Friday, July 29, 2011

Divided we conquor

If I could divide me into three people I think I could get all my projects organized. Ever had so much on your plate that you need another self to get it all done? I find myslef flourishing with ideas and tangible projects and scrambling for time. Balance is the catch word. Managing my life so that time is not wasted. How do I do it? Start with a goal or a desire and motivation will follow. Just make sure it is a worthy goal or you will not stay focused. Still wish there was three of me working side by side to accomplish all my goals. So let's post again...keep the book rolling!




A recipe for Love - Think Green

Green is the color, according to color therapist and yogis, that is associated with the heart chakra. It both supports heart health and is the energy center for love. The color green is a neutralizing balancing and centering color. Connected to the heart chakra the color green is the quality of air, openness, expansiveness and unconditional love.

The color green in fruits and vegetables is a mark of nutrients rich vitamin and minerals. Darker and richer greens such as that found in kale is a great source of calcium and other essential vitamins and minerals. Kale is also a great antioxidant vegetable with beta carotene, vitamin K and lutien making it a great source for heart health.

Kale is much milder in flavor than collard greens but equally as nutrious. The minerals in kale have been shown to help the liver detoxify the body and to help to prevent cancer. Although often times used as a garnish kale makes a wonderful side dish.

Kale like all of the cabbage family is easy to grow and survives in cold and harsh conditions. It’s a hearty food that for many years was considered a “poor man’s food”. Thankfully today chefs are beginning to appreciate the nutritional value of kale. It is low in calories, low in fat and high in vitamins and minerals making it an ideal food for those watching their weight and supporting their health.

Love sometimes comes in a funny form. The cabbage family is not necessarily the prettiest of vegetables and it’s rather bitter and strong taste can be “off putting”. But it’s nutritional value cannot be denied. Sometimes those things that look the least lovable are the most giving and supporting of all.

Kale like love, sometimes must endure harsh conditions in order to flower and grow. Its presence can be bitter sweet. However, love is more than just the attraction to something exciting and new. Love is something that grows and gives with an eye to health and well being. We worry about those we love and we make every effort to see that they are cared for and nourished in body, mind and soul.

 Now I can’t say I’ve always been in love with Kale. For years it was a garnish to me but then suddenly I discovered its rich dark slightly bitter taste and its rich nutritional value. Sometimes it takes maturing a bit, experiencing a bit and opening up to new possibilities that allows a healthy love to enter your life. Hail to kale!


 

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Stay Motivated

It's hard to stay motivated when it can appear that what you are doing is simply an excerise in futility. But it is the satisfactoin that you get from completing a project that is the ultimate reward. It's takes focus to stay to course when the temptation to play presents itself.
So back to work....

 
A Recipe for Happiness –Marsala-Marsala-Marsala

Its’ all in the grapes; so it has been said. Catarratto, grillo and Inzolia are the three primary grapes that make up Marsala wine. These grapes blended together create a port like wine referred to as Marsala wine.

Marsala is made in the “solera” tradition; meaning a melding of years. First a keg is filled with wine from the current vintage of grapes. Later vintage wines with similar taste are placed in kegs above the current keg. When liquid is drawn from the bottom of the oldest keg, it is refreshed with wine from the next keg and so on. The taste remains the same with every bottle of wine (potentially) the same as the first.

Marsala is a city in the west section of Sicily, the island near the foot end of Italy. In 1798 the Sicilians managed to substitute their own wines in place of the standard rum in an English naval shipment. In those seafaring days, something had to be done to wine to allow it to last the long ocean journeys.  Brandy was added to allow the wine to last longer, and to be more resistant to temperature changes. These were called "fortified wines".
Once the British tasted Marsala wine the demand grew. In the United States during prohibition Marsala wine was bottled to look like medicine. This made it less risky to get wine. Although not as popular now for drinking, Marsala wine is still used in cooking.

Through a melding of the years ( solera), blending together three bold grapes and fortifying the wine; marsala wine had a great shelf life, gave a better kick, was readily available and tasted great. That’s enough to make  anyone happy! What else could we want but to meld the years of our life into a blended taste of experience fortified with wisdom?

Sicily is a vast wealth of culture influences by the Arabs, the Europeans, the Greeks and the Romans. Many legends abound. One is worth remembering. Zeus had a son named Dionysus the God of fertility, joy and well being. Dionysus left the kingdom and headed for Sicily with the root of a grape vine. To carry the vine safely he first planted it in the bone of a bird, then the bone of a lion and finally the bone of a donkey. The vine flourished and so did the following saying; "A good glass of wine makes you light as a bird, another drink and you are courageous as a lion, but when you exaggerate with wine, you end up an ass!."

Sharing with joy and well being a glass or two of a good wine with an appreciation for the culture, nature and history of the things we consume makes tipping a glass or two a happy moment. Smile, be happy and enjoy!


Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Back at it again

Here we go again. I'm back to posting the recipes and working on the book. I could sit and write eveyday but find that other things get put aside and then suddenly I need to take a break and catch up with friends, family and my other projects. So back to posting.


