Food Prices: Comparing My Groceries in 2008, 2011, and 2017

How high is your grocery bill?  And are we paying lots more now than just a few years ago?  Seems like it to me.  And then I remembered my old personal survey that I did back as blog posts in January 2008 and again in March 2011.

So I decided to do it again. 

And now, because my local grocery store offers online shopping you can double-check my tally if you like.  Or just compare what food costs us here in San Antonio as opposed to your super market.

Comparing 10 Grocery Items: Prices in 2008, 2011, and Today 

Here goes.  And again, this isn’t official statistical analysis.  Back in 2008, I ran to the store for a few things.  I used the receipt for that post.  And here we are. 

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Dole Yellow Bananas (higher)

·        .39/lb in 2008;

·        .38/lb in 2011;

·        .45/lb. in 2017 (I had to go with Del Monte because they didn’t have Dole). 

Small Limes (non-organic) (same) 

·        5/$1.00 in 2008;

·        4/$1.00 in 2011;

·        5/$1.00 in 2017. 

Store Brand Cage Free Brown Eggs – One Dozen (more than 2008, less than 2011) 

·        $1.99 in 2008;

·        $4.10 in 2011;

·        $2.76 in 2017. 

Silk Unsweetened Soy Milk -- Half Gallon (more) 

·        $2.79 in 2008;

·        $2.76 in 2011;

·        $3.28 in 2017.  

Store Brand 98% Fat Free Cream of Mushroom Soup (more than doubled in price) 

·        $0.75 in 2008;

·        $0.72 in 2011;

·        $1.87 in 2017. 

Store Brand Canned Diced Tomatoes 15 oz. (a penny less than 2011) 

·        $.59 in 2008 (15 oz.);

·        $.75 in 2011, for a 14.50 oz. can;

·        $.74.in 2017, for a 14.50 can. 

Regular Ground Beef Chuck 70/30 – One Pound (more) 

·        $2.08 in 2008;

·        $2.38 in 2011;

·        $3.07/lb. in 2017 for 73% / 27% (they didn’t have 70/30). 

Suave Invisible Solid Powder Deodorant (more than 2008, less than 2011) 

·        $1.48 in 2008;

·        $1.72; in 2011;

·        $1.55 in 2017. 

Store Brand Frozen Green Sweet Peas - 16 oz. bag (non-organic) (more) 

·        $0.92 in 2008;

·        $1.07; in 2011;

·        $1.32 in 2017.   

Barilla Plus Multi Grain Rotini Pasta (more than 2008; two pennies more than 2011) 

·        $1.65. in 2008 for a 16 oz. box;

·        $1.98 in 2011 for a 14.50 oz. box;

·        $2.00 in 2017 for a 14.50 oz box. 

Now, again, this isn’t a serious statistical analysis.  You can read formal research on food prices here.  I’m not delving into things like the “elasticity of food prices.”  Yawn.

I’m just comparing this stuff because I’m curious.  And food does cost more now than in 2008; or 2011, for that matter. Maybe not as big of a difference in the last six years, though.

And maybe there are other things going on.  For instance, I don’t by soy milk anymore.  Or deodorant that contains aluminum.  And I never buy beef.  

It’s interesting and it’s something to ponder.  So I’m sharing this with you today, Dear Reader.

How do these prices compare with your neighborhood market?

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Merry Christmas

My New Jumbo Coffee Mug Arrives Today!

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I admit it.  I am actually watching the front door, waiting for the mailman.  I'm thinking about getting the dog involved -- let him monitor through the screen.  Seriously,  This is a BIG DEAL.  I'm really excited.

Why?  USPS will be bringing me my new, wonderful HUGE coffee mug today.  Here's what it looks like in the Amazon site:

 It's the simple things, people.  

This mug holds FIFTY-TWO OUNCES.  That's right.  52.  It's promised to be SIX INCHES high.  Wow.

Of course, Snoopy hugging Charlie Brown is sweet.  Makes me happy.  And the message is a good one:  "Lots of Love."

But the thing that is making me want to dance is its capacity.  I want a big coffee mug.  A BIG one.

Why such a jumbo mug?

