Peppermint, a treat whether sweet or not

The Christmas season is a time when peppermint (candy) is ever popular.  When I was a little girl, as much as I liked candy, Christmas candy was my least favorite.  It reminded me of medicine, though without other choices, I’ll admit, I still ate it.  I now realize those Christmas candies were spiced with herbs like anise, fennel, ginger etc.  But the herbal candy that was always a treat was the abundant peppermint.  Many years passed before I learned that peppermint wasn’t a candy, but was actually a powerful and useful herb.

I’ll never forget back when I was in high school and totally ignorant about diet, healthy foods or herbs.  At the time my mother was being introduced to herbals teas and such and asked me if I’d like some peppermint tea.  My response was that I was not interested in tea that had peppermint added to it.  Boy, did I have it “bass ackwards”.

Peppermint is an awesome green leafy herb that grows profusely and has a great number of healing properties.   Although it’s classified as a stimulant it also has the dual ability of soothing you.   It’s used to treat indigestion, flatulence, respiratory problems, headache, nausea, fever, stomach and bowel spasms and pain.  Not to mention, peppermint oil keeps the mice away.

We’ve all used toothpaste and mouthwash laced with Peppermint oil.  This multi-purpose herb is an antiseptic and as such is very useful for dental care.  It removes bad breath and helps teeth and gums deal with germs.  Peppermint is also found in soaps, lotions, and many other beauty products.

Over the years I have used peppermint tea to aid in digestion and to just have a soothing and relaxing experience.  So during this season when the candy canes abound, be reminded that the real unadulterated herb (minus the sugar) can be taken to address any number of concerns, or sipped as a tea to both relax and invigorate you.

Have a cup of tea for me and tell me how has peppermint peppered your life?

Happy Holy days!

From Yuk to Yum: Adventures with Kale, a superfood

I have both good news and bad news folks. First, let’s tackle the bad news, winter is here and it’s just the beginning. Now for the good news, kale is in season and in abundance! Kale is most certainly my favorite super food and I love to share the benefits I have experienced getting to know this amazing vegetable.

Nearly nine years ago, I was boasting to a friend about my transformation from a fast-food eating junkie to a nuts & seeds kind of gal. I felt good about my journey and had not realized how much more I had to learn until he offered me a green juice. Just minutes before, he had requested that we take a short meeting break so that he could make a snack. As I watched him load his juicer with spinach, an apple, some celery, parsley and kale, I grew less envious of his taste buds. At that time, my favorite snack was cheese and crackers or potato chips.

When he asked for the second time, I politely declined then smiled to assure him that I was cool. As he began to drink the green elixir, my face turned upside down; and, without thinking, I spurted out the word, Yuck! – as if to speak for his tongue. He immediately poured me the remainder and said, “Girl, you’re not a kid anymore and it won’t kill you. Drink this, it works wonders for the mind and body.” Well he was not lying. That was my first real encounter with juicing. Back then, the word juice evoked feelings of sweet goodness and fruity effervescence not green sludge. I grabbed the glass and closed my eyes as if to say, “I’m a big girl, just watch and see.” I was terrified but it didn’t taste that bad so I asked him for the recipe.

One of the main ingredients is this green sludge concoction was kale. I had rarely eaten kale while growing up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I was not sure if it was due to in-availability or simply my family’s inexperience with food outside of the soul food paradigm i.e. collard greens, green beans, corn, yams, or carrots. I now know it was the latter.

Shortly after, I joined our neighborhood Food Coop and begin to buy bunches of kale. Today, I can’t go ten days without it — and even that’s a long time. Also, my favorite type of kale is lacinato or black kale (aka dinosaur kale); it has proven to be a source of strength, energy, and inspiration to me.

A member of the wild cabbage family and siblings to the following vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and collard greens, kale is a great source of iron, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin K.

Twice in the last eight years, my eyeglass prescription has been changed for the better. It seems as though my eyesight is getting better with age. I am often mistaken for a twenty-five year old although I’ll be thirty-nine next summer. Most days I am able to accomplish huge TO DO lists with ease. It’s my belief that kale has a great deal to do with this. Of course, regular exercise, plenty of water and rest, plus my ability to resist eating junk or processed foods have had a huge impact as well.

