Unnatural Necessity: Making the Daily Commute Delightful!

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Delightful Commuting? Okay, that may always be a bit of stretch but there are ways to make the daily crawl better. Trust me, I’m an expert! I’ve been driving on average three hours a day, five days a week for two years and 10 months. The first year really sucked but I have learned a few tips and tricks that I will now pass onto you.

Tip #1: Be prepared

Shit happens sometimes. When you have over 30 miles to cover each way like I do, you’re going to be late from time to time. I live on an island. So, when there’s an accident (or two or three) you just sit at a total standstill for a half hour, utterly trapped. However, if you’re already running late when you encounter a mess like that… you’re going to be massively late and you don’t want that to happen. So, make sure you are out the door in enough time to reasonably make it to work.

Tip #2: Get as much as you can done before you leave

This is something I just learned recently. The morning is when you will have the most energy. If you are like me and spend easily half the day at work or going to and from it, you’re going to be tired at night. I usually come home, shower, eat dinner, relax a little and go to sleep. Exercise is not going to happen at night for me. I would also recommend that you do something every day that makes you happy before you leave. So, you’ll have something to smile about on your way to work.

Tip #3 Make your nose happy

I am a fan of aromatherapy. I have an arsenal of essential oils that I use daily on me, around me and sometimes in me. I diffuse scent in my car as well as my home. You can too. All it takes is a little diffuser that you can plug into your car’s cigarette lighter socket. I can change the scent in the car to suit my mood (or improve it.) Stuck in traffic, I might go with lavender. If I feel sluggish, I might reach for grapefruit or peppermint. Peppermint, by the way, is really great for motion sickness!

Tip #4 Make your ears happy

I used to listen to news throughout my whole commute. Big mistake! I often felt crabby and irritable or sad by the time I got to work, about all the miserable things being reported that I felt helpless to change. Now, I mostly listen to audiobooks. A long commute is a great time to indulge in your favorite genre, finally “read” the classics you never seem to get to or take time for self-improvement. Of course, there is always music. Just make sure you’re paying attention and not playing a big air guitar or dashboard drum solo!

Tip#5 Stretch when you get out of the car

When you are stuck, seated, in your car for a long time, you tend to want to jump out of the car and run into your destination. Try slowly making your way out of your vehicle. Stretch your legs and rotate your feet before standing. Then stretch your arms overhead, shifting your weight to both sides and stretching up from center. Rotate your shoulders. Twist from side to side. Have you ever noticed your dog or cat doing this when they have been curled up for a while? It’s natural for them. Try it. You’ll like it!

Tip #6 Change up your route from time to time

Familiarity breeds contempt. Taking the same route five days a week, every week, year after year, can feel relentless, repetitive… boring! Change it up sometimes. Every once in a while, I’ll go a little out of my way and drive home along the water. Seeing the water always makes me happy. Instead of stopping for gas when you get home, pull off the parkway where the traffic backs up and get it early. You’ll get a little break and ensure you won’t leave it off until tomorrow because you were too tired when you got home. Also, it’s good for your brain! (More on this in another post.)

I hope you found some of these tips helpful. What do you do to make your commute bearable? Please leave a reply in the comments section. I would love to hear from you!

Blessings to all,

Cynthia

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Natural Way to Start the Day: Summertime Smoothie

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Summer is the season of the green smoothie! You can get all your ingredients fresh from the Farmer’s Market. The best foods for our bodies are the ones that are available in season. Getting fruit and veggies from the Farmer’s market ensures that they were grown locally and that they were picked when ripe.

I start every morning with a green smoothie. (When I didn’t get to make it yesterday. I really REALLY missed it!) Here is what I have been putting in my blender lately:

Summertime Green Smoothie Recipe

Two big handfuls of Kale

The juice of a quarter slice of lemon

One peach, stone removed but skin intact

One cup of almond milk

One banana

Two tablespoons of Chia Seeds (These are rich in protein and fiber!)

I usually just throw it all in the blender and whirl it up. If I remember I will soak the chia seeds in the almond milk first. (Soaking seeds speeds up the time in which you digest them.) Most of the time, I just toss them in the blender with everything else. They still get the job done!

Another variation on this recipe that I like is to replace the peach with a few slices of melon. I try not to go overboard on the fruit. Although it is healthy, spiking your sugar first thing in the morning might have you crashing soon after you get to work.

Do you drink green smoothies in the morning? What do you put in yours? Please let me know in the comments section. I would love to hear from you.