Here's why.  I want a mug with some extra space on top so I don't slop liquid onto my desk while I try to drink with one hand, type with the other, and never let my eyes leave the computer screen.  It's a bad habit.

(Odds are high this will happen if I'm laughing at something online.  Things like this.)

Plus it can be a soup mug.  A tea mug.  Water, sure.

Maybe it will hold iced tea for me.  Lord knows I'm tired of drinking iced tea out of a mason jar, and that's the only option if you want to hold something that's glass and 24 oz or more these days.

Go ahead.  Look for yourself.  No iced tea glasses that hold 24 ounces, made of glass.  (I don't drink out of plastic.)

The secret: it's my reward.  

Here's the secret:  this big mug is a REWARD.  I've learned that to make new habits, it's important for me to have rewards.  After all, the bad habits reward me in some way or I wouldn't keep doing them.

So I get this pretty Snoopy Hug Mug today because I've checked off stuff in my Planner Trackers and I've earned it.

Makes me happy.  The Hug Mug.  The reward system.

It works for me. I am a child. I am not ashamed.  LOL

5 Things to Help Make Paper Planners Fun and Productive

Last week, I talked about my path to “planner peace,” and the variety of paper planners and time management systems I have tried along the way.

One of the key reasons that I use paper planners is because I enjoy using them, for all sorts of reasons. There’s the feel of the ink flowing on the paper as I write; the control I have over the colors (I like color-coding); even the weight of the paper itself has a bearing on the experience of working with a paper planner.

Paper Planning Works Better for Me Than Online Productivity Systems

The bigger deal: having the siren song of creativity helps me stay on schedule. It’s more fun for me to use a bullet journal combined with a Happy Planner than it ever was for me to insert information into an online program.

I’m easily pleased, I suppose, but having those little squares in the Tracker that I fill in with different colors of ink every day when I’ve accomplished a task? That’s enough to make me do the task, and enough to make me stay current in my time management, too.

5 Fun Things That Keep Me Dedicated to My Planners and Time Management

Here are five things that help me with that creative spin on scheduling my days and weeks:

Pilot FriXion Erasable Gel Pens 

When a friend recommended these pens to me, I smiled politely and thought “no way.”

Why? They are erasable, and I’ve had lots of bad experiences with erasable ink. It didn’t work. Or it worked but to get rid of the ink, you were likely to tear the paper.

Not with these. I love the Pilot FriXion Gel Pens. They don’t write as deep or dark as other pens, that’s what you’re giving up by using them. But it’s well worth it in my book, because heck – they’re ERASABLE.  

Washi Tape 

I love using washi tape on my monthly and weekly calendars, as well as in my Bullet Journal. I divide the weekend from the weekdays; I block big project deadlines; you get the idea.

Heck, I’ve used Washi Tape in my Bible – I have put tape around the entire edge of the pages for the first page of Psalms, Proverbs, Genesis, Matthew, and Revelation because it’s a great index tool.

That red in the back of the book? I know it’s the first page of Revelation. The blue one? That’s Psalms.

Stickers 

There’s a mad, mad world out there for you if you like stickers for your planners. Etsy Shops have all sorts of inviting stickers, dedicated to specific planners and their sizes. Erin Condren? Go find your Erin Condren sized stickers there. Ditto for Filofax, Kikki K, all lots more.

Me, I’ve stuck with Amazon and Hobby Lobby so far. And I’m playing around with making some of my own using sticker paper that I can feed through my printer.

You can get Calendar Reminder Stickers (birthdays, etc.) if you like. Me, I like stickers that have “to do lists,” flags, and other references which allow me to write whatever I want on them. I’d rather have a blank sticker where I write “Bill’s Birthday” than have a sticker with Birthday already printed on it. That’s just me.  

Clear Plastic Ruler 

I need a ruler because I like my lines to be sharp. Having a clear plastic ruler lets me see where I’m going with my pen.

The shorter six inch ruler works better for me in my Bullet Journal, which is a Moleskine.

Markers and Gel Pens for Color 

As for markers, some people love Sharpies, but not me. Not for my Planners, it’s too easy for them to bleed through the paper or at least leave a heavy shadow. Instead, I like Bic highlighters that I can get at my local HEB grocery store. Nothing fancy.