Unlike last winter, I am staying in New York in order to complete a book project and I am going to need all the kale I can devour. If you are looking for a new love, then pick up a bunch of kale and give thanks for its healing powers and nutritional benefits. It is an antioxidant which means that it contains nutrients and enzymes that counteract the damaging effects of oxidation in tissue — preventing the development of chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, rheumatoid arthritis, and cataracts.

Next time you are shopping for produce or groceries, pick up a bunch of kale and make a commitment to include more green veggies in your daily food intake. It will make all the difference this winter with regards to your skin, hair, nails, eyesight, energy levels, mood, and immune health.

Ideas for what to do with kale:

Always, chop gently, then rinse and soak thoroughly in cool water then:

• 1. Steam it or cook in a very small amount of boiling water. This takes 6 minutes.
• 2. Add it at the end of any stew or soup e.g. lentil soup, potato leek, or even chili.
• 3. Marinate overnight with some olive oil or sesame oil, apple cider vinegar, diced red onion and garlic
• 4. Sauté with olive oil and other yummy vegetables such as collard greens, corn, shredded carrots, beets, or turnips then serve with rice or quinoa on the side.

Try drinking the broth of your greens in the morning, it is much healthier than coffee and will give you an extra boost.

Servings: One bunch feeds four people depending on the size of the bunch.

(add salt and pepper if you wish but you don’t really need it)

Important Note: Kale, as well as other greens, is best eaten when it is a bright green color in order to preserve the nutritional content; therefore be careful not to over cook them. Lacinato kale takes a bit longer to cook than the other kale varieties.

Happy Winter and May all of your dreams come true!

KalaLea is a writer, photographer, world traveler, and former organic cafe owner who is currently working on her first book about her favorite past time, eating.

Give Thanks!

Have you been feeling a little down, sad, sorry for yourself?  One technique for putting these feelings in perspective is to consider your blessings.  There are those who vouch for Oprah’s idea of keeping a gratitude journal for all the reasons you have to be grateful.  We have an untold number of blessings that we take for granted every moment of every day.  But when you think of it, I guess it’s natural to do so, take so much for granted.

This past Thanksgiving weekend I was in the company of not one, but two loved ones who can no longer depend on themselves.  They are sick, very sick.  I won’t go into the details, but when was the last time you thanked God for the fact that everyday, no one helps you out of bed, or has to bathe you?  No one is required to dress you and get you into and out of a wheel chair.  Each day, most of you reading this post wake up, throw your legs off the bed, stand on your own two feet and then off you go to where ever in heaven you’d like to go.  Think about that.  That’s major!   But when was the last time you thought about the fact that that’s a pretty tremendous blessing, having that independence of movement?

Most of you are probably reading this post without any oxygen tube up your nose.  You’re breathing in and out all day on your on.  So take a long, deep breath, and Give Thanks.  Some of you may have loved ones in your life who aren’t so fortunate and you may even be their primary care takers.  In that case, you may be tired and overwhelmed.  And what I’m saying may not come close to the gravity of the challenges you face everyday.  But Give Thanks, you are on the giving instead of the receiving end of this situation.  You are blessed as many of us are.

If you’re really down in the dumps and life is feeling very difficult right now, it is not my intention to minimize your experience.  If you situation is chronic I encourage you to seek out the support you need.  The options for resources addressing your needs are many.  So do something that will honor you and your spirit.  And remember through it all to Give Thanks!

What are your plans?

Talk about being spooked!  I don’t consider myself the scary type and I’m definitely not the immunization taking type.  I hadn’t taken vaccination shots since being a kid.  It wasn’t until I found out I had to take a heap of shots (that cost a pretty penny) before traveling to Bali, back in 2007, that I finally acquiesced.  Unfortunately, I had some adverse reactions to the shots that weren’t pleasant.  For me that was nearly a deal breaker.  I am wary of vaccines.  Not to mention the fact that I’m from the clan where most of my friends did not have their children vaccinated and those children grew up to be fine adults with no adverse childhood diseases.

Just the fall-out I experience from taking antibiotics is enough for me to chuck down a truckload of garlic, vitamin C, acidophilous and whatever other natural immune boasters I can get my hands on.

