaloosa, at the battle of Maubila just a few miles from here. When you drive the Trace, you will not see one billboard, one sign, or one street light. What you will see are dozens and dozens of historical markers which impress upon you how much of our nation’s history occurred right here.

My sister, Janet, is a history teacher and she is loaded with all this great information. Just don’t play Trivial Pursuit with her, unless of course she’s on your team.

Today, we are headed to visit the beautiful little college town of Oxford, Mississippi, home of the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) and home of two of my favorite authors, William Faulkner and John Grisham.

Although I have escaped the dreaded winter cold and flu, I do feel something coming on. It is a feeling of uneasiness that has to do with the fact that 2010 is just a few days away– a new year. There is not a book or a magazine that I have picked up in the last two weeks that hasn’t devoted pages to New Year’s resolutions.

Personally, I have probably written hundreds of them over the course of my life. And like most people, mine always are directed at whipping me into better shape both physically and mentally. Since it is likely that the ones on my list this year are pretty much the same, it is evident to me that just making great resolutions don’t necessarily guarantee great results. It reminds me of something a professor once told our abnormal psychology class in college. He was referring to the psychological issues that people wrestle with in life when he said, “People don’t get better until they decide to”.

Well, believe me, I have very frequently decided to lose those extra pounds, give up sugar, exercise every single day for at least an hour, prepare all our food only from scratch, keep my house immaculate, clean out all my closets, live the simple life, save more money, and floss every day. Yes, I am doing a better job of flossing. On the other counts, I’m a miserable failure. And yes, I did decide to adopt all those resolutions. So what happened? Life. Temptation to do the easy thing, the yummy thing and the lazy thing. I surrendered.

Will this year be any different? I don’t know. I have been doing some serious reading looking for the answer that will make 2010 the year that I take better charge of my life. Do you want to come along? One thing that I have already learned is that the solo journey is a lonely journey and when you don’t have friends and family supporting you daily, you probably won’t make it. That’s one reason why AA, Weight Watchers, and The Aggie alumni network are so effective. Stay tuned.

Making new friends in MS!

Have a powerful day!

Diane

Good Morning Dear Reader:

Halloween has come and gone, but not the candy. We had far fewer trick-or-treaters than I anticipated and I am alone with the dreaded “leftovers”.

Yesterday, I did my best to completely ignore that basket half-full of some really tasty chocolate. Of course my best was not quite good enough, and I discovered some of the little packages were a bit mis-shapen and bent, so I had to “get rid” of them. You probably know where they went. In fact, I am probably sitting on them right this minute.

Today, in lieu of breadcrumbs, I will leave a trail of chocolate.

I’ve just finished the November issue of More with the fabulous Diane Keaton on the cover. There is a terrific article about her on page 96 with photos of her two adorable adopted children.

We can look forward to her next film with Harrison Ford and Rachel McAdams, Morning Glory, a romantic comedy about a TV news team. With that cast, it has got to be winner!

Love the fuller lip look? Hate the lipsticks and glosses that sting and irritate? Try L’Oreal Colour Riche Anti-Aging Serum Lipcolour ($10 drugstores & groceries). The core of the lipstick contains collagen which restores fullness!

There is a very touching and powerful story in More on page 148 by Linda Marsa, “The Healing Power of Friends” about actress Marcia Strassman’s battle with cancer and her network of friends. When Strassman was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer in 2007, her best friends, Penny Marshall and Laraine Newman mobalized their network of buddies to provide food, transportation, and daily calls and e-mails. Strassman is greatly improved and is holding her own.

The article sites the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study, which found that themore friends women had, the less likely they were to become physically debilitated as they aged. “Growing scientific evidence indicates that friendship and extensive social networks can lower blood pressure; reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease and ward off depression.

We can truly never have too many friends. Reach out for a new one today.

With the holidays just around the corner, I asked my good friend, David Dickson who writes ” Life is a Cabernet” for The Tribune and has his own excellent wine blog, virtualwineknow.wordpress.com to recommend some wines to my readers. He was happy to oblige and I think you will be delighted with his choices.

Reds:

1. A great bargain red–Coppola Rosso ($8-10), California. Fruity enough that even white wine loves will like it.

2. Ridge Three Valleys ($20-22) A luscious Zinfandel blend, California.

3. A great gift for the boss–Robert Craig Affinity ($45-50) Napa Valley, a Bordeaux-style Cabernet blend. Worth more than the price tag.

Whites:

1. Mouton Cadet Blanco ($9-10) France. A very refreshing white Bordeaux.

2.  Stonestreet Chardonnay ($25-30) California. Very nice.

3. The boss will have to be content with a classy red as there are not many whites in the $45-50 range.

Have a glorious Monday wherever you are,

Diane

Good Afternoon Dear Reader:

Like Oprah, Martha Stewart represents an empire of products, media-TV and radio, plus her published materials including a great little magazine called body+soul. I picked up the November issue in the airport and have not been able to put it down. The emphasis is on good health and I will tease you with some of this month’s great ideas, but you will want to read more.

After fighting a nasty cold for days, I zeroed in on “50 Simple Health Tips” (page 76) hoping just reading them would make me feel better. And it did! Here are a few that I had never heard before but really seem to have merit:

1. For mild eczema, sip oolong tea 3x a day for symptom relief.

2.  For tension headaches (we know about these) rub your temples with peppermint oil, Tiger Balm or white flower oil.

3.  A brisk walk can restore your energy better than a nap or a latte.

4. Sniff rosemary to increase alertness and improve memory.

5. If you suffer from dry eyes, up your intake of salmon, sardines– all  fish with Omega-3 fatty acids.

6.  People who eat bananas(high potassium) may be less prone to high blood pressure.

7. Research shows honey may be more effective than over the counter cough syrup. Use a medicinal-grade such as manuka honey and take up to 2 tsps. at bedtime.

8.  Eating broccoli can help combat gum disease.

9. Green tea, hot or iced, before exercising can rev up your workout and increase the metabolic generation of heat

10.  Shiitake mushrooms and wasabi contain compounds that fight the bacteria that causes plaque and cavities.

Page 108 has an excellent except from the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. It noted that mice who were fed acetic acid (a component of vinegar) in their diet, developed 10% less fat than other mice on the same diet.  All vinegars including balsamic,  contain acetic acid, so splash on!

Page 100 has a beautiful story that you may have seen featured on the Today Show, today! It is by Cami Walker who has MS and to pull herself out of depression over her pain and loss of self esteem, committed to giving away 29 gifts in 29 days. All were not material things, and some were things she owned and no longer needed. Some were small, a bag of chips to a street person, words of encouragement, and prayers for others. Her life changed for the better. She is now in the 20th cycle of her 29 day plan. She is happier and feels better. Learn more at 29Gifts.org or read her book, 29 Gifts:  How a Month of Giving Can Change Your Life.

I discovered a new TV program that I had never seen before and I highly recommend it if you like mystery and international intrigue. Look for MI-5 from BBC on your PBS channel. I saw it on Saturday night and it was riveting!

It is pouring down here. I hope you see some sunshine where you are!

Diane