When I want to highlight with color, they work just fine. And I also like to use Gel Pens to add color, too. I have one of those sets that they sell for adult coloring books, and it has come in very handy in my Bullet Journal (and in my Bible Art).

Cursive Handwriting vs Typing Your Words

Cursive handwriting may be old school, but it’s something I love to do and it’s got scientific backing for having cognitive benefits, as well. 

Most of my day is spent using a keyboard. In fact, I have a special mechanical keyboard that I use with my desktop for most of my work. It has a fun clicking sound as I type, which is nice. More importantly, it is designed to fight fatigue for those who type for long periods of time.

Does it work? I think it helps. I like it. This does not mean that I prefer typing over using a pen and paper. I like both, and when I am writing by hand I appreciate that I am adept at writing in cursive. Sad to think that cursive handwriting is not being taught in schools any longer.

Example of the Palmer Method of Cursive Handwriting

     

Benefits of Cursive Handwriting 

There are lots of good arguments for writing in cursive. For me, the benefits are personal but there are lots of educators, psychologists, and researchers who argue that handwriting, particularly cursive or script handwriting, benefits the human brain.

Why I Like Cursive Handwriting 

• It’s faster than printing your words.  Personally, I like cursive handwriting for the purpose given to me long ago by my teachers: it is a faster way to get thoughts down on paper when you are writing by hand. That’s true. (Sure, typing is faster than both.) 
• It’s also pretty. I like using cursive handwriting in thank you notes, birthday cards, etc. It also makes my planners look nice. 
• It’s great to use in brain dumps. When I am trying to dump all sorts of random thoughts down on paper, I appreciate cursive handwriting. It may lose some of its beauty with the speed, but it works well when I’m fighting to get control over all that junk in my head by getting it down on paper. 
• It’s nice to use in my journals. I have been journaling all my life, it seems. Diaries, if you will. I have tried to journal online, but it’s not the same. Writing down entries in my journal suits me, it seems more personal maybe. Or it’s just one more excuse to use a nice pen. (I admit to being a pen addict.) 

The Science of Handwriting and Your Brain 

However, these are just my reasons for using cursive handwriting. From some news stories I’ve collected over the years, it appears that there are some scientific reasons to use cursive handwriting, too.

For instance, from the Neuroscience section of The Guardian, an interesting article discussing how cursive handwriting may have an impact on how we learn – including how we read and assimilate information.

And in Mental Floss, coverage of the trend to return handwriting back to the classroom, after Common Core removed any kind of handwriting instruction (print or script) from schools. Why? Cursive handwriting helps you learn as it connects your motor skills (what your hand is doing) with your mental thought processes (what you’re thinking) in ways that typing does not.

More discussion on the connection between cursive handwriting and cognitive abilities in the following articles:

“Why Writing by Hand Could Make You Smarter,” by William R. Klemm, Ph.D., published in Psychology Today;

“How Handwriting Trains the Brain: Forming Letters Is Key to Learning, Memory, Ideas,” by Gwendolyn Bounds, published by the Wall Street Journal; and

“What’s Lost as Handwriting Fades,” by Maria Konnikova, published in the New York Times.

How to Write in Cursive Handwriting 

Wanna try it?  If you didn’t learn cursive in school, or if you are very rusty, then surf around for online instruction. For instance, there are some nice practice worksheets provided online at HandwritingWorksheets.

Happy New Year 2014!

Who Am I?

Hello, Dear Reader!  So, who the heck is writing this blog?  Well, my name is Reba Kennedy, I'm an official Baby Boomer who's over 50 and under 60 and that's enough about that.  Ahem.  I live a happy life here in San Antonio, Texas, with two great shelter rescue pups in a cute little cottage about ten miles north of the Alamo.

I began living a life of voluntary simplicity several years ago, as part of my Second Life career change from a twenty-plus year AV-rated lawyer to a professional writer. I started this blog in January 2006 in part because I needed to keep track of things I found on the web about this lifestyle in all its facets (food, money, health, fun, etc.).  (There was no Evernote then!)

