Gold Medals, Green Houses, and Good Health!

Do you remember what you were doing during the summer of 1984? I was a young mom with 2 darling daughters and a 16 year old gymnast needed a perfect score (10) in order to win gold at the Summer Olympic games in Los Angeles. Mary Lou Retton captured the gold, and our hearts during her final performance and I had a chance to speak with her on Wednesday.


She is currently a mom of 4 girls (all very active and athletic in their own right) and is the spokesperson for Special Olympics. She is currently partnered with Proctor and Gamble to help raise funds so that at all Moms of Special Olympic athletes can travel to the Summer World Games in Athens Greece in July.



You can help out by going to facebook.com/thankyoumom. P&G will donate $1 to Special Olympics everytime someone "friends" the site. So don't wait....do it today!







On Thursday, I broadcast my show live from Hoekstra's Market and Greenhouse (between Fox lake and Randolph 1/2 mile north on Hwy "A").
If you've been waiting for spring...you'll find it at Hoekstra's! WOW! All the beautiful greenhouses just "BURSTING" with color! So many choices of hanging baskets, planters, pots and other gift ideas for mom (Mother's Day is Sunday!) or just for yourself! Their open house is this weekend, Friday, 5/6 and Saturday, 5/7.

And did you know that gardening is good for your health?

• Exposure to fresh air and sunshine (which is your best source of Vitamin D)


• You'll get a great workout digging, hoeing, carrying water buckets


• You can get your "picky" eaters involved right from the beginning. (Planting, waterting, weeding, harvesting and finally EATING!


• Gardening can boost your mood. Did you know that studies have shown that receiving flowers makes people feel better. Imagine flowers blooming all summer long-what a great mood enhancer!


• It's been proven that gardening will help improve your memory, too!


• You'll add nutrition to your diet. Carrots are high in Vitamin A, tomatoes give healthy doses of Vitamins A & C and whereas bell peppers can contain pesticide residue when purchased from the grocery stores-you'll get a much healthier version if you grow your own, plus they contain a ton of phytonutrients.

Dill Plants and Dieting

"Phrase of Fire" Contest
Piece of the Puzzle #2

Hello, I'm Johnny Cash



DILL:
When is the best time to harvest dill? That was the question posed by a listener on the show the other day. I did a little research and found out that you can harvest dill leaves any time. Dill generally blooms about 8 weeks after sowing. Once the flowers develop, the plant stops producing foiliage. After picking, you can use fresh or store in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks. Dill can also be frozen or dried, for later use and is probably best known for its use in pickles. The seeds are almost always included in pickling spice mixes. However, the leaves can be used to flavor all sorts of foods, like potatoes, breads, salmon and other fish, lamb and many vegetables like peas (pea soup), beets and asparagus.


DIETING:
You might think that cutting out carbohydrates is the best way to lose weight, however, trying to drop all carbs from your diet might actually make it harder to drop pounds. In fact, carbs may be your "secret weapon" if you want to lose weight. The trick is to add the right kind-especially those with "resistant starch"-which is a type of carb that acts like fiber so it helps you feel full. It can also help you lose more abdominal fat and even out your blood sugar levels. Here is a list of "GOOD FOR YOU" carbs:

• Potatoes-are full of vitamin C, potassium, and resistant starch
• Beans-are loaded with fibe, protein and resistant starch
• Pasta-has resistant starch too! Try noodles made with chickpea flour for a fiber bonus
• Strawberries-have lots of vitamin C, fiber, folate and potassium
• Beets-are scrumptious when roasted, peeled, and drizzled with olive oil and vinegar and have healthy doses of iron, folic acid and fiber
• Artichoke hearts-have a rich taste and will give a fiber boost
• Quinoa-has sub high-protein. Use it for rice or pasta in salads and soups

Garlic and Gargling

Are you familiar with the power of garlic?

Besides adding flavor to many recipes garlic has many health advantages.

• Clear up UTI's: Cranberry juice isin't the only natural way to help fight annoying urinary tract infections. A diet rich in garlic can help too, thanks to the bulb's natural anitmicrobial properties.


• Crush Cancer: Mince garlic ahead of time and let it sit for at least 10 minutes before heating and it will retain one third more of the cancer fighting sulfur compounds than if it were cooked immediately.


• Fight Itchy Feet: If you have athlete's foot, reach for garlic. It's a powerful antifungal. Just boil several cloves in hot water; let it cool to a comfortable temperature; pour into a tub and soak your feet. (Boiled and uncrushed garlic won't leave a smell).


• Combat a Cold: At the first sign of sniffles, microwave 2 cloves of garlic, unpeeled for 25 seconds; let cool; then peel off the skin and eat. Garlic's sulfur compounds boost the immune system and help fight infections.


• Let it Bloom: plant garlic next to your rose bushes to naturally repel pests.

My interview today was with Dr. Susanne Cohen, CEO of Triumph-a company that makes "Smart Mouth" a mouthwash that stops bad breath for 12 hours. You can get more information at http://www.smartmouth.com/

Watermelon Wednesday

Ahhhh! The sweet taste of summer!

Even thought summer hasn't yet officially arrived, you can get a taste of it when biting into a sweet, juicy chunk of red, ripe watermelon. Whether you are selecting one from a farmers market or at the grocery store, here's what to look for if you want to experience the BEST flavor:

1. Press fingers and thumbs into skin from all angles. A good
watermelon should be hard all around.
2. Give it a few taps with your knuckles or the pads of your
fingers. A winning watermelon will typically have a slight
hollow sound upon tapping.
3. Look for mean green. Dark shades of green typically
indicate an optimal combination of sun and water while the
melon was growing.
4. Once you bring it home, leave it on counter for a day or
two. The Nutrient value and flavor is best when eaten
at room temperature.

If you're selecting cantaloupe, choose fruit with even coloring. Compare the skin to that of other fruits. It should be on the dark side and free of bruises or irregularities. It should also be heavier than it looks, so don't be afraid to pick it up out of the bin. Lightly tap the fruit with your fingertip. If it sounds hollow-it is ripe

We held our last "Garden Doctor" program of the season today.
Dick Zondag, of Jung's Garden Center in Randolph comes in every Wednesday during spring for a thirty minute show. He takes questions on gardening, trees, shrubs, plants, etc. and will answer questions. It's hard to believe spring is almost over but the final Garden Doctor program is a sure sign that summer is almost here....

....just like watermelon!