Author Archives: Debbie

Baby it’s cold out there

Posted on by
Reply
Me, enjoying the sun on my face and breathing fresh air.

Enjoying the sun on my face and breathing fresh air.

Hi, my name is Debbie and I need to be outdoors to feel normal and balanced. Currently, I live in the Finger Lakes region of New York and it has been too bloody cold to spend any decent amount of time outdoors this winter. The average temperature for January was 16°F with an incredible high of 54°F and low of -15°F. February if you can imagine, got colder, with an AVERAGE temperature of 11°F, YES, AVERAGE temperature! There was a pathetic high of 38°F and a frigid low of -22°F. That’s really cold and doesn’t even account for the relentless wind chill, which can give a person frostbite within 20 minutes of exposure. Suffice it to say, I have not spent too much time outdoors.

snow drifts look like sand dunes

Snow drifts that look like sand dunes.

I am admittedly not a winter person, but I generally try to hike weekly nonetheless ~ not this year though. The other day, I realized that I was suffering from “Nature Deficit Syndrome” as well as cabin fever and feeling its adverse side effects, which are not pretty. At first, I thought my irritability was simply hormones, but when I stepped outside into the sunny brisk world, all I wanted to do was breathe in the fresh air, let the sun shine on my face and explore my surrounding. Nevertheless, within 10 minutes, my fingers started to freeze, and my lungs felt the crushing ice cold air rushing into them.  At that moment, I knew I had cabin fever. In order to feel balanced, I need to be “in” nature, explore, walk and breathe it in. This winter has gotten the best of me.

Looking out my window. It looks so beautiful but -12F out.

Looking out my window. It looks so beautiful but -12F out.

In January, I could get by with simply sitting in my somewhat warm house looking out the windows and appreciating the sunny day and watch the birds. However, after saying so long to February and welcoming March, with no end in sight, I am clearly losing my mind. I am tired of always being cold, plus we are running out of firewood. Everyone we have called to get more can’t get to their wood until the next thaw, which could be May by the looks of it.

Snow drifts that look like waves on the ocean.

Snow drifts that look like waves on the ocean.

I know I am not alone, the Ithaca tourism website redirected visitors to Key West, FL. Their site reads: “Due to this ridiculously stupid winter, Ithaca invites you to visit the Florida Keys this week. Please come back when things thaw out. Really, it’s for the birds here now.” They also provided a link to the Keys website at fla-keys.com.

At this point, the best I can do for now is to take short walks. I park further away from stores and pause before I get back into my car. Every morning, I rush to my outdoor thermometer hoping that it will read at least 25°F, and that the day will be filled with sunny skies. Because crazy at it seems that would be delightful and a welcomed surprise.

Walking a frozen Cayuga Lake when it was balmy 24F.

Walking a frozen Cayuga Lake when it was a balmy 24F.

 

 

Honey, I love you!

Posted on by
2

Do you remember the time you fell in love? Wasn’t it magical? You felt like you just couldn’t get enough.  Then after awhile, you took your relationship for granted. But then it happens again, your eyes sparkle every time you think of your love. Well, it’s happening to me all over again. Sometimes I just cannot get enough of honey. I love honey! Yes, I love my husband too, but right now, I am talking about that beautiful amber sweetness that bees work so hard to make.

Call me cruel, a heartless person but this is one slave relationship that I can live with. Slaves? What do I mean by slaves? Bees are our slaves, they work extraordinary hard to create this lushes sweetness and we simply steal it. Sure, sustainable beekeepers let them keep some honey so they have enough energy to retrieve more nectar. But really, they are our slaves. In order for bees to produce one pound of honey, they must travel over 55,000 miles (that’s more than twice around the earth) visiting at least two million flowers. Now I love to travel but that is simply too much, even for me. Making honey is hard work.

Besides being delicious, there are so many health benefits to regularly eating honey. I think Stephen Buhner does an excellent job in noting why it is rich in so many medicinal and nutritional ways. 

“Honey is the nectar of the herbs and flowers that grow wild in the fields and woods. The benefits of hundreds of herbs are carried in the form of nectar in the stomach of the bee where it is subtly altered by the bee’s digestive enzymes in ways that modern science has been unable to explain. New compounds are created by this process before the honey is regurgitated in the hive, concentrated by evaporation, and stored in honeycomb.

Honey contains (among other things) a complex assortment of enzymes, organic acids, esters, antibiotic agents, trace minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, hormones, and antimicrobial compounds. One pound of the average honey contains 1,333 calories (compared with white sugar at 1748 calories), 1.4 grams of protein, 23 milligrams of calcium, 73 milligrams of phosphorus, 4.1 milligrams of iron, 1 milligram of niacin, and 16 milligrams of vitamin C, and vitamin A, beta carotene, the complete complex of B vitamins, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, magnesium, sulfur, chlorine, potassium, iodine, sodium, copper, manganese, high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide, and formic acid… and the list goes on. Honey contains more than 75 different compounds! Many of the remaining substances in honey are so complex (4-7 percent of the honey) that they have yet to be identified.

Because of the high natural sugar content, honey absorbs moisture in wounds, making it hard for bacteria to survive. Many honeys contain large amounts of hydrogen peroxide, which is regularly used to disinfect cuts and scrapes. Most raw honeys contain propolis, a compound that can kill bacteria. In laboratory tests, honey put on seven types of bacteria killed all seven.”

Basically it is great for everything, honey boosts your energy and immune system, it is antibiotic, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, an expectorant, antiallergenic, a laxative, antifungal, cell regenerator as well as great for respiratory ailments. What more can anyone ask for?

However, there is a difference between raw honey straight from the hive, and processed honey, which can be bought in grocery stores. Any honey is good for you, but raw honey is by far the best because it has not been through a heating process (over approx. 120 degrees) that melts the sugar, this process kills the wonderful enzymes and bacteria that are so rich in healing properties. Raw honey can be purchased from local bee farmers, health food stores and co-ops. If you are buying national brands, try to stay away from clover and alfalfa, since they tend to be more heavily sprayed with pesticides. Commercial honey growers often supplement the bees with sugar water, which dilutes the medicinal qualities of the honey.

Lately, I cannot seem to get enough, I put it on everything and sometimes I just eat it off the spoon. Moreover, there are so many different types of honey to try. At our house, we are big fans of apple blossom, linden, bamboo, and buckwheat honey.  What are your favorites?

 These are some of my favorite ways to enjoy honey:

  • I love toasted honey and peanut butter sandwiches, very messy but oh so delicious
  • In my oatmeal
  • On buttered toast
  • In my coffee, yes most people put honey in tea but I don’t sweeten my tea
  • On plain yogurt
  • Herb infused honey
  • I take a spoonful, right before bed when I have a cough. It promotes a restful and quiet sleep.
  • Apples dipped in honey

How do you enjoy honey? Please share.

All information is shared for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any condition.