Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

ONE DAY AT A TIME   --Ralph Waldo Emerson

Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be cumbered with you old nonsense. This day is all that is good and fair. It is too dear, with its hopes and invitations, to waste a moment on yesterdays.

Kenneth Davis

BIRTH ANNIVERSARY GREETINGS
 TO 
VELMA TATE GILLESPIE 
& 
DONALD MATTOX-LOYD

     As you wait for better days, don't forget to enjoy today, in case they've already started. Say what you want about aging, it's still the only way to have old friends. You can hope for a miracle in your life, or you realize that your life is the miracle.
     In childhood, we yearn to be grown-ups. In old age, we yearn to be kids. It just seems that all would be wonderful if we didn't have to celebrate our birthdays in chronological order.
~Robert Breault~

Kenneth Davis

     Thank you so much, for your compassionate words of sympathy and condolences. As it is written, "For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy cometh in the morning." Psalm 30 New King James Version...I extend a wish for the blessings of Grace, Favor and Mercy upon each of you, continuously. I also would like to chivalrously extend words of appreciation to the website co-administrators, for their dedication to the website during, my absence. Stay safe my friends....

Kenneth Davis

  SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns

     December 19, 2023: Do the best you can with where you are and what you have been given to do. And, when things seem to be too difficult or beyond your natural ability, lean on Me. I am with you to give you the strength and courage to forge ahead. Replace fear with faith, says the Lord. Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  
TODAYS WORDS - NATURAL ABILITY

     Before we came (to earth) there would be many adverse circumstances to test us: accidents, sickness, and disease to prove us; temptations and distractions to try us; disappointments, discouragements, reverses, failures and all kinds of situations to determine our character. One of the hardest things to live with in any relationship is criticism, real or implied. Criticism is a form of humor, and they enjoy feeling superior when they see someone else's discomfort. 
     At times we are thrown suddenly into positions that seem too big for us and for which we have little preparation. The Lord stimulates our growth this way.... The Lord blesses us far beyond our natural ability and experience. However, it has been my experience that he expects us to quickly exert ourselves and acquire the things we need. He gives us a little time to improve our management skills and detailed knowledge so that we don't have to rely upon him for everything. We'll always need inspiration in these areas we couldn't possibly understand without his help.

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  
TODAYS WORD - PASSION

     When you cook under pressure you trade perfection. You don't come into cooking to get rich. Chefs are nutters. They're all self-obsessed, delicate, dainty, insecure little souls and absolute psychopaths. Every last one of them. I've had a lot of success; I've had failures, so I learn from the failure. If you want to become a great chef, you have to work with great chefs. And that's exactly what I did. It's very hard when you eat out every day for a living, and a new restaurant comes along, and you haven't got that same vigour that you had 10 years ago.
     There's a bond among a kitchen staff, I think. You spend more time with your chef in the kitchen than you do with your own family. Kitchens are hard environments, and they form incredibly strong characters. I train my chefs completely different to anyone else. My young girls and guys, when they come to the kitchen, the first thing they get is a blindfold. They get blindfolded and they get sat down at the chef's table... Unless they can identify what they're tasting, they don't get to cook it. The pressure on young chefs today is far greater than ever before in terms of social skills, marketing skills, cooking skills, personality and, more importantly, delivering on the plate. So, you need to be strong. Physically fit. So, my chefs get weighed every time they come into the kitchen. 
     When you're a chef, you graze. You never get a chance to sit down and eat. They don't actually sit down and eat before you cook. So, when I finish work, the first thing I'll do, and especially when I'm in New York, I'll go for a run. I think every chef, not just in America, but across the world, has a double-edged sword - two jackets. One that's driven, a self-confessed perfectionist thoroughbred, hates incompetence and switches off the stove, takes off the jacket and becomes a family man. Cooking is about passion, so it may look slightly temperamental in a way that it's too assertive to the naked eye. Being a chef never seems like a job, it becomes a true passion. However amazing a dish looks; it is always the taste that lingers in your memory. Family and friends will appreciate a meal that tastes superb-even if you've brought the pan to the table.

