Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

Ain't nothing you can do to keep me from posting the Blues on Saturday

Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

Kenneth Davis

 SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns

     August 27, 2023: You have come through unprecedented changes in the past few years. Do not mourn what you perceive as loss, but rather enter into an uncluttered and more honest existence. I am preparing you for a reward in the days ahead that you would have lost without making the necessary changes. 1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N   

     Whether you know it or not, one of the most important relationships in your life is with your Soul. Will you be kind and loving to your Soul, or will you be harsh and difficult? Many of us unknowingly damage our Souls with our negative attitudes and actions or by simple neglect. By making the relationship with your Soul an important part of your life, however, by honoring it in your daily routine, you give your life greater meaning and substance. Use your experiences-all of them-as opportunities to nourish your Soul!
     It is not the end of the physical body that should worry us. Rather, our concern must be to live while we're alive - to release our inner selves from the spiritual death that comes with living behind a facade designed to conform to external definitions of who and what we are.
     There are dreams of love, life, and adventure in all of us. But we are also sadly filled with reasons why we shouldn't try. These reasons seem to protect us, but in truth they imprison us. They hold life at a distance. Life will be over sooner than we think. If we have bikes to ride and people to love, now is the time.

~Elisabeth Kubler-Ross~

Kenneth Davis

BIRTH ANNIVERSARY GREETINGS

TO

DEBRA HARRIS DUGARD

     Only a few things are really important. By the time we hit fifty, we have learned our hardest lessons. We have found out that only a few things are really important. We have learned to take life seriously, but never ourselves. It is not how old you are, but how you are old.

~Marie Dressler~

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     I wish I could take what I'm feeling right now and put it in the water system, and we would all love each other. I try to be as honest and open as I am with everything that I do because it’s just, um, It helps me, you know, like whether it’s stand up or singing or acting. I just try to stay true.
     But don't get caught out there looking goofy. It's weird. When you do something that stinks, it's going to last forever on the Internet. There's always someone in the audience with a camera phone and if you're not 100%, you're going to be watching yourself on YouTube.
     Also, I think having that comic gene kind of makes you look at things in a different way. If you take yourself so seriously, eventually you end up one of those people having a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on their lives. You see them drawing the curtains and they don't even realize that they've kind of drifted off somewhere.

~Jamie Foxx~

IT'S TIME FOR 

     A ventriloquist is performing with his dummy on his lap. He’s telling a dumb-blonde joke when a young platinum-haired beauty jumps to her feet.
“What gives you the right to stereotype blondes that way?” she demands. “What does hair color have to do with my worth as a human being?”
Flustered, the ventriloquist begins to stammer out an apology.
“You keep out of this!” she yells. “I’m talking to that little jerk on your knee!”

~Nancy Gomes~

Kenneth Davis

BIRTH ANNIVERSARY GREETINGS 
TO 
MARILYN SANDERS JONES

     To live every day as if it had been stolen from death, that is how I would like to live. To feel the joy of life, as Eve felt the joy of life. To separate oneself from the burden, the angst, the anguish that we all encounter every day. To say I am alive, I am wonderful, I am. I am. That is something to aspire to. You should shine with all of your light all the time.

~Garth Stein~

Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

Kenneth Davis

 T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N 

     The root of joy is gratefulness...It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful. Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful, then no matter how much we have we will not be happy -- because we will always want to have something else or something more.
     We have thousands of opportunities every day to be grateful: for having good weather, to have slept well last night, to be able to get up, to be healthy, to have enough to eat. There's opportunity upon opportunity to be grateful; that's what life is. Love wholeheartedly, be surprised, give thanks and praise then you will discover the fullness of your life.

~David Steindl-Rast~

Kenneth Davis

 T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N 

     One cardinal rule in behavioral medicine is that unless it is interfered with, your body knows exactly what it is doing and always does the best thing it can do under the circumstances. Consequently, if you are overweight, you may reasonably assume that the extra fat itself is your body's best adjustment to the circumstances you are providing.
     I believe in giving rewards and positive reinforcement for a job well done, but can we raise ourselves a little higher than the dogs and give rewards that have longer-term benefits? How can a poor food choice be a true reward anyway? Living a healthy lifestyle will only deprive you of poor health, lethargy, and fat.

