Better Living through Chemistry

Funny things happen as you get older. Words become smaller, you make weird noises when you go to stand up weird splotches show up on your skin...etc. I have to admit, I'm not as young as I used to be. My brain wants to believe I am though. In a way, I kind of like this age. When I was younger, I wasn't very adventurous. As I've gotten older, I either have built up some courage or gotten dumber, but either way, I have definitely accepted more riskier challenges.
     What caused this change of attitude? Several years ago I started having some health issues. I went to the doctor who gave me some medicine for my symptoms and sent me on my way. The symptoms were better but not gone and it made me wonder. There are so many medicines out there for the symptoms but what about really taking care of the core problem. I set out to find a doctor that focused on taking care of the problem instead of taking care of the symptoms. My findings were very interesting.
     We have long heard, in order to be healthy, doctors want you to eat right and get some exercise. Well most of us don't know how to eat right now days. We are so busy and there are so many different fast food chains on every corner we choose convenience over healthy just about every time. That, along with the way crops are grown now, it's actually hard, even if you try eating healthy to actually get the nutrients you need on a daily basis.
     The food we eat now is just not as nutritious as it used to be. Crops aren't rotated to let the soil replenish the vitamins and therefore what we eat just doesn't give our bodies the vitamins and minerals they need to stay healthy. So what happens? We get sick.
     Seventy percent of people in America are on some form of prescription medication right now. That is astounding! I was one of them. I used to take a handful of medication every day for anything from allergies to stomach pills to cholesterol. There is a high percentage of Americans taking statin medications for cholesterol. Along with that, a high percentage of Americans taking medication to balance their blood sugar. A third high percentage of Americans take medications for anxiety or depression.
     What I found out is some of the issues might be caused by a lack of nutrition. Our bodies need the nutrients or they start to break down. Do I still take a handful of pills? Yes. But now I take supplements. After changing my diet and adding supplements, I started to feel better, and when I mean better, I mean than I had felt in YEARS. I started exercising at the gym and building my body up to the point I wanted to try new things. No matter what your age, you can still exercise, lift weights and get out and have fun.

 

So what are some of the nutrients people might need to add to their diets? 

 

1. Omega 3 fatty acids- help lower cholesterol, improves brain function, lowers inflammation. Found in oily fish like Tuna

2. Vitamin D- helps strengthen bones but also may help balance blood sugar, help with lung function, balance moods and promote sleep. It's commonly found in milk

3. Get your Bs-  B12 and B6-A deficiency in B vitamins can cause Anemia along with depression, memory loss, instability, muscle weakness, numbness and tingling in your extremities and stomach issues. Green leafy vegetables and whole grains and nuts are great sources for this vitamin.

4. Along with your B vitamins Niacin is a common nutrient that is deficient in the body. Niacin is Vitamin B3 and it is huge in heart health. If someone is battling with cholesterol issues, they may be Niacin deficient. Niacin not only helps lower the LDL but raise the HDL. It also can help protect your skin, aids in digestion and also helps with muscle weakness or pain. Another major benefit to Niacin is it helps with anxiety and depression. Foods high in Niacin are Poultry and pork, peanuts and Avocados. 

5. Magnesium-has been found to aid in the lowing of the A1c level for those with Type II diabetes. It also has been shown to lower blood pressure, help prevent migraines, has anti-inflammatory benefits, reduces depression and reduces PMS symptoms. It can be found in green leafy vegetables, meat proteins and nuts. 

Ultimately it is a great idea to increase your intake of green leafy vegetables (spinach, kale, and other greens,), nuts, berries, avocados and lean protein and fish and decrease the processed foods and sugars but again, although eating healthier will increase the nutrients you may still need added supplements.

BUT 

Before you dump out your prescriptions and head off to your local GNC to hop on the healthy bandwagon, get a blood test. It's easy enough to find out what supplements you might need just by getting a simple blood test. Also, research the different supplement brands to make sure they are high quality. There are plenty out there that aren't worth the cotton that is stuffed inside.

Joy comes in the morning

     Joy. That unexplained rush that comes over you that makes the corners of your mouth tip up or maybe even cause you to burst with laughter. There are no good words to describe the feeling of joy but everyone yearns for it.
     There is one thing that I can guarantee that feeling to arise in me. A sunrise. It is one of my favorite things in life. In my first novel, and I am sure many others to come, I write about the beauty of a sunrise. It can not only evoke a smile but tears. Standing on the beach or in my yard, it doesn't matter, a sunrise filled with color will definitely start my day off right.
     I normally get up before dawn and am on the road at sunrise. I have stopped many times just to take in the beauty of the sky.
     I have wished many times I had the talent to paint a large painting of a sunrise that I could hang in my house just so I could look at it any time I wanted. But, I don't think it could capture the true essence of the colors the sky holds.
     Being a shutterbug, I have taken many photos of  sunrises. But again, as I look at my photos, none compare to the real thing. There is something about watching the sun crest over the horizon, and the colors of pinks, yellows, purples, oranges and blues dance among the clouds that fills me with a peace yet sets my soul on fire.

