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Articles written by Nancy Gossard


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  • Summer Salad #2 Broccoli Salad

    Nancy Gossard, Wellness Editor|Updated May 30, 2019

    Broccoli Salad 2# broccoli, cooked to taste (boil 4-7 minutes), then drained ½ cup mayonnaise of choice 1 teaspoon whole grain Dijon mustard zest of 1 large lemon ¼ + 1/8 t table salt or 1 t anchovy paste Mix the remaining ingredients while the broccoli is cooking. After the broccoli is well drained, stir in the mayo mixture. Chill or serve warm. Anchovy paste doesn't make this taste fishy, but adds umami flavor. If you use anchovy paste, omit the salt. Omit the...

  • Yoga: Spinal Stretch 2

    Nancy Gossard, Wellness Editor|Updated May 29, 2019

    Yoga is a great tool for relaxation, and the exercises stretch the body, resulting in better muscle tone, balance, and general health. This video is entitled Morning Spinal Warmup, and is the first in a series by contributor Megan Rimer, owner and instructor for Yoga Bliss, a local studio. If you are interested in classes, she can be reached at 813/299-5159. Namaste....

  • Try Chair Yoga to Keep Moving

    Nancy Gossard|Updated May 28, 2019

    Chair yoga is a great way to get the wonderful health benefits of yoga for those who of us who aren't flexible or have strength limitations. Yoga is an excellent way to stretch muscles and increase that strength and balance. Remember that yoga shouldn't hurt. Don't overstretch. Start slow, but keep moving. Here are some links to free chair yoga sites to give you options. I hope you are inspired to move. Check with your doctor before beginning any new exercise routine....

  • Morning Spinal Warmup

    Nancy Gossard, Wellness Editor|Updated May 28, 2019

    Yoga is a great tool for relaxation, and the exercises stretch the body, resulting in better muscle tone, balance, and general health. This video is entitled Morning Spinal Warmup, and is the first in a series by contributor Megan Rimer, owner and instructor for Yoga Bliss, a local studio. If you are interested in classes, she can be reached at 813/299-5159. Namaste....

  • Book Review. Don't Sing Songs to a Heavy Heart:

    Nancy Gossard, Wellness Editor|Updated May 22, 2019

    A friend of mine, Gene, died on May 4th about one in the afternoon. His brother called to tell me of his peaceful passing. We had been friends for a long time, although we hadn’t seen each other in person for 15 years. Sometimes we talked on the phone multiple times a week; sometimes a month would go by before we talked. We knew this was coming. Lung cancer. He was a smoker. He didn’t call me for a while last fall and when he finally did, he said he hadn’t wanted to worry...

  • Five Minute Spicy Corn Chowder for One

    Nancy Gossard, Wellness Editor|Updated May 21, 2019

    1 cup corn 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or milk of choice 1/16 teaspoon garlic powder 1/16 teaspoon onion powder 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce 2 drops liquid smoke Pulse 5 times in a high speed blender. Pour into a pan and heat over medium stirring or into a bowl and microwave stirring and testing after each minute. I ate at the Blue Corn Café in Santa Fe many years ago. I've been making versions of this soup ever since. It is still on the menu described as...

  • Summer Salad #1

    Nancy Gossard, Wellness Editor|Updated May 14, 2019

    Black bean & roasted corn salad, 2-3 servings This simple combination fills me up with great flavor and doesn't leave me feeling heavy. You can tweak it to your own taste and make it even better. 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed 1 10 oz. bag frozen organic corn roasted at 450º for 30 minutes or until slightly brown ½ red bell pepper, chopped 2 green onions, sliced 25 pitted kalamata olives, sliced 2 T parsley ¼ jalapeno, chopped very fine (optional) You...

  • Health and Wellness Snippets

    Nancy Gossard, Wellness Editor|Updated May 3, 2019

    Here is a compilation of recent articles of relevance to our readers. I hope that's something just for you! From NPR.org: Are compassionate doctors better at their jobs? The short answer? Yes. In their new book Compassionomics, two physicians lay out their research findings about the win-win effects of compassionate care. When doctors take the time to make human connections that help end suffering, patient outcomes improve and medical costs decrease. It also helps health care...

