"Getting started - why go online? Keen to start your family tree, you type the name of an ancestor into a search engine, and literally hundreds of> websites come back at you. Some are free, some pay-per-view, some subscription - and suddenly you don't know where to begin. There is an overwhelming amount of information on the internet, and it's difficult to know which of the pay-for services are of value to you. It is fair to say that most genealogy sites for which you have to pay have some worth - it just depends whether they are going to be worthwhile for you. Here are some tips and guidelines to help make order out of the chaos so you can make the right choice when it comes to selecting your website. The bottom line in genealogical research is that you are going to have to pay for it. You cannot manage without the basic building blocks of certificates and census returns, and money can be liberally spent in travelling to archives, paying online fees, hiring private researchers and whatever else you deem necessary as you continue your research. But there are good reasons why more and more genealogists are going online. There is a wealth of material available on the web, and it is being added to every day. Databases and search engines make information accessible in a way in which it wasn't before: searches that used to take weeks or months now take only a few minutes. And sometimes it's cheaper and easier to do what you can online and in your own time than travelling to archives and bowing to time pressure there. You may find that you can use online resources for free or more cheaply at archives, but is it worth the time and expense of travelling there? And you will still have to pay for the photocopying! First of all, there are lots of excellent free resources used by genealogists - here is a small selection: www.freebmd.org.uk for some birth, marriage and death indexes for England and Wales.. www.familysearch.org for the vast international genealogy website run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints www.rootsweb.com for genealogy chat and all kinds of relevant information." I would also like to add to this that the use of mailing lists is a marvelous way to find answers and the people on these mailing lists are extremely generous and it is not unusual to receive scans of original documents from lookups by someone who lives close to an archive. Or offer to post a copy of original documents. I have been amazed at peoples generosity. "What goes around come around" Here are some tips about recording your research and I find is still very relavent to me today some 15 years later. genitips

"Getting started - why go online? Keen to start your family tree, you type the name of an ancestor into a search engine, and literally hundreds of> websites come back at you. Some are free, some pay-per-view, some subscription - and suddenly you don't know where to begin. There is an overwhelming amount of information on the internet, and it's difficult to know which of the pay-for services are of value to you. It is fair to say that most genealogy sites for which you have to pay have some worth - it just depends whether they are going to be worthwhile for you. Here are some tips and guidelines to help make order out of the chaos so you can make the right choice when it comes to selecting your website. The bottom line in genealogical research is that you are going to have to pay for it. You cannot manage without the basic building blocks of certificates and census returns, and money can be liberally spent in travelling to archives, paying online fees, hiring private researchers and whatever else you deem necessary as you continue your research. But there are good reasons why more and more genealogists are going online. There is a wealth of material available on the web, and it is being added to every day. Databases and search engines make information accessible in a way in which it wasn't before: searches that used to take weeks or months now take only a few minutes. And sometimes it's cheaper and easier to do what you can online and in your own time than travelling to archives and bowing to time pressure there. You may find that you can use online resources for free or more cheaply at archives, but is it worth the time and expense of travelling there? And you will still have to pay for the photocopying! First of all, there are lots of excellent free resources used by genealogists - here is a small selection: www.freebmd.org.uk for some birth, marriage and death indexes for England and Wales.. www.familysearch.org for the vast international genealogy website run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints www.rootsweb.com for genealogy chat and all kinds of relevant information." I would also like to add to this that the use of mailing lists is a marvelous way to find answers and the people on these mailing lists are extremely generous and it is not unusual to receive scans of original documents from lookups by someone who lives close to an archive. Or offer to post a copy of original documents. I have been amazed at peoples generosity. "What goes around come around" Here are some tips about recording your research and I find is still very relavent to me today some 15 years later. genitips

ALKALINE DIET - IS THIS THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH

I have been reading about how to reverse the acidity in blood to an alkaline level that will promote
energy, get rid of gas and bloating, cure gerd, improve the digestive system , help with athritis and general aches and pains and lose weight.  Wow - so is this the way of the future for all of us or maybe the older generation or is this the cure for the overweight.  I am not sure that I believe all these claims but I could do with more energy for one so I am going to investigate further.  There is a supplement on the market something greens which may or may not work but is one of those long, long winded adds that go on and on and then at the end reveal the product they are trying to sell.  So I figure this may not be the way to go but to look at the diet itself.  I have only just touched on it and it looks a little involved but mainly as I see it, it involves eating the correct combination of foods to reduce the acidity in our blood cells.

