Drug interactions

There is yet another drug that is in trouble for its side effects.

The bextra lawsuit is in place to try and help the victims.

Just when you think you are safe...

So what can you do to protect youself? Always do your homework. Which drugs are you taking? You should research all the information that is out there so you can make informed health decisions.

Budget tips

Mortgage rates have increased. Gas prices have gone up. Things in the grocery store are now a little more expensive, a direct result of the higher fuel costs. Time to budget!

• Purchase staple items. Packaged and pre-cooked foods are expensive. Example- packaged rice mixes can cost $1.50 or more. Instead, make your own. Buy a huge bag of rice and cook with either a bullion cube or two or homemade chicken stock.
• Homemade Chicken Stock. An excellent money saver. This hardly costs any money to put together. Buy a large chicken to roast. (You can stretch it to 2-3 meals). When there is hardly any meat left, simmer the bones in a giant soup pot in the crockpot for a few hours. Add a splash of vinegar to get more flavor out of the bones. The resulting stock is rich in flavor and high in nutritional value. Freeze it in ice cube trays for easy use.
• Buy seasonal produce. Seasonal produce is usually grown locally so it costs less.

Christmas is Coming

Christmas is coming and I am happy. What a lovely time of year for many reasons! So, are you looking for something special to get your significant other? Here are some ideas:

• Gift certificates to your favorite restaurants
• a romantic getaway weekend
• diamond men's watches
• homemade keepsake gifts

European Slim

When we moved back to the US from Germany, I weighed 115 pounds. Since living in the states, I've gained ten pounds. I am going to slim down again. Here is what I did then, and my current plan to fix it.

• walked everywhere
• ate lots of wild plant foods
• drank lots of herbal, green, and rooibus tea
• jogged 3 miles, 3 times a week
• strength trained twice a week
• ate lots of fruits and vegetables, yogurt, small amounts of cheese, nuts, and good protein sources

My current plan is same as above, but I need to change around the exercise portion because I need to train for something. More on that later.

• walk 3 miles a day
• jog 5 miles, 3 x a week (in case I decide to run another marathon)
• strength train 4 times a week, two days upper body, two days lower body, each day core. (I need to train to climb a mountain and the first step of that is to build more muscle mass)
• Until I recover from the marathon, though, I won't be jogging so for now I will hop on the exercise bike each time I go to the gym.
• eat a little more protein than is my usual to assist in muscle formation

My Favorite Teas

Here are my favorite teas for the moment:

• Alfalfa
• Cinnamon Apple
• Oatstraw with honey
• Rosehips
• Chamomile

There is nothing like a hot cup of tea on a cold day!

Infusing Sunshine

The weather has been quite bleak here. I find myself feeling tired and bla, when what I want is to be alert and productive. Luckily, I have a plan- one that includes lots of tea. Here is what I will try over the course of the day.

• a blend with rosehips
• green tea
• a spiced rooibus

If that doesn't work? Perhaps I will try walking outside and brave the weather. I'll take my umbrella and it will remind me of Europe.

Wish List

I do have a wish list. Some of these things are easily obtainable. Others are more like dreams...

1. Lush cosmetics Tricomania solid shampoo.
2. Mega doses of ibuprofin to get rid of post marathon pain.
3. A gps system like the ones in a rental we had in Europe.
4. A second home in the Fuenfseenland in Germany.
5. One of those ovens with a vent hood.

Marathon success!

I find that keeping a maintaining a blog is a wonderful thing. I loved sharing with you all my progress as I was training for the marathon.

Well, yesterday, on October 9, 2005- I completed it!

And you know what? I want to do it again! This time, I will focus on running the ENTIRE thing. I joined a pace group that alternated running and walking... next time I want to run all of it.