~Jill Johnson~

WELLNESS WEDNESDAY

The Best and Worst Drinks for People With Diabetes
Sari HarrarSari Harrar Updated: Apr. 29, 2023 
Medically reviewed by Susan E. Spratt, MD
The Healthy A Reader's Digest brand

     Liquid calories and nutrition can be good or bad for blood sugar and diabetes. Here's how you can get the healthiest bang from your beverages.
Drinks for people with type 2 diabetes
     Choosing the right drinks for people with diabetes is as important as choosing the right foods, and it isn’t always simple. Is coffee helpful or harmful to insulin resistance? Does zero-calorie diet soda affect your blood sugar? Some studies may only add to the confusion. We reviewed the research and then asked three top registered dietitians, who are also certified diabetes educators, what they tell their clients about seven everyday drinks for people with diabetes. Here’s what to know before you sip.
Drink more: Water
     Drinking enough water has so many health benefits. But could downing a few glasses of H2O help control your blood sugar? A study in the journal Diabetes Care suggests so: The researchers found that people who drank 16 ounces (two cups’ worth) or less of water a day were about 30 percent more likely to have high blood sugar than those who drank more than that daily. The connection seems to be a hormone called vasopressin, which helps the body regulate hydration. Vasopressin levels increase when a person is dehydrated, which prompts the liver to produce more blood sugar.
How much: Experts recommend six to nine 8-ounce glasses of water per day for women and slightly more for men. You’ll get some of this precious fluid from fruit and vegetables and other fluids, but not all of it. “If you’re not in the water habit, have a glass before each meal,” recommends registered dietitian Constance Brown-Riggs, a certified diabetes educator in Massapequa, New York, past spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and author of The African American Guide to Living Well with Diabetes. “After a few weeks, add a glass at meals too.” If you’re already meeting your water targets, there’s no need to push it further. 
Drink more: Milk
     Moo juice isn’t just a kids’ drink—it’s one of the best drinks for people with diabetes, too. It provides the calcium, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin D your body needs for many essential functions. “Low-fat or fat-free milk is a great beverage for people with diabetes,” Brown-Riggs says. Drinking more milk can also help prevent strokes (a concern for many people with diabetes) by 7 percent, according to research from the Journal of the American Heart Association. Bonus: The researchers also found that eating cheese produced the same effect. If you’re lactose intolerant or allergic to dairy, eating plenty of dark green vegetables can help you obtain the calcium and other electrolytes you need.
How much: Experts recommend eating two to three daily servings of dairy products, including low-fat or fat-free milk. Milk does contain carbohydrates so remember to factor in 12 grams of carbohydrate for every 8-ounce glass. “Drink milk with a meal so your body can handle the natural rise in blood sugar that happens when we eat carbohydrates,” says registered dietitian Angela Ginn, a certified diabetes educator and nutrition education coordinator at the University of Maryland’s Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology in Baltimore, MD. 
Drink more: Tea
     No calories, big flavor, and a boatload of antioxidants have made tea—particularly green and black—trendy for health reasons, especially when it comes to drinks for people with diabetes. Sipping more than three cups of tea a day could lower the risk for developing diabetes, other researchers found. Tea may also help reduce your risk of stroke and heart disease. The exception to these diabetic drinks: sweetened, bottled iced teas, which have tons of added sugar.
How much: Three to four cups of tea are OK for most people; just be sure the caffeine doesn’t keep you awake at night. More is fine if you opt for decaf. And watch what you add: Avoid sugar and full-fat milk and cream. Discover what happens to your body when you drink tea every day.
Drink carefully: Coffee
     A 2018 systematic review and meta-analysis in Nutrition Reviews found that coffee drinkers are at lower risk for developing type 2 diabetes. (A compound in coffee called chlorogenic acid seems to slow absorption of glucose into the bloodstream.) But other research indicates that for people who already have diabetes, coffee may raise blood sugar or make the body work harder to process it. Bottom line: It comes down to how coffee affects your individual blood sugar. What many people with diabetes add to their coffee may be the real issue. “Sugar, sweetened creamers, and high-fat milk and half-and-half can raise your blood sugar and your weight,” Brown-Riggs says.