  • Industry Manipulates Nutrition Facts

    Nancy Gossard|Updated Apr 25, 2019

    Here is the latest video from NutritionFacts.org. https://nutritionfacts.org/video/sugar-industry-attempts-to-manipulate-the-science Manipulation of data to show favorable results for the funding group isn't new, but this is still a great video for the other factual information it contains. I'm always learning, too. For example, I didn't know sugar was implicated in high blood pressure. I hope you find the resources I post valuable on your journey to better mind, body, &...

  • Prebiotics, Probiotics, and Raw Sauerkraut For a Healthier Gut

    Nancy Gossard, Wellness Editor|Updated Apr 17, 2019

    Our bodies need prebiotics, probiotics and a healthy microbiome. I like vegetables so much that I could eat only them and vegetables do have something that meat does not have naturally: Prebiotics. From wiki: Prebiotics: a substrate that is selectively used by a host microorganism to produce a health benefit. Compounds that can be classified as prebiotics must also meet the following criteria: • non-digestible and resistant to breakdown by stomach acid and enzymes in the h...

  • Healthy Blueberries Ready to Pick

    Nancy Gossard, Staff Writer|Updated Apr 3, 2019

    It's blueberry season, and blueberries are good for your health. Crown Jewel Farms U-Pick season opened April 1 for blueberries. We are fortunate to be able to get certified organic produce this good in our back yard. Their address is 106 Egg Farm Road in Lake Wales. Their phone number is 863-528-2402. Their website is https://crownjewelorganic.com/ Right now they also have cabbage, cucumbers, and kale. Egg Farm Road is on the west side of Scenic Highway between Mountain Lake...

  • Easy Extra Spicy Black Bean Butternut Squash Chili

    Nancy Gossard, Wellness Editor|Updated Mar 26, 2019

    Easy Spicy Black Bean Butternut Squash Chili WFPBNO (whole food plant based no oil) Ingredients 1# butternut squash, after peeling and chopping 1 15.5 oz. can black beans 1 10 oz. can Rotel, Hot 1 medium onion (150g, although I used a large onion) 3 cloves garlic 2T mild chili powder 1t cumin 1/8t cinnamon 2.3 oz espresso 1 1/3 C water total or more to taste Avocado for topping, optional Instructions Dice onion Sauté in 1/3 cup water over medium heat Peel squash, cut in half...

  • USDA.gov as a Resource

    Nancy Gossard|Updated Mar 23, 2019

    "The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is made up of 29 agencies and offices with nearly 100,000 employees who serve the American people at more than 4,500 locations across the country and abroad," states the website. For Wellness, we will focus on just a few things from this magnificent department: Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP), Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), and National Agricultural Library (NAL). I have used the food database available...

  • Brene- Brown Lessons for Life

    Nancy Gossard, Wellness Editor|Updated Mar 13, 2019

    "Connection is why we're here. It's what gives purpose and meaning to our lives. This is what it's all about." Brene' Brown says this three minutes into her Ted Talk recorded June 2010, The Power of Vulnerability, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCvmsMzlF7o This video has over 36 million views. She has authored five books and has links to five videos on her web site, https://brenebrown.com. She says courage involves uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure and that learning...

  • Easiest Blue Cheese Dressing

    Nancy Gossard|Updated Mar 7, 2019

    Easiest Blue Cheese Dressing 4 oz. blue cheese ½ C sour cream ½ C mayonnaise Pulse in a mini food processor just until blended. My mother made this for special occasions when I was young. She pushed the blue cheese through a sieve to make tiny particles of all of it. Then she added the rest and stirred to combine. You can do it her way or the easy way. It’s a clean, simple, tasty dressing....

