Parisian's Pure Indulgence

Live longer or live better? How to do both

For the past 16 days I've been hyper alert to all the foods I eat with hidden sugar.  We all know when we dive into a piece of banana cream pie, we are sugar loading, but have you ever stopped to think about all the things you eat with hidden sugar?

While, I don't want to obsess about every little thing I eat with sugar, I don't want to be blind to it either.  These past 16 days, I have eaten less sugar than I have in a long time...at least I think I have.

Why? What's the problem with eating sugar, beside weight gain?  

--Chronic Inflammation--

My goal, especially now that I'm about to enter another decade of life...the 60's, is to live better; live a life free of serious illness, many of which are brought on by inflammation in our body.  

You've heard of anti-inflammatory medications and anti-inflammatory diets, but do you really know what inflammation is? In short, it's the body's response to outside threats like stress, infection, toxic chemicals, or a high sugar/fat diet.  

Most of us know excess sugar in our diets can lead to type 2 diabetes, read more by Dr. Robert Lustig --the anti-sugar man-- sugar and type 2 Diabetes links.   Diabetes is only one disease we need to be concerned about.

"Cancer, depression, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer's—these seemingly diverse diseases are increasingly thought to have a common denominator: inflammation. While our genetic predisposition for disease can't be changed, we can do something about this other major player," writes, Deborah Kotz, for US News-Health.  

You’d have to live in a bubble to avoid all sources of inflammation: saturated fats, sugar, stress, infections, and environmental toxins, but you can create balance by eating a diet rich in foods that fight inflammation-triggering free radicals and toxins.

Here are just a few inflammation fighting foods:

Tart Cherries - Not Sweet

Studies show that these delicious, tart cherries can reduce pain from arthritis and post-exercise soreness. One study showed the fruit has the highest anti-inflammatory content of any food!

Add it:  Look for tart dried cherries and tart cherry juice.  Add tart cherry juice to breakfast smoothies, or sprinkle dried tart cherries over your morning bowl of oatmeal greek yogurt.

Red/Purple/Green Grapes

Grapes contain a mix of antioxidants, including flavonoids and resveratrol, which has anti-inflammatory properties and is a potent antioxidant.  Resveratrol shows promise in helping to combat a range of maladies, from Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, to cancer to aging.

Add it: Freeze grapes and eat them as a snack, use them whole in smoothies or halve and add to salads.  

Red Onions

This vegetable contains the flavonoid quercetin, which has been found to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. 

Add it: Caramelized red onions are a wonderful addition to salads, sandwiches, and whole grain dishes.  Top your turkey burgers with caramelized onions for a burst of flavor.

Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

Studies show that antioxidants extracted from virgin coconut oil were more effective in reducing the inflammation in arthritis induced in rats, than Indometacin, a popular prescription Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) often prescribed for arthritis.  Click link to Study, Polyphenolics isolated from virgin coconut oil inhibits adjuvant induced arthritis.

 I don't know about you, but I'm not just looking to coast through the next chapter of life, I want to embrace it, live passionately, and in good health. 

The father of a friend of mine, just spent his 80th birthday, bicycling 80 miles! That's what I call living!  Do you want to be propped up on a couch watching TV at 80, or kicking up your heels, doing things you love?  The choice to eliminate inflammation from our bodies, can improve our odds of living an active life, and living better.

 

 

 

Your skin on Sugar, yikes!

It's about 9:00 pm as I write this blog, and I'm dreaming about the french vanilla ice creme in my freezer waiting to be topped with the smooth deliciousness of hot fudge...

I'm on day 5 of no #sugar, and needless to say, I'm having major sugar cravings!  

Nightly desserts and I have to break up. 

I won't tell you, I'll never eat another dessert--I know me to well-- I am telling you my awareness of how much sugar I eat, and my desire to drastically cut back on it, is real. 

Since I was a child, sugar has been my achilles heel. I remember bicycling to the local Speedy Mart, with 25 cents in my pocket; with the sole purpose of buying 3 different candy treats.  Yes, I could purchase 2 candy bars and a smaller package of candy for 25 cents!!  More than that, I loved soda, oh, did I love soda--my favorites were Squirt, Orange Crush, A & W Root Beer, and Coca Cola.  

I gave up the soda and junky candy in my 20's but my sweet tooth remained.  Up until a few years ago, I thought smugly to myself, since I'm only a few pounds over my ideal weight, what's the big deal if I eat dessert most every night?  I'm learning more, and more, it is a big deal, a very big deal. 

I've read 80 percent of our food choices contain sugar! I'm not talking about desserts either, it's the hidden sugar.