How much: Experts say sipping two to three cups a day is probably fine, but if you’re having a tough time controlling your blood sugar, it may be worth cutting out coffee to see if it makes a difference. “Everyone’s blood sugar response to foods is unique and individual,” Ginn says. 
Drink carefully: Diet soda
     Are fizzy, zero-calorie drinks a brilliant choice for people concerned about diabetes, or could they do more harm than good? One 2018 study in Current Developments in Nutrition looked at over 2,000 people and found that those who drank diet soda every day increased their chances of developing diabetes, leading researchers to conclude that diet soda itself could be a risk factor. The news may be even worse for diabetics drinking zero-calorie sodas. Researchers in Australia looked at 600 patients with diabetes and found that drinking more than four cans of diet soda a week doubled their chances of developing proliferative diabetic retinopathy, an eye disease that’s a complication of diabetes.
     What if you’re using it as an interim measure to wean yourself off real soda? Though there’s concern among researchers, the American Diabetes Association still suggests that diet soda is a better alternative to a sugar-packed version for people watching their blood sugar.
How much: If you have a soda habit, it’s probably OK to sip one zero-calorie drink a day instead of a sugary version, but given the research, it’s best to wean yourself off. Make sure to also drink healthy drinks for people with diabetes like water and tea. Resist the temptation to see diet soda as a “magic eraser” allowing you to indulge in foods like chips, dips, sweets, fries, and burgers. People who enjoyed their diet pop as part of a healthy diet had lower risk of high blood sugar and high cholesterol than those who ate fried and sugary foods in one University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 
Drink less: Soda and sugary drinks
     With 10 teaspoons of sugar in every 12-ounce can or bottle, sweet drinks can send your blood sugar soaring—and boost your risk for weight gain, high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease. One sugary drink a day can add 150 empty calories and about 40 to 50 grams of blood-sugar-raising carbohydrates to your diet, all of which can cause you to pack on belly fat and increase inflammation and insulin resistance—boosting the risk for diabetes and heart disease. Bottom line: Soda and sugary fruit drinks are some of the worst drinks for people with diabetes.
     “If you have diabetes, cutting out soda and other sugar-sweetened drinks is one of the most powerful ways to control blood sugar, lose weight, and improve your health,” says Ginn. “Switching to healthier drinks can save hundreds of calories and a lot of carbohydrates. It’s often one of my first goals when I work with someone newly diagnosed with diabetes.”
How much: None, ideally. Think of soda as you would a decadent dessert that you might indulge a taste of once in a blue moon. If you have a soda habit, cut back by drinking a smaller size for a week or two, or mixing half regular soda with half diet soda or club soda to reduce your calorie and carb intake. Aim to go sugar-free: Water and club soda (including zero-calorie fruit-flavored types) are ideal, and diet soda is an option for diabetic drinks but don’t exceed one a day. 
Drink less: Fruit juice
     Your mom served up OJ every day with breakfast, and you grew to love it. The labels display tempting photos of colorful fruit. But are juices healthy diabetic drinks for blood sugar and weight control? A regular juice habit is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a study published in Diabetes Care. In terms of nutrition, a piece of real fruit is a better deal (and science is backing that people with diabetes can, and should, eat fruit). A 4-ounce serving of 100 percent orange juice has 56 calories, 12 grams carbohydrates, and no fiber; compare that to a small fresh orange, which has 45 calories, 11 grams carbohydrates, and 2 grams of blood-sugar-controlling fiber. That said, people with diabetes can indulge in a little 100 percent fruit juice once in a while, says registered dietitian Dawn Menning, a certified diabetes educator in Los Angeles, CA. “They should just know the amount of juice they are consuming and factor the number of carbohydrates into their eating plan,” she says.
How much: Juice lovers, eat fruit or switch to a low-sodium veggie juice, which is much lower in calories and carbohydrates than fruit juice. If you’re really craving juice, try a 4-ounce serving with a meal. Test your blood sugar afterward, and then repeat with the same meal for the next three or four days. If your blood sugar doesn’t rise more than 35 to 50 points, a little juice could be fine. 