A recipe for Sex – It’s not just Vanilla

Did you know vanilla is an aphrodisiac? Vanilla is not just plain old vanilla. It has qualities that make it the most widely used flavoring. It’s expensive, second only to saffron. It is a flavoring extracted from the orchid genus vanilla which grow in Mexico. It is also cultivated in other countries.

There are three main commercial uses of vanilla; in the pod, ground and as an extract. All three are used in products. Since vanilla is every expensive often times artificial vanilla flavoring is used in baked goods and other foods. Beware of artificial vanilla- it’s just plain fake.

The major use of vanilla is in flavoring ice cream and the most common ice cream is vanilla. Therefore it developed the nick name “plain vanilla” to mean a default or common basic flavor which is not true at all. Vanilla is often times used to enhance chocolate and other flavored ice creams and foods.

Vanilla is considered an aphrodisiac.  The Aztecs used it as an aphrodisiac and in 1776 a German study gave men a medication based upon flavored vanilla, which was said to cure their impotence.

 Vanilla has been used as a popular scent in Aromatherapy since the late 80s, described in 1991 by Sloan-Kettering as,

"Vanilla, a homey scent which may remind people of food, may be a preferred scent [for this stress research test]. Its recent rise in commercial popularity is well-deserved."

But is it really an aphrodisiac? When it comes to sex vanilla is often referred to as just plain old boring sex. Could this not be true? If vanilla is so expensive and if vanilla is the major flavoring that is added to other flavors to enhance them then if we add plain good old vanilla to the other flavors of sex don’t we enhance them?

Vanilla is considered an aphrodisiac because the scent of vanilla(the chemical molecules) mixes with human pheromones and enhances our scent making us more attractive to a potential sex partner. That’s why vanilla is includes in so many perfumes. Vanilla also quells the appetite for sweet foods. The scent seems to give us sweet thoughts instead of sweet cravings and sweet thought are good for sexual appetite!

Drop vanilla beans in brandy or dessert wine and let them sit for a few days. The vanilla will release into the liquor and add a delicious flavor. Drop a bean into a cup of hot coffee, tea or hot chocolate. Burn vanilla candles (make sure they are aromatherapy candle and good quality).

Or add a little vanilla to a sweet dessert and serve it to your lover. The flavor and scent will excite the sense and surely bring thoughts of sex to your body, mind and soul.
http://www.doctorlynn.com

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

A Recipe for Health – is Boron boring?

Here I go...posting again.


Is Boron a boring trace mineral? What does it have to do with your health? Isn’t it best known as Borax- a cleanser and mineral used in the making of glass?

Boron is a trace mineral found in plants. Plants take the mineral out of the soil and give it back to us when we eat the fruits and vegetables. We cannot get our minerals directly from the soil so we are dependent upon plant life to supply us with the necessary minerals to insure health.

Boron has recently been shown to be effective in preventing bone loss and deterioration. In a US Agricultural study boron was given to post menopausal women, who were at high risk of osteoporosis. The results of the study suggest that boron works much like estrogen to help prevent bone loss. But don’t rush out and buy boron supplements. A healthy diet and a multi- vitamin should give you enough boron. Check with your primary physician if you are considering supplementing.

There appears to be no shortage of boron in humans due to only a limited amount of boron is needed and it is highly available through the fruits and vegetables we eat. Boron is a trace mineral and not an essential mineral meaning we only need trace amounts for health.

Fruits and vegetables are the best sources for boron; meat and fish are poor sources. A diet containing a variety of fruits and vegetables will supply adequate amounts of boron. One such fruit that is rich in boron is the pear. Pears contain large amounts of boron and thus pears help to prevent osteoporosis.

Besides boron, pears are an excellent source of water-soluble fiber.  They contain vitamins A, B1, B2, C, E, folic acid and niacin.  It is also rich in copper, phosphorus and potassium, with lesser amounts of calcium, chlorine, iron, magnesium, sodium and sulfur.

Some varieties have more iron content than others.  This can be seen when a cut pear turns brown.  If it doesn't turn brown, it means that the iron content is very low or non-existent.

In Greek and Roman mythology the pear was sacred to Pomona the  Roman goddess of gardens and trees. In Europe it was customary to plant fruits trees when a couple got married. The longevity and fruitfulness of the trees were thought to give strength to the marriage and children. As each child arrived, an apple tree was planted for every boy and a pear tree for each girl.

Somehow boron doesn’t seem so boring when you bite into a fresh succulent pear and partake of all the wonderful nutrients that nature so aptly provides. If we let her; Mother Nature will always take care of our health.




