Happy Valentine’s Day (we invited a bunch of people over to give each other a new roof)
History Lesson for Today – Happy New Year!
When the Year of the Dragon arrives, birth rates in China tend to boom. Many parents believe that a child born during this year, a lucky dragon baby, will be destined for success. Though this perception is often a self-fulfilling prophecy, with parents investing greater resources in their dragon child, the extraordinary expectations surrounding the zodiac creature speak to its deep associations with intelligence, authority and good fortune. This year, the dragon will take the helm from the rabbit on February 10, ushering in a long-anticipated period of prosperity unique to the mythical being.
Why Is the Year of the Dragon Considered So Lucky? — https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/why-is-the-year-of-the-dragon-considered-so-lucky-180983764/
There’s Another Blue Zone in the US
“It’s really what they’re not doing. They’re not doing anything consciously, and there’s where we get it wrong,” Buettner said. “We think we can resolve to get on the right diet, the right exercise program, supplement plan, superfoods, and get healthier. But it never works.”
Buettner said that the “superagers” are often walking outside, having spontaneous conversations with the people they bump into, having a smaller dinner, and eating mostly a whole food, plant-centric diet.
A look inside the United States’ first-ever certified “Blue Zone” located in Minnesota — https://foodfactsandfads.com/2024/02/04/6306/
Remember, Eat More Plants.
Also Research Reveals One Simple Habit That Promotes Longevity AND Provides Extra Income in Retirement
More Coffee Please
People have been drinking coffee since 15th century, but the past few years have seen a flood of new studies suggesting that drinking coffee (copious amounts of coffee in many cases) improves longevity and brain function, while also combating some of the most common and feared adult health issues.
Neuroscience Says Drinking Coffee Like This Boosts Brain Function and Makes You Live Longer – https://www.inc.com/bill-murphy-jr/neuroscience-says-drinking-coffee-like-this-boosts-brain-function-makes-you-live-longer.html
The article contains links to several studies on the benefits of drinking coffee.
Don’t Forget to Take Your Vitamins
Researchers tested the effects of a daily multivitamin on cognitive changes in a study of 573 participants with in-person visits in the COSMOS trial. The researchers also conducted a meta-analysis among over 5,000 non-overlapping participants across the three separate cognition studies within the COSMOS trial. Results showed a statistically significant benefit for cognition among participants taking the multi-vitamin compared to placebo, suggesting that a multi-vitamin could help prevent memory loss and slow cognitive aging among older adults.
Mass General Brigham. “Third major study finds evidence that daily multivitamin supplements improve memory and slow cognitive aging in older adults.” ScienceDaily – https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240118122110.htm (accessed January 19, 2024).
I forgot to take my vitamins today until this article caught my eye.
Dumpling Filling Recipes – (electronic sticky note)
One of these days I will make dumplings.
One of these days I’ll spend some time with this family’s cookbook (which I own) for recipe ideas.
One of these days…
Fresh or Frozen?
“When fresh spinach sits during transportation over long distances or stays in your refrigerator for a week, its folate content drops so much that frozen spinach becomes the better source,” Mary Ellen Phipps, MPH, RDN, LD, wrote for CNBC in 2022.
This is because frozen spinach often goes through a flash-freezing process just hours after it has been harvested, which helps to lock more of its nutrients in. “One cup of frozen spinach has more than four times the amount of nutrients, including iron, vitamin C, and calcium, compared to a cup of fresh spinach,” adds Phipps.
Fresh is Best? Not Always When It Comes to Spinach — https://vegnews.com/vegan-health-wellness/best-form-of-spinach
I was super proud of myself this past week when I bought a clam-shell of organic spinach and ate the entire tub. Now I know I would have been better off nutritionally with one of the many packages of frozen spinach in my freezer.
Guess I should make my world famous Potato Crusted Spinach Quiche more often.
The Role of Diet and Dietary Patterns in Parkinson’s Disease
The Role of Diet and Dietary Patterns in Parkinson’s Disease — Nutrients 2022, 14(21), 4472; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14214472
A few changes in food choices here and there can’t hurt and may just help.
Year in Review – 2023
But make it again and The Tiny Human may change her mind. ”I don’t like that!” which no parent has ever heard from their child.
Another year, another championship.
Our grand-donkey got painted for the 4th of July.
These people were aggressive and called my cell phone. I told them I’d be very happy to sell them a property I don’t own.
RIP.
Ski Chile ! (mountains all look the same to this Flatlander)
Future artist.
If you live in the US or Canada quit complaining.
YouTube put this suggestion at the top of my For You list of must watch videos.
AND I also get this in my feed:
But at least I’m not Cody.
I didn’t go to Maine.
A quiet anniversary dinner at home on New Year’s Eve.
In with the new and out with the old.
Cantaloupe Anyone?
The deadly cantaloupe Salmonella outbreak in Canada has now sickened at least 164 people in that country, according to Public Health Canada. Sixty-one of those people have been hospitalized, and seven deaths have been reported. Those same cantaloupes have sickened at least 302 people in the United States, with four deaths; three in Minnesota and one in Oregon.
https://foodpoisoningbulletin.com/2023/deadly-cantaloupe-salmonella-outbreak-in-canada-sickens-164/
My local store has whole cantaloupes on sale this week three for $5.00.
I don’t think they’ll sell many.
garyskitchen.net 