But on Sunday while watching the “60 Minutes” segment on the H1NI virus, I started having doubts and began to wonder should I re-think my position on this topic.  It was a scary notion to imagine not being armed for this potential killer.  But then the program ended and I began to come by to my senses.  I decided, I am not going to be frightened into taking this vaccine.  Though I firmly believe that now is the time to take stock of how strong are our immune systems.  I decided I’d take a closer look into what are some of the natural alternatives are for building up one’s immunity.  One of the basic things we all should remember is to get our rest.  Allowing yourself to get run-down and exhausted is one way of just asking for trouble.

In the meantime, I thought I’d check in with you and see what your plans are.  Are you going to get the H1N1 vaccine?  If so, why and if not, what are your plans to make certain you’re armed against this potential killer?

Do You Switch It Up?

Dear friend, it’s been some time since I weighed in on “our” exercise regime.  And what I’m wondering is, are there other folks out there like me, who need to switch it up?  I know that there are those who jog nearly every day of the year and others that go to the gym on a regular basis.  But I’ve noticed over the years, there’s just no one exercise program that I can ever stick to year in and year out.  I have to switch it up.

For instance, for most of the summer, when I could get my workout on, I did power walking in the park and yoga on alternate days.  When the weather is warm and beautiful, I just cannot be cooped up indoors working out at a gym or at home.  I have to be outdoors experiencing all that nature has to offer, the rays of the sun, the flowers and the trees in bloom and all that you take in from the great outdoors, without even realizing that you do.

But as soon as it starts getting cold, I’m the first one to scamper back indoors to get my exercise on.  Friends have told me that they marvel at the fact that I can workout at home.  They’ve mentioned that they need to be in an environment where others are working out, in order to feel motivated.  But when it’s cold outside, I love working out at home because it’s simple.  I just put on my gym gear, put the DVD in the player and do the darn thing.  I don’t have to pack a gym bag, get in the car and drive to the gym, praying for a parking space on the right side of the street (a NY thing).  I don’t have to then scurry back home to get ready for work.  And working out at night after work, is out of the question; you may as well expect me to climb Mount Everett.  So working out at home in the morning, before going to work, is just convenient and saves travel time.  Now if there were a descent gym in walking distance, that would be a great option.

And guys, I’m not ashamed to admit it, I never made it through the P90X, 90-day challenge.  I did my best and I left the rest (as they say over and over on the P90X dvd).  At this point getting through the 90-day challenge is no longer a goal of mine.  It was much more than my schedule or my body could handle.  I did try over and over, but I finally decided that perhaps this wasn’t the best way for me to do P90X.  It didn’t leave me enough time to fit my yoga in.  So now I’m back to what works for me, yoga one day, P90X the next and on and on like that.  It has to work for you or you’ll end up doing nothing.  And that’s not an option!

I have to say though that the P90X workout still amazes me.  I love it! What I love about it is besides the challenge, is the unbelievable variety of exercises.  There are 12 different DVDs in a box set, so you receive almost two weeks of different exercises targeting different muscle groups everyday.  What they refer to as muscle confusion.  This is really a first class workout.  And NO, I’m not getting paid a dime to endorse them.  I just think it’s a phenomenal program.  I’m never bored, instead I’m usually giving myself a peep talk, reminding myself, that I can do this.  In addition to this workout being quite challenging, it’s also a lot of fun. The instructor is a  hoot!  He never stops encouraging you, coaching you and telling weird but funny jokes.  And when you finally reach the end of that day’s workout, you’re so proud of yourself, that you actually made it through it again.  Not all the DVDs in the set are gangbusters.  Some of the DVDs have anaerobic exercises.  But it’s very wise to go at your own rate.  BTW, if you’re considering  P90X, start with some of their other programs, like P90, Slim or 10 Minute Trainer workouts.  These are less intense and prepare you for P90X.

Another plus regarding the P90X workout is that it’s so intense that it forces you to step up your nutritional intake (supplements and the like) and get adequate sleep.  You cannot stay up all hours of the night, eat junk and do this work out.  No way!

But enough of P90X and what I’m doing.  What are you doing these days to get your exercise on?  Or what do you do on a regular?  Do you keep to one form of exercise or do you switch it up depending on your mood, the season, or when you travel or what?   I’d like to know what folks are doing out there to keep their hearts in shape, get their adrenaline flowing, and limbs and muscles stretched?  Let me know, do you switch it up or is there that one thing that just does it for you? Let me know.