  • Know These Food Safety Basics

    Nancy Gossard, Wellness Editor|Updated Mar 7, 2019

    There are some basics that are good for everyone to know and follow. Getting sick unnecessarily isn't worth the risk. Food fight trivia: Some of us growing up followed the 5-second rule for food that was dropped on the floor. That was the belief that food that had only been on the floor for five seconds was safe to eat. The Journal of Applied and Environmental Microbiology reported that the longer the food was in contact with a germy surface, the more contaminated it became....

  • Vegan vs. American Heart Diet

    Nancy Gossard, Wellness Editor|Updated Mar 7, 2019

    Has someone you love had a stroke or heart attack? Can what we eat impact our health in a dramatic way? This study says yes. 100 people with existing coronary issues changed their diets to try and prevent a second coronary issue. JAHA, the Journal of the American Heart Association, (AHA) reported last November on the findings from a trial of 100 people with existing coronary artery disease. They wanted to see if diet affected secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease...

  • Good Shepherd Welcomes New Rector

    Nancy Gossard, Wellness Editor|Updated Feb 25, 2019

    The Reverend Tim Nunez is committed to helping families raise their children in the faith so they can become leaders for the next generation. Nunez is the new rector at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd at 221 S.4th Street in Lake Wales. He began preaching at Good Shepherd in December, became Rector Jan. 1, and had the celebration of a new ministry on Sunday, Jan. 27, followed by a reception. Nunez served under Bishop Greg Brewer as Canon to the Ordinary for the...

  • BOOK REVIEW: Full Catastrophe Living . . .

    Nancy Gossard, Wellness Editor|Updated Feb 25, 2019

    BOOK REVIEW: Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness (1991) by Jon Kabat-Zinn I am sure that not everyone interested in a "mindfulness" practice is ill or in pain or stressed out, but certainly a large number of Americans appear to be. If you are well, the 8-week program in the book can still help you. This is a secular program and different from Centering Prayer or Christian meditations. From a December 2017 article by...

  • Healthy Recipe of the Week

    Nancy Gossard, Wellness Editor|Updated Feb 19, 2019

    Low Carb Meatloaf 2 # grass fed ground beef 85/15 2 T butter, unsalted Zucchini 250g (8.8 oz.) 1 ½ red pepper 250g ½ large onion 125g 1 egg ¼ t red pepper flakes 2 t soy sauce 1/2 t table salt 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce ½ t thyme 1 serving = 1/8 of the loaf, carbs- 3.6725, protein- 91, fats- 20.7 Grate the onion, peppers, & zucchini then sauté in the unsalted butter until the liquid has evaporated. Combine the egg & seasonings in a large bowl. Add the meat & veggies to t...

  • Better Sleep

    Nancy Gossard, Welless Editor|Updated Feb 16, 2019

    An estimated 50-70 million Americans have some type of sleep disorder. About 25 percent of Americans experience acute insomnia each year, but about 75 percent of these individuals recover without developing persistent or chronic insomnia, according to a June 2018 article in Science Daily from a study by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, That leaves around 40,712,500 with chronic insomnia. From a June 2016 Harvard Health Letter: T...

  • Healthy Recipe of the Week

    Nancy Gossard, Wellness Editor|Updated Feb 14, 2019

    HEALTHY RECIPE OF THE WEEK Eat a salad every day Unless you have a health issue that forbids it, one of the best things you can do is eat a salad every day, even on a low carb diet. Sixteen ounces, one pound, of baby butter lettuce has only 10.67g carbs and when you subtract the fiber of 5.4g, your net carbs are 5.27g. For a pound! I'm probably the only person who has thought she could eat a whole pound of lettuce in one sitting. I don't recommend actually trying it. Bagged le...

  • What to Expect from Wellness Section

    Nancy Gossard, Wellness Editor|Updated Feb 11, 2019

    Wellness is a broad term, but my hope as editor of this section is to provide articles that are informative and practical to our lives. I plan to cover body, mind, and spirit since we need to be healthy in all these areas, at least as much as we can be, to get the most out of life. For instance, the City of Lake Wales web site has a link for adult activities that lists shuffleboard, tennis, pickleball, ultimate Frisbee, and bridge. https://www.cityoflakewal...