WELLNESS WEDNESDAY

5 foods that help calm anxiety and reduce depression.
Story by Margaret Darby - https://www.deseret.com/

     Foods such as blueberries and salmon are rich with nutrients that can help relieve anxiety and reduce depression. Incorporating these foods into a balanced diet is a natural way to potentially assist in treating symptoms of anxiety and have a positive impact on mental health. Keep in mind that although these foods are proven to help with anxiety and depressive symptoms, they cannot cure mental health disorders. Here are five foods that help calm anxiety and depression.
1. Chamomile can calm anxiety
     Chamomile is an herb that is known to help calm anxiety because it contains both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which are known to reduce inflammation associated with anxiety, reports Healthline. Chamomile is also believed to help regulate neurotransmitters associated with mood, such as dopamine and serotonin. A 2017 study observed 179 adults with generalized anxiety disorder. Over the course of five years, participants who consumed 1,500 milligrams of chamomile extract per day experienced significantly lower symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder. Another study, published in 2012, found that those who consumed chamomile extract for two months experienced reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression.
2. Salmon may reduce anxiety
     Salmon contains nutrients associated with brain and metal health, such as vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), reports Healthline. These nutrients are known to help regulate dopamine and serotonin, which impact mood and ease anxiety. Over the course of nearly six months, men who regularly ate Atlantic salmon (three times per week) reported significant improvements in mental health and symptoms of anxiety. Those who did not regularly consume Atlantic salmon reported no changes. The researchers believe that the impact was due to the high amounts of vitamin D, DHA and EPA found in salmon.
3. Dark chocolate can prevent depressive symptoms
     Dark chocolate is usually considered a treat, but it actually has loads of health benefits and is considered a superfood. It is packed with fiber, iron, magnesium and antioxidants, according to the American Psychiatric Association. Dark chocolate is also associated with positive effects on mood and mental health. A 2019 study from the University College in London found that individuals who ate dark chocolate had far lower odds of reporting depressive symptoms than those who ate no chocolate at all. The same impact was not found for milk chocolate, per the American Psychiatric Association.
4. Blueberries relieve anxiety and depression
     Blueberries are rich with antioxidants, which are known to help relieve anxiety and ease feelings of depression, reports WebMD. A 2020 study found that over the course of a month, adolescents who consumed wild blueberry supplements self-reported lower symptoms of depression. Several studies (including one in 2020 and one in 2021) have found that daily consumption of vegetables and fruits — like blueberries — is linked to improved mental well-being. A diet balanced with fruits, berries and vegetables helps prevent symptoms of anxiety and depression. As a superfood, blueberries are packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber and boast a variety of health benefits, as reported by the Deseret News.
5. Eating nuts can lower depression risk
     Nuts are a superfood packed with mental health benefits. Eating a handful of nuts every day is linked to a lower risk of depression. A recent study published in the journal Clinical Nutrition found that consuming a handful of nuts daily is linked to a 17% lower risk of depression. Researchers found that middle-aged and older adult who ate 30 grams of nuts — such as almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, cashews or Brazil nuts — were less likely to take antidepressants or develop depression.

This is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as a substitute for medical expertise. These are opinions from an external panel of individual doctors, and not to be considered as opinion of Microsoft. Please seek professional help regarding any health conditions or concerns.

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  
TODAYS WORD - FLEXIBILITY

     Humans are social beings, and we are happier, and better, when connected to others. Modern science tells us that the conscious self-arises from a purely physical brain. We do not have immaterial souls. Empty heads, cognitive science has taught us, learn nothing. The powerful cultural and personal flexibility of our species is owed at least in part to our starting off so well-informed; we are good learners because we know what to pay attention to and what questions are the right ones to ask.
     On many issues, empathy can pull us in the wrong direction. The outrage that comes from adopting the perspective of a victim can drive an appetite for retribution. The genetic you and the neural you aren't alternatives to the conscious you. They are its foundations. We are constituted so that simple acts of kindness, such as giving to charity or expressing gratitude, have a positive effect on our long-term moods. The key to the happy life, it seems, is the good life: a life with sustained relationships, challenging work, and connections to community. Even in the most peaceful communities, an appetite for violence shows up in dreams, fantasies, sports, play, literature, movies and television. And, so long as we don't transform into angels, violence and the threat of violence - as in punishment and deterrence - is needed to rein in our worst instincts.
     We benefit, intellectually and personally, from the interplay between different selves, from the balance between long-term contemplation and short-term impulse. We should be wary about tipping the scales too far. The community of selves shouldn't be a democracy, but it shouldn't be a dictatorship, either. We can imagine our bodies being destroyed, our brains ceasing to function, our bones turning to dust, but it is harder - some would say impossible - to imagine the end of our very existence.
     We'd be really screwed if we had to start our life over again as children with our brains right now, because I think we lose the plasticity and flexibility. The irrationality of disgust suggests it is unreliable as a source of moral insight. There may be good arguments against gay marriage, partial-birth abortions and human cloning, but the fact that some people find such acts to be disgusting should carry no weight.

IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER

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 
TODAYS WORD - RELEASE

     I believe 100 percent in the power and importance of music. Music reminds us that the universe loves us. I think good music makes you feel free, and if people feel free when they come to a show or listen to my music, that would mean the world to me. I believe musicians have a duty, a responsibility to reach out, to share your love or pain with others.
     I have a love-hate relationship with the Grammys because I don't see the music world as a competitive sport. I think that American music, for me, it's a synthesis of a lot of different things. But for me growing up in North Carolina, the stuff that I was listening to, the things that I was hearing, it was all about black music, about soul music. Certain things in life are more important than the usual crap that everyone strives for. I played the cello from when I was ten, and then I bought a guitar from the father of some friends of mine and played that for a while. And then when I was fourteen or so, I bought a guitar - a real nice one - in Durham, North Carolina, that I worked with up until I was about twenty-five.
     To be a musician, especially a singer-songwriter - well, you don't do that if you have a thriving social life. You do it because there's an element of alienation in your life. It is a process of discovery. It's being quiet enough and undisturbed enough for a period of time so that the songs can begin to sort of peek out, and you begin to have emotional experiences in a musical way. It is the most delightful thing that ever happens to me, when I hear something coming out of my guitar and out of my mouth that wasn't there before.
     I think it surprises a lot of people that I'm still around, you know, still - that I'm not pushing up daisies, as they say. I'm looking forward to being able to retire from being a public figure and being able to afford to be myself! Knowing when to quit is probably a very important thing, but I just am not ready. I'm trying to look at my blessings and how amazingly well against all odds things have turned out for me. It's a real wrenching thing to go from being a private person to being a public person, especially when you're being autobiographical. But it's what everyone wants - to get everyone's attention, to have your music make a living for you, to be validated in that way. Never give up, never slow down, never grow old and never ever die young. Music is like a huge release of tension. 

WELCOME TO 
SMOOTH
 CONTEMPORARY JAZZ 
FRIDAYS

Curtis Farmer

Estella, Joycelyn, and Kenneth, it's so good to hear from y'all. My condolences for your loss and prayers are in order for all of us. I am grateful for each of you taking the time to allow me to stroll down memory lane have been a joy for me. Although my participation in school was minimal y'all have shown me what true comrades you are. May God bless you real good. Merry Christmas to everyone. Blue

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   
TODAYS WORD - CHALLENGES

     There are three constants in life... change, choice and principles. Every human has four endowments - self-awareness, conscience, independent will and creative imagination. These give us the ultimate human freedom... The power to choose, to respond, to change. When you show deep empathy toward others, their defensive energy goes down, and positive energy replaces it. That's when you can get more creative in solving problems. Seek first to understand, then to be understood.
     When we value correct principles, we have truth - a knowledge of things as they are. Principles are guidelines for human conduct that are proven to have enduring, permanent value. The world has entered an era of the most profound and challenging change in human history. The roots of the problems we face in the world, in our national life, and in our family and personal lives are spiritual. It's amazing how confused and distracted and misdirected so many people are. Trust is the glue of life. It's the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It's the foundational principle that holds all relationships. Nothing is as fast as the speed of trust. Nothing is as fulfilling as a relationship of trust. Nothing is as inspiring as an offering of trust. Nothing is as profitable as the economics of trust. Nothing has more influence than a reputation of trust.
     We are the creative force of our life, and through our own decisions rather than our conditions, if we carefully learn to do certain things. You can retire from a job, but don't ever retire from making extremely meaningful contributions in life. The reality is that everybody makes mistakes. The issue isn't whether you will make them, it's what you will do about them. It's whether you will choose the path of humility and courage or the path of ego and pride. Your most important work is always ahead of you, never behind you. The challenge is not to manage time, but to manage ourselves.

