Drink coffee and live longer

Dr. Adela Navarro, a cardiologist at Hospital de Navarra in Pamplona, Spain has conducted a study of 20,000 people which found that drinking coffee lowered your risk of death.  I think you would agree this is a good thing!

Those who drank 4 cups of coffee a day had a 64% lower risk of death than those who drank none.

"We found an inverse association between drinking coffee and the risk of all-cause mortality, particularly in people aged 45 years and above. This may be due to a stronger protective association among older participants," Navarro said.

The study was done on healthy people, who were mainly eating the Mediterranean diet, and their average age at the start of the study was 37 years of age. Factors that were considered were sex, age and whether participants stuck to the Mediterranean diet and discovered that age was a factor: coffee seemed to provide strong protection for people over 45 years of age.

 "Our findings suggest that drinking four cups of coffee each day can be part of a healthy diet in healthy people." Dr Adela Navarro concluded.

These findings were presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress (ESC) in Barcelona in 2017.

So if you are a coffee drinker and over the age of 40, it would make sense to increase your coffee intake to four cups a day. For the rest of us this research should make us consider trying coffee don't you think?

MORE COFFEE RESEARCH. There has been so much research into coffee over the years so I thought it would be great to share some of it here.

Coffee and Parkinson's Disease: drinking coffee reduces the risk of developing Parkinson's disease by up to 30%. Most studies recommend three cups of coffee as beneficial. - Parkinson's News Today

Coffee and heart disease: according to 3 studies people who drank more coffee had a lower long-term risk of heart failure. - American Heart Association

Coffee and liver cancer: Nine studies showed that consumption of 2 cups of coffee per day was associated with a 43% reduced risk of liver cancer. - PubMed Report

Coffee and type 2 diabetes: A 2009 study of 40,000 participants noted that consumption of 3 cups of tea or coffee a day lead to a 40% lower risk of type 2 diabetes developing.

Coffee and kidney disease: In one study 4,863 U.S. chronic kidney disease patients were monitored for 11 years. Researchers found that greater caffeine intake was tied to greater life expectancy for people with chronic kidney disease. - WebMD

Coffee and multiple sclerosis (MS): The risk of MS is substantially reduced among those who reported a high consumption of coffee. - NCBI

Coffee and colorectal cancer: In a large group of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, consumption of a few cups of coffee a day was associated with longer survival and a lower risk of the cancer worsening. - Harvard Health

Coffee and Alzheimer's disease (AD): A 21-year follow-up study found consumption of  3 to 5 cups of coffee daily, significantly reduces the risk of AD (62–64%) and dementia (65–70%) in the later lifetime. - NCBI

THE GOOD NEWS is that more and more research is showing us that coffee is not only not bad for us it is actually Good For Us.  A large body of evidence suggests that consumption of caffeinated coffee does not increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancers. In fact, consumption of 3 to 5 standard cups of coffee daily has been consistently associated with a reduced risk of several chronic diseases. - Harvard Health

Of course talk to your medical professionals before about your specific situation before increasing your consumption of coffee. 

THE BAD NEWS - while this is a good news site I would be remiss to not mention some reports I have found while researching this article and especially as I have autoimmune diseases myself. You should avoid coffee, or more than one cup per day, if you have a diagnosis of autoimmune thyroid disease, celiac, rheumatoid arthritis, type I diabetes, GERD, peptic ulcer disease, gallbladder issues or Barrett’s Esophagitis. 

Brands of coffee that I recommend: there are 2 brands that I have come across that I can recommend because of  what they don't put in their products and how they are sourced and made: Purity Coffee which is made from the highest-grade organic green arabica coffee beans and Organo King Coffee which is an instant organic arabica coffee.

Koalas returned to wild

Just weeks after social media went wild over photos of baby koala Phantom hugging his mother Lizzy while she underwent surgery, the Australia Zoo announced that both koalas have returned to their natural habitat.


IMAGE: Australia Zoo Audio Visual Department

A dedicated group of wildlife veterinarians, a hospital manager, vet nurses and volunteers all work around the clock at The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital at Beerwah in Queensland, to provide first-class care for sick, injured and orphaned animals. The hospital team are also active in wildlife research to know more about koala diseases, migration patterns and wildlife health management.

 

Read the full story at TODAY

6 Quotes about life

These are our favourite quotes, with advice about life, for this week. We hope you enjoy them and if you are looking for more good quotes you can find a multitude on our tumblr

 

Photographic Artwork titled Casa obscura Andrew Deegan
ART EXPRESS 2014

ARTEXPRESS

is an annual exhibition displaying a selection of outstanding student artworks created for the HSC examination in Visual Arts in NSW, Australia. It includes many expressive forms, including ceramics, drawing, graphic design, painting, photo media, printmaking, sculpture, and textiles and fibre.
Art Express is not only showcasing young artists it gives students, who will soon be doing their own HSC examination, insights into what is being created and currently accepted by the  Board of Studies NSW and so informs the work they are in the process of designing.
ARTEXPRESS works are displayed at over 20 regional galleries around Australia and at the NSW Art Gallery from 12 February – 19 April 2015.