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

The moon has quite the show planned for this week, and you won't want to miss it! The largest and closest supermoon of the summer is set to illuminate the sky today and tomorrow. 

Often referred to as a super blue moon, the upcoming lunar event is especially rare because it checks three labels at once: full moon, supermoon, and blue moon. Positioned 222,043 miles from Earth, experts say that this particular supermoon will be the closest full supermoon this year.

According to EarthSky.org, a full moon happens when the moon is on the opposite side of Earth from the sun. A full supermoon is when the full moon occurs at the time the moon is closest to us in its elliptical orbit. And a blue moon is what we call two full moons in the same month. No, it won’t appear blue in color. 

While supermoons happen a few times a year, a supermoon that is also a blue moon is pretty rare. As NASA reports, about 25 percent of all full moons are supermoons, but only 3 percent of full moons are blue moons. You’ll have to wait 14 years to see one again, as the next super blue moons won’t occur until January and March 2037.

Eyes to the sky, y’all!

Kenneth Davis

    T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N

     Imagine a history teacher making history. No teacher has ever been better prepared to teach a lesson. NASA was going to pick a public school teacher to go into space, observe and make a journal about the space flight, and I am a teacher who always dreamed of going up into space.
     I can remember in early elementary school when the Russians launched the first satellite. There was still so much unknown about space. People thought Mars was probably populated. If I can get some student interested in science, if I can show members of the general public what's going on up there in the space program, then my job's been done.

~Christa McAuliffe~

     Christa McAuliffe, NASA's first teacher in space. She died in the space shuttle Challenger accident on January 28, 1986.

IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER

Kenneth Davis

 
     Good morning everyone. Good news to share with you all. Hurricane Idalia crossed the paths of several classmates.  Carolyn & Gerald Harris, Alvin Howlett and Curtis Farmer, all of Florida, Carl O'Neil of Georgia, Margie McRae Reed of South Carolina, Jacqueline Casey and Kenneth Davis of North Carolina. After reaching out for a wellness check, we all received mostly wind and rain. We thank you all for your prayers. God is still in control....

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     The highest reaches of music come thrillingly close to the central core and essence of life itself. Music comes from the heart and returns to the heart... music is spontaneous, impulsive expression... its range is without limit... music is forever growing... music can be one element to help us build a new conception of life in which the madness and cruelty of wars will be replaced by a simple understanding of the brotherhood of man.
     Music can be all things to all men. It is like a great dynamic sun in the center of a solar system which sends out its rays and inspiration in every direction... It is as if the heavens open and a divine voice calls. Something in our souls responds and understands.

~Leopold Stokowski~

WELCOME TO 
SMOOTH
 CONTEMPORARY JAZZ 
FRIDAYS

TOMMY G THOMPSON - ARTIST

James Stone

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N   

     The love of gardening is a seed once sown that never dies. A garden is a grand teacher... above all it teaches entire trust. I do not envy the owners of very large gardens.  The garden should fit its owner or his or her tastes, just as one's clothes do; it should be neither too large nor too small, but just comfortable. In garden arrangement, as in all other kinds of decorative work, one has not only to acquire a knowledge of what to do, but also to gain some wisdom in perceiving what it is well to let alone. 
     The good gardener knows with absolute certainty that if he does his part, if he gives the labor, the love, and every aid that his knowledge of his craft, experience of the conditions of his place, and exercise of his personal wit can work together to suggest, that so surely will God give the increase. Then with the honestly earned success comes the consciousness of encouragement to renewed effort, and, as it were, an echo of the gracious words, 'Well done my good and faithful servant'. The lesson I have thoroughly learnt, and wish to pass on to others, is to know the enduring happiness that the love of a garden gives.