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

Kenneth Davis

     Give us, O God, the vision which can see Your love in the world in spite of human failure. Give us the faith to trust Your goodness in spite of our ignorance and weakness. Give us the knowledge that we may continue to pray with understanding hearts. And show us what each one of us can do to set forward the coming of the day of universal peace.
~Frank Borman~

  SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns

     December 24, 2023: Be sensitive to the conviction that comes when you deviate from the path that I have set you on and be ready to punish disobedience by being obedient to My leading. I have a plan and purpose for your life, which will require complete submission to My guidance and direction for you, says the Lord. Micah 4:2a Many nations shall come and say: Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  
TODAYS WORDS - GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION 

     Life's the longest picture you're ever gonna take. In my life I have been blessed, in my life I have been cursed. I have lived the best of times; I have suffered the worst. Do you know which road you're traveling? Do you know where you want to be? With so many roads to travel, there's just one can set you free. Make sure the fortune that you seek is the fortune that you need. Life is short and if you're looking for extension, you had best do well. Cause there's good deeds and then there's good intentions. They are as far apart as Heaven and Hell. The very thing that drives you, can drive you insane. Got a head full of thought crimes and a number with no name? Got an eleventh-hour Jesus and a mouth full of blame? I don't know if hell exists, but there sure as hell are some people who don't belong in heaven.
     You're definitely a different person at different stages in your life. I'm really looking forward to, not more of the same, but a continual growth. To go through this life and see it through - what it really is - and not be insane or addicted, is a minor miracle for anyone. We've changed our reflections, but inside we're just a child. Every moral has a story, every story has an end. I'm more afraid of falling than I am of flying high. I'm not as scared of dying as I am of growing old. Every battle has its glory and its consequence. What enables me to believe in anything, is hope. Try it first and you'll see its a blessing and it's not a curse. It will make a weak man mighty. it will make a mighty man fall. It will fill your heart and hands or leave you with nothing at all. It's the eyes for the blind and legs for the lame. It is the love for hate and pride for shame. That's the power of the gospel.
     People who try to define their spirituality sometimes are annoying, 'cause the spirit is something you feel and let guide you and humbly respect. The spirit is what guides my life, and I'm humbly on my knees in thanks for guidance and direction every day. But God is not something to be preached, it's something to be lived. It turns out that there is something more magnificent than nature. It's love. Love for me is my North Star. It's the highest form of grace. And I love that there's different levels and different ways of showing it, and different representations of it. Whether it's love shown to a stranger, love to a sibling, your child, your parents, your partner.

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  
  TODAYS WORDS - MERRY CHRISTMAS  

IT'S TIME FOR 
JUST JOKING MONDAYS

Kenneth Davis

BIRTH ANNIVERSARY GREETINGS 
TO 
CHERLYN HARRIS CONNER
&
ANN IVY WINN

     May the moments of today become fond memories for tomorrow. May today be a happy memory, tomorrow a bright new promise. 
~Rob Jackson~

Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

Kenneth Davis

  SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha

     December 26, 2023: You are entering a season of preparation to do all that I have called and chosen for you to do. You are on a spiritual journey that will bring out the best in you both spiritually and naturally. You are becoming My emissary to represent Me and My kingdom on your place on the earth, says the Lord. Follow my lead. Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. 

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  
TODAYS WORDS - SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

     Souls love. That’s what souls do. Egos don’t, but souls do. As you dissolve into love, your ego fades. You’re not thinking about loving; you’re just being love, radiating like the sun. Become a soul, look around, and you’ll be amazed-all the beings around you are souls. Be one, see one. When many people have this heart connection, then we will know that we are all one, we human beings all over the planet. We will be one. One love. Our journey is about being more deeply involved in life, and yet less attached to it. Without remaining open to change, we cannot remain open to life. We are all affecting the world every moment, whether we mean to or not. Our actions and states of mind matter, because we are so deeply interconnected with one another. The dark night of the soul is when you have lost the flavor of life but have not yet gained the fullness of divinity. So it is, that we must weather that dark time, the period of transformation, when what is familiar has been taken away and the new richness is not yet ours.