How about you?  Have you ever stopped to think about how much sugar YOU consume?  Everything I read tells me sugar is causing much of our inflammation; cancer feeds on it, and it's terrible for your skin!  Another way sugar affects us is:

Brain Fog!

Blanking out in the middle of a meeting or sentence? Research out of UCLA suggests that sugar forms free radicals in the brain's membrane and compromises nerve cells' ability to communicate. This could have repercussions in how well we remember instructions, process ideas, and handle our moods, says Fernando Gómez-Pinilla, Ph.D., author of the UCLA study.  

If you want to watch a very interesting video on how Sugar affects the brain, watch this video. It's Surprising!

When you ingest sugar or high-glycemic foods that rapidly convert to sugar --your body breaks down these carbohydrates into glucose, which raises your insulin levels. Simple carbohydrates, like refined sugar, white bread and soda, cause your insulin levels to spike, which leads to a burst of inflammation throughout the body.

Inflammation produces enzymes that break down collagen and elastin, resulting in sagging skin and wrinkles.

Digested sugar permanently attaches to the collagen in your skin through a process known as glycation. Aside from increasing the effects of aging, glycation can also exacerbate skin conditions like acne and rosacea. 

The good news about sugar-damaged skin--It's never too late to turn back the clock. One way to undo the damage is to look for products with ingredients that support the collagen layer of your skin. Treatments that contain Vitamin C and Retinols are best. Retinols have 25 years of scientific evidence to prove they work. 

Topical nutrients such as blueberries, pomegranate, vitamin C, tea blends, and hyalauronic acid can help protect against the damaging effects of glycation and oxidative stress on the skin.

Our Parisian's Pure Indulgence, 70% Organic Bleuet Oxygen Face Polish is infused with glycation fighting Blueberries, Pomegranate and Cranberries, along with hibiscus to cleanse pores deeply.  

In my next blog I'll share tricks to counteract the damage to our skin from sugar.  

In the meantime, I'll go have another plum!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

59 year old confesses- I should know better!

I hate eating breakfast, so there! Okay, well, maybe it's not a major sin (and the one you expected ;-), but it isn't a healthy choice either, especially at my age! 

We need fuel for our bodies first thing in the morning, at any age, but as we get older; it's even more important to keep our blood sugar levels up, throughout the day.

I arise at 6:30 am every morning and don't feel like having anything more than my 1 or 2 cups of coffee, until at least 10:00 am.  I love breakfast foods, just not at breakfast time!

3 years ago I decided that I must do something about my poor breakfast habits.  I discovered my solution at...Costco, in the form of a delicious breakfast smoothie! 

When my husband and I purchased a Vitamix Blender, the Rolls Royce of blenders (were told), I knew we were on to something.  We met, my soon to be best friend, during a friendly Costco demonstration. We stood at the demo booth for 30 minutes, mesmerized, as we watched our demonstrator whip up smoothies, and juices, and soups, oh my!  We sampled them all--isn't that what everyone does at Costco?--everything was delish; especially the smoothies. 

Today, I'm happy to report, I'm officially a breakfast person.  How can I not be happy, with the vast array of summer fruits available for my breakfast drink.  I've made smoothies with everything from vegetables to nuts...flax seed, almond milk, fruit, and occasionally all of the above.  I always come back to my two favorites I'm sharing here.

I use 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in all my smoothies now, almost religiously.  The oil boosts the flavor of the fruit, and gives my shakes a slight coconut flavor.

In case you haven't heard-or aren't on Facebook much-the benefits of incorporating coconut oil into our diet are many.  It's light and tastes great, but it's the health benefits that will keep me adding it to my breakfast drink.

Coconut Oil Benefits:  Using coconut oil can reduce hunger, boost thyroid function,  helping to increase metabolism, energy and endurance. It improves digestion and helps to absorb fat-soluble vitamins. 

Studies show that the fatty acids in coconut oil can increase blood levels of ketone bodies, supplying energy for the brain cells of Alzheimer’s patients and relieving symptoms.

Can it help those of us in our 50's and 60's to prevent Alzheimer's?  We're not sure yet, but studies are being conducted to determine this.  With all the other benefits, I'm going to continue to include it in my morning smoothies; and remain hopeful that it can also help prevent this disease too. 

Smoothie #1

1 small banana

6 strawberries

4-6 raw almonds

1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil

2 Scoops Almased Protein Powder* (or protein powder of your choice)

2 small scoops ice

1-2 tablespoons water if shake is too thick

Blend all ingredients together until smooth.

*Almased is the best protein powder I've found. I've tried many, but it's my favorite. I was chosen as on of the Almased success stories.  Read about it on the Almased web site.  