I found a list of alkaline foods below

• Examples of Alkalining Vegetables: Beets, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Celery, Cucumber, Kale, Lettuce, Onions, Peas, Peppers, Spinach
• Examples of Alkalizing Fruits: Apple, Banana, Berries, Cantaloupe, Grapes, Melon, Lemon, Orange, Peach, Pear, Watermelon
• Alkalizing Protein: Almonds, Chestnuts, Tofu
• Alkalizing Spices: Cinnamon, Curry, Ginger, Mustard, Sea Salt

Now to work out the correct way to eat these foods and with what. Is anyone out there on this diet and can they help me out here.  Would be greatly appreciated

Word for Today

---

Pulchritudinous meaning physically beautiful
Richard Burton used it to describe his first impression of Elizabeth Taylor: "... the most astonishingly self-contained, pulchritudinous, remote, removed, inaccessible woman I had ever seen."



Sources:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/top-10-unusually-long-words-vol-2

Let's Get Serious and Save on our weekly Shop

I am becoming more and more guilty about waste in the kitchen.  As hard as I try I am always tossing something out whether it be left over's or vegetables that have gone rotten.  Bread and Milk are okay as I always use them before they are out of date and a tip about freezing bread if you take a whole loaf out of the freezer to rethaw it will go mouldy in no time.

So that being said, what to do?  Saw some good ideas on the morning TV show and so decided is time I pursued my earlier thoughts on cutting down on the number of times I go to the supermarket a week which for me is almost daily and if I only go in for one thing sure as hell come out with a bundle.

My List of things to do to get me on track and you if you think it will help.

1. Decide how often to shop weekly or fortnightly for me it will be weekly because fresh fruit and vegetables will not always keep for a fortnight especially when you don't really know how they have been stored.  So weekly and this week I will try the market's for my fruit and vegetable to compliment those in the local supermarket that does have some nice fresh stuff.
2. Draw up a menu for the week.  I am not going to cover every meal as I have tried that before and end up with too much because I go out to friends or eat out so let's say 5 days of meals.
3. Then accordingly write out your shopping list 
4. Have some fun with all this and it should stick especially if you start to save money which can go towards little luxuries or into a fund or to get out of debt

 Bit like a New Years resolution just a bit late or should that be a bit early!!

Till next time
 Have fun, eat well and be happy
Yours Howdiie

Grown in our backyard 

Father's Day - what would Dad like

So what are you going to get Dad this Father's Day.  Have you given it any thought? Are you too busy to look around?  Well take five and remember it is his day so a little thought into what he would like would be so nice.  Here are some suggestions below.

A get together for a breakfast or lunch out - your shout would be very nice.
Lunch at the beach again your shout with a game of cricket or a long walk along the sand.
If you cannot get together well post a parcel so that it arrives in time but forget the sweets, chocolates, socks, shaving cream, slippers and pj's.

1. Gift Card are not such a bad idea especially for the older Dad's/Granddad's who are hard to buy for such as to Bunning's depending on their interests.
2.  Seat Cover such as lambs wool but only if you know what he likes and wants otherwise forget it. They are made for the car make and model.
3. Tag Trackers for Dad's who are always losing keys, misplacing glasses, wallet and so on. Just type in Tag Trackers in the search engine to see what is available there is a range in price, some limitations as to distance covered but good for around the house .
4. Something for the garden such as a garden fork, garden rake, if you know Dad's old one is about to break or has been taped up once too often!! Would be a nice gift.
5. Has he got old records he cannot play?  Depending on budget a record player that plays 45's and LP's would be nice.

So hope these few ideas help of course, if your Dad is into a particular sport/hobby there is probably something that you could buy along that line that he would love.  Have a great day.