~Gertrude Jekyll~

SATURDAY MORNING GARDENING TOOLS

Your Vegetable Garden: Now’s the Time to Plan for Fall Crops
Joy Yagid  https://www.gardenista.com/posts/summer-plan-fall-crops/

     Your tomatoes are coming in fabulously. You’ve harvested your garlic. Your beans are just about ready for picking. Summer in the vegetable garden is a heady time. But it doesn’t have to be over! Now’s the time to plan for fall crops. Just as in the spring, you can plant cool-weather crops—as long as you keep a few things in mind.
1. Know the first frost date for your zone.
     Knowing your first frost date will allow you to figure out how much time you have to grow cool weather crops. You can enter your zip code using Garden.org’s tool here. The site gives you a percentage of the chance of frost, rather than a hard date. Mother Nature does what she wants when she wants and doesn’t look at our human calendars.
2. Read the back of the seed packet.
     The single most important bit of information on the packet is days to maturity. Check to make sure you have enough time to harvest by the frost date. However, some crops, like kale, chard, and peas, can tolerate some frost.
3. Remember the days are getting shorter.
     Sad to say, but true. After the summer solstice, the days are getting shorter, so there is less sunlight for your crops. Taking this into consideration, move your last frost date up two weeks. With less sunshine, your plants will be growing slower.
4. Keep an eye on the current weather.
     Having a tropical heat wave? You may want to wait to plant cool weather crops. Again, Mother Nature is in charge. If you do decide to sow seeds, give them the best chance by keeping them well watered during heatwaves.
5. Choose the right plants.
     Look for short maturity dates, aka fast growers. Consider specifically Lacinato kale, bok choy, radishes, carrots, heat- and cold-tolerant lettuces (such as Lactuca sativa), beets, kohlrabi, and peas. Make sure you meet their needs to give them the best chance. Example: carrot seeds can’t dry out before they germinate. Plant lettuce beneath tomatoes to shield them from the hot sun. By the time the tomatoes are ending the lettuce will be coming into its own. Also, plant in succession. Plant crops weekly to extend the harvest; for instance, since cilantro is known to bolt in the heat, succession planting would allow for a longer harvest. The end of summer and into the fall shouldn’t be wasted. With proper planning and care, you can extend your vegetable harvest almost to Thanksgiving, depending on your hardiness zone.

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

"What you done to me already been done to you."

Kenneth Davis

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND  by Marsha Burns

     September 3, 2023: Take a moment to reflect on how your life changed in the last season, and realize that you not only survived; you are beginning to thrive. You are in a better position to take the next step in fulfilling your destiny. You have had supernatural help in what you have accomplished. Be glad and rejoice. Psalm 77:14 You are the God who does wonders; You have declared Your strength among the peoples.

   T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N    

     By helping others, you will learn how to help yourselves. To be kind is to respond with sensitivity and human warmth to the hopes and needs of others. Even the briefest touch of kindness can lighten a heavy heart. Kindness can change the lives of people. Every kindness I received, small or big, convinced me that there could never be enough of it in our world... Kindness can change the lives of people.
     We must all work together if we are all to live together in unity and harmony. There is nothing to compare with the courage of ordinary people whose names are unknown and whose sacrifices pass unnoticed. The courage that dares without recognition, without the protection of media attention, is a courage that humbles and inspires and reaffirms our faith in humanity.

~Aung San Suu Kyi~

Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

Kenneth Davis

   T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N   

     You have to love what you do to want to do it everyday. You have to enjoy your job; you should wake up every day and love what you do... I honestly do... From the bottom of my heart to the depths of my soul. I'm truly happy. Keep working hard and you can get anything that you want. If God gave you the talent, you should go for it. But don't think it's going to be easy. It's hard!
     Everything is worth it. The hard work, the times when you're tired, the times where you're a bit sad... In the end, it's all worth it because it really makes me happy. There's nothing better than loving what you do.

~Aaliyah~

IT'S TIME FOR 

     A man from Kansas City walks into a bar and asks, “Wanna hear a joke about people from St. Louis?” The bartender says, “Listen, pal, I’m from St. Louis, and I won’t appreciate it. The man sitting next to you is 265 pounds, and he’s from St. Louis too. And the bouncer, that huge guy there, is also from St. Louis. So do you still want to tell that joke?”
     “No,” says the guy from Kansas City. “Not if I have to explain it three times.”

