Think CoVid Can't Happen To You? Think Again by @JoanReeves

Yep. That image describes the way I feel today. Completely crazed.

You see, this summer has been sheer hell. It all started with moving. A thunderstorm accompanied my furniture and other belongings into our "new" home on moving day.

I spent all day wiping down our belongings and mopping up the new hardwood floors installed a few days prior to the moving van arriving.

Fun? Not even a little bit.

The rest of July and into August was spent getting estimates from contractors for underground drain system, gutters, painting, lighting upgrade, and alarm system installation.

The one thing all those contractors and companies had in common was that no one could get to the work we wanted done until September. It seemed as if the entire world was in the process of home remodeling.

Then a couple of weeks ago, none of that mattered. Our older daughter developed CoVid pneumonia (caught the Delta variant from someone not immunized. She also was not immunized because she'd listened to her many anti-vax friends.) She was hospitalized a few days later. Coded while in the hospital but was revived.

It's been a scary two weeks. She's in a rehab facility now while she tries to walk again and care for herself and get well enough to go home to her three children.

Please Get Immunized

I know many are anti-vax. Educate yourself rather than take heresay for a decision that may mean the difference between life and death.

Here is just one article about the background of mRNA vaccines that was shared by author Sherri Easley. Do a Google search, and you'll find many more. Don't listen to your friends and family who are anti-vaccination unless they are medical doctors, researchers, microbiologists, etc. Be informed. It could save your life.

That's all I have to say on the subject. Next month I'll talk about a fun romance, but this month, my heart and my thoughts are on my daughter who is struggling to return to normal life.

MINDFULNESS Is All The Rage These Days - #FREE book #amwriting #amreading

Thank you so much for visiting Smart Girls Read Romance today. We're talking about a topic that is not only very popular but beneficial health-wise to readers and writers. I hope you enjoy it! Check out the books on Mindfulness on Amazon - last week there were one or two that were #FREE. I hope this one is still #FREE as you read this post. Give it a try! Be a part of the Mindfulness rage. MINDFULNESS FOR BEGINNERS

Meditation can seem a daunting task, can I do it? Will I be good enough? I can’t settle my mind to do what needs to be done. A common misconception about mindfulness is that you have to be into meditation, or have to practice long hours to get any benefit from it. Neither could be further from the truth.

A simple form of mindful meditation has you taking the time to scan your body part by part and acknowledge each part in turn. You start at the top of your head and end with the tips of your toes. Let’s say you start your practice and the first thing you notice is that you have a headache. The purpose of mindfulness is not to dwell on the fact that you HAVE a headache and to dwell on how painful it is, but instead to acknowledge it and to continue on. It’s not about trying to come up with the “right” answer or trying to fix something, it’s just trying to realize what it is and say, “Yes, my head hurts but there’s more to me than that. I am more than just a headache.”

When scanning your body there are many distractions that can come up. Kids running around making noise, cars honking, thoughts of things going on at the office, that’s when you pull your thoughts back to your body scan, not with reproach but gently and kindly.

Even authors and readers use mindfulness. When you take each word as it is written and focus solely on each one as it’s written. You can hear the silence from when the birds stop chirping, the growl that paralyzes you in fear. Everything you write, everything you read can be a practice in mindfulness if you take the time to focus on each word. Take this passage for example:

First, the birds went silent and then the bushes rustled to her right. A guttural growl sent raw fear pedaling through her veins. Had she flushed out a bear, worse, a mama bear protecting her cub? Her hands went to the straps around her neck, a foolish instinct that overrode the alarm bells roaring in her head. She slipped the camera over her shoulder, her hands shaking like leaves caught up in an eddy. When the scrub brush parted, a mountain lion strolled onto the trail. The alarm bells morphed into paralyzing fear. Holy crap, what is a mountain lion doing in this neck of the woods?

When you read that you could almost put yourself in that situation, it's as if you were almost there. If you want to take some more time getting into this story check out Season, Unforgettable by Keta Diablo.

What Reviewers Are Saying . . .
"So much action. The plot kept winding around and had me guessing the whole second part of the book. This is my first book by this author. It was so good I plan to read more. I give this five BIG stars. I loved it so much!"

"Diablo made me laugh, cry and mostly, bite my fingernails down to the quick. I thoroughly enjoyed every nail-biting page, and award Season, Unforgettable five unforgettable stars!"

About Season, Unforgettable
Her land is not for sale, not even to the gorgeous man who saved her from a mountain lion attack. Both will discover that sometimes love blooms between enemies and sometimes it's even lethal.

