That's Not My Name...Do You Need a Seasons 52 Night?

Do you ever feel like that song by The Ting Tings called That's Not My Name? Now mind you I am so old now that I have absolutely no idea what the @#*! she is really saying other than "That's Not My Name!" but sometimes I feel like singing...

"They call me Wife, they call me Mrs., they call me Mam, they call me Mom.

That's not my name, that's not my name, that's not my...name!"

So when I start feeling like people see me as someone other than who I feel like I am on the inside, I know I need a night out.

When my wild side calls, I always love to go out with the girlies for a good old fashioned, get into a little trouble night of fun and adventure. These nights usually involve lot's of cleavage (not mine), too much alcohol, loud music, guys hovering, bootie's shaking and the occasional late night call to old boyfriends. All harmless fun.

Lately however, the girls and I do not seem to be able to get it all together for one of our, "get the wild out of your system" nights. This means I have had to resort to nights out with my hubby.

Last night we dumped the kids at MiMi's and headed to one of our favorite spots, Seasons 52; the start of some wild GNO's but I'll save that for another posting. Although this is a chain restaurant, one of Darden's , they really do it right. It isn't cheap, but it isn't extremely pricey either and I must say that I didn't see the Recession in sight as the place was packed.

I love Seasons 52 slogan, "Celebrating Living Well Through, Seasonally Inspired Healthier Dining...52 Weeks A Year". It always works for me. They took care of us. For a little while my other life melted away with my worries about jobs, the economy, kids and life.

From Seasons 52 website:

"Seasons 52 promises a dining adventure in which each bite reveals a new taste sensation.

Rediscover the authentic tastes of freshly harvested food. Every week of the year as different foods reach their seasonal peak of taste, we seek out the best market-fresh products, such as vine-ripened heirloom tomatoes in summer, crisp apples in autumn, hearty root vegetables in winter and tender green asparagus in spring.

Every item on our seasonally inspired menu contains less than 475 calories, and each meal is nutritionally balanced to include the highest quality lean meats and seafood, good carbs and beneficial oils such as extra virgin olive oil.

Seasons 52 combines the sheer pleasure of a great meal served well with the satisfaction of knowing you’ve served yourself well too!"

Our adorable little server who shook my Raspberry TeaTini, made my napkin into Origami when I left the table to powder my nose and hung on every word I said made me feel like someone special. The food of course was flavorful, filling and nutritious but more than that they do a great job of nurturing you through a leisurely evening of dining. This place is good for the mind, body and soul.

You also might find that it serves as a great start to a wild night out or in...

Resveratrol - What You Need to Know about this Piece of the Anti-Aging Puzzle

Hi all, we are very lucky to have Michael Hill with ReserveAge Organics (follow on Twitter) put this post together for us. I have had a lot of questions about Resveratrol and I am excited to share Michael's knowledge about this piece of the anti-aging puzzle. - Shane


For untold generations the people of France have benefited from a phenomenon called the “French Paradox.” This paradox observes that despite eating a diet rich in fats, just like most Americans, they suffer from lower levels of heart disease and tend to live longer.

Interestingly, modern medicine points to one natural compound as the key to this phenomenon: Resveratrol. Resveratrol made by plants, most famously the red grape, as a natural defense against fungi and other dangers in the environment. In addition, this means that Organic crops actually contain more Resveratrol than non-Organic crops.

Some of the most important Resveratrol breakthroughs have come out of Harvard during the last decade. Research on mice was conducted, where mice given Resveratrol were compared to control groups not using Resveratrol. The mice taking Resveratrol, had fewer health problems, had more endurance and had fewer incidences of obesity related illnesses like heart disease and a disease similar to diabetes. Research has suggested that Resveratrol might help our bodies fight cancer, Alzheimer’s, aging itself and a number of other diseases that we typically associate with age.

Research looking into Resveratrol and Cancer is still in its early stages. However, current studies suggest that Resveratrol, either on its own or combined with other drugs, may actually destroy cancer cells by increasing Apoptosis, which is self destruction within the cells.

Alzheimer research has also led to interesting findings in mice. Mice taking Resveratrol show improved memory in older age when given tests. In addition, they show a lower occurrence of plaque on the brain, plaque is what actually causes the symptoms seen in Alzheimer’s. Research suggests that a person may be able to use Resveratrol as a way to stop the degenerative effects of Alzheimer’s. This means that despite having Alzheimer’s a person may be able to use Resveratrol as a way to retain their mental faculties.

Resveratrol in any form is a polyphenol and an antioxidant, the key to anti-aging claims is its active form Trans-Resveratrol. Trans-Resveratrol is currently the only antioxidant known to trigger the SIRT1 “Longevity Gene.” The SIRT1 gene has been studied for decades. Animal research found that calories restriction activated the SIRT2 Gene, of which SIRT1 is an analogue in humans, found that it led to better health and a prolonged life span.

Organically grown foods are healthier and better for the environment than their non-organic counterparts. Eating organically grown foods and taking organic supplements can save our bodies from expending vital energy to digest and process the harmful chemical additives commonly found in non-organic products. In addition, not all of these harmful additives are easily eliminated from our body—some stay in our organs, sapping us our essential energy as our bodies fight to break them down.

If you could examine the origins of the foods that you consume every day, you might be shocked to discover that they may contain more than 150+ chemical factors, which are ingested with each bite. Needless to say, these foods can have toxic effects on your well-being and vitality. Instead of gaining energy and health benefits from your food, your body becomes saturated with unwanted harmful chemicals. On the other hand, when eating organically grown foods and supplements, your body is nourished, leaving you vibrant and energized. What you put into your body is also reflected in your outward appearance, so you'll not only feel better but you are going to look better too.