I also started this blog because I wanted to share what I was learning with others - like you,  Dear Reader.  To share, yes, but truth be told, hopefully also to support those who are finding new ways to live simply.  Many are changing their ways because they've chosen a voluntary simplicity lifestyle for themselves.  However, as we all know, in these past several years lots of folks are living on less because it's forced upon them.

Raccoons: How I Got Them To Go Away and Leave Me Alone

I'm just so darn pleased with myself it's ridiculous and no doubt sinful.  So of course I'm going to write this post to share with you, Dear Reader, about my latest accomplishment.  So you can be darn pleased with me too, LOL ....

Here's the thing.  (Drumroll.)

Bah-Bye.

I got the raccoons to go away.  Exit the building, as it were.  Leave the trash alone.  Stay out of the garage.  Forget the trees and the roof and hanging out on the back patio basking in the moonlight.  (Apparently, my back porch was quite the hot spot at one time this summer.)

And, nope, no animal was hurt or killed in the process.  Which I'm sure you already took for granted if you've read this blog at all....

If you or someone you know has a problem with raccoons, then this is big news.  BIG.  If not, well then maybe you should just venture on over right now to I Waste So Much Time (a truly fun blog BTW).

Here's the story.

Back in July 2009, they first appeared.  I wrote about the "Mysterious Guest" that had taken up residence in my garage - bigger and more powerful than a rat, smaller and less noisy than a bobcat.

Lifestyle Success: What Does That Mean to You?

Sheep waiting for a train.  Look familiar?

I ran across the phrase "lifestyle success" somewhere recently.  Can't remember where. Twitter?  I googled it of course. (Is that a recognized verb yet?  You know it will be if it's not already.)

Lots of different things popped up in the search results but no one theme.  There's not a movement towards "lifestyle success" like there is towards "voluntary simplicity" for example.

What I found - or to be more accurate, didn't find - gave me pause.  Why not?  Why aren't there lots of places on the web discussing lifestyle success?  Isn't that part of your decision-making?

Seems to me that in this American culture, we've all spent way too much time letting other people and other places decide for us what lifestyle success means.  It's got us in lots of trouble.

What is lifestyle success? 

What does it mean to you?  Who are your role models for successful living?  (Is it really and truly the Kardashians?)

Happy 2012: Where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light….

Dear Reader, welcome to a blog that I’ve been writing since January 2005, some years with more dedication than others.  I’m hoping that I’ll keep to a better writing schedule here this year than last, fingers crossed.   Did I make this as a New Year’s Resolution?  Not really. 

I did take the time to count my many blessings as one year passed into another, and thanked God for them.  The big and the small.  One of the things that I thanked God for blessing me with was this blog and the ability to write it, the simple life I’m living, and you, Dear Reader, who sometimes leave comments or sending emails to me.  The internet is amazing, isn’t it?  People connecting who would otherwise never meet.

I’m not Catholic.  However, I do appreciate a lot about the Catholic Church and one of those things is the Catholic observance of the New Year.  Here’s a discussion of how Catholic families all over the world celebrated New Year’s Day yesterday.  Thought I’d share this prayer from St. Francis of Assisi, which I find particularly beautiful.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

R. Amen. —St. Francis of Assisi

God bless you and yours, Dear Reader.

Ufollow - Cool New Site and I'm Honored to have Everyday Simplicity Included as a "Leading Blog" in their Chosen Reading Library

UFollow is a cool, new site that is getting favorable reviews as a free service that helps folk surfing the web to cull through content and locate articles based upon a single topic or a single author.

UFollow is free,"indexing more than 100,000 bloggers and columnists from over 4,500 leading blogs, magazines, and newspapers on the web."  Sign up and uFollow sends you a stream of  content organized by your chosen sources, favorite authors, etc.

It's looking to be a popular site.  For example, HackStacks found uFollow to be helpful, describing uFollow back in August 2011 as one of the best sites on the web for organizing and providing content to the reader according to the readers' likes.

I discovered uFollow when I noticed folk were coming to visit Everyday Simplicity via UFollow.  When I went to uFollow to investigate, I was delighted to find that Everyday Simplicity is a publication listed among such notables as The New York Times, Huffington Post, and the Christian Science Monitor, and that my name is listed as one of the top authors, in the area of "simplicity."