KACHCHE HALDI KA ACHAAR -TUMERIC PICKLES

Found this simple recipe when looking at ways to incorporate fresh tumeric into or with a meal.
It is an Indian Pickle which is used as an accompaniment.Three ingredients Tumeric sliced finely, lemon juice to cover and a little salt. Mix all ingredients
together and place in a jar leave for one week and shake every day to mix.
Tumeric is said to be good for many conditions is an anti-inflammatory,anti-fungal,
antibacterial, helps in the treatment of cancer,diabetes,Alzheimer, cold and cough
therefore, worth incorporating into your menu I think, and will be a nice addition of flavour
and colour. I am going to try this one out today so let you know in a week the results.

Food to feed the BRAIN

The brain needs food to feed it just as all other parts of your body so which are the better choices. I did some research on line and the following have been recommended (sources below).

Wholegrains
The brain needs energy to work at it's best and we get energy from carbs and wholegrains with a lower GI are a good choice

Oily Fish
Full of Omega 3 and good for the heart. A serving of 3 per week is good but I try to buy salmon and oily fish that is free of mercury

Blueberries
Research by Tuft University believe they can actually reverse memory loss, "A study published in the Journal of Neuroscience found an extract of blueberries eaten every day led to a reversal of nerve cell damage in rats. After eating their daily dose of berries, the rodents learned faster, had a better short-term memory and had improved balance and co-ordination. The humble blueberry is truly a superfood for your brain cells."

Tomatoes
Lycopene is found is tomatoes and is a rich antioxidant which is believed to protect against free radical damage in our cells

Vitamins B 6, B12 and folic acid
"are known to reduce levels of a compound called homocysteine in the blood. Elevated levels of homocysteine are associated with increased risk of stroke, cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. A study of a group of elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment found that after two years of intervention with high doses of B6, B12 and folic acid there was significantly less brain shrinkage compared to a subset given placebo treatment. Opt for B-rich foods like chicken, fish, eggs and leafy greens."

Avocado
Contain Monosatuated fatty acids which help to protect nerve cells in the brain

Blackcurrents, Red Peppers and Citrus
Rich in Vitamin C believed to protect against age related brain disfunction

Pumpkin Seeds
Highest in Zinc of all seeds. Great for boosting learning and memory

Broccoli
A good source of Vitamin K

Sage
Helps improve memory - I believe it just a little of this herb goes a long way. I like to sprinkle it on salads, eggs, it goes with almost anything. It is easy to get some growing in a pot and keep near the kitchen.

Nuts
A good source of Vitamin E

Dark Chocolate
Now that is a plus all around. Most of us love chocolate it's a feel good food and it also (in moderation) has health benefits. Improves blood flow to the brain and verbal fluency. If this is true it is worth trying to add to our diet.
As well as improving the brain there has been a trending topic about growing new brain cells. Now this sounds very interesting. So what can we do to help improve our brain in this manner. It has been suggesedt that Running will help your brain grow neurons. What are neurons? "Cells within the nervous system, called neurons, communicate with each other in unique ways. The neuron is the basic working unit of the brain, a specialized cell designed to transmit information to other nerve cells, muscle, or gland cells."

Also eating Curcumin which is found in Tumeric another neuron booster along with Blueberries and Green Tea.
So a bit of food for thought!! I am off to dig some tumeric and make a batch of pickles will post recipe tomorrow and let you know how they turned out
. Sources
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/10-foods-boost-your-brainpower
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/11364896/Brain-food-6-snacks-that-are-good-for-the-mind.html
http://www.brainfacts.org/brain-basics/neuroanatomy/articles/2012/the-neuron/
http://breakingmuscle.com/health-medicine/six-easy-ways-to-enhance-your-brain-health

Move It Or Lose It

Are you getting lazy. Weather is so cold it is easy to cuddle up inside with a book or find a cosy spot and watch a good movie..
Well it's time to take stock and look at your exercise regime me included.  So up and adam everybody let do the walk.  How to start out again after taking an extended break.  Well what I do is start walking before breakfast say 15/20 minutes trying to pick up 2000 steps and following this mid morning, after lunch, mid afternoon and hey presto 8000 steps on top of your daily routine. 