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

The History of the No-White-After-Labor-Day

Labor Day isn't only about saying goodbye to summer but an entire section of our wardrobes. For generations, we've subscribed to the adage that wearing white after Labor Day is a fashion faux pas—similar to wearing socks with sandals.

The rule to stop wearing white clothing after Labor Day has persisted through generations of tradition. There are a few theories about the origin of this strange rule. A Time article suggests that it might have been born out of function. Before the days of air conditioning, white attire was lighter to wear on the dog days of summer because it reflected the sun.

And then there's the idea that it arose out of pure snobbery. In the early 20th century, Americans who set the fashion trends were the same ones who could afford to depart the cities for the summer months. Safe in the country, far away from the urban grime, they wore white simply because they could. Remember that nobody wore white in the city back then—it was far too dirty. "If you look at any photograph of any city in America in the 1930s, you'll see people in dark clothes," Charlie Scheips, author of American Fashion, told Time. White clothes, on the other hand, were "a look of leisure."

Labor Day traditionally marks the end of the summer, which, for wealthy, meant returning to the city and forgoing their white country clothes. White linens and lighter fabrics were associated with the wealthy society's summertime excursions to seaside locations. So, continuing to wear white after returning from vacation was considered rude or a way to "show off."

By the 1950s, this thinking had trickled down to the middle class, and with help from women's magazines, not wearing white after Labor Day wasn't accepted or considered appropriate. But that's not to say that everyone agreed. Coco Chanel famously wore white year-round. Fortunately, fashion rules have become considerably more relaxed, and these days, plenty of Southern tastemakers agree that you should wear white every day of the year if you want to.

Even etiquette expert Emily Post agrees that you can wear white every day of the year. The decision is "more about the fabric choice today than color." This rule is evident when thinking about white wool or cable-knit sweaters. Post says to "wear what's appropriate—for the weather, the season, or the occasion."

So, there you have it. Consider the ban on white after Labor Day officially ended!

Kenneth Davis

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns

     September 5, 2023: Set your heart, mind and determination to treat everyone with the same respect that you desire for yourself. Be sure to reflect My character and nature in everything you do, says the Lord. Release yourself from prejudice and judging others from your place of strength to their position of weakness. Proverbs 16:18-19 Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     Grace has to be the loveliest word in the English language. It embodies almost every attractive quality we hope to find in others. Grace is a gift of the humble to the humiliated. Grace acknowledges the ugliness of sin by choosing to see beyond it. Grace accepts a person as someone worthy of kindness despite whatever grime or hard-shell casing keeps him or her separated from the rest of the world. Grace is a gift of tender mercy when it makes the least sense.
     We aren't just thrown on this earth like dice tossed across a table. We are lovingly placed here for a purpose. We have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for the day. Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it. Our attitude is everything. Don't get older; get better: Live realistically. Give generously. Adapt willingly. Trust fearlessly. Rejoice daily. Refuse to let your situation determine your attitude.

~Charles R. Swindoll~

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     No matter what the situation, remind yourself "I have a choice. You have all the power you could possibly need to create a new reality - a reality of vibrant health and wellbeing. When we're in touch with our body, we're attuned to our intuition, needs, and desires and will be in the best position to make evolutionary choices for our health and wellbeing.

     To make the right choices in life, you have to get in touch with your soul. To do this, you need to experience solitude, which most people are afraid of, because in the silence you hear the truth and know the solutions. In the process of letting go you will lose many things from the past, but you will find yourself.

~Deepak Chopra~

7 Tips To Stay Healthy and Active in a Sedentary Job

Robin Madell - https://www.moneytalksnews.com/

     Carve out more time for your health and well-being during the workday and after with these tips. The Mayo Clinic reports on research that proves that sitting for more than eight hours a day — the length of a typical workday for people with a desk job — without getting any physical activity “had a risk of dying similar to that posed by obesity and smoking.”

     The health problems that can come from extended periods of sitting without a break include but aren’t limited to:

⦁ High blood pressure

⦁ Elevated blood sugar

⦁ Unhealthy cholesterol levels

⦁ Excess body fat (particularly around the waist)

⦁ Increased risk of death from cancer and heart disease

     “Staying healthy with a job that’s primarily sedentary can be a real challenge given that Americans spend a substantial portion of their adult lives on the job,” says Devin Ryder, chief of operations for the integrative wellness coaching practice Lucent Wellness. “For a standard 9-to-5 schedule, an individual will spend over a third — approximately 35.7%, assuming eight hours of sleep, which is also important for maintaining good health! — of their waking hours at work.”