Many blessings to All,

Cynthia

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Natural Lady: Red Raspberry Leaf to the Rescue!

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Any woman who has ever suffered from PMS and menstrual symptoms knows it feels like torture just to get through the day. Cramps, fatigue, headaches, bloating, food cravings, irritability… the list of crappy things that make life a trial for a week to two weeks every single month seems endless! It’s embarrassing to me that I didn’t know before this year, there is a natural remedy that helps mightily with all these symptoms, Red Raspberry Leaf!

I endured bad menstrual symptoms for decades. Although I always prefer to use natural remedies when I am ailing, it was hard to get through a really bad period without popping Advil or Pamprin. I would do my best to avoid it. I found some relief from cramps with Lemon Balm tea (an anti-spasmodic) but if I got a headache, it was all over, I reached for the over-the-counter meds. Then a few months ago, I was researching some other herb and came across Red Raspberry Leaf. It was a total coincidence that I am forever grateful for!

I was skeptical that one herb would help relieve all my symptoms but I was willing to try anything. Unbelievably, it worked right away. My cramps were gone within 40 minutes of taking it and stayed gone for many hours afterward. The fatigue and foggy head feeling lifted. I felt more like myself. You know how when you have when you have a bad period; you don’t even feel quite human? Gone! Mood swings- gone! Cravings- gone! (This is a big deal for me. When I have my period, I usually can’t get enough salt which, of course, didn’t help with the bloating.) Red Raspberry Leaf thankfully does help with the bloating too!

I don’t know if results are the same for every woman but I will share with you what I do. I take one herbal capsule each day, starting a few days before I expect my period to arrive. When I get my period, usually I can get by with one capsule in the morning and one before I go to bed. However, I carry the bottle with me and if I begin to get crampy, I will take another one, similar to how I used to take Advil, as needed. So far, so good! This has been working for me for my last three cycles. I have read other women prefer to drink Red Raspberry Leaf tea daily and that works for them. I like the sound of that but prefer the convenience of capsules.

So, if you experience painful, tortuous periods, you may want to give Red Raspberry Leaf a try. Please let me know what natural remedies you have used when you have your period in the comments section. I would love to hear from you!

Many blessings to all,

Cynthia

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Naturally Fit and Kind: Walk ‘dem Puppies!

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You know, I am hard-pressed to think of another activity that has more benefits than walking dogs. Yet, I haven’t had the best track record for doing it.

Chauncy and I walked twice a day, every day, back when we lived in my apartment. It was necessary. My yard was small and not fenced well enough that I was comfortable leaving him alone in it. When I moved in with family after Hurricane Sandy (and had to stay after the accident) I tried to keep up our walks for a while, now joined by my parents’ Bichon Frise, Lucy. I had to stop while I was healing. Since my folks have a fenced-in yard; the daily necessity wasn’t there. Other excuses like time, my long commute to work, snow and having the energy, also came up regularly.

Lucy and Chauncy do both love their walks! They actually cry and shake with happy excitement when the leashes come out after a long stretch without a constitutional. I would try to at least get them out on weekends but I knew it wasn’t enough. Then when I noticed that picking them was like hefting two big sacks of potatoes, I knew I needed to make sure they got more exercise. Quite frankly, I knew I needed to get more exercise!

Discipline, once more, has gotten me to arrange my schedule and organize my time in order to get them out every morning like clockwork. We’ve been at it for just over a week. Let me tell you, it may take humans up to 60 some odd days to form a new habit but it takes dogs less than five! As soon as I am done meditating, I now have two sets of dark eyes boring into me, imploring me to get my sneakers on faster.

Do you have a dog? If you don’t already do it; I would strongly encourage you to walk him, her or them daily. They will be fitter and healthier. You will be fitter and healthier. They will appreciate the opportunity to have a life outside your property. You will feel great about taking such good care of your furry kids. Atop of all that, there is something really wonderful about an early morning walk. It’s quiet and peaceful. You feel more attuned to nature. It’s an excellent opportunity to clear your mind or maybe count your blessings… starting with pets who give so much but ask for so little!

When was the last time you took a stroll with your pooch? Do you think you might try a daily walk? Please let me know in the comments section. I would love to hear from you!

Chauncy and Lucy at the ready!

Many blessings to all,

Cynthia

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Natural Pain-Relieving Beverage: Turmeric Milk

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A few months ago, I found out that my neck had been injured quite severely over the years. I will go into more detail on this in a future post but one of the things I found out is that I essentially have arthritis in my neck, as a result.