     There is a Winnie the Pooh cartoon called Cloud Painting that depicts how I feel when I see a sunrise.
     Have you stopped to really take in a beautiful sunrise lately? Set your clock. Get a good cup of coffee and a good view, and soak it up.

Take a hike

In my new book that I am working on, my characters go on a hike. I love to hike, but that was not always the case. Hiking scared me. The only thing I saw on TV was people hiking in wilderness with no path or any way to find their way home. They climbed steep rocks and rappelled and that definitely was nothing I was interested in. All I could picture was me getting lost, my body never to be found. I will continue to leave that kind of hiking to the extreme hikers.  But, trust me, if you have never been hiking, you need to try it. There are plenty of hiking trails all over this beautiful nation that don’t require climbing mountain faces or repelling from steep cliffs. These hiking TRAILS reveal some of the most spectacular landscapes and breathtaking scenes that you wouldn’t find from the seat of your car..

One of my most favorite trips was to Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon. Nothing could have prepared me for the feeling I had hiking down trails surrounded by towering rock formations in multiple shades of browns and reds.

The trails we followed were well marked with how long the trail was and how easy it was. I don’t know if all places are marked accordingly but for us, this was a huge factor as to whether we hiked it or not.

I distinctly remember one place we stopped at. We had left Zion and were headed to Bryce Canyon and pulled off when we saw a sign. There was a trail that was about a quarter of a mile down to a cave. We decided to check it out. Photos just could not do justice to what we found. This cave had pillars of ice extending from floor to ceiling in the most beautiful crystal blue color. It was one of my most favorite finds of the whole trip and I would have never scene it had we just driven through the area. It was like finding a treasure.

Just a few words of wisdom though if you plan to hike for the first time.
1. Always wear sunscreen no matter what, and probably a hat and shades
2. Always wear bug spray no matter what
3. Always wear well fitted comfortable shoes (that have been broken in) made the mistake of buying hiking boots for a trip once. I will never do that again!
4. Always bring water with you.
5. If you are hiking in areas like Bryce Canyon that is in a higher elevation, be wary of altitude sickness.
6. Take your time. It’s not a race. Enjoy the view
7. Watch out for wild animals.
8. Never go hiking alone, even if you are on a trail. It’s not as fun if you don’t have someone to share it with.
9. Take some snacks with you on longer hikes to keep your fuel up. Natural energy bars are great.
10. Plan plan plan! This probably should have been number one but do some research. Find a map of the trails and figure out which ones you want to hike beforehand, then when you get there ask the locals.
Also TAKE PHOTOS!
Have fun on your adventures this summer!

In the Beginning

Well I guess you have to start somewhere so here we go. I am pretty new at blogging. You would think as a writer blogging would be a no-brainer but I just never thought of it until one of my writer friends suggested it. After I decided to try my hand at it, I began to wonder what I would say. What would I actually blog about? I decided that since I had several interests, that would be where I would start. Once I figured that out, well, I needed a title. Since I like to write romance novels, I wanted something that gave a *wink* *wink* *nod* *nod* that direction. Hence, Unexpected Passions was born.

So what are my passions exactly? I love writing. I am not really new at writing, I realized recently I have actually been writing since I was a kid. I can remember writing poems as a child. I wrote songs as a teen. As a young adult I wrote short stories, plays and skits. It wasn't until recently though that I took up writing romance novels and have had a ball letting my imagination spill out onto the page. From time to time I might share a little bit of my writing through my blog.

I am also passionate about health. Being that I am "at that age" where things start to go south, I have realized how important it is to exercise and eat healthy. I will be sharing some of the different information I find and tips on being healthy.

Music is another passion of mine. I have sung on many stages and worked in the music industry throughout my life. Music does something to me. I love when I get sucked into a song to the point where I can feel my emotions kick in. Music, to me, is not just notes on a page or a vibrato in a voice or even a heavy drum beat. Music is the perfect coming together or instruments, melody and lyrics to tell a story through song. I will be sharing different pieces I find that speak to my soul.

Other areas I might write about are travel, which I do from time to time. I haven't been far far away yet, maybe someday, but there are fascinating places in our own backyards so I hope to share some of those on here sometimes.

Also, I love to take photos.

Sometimes my photos are just great landscapes or pretty flowers or beautiful people. Just what strikes my fancy at the time.

My passions reach far and wide. You never know what might come across this page, but I am hoping that whatever it is, it brings joy into someone's life.