     The key to the spiritual journey is not acquiring something outside of yourself. Rather it is shedding the veils to come back to the deepest truth of your being. This is the pathless path - returning to where you were initially before you got lost. The deepest truth in you is where the journey leads - shedding, like taking off layers of an onion, until you come to your essence. Everything in your life is there as a vehicle for your transformation. Use it! The heart surrenders everything to the moment. The mind judges and holds back. In most of our human relationships, we spend much of our time reassuring one another that our costumes of identity are on straight.

     The interesting question is, how do you put yourself in a position so that you can allow ‘what is’ to be. The enemy turns out to be the creation of mind. Because when you are just in the moment, doing what you are doing, there is no fear. The fear is when you stand back to think about it. The fear is not in the actions. The fear is in the thought about the actions. If I'm going to die, the best way to prepare is to quiet my mind and open my heart. If I'm going to live, the best way to prepare for it is to quiet my mind and open my heart.

     When you look back at your own life, you see the sufferings you went through, each time you would have avoided it if you possibly could. Everything changes once we identify with being the witness to the story, instead of the actor in it. And yet, when you look at the depth of your character now, isn't a part of that a product of those experiences? Weren't those experiences part of what created the depth of your inner being? The spiritual journey is individual, highly personal. The final awakening is the embracing of the darkness into the light. That means embracing our humanity as well as our divinity. What we go from is being born into our humanity, sleepwalking for a long time, until we awaken and start to taste our divinity. And then want to finally get free. It can't be organized or regulated. It isn't true that everyone should follow one path. Listen to your own truth. We see as long as we grab at our divinity and push away our humanity we aren’t free. If you want to be free, you can’t push away anything. You have to embrace it all. It’s all God. When we see the Beloved in each person, it's like walking through a garden, watching flowers bloom all around us. All you can do for another person is be an environment in which if they wanted to come up for air, they could. 

Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

Kenneth Davis

BIRTH ANNIVERSARY GREETINGS

TO

IRETHA ROLFE WATKINS 

     Don't just live the length of your life - live the width of it as well. Much of life becomes background, but it is the province of art to throw buckets of light into the shadows and make life new again. And yet, words are the passkeys to our souls. Without them, we can't really share the enormity of our lives.

~Diane Ackerman~

Kenneth Davis

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  

TODAYS WORD - PROPER GUIDANCE

     Adversity introduces a man to himself. A large part of our attitude toward things is conditioned by opinions and emotions, which we unconsciously absorb as children from our environment. In other words, it is tradition—besides inherited aptitudes and qualities—which makes us what we are. We but rarely reflect how relatively small as compared with the powerful influence of tradition, is the influence of our conscious thought upon our conduct and convictions. Compassionate people are geniuses in the art of living, more necessary to the dignity, security, and joy of humanity than the discoverers of knowledge.

     We are slowed down sound and light waves, a walking bundle of frequencies tuned into the cosmos. We are souls dressed up in sacred biochemical garments and our bodies are the instruments through which our souls play their music. Everything that exists in your life, does so, because of two things: something you did or something you didn't do. We cannot get to where we dream of being tomorrow, unless we change our thinking today. The same thinking that has led you to where you are, is not going to lead you to where you want to go. Information is not knowledge. The only source of knowledge is experience. You need experience to gain wisdom. Live life to the fullest. You have to color outside the lines once in a while if you want to make your life a masterpiece. Laugh some every day. Keep growing, keep dreaming, keep following your heart. The important thing is not to stop questioning. At least once a day, allow yourself the freedom to think and dream for yourself.

     Everything is determined, the beginning as well as the end, by forces over which we have no control. It is determined for the insect, as well as for the star. Human beings, vegetables, or cosmic dust, we all dance to a mysterious tune, intoned in the distance by an invisible piper. If someone feels that he has never made a mistake in his life, it only means that he has never tried anything new in his life. We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.