I knew that I wanted to find a more natural way of handling the pain, which at times could be quite severe. So, I started researching natural remedies and turmeric kept coming up again and again.

Turmeric is an Asian spice. You have probably had it in curry or commercially-produced yellow mustard. Turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory. Curcumin is the component in turmeric that is most often cited for blocking inflammation and having positive effects in treating arthritis. Turmeric has also shown promising results in treating and preventing cancer, as well as, Alzheimer’s.

I add turmeric into certain dishes and often include it in my salad dressing. One of the tastiest ways that I have discovered to take turmeric is to drink it in a warm beverage. It tastes a bit like chai tea but a little earthier

Turmeric Milk:

One Cup of Milk (I use almond milk)

One Heaping Teaspoon of Turmeric

One Teaspoon of Honey

A Generous Sprinkle of Cinnamon

A Pinch of Nutmeg

Put the cup of milk in a saucepan and heat on low. Add the other ingredients. Stir until the honey is dissolved. Do not boil it! Just gently warm it. It should be pleasantly warm, not hot. Put in your favorite mug and enjoy!

Will you try Turmeric Milk? Do you have a favorite natural and delicious drink to deal with a health ailment? Let me know in the comments section. I would love to hear from you.

Many blessings to All,

Cynthia

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Naturally Determined: So Long Procrastination!

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We’re off to a strong start. Discipline has made it very clear that there will be no interlopers in our relationship this month. Procrastination and Excuses must be kicked to the curb!

“What has procrastination ever done for you that makes you remain so loyal to it?”

– Erin Sands

Awwww, sweet, sweet Procrastination! We’ve spent quite a bit of time together. It’s hard to imagine my life without it. Procrastination has always made it so easy on me. I don’t consider myself among the 20% of people who chronically procrastinate.* I know how to meet a deadline and work hard to avoid letting other people down. However, I have often fallen short on meeting my personal goals and keeping promises to myself.

Procrastination has shown me how to ignore my goals and ambitions by introducing me to The Excuses, who help me to justify my lack of action. (As a side note- I have always found it amusing that procrastinate, is a verb, since it means to put off doing something.)

Procrastination is like that well-meaning friend who would let you get away with murder. You know who I mean. He or she will tell you things like:

“Ah go ahead have seconds. It’s okay you have been eating SO healthy lately. This one time won’t hurt.” Or “Oh, it’s okay that you spent the whole day binge-watching The Real Housewives, you worked SO hard this week. You needed a break!”

Unlike like that well-meaning friend though, procrastination will always keep you stuck. Procrastination is so easy. Procrastination makes no demands on you. You literally have to do nothing! Procrastination will never force you beyond your comfort zone. Of course, procrastinating will never get you anywhere you dream of going.

So, bound by my commitment to Discipline, I wave goodbye to Procrastination and The Excuses. I remain determined to complete my August adventure of posting a new blog post every day… only 30 more to go!

What is procrastination keeping you from accomplishing? Let me know in the comments section.

Many Blessings to All,

Cynthia

* Psychology Today, Procrastination Ten Things to Know, Hara Estroff Marano, 2003

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Naturally Disciplined

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Discipline. (Sigh!) Discipline and I have a very, well, undisciplined relationship. It’s not Discipline’s fault at all! I take full responsibility. Discipline is not the one with commitment issues. It’s all me.

I am conflicted. I love the idea of daily practices and rituals and see the value in them. Yet, I also detest the idea of living the same day over and over. Afterall, what’s natural about practicing, rigidly going through the same steps repeatedly? NOTHING! Plants don’t need discipline to grow. The wind doesn’t need discipline to blow. The rain doesn’t do reps!

Alas, I am not a plant, rain or the wind (…but how cool would that be?) Growing as a human is more than just physical; we strive to accomplish goals and achieve our passions. These feats require discipline, I have accomplished goals in my life, throughout my on again/off again relationship with discipline but I know I can do more. In fact, I want to do more.

So Discipline… I’m ready to committ finally! Let’s start with writing, an area I have been particularly lax in lately. Every day for the month of August, my intention is to put up a new blog post. This should be interesting, depending on what else is going on. Some posts might be quite short. Some may be a trifle too long. Some might suck! Maybe some will be helpful and enjoyable. I hope so. Time will tell…

Please join Discipline and me for our August adventure. Check up on us often and see how we are doing.

Many blessings,

Cynthia

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

Being (a) Patient: Patience Rewarded

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Today- two years, one month and eight days after I fell, I reached a milestone in my dental reconstruction. My dental implants have been implanted and my periodontist said they look beautiful! I saw the x-ray and I have to agree (even though the local is wearing off and my mouth is throbbing with pain. Don’t worry; I can handle it!)