I'm second, first place going to Merlin Mann of 43 Folders and third place to Darren Murph of Engadget. That's some nice company.  Of course, ranking will change as uFollow grows -- but it's a nice thing to think about today. 

I'm honored to be included by the folk at uFollow and I'm happy to think that this means that living a simple life is something that more people are interested in investigating, even if they aren't ready to make a big lifestyle change.

Thought I'd share this with you, Dear Reader (and Fellow Simplifier).

Four New Blog Finds That I Really Like, Think You Will, Too

You'd think I never get anything done, what with walking the dogs; doing my own writing; helping others with their writing; reading and going to the book store and the library and Amazon.com for more books; meeting up with friends for tacos or coffee; piddling my way to a clean house; or debating whether or not I'm right (I am) that the mole on The Closer is Chief Pope.

I surf the web, too.  And today I thought I would share with you some blogs that I think are wonderful and unique and powerful in what they have to share with us, each in their own individual way: 

Long Hollow -- a pretty blog with substance by fellow Texan Barbara Shallue. (Thanks to Barbara's sister for the heads up on this great find!)  Nice pix, honest and forthright in her words, and she's a reader, too. 


The Pioneer Woman -- kinda famous now, Ree Drumond's blog on her transition to life on a Montana cattle ranch.  The food photos are so wonderful, always make me want to go cook something.  And for some reason, reading the stuff here always reminds me of my mother's family and all their tall tales: Mama's cousins Mary Beth and Nummies, along with Spider and Pie (Pie was known for her, well, pies ... can't remember how Spider got that nickname). 

The Daily Coyote -- Shreve Stockton posts daily photos of the coyote she adopted as a baby, sharing much more than that on her blog about living in rural Wyoming.  She has been disciplined about these daily posts for a long time now.  Charlie the coyote makes me smile, and my pups like this blog a lot because it always warms my heart, reminds me how beloved my dogs are, and makes me go to the Treat Jar for them.  It's like clockwork.  And they talk about Pavlov's dog ....

Adventures in Writing on the Road -- Natasha Fondren sold her stuff and bought a jeep and an RV and headed out into a new life; she's got a bigger RV now, but she's still living very simply and she shares how she's doing and where she's going on her blog. 

She's doing what lots of people just dream about.  Like me.  Did you ever read Travels With Charlie by John Steinbeck? 

The Refrigerator List : Birds, Bats, and the Occasional Beast

The old man next door, so old that his skin is almost translucent and his hands look like gnarled twigs, loves his back yard.  When he's not sitting outside on his porch, you can see his long white head watching things as he sits, drinking forbidden coffee, at his kitchen table.  An Albert Einstein haircut, a quiet smile.

A great neighbor. 

It's nice to see him roaming around early each morning, refilling his hummingbird bottles and squirrel feeders and putting out food for the feral cats.  Yes, even though we all know that that feral cat food also attracts our neighborhood raccoons and possums - when they're not dining on finds in the alley garbage cans.  (I've heard that mice and rats like this stuff, but our herd of wild Tom Cats keeps us from having that problem.) 

It's because of our neighbor that our family has found another fun experience in simple living.  We've become aware of nature in a new way.  Not from growing our own little veggies or waiting for rain, but from all the creatures that routinely come to visit our white-haired neighbor.

We've created a Refrigerator List.  Rules are you have to see something at least three times before it gets to go on the List; however, you can note sightings of which you're keeping track.  (Right now, we've seen a black bird with a yellow beak, but we're not sure what it is.)

It's got the kids on alert in the evenings after dinner and it's fun to researching some strange birds and things we've spotted (escapees from the zoo?); and we're listening in the quiet to all the small sounds that are really there in the dusk.  It's not really all that quiet, if you take the time to listen.

May 24, 2011 List

Red-shouldered Hawk (we see this guy so often we've named him Harry)
Mockingbird
White-winged Dove
Pigeon
Sparrow
Cardinal
Blue Jay
Grackel
Bell's Vireo songbird
Raccoon
Yellow-headed Verdin
Scissortail
Hummingbird
Mexican Freetail Bat
Thrasher
Squirrel
Robin
Western Kingbird
Feral Cat
Ladder-Backed Woodpecker

looking at: black bird with yellow beak, white birds (big) that fly overhead in pairs, brown noisy squirrel-like animal - chipmunk?