Monday, July 25, 2011

Distractions

It is so easy to get distracted by life's events and put certian things aside. I am still writting the book but not on schedule due to family events, other obligations and time restraints. Now those are excuses and of course I can always find the time if I sleep less, don't watch TV, ignore my friend and I eat dinner at my desk. Ah but life is a balancing act and if you balance all things out what you want to accomplish will happen- even if at a slower pace but not at the expense of living a full life. My life is full of events, friends, family and simple things like a Sunday afternoon at the museum. So I'll work with the distractions and pick away at my projects and balance it all out so my life stays full and rich. The secret is to make sure the distractoin are worthy of your time. Family, friends and artful Sunday afternoons enrich your life and are well worth the distrctions. Back to the book...
Doctor Lynn
http://www.doctorlynn.com

Friday, July 22, 2011

Discipline

Although I wrote two pages for the book yesterday and finished an article and my Newsletter this week I have not gotten organized to begin posting the book again. So I'm organizing myself with a little self discipline to get the job done. It takes disicpline to sit at the computer and write when the sun is shining and you are sitting alone. However it is very rewarding in and of itself. To be successful you must write,create and do something just becasue it's what you want to do without thoughts of monetary gain- otherwise it's a daunting task.
Doctor Lynn
http://www.doctorlynn.com

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Regroup

Just got back from Monterey/Carmel where the world seemed to slow down and I felt a sense of regroupng. Back in LA and the pace quickens. So it's back to the book, work and all the other intricacies of life. So here we go....

Doctor Lynn
http://www.doctorlynn.com

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Out of here

Today I'm out of here (LA) for a long weekend to avoid carmegeddon - or better known as the 405 closure. We're taking advantage of an opportunity to get out of town. I'm lucky to have the option and remind myself daily to appreciate what I have and don't waste time feeling bad about what I don't have, which in the big scheme of things is minor. Just look around you. Life is not so bad.
Doctor Lynn
http://www.doctorlynn.com

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Ideas

 Ideas...where do they come from? Observation rather than obsession. Keeping yourself open to the possibilities that are all around you. The other day while having lunch I noticed something that had the potential to turn into a business idea. It came to me simply because I was quietly observing the world around me. We need to take moments to be quiet and simply observe if we are to catch the possibilities of life. Next time you are out and about, find a place to sit and just watch the world with an observers eye. Observe without judgement and who knows what will turn up?
Doctor Lynn
http://www.doctorlynn.com

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Apprecaite your health

When I was younger and used to complain about things my Mother would always say to me - if you have your health you've got everything. It didn't have any great meaning to me until the day I was diagnosed with cancer. Yesterday I lost a friend to cancer. A lovly woman who had so much to live for...2 sons and a very loving husband. She was an inspiration to me through my sickness, surgery and recovery. Today as I remmeber her I think about my health and am thankful.
Doctor Lynn
http://www.doctorlynn.com

Monday, July 11, 2011

Prioritizing

Discipline yourself to writing everyday can be both fun and at the same time leave you little time for errands and other things tht need attending. I've decide to take a little time off and take care of some persosnal and business isues as well as spend the time learning how to use this smart phone I got two months ago that I can barely turn on. Learning to use a new phone( or leanring to do anything new) can be very time consuming. So a break from cooking and writing although I'm making notes and ready to srtart again next week. Some times we need to take a break form one thing to priorotize others things - staying in touch with freinds and family is also important- so I'm also making some time to get together with friends. More on that later...
Doctor Lynn
http://www.doctorlynn.com

Friday, July 08, 2011

New Computer

Yesterday I got a new computer. I was two days without a computer so that my husband's office could download from my old computer to this new one which of course now needs to be reconfigured. I'll need to set new passwords and search for everything again... what a hassel! However I set up and used my sewing machine with my free time and spent some time reading and enjoying life without a computer. Amazing how things have changed. I rememeber getting my first cable unit and renting a VCR to rent movies - a big box. Now it's all about technology and we feel helpless without our computers and phones.
So now I am back to the modern day world but I still realize the value in a good conversation face to face, a good book to read and something creative to do with idle time. Take a little time today to relax and enjoy the world around you.
Doctor Lynn
http://www.doctorlynn.com

Tuesday, July 05, 2011

Bullies in Action

On the 4th we went to Catalina Island from the Marina on the small one boat cruise line. Because the cruise line is small they often get muscled out of docking because the bigger ships push their way in to port. Our boat upon departure had to change gates at the last minute because the bigger boats took our gate which caused mass confusion.
We then went to one of our favorite pizzerias in the Marina who is being muscled out of their lease by a big company that wants their space. The little guy sometimes gets pushed around and it doesn't seem fair but with resilence and a good sense of humor the little guy can prevail. Just think back to high school - and then flash ahead several years where the underdog is often the one who prevailed!
Doctor Lynn
http://www.doctorlynn.com/

Friday, July 01, 2011

Ideas

Creative ideas can spring up when you least expect them. Last night I was having a simple sandwich at a simply delicous little resturant and I came up with an idea for a business. It was something that is a great idea but wrong timing for me...so i will ponder it for a while...to succeed you must find the right place, at the right time with the right idea and the right amount of energy to make the idea become a reality.
Back to my book.

Doctor Lynn
http://www.doctorlynn.com/