Hands up those of you who are going to get off your butt and start the walk and forget the talk.
Join me today. Are you ready for take off.  Oh yeh let's get going then.  See you in the morning for some feedback.

Good Luck

Mother's Day Get it Right??

Mother's Day is coming up and for those who can will visit and give some flowers or will they give something that Mum will say she loves but secretly think why do they buy me stuff like that.
So this year guys get a bit smarter Mum does not expect anything just love and affection and a big smile. But if you must buy a gift - flowers are a great idea unless there are allergic reactions involved in which case ask her what she would like or take her shopping if you can and let her select.
Remember the older Mum's, baby boomers have usually collected a lot of nick nacks over the years and become harder to buy for. The more personalised the present the bigger chance you will get it wrong. So a few suggestions
for a movie lover- a nice video nothing bloodthirsty or full of swearing something like the Dressmaker would make a nice gift.
a beautiful bunch of mixed flowers some people don't especially like chrysantheum's?
a novel for an avid reader - but only if you are sure of what they like some people like biographies, some love stories, some adventure, some hate war stories so choose wisely
if you are thinking of jewellry - let Mum choose her own from a catalogue or on line
perfume only if you know for sure what she likes not what you think is nice - very personal preference when it comes to perfume and this can change over time?
forget - the soap, bubble bath, socks, slippers, pyjamas
 mortjenny@hotmail.com

Lithium extends batteries and now human life!! Can you Believe it

Now I read in the paper the other day about a couple of interesting facts (supposedly) about diet.

Firstly the low fat diet is out and could be giving us diabetes 2. It seems that information given to us for so long about reducing our fat intake and going for products including dairy, milk, cheese, yoghurt that are lower in fat. But now we are being told the fat in the dairy products helps to distribute the insulin around our bodies. So guess what low fat is off my menu and instead I am slowly introducting full cream milk and greek yoghurt into my diet and will see how I go with my weight. So far so good. I am watching my portions and trying to keep them down.

Secondly Lithium which has been used to treat Bipolar disorder as well as depression, mood swings, episodes of mania and other disorders can increase the lenght of our lives? How can this be so? " ithium has long been used as a mood stabilizer in the treatment of manic depression (known today as bipolar disorder). In fact, its first reported use was in 1949,1 when Dr. John Frederick Joseph Cade, an Australian psychiatrist, found that lithium carbonate operated as a mood enhancer in the treatment of manic depression disorder.

Lithium decreases mortality

Last January, we reported on a lithium study that heralded one the great advances in longevity for 2011 (see “Longevity and the Future” in the January 2011 issue). Researchers from Germany and Japan analyzed the mortality rate in 18 adjacent Japanese municipalities in relation to the amount of the trace element lithium contained in tap water from the respective regions.2 “We found that the mortality rate was considerably lower in those municipalities with more lithium in the drinking water [bold added],” Professor Dr. Michael Ristow, the lead researcher explained.

Longer life from lithium

In other words, a regular small uptake of lithium can considerably promote longevity according to the researchers and that even a low concentration of lithium leads to an increased life expectancy in humans as well as in a model organism, the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans. In a second experiment, the scientists examined exactly this range of low concentration in the C. elegans and were able to confirm: “The average longevity of the worms is higher after they have been treated with lithium at this dosage [bold added],” Ristow said. “From previous studies we know already that a higher uptake of lithium through drinking water is associated with an improvement of psychological well-being and with decreased suicide rates [bold added],”

"Preserving And Renewing Brain Cells With Lithium

Medical students are taught that there is a slow steady loss of brain cells with aging culminating in gradual shrinkage of the brain. Lithium has long been known to be an effective therapy for Bipolar Disorder (manic depression) when taken in high doses. However, recent research has shown that low doses of lithium preserve and renew[1] brain cells. Eight of ten persons given lithium showed an increase in brain grey matter of 3 % after only 4 weeks. By promoting brain cell regeneration and increasing brain size lithium can function as an anti-aging nutrient for the brain.