     I do not believe that a man should be restrained in his daily actions, by being afraid of punishment after death, or that he should do things, only because in this way he will be rewarded after he dies. This does not make sense. The proper guidance during the life of a man, should be the weight that he puts upon ethics and the amount of consideration that he has for others. The devil has put a penalty on all things we enjoy in life. Either we suffer in our health, or we suffer in our soul, or we get fat. Strange is our situation here on Earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to divine a purpose. From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: that man is here for the sake of other men - above all, for those upon whose smiles and well-being our own happiness depends.

WELLNESS WEDNESDAY

What is the healthiest cheese? 

Here are some low-sodium, low-calorie and low-fat options.

Anna Kaufman USA TODAY

     While the internet remains agog over the viral ‘Butter Board’ trend, snack board purists will remember the blueprint: the charcuterie board. Chock full of cheese, crackers, and occasionally a marmalade and some dark chocolate, the boards are a hallmark of book clubs and housewarmings alike.

     While they certainly bring in an air of elegance, a charcuterie board’s contents can be awfully rich. If you’re on a health journey or looking to offer guests something a little lighter, there’s no need to ditch the board entirely. There are plenty of healthy cheeses that still offer robust flavor. Here's everything you need to know about choosing a low-calorie, low-fat or low-sodium cheese. 

What is the healthiest cheese? 

     Chelsey Amer, a registered dietitian and nutritionist, shared with USA TODAY that this is not a question with a direct answer. Amer is an MS, RDN, CDN, and the owner of Chelsey Amer Nutrition. "As a dietitian who focuses on a healthy relationship with food, there truly isn’t one 'healthiest' cheese," she wrote in an email. Amer said her go-to recommendation is cottage cheese because it's high in protein and filling fat. And it's a great low-sodium option. Amer also recommends ricotta cheese and mozzarella as great low-sodium, high-protein options. 

Is cheese good for you? 

     A subjective question, for sure. Everything in moderation. While cheese has some health benefits it can also prove unhealthy in excess. Depending on your dietary restrictions here are some healthy options provided by Amer: 

⦁ Mozzarella cheese is rich in protein and low sodium.

⦁ Cottage cheese is low in fat, but higher in sodium.

⦁ Ricotta cheese is also lower in fat, but higher in sodium. 

⦁ Feta cheese is low in calories but also lower in protein and higher in sodium. 

⦁ Goat cheese is also low-calorie but higher sodium and not super protein rich. 

     "Most cheeses are within a slim margin of each other when it comes to protein, sodium, and fat content" Amer said. "So prioritize flavor and satisfaction because a little bit can go a long way."

Does cheese have protein?

     Yes. "All cheese contains protein as it’s made from milk, however, not all cheese is considered equal when it comes to its protein content," Amer says. Cottage cheese ranks high on that list, with approximately 13 grams of protein per 100 calorie serving, Amer said. Other “cheese board” cheeses, like mozzarella, gouda, feta, or goat cheese, contain only about 4-8 grams of protein for each 100 calorie serving.

Which cheese is anti-inflammatory?

     Despite commonly held beliefs cheese, and dairy on the large, is not inherently inflammatory, Amer said. Because of this, no cheese is actually “anti-inflammatory” in Amer's book. She recommends the best way to approach anti-inflammatory eating is to instead keep an overall a healthy diet overall meaning a diet that is rich in vegetables, fruit, omega-3 fatty acids, whole grains, and dairy (including cheese.)

What are the least processed cheeses?

     Amer stresses that all cheeses are processed because a draining and curdling process is required when making it. There are, of course, some cheeses which are more processed than others.  These are some minimally processed options:

⦁ Ricotta cheese

⦁ Goat cheese

⦁ Feta cheese

⦁ Cottage cheese

What is the healthiest cheese for a sandwich? 

     When you're at that deli counter and not sure what to choose, fresh mozzarella might be your healthiest option, Amer advises. Mozzarella is rich in both protein and calcium and it is also lower in sodium than many other cheeses, Amer explains. 

This is for information purpose only, and should not be considered as a substitute for medical expertise. These are opinions from an external panel of individual doctors, and not to be considered as opinion of Microsoft. Please seek professional help regarding any health conditions or concerns.