AVAILABLE HERE - .99 CENTS

Thanks so much for visiting today, 

 

Sacred Heart Medical Soup #Authors #Readers #Bloggers #health

This is a lengthy post but worth every word if you live half your life in the publishing world.

Feeling stressed, bloated, have a lack of energy? What busy woman today doesn't? (works for men too). Readers, bloggers and writers spend endless hours sitting, lying down or immobile. We all know how important exercise is, but if you're like me, I don't exercise daily or as often as I should. I've made and eaten the Sacred Heart Medical Soup on several occasions and personally LUV the taste. When I'm particularly stressed, it helps my body fight off colds, flus and other nasty germs that intrude on my system.

With winter coming in many regions, I highly recommend trying the Sacred Heart Health Diet. *Recommended by many physicians, including the Mayo Clinic, for patients preparing for a major surgery.*

Please check back and leave your thoughts if you tried the soup. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do. ~Keta~

Sacred Heart Medical Diet

This 7-day eating plan can be used as often as you like. If correctly followed, it will clean out your system of impurities and give you a feeling of well-being. After only 7 days of this process, you will begin to feel lighter by at least 10 pounds and possibly 17 pounds, and experience an abundance of energy.

SOUP:

1 or 2 cans of stewed tomatoes

3 plus large green onions

1 large can of beef broth (no fat)

1 pkg. Lipton Soup mix

1 bunch of celery (use the entire bunch_

2 cans green beans

2 lbs. Carrots

2 Green Peppers

Season with salt, pepper curry, parsley, if desired, or bouillon, hot or Worcestershire sauce. Cut veggies in small to medium pieces. Cover with water. Boil fast for 10 minutes. Reduce to simmer and continue to cook until veggies are tender.

This soup can be eaten anytime you are hungry during the week. Eat as much as you want, whenever you want. This soup will not add calories. The more you eat, the more you will lose. You may want to fill a thermos in the morning if you will be away during the day.

DRINKS ALLOWED:

Unsweetened juices

Tea (also herbal)

Coffee

Cranberry juice

Skim milk

Water, water, water

DAY ONE

Any fruit (except bananas). Cantaloupes and watermelon are lower in calories than most other fruits. Eat only soup and fruit today.

DAY TWO

All vegetables. Eat until you are stuffed with fresh raw, cooked or canned veggies. Try to eat green leafy veggies and stay away from dry beans, peas or corn. Eat veggies along with the soup. At dinnertime tonight reward yourself with a big baked potato and butter. Don't eat any fruits through today.

DAY THREE

Eat all the soup, fruit and veggies you want. Do not have a baked potato. If you have eaten as above for three days and not cheated, you should find that you have lost 5-7 pounds.

DAY FOUR

Bananas and skim milk: Eat at least 3 bananas and drink as much milk as you can today, along with the soup. Bananas are high in calories and carbohydrates, as is the milk but on this particular day, your body will need the potassium and carbs. Proteins and calcium to lessen the cravings for sweets.

DAY FIVE

Beef and tomatoes: you may have 10 to 20 ounces of beef and a can of tomatoes, or as many as 6 tomatoes on this day. Eat the soup at least once today.

DAY SIX

Beef and veggies, eat to your heart's content of the beef and veggies today. You can even have 2-3 steaks if you like with green leafy veggies but no baked potato. Be sure to eat the soup at least once today.

DAY SEVEN

Brown rice, unsweetened fruit juice and veggies, again, be sure to stuff yourself and eat the soup. You can add cooked veggies to your rice if you wish.

By the end of the 7th day, if you have not cheated on this diet, you should have lost 10 to 17 pounds. If you have lost more than 17 pounds, stay off the diet for two days before resuming the diet again.

This diet is fast. The secret lies within the principle that you will burn more calories than you take in. It will flush your system of impurities and give you a feeling of well-being. This diet does not lend itself to drinking any alcoholic beverages at any time. Because of the fat build-up in your system. Go off the diet at least 14 hours before any intake of alcohol.

Due to the variety of digestive systems in individuals, this diet will affect everyone differently. After day three, you will have more energy than when you began, if you do not cheat. After being on the diet for several days, you will find that your bowel movements have changed. Eat a cup of bran or fiber. Although you can have black coffee with this diet, you may find that you don't need caffeine after the third day.

The basic fat burning soup can be eaten anytime you feel hungry during the seven days. Eat as much as you wish. Remember the more you eat, the more you will lose. You can eat broiled, boiled or baked chicken instead of the beef. Absolutely no skin on the chicken. If you prefer, you can substitute broiled fish for the beef on only one of the beef days. You need the high protein in the beef for the other days. Continue on the diet as long as you wish and feel the difference both mentally and physically.

