Ginger is a tropical plant originating in Asia.

Ginger has existed for thousands of years and used to treat certain medical conditions.  The most important use is against nausea and motion sickness.  It has even been proven that ginger can be more effective than some modern motion sickness drugs. Rheumatism and inflammation are also improved or cured with the use of ginger.  Fresh ginger may be used as well as the powder or even candied ginger, which can be eaten a half hour before travelling.  There is even enough in ginger snaps and ginger ale to bring relief.

The ginger root is  used as a spice in cooking.   Gingerbread and ginger snaps are both popular and deliciously healthy!  Fresh ginger is an ingredient found in Chinese cuisine.

The essential oil is used in aromatherapy by applying the essential oil in a massage, bath or compress. This helps relieve the pain of arthritis, rheumatism and inflammation.

So, next time you are out shopping, pick up some ginger in its various forms and keep it in your medicine chest as well as in your kitchen.

Grandma Nature

Bonnie Health Factors arthritis, cooking spice, ginger, Grandma Nature, inflammation, motion sickness, rheumatism

June 26, 2010

Today, 45 years later, we remain committed, continue to have dreams – and love is still alive.   We have grown together while encouraging and supporting each other in our separate endeavors.   Our family now includes two precious granddaughters.

Neither of us would pretend that there have not been difficult moments during the years.  That is part of  life.  And marriage is a relationship; it  takes commitment, understanding and dedication on both sides to flourish.

We celebrated this 45th wedding anniversary with a simple barbecue among friends and family, people who share our values and rejoice with us in the blessings of the moment.  Each of them has played a positive role in our lives over the years.

45 years is neither the beginning nor the end.  However it is a happy event to celebrate.

Bonnie Announcements, Life Stages - Ages 45th wedding anniversary, commitment, love still alive, marriage, values

June 26, 1965

Forty-five years ago my husband Gerard and I committed ourselves to growing as a couple and founding a family together.  We were full of dreams.  We were in love.  Nothing would ever change that.

We met while I was doing my student teaching in St. Joseph, Michigan where he was working for a year with Whirlpool Corp. to learn the American way of doing business.  He was Swiss and had just finished his Engineering studies at the famous University of Technology in Zurich.   It wasn’t necessarily love at first sight, but there was a definite bonding that grew as we got to know each other and sparked that love .

He didn’t win me over with lavish gifts and flowers.  He did it fighting off imaginary dragons, flying kites, sailing, and blowing bubbles from the life guard stand.  Sunsets and walks on the beach gave us ample opportunity to get to know each other and to talk about the future.   It was often with laughter since his English was still rusty and my French was what I had learned in high school.  We learned to give the other the benefit of the doubt if something came out oddly. – Like the romantic evening that he told me I was a “witch” when he really meant that I was like a fairy God mother.

It may sound odd to younger people today, but this all created a solid foundation. – One that is lasting.

Bonnie Announcements, Life Stages - Ages 45th wedding anniversary, Michigan, solid foundation, St. Joseph

Olive oil has been a life support in many countries for centuries. The golden nectar is known to be a miracle for the heart and for lowering cholesterol levels.  It can enhance your inner and outer beauty of age esteem.

In Greece, where olive oil and the Mediterranean diet (fish, wine, vegetables and olive oil) co-exist, people have one of the longest, if not the longest, life span on earth.  (It is also said that this is due to close family ties.)

Vincent Van Gogh painted olive groves in his beloved St. Remy in Provence in the south of France where he was hospitalized.  These are some of his most beautiful paintings, possibly captured from his hospital window.  They fulfilled him in a spiritual way.  In some orchards the olive trees are hundreds of years old. Looking at these lovely paintings brings a sense of peace to the viewer.

• Cold-pressed, virgin olive oil which should be used in salad sauces, on pasta and on bread among other foods.
• When cooking with olive oil, especially on high heat, the non-virgin, non-pressed oil should be used.

To accompany drinks eat olives instead of potato chips. Your body will thank you!  Olive oil is also used in beauty soaps which makes the skin smooth and is a natural ingredient as well.

Grandma Nature

Bonnie Health Factors age-esteem, colesterol, Grandma Nature, olive oil, olives, Provence, St. Remy, Vincent Van Gogh

On June 20th, people in countries around the world celebrate world refugee day.  It is an opportunity to build awareness and to encourage interest in helping refugees on all continents.  We recognize the strength, courage and contributions of refugees.

“But for the grace of God, there go I.”  Often the only difference between a refugee and ourself is where we were born.  It has nothing to do with education, age and capability.  We were simply blessed to be born in a part of the world where we are safe.

In Geneva, Switzerland where the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is located the famous “Jet d’Eau” water fountain will be blue on June 20.  This is in recognition of the contributions made to our world by refugees such as Albert Einstein, Madeleine Albright, Marc Chagall, Dalai Lama, and Peter Carl Fabergé and for the hope of today’s refugees as the UNHCR continues its important work.

• Become aware of what refugee status means.
• Research the UNHCR to better understand the work that it is doing.
• Contribute funds to your local organization working with refugees or through the site of the UNHCR
• Volunteer time working with refugees in your community to teach the local language and to help them adapt and integrate.
• Count your blessings.

Bonnie Announcements, Holidays Albert Einstein, Dalai Lama, Geneva, Madeleine Albright, Marc Chagall, Switzerland, UNHCR, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, World Refugee Day

Water is vital to feeling good about ourselves at every age.  And a good level of hydration is essential to our overall health.  Water

• Is basic to our level of energy.
• Keeps your skin hydrated and resilient.
• Lubricates your digestive system and flushes out toxins.
• Speeds metabolism so you burn calories more rapidly.
• Promotes growth of collagen, increase elastin and increase flow of oxygen to upper skin layer.