Kenneth Davis

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  
TODAYS WORDS - THE PRESENT 

     Habit allows us to go from 'before' to 'after,' to make life easier and better. Habit is notorious - and rightly so - for its ability to direct our actions, even against our will; but by mindfully shaping our habits, we can harness the power of mindlessness as a sweeping force for serenity, energy, and growth. It was my interest in happiness that led me to the subject of habits, and of course, the study of habits is really the study of happiness. Habits are the invisible architecture of everyday life, and a significant element of happiness. 
     We can use decision-making to choose the habits we want to form, use willpower to get the habit started, then - and this is the best part - we can allow the extraordinary power of habit to take over. At that point, we're free from the need to decide and the need to use willpower. People are powerfully moved by imagination, belief, and knowledge. They can consider the past and future. They can make changes in their behavior out of reason in a way that animals can't do.    We all want to get along well with other people, and one way to do this is to help people feel good about themselves. If you make a person feel smart and insightful, that person will enjoy your company. Negative emotions like loneliness, envy, and guilt have an important role to play in a happy life; they’re big, flashing signs that something needs to change.
     Being taken for granted is an unpleasant but sincere form of praise. Ironically, the more reliable you are, and the less you complain, the more likely you are to be taken for granted. We need to have intimate, enduring bonds; we need to be able to confide; we need to feel that we belong; we need to be able to get support, and just as important for happiness, to give support. We need many kinds of relationships; for one thing, we need friends. Now, the term 'friend' is a little loose. People mock the 'friending' on social media, and say, 'Gosh, no one could have 300 friends!' Well, there are all kinds of friends. Those kinds of 'friends,' and work friends, and childhood friends, and dear friends, and neighborhood friends, and we-walk-our-dogs-at-the-same-time friends, etc.
      It's about living in the moment and appreciating the smallest things. Surrounding yourself with the things that inspire you and letting go of the obsessions that want to take over your mind. It is a daily struggle sometimes and hard work but happiness begins with your own attitude and how you look at the world. One of the best ways to make yourself happy in the present is to recall happy times from the past. Photos are a great memory-prompt, and because we tend to take photos of happy occasions, they weight our memories to the good. I am living my real life, this is it. Now is now, and if I waited to be happier, waited to have fun, waited to do the things that I know I ought to do, I might never get the chance.

IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER

Kenneth Davis

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  
TODAYS WORD - CONFIDENCE

     Peacefulness is an inner sense of calm - it comes from becoming still - in order to reflect and meditate on our inner wisdom and receive answers. A peaceful heart is one that is free from worry and trouble. It's becoming quiet so we can look at things quietly so we can more clearly understand them and thus come up with creative solutions. It is learning to live in the present. Freedom from desire leads to inner peace. People in their handlings of affairs often fail when they are about to succeed. If one remains as careful at the end as he was at the beginning, there will be no failure. Use the light that is in you to recover your natural clearness of sight.
     The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. We are all capable of much more than we think we are. Hold on to the center and make up your mind to rejoice in this paradise called life. Because one believes in oneself, one doesn't try to convince. Because one is content with oneself, one doesn't need others' approval. Because one accepts oneself, the whole world accepts him or her. At the center of your being, you have the answer; you know who you are, and you know what you want.
     Speaking with kindness creates confidence, thinking with kindness creates profoundness, giving with kindness creates love. Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage. Kind words elicit trust. Kind thoughts create depth. Kind deeds bring love. Make your heart like a lake, with calm, still surface, and great depths of kindness. Because of a great love, one is courageous.
     The wise stand out because they see themselves as part of the whole. They shine because they don't want to impress. They achieve great things because they don't look for recognition. Their wisdom is contained in what they are, not their opinions. They refuse to argue, so no-one argues with them. Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you. Health is the greatest possession. contentment is the greatest treasure. Confidence is the greatest friend. Non-being is the greatest joy. If you are at peace, you are living in the present. When you accept yourself, the universe accepts you. I have three precious things which I hold fast and prize. The first is gentleness; the second frugality; the third is humility, which keeps me from putting myself before others. Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men.

WELCOME TO 
SMOOTH
 CONTEMPORARY JAZZ 
FRIDAYS

Kenneth Davis