 

Smoothie # 2

 

 12-15 blueberries

6 blackberries

1/2 banana

2 slices pineapple

2-3 Tablespoons pineapple juice

1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil

2 scoops Almased Protein Powder

2 scoops ice

Blend all ingredients until smooth.  To your right is my breakfast or shall I say....brunch!  Yes, that is more to my liking.

I would love to hear what your favorite smoothie is.  Do you add Coconut oil to yours? 

It's my story and I'm sticking to it

In my not so humble opinion, I believe every woman over 50 should carry an extra 5-10 pounds. Why? It's good for your face, not to mention your attitude;-) For Women over 50, it's okay to have a little extra body fat. The fat actually plumps up your face a little; de-emphasizing wrinkles.

I'm sure you've seen mature women who are very thin--their face looks drawn and wrinkled. Now this is not an excuse to be 25+ overweight.  The problem with that is, if you do decide to lose weight, the skin on your face begins to sag along with the rest of your body.  Exercise will certainly help the body, but you will notice wrinkles you never knew were there, when you were heavier.

I am someone who believes in moderation.  I have always been 4-8 lbs over my ideal weight, but you know, I'm okay with that.  I enjoy food and everything that goes with it. I'm happiest in my dining room, with a table full of people, laughing and enjoying each others company, along with a good meal.

During the summer, I love nothing more than a nice big salad for dinner.  Who wants to heat up their kitchen on a 95 degree day, here in Southern California!

I made the salad shown here, for the 4th of July, and took it to our friends home.  I changed the salad dressing a little, because I felt it needed a little more zip.  Add your own favorite seasonings if you are adventurous, or follow the recipe as is. It was a hit at the party!

Southwestern Salad

The salad looked like this, when we arrived at the party. I tossed with dressing right before serving. Serves 8-10

 Ingredients

Large head of romaine
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 large orange bell pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes (I used Heirloom)
2 cups corn ( frozen, thawed)
5 green onions
Optional: avocado

 

 

Dressing:

1 cup loosely packed cilantro, stems removed and roughly chopped
1/2 avocado (or 1/2 cup plain vegan yogurt)
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (about 1/2 lime), more to taste
1-2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. white wine vinegar
1/8 tsp. salt

Directions

Make the dressing: puree all ingredients in a food processor/blender until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Finely chop romaine, bell pepper, tomatoes, and green onions.
Place all ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine.
Toss with desired dressing.

****

Here's a Salad I plan to make soon.  I found it on Pinterest.  I love combining quinoa, fruit, nuts and greens. This looks like a hit to me.

Berry-Avocado-Quinoa and Kale Salad with Honey-Lime Poppy Seed Dressing

 

Yield: About 5 - 6 servings

 

Ingredients

Dressing

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 3 1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 1/2 Tbsp honey
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp poppy seeds

Salad

• 2 cups cooked quinoa (about 2/3 cup dry)
• 1 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 9 oz baby kale or baby spinach
• 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries
• 2 medium avocados, peeled, cored and diced
• 5 oz feta cheese, crumbled

Directions

• In a blender or mason jar combine all dressing ingredients except poppy seeds. Blend until well combined (or cover and shake if using a mason jar). Pour into a container and stir in poppy seeds. Store in refrigerator.
• For the salad toss all ingredients together in a large salad bowl. Pour dressing over top and toss. Serve immediately after adding dressing.

 

• Recipe source: Cooking Classy

 

Salad after tossing:

 Yum!

What is your favorite Summer Salad?  Feel free to send me a link to the recipe!

My 4th of July Fail!

Every year, we spend the 4th of July with our dear friends, Jamie and Joy Farr. Like most 4th of July celebrations, it's a fun filled day of family, friends, food, and...Croquet!  

Today, I'm sharing my story, I'll call...Fail at the Farr's.  

I found this centerpiece idea on Pinterest, and thought, I can do that!  Naturally, I decided to elaborate on it--mistake #1. I've never been much good at craft type projects, --mistake #2.  But, off to Michaels Craft Store I went to purchase the styrofoam, the red, white and blue stars, etc.

I skewered the strawberries and blueberries with little white marshmallows (my idea), so far, so good.

I worked for hours on my project...gluing stars, skewering fruit, etc.  Sadly, what I crafted together, looked more like a 3rd grade solar system project, than a Independence Day centerpiece!  

The Rice Krispie stars were my undoing--they were too big and too gooey! - mistake #3. The centerpiece seemed to go together fairly easily, but by the time we got it to the car, a star had fallen off. Okay, no big deal right?  I can put it back on.  But, by the time we drove 10 minutes to their home, 75% of the stars had fallen off!  