It’s very important, especially as one ages, to drink a lot of water.  This isn’t surprising when you realize that over half of our body is water.  Replenish your body with eight glasses a day, drunk at regular intervals.

It is the fashion to drink mineral water but we should be careful not to drink the same mineral water all of the time. One might be high in calcium which can cause kidney stones; another with high sodium can give high blood pressure, etc. So if you are drinking mineral water, alternate the brands.  Even better, drink fresh water from the tap if you can.

Grandma Nature

Bonnie Health Factors blood pressure, fresh water, healthy aging, hydration, kidney stones, metabolism, mineral water, skin, water

A friend of mine was pretending with her grandchild that they were at the grocery store.  My friend was the check out clerk and her grandchild was purchasing articles of food.  As the child brought them to her, my friend pretended to hit the keys on the cash register.  “What are you doing?” asked the child.  When my friend tried to explain, her grandchild said, “But Grandma, you do it like this”! and proceeded to scan each item with her hand.

Recently our 3 year old granddaughter received a little grocery store for her birthday, complete with an old fashioned cash register and scale to weigh fruit.  It also came with a credit card!  Modern?  Yes.  But how can a brand like Hello Kitty be so age inappropriate?  Whether a child is 3 or 8, how are they going to learn the importance of having the funds to pay for purchases if they learn that a plastic card is the same as money?

With the credit card debts at $775 billion in the US, and the equivalency of US$ 87.5 billion in the UK, $73.9 billion in Canada, and $40.4 in Australia (USA Today, Dec. 09) we would do better to have games that teach financial literacy to children.  We need to raise them to understand that money still represents compensation for an effort made or service rendered.

Do you offer age appropriate games?

• Look at the recommended age on the toy.  Companies have researched these ages.
• Play with your grandchild so she understands the game or toy, and you can see how she develops.
• Ask to see what is in the box so you can remove anything that is not age appropriate like the credit card in the grocery store package.
• Most bookstores have specialists in the children’s section.  Seek their advice.
• It is always age appropriate to make a photo book of the child, with or without text.

Remember.  It is never too early for age-esteem.  Age appropriate toys help foster age-esteem.

Bonnie Grandparenting, Personal Finance age appropriate, age appropriate games, age-esteem, credit card, Hello Kitty, USA Today

As grandparents we try hard not to spoil our grandchildren with “things”.  Instead, we offer them endless unconditional love, educational experiences, happy memories filled with fun and adventure.   As much as we laugh together and play together, we remain their grandparents.  This is important for their age esteem as much as it is for ours.

Recent studies at Yale University, USA and the National Institute on Aging in the USA show that the attitude that children have towards aging influences how they feel about age when they become older.  This means that our attitude towards our own age is an important factor for our little ones later in their lives as well as today.

In order to offer unconditional love to our grandchildren, we must love ourselves unconditionally.  This indicates that we love ourselves at the age we are and celebrate ourselves as well as our grandchildren.   Children feel this sincerity and what we get in return are

• lopsided hugs and sticky kisses,
• pet names that only a child could chose,
• questions and statements that melt our hearts,
• a chance to rediscover life through new eyes, and
• the privilege of knowing we are important in very unique and important ways to our grandchildren.

Age esteem is the perfect gift for every occasion.

Bonnie Across-generations, Grandparenting, Happiness at Every Age age-esteem, attitude, celebrate, grandchildren, grandparents, National Institute on Aging, perfect gift, unconditional love, Yale

Suzanne Hough, 70, Oklahoma, USA

It means that you like the age you are in.  If you’re 40 you like being 40.  If you’re 66, you like being 66.  You don’t go moping around feeling depressed because you’re older than somebody else.

Susanne’s tips: You have to do something that you enjoy.  You have to have an avocation, some hobby that will give you pleasure and maybe eventually be meaningful to someone else.  Stay healthy so you can feel happy.  If you’re healthy you can do just about anything that you want.  And that’s the key.  You have to take care of yourself first before you try to take care of anybody else in the world.

Bonnie Secrets to AgeEsteem age-esteem, avocation, healthy, Suzanne Hough

What wonderful news!  Chocolate is good for you.  It can even help you age healthier.

Yes, it’s true.   Chocolate is full of antioxidants which help in preventing cardiovascular diseases.  However, it is dark chocolate that has the most antioxidants. – The darker the chocolate, the healthier it is.

Chocolate is also known to be an anti-depressant because it emits  chemicals in the brain which make you feel good and happy. If you are feeling down, have a piece of chocolate.  As in everything, it should be eaten in moderation because some consensus is that it is addictive!

Dark chocolate has a bitter taste. Now  chocolate can be found with nuts, of course, but also with raspberries, liquors and even chili and pepper.  The choice is yours.

Chocolate Mousse
For 2 people:
2 ounces dark chocolate
2 large eggs, separated
A few drops of rum (optional)

Put chocolate in a small basin with 1 spoon water. Melt.  Beat egg whites separately until they form stiff peaks.  Add egg yolks to chocolate mixture and rum and mix while heating on low flame. Let cool.  Fold in egg whites.
Chill for 3 hours.
NOTE:  Nowadays it is extremely important to be careful about eating raw eggs. Buy the very freshest eggs and refrigerate immediately.

Grandma Nature

Bonnie Foods and Flavors, Health Factors age-esteem, anti-depressant, cardiovascular disease, chocolate, chocolate mousse