Lithium also accomplishes the following benefits for brain cells:

Lithium enhances DNA replication which is the first step to formation of new cells. The damaging effects of excitotoxins. (monosodium glutamate (MSG), aspartame (Nutrasweet) etc. can be blocked by lithium.[2]

Animal research shows that lithium can decrease the areas of cell death after induced strokes by 56 %.

Lithium protects rat brain cells from the. increased levels of brain cell death caused by anti-convulsant drugs (Dilantin phenytoin , Tegretol, carbamazepine etc.) Lithium may protect against adverse effects from mood altering drugs, alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, 'uppers"and "downers", and marihuana all of which cause brain damage with long term use. Abnormally functioning signaling pathways may become repaired by lithium. The aluminum felt to be a possible cause of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). is chelated[3] by lithium so it can be more easily removed from the body.

Research has suggested that lithium blocks the secretion of beta-amyloid in Alzheimer's disease and prevents damage from pre-existing beta amyloid. Overactivity of the brain cell protein tau contributes to death of neurones in Alzheimer's Disease. Lithium inhibits this tau protein damage and the formation of the neurofibrillary tangles seen in AD. "

I am not going out to try this metal but will enquire further with my GP on my next visit because there can be bad side affects and self medicating is not a good thing generally.

And then to read another point of view see below:
"Lithium robbed me of my vitality and life! I used to feel excited and connected to the world and now after lithium I feel empty and alone. I used to be a good musician before taking the lithium poison but lithium made me a terrible musician. Before the lithium I was social and considered beautiful, now after the lithium I am a strange wallflower that is unattractive. Before lithium I was connected and engaged in life, now after lithium I am withdrawn,antisocial, and disconnected. Lithium is THE WORST medication in my experience. Lithium is a nonessential metal in the human body. Humans do NOT require lithium to live, reproduce, or function in any way. It is easy to get caught up in the hype of lithium. Lithium increases grey matter in the brain, it supposedly calms people down, it is "just a salt", criminals have less lithium in their hair -these are all things people say when promoting lithium. People often ignore the negatives and destructiveness of lithium. The truth about lithium is that is is a nonessential metal for humans and all living creatures. Lithium is a toxin. The average person has 5mg of lithium in their body, and the average bipolar person is given between 450mg-1200mg PER DAY! The amount of lithium given for bipolar disorder, any mental disorder, or the amount contained in lithium orotate or lithium aspartate (a supposedly "safe" dietary supplement, lithium orotate and lithium asparate are actually dangerous and unproven without sound scientific studies, and they are quite toxic) is completely an overdosing of lithium. Food has quantities of lithium in the MICROgram range, not the miligram range. Lithium is NOT required in milligram dosages, it is fine in MICROGRAMS but sufficient, and even excess lithium, can be acquired through the diet (aka food sources). Giving people lithium is like how the ancient Romans rubbed lead (Pb) on their faces for makeup and used lead water pipes. Using lead in makeup and in water pipes was toxic, and we now know that. Years from now, hopefully humanity will look back and realize that giving people lithium was a negative, illogical, and completely [edited per terms and conditions of membership; false, defamatory, inaccurate claim] teatment; choice.

Sources: http://www.newswithviews.com/Howenstine/james11.htm
http://www.life-enhancement.com/magazine/article/2785-lithium-promotes-longevity-mood-and-love
http://www.mdjunction.com/forums/bipolar-support-forums/general-support/10282069-lithium-sucks-lithium-ruined-my-life-lithium-is-poison-lithium-bad

Foodies are horrified!

Do we know what we are eating at all anymore. It has come to light that even the fresh food vegetables, fruit and meat are in some way 'contaminated' by use of products to keep them longer. You know that packaged meat you see in supermarkets which never really looks the correct colour.

Then apples aint apples! Some apples can me 10 months old such as pink slipper having been kept in the cool room with use of an agent to keep them. Brown bread can be white flour died brown. It is a real minefield out there when it comes to trying to eat healthy. We think we are doing the right thing and then all this information comes to light just to confuse us further.

