Life Perspective: Reviews & More

Greater Goods Digital Food Kitchen Scale, Perfect for Cooking, Baking, Meal Planning, Multifunction Scale Measures in Grams and Ounces This is a great scale for the kitchen. It is lightweight and easy to use. The high-contrast LCD screen is easy to read.  The versatile scale measures grams, pounds/ounces, and milliliters and measures weights up to 11lb/5kg. I measured the accuracy with a nickel, which weighs 5 grams, and the reading was accurate.  Product Highlights 4 precision weighing sensors ensure accuracy within 1 gram or 0.1 ounce High-contrast LCD screen Scale shuts off and calibrates automatically Smooth plastic surface and hygienic touch-sensitive buttons are easy to clean Large weighing surface (6x6 inches) supports up to 11lb/5kg. Tare     Greater Goods Digital Food Kitchen Scale Review I give the   Greater Goods Digital Food Kitchen Scale five stars for lightweight,ease of use, appearance, accuracy, and price.  *****

There is a lot of hype from the aggressive "all-natural" movement about how bad canned foods are for you, but is all that fearful rhetoric really true? In spite of health fears about preservatives and BPA in canned goods, some new studies have surprising information to add to the controversial debate. A new study released by Del Monte Foods answers the question: Do families who eat canned veggies get more nutrients than those who don't? Read more about the controversy at:  Is canned food bad food? New study says no

Surprising facts: Why an apple a day keeps the doctor away The famous quote "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" has been attributed to Benjamin Franklin's "Poor Richard’s Almanack" which ran from 1732 to 1758. Others claim it first appeared as "A Pembrokeshire Proverb" in 1866. Others believe the saying dates back to the seventeenth century appearing in John Ray’s proverb collection of 1670, while others point to ancient Rome as the source of the old saying. Article at: Surprising facts: Why an apple a day keeps the doctor away - Nashville Skin, Health & Beauty Examiner

Jessica Simpson to continue as Weight Watcher's spokesperson during pregnancy The newly expectant Jessica Simpson, 32, will not be following the Weight Watchers program during her pregnancy and following her doctor's orders instead. However, the weight loss company will continue to air all of the commercials Simpson has already filmed and will continue its relationship with the singer and actress so she can lose weight again under its plan after the birth of her second child. Article at: Jessica Simpson to continue as Weight Watcher's spokesperson during pregnancy - Nashville Skin Care Examiner

January 2013 is right around the corner -- time to shape up, America! January Is 'Shape Up US Month' January is annual Shape Up US month, as well as the month with two lesser-known weekly observances on the same theme. Find out more at: January Is 'Shape Up US Month' --Squidoo

Every October American Indians from around the Nation gather in Tennessee to share part of their culture and crafts. This year's Native American Indian Association Pow Wow and Fall Festival took place on Oct. 19 and 20 at Long Hunter State Park.  One of my ancestors was one of the Long Hunters -- Benjamin Drake, and the park is in the area where my mother and father grew up in the Murfreesboro Road-Hamilton Church Pike area. It was a bit nostalgic to be back in the area with my friend Pam. We were at the Pow Wow for several hours, watched the dances, saw the crafts, ate the food. I should get at least three articles out of it! Here's the first one: Indian dolls at 31st Annual Native American Indian Association Pow Wow The Native American Indian Association Pow Wow serves several functions. It is a reunion of family and friends as well as a celebration of culture nurtured by the some 10,000 Indians who call Tennessee home. Booths were full of N...

 Centennial Park is a favorite tourist attraction in Nashville, but for native Nashvillians, it conjures up memories of the old Harvey's Christmas displays, school field trips, and its bad reputation in the late 70s and early 80s. I had the occasion to visit Centennial Park yesterday with my friend Sharon when we kicked off the Labor Day Weekend by going to the Nashville Food Truck Association street food awards . Although the day was overcast at first and the weatherman had predicted possible showers, the sun was bright as the event got underway. It was a good day for sunscreen and for wearing a hat and sunglasses--I did all three. Food trucks of all kinds lined the roadway to the stage and people were in lines or sitting under trees everywhere to enjoy the food and music. Sharon and I waited for 1 1/2 hours in the line for the Grilled Cheeserie. While we waited for our grilled cheese sandwiches, a photographer with the Nashville Business Journal came by and snapped ou...

Healthy eating at Noodles After a busy morning writing, I met my friend Mary Ann Stasaski Liden at Noodles & Company in Green Hills for lunch today. I had coupons for free salads, so we decided to give them a try.  The verdict? Delicious! Mary Ann and I were recently reunited at our 40th high school reunion , so it was especially nice to eat right across the street from Hillsboro High School, our old Alma Mater. Read more at:   Healthy eating: Summer salads at Noodles - Nashville Skin, Health & Beauty Examiner Also see: Keeping the Reunion Going  Talking Skin Care at McDonald's Later I met my friend Joan at McDonalds in West Nashville. We didn't eat because I was full of delicious Noodles salad, but we did talk about the great Rodan + Fields skin care products and business opportunity . A little socializing, a little skin care -- it's all good!   Exercising in the Park After that it was time to work a little exercise into my day by walkin...