Ginger Tea Recipe - Natural Pain Relief that WORKS

I'm still drinking my homemade Ginger Tea - and it's still proving to be very effective as a pain reliever. Once again this weekend, I skipped it and my foot (tendon injury) woke me up with a sharp pain on Saturday night as I tried to move it against the sheets. Yesterday and today, I'm drinking my Ginger Tea and no pain. Just like I'm taking a pain pill - but I'm not.

For those of you that might like to try my Ginger Tea recipe for yourself, here it is:

Get yourself one big, fat hand of fresh organic Ginger Root.  Fat fingers, because you will want lots of meat left after you take off the bark.  Cut away the bark, and then cube the flesh of the root - maximizing the surface area that will be exposed to the water as it brews.

Boil yourself a big tea kettle of water and then brew (I use a cute tea pot that reminds me of the English countryside) three organic green tea bags together with the cubed fresh ginger.  Let it steep a long time.  Me, I let it go several hours because I want all that ginger to free itself into the liquid. 

Grab a pitcher that has a cover/lid.  Blend your steeped ginger/green tea with cold water in the pitcher, stevia to sweeten it to your taste.  Use all the steeped ginger from the teapot, or if it's too strong for you, then save some in a glass jar in the fridge -  a handy second batch when you're ready. 

I think the green tea helps with the flavor, as does the stevia.  Plus, they both are helpful in their own right (antioxidants, etc.) and that can't hurt when you're healing. 

For those of you interested in learning more about Ginger as a natural alternative to aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen, check out these sites:

University of Maryland Medical Center
(where the med school reports that ginger is "commonly" recommended for nausea and vomiting caused by motion sickness, pregnancy, and chemotherapy, as well as a "digestive aid for mild stomach upset," (whatever that means) and as a help for "inflammatory conditions such as arthritis" along with heart disease or cancer.

Consumer Affairs
The consumer site references studies published in the Journal of Pain (as well as research done by several American universities), where ginger is recognized as a pain reliever in either its raw or heat-treated forms.  It also points to ginger as being a big pain remedy in Chinese medicine, and reports that ginger has both anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties similar to non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. 

Dr. Andrew Weil
Dr. Weil, the recognized alternative medicine practitioner who periodically shows up on PBS, also recommends ginger for pain relief.  All for the same sorts of things that the University of Maryland does -- nausea, muscle/arthritis pain, etc. 

Anti-Inflammatory Herbs - Natural Relief for Inflammation

Yesterday, I posted about inflammation - acute vs chronic - and ways to fight it.  Herbs, pills, diet.  Stuff I've learned after hurting my foot and having to deal with a painful hurt tendon.  Owee.

Today, thought I'd list the various herbal and natural anti-inflammatories I learned about during my research, as well as sharing links that proved helpful to me. 

Personally, I'm drinking green tea made with fresh ginger, sweetened with stevia, and I really think it's helping on the pain front.  But ginger is far from the only anti-inflammatory that's all natural (read: not a pill) - here's a partial list:

Avoid the NSAIDs: Find a Natural Anti-Inflammatory (Herb, Food, Spice) That Works for You

Herbs and Spices

Arnica
Basil
Boswellia
Bromelain
Cayenne Pepper (Capsaicin)
Chondroitin
Cinnamon
Devils Claw
Garlic
Ginger
Glucosamine sulfate
Glucosamine - chondroitin sulfate combo
Licorice root
SAMe (S-adenosyl methionine)
St. John's Wort
Tea Tree Oil
Turmeric
White Willow Bark

Foods

Green Tea
Apple Cider Vinegar
Acerola (West Indian) Cherries
Apples
Avocados
Bell Peppers
Black Currants
Blueberries
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts
Cabbage
Collard Greens
Guavas
Kiwifruit
Kumquats
Leeks
Lemons
Limes
Mulberries
Onions
Oranges
Papaya
Raspberries
Rhubarb
Spinach
Strawberries
Tomatoes
Turnip Greens


For more information, check out:

Natural Holistic Health

All 4 Natural Health

Metabolism Advice

Natural News

Natural Anti-Inflammatories: What is Inflammation? Do You Have to Take a Pill for It? (Yes, Fine. I Hurt My Foot.)

