Simple steps for youthful eyes!



Courtesy of Dr Weil.com



If the appearance of your eyes is bothering you, don't resort to invasive procedures, try these simple steps: 

  1. Wear sunscreen. Ultraviolet rays can weaken collagen, causing premature wrinkling and sagging.
  2. Invest in quality sunglasses. Look for ones that block out UVA and UVB rays.
  3. Don't smoke. It affects the blood supply that keeps skin tissue looking healthy and supple.
  4. Use a moisturizer for hydration.
  5. Consider a vitamin A cream, which can help prevent wrinkles and minimize ones you already have.
  6. Cool down inflammation around your eyes. Puffy eyes can be addressed with cucumber slices, cold spoons or chilled teabags.

To Your Excellent Health!
Willene 
478-923-8438
willene.johnson@cox.net

IT'S WHAT YOU SCATTER.....

A story to brighten your day!

While at the  corner grocery store buying some early potatoes... I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily apprising a basket of freshly picked green  peas.

I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes.

Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr.  Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to  me.

'Hello Barry, how are you  today?'

'H'lo, Mr.  Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas. They sure look  good.'

'They are good, Barry. How's your  Ma?'

'Fine.  Gittin' stronger alla' time.'

'Good.  Anything I can help you with?'

'No, Sir.  Jus' admirin' them peas.'

'Would you like to  take some home?'  asked Mr. Miller.

'No, Sir.  Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with.'

'Well, what  have you to trade me for some of those  peas?'

'All I got's my prize marble here.'

'Is that right? Let me see it' said  Miller.

'Here 'tis.  She's a dandy.'

'I can see  that. Hmm mmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?' the store owner asked.

'Not zackley, but almost.'

'Tell you what. Take this sack of  peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble', Mr. Miller told the boy.

'Sure will.  Thanks Mr. Miller.'

Mrs. Miller,  who had been standing nearby, came over to help me.

With a smile she said, 'There are two other  boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever.

When they  come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides  he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, when they come on their next trip to the store.'

I left the  store smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved to Colorado, but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys, and their bartering for marbles.


Several  years went by, each more rapid than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died.  They were having his visitation that evening and knowing my  friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them. Upon arrival at the mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the  deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could 
Ahead of us in line were three young men. One  was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts...all very professional looking. They approached  Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her  husband's casket.

Each of the  young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with  her and moved on to the casket. Her misty light blue eyes  followed them as, one by one, each young man stopped briefly and  placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket.  Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes.

Our turn  came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and reminded her of  the story from those many years ago and what she had told me about her husband's bartering for marbles. With her eyes glistening, she  took my hand and led me to the casket.

'Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about. They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim 'traded' them. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size...they came to pay their debt.'

'We've never  had a great deal of the wealth of this world,' she confided, 'but  right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho!'

With loving  gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red  marbles.
 The Moral:
 We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds. Life is not  measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath.

Today I wish you a day of ordinary miracles...
     A fresh pot of coffee you didn't make  yourself...
     An unexpected phone call from an old  friend....
     Green stoplights on your way to  work....
     The fastest line at the grocery store....
     A good sing-along song on the radio...
     Your keys found right where you left them.
  
IT'S  NOT WHAT YOU GATHER... BUT WHAT YOU SCATTER...
 THAT TELLS WHAT KIND OF LIFE YOU HAVE LIVED!

To Your Excellent Health!
Willene 
478-923-8438
willene.johnson@cox.net



Signs Of Spring


After a long, cold Winter the wonderful signs of Spring are finally appearing here in the mountains of my home. Golden daffodils and dandelions are growing in the meadows and along the sides of the roads. In people’s yards red and yellow tulips, purple phlox and hyacinths are pushing their heads through the soil. The forests are turning a thousand shades of green. The dogwood, apple, and cherry trees are all in bloom, filling their branches with beautiful flowers and the air with their sweet smell. The green grass is growing again and rabbits and deer are sneaking into my backyard at dusk for an evening snack. Jacket mornings are giving way to short sleeve afternoons as the strengthening sun slowly warms the Earth. Blue jays and red cardinals are flying overhead. Robins are gathering twigs for their nests. In the trees a hundred birds are singing their love songs while a woodpecker drums along.
As I walked out of my house this morning too I saw another sign of Spring that brightened my soul and filled my heart with joy. A single, white butterfly floated by my face, circled my head, and flew off again. It reminded me again of my Mom watching over me from Heaven and my eyes moistened while warm sunshine kissed my cheek. I knew then that Spring was here to stay and I thanked God for a beautiful beginning to another day.
We all go through Winter times in our lives. We go through times of cold loneliness, bitter disappointment, and frigid despair. We go through times when we feel frozen to our very core. God’s love, however, is always there for us. Like the strengthening sun, God’s love is there to warm our hearts, thaw our spirits, and bring life back to our souls. Allow God to fill you with His love then. Allow Him to awaken the love within yourself so you can share it with the world. Then all of your days will be filled with light, laughter, joy, and Springtime.

By Joseph J. Mazzella • April 13, 2016  at sunnyskyz.com

To Your Excellent Health!
Willene 
478-923-8438
willene.johnson@cox.net

Safe, Healthy and Clean TOILET TIPS

TOILET TIPS to Keep our Families Safe, Healthy and Clean!

Most of us are probably on auto-pilot when it comes to doing our business in the bathroom.

But are these ingrained habits the cleanest and safest ones?

Here's a few "toilet tips" to keep the entire family safe, healthy and clean!