Simple joy

There are some things that can cause you to smile and offer you a glimpse into the experience of pure joy.  And often, it’s the simple things that bring you joy.  If you’re not paying attention, you might miss the moment that delighted your heart.  I know these heart warmers can be very different for everyone, but here is a list of my favorites:

receiving a personal letter in the mail ( a very rare occurrence these days)

shelling my pistachios and then coming across those few that are already shelled – yummy

writing on beautiful stationary (like I did tonight)

Having a dear friend unexpectedly stop by for a visit (extremely rare)

having guest spend the weekend at our home

the right kind of music at the right time

a luscious kiss

inhaling intoxicating (essential oil) fragrances

a really good meal

an early morning drive

receiving unexpected money

realizing the beauty of sister love /girlfriend appreciation -having a BFF

connecting with the eyes of a baby /inhaling their sweet smell

experiencing serendipity in all its myriad forms

knowing you’re loved

wool socks

know you’ve accomplished a job/project very well done

Tell me some of your simple joy initiators.

The Legs Are The Last To Go

On a little vacation with my sister friends this August I was in my glory just having hours of nothing to do but sit under an umbrella and read.  I love reading, that’s my idea of precious time.  I decided to check out Diahann Carroll’s book, “The Legs Are The Last To Go” Aging, Acting, Marrying and Other Things I Learned The Hard Way.   Honey, make no mistake Diahann Carroll is a bona-fide Diva, in every sense of the word.  And she make no qualms in telling you so.  I enjoyed her audaciousness, her decision to reveal herself warts and all; as well as to celebrate herself.

Diahann tells about her pivotal rise to fame growing up sheltered in a secure and upwardly mobile family in Harlem N.Y.  One of Diahann’s issues that she really focuses on is her revelation regarding her pattern with men.  She speaks plainly about being savvy when it came to her career, networking, moving up, living the high life.  She is  the consummate professional who is laser when it comes to her career.  She did her research, was always prepared etc.,  but when it came to men, she’d somehow loose her common sense, take out her blinders and proceed to attempt to deem her light as to not out shine her partners and to look the other way as they made life for her difficult and unbearable.  She traces this behavior back to the bewildering confusion she experienced due to a decision that her parents made when she was a wee-tot, that lead her to the unshakable feelings of abandonment.

Every woman has her reasons why she feels it’s necessary to become inauthentic to herself, just to stay in a relationship, to help a man feel secure, to keep the peace in a relationship, or avoid being alone or to hang on to this man you just have to have.  Whitney and Diahann aren’t the only ones!

Thank goodness despite our efforts, some times we are helped in these situations.  Either we come to our senses or are driven there to avoid going stock raving mad.  Some times we seek professional guidance, or our internal GPS just knows we’re on the wrong road and will help us to navigate back to self possession.  Other times guardian angels just rescue us.

Ms. Carroll, basically tells how it took her darn near to her seventies to finally get it, that she is whole, with or without a man.  Hot damn, at least she got it.  I highly recommend “The Legs Are The Last To Go“.  It’s a historical journey of a sister who remains at the top of her game in an industry that few African Americans of her generation have been able to navigate with the success and “ease” that Ms. Carroll has accomplished.  Say what you want about Ms. Carroll, she has my vote, warts and all!

The Flux of Autumn Love

One thing I’ve come to realize about myself is, how much I am affected by the seasons.   Am I stating the obvious?  I believe that some of us are much more affected by the change of season than others.  I first noticed the influence of the seasons on my moods in my first year of college, while attending Brockport University in upstate NY (8 hours north of the city).  The seasons were brilliantly different and so very extreme, colorful and magical.  At night the sky would seem to hang just above the treetops.  Most nights one could hardly see the sky it was so filled with stars.  It was as though  you could touch the sky and tug at the stars, if you just had a ladder.

I also lived in Miami for almost a year in the late ’70’s.  The fact that I actually missed the change of the seasons in Miami, floored me.  The same weather month in and month out, though nice and warm, got to be a bit boring.  The only changes were the torrential rains.

But I digress, my point is the impact of the changing seasons on my mood never ceases to amaze me; this is especially true of autumn.  The conflicting feelings that autumn evokes,  puts me in a state of emotional flux.