The largest study, to date, of organic food was completed in 2007 and found organic fruits and vegetables contain 40% more antioxidants than non-Organic ones. In addition non-Organic foods contained twice as much pesticide residue. Washing the fruit doesn’t help because these chemicals are absorbed into the food as its being grown. This is the reason that ReserveAge Organics uses only certified Organic Grapes whereas other companies use non-Organic products to make their Resveratrol.

This should be of utmost importance to people who would like to take Resveratrol. Non-Organic plants are able to use man-made chemicals as a way to protect themselves, which means they don’t need to produce as much Resveratrol. Organic plants have to use their natural defenses and produce the strongest Resveratrol they can. In addition, when using non-Organic Resveratrol, many of those man-made chemicals are present when it enters your body.

As of now, only one company, ReserveAge Organics, uses Certified Organic ingredients when it makes its Resveratrol supplements.

http://www.prlog.org/10288377-resveratrol-what-you-need-to-know-about-this-piece-of-the-antiaging-puzzle.html

Vitamins Help Eyesight - Prevent Blindness?

Hi all, this is really great information that we all can use, starting today, to live healthier...please pass it on. Thanks very much to our guest blogger, Hillary Rubin, for writing this post. Enjoy! - Shane

Vitamins to Help Eyesight
by Hillary Rubin - guest writer

Did you know that taking a combination of various B vitamins can give people an extremely inexpensive way to possibly help prevent blindness in older Americans that have age-related macular degeneration? Recently, a study showed that women who took vitamins B6 and B12 in conjunction with folic acid lowered their risk of any age-related macular degeneration by 34%. They also had a 41% lower risk of the disease with significant sight loss.

So what foods contain a great amount of B6? Bell peppers and spinach are excellent sources for B6 without having to take a daily vitamin. For good doses of B12, try eating braised calf liver or baked snapper fish! While vitamins B6 and B12 can help prevent blindness to an extent, if a patient is having a hard time seeing - most doctors will prescribe prescription eyeglasses over vitamins, even though vitamins are a great additional source to keep eyes from losing sight.

Consuming vitamins A, C, and E can also help strengthen eyesight. It is recommended that these vitamins be taken together when you are eating breakfast. Whole milk, calf livers, and egg yolks - while high in fat - contain excellent amounts of vitamin A. For the lower fat option, try eating raw carrots or baked sweet potatoes as they contain excellent amounts of vitamin A and they will not raise your cholesterol. Vitamin C, while great for keeping the common cold away, has great benefits for keeping vision crisp and clear. Foods containing Vitamin C are parsley, broccoli, bell peppers, oranges, strawberries, lemon juice, papaya, cauliflower, kale, mustard greens, and Brussels sprouts.

Still in search for Vitamin E? You can find it in every day foods like mustard greens, sunflower seeds, chard, and turnip greens. Sunflower seeds yield the most amount of Vitamin E at 90.5% of your daily value. Eyeglasses can help correct your vision but consuming foods with vitamins A, C, and E are a great way to keep your vision from deteriorating.

In order to protect the myelin sheath around the nerves in the eye, introduce salmon to your diet or take a decent vitamin containing Omega-3 fatty acids. The fat won't kill your diet and it will help protect the nerves that help send signals to your eyes. You can increase vitality in your eyes by cutting out starchy whites with refined sugars. Try eating whole grains to keep your eyes sharp.

Every day foods contain essential vitamins and minerals to keep your eyes functioning at their best. However, if you are having any problems with your vision, please visit your eye doctor as you may need a prescription for eyeglasses.

China is in Danger

Another thank you to EarthWalker, Paul Coleman for this short video.

Our Health IS Our Future - WHO Director, Maria Neira "Protect Children from Environmental Health Risks."

Recently in an interview with The Korea Times, WHO Director, Maria Neira had some very interesting things to say.

"Major afflictions confronting children now are chronic and disabling conditions: the new pediatric morbidity",she said. "It is reported that asthma mortality has sharply increased, as have the incidences of leukemia and brain cancer; neurodevelopmental dysfunction is widespread; and hypospadias incidence has doubled.

"Furthermore, we are concerned about new chemicals present in household products, cosmetics and toys, about the impact of some new technologies."

Is anyone able to listen to important information like this when the economy is "screaming" so loudly and this country seems to be in such a mess? It seems like almost everyone is hurting: losing hobs, taking pay cuts, living uninsured, having retirement investments wiped out...

Then add a little dose of worrying that someone is going to break into your child's room at night and steal your sweet baby or worse.

But wait, there's more. Take a look at the troubled world we live in today. Personally, I barely recognize my country anymore. It's a place where Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez calls our leader "Comrade" and talks of Obama being more left-wing than himself.

Plus, do not even get me started on the war. Wait a minute, are we still supposed to call it a war?

I am trying to find a balance in my life. Trying to balance my desire to create a beautiful life for my beautiful family with my so many other desires: to inform as many people as I can about how they impact our environment and health with our consumer choices, my love of health and wellness, my love of so many things that only serve to destroy my health and wellness, my desire for new information, my concern for the children of our world, my worry about the political climate of the world...

This balance thing is not so easy...

This life thing is not so easy...

But just because it isn't easy, we cannot just tune out and choose to stay uniformed. What we are leaving for our future generations politically, financially and environmentally are intertwined and will prove to have an enormous impact on a healthy future. Keep listening and do all you can to protect your health, the health of our environment and the health of future generations.