7 Tips for Staying Healthy in a Sedentary Job

     If you’re inspired to break out of your sedentary work habits, then consider these general health tips for sedentary work, based on strategies from Ryder and Richard Nolan, chief people officer at software provider Epos Now. Both Ryder and Nolan told FlexJobs that they recommend these ideas to their work groups and have also tried them out themselves.

1. Get Up and Move Around During Work

     “Take a quick walk around the office or take the stairs instead of using the elevator,” Nolan says. “Even just standing up to stretch can go a long way toward keeping you feeling fresh and energized throughout the day.” “Your job might be sedentary, but you don’t have to be,” says Ryder, who agrees with the importance of moving throughout the day.

2. Optimize Your Activity Outside of Your Workday

     “I find that most healthy people I know and for myself, personally, this is most easily managed by getting your activity in first thing in the morning,” Ryder says. “Resistance training, jogging/walking, yoga, and swimming are all fantastic options. Post-work activities are constantly disrupted by work, friends, and family — especially if you have children (like I do) — and other unforeseen events, making it much tougher overall to cram into the evening hours.”

3. Invest in Ergonomic Furniture

     “Much of our lives revolve around sitting these days, so having ergonomic furniture is essential when trying to stay healthy in a sedentary job,” Nolan explains. “Make sure your chair has lumbar support — or invest in an adjustable back cushion if it doesn’t — and adjust it until you feel comfortable while working at your desk. That means arm rests should be level with your elbows and ideally pushing them slightly toward the back of your chair so that they don’t overstrain from reaching forward too often to type or click away!”

4. Listen to Music

     While you might not think of music as something that can improve your health in a sedentary job, Johns Hopkins Medicine states that listening to music “provides a total brain workout” by:

⦁ Reducing anxiety

⦁ Lowering blood pressure

⦁ Reducing pain

⦁ Improving sleep quality

⦁ Elevating mood

⦁ Boosting mental alertness

⦁ Improving memory

5. Do Your Best To Eat Healthy More Often Than Not

     Healthy eating and a sedentary job may seem to be at odds. Sitting captive in front of your screen all day or night might tempt you to reach for unhealthy processed snacks, like candy or cookies. “Prioritizing what you eat is a critical component to overall health and wellness.”

 6. Drink Lots of Water

     “Staying hydrated is key for both mind and body health,” says Nolan. “Drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day will help keep you focused on tasks while also reenergizing whenever needed during breaks or lunch hours. This may even include natural fruit juices, which are filled with vitamins essential for proper functioning within work hours too.”

7. Get Some Sleep

     “Prioritize giving your body seven to nine hours of ‘sleep opportunity’ each night, and you’ll enable your body and mind to perform at their best,” he says. Finally, Ryder concludes that prioritizing your own health is the single most important component to living a healthy lifestyle, regardless of whether you work at a desk job.

     “No one else can make you happy and healthy — you have to do it yourself,” he says. “Without recognizing this and taking action accordingly, your activity level and overall health and wellness will not change.”

Kenneth Davis

BIRTH ANNIVERSARY GREETINGS

TO

ALBERDEEN CLAYBORN

&

C.B. JACKSON

     I believe that rewards in life are deserved. Every reward is the fruit of discipline, of dedication and of sacrifices. And of stubbornness. There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of the people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.

~Sophia Loren~

Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

Kenneth Davis

    T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     Your inner knowing is your only true compass. Dream and give yourself permission to envision a You that you choose to be. To manifest your hearts desires you must be what your heart desires. You manifest based on who you are already - so you must own the identity of the dream in order to manifest it.
     Instead of focusing on circumstances that you cannot change - focus strongly and powerfully on the circumstances that you can. You are the God-being that is here to create life, to breathe soul into your body, to walk this world as your own source of power, love, worth and life.

~Joy Page~

IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER