a blog for women… I'm just sayin'

Life has been a roller coaster of emotion these last few months. My elderly father moved in with us last month and my youngest son moved out this month. He decided to continue his studies in the UK. Yep, he left the country! Hubby and I are very happy for him and very much going to miss him these next two years. He flew out on Saturday; we had a very emotional weekend indeed.

Of course, he could not take his friend Connor so we acquired a grand-puppy. It is a good thing too because not only is Connor a symbol of our son, he has become Dad’s pal. Connor is a Beagle/Rottweiler mix, very lovable, and always wagging his tail. He trots out to greet Dad in the morning and sits by his chair when he is watching TV. The dog makes my Dad smile, says he wishes he had some of what powers that tail!

Fewer Allergies, Stronger Immunity

Children that grow up in a home with a dog or cat are less likely to develop allergies, some researchers have noted. Kids that grow up on farms have shown the same results.

A healthy mind

Pet owners socialize with other per owners. Dog owners generally stop and chat with other dog owners or when visiting a dog park, engage in lengthy conversations. More interaction equals less isolation for you and your dog.

Physical Fitness

Taking your dog for a thirty minute walk not only keeps one moving but also helps one meet the minimum requirements for healthy physical activity. Playing ball in the back yard will add to your fitness dividends. Additionally, playing with your pet is a great stress reliever.

Pets fight depression

It is well known that many therapists prescribe a pet to help deal with and overcome depression. Pets present an unconditional love and loyalty. Petting a cat or dog provides a calming effect and enhances the mood as well. There is nothing more pleasurable that a purring kitty or tail wagging pup. Caring for a pet moves ones focus from inward self. Walking, grooming, and feeding a pet helps one to feel better about they way in which their time is spent.

Good for the Heart

Two separate studies concluded that pet owners had a lower risk of dying from any cardiac disease. One twenty year study showed that cat owners were 40% less likely to die of a heart attach than those who never owned a cat.

It is amazing what a pet can do for one’s life. The preceding pet information came from an article I read on WebMD. I can tell you Connor is proof positive that pets do make a difference in a person’s mental and physical health. Do you have pets? How do they help your family?

Do you remember this commercial? For all you youngsters [wink wink] Peter Brady is the middle son from the 1970s hit show The Brady Bunch.

The promo jingle back in the day was that “Go Go power” of Cheerios. Today Cheerios promotions focus on Oats, know as the Heart Superfood. My boys ate Cheerios for breakfast and mom gave them to us too. It’s amazing how far we have come with food and ads yet the old standards remain. According to the Cheerios website “Three grams of soluble fiber daily from whole grain oat foods, like Cheerios® cereal, in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. Cheerios cereal provides 1 gram per serving.” As a fan of Cheerios® for many years now, I am elated to announce two fabulous “Do What You Love” contest giveaways!

The first contest is huge and oh so exciting! Cheerios is collaborating with country music superstar Martina McBride and professional athlete Cal Ripken, Jr. for the “Do What You Love” Contest.

Now through July 23, 2010, submit a 150-250 word original story and photo, highlighting what you love to do for a chance to win an experience of a lifetime! http://www.cheerios.com/love

1. One music lover (and a guest) will tour the Country Music Hall of Fame^® and Museum with McBride; hang out with her in her recording studio – the world famous Blackbird Studio in Nashville, Tenn. – and even get VIP tickets to one of her upcoming concerts.
2. Another lucky baseball enthusiast (and a guest) will have the chance to hang out and play catch with Ripken and to tour the Ripken Youth Baseball Academy in Aberdeen, Md., with the “Iron Man” of baseball himself. Additionally, the winner will throw out the first pitch at the Cal Ripken World Series as well as attend a Baltimore baseball game seated in Ripken’s reserved seats.

The second “Do What You Love” giveaway is being sponsored right here – ya!

Thanks to Cheerios and MyBlogSpark for providing me with a “Do What You Love” prize pack, the contest information, and a prize pack to share with you all!  The “Do What You Love” prize pack includes one box of Cheerios and a $25 American Express^® Gift Card that you can use towards doing what you love.

How to Enter

Mandatory Entry – Leave a comment telling us what you love to do!

For two more chances to win the prize pack:

Second Entry – Follow me on twitter and leave a comment with your twitter name.

Third Entry – Copy and tweet to your followers:

Cheerios “Do What You Love” Contest & Prize Pack  http://bit.ly/dd0zVL #mbsspark @WomanMomFriend

One Winner will be chosen Sunday July 25 via Random.org – Giveaway is open to US residents only per sponsor rules. Good Luck!

Eat more of these foods and weigh less, sounds somewhat crazy. According to Self magazine, the right foods aid in dropping pounds by accelerating calorie burning and curbing cravings.

The top twenty weight loss super foods listed include steak, eggs, kale, oats, lentils, Goji berries, wild salmon, apples, buckwheat pasta, blueberries, almond butter, pomegranates, chilies, yogurt, quinoa, sardines, tarragon, Parmesan, avocado, and olive oil. Plenty of high fiber and high protein foods included however, the list is rather surprising to me.  A first glance the list appeared to be foods that supported weight gain not loss.

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David H. Murdock is Chairman and owner of Dole Food Company, Inc., the world’s largest producer and marketer of fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, packaged and frozen foods.

Is it possible to live to 125 or maybe 150? It’s certainly a possibility, as discussed on Oprah Winfrey’s recent show on longevity. She visited me at my farm to learn how, at 86, I am enjoying the robust health, energy, and mental creativity of someone many decades younger. My secret: large quantities of fruit and vegetables, plus an hour of daily exercise.

No pills, not even aspirin, and certainly no supplements ever enter my mouth — everything I need comes from my fish-vegetarian diet, which incorporates 30-40 different kinds of fruit and vegetables every week. Even though I am Chairman and Owner of Dole Food Company, I do most of my own grocery shopping, and even took Oprah on an impromptu trip to Costco, in a day that included bike riding, exercise in the gym, and juicing vegetables in the kitchen. Oprah marveled at how much I eat, and yet never gain a pound. In fact, I expend a lot of energy in my 50-60 minutes of cardio and strength training every day. Plus there’s the fact that fruit and vegetables tend to be lower in calories, but higher in filling fiber and other nutrients that help you feel satisfied.

By eating many fruits and vegetables in place of fast food and junk food, people could avoid obesity. Obesity accelerates aging even faster than smoking, according to scientific research.

We created the North Carolina Research Campus to study the health benefits of fruits and vegetables. It is the only campus in the world encompassing eight universities all working together for the benefit of health and longevity. These include Duke University, UNC Chapel Hill, NC State University, UNC Charlotte, North Carolina Central University, NC A&T State University, UNC Greensboro and Appalachian State University. We’ve gathered a comprehensive array of famous scientists and scientific equipment under one roof, including a two-story, 950 megahertz, 8-ton superconducting magnet. It is the largest and most powerful magnet in the world and will help us look at both plant and human cells at the most minute level. We are constantly doing research on all fruit and vegetables, including the ones listed below, which are the mainstay of my diet.

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