When we pulled up in their driveway, I quickly put them all back on.  We walked in the door, everyone ooh'd and ahh'd at my creativity, I set the centerpiece on the table and took a quick, I mean very quick, photo.  

Plop, plop, plop, one by one the stars fell off!  They were all on the table in less than 5 minutes, leaving my centerpiece looking, well, less than stellar!  Jamie, Joy, and family, were the most gracious art critics though.  They didn't laugh...they applauded my effort.  I laughed though, and we're still laughing! Every year when we get together, I say, remember the beautiful centerpiece I made for you? We all chuckle, and they continue to applaud my effort.  

Don't believe me?  Here's my work of art! 

Isn't it funny how you remember the events, vacations, etc., where something goes wrong, forever? Yet, when everything goes smoothly, it's not as memorable?!  

We are on our way to the Farr's today....I'm bringing a salad ;-)

 

 

#IBN30 Finding Love After 50 - Part 3

"Love does not require that we think alike" ~Debbie Leoni

     

I like to tell people Don and I met the old fashioned way--online dating!  The process of online dating scares many off, but by the time Don and I met, I had learned how to streamline the process.

I could tell within 15 minutes of a first phone call, if  the man I was speaking to, was someone I wanted to meet in person. 

The first thing I noticed about Don was his voice.  He has an amazing voice!  It's deep, soothing, and yes, sexy!  Right away, I picked up on his warmth and sincerity.  He was open to talking about anything. On our second call we both shared our intention to be married again.  

You talked about Marriage before you even met?!

We sure did! I knew early on, my intention was to marry again, so why waste each others time, dating, if we weren't on the same page about marriage?

Being part of a couple...a married couple...is how I'm wired.  I struggled with being single, not because I was lonely, I have a very active social life, I simply could not identify with being single.

Don and I knew each other exactly 1 year, 3 days; before we married.  During that year we learned a lot about each other.  

We learned we have a lot of differences!

He is tall, 6' 5";  I am petite, 5'3".  He is punctual, I'm always 5 minutes late. He prefers a new home, traditional styles, and a manicured yard.  I like an older home, with more character (smile), contemporary decor, and more natural type landscaping.  He prefers warm temps, and doesn't like to be cold.  I always run hot, so I'm okay with cooler temps.  But, our biggest difference is:  

Food

I'm a foodie! Look up foodie in the dictionary, and you'll see my picture!  I adore dining...fine dining! I love trying trendy new restaurants.  When I cook, I enjoy preparing dishes that are out of the ordinary, mixing sweet and savory, fresh herbs, fresh fish, unusual and healthy ingredients--you get the picture.   

I get excited at the thought of a 3 hour dining experience, at a 5 star French Restaurant, with course after course of mouth watering dishes, beautifully presented! 

My man is content with steak, pasta and Mexican food (my least favorite food!).  He frequents fast food restaurants.  Don is the first to admit, he's a finicky eater.  

I love to cook, and I put my heart into the meals I prepare; when he's underwhelmed with my efforts, I allow my feelings to get hurt. I think to myself,

"Everyone loves my cooking, why don't you?" 

After we got married, I made the decision to stop taking it personally,  I also found a way to make us both happy with our meals. 

First, I ask for his input more often, about what we should have for dinner.  If he says steak,  I prepare a steak for him, and fish for me.  I don't cook as experimentally, as I did before.  I also let him take me out more, or we pick up food.  It's a win/win, because if I'm not in the kitchen,

 I have more time to spend with him! 

Our core values are the same, and that's what's important!  Our shared faith is first and foremost. When our second date was attending church together, I knew he was a keeper.  

We both speak the same love language...physical touch.  We hold hands, always.  We love to cuddle and just be together.  We are both sensitive, caring, and compassionate people.  If you haven't read the book,

The Five Love Languages, I highly recommend it! 

It teaches there are five ways to express love emotionally. Each person has a primary love language that we must learn to speak if we want that person to feel loved. 

We align in our political beliefs, taking care of our health, and both care about our appearance.  We also enjoy ballroom dancing together; he is a natural dancer.  

We have mutual respect for each other, so when we do have a disagreement, we fight clean.  What I mean by this is, no raised voices...ever!  We do not accuse either.  

Our agreement is, when we are upset about something, we give it some time before coming back together and talking about what's bothering us.  We discuss, we don't fight.

This makes it safe to let the other person know how you feel, without being in the heat of an argument, and saying things you'll regret later.

Being mature has made us appreciate our relationship more, too. We've both had failed marriages, and I believe we work a little harder at making this our last and best relationship, ever! 

What do you do to strengthen your relationships?  I welcome all tips!