What I love about early autumn is the temperate nature of it not being too hot or too cold; kind of feeling just right.  Like all seasons, autumn is a great time to be in love.  You can go on long walks, go apple picking, or head out on a road trip to view the brilliant display of color of the fall foliage. It’s a great time to snuggle up and taste some exotic teas, take long baths or lay around and read a great book,  magazines or the Times or just “sleep in”.  And autumn always seems like a great time to get back get back to your art project(s).

I am also sadden by autumn, because there are those times when the wind whips up, the air gets damp and cool, and you’re reminded of the inevitable cold of late autumn and the winter that will proceed.  Not to mention that income/business always slows down in the fall.  The garden begins to dry up and the flowers look spent…

I’m remembering though, that being “Present” can help with those depressing thoughts.  I must remember that; to just be here with the here and now. Right now it’s not too cold and it’s not too hot.  It’s beautiful outside, I have some beautiful fall flowers in the garden, that autumn crispness is in the air and I’m gearing up for a road trip to see the colors on display.  Ahhh the wonders of fall…

Lost in Space

When did it get like this? that I don’t feel totally me with out my side-kick a.k.a. my iphone.   There used to be a time when I’d leave my house and if I had left my phone at home,  it was no biggie, I had a land-line at work.   But if I leave my cell home these day, there’s no doubt about the fact that I’m doubling back to  fetch it.  Forget American Express’s slogan about not leaving home with out it!  How about WON’T [knowingly] leave home with out my iphone.

So imagine my angst when yesterday, my cell became MIA;  it suddenly disappeared.  One moment I had it, was talking on it via my car speakers.  I ended the conversation, got out my car, walk into the salon, and when I was ready to leave about an hour later, was when I realized I no longer had my phone.  I retraced my steps and looked everywhere numerous times.  My guess is that it was in my lap and when I got out of the car it dropped from my lap to the ground and I just didn’t see or hear it.   Who the hell knows, all I know is that when I proceeded to try go run my other errands there was this strange force that drove me like a homing devise directly to the Apple store!

I had said to myself on the way to my first errand, “Oh it’ll show up, I’ll give it till Monday and then if it doesn’t show up, I’ll have to get another one.  This I’m thinking as I head straight to the Apple store.  I felt like a stone cold addict, out for my fix!  Crazy!

I met a women while waiting on line who told me the amazing story about how her phone was snatched from her by a gang of young boys while she was texting at the top of the train steps.  She is white and I wondered if the young boys were black and this was confirmed when she told me how she had the police drive her around the East New York, section of Brooklyn for two hours, looking for the culprits.

But this lady was no slouch.  She said she took off after them down the subway steps, hopped over the turn-stile just as they did, bolted onto the subway and pleaded with the conductor to shut the doors while she searched for them.  He refused.  She went on to say how amazed she was by the fact that no one stepped up to help her, everyone acted like, oh well, too bad, it’s not my problem.

She then went on a rant about how Apple is a rip off because it really wouldn’t cost them much to to track your phone if stolen or lost.  Apple does offer a service called Mobile Me (an application that will locate your phone) but all the culprit or lucky stiff has to do is remove the sim card and no tracking can be done. Though I’m told that many have located their phones using Mobile Me.

My beef as I thought about this is why does AT&T allow people to come in and buy new sim cards for a phone without verifying that the phone isn’t a lost or stolen device?  Well the reason they don’t, is because that means more business for the both of them, Apple and AT &T.  Why should they help you when if they don’t, you’ll have to purchase another unit and another person will have to purchase a new phone service agreement?  It’s about the Benjamins Baby!

When it was said and done, budget, patience, indignation went out the window and within an hour she had her new phone and  I had my new iphone.  Before hand,  I was really feeling lost in space; no phone, no music, no calendar, no text or email at my finger tips…  My saving grace was I was eligible for an upgrade, which allowed me to make the purchase for less than half of what it normally cost.  Otherwise the cost is stupid crazy.  No wonder these kids are snatching phones???  The game of capitalism plays itself out and the ugly side rears its ugly head.

What are your thoughts on all this?  Are you a technology junkie, hooked, can’t be without your iphone or crack berry for days at a time?  Would you hold out for three or four days and hope your devise somehow showed up?  Last famous words, let me know.