Rachel Clemons from Choice writes "Fresh food sold in supermarkets – such as fruit, vegetables and meat – isn't always as fresh as you might think. Technological advances mean the lamb chops that look so succulent could have been butchered four months ago, and those shiny red apples might have been in storage for more than a year.

It's a fair-enough expectation that if you're buying "fresh produce" it shouldn't have been frozen or preserved. You'd also expect it to be put on sale as close to the state it would be in at the time of picking, catching or producing. So are meat, fruit and vegetables that have been stored for an extended period still truly fresh?"

That was also my next question how good are these "Non-fresh" products? Do they contain any of the goodies they are suppose to? Well it has been reported that English spinach retains only 53% of its folate and 54% of its carotene after just eight days stored at fridge temperatures. And apples kept in cold storage for three months have lower levels of antioxidants.

TO BE CONTINUED

Yolk it ain't a joke!!

Last week we were away and one place we stayed gave us a couple of eggs which they said was fresh from the chook house well when we tried them they were not fresh at all and the colour of the yolks was quite light in colour. So I thought those are not free range birds the yolk was too light. So when we had eggs the next time I noticed the yolk was bright yellow and thought this is definitely a free range egg. Well guess what? This may not be the case at all. I was shattered to read in the paper yesterday that there may be another reason for the bright colour of egg yolks. Yep now the humble egg is being tampered with secretly by adding colouring agents to the chook food derived from capscicum, marigold and paprika which is manufactured in China.

I always buy free range eggs. I know that the labelling is not always as it seems but I am pretty happy with those I have, well until now. In the article in the paper it was suggested to check all the eggs in a carton and if they were all of similar colour it could be likely they were from chooks fed with additives to colour the yolks.

Although stricter labelling laws are expected next month when ministers of the government meet the use of colour enhancers will not be on the subject list. So back to the drawing board for me to do my own research and look more carefully at the egg yolks or better still find a back yard producer and buy direct once happy they are free range.

I suppose it could be said to do no harm but it is the deception that I don't like and it could be that some people are allergic to capsicum or the other additives and are eating it without knowing.

Sugar Free Tomato Sauce

I have been looking at food labels and it is amazing how much salt and sugar is in manufactured products. Below is a homemade recipe for tomato sauce and it is very nice. I varied it a little from the original recipe I found on line.

Home Made Tomato sauce

Ingredients

• 2 cans tomatoes or fresh tomatoes skinned and chopped weighing 800gm

• 1/2 onion, chopped

• 80 ml apple cider vinegar

• 2 tspn granulated stevia (sugar substitute)

• 1 tspn ground allspice

• 1 tspn ground cinnamon

• 1 tspn ground clove

• 1 tspn cayenne pepper

• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Prepare your jars or bottles , wash and rinse with boiling water and pop into a warm oven to dry this will make nice and sterile.

Bring all the ingredients to a boil in the saucepan, stirring to dissolve the spices.

Reduce the heat and simmer for about 50 minutes with lid off until the sauce reduces by almost half and is quite thick.

Blend in a food processor.

If the sauce is not thick enough return it to the heat for a little longer.

Fill your jars or bottles to the top and seal. Don't forget to add a label and the date.

Store in the fridge for up to 1 month. Source:https://iquitsugar.com/recipe/homemade-tomato-sauce/

DIABETE'S TYPE 2

I have been further investigating diabets type 2 as it is genetic in our family. 1.7 million Australia's have been diagnosed with both type1 and type 2 diabetes, 85% of which is type 2 and it is believed there are a further 500,000 undiagnosed. So how does one know if they have diabetes and what are the symptons.

Frequent urinating and Thirst can be a strong indicator as well as foot ulcers and tiredness. A simple blood test can test the reading of our blood sugar and if it is higher than should be a further test is normally ordered which is done over a 2 hour period, namely the Glucose tolerance test. It is not painful but involved drinking a very sugary drink and the blood is then tested before drinking, 1 hour after and 2 hours after which indicates what is happening with the insulin if we may be insulin resistance or full blown diabetic.

If in doubt and you have symptons go to your doctor it is not a death sentence but needs to be controlled to protect your kidneys, heart and feet. And if your are diagnosed Diabetes Australia has a wonderful site on line full of help and advise.

Diabetes is not just in the older population, or the overweight and diabetes 2 is quite often genetic, so if you know of anyone in your family, parent's familes that have had diabetes then you know you could be at risk. So what happens to a diabetic: The pancreas does not produce sufficient insulin The insulin does not work properly in our body Or we are insulin resistant whereby the body does not respond to insulin effectively

Type 2 diabetes can be controlled for some people without medication by modifying lifestyle, namely our diet and increasing exercise. Controlling the amounts of sugar and carbohydrates in the diet. "Controlling blood sugar (glucose) levels is the major goal of diabetes treatment, in order to prevent complications of the disease. Type 1 diabetes is managed with insulin as well as dietary changes and exercise. Type 2 diabetes may be managed with non-insulin medications, insulin, weight reduction, or dietary changes." (1)

I have also read about fasting as a means of curing diabetes type2 but not sure this is strongly supported by the medical profession. However, does make for interesting reading "But the fact that fasting cures diabetes has been know for close to 100 years! One of the most famous diabetologists in the history of the world – Dr. Elliot Joslin wrote about it in the Canadian Medical Association Journal in 1916! In fact, he thought that it was so obvious that fasting was helpful that studies would not even be necessary. This, from the guy that Harvard University used to name its world famous Joslin Center for Diabetes.

What happened? Well, remember that there was still massive confusion about Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes back then. Fasting would not be particularly useful for Type 1, and type 2 was still quite unusual back then. After the discovery of insulin in the early 1920’s, all the focus turned to it as the ‘cure’ for diabetes. While it was a major advance for type 1, it was not quite the panacea for type 2s. However, most of the interest in fasting disappeared as doctors focused on what would be their mantra for the next century – drugs, drugs, drugs."(2)

So from this brief discussion there are treatments and lifestyle changes that can help to treat diabetes T2 whether it can be reversed is topical and as always it is strongly recommended that treatments should be discussed with your Doctor or Diabetes Adviser. And if one should suspect that all is not ok and that they may have the symptons getting diagnosed earlier than later could help to avoid complications.

So I am off for a walk now, a few short walks a day is better than none. Why not join me and get those daily steps right up there.

Sources: (1)http://www.medicinenet.com/diabetes_treatment/article.htm (2) https://intensivedietarymanagement.com/fasting-cures-diabetes-t2d-4/ https://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/type-2-diabetes http://www.checkup.org.au/page/Initiatives/TravelCheck/Check/Type_2_Diabetes_Risk_Assessment_Tool/

Fruit from the Lillypilly

I recently picked as many lilly pilly fruit as I could find on our hedge and boiled them up and strained them once soft through a strainer. Now to make a sauce. Any recipes tried and true would be appreciated.

Dragon Fruit/Moon Flower

Hi over the last few days our dragon fruit have been flowering and what a beautiful sight they are.

The flowers are white, 30cm long and are open for only one night. The bud begins to puff out during the day and it is evident that it will open that evening. The photos below were taken below around 9pm using torch light. By that time they had reached their full beauty a sight to behold.

They have a translucency about them and almost seem to glow in the moon light. After one night of glory they start to close with the sun’s rays upon them, but not before the bee’s have had the most incredible feast. On cloudy days they stay open till about 10am. The fruit is then set and will grow rapidly. Some photo's of the beautiful rich red fruit in about 30 days to follow.

On doing some further research on the "Pitaya's" I find they are in fact regarded as a super food rich in antioxidants with, Vitamin C, Vitamin B, polyunsaturated fatty acids, protein, carotene, calcium, iron, phosphorous, " high in polyunsaturated fats (omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids) that reduce triglycerides and lower the risk of cardiovascular disorders. Eating dragon fruit can help the body maintain such normal function as ridding the body of toxic heavy metals and improved eyesight. Lycopene, responsible for the red color in dragon fruit, has been shown to be linked with a lower prostate cancer risk."

Fights Diabetes

The high amount of fiber in dragon fruit can ultimately help regulate diabetes, as it can stabilize blood sugar levels by suppressing sugar spikes. However, with any dietary changes or modifications, always consult your doctor to make sure this is a good food for you.

Reduces Signs of Aging

Eating a dragon fruit with its rich antioxidants can keep the skin tight and young. You can even make a face mask using the fruit combined with honey as a natural alternative to anti-aging masks."

Sources: http://foodfacts.mercola.com/dragon-fruit.html
http://www.aussiedragonfruit.com/Fruit.htm
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/10-surprising-benefits-dragon-fruit-you-never-knew.html

Brain Food

As we age so does our brain and we need to find a way to fight the effects. I am forever exercising my brain and endeavouring to strengthen my memory by learning new words, puzzles, naming every plant in the garden and eating various foods that I find help me such as sage, persimons, pomegranites and lots of salmon 3 or 4 days a week.

"Fish: The Ultimate Brain Food?

Traditionally fish has been described as “brain food” – a claim that was dismissed as an ‘old wives tale’ for many years but recent research into the links between fish and brain function suggest that this old wives’ tale may have more than a small grain of truth behind it.

We know that a large part of the brain is made up of omega-3 fats, making them vital for healthy brain function. In fact 60% of the fats in the brain are omega-3 with DHA, a type of omega-3 fat found in fish, being the main type. Omega-3 fats are essential for healthy brain development both in the womb and in early childhood. About 75% of brain cells are in place before birth and the other 25% are in place by the age of 1 year – making omega-3 fats an essential nutrient both for pregnant mothers and young children. Omega-3 fats were found to be so important for early brain development that they are now automatically added to baby milk formula and it is recommended that pregnant women eat two servings of fish every week – including at least one oil-rich fish."

Source: http://www.bordbia.ie/consumer/aboutfood/nutrition/fish/pages/ultimatebrainfood.aspx

"Sage sharpens the mind

by TIM UTTON, Daily Mail

Old wives' tales have long proclaimed sage's ability to boost the powers of memory. Now scientists have proved they were right.

Indeed, researchers are so impressed by the herb's powers that they are to investigate if it could be used to treat Alzheimer's disease.

The possible breakthrough follows clinical trials which found that healthy adults who had taken sage oil capsules performed significantly better in memory tests.

The herb - Latin name Salvia lavandulaefolia - is thought to protect the 'chemical messengers' which carry information in the brain and are essential to memory.

Men and women have taken sage to fight memory loss for centuries, usually in teas or tinctures. As far back as 1597, herbalist John Gerard wrote that sage was 'singularly good for the head and brain and quickeneth the nerves and memory.'

Half a century later, Nicholas Culpeper, claimed the herb 'heals the memory, warming and quickening the senses'.

Researchers from the Medicinal Plant Research Centre (MPRC), based at the universities of Newcastle and Northumbria, recently completed the first clinical trials involving the use of sage by healthy adults.

They tested 44 healthy adults aged 18 to 37. Some were given capsules containing between 50mg and 150mg of sage oil while others received a 'dummy' capsule containing none.

The volunteers took part in a wordrecall tests at intervals between one and six hours later.

Those who had taken the sage oil performed better across the board - on average recalling eight per cent more words than those on the placebo, in some cases more than ten per cent.

Research team leader Nicola Tildesley said: 'This proves how valuable the work by the old herbalists is, and that they shouldn't just be ignored because they were writing centuries ago."

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-194179/Sage-sharpens-mind.html#ixzz3xkdbX1AK

"Essential Oils For The Brain

Essential oils are an excellent way to treat mental fatigue and to boost your mental capacity. Here are three that can be a useful supplement to herbal remedies for times when you need to stimulate your brain.

Rosemary is a bright and sharp essence that improves clarity in the mind and emotions. Peppermint is stimulating It enlivens the mind and is one of the best oils to boost energy, creativity and learning.

Basil improves mental fatigue and focus."

Anyone have any special tips on improving memory love to hear from you.