1. Put the lid down when you flush!
Who knew?  Leaving the lid up when you flush can cause germy water particles (and anything else in that toilet) to splash up to 6 ft. If you've ever been on a cruise ship, you will notice this instruction at every toilet. Making this a habit will also help your relationships. No more conflict over whether the seat is left up OR down!
2. Most toilet bowl cleaners contain harsh, abrasive, harmful chemicals.
Not only are these not good for our health, what's going down that bowl is also very bad for our environment and water treatment systems.

3. Toilet Texting Hazards
83% of Americans admit to texting and surfing while doing their  business in the bathroom.  The germs accumulated there, can follow you well beyond the walls of the bathroom. STOP this bad habit or make a new habit of using alcohol swabs to clean that phone as often as you go the bathroom!

So call a family meeting tonight!  Use a safe effective cleaner (suggestion in next blog), no more "toilet texting", and put that lid down at every flush!

Interested to learn more about toxins and chemicals in everyday products and how you can reduce your risk of poison, sickness and disease?

Watch this "eye opening" Video.

To Your Excellent Health!
Willene 
478-923-8438
willene.johnson@cox.net

SAFE & MIGHTY

This safe, yet effective toilet bowl cleaner, powered by organic cleaners 

(like citric acid) instead of harmful chemicals such as chlorine bleach, 

leaves your toilet bowl looking and smelling fresh and clean.

Get a clean bowl without flushing the environment down the toilet!


THE POWER OF ORGANIC CLEANERS
Most toilet bowl cleaners rely on harsh chemicals to fight grime, odors, stain and build up. Safe & Mighty doesn't. All you'll find inside are organic cleaners (like citric acid) derived from citrus fruits and herbs.
It's a proprietary combination that naturally delivers the perfect punch to knockout even the toughest toilet stains. And because it uses organic cleaners, it leaves your bowl with a fresh, clean fragrance no chemical formula can.

Makes cleaning the bathrooms a more enjoyable experience!    

To Your Excellent Health!
Willene 
478-923-8438
willene.johnson@cox.net










Help Keep Your Vision Healthy With These Three Foods

Maintaining healthy vision takes more than protecting your eyes from the sun and eating beta-carotene-rich carrots. Luckily, there are a variety of other foods that can help. 
Add the following to your meals: 
  1. Dark, leafy greens, which contain lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoids that can help address cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Spinach, kale and collard greens are all excellent sources. Start by substituting spinach for romaine in salads, and add a side of greens to your meals or smoothies.
  1. Sweet potatoes (along with pumpkins and cantaloupes) contain a host of carotenoids that function as precursors of vitamin A - a nutrient necessary for normal vision and retinal functioning. A simple, healthy swap is baking a sweet potato instead of a white potato.
  1. Eggs. Just one egg a day will increase your levels of lutein and zeaxanthin, and also provide sulfur compounds that may help prevent cataracts form forming. Opt for omega-3 fortified eggs, which contain higher levels of DHA, another nutrient that's good for the eyes. If you're not a fan of eggs for breakfast, add a sliced, hard-boiled egg to a salad for lunch or dinner.


To Your Excellent Health!
Willene 
478-923-8438
willene.johnson@cox.net


Trying To Go Gluten-Free? 4 Things To Know

An estimated two million Americans - about one in 133 people - have celiac disease, an inherited, autoimmune disorder that tends to run in families. Symptoms are caused by eating foods that contain gluten, and, like many autoimmune conditions, the symptoms can initially be triggered by physical and emotional stress. 
People with celiac disease should follow a gluten-free diet for life. Even a small amount of gluten can cause problems and result in damage to the small intestine. The good news is that following a gluten-free diet can greatly improve and even completely resolve symptoms, heal existing intestinal damage, and prevent further problems.

There have also been enough small studies and many anecdotal success stories that the University of Arizona Integrative Medicine fellows have shared to support the existence of a less-severe condition known as non-celiac gluten sensitivity. If you feel like this may be affecting you, a three-week trial of gluten elimination is worth considering.

Use the following as a guide to a gluten-free diet: 
Avoid all foods containing wheat, oats, barley and rye.
Read labels carefully. Gluten can turn up in cold cuts, soups, dressings, candies and soy sauce. Be aware of ingredients such as starch, modified food starch, hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP), texturized vegetable protein (TVP), binders, fillers, excipients, extenders, malt and natural flavorings, all of which may indicate the presence of gluten. When getting started, find an app for your phone that can help sort through the confusion or make sure your packaged foods state "gluten-free" on the label.
Look for grocers that specialize in gluten-free products - mixes for pancakes, muffins, pizza dough and bread are available. Realize that these are processed foods and should only be enjoyed on occasion. Instead focus on eggs, fish, organic meats, nuts, fruits and vegetables.
Know where gluten can be hidden in products we use every day, such as stamp and envelope adhesive and medicines.
The Celiac Disease Foundation (www.celiac.org) and the Celiac Sprue Association (www.csaceliacs.org) have more information on gluten-free foods.
To Your Excellent Health!
Willene 
478-923-8438
willene.johnson@cox.net

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About Me

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I have a passion for health and the prevention of disease.Even though my profession was in the health care field as a RN, my awareness of the role we can play in our own health began over 30 years ago when my husband became chronically ill. I started by checking out the foods we were eating. I learned that many foods contained unhealthy preservatives. Much to my kids objection, I limited the amount of sugar in the foods I bought. Over the years, my food purchases changed as more options were offered. Today we can actually purchase healthy foods that also taste good. About 9 years ago I became aware of the harmful and caustic chemicals in the personal care and home care products I was using. I thought the products on the grocery store shelves were safe to use. I learn how untrue that is and found an online wellness store to shop at. I now have peace of mind knowing that my personal care and household products are not putting me at risk for disease.