Organized Closet Spring time is here and many of us think about spring cleaning. Now is a good time to sort, throw out, recycle or give away items that you don’t want or need anymore. Overwhelmed at the thought of tackling this task? If so, start small, gain momentum and keep moving forward. An easy […]
July 19, 2013 by green308 Do you ever think about your lymphatic system? Don’t feel bad if the answer is no. Most people don’t, which isn’t surprising. About the only time we do (think about it) is when we hear that someone has developed cancer in their lymph nodes. And then we feel a little […]
October 7, 2022 by jmlobb Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the United States, yet about 40% of cancers are preventable. Earlier this year, President Biden named April National Cancer Control month. Prior to the release of his proclamation, the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) had named February Cancer Prevention […]
Have you ever had a great idea come to you while in the shower? Why is it that the best thoughts seem to occur when we’re not prepared to write them down? For me, my mind seems to be most creative when I’m driving, walking my dog, riding my bike, or doing housework – not […]
Monday, March 20th marked the first official day of Spring. Now is the perfect time to get outside and commit to increasing your daily dose of Vitamin N(ature). Why should you go outside? The health and wellness benefits of being outdoors are numerous. If you want to dive deep into these benefits, read Florence William’s […]
“A friend asked me for a nude photo,” my fifteen-year-old daughter told me one night. “He what?!” I whispered struggling to grasp onto a rational thought. I knew this friend. In this case, it was a boy who had been in my home. The realization that my daughter had a friend that would make such […]
One of my favorite spring foods is rhubarb. I love rhubarb pie, rhubarb bread, and rhubarb crisp (ala mode, of course). This “pie plant” is primarily used as a fruit, but botanically, it’s a vegetable. Eaten alone, it is extremely tart. The only other comparable plant food that is as tart as rhubarb is a […]
Recently, I met an 11-year-old who likes birds. Since I self-identify as a bird nerd, we started talking and I quickly realized this young person had a genuine curiosity and passion for birds. She told me she had checked out Smithsonian Handbooks: Birds of North America from her school library and had no intention of […]
February 16, 2017 by lisabarlage It is no secret that drug abuse is running rampant in Middle America. Over half a million Americans die every year from overdoses, accidents, illness, or other poor choices. I live in southern Ohio, an area that has been over whelmed with the opiate epidemic. I recently had the opportunity […]
March 16, 2015 by Pat Brinkman Pants getting tight in the waist? Did you know waist circumference is a better gauge of heart disease risk than body mass index (BMI)? When researchers compared people with the same BMI but different waist sizes, they found people with larger waists were more at risk. Measurements that signal […]
If you’re anything like me, you love the Fall because that time of year means pumpkin everything! I can’t get enough it, but, each year as new pumpkin treats have been released, I have tried to get my pumpkin fix in healthier ways, with a splurge here or there, of course. Some of my go-to’s […]
“The more committed a child is to learning, the more likely it is that he or she will grow up healthy.” – Peter L. Benson, Ph.D. Believe it or not, summer break is nearly over and school will officially be back in session soon. Going back to school can be an exciting time for many […]
May 17, 2021 by Pat Brinkman Mid-May and farmers’ markets are back. Farmers’ markets are great places to get fresh produce (often picked that morning) and get inspired to eat and/or cook with fresh ingredients. Since this is the beginning of the fresh produce season in Ohio, produce will probably be limited for a few […]
With the holidays around the corner, I have been thinking about all the things that have changed over the years. When I was a kid, we went to my grandparents’ house on Christmas Eve and celebrated with my aunts, uncles, and cousins. When my grandparents moved in to an apartment, the holidays were divided amongst […]