Inflammation is your body's reaction to an injury -- it's the protection implemented by your own internal system to thwart whatever is hurting it and thereafter to initiate healing. It can be internal or external. 

Inflammation moves blood to the injury site, and there's usually swelling.  And for acute inflammation, there's pain -- which isn't necessarily bad: pain keeps you from moving the injury, giving the body time to heal the site.  Only problem is that pain, well, hurts. 

Inflammation is needed for any wound (or infection) to heal.  However, when it turns into chronic inflammation then it can become a problem, inviting disease (from hay fever allegies and heart disease to rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer's).  Things like diet are a consideration when fighting against chronic inflammation (more below).

Popping Pills for Inflammation

The common practice for inflammation is to pop a pill - take an aspirin, or one of the newer anti-inflammatories, the NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).  You may know them as aspirin (Bayer, etc.), naproxin (Aleve), or ibuprofin (Advil, Motrin, or Tylenol).  NSAIDs are used to treat inflammation, as well as combat pain and lower fever.

There's lots of talk about these pills causing lots of problems on their own, things like a bleeding stomach and ulcers.  So, how to avoid them when you're fighting inflammation?  Can you? 

Natural Anti-Infammatories

Sure. There are several natural alternatives to NSAIDs that are proven anti-inflammatories.  They include (for a much longer list of herbs, spices, and foods that are natural antiinflammatories, go here):

Cayenne Pepper (Capsaicin)

You can find these creams alongside BenGay, IcyHot, and the other tubes of pain relief next to the Ace Bandage display at your local drug store.  These have a small amount of cayenne pepper in them, and it's been proven that rubbing capsaicin into sore muscles and joints can stop pain. 

Ginger

Again, studies have shown that ginger is a very effective anti-inflammatory.  In fact, some have found ginger to be more effective than aspirin (wow).   Make ginger tea, buy an organic hand of fresh ginger, take a finger and peel it, then drop the peeled ginger into a pot of boiling water to steep. 



Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Your entire diet can be targeted toward fighting inflammation.  Dr. Andrew Weil outlines an anti-inflammatory diet on his web site. 

Over at WebMD, Russell Greenfield, MD, a clinical assistant professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, discusses the impact of chronic (or constant) inflammation and how it's known to be a big contributor to certain diseases, including arthritis, as well as some cancers, as well as heart disease and possible Alzheimer's Disease.  An out-of-balance diet, with too few omega-3 fatty acids, and too much omega-6 fatty acids (in other words, the processed food and fast food diet of most Americans) can cause chronic inflamation - and the person will not even know it.  Eww, right? 

Don't Forget RICE!

Additionally, for injuries (acute inflammation) consider the practical aspects of RICE -- you don't injest a thing.  Instead, you Rest (R) the injured arm, leg, foot, whatever; you put Ice on it (I); you wrap or bandage the site, called Compression (C) and you keep the injured limb immobilized and elevated, Elevation(E). 

What Happened?  I Hurt My Foot on the Trail. 

Okay, what brought this on?  Well, fine.  While on the trails with the pups, I injured my foot.  While being all foot-proud about my new bouncey help-you-butt shoes, the official name of which I won't be providing but you know what I'm talking about, right? 

Tendon pulled, not torn.  Gonna take weeks to heal, and at first this hurt like a big dog.  Now, I know all about tendons and the importance of wearing good shoes. 

And I've discovered that I love ginger tea (I add an organic green tea bag to the pot, so I suppose it's really green tea with ginger).  And yes, I think that the ginger has helped.  Quite a bit, actually.

Toaster Ovens: I Love Them and I Have to Buy a New One Today (darn)

For a couple of years now, I've used my trusty Black & Decker Toaster Oven on a regular basis.  It's been great: saves energy, keeps the kitchen lots cooler than using the oven, and it's easy to use. 