Have I mentioned my periodontist before? I had consults with six different periodontists. SIX! Only two felt confident that they could do what I wanted. I wanted all separate teeth, to keep my own teeth and to avoid pink porcelain. It seems reasonable enough, right? It would have been if I hadn’t lost bone in my upper jaw when my right front tooth was knocked out.

The first periodontist I went to, tried to tell me my only option was an eight tooth bridge. After I finished crying, I set out to find someone who could give me what I needed and I did find him. Although, there are never any guarantees when bone grafts are involved, my periodontist believed it would be possible to restore the missing bone enough to place two side-by-side implants, giving me the separate teeth I wanted. He delivered on that today.

It’s been a loooooong process. I had to have a tooth super-erupted through orthodontics. That took around six months. Then I received a socket graft. That needed to heal for three months. I had to have a frenectomy. That needed to heal for about six weeks. Then I had the BIG bone graft! That healed for six months. Today, I took a giant leap forward toward having a beautiful smile again!

Whether I am able to dodge the pink porcelain remains to be seen. So far though, so good! I’m so grateful!

Many blessings to all,

Cynthia

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Naturally Beneficial: Behold The Mighty Dandelion!

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Today, winter turns into spring but it’s snowing… So, it seems like a good time for you and me to discuss dandelions. That’s right, dandelions. Before you decide to kill them again this year, I implore you, let them live. Let them live!

I don’t know who convinced the American public- at-large that we all need lawns that look like pristine, lush, green carpets – probably some brilliant but evil marketing genius at a chemical company – but that person should have been sho- ahem, given a stern talking-to!

Anyway, however it happened, it’s a damn shame because the dandelion, and other so-called weeds with wonderful health-benefitting properties, went from friend to foe in the space of a generation, when all they ever wanted to do was heal us and the rest of the planet. That’s right! Those lovely, little yellow flowers are really nature’s medicine. Dandelions are meant to nourish us and many other species.

The bees, for example, rely on dandelions for food in the spring before many other flowers are blooming and again in the autumn, after less hearty blossoms have long been spent. Much has been made recently about the declining bee populations and the dire consequences that stem from their loss. You can help the little buggers out by leaving the dandelions alone! I mentioned in an earlier post that you may have noticed your dog or cat eating dandelions. They do this because instinctively they know that dandelions will clean them out and improve their health. Dandelions are a mild diuretic and they are high in vitamins and minerals. *

Guess what? Dandelions will help get you healthy and clean you out too! I can hear you now. “Oh Cynthia! You’re being weird again! There is no way I am picking dandelions from my yard and eating them!” Well, you don’t have to eat them straight from the yard. Bring them in the house and wash them first for Goodness’ Sake!

Early spring dandelion leaves are quite tender and delicious in a raw salad. I have also put them in smoothies. A lovely herbal tea can be made from fresh or dried dandelion leaves. Wildman Steve Brill has several interesting cooked dandelion root recipes on his website. You can even make the flowers into wine! (I gotta try that… one of these days!)

Have I convinced you not to poison or rip out and discard this misunderstood herb yet? Are you impressed by all the health-improving benefits offered by the mighty dandelion? If you still feel weird about picking these beautifully abundant plants, you can always go to Fairway and pay several dollars for a bunch instead of allowing them to grow in your own backyard!

What’s your take on dandelions? Friend or foe? Leave a comment and let me know!

*A somewhat decent but by no means complete list of dandelion’s beneficial properties:

Food for animals and insects
Diuretic
Eases indigestion

Good source of:

Iron
Calcium
Biotin
Potassium
Magnesium
Zinc
Phosphorous
Inositol
B Vitamins
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Vitamin D

Love and Blessings to All,

Cynthia

Please follow me on Twitter. Also, please LIKE my Facebook Page.

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Cynthia Lenz's Naturally Healthy and Happy Blog

Be healthy and happy…naturally!

Unnatural Necessity: Making the Daily Commute Delightful!

Natural Way to Start the Day: Summertime Smoothie

Natural Lady: Red Raspberry Leaf to the Rescue!

Naturally Fit and Kind: Walk ‘dem Puppies!

Natural Pain-Relieving Beverage: Turmeric Milk

Naturally Determined: So Long Procrastination!

Naturally Disciplined

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

Being (a) Patient: Patience Rewarded

Naturally Beneficial: Behold The Mighty Dandelion!