DO NOT - DO NOT

No bread, alcohol, carbonated drinks (including diet drinks). Remember, absolutely no fried foods.

DO - DO - DO - DO

Drink plenty - at least 6 to 8 glasses - of water a day, as well as any combination of the following beverages: black coffee, unsweetened fruit drinks, cranberry juice and skim milk.

** This diet comes from the Sacred Heart Memorial Hospital that is used for overweight heart patients in order to lose weight rapidly, usually prior to surgery.

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Golden Treasure Or Old Fogey @JoanReeves

This book has a secondary romance: 2 senior citizens!

My daughter and I were having a conversation about aging. We have a mutual acquaintance who is rapidly becoming a boring old person--and she's not even that old yet!

Our conversation ranged from what makes someone seem old to stories about my grandfather who was 100 when he passed away.

My grandfather was as vitally alert and intelligent until the day he passed. Everything I've read about aging makes me think about him because he lived a lifestyle that was exactly what is espoused by all doctors and scientific studies.

I guess I've patterned many of the senior citizen characters in my novels after him and the other remarkable, long-lived seniors I've known. In several of my novels, like Still The One for instance, I've had a secondary romance involving senior citizens.

So how come some senior citizens are vibrant and engaging and others are mere shells? The subject is interesting. After all, none of us are growing younger each day. So I thought I'd pass along some information I read recently and show it in relationship to my grandfather's life.

What the Medical Community Says

To be healthy, mentally and physically, do these things:

1. Exercise
All studies show exercise is crucial. When aerobic exercise like walking is combined with strength training, the rewards are even greater. A 30 minute session is better than three 10 minute sessions. My grandfather walked at least a mile or two every day.

2. Engage in activities that challenge your brain.
Read books, write letters, and learn something new like a language or how to navigate Facebook, etc. My grandfather worked crossword puzzles every day. He was a voracious reader. When he was in his 70's, he bought a portable typewriter. He wrote me a letter just about every week. One of his favorite sayings was: "Learn something new every day, and you'll be smarter and happier."

3. Avoid isolation.
Strengthen your friendships and family relationships. Meet new people. Volunteer, join a club, or a special interest group like bridge club. Go to worship services, and talk with friends. My grandfather was sociable. When he moved into a retirement home, he was the one everyone gravitated to.

4. Eat a healthy diet.
If you're eating margarine, convenience foods, fast food, and too much empty calorie foods, make a list of changes you can make to get better nutrition. Tackle it one step at a time. My grandfather never ate sweets. He just didn't care much for them. He ate simple meals and snacked only on fresh fruit. He never ate after supper. He drank mostly water, tea, and coffee.

5. Get a good night's sleep.

Sleep deprivation or poor quality sleep is linked to cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's. Sleep apnea puts people at higher risk for memory problems and dementia so if you think this may be a problem for you, talk to your doctor.

My grandfather went to bed at the same time every night. He also rose every morning at the same time. Two hours after lunch, he'd lay across his bed and take an hour's nap. My brother and I were talking about that one day because neither of us nap. We sometimes feel like a nap, but we never give into the feeling because we always have so much to do. I wonder sometimes if this was a key to my grandfather's longevity.

6. Keep your heart healthy.
Studies show that what's good for the heart is good for the brain. Monitor your blood pressure, cholesterol, and weight. My grandfather had no heart issues until his last year. His heart problem was due as much to age as anything because he never had high blood pressure or cholesterol issues.

Take charge of your life now. Make changes now. Design your old age the way you want it to be. Who knows? Maybe you'll inspire an author to create a character after you. 

Post Script

Joan Reeves is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Sassy, Sexy Contemporary Romance. Her books are available at all major ebook sellers with audio editions available at  Amazon, Audible, and iTunes. In 2017, new print editions of her books will be published.

All of Joan's books have the same underlying theme: It's never too late to live happily ever after. Joan lives her happily ever after with her hero, her husband, in the Lone Star State.

Sign up for Joan's mailing list/free NL and receive a free ebook. Find Joan online: Blog, Website, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube.

Happy Thanksgiving! Be Thankful for all Things by Vonnie Davis.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to you all. Calvin and I will be in Maryland with my sons, their ladies and grandkids, enjoying the holidays and a week away from writing.

I don't get to see them nearly as often as I'd like, especially with all the contract deadlines. Steve, my older son, is a vice-principal at a middle school in Maryland, father of two, and just recently got his fifth degree black belt or Master status in karate. He's a bass player and, in Mom's opinion, an awesome singer. Are you as prejudiced about your children as I am about mine?

My youngest son, who still allows me to call him "my baby boy" is the safety manager of Volvo in Maryland, father of one, and elementary school wrestling coach. Both of my sons work security for the Washington Redskins and sometimes for the Baltimore Ravens. College costs are looming for them both as their kids are in senior high school.

I also have a daughter living in Indiana and Calvin has a son in Berlin, Germany. Yes, the kids are spread far and wide, but they're healthy with full lives. But enough of Mother talk, even though it's that time of the year to express our gratitude for all things large and small. Calvin and I find our lives incredibly blessed. I hope yours is, too.

Our blessings are everywhere, aren't they? I've been getting monthly shots in my retina. No fun, but I'll be blessed with sight longer. I've been busy writing, sometimes to the point of mental exhaustion, but I love the process. Even though I confess to getting weary. Sometimes when I reach the end of a book, I can barely form a complete sentence. I mumble and sleep.

Calvin's been waking up with numb, tingling fingers. He can't button his shirts, so I buy him ones with quarter zippers. We make do, knowing things could be worse with his diabetes. Compared to so many, our health issues are minor. I hope yours are even smaller or non-existent.

Do you have traditions for the holidays? My daughter-in-law, the organizer, emailed her menu out to everyone two weeks ago. Tina always places three kernels of corn on our plates. Before grace is said, we go around the table and state something we're thankful for as we remove each kernel of corn. Mike silently goes for the box of tissues and sets them beside Tina. She scowls and says she won't need them, but invariably she does. She's fine until she gets to the "being a mother" part. She can't have children. Mike had custody of Ryan when they married, so in her words she got this incredible husband and a chance to be a Mom to an eight-year old.

Ryan is now a senior in high school, sending off college applications and I'm not sure who's more upset he's growing up--Mike, Tina, or Grandma. He's our math and science geek. When kids make fun of him in school, he just laughs. He wears the title proudly. MIT or Caltech are his main goals.

I've shared a smidgen of my life. Small and large things I'm thankful for. I hope your list of blessings are as precious to you as mine are to me.

Have a love-filled holiday, everyone.






Read more about Vonnie Davis at www.voniedavis.com

Body By Computer by Joan Reeves

I thought I'd share some lessons I've learned from my chiropractor, physical therapist, and massage therapist. Yep. I have all three in my ongoing struggle to rehab my upper back.

Backstory

Show me a woman with back problems, aches and pains in shoulders, neck, and arms, and I'll show you a writer using a computer more than 8 hours a day.

I remember reading a university research study done in the UK about the bodies of computer gamers. The researchers conducted a series of physical and psychological tests to determine whether computer game playing could be defined as a sport.

Seriously, a Sport?

I'm talking serious gamers here. The kind who actually earn thousands in prize money and sponsorships each year.

They found that professional computer gamers have the instant reactions of fighter pilots. Unfortunately, they also discovered that these gamers have physical bodies akin to 60-year-old chain-smoking couch potatoes.

Say What?!

Well, I guess that's a great big NO for it being a sport and intensive computer users being athletes.

Of course, this started me wondering how we writers would stack up in a similar study. I mean, I spend most of my day in front of a computer, pecking furiously on a keyboard. And I have the mouse shoulder to prove it. (Mouse Shoulder is the term describing the upper body strain resulting in chronic pain in the specific collection of neck and shoulder muscles, tendons, and nerves noticed in people who use computers for long periods of time.)

Heck! It's not fair to have the injuries when I can't even brag that I've got the reactions of a fighter pilot. Maybe the reactions of a turtle with repetitive stress injury...

Long Story Short

To make a long story short--yeah, I know, too late--do as I say and not as I do. If you read for extended periods of time on a laptop of desktop computer--even on a cell phone--or you write for long hours at the keyboard, stop it. Set an alarm and get up every hour to stretch and walk around.

YouTube has some great videos that teach how to stretch. Just enter a search string: how to stretch upper body or whatever part of the body you need to stretch.

I'm doing a stretch routine three times a day so I can actually write more with greater comfort. Give it a try. Your body will thank you.

Giveaway

Do you do any kind of daily stretching routine or workout routine to keep your body in top condition? Leave a comment with your email and tell us about it and be entered to win a free audio book.

(Joan Reeves is a NY Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance. She lives her happily ever after with her husband in the Lone Star State. Visit her at her Amazon Author Page and sign up for her Wordplay, her email mailing list.)