However, just as I was placing a batch of Crescent Rolls in Old Faithful, my handy-dandy toaster oven died.  Yes, I admit it:  I was baking up a batch of the totally bad-for-you bop on the counter tube kind.  The kids love them, and I'm weak.  Fine, fine: I love them too.  We don't eat them all the time!!!! 

So, I went on the hunt via the web, of course, for a replacement.  And today, I'll be replacing my small kitchen appliance with a GE Convection Toaster Oven from Walmart that will cost me less than $50, has literally hundreds of glowing reviews at both the Walmart site as well as Amazon.com, and get this: it has a rotisserie included!

That's right.  I'm gonna be able to have rotisserie chicken, roast, or turkey breast made here at home.  From a product that cost less that fifty bucks!!  Wowser.  Happy Dance.

Now, there's a catch.  It can't be a BIG rotisserie chicken or roast or whatever.  I've got a 5 pound limit.  But that's okay.  That's doable.

So, folks, here I go -- off to Walmart for my new gizmo.  Simple life, simple excitement. 

And guess what I'm making for dinner? 

Tom's of Maine 24 Hr Crystal Confidence Deodorant: All Natural Deodorant that WORKS

This may be getting close to TMI for you, Dear Reader, but I just have to share this great personal find.  I've been wanting to avoid standard antiperspirants for years now, for all those bad juju reasons we've all heard about -- and because rolling aluminum bits into my body on a daily basis just seems stupid, quite frankly.  (For what that does, read the postscript.)

However, this posed a big, big problem because while I can deal with the transition from anti-perspirant to deodorant okay, I just did not want to ... well ... stink.  There I said it: stink.  Smell.  Clear a room smell-bad.  This is a big deal for me, and I bet it's a big deal for you.  Sweat is one thing.  Stink is another.

So, imagine how thrilled I was after all this trial and error to find Tom's of Maine's 24 Hour Crystal Confidence Roll On Deodorant.  I like the Citrus Zest version, because the scent is so nice.  I also like that it works. 

Not to say that other natural deodorants didn't work -- they just didn't work for me after around 3 -4 hours.  Working from home, this is easier to accommodate than my past life in the Office.  I had gotten into the habit of using some of the other versions periodically during the day, because forewarned was forearmed.  Better to be a little nuts and add a little more here and there, than have a Deodorant Failure.  Funk is bad. 

No need with Tom's of Maine's 24 Hour Crystal Confidence.  Now, it doesn't last me for 24 hours.  But it'll go a good 12 or more.  And that, to me, is just fine.

Try it -- see what you think. 

PS - Potassium alum vs aluminum in anti-perspirants

Tom's of Maine Crystal Confidence does contain potassium alum, but this is different from commercial antiperspirant's aluminum component.  Potassium alum has a different chemical composition; you can buy it in solid, crystal form as Thai Sticks if you prefer that to Tom's version, and from what I've read, it's not absorbed into the skin.  It's too big, cellwise. 

Potassium alum lies on your skin and kills baceria; in the commercial anti-perspirants, some form of aluminum ( aluminum chloride; aluminum zirconium tricholorohydrex glycine; aluminum chlorohydrate; aluminum hydroxybromide; aluminum hydroxide) actually goes into your body to chemically block the sweat glands from releasing their liquid.  Apparently, the sweat glands just swell up with sweat that's not allowed to escape naturally.  Ewww. 

Betty White Hosting SNL Tomorrow Night

This may not be topical for simplifying life, but I gotta do this. I'm a big fan of Betty White -- have been for years. So much so, that I'm very hopeful and somewhat protective of her as she's sorta been drafted to appear live on SNL ... but from the sound of things, it's gonna be great.

Watch Betty White talk about her upcoming appearance as host of SNL tomorrow night:

Good Friday 2010

Today is the day that acknowledges Jesus' death on the Cross. On Sunday, believers celebrate his Resurrection, and Easter Week concludes.

I have posted daily since the beginning of 2010, but I will not post tomorrow or Sunday in honor of Jesus of Nazareth and what He did for me, and all others. It just doesn't seem right to me.

I'll start up again on Monday, Dear Reader, and I hope you have a wonderful Easter Weekend! God bless you!