The Eating Sensibly Diet Dieting is almost a pastime with many people. Books, TV shows, and videos are devoted to teaching us how to eat. Do we really need a book or TV show to tell us how to eat sensibly? Read more at: The Eating Sensibly Diet | Skin Health Beauty Also see: Top 10 Signs You Are NOT Taking Weight Loss Seriously

Just so you know -- the guy in the middle is NOT A HEALTHY WEIGHT! Shocking obesity predictions in new Centers for Disease Control report While some Americans are living on the banks of Denial, clamoring for more plus-size models and happily fooled by vanity sizing , a new report released today from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that a shocking 42% of our country's population will be obese by 2030. The report, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, was released at the CDC's Weight of the Nation conference. via Shocking obesity predictions in new Centers for Disease Control report - Nashville Skin, Health & Beauty Examiner 

Health & weight: What is vanity sizing? When I was growing up, there were no clothes sized 0, much less 00. Something happened over the past few decades to cause the need for smaller sizes. The problem arose because manufacturers have been making women's clothes sizes fit increasingly larger bodies--a practice known as vanity sizing. Continue reading on: Health & weight: What is vanity sizing? - Nashville Skin, Health & Beauty Examiner

What Does ‘Aging Gracefully’ Mean to You? Senescence is the state or process of aging. Often I hear people refer to “aging gracefully,” but what does that really mean? via What Does ‘Aging Gracefully’ Mean to You? | Skin Health Beauty .

How to avoid gaining weight over the holidays - top 6 weight loss tips  The holiday weeks between Thanksgiving and the New Year are the worst time of the year for weight gain. Several factors are at play. Obviously there are all the December holiday gatherings with their smorgasbords of tempting holidays foods, but there is also a change in the weather that can signal our bodies to slow down and hibernate indoors if we are not careful. via How to avoid gaining weight over the holidays - top 6 weight loss tips - Nashville Skin, Health & Beauty Examiner For more holiday weight loss tips, read Top 10 Ways to Avoid the Holiday Weight Gain Blues and see the video below. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYP9sYvUP4k] While you are outside exercising, don’t forget your broad-spectrum sunscreen. For a little color plus sunscreen I recommend the Rodan + Fields Mineral Pepties SPF Powder . Find out more about the Rodan + Fields products HERE . Find out more abou...

When my little dog got so ill in December 2010, she stopped eating dog food completely. I tried to wait her out and kept serving different kinds of canned and dry dog food, but she rapidly dropped 1/3 of her body weight, so in January I began letting her eat bites of my hamburgers, which was the only thing she would eat. I knew the salt in fast food burgers was not good for her, so I did some research. This is what I discovered: Five Fast-Food Restaurants That Sell Low-Salt Burgers & Why You Should Care While salt is a necessary part of a person's diet, unfortunately, packaged, processed and manufactured foods as well as fast foods usually come so loaded with salt, it is unhealthy.  A healthy adult should only consume 1,500 and 2,300 mg of sodium a day. Also see: The Top Five Fast Food Places That Serve Low Sodium Hamburgers Why Dogs Need a Low-Salt Diet Salt Substitutes

Peppers: The Health Benefits of Green Peppers and Hot Peppers - Nashville Skin, Health & Beauty Examiner I have had great success with peppers in my garden the past two years. This years I am experimenting with drying them! Peppers are vegetables and are rich sources of vitamins and nutrients. They are native to Mexico, Central America and northern South America. and not related to peppercorns, an unrelated plant from India that gives us back pepper. However, when Columbus discovered America, all plants with a hot and pungent taste were labeled as "peppers." ( Wikipedia ). Today peppers are a staple of Nashville gardens.  Also See: Peppers: How to air dry peppers - Nashville Skin Care Examiner Why Air Dry Peppers? Air drying is one of the best ways to preserve your peppers for long periods. Growing up on a Nashville farm, I saw my grandmother make long, colorful strands of peppers that looked like garlands to me. Not only are hanging peppers co...

Don’t fall back into bad habits: fall eating & exercise tips - Nashville Skin, Health & Beauty Examiner Fall Brings Changes to Diet & Exercise Fall is here, and for Nashville residents, that brings colder weather as we set back the clocks one hour for Daylight Savings Time . This time of year often also signifies a change in our wardrobe and our habits. Unless you are one of the many Tennesseans who love winter sports, colder weather can become a handy excuse for unhealthy habits like becoming a winter couch potato, eating fattier foods and visiting a tanning salon .