Optimism affects heart health

Being happy is good for your heart.

Optimists are twice as likely to be in good cardiovascular health, according to a new study led by a professor of social work at the University of Illinois. 

“Individuals with the highest levels of optimism have twice the odds of being in ideal cardiovascular health compared to their more pessimistic counterparts,” said lead study author Rosalba Hernandez.

The optimists had better blood sugar and total cholesterol levels, were more physically active, with healthier body mass indexes and less likely to smoke.

It is thought to be the first study to consider the connection between optimism and cardiovascular health in a large, ethnically and racially diverse population.

SOURCE: Optimistic people have healthier hearts, study finds 1/8/2015 | Sharita Forrest, Social Work Editor  NEWS BUREAU | PUBLIC  AFFAIRS
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

Pay it forward

International Pay it Forward Day is 

Thursday, April 28, 2016

Pay it Forward Day UK

Pay It Forward Foundation

Pay it forward is an expression used when someone who is done a good deed repays it to others not the original benefactor. The concept is old, but the term is quite recent:

• First use of the term may have been by Lily Hardy Hammond in her 1916 book In the Garden of Delight: "You don't pay love back; you pay it forward."
• The Pay it forward concept was the key plot element in an ancient Greek play from 317 BC called Dyskolos by Menander.
• The concept was described by Benjamin Franklin, in a letter to Benjamin Webb dated April 25, 1784:

I do not pretend to give such a deed; I only lend it to you. When you [...] meet with another honest Man in similar Distress, you must pay me by lending this Sum to him; enjoining him to discharge the Debt by a like operation, when he shall be able, and shall meet with another opportunity. I hope it may thus go thro' many hands, before it meets with a Knave that will stop its Progress. This is a trick of mine for doing a deal of good with a little money.

• The term "pay it forward" was used by Robert A. Heinlein in his book Between Planets, published in 1951
• In 2000, Catherine Ryan Hyde's novel Pay It Forward was adapted into a film of the same name, starring Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt and Haley Joel Osment. It describes creating a social movement of doing good deeds to make the world a better place.

Meatless Monday: give peas a chance

I fondly remember shelling peas with my next-door neighbor when I was a child. Back then everyone in our street had veggies growing in their back garden which usually meant a good supply of sweet fresh uncooked peas... Delicious!  I love peas but some may not...but I am here to ask you to give peas a chance and have included a few recipes to help you on your way to a Meatless Monday.

What's the deal with peas?

Peas contain vitamins C and E, zinc, and other antioxidants. They also contain saponins which are plant compounds that decrease blood lipids, lower cancer risks, and lower blood glucose response. 

Peas are complex carbohydrates that are actually legumes not vegetables. They also contain protein and fibre.

Peas come from the seed pod of the pisum sativum plant.

Peas are a versatile vegetable that you can add to a tofu dish, or in fried rice, or as a side vegetable.

Peas are sweet and appeal to all age groups. They are loved by the very young and the elderly who find sweet foods appealing. 

Peas are easy and quick to cook. This is an important factor in our busy lives and a great way to get something green on your plate. 

Peas are colorful and that means they look great and give a dash of freshness to any dish.

Peas are versatile and can go with many foods. 

A little about the history of peas.

According to the Britannica Encyclopedia, the origins of domesticated peas have not been definitely determined, the pea is one of the oldest cultivated crops. The wild plant is native to the Mediterranean region, and ancient remains dating to the late Neolithic Period have been found in the Middle East.

The recipes with peas.

The images are just suggestions for meals and you can click on the links below each to be taken to the recipes for making these Meatless Monday pea dishes. Of course, you may already have a favorite way to use peas and I would love you to share it here in the comments.



Lemon ginger peas recipe

              Chilli Pea and apple spread

                              

Pasta with peas and mint recipe

Indian spiced peas with cumin recipe

Pea Hummus recipe

                                               

                          Green Pea Guacamole recipe

Meatless Monday timeline

• Meatless Monday began in 2003, with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
• In 2009, cities outside of the USA started to go meatless. 
• Paul, Stella and Mary McCartney launched the Meat Free Monday campaign in the U.K.
• 2013 we joined in by blogging about meatless Monday
• Meatless Monday now active in 36 countries and growing.

See all the Meatless Monday suggestions.

SHARED AT CREATE WITH JOY

   

Beautiful bicarb

Beautiful bicarb - Otherwise known as Bi-carb Soda or Baking Soda is cheap, easy to use and enviro friendly.  It has a myriad of uses.

Bicarb can:

• Deodorise your carpet - sprinkle on and leave 10 minutes, then vacuum .
• Absorb food odours - put a small container full in the fridge.
• Remove insecticides and pesticides from fruit and veg - wash produce in warm water which has bicarb in it.
• Restore stained tea cups - apply with a damp cloth and rub and rinse
• Clean juice, wine, and coffee stains from material - rub the spot with bicarb made to a paste with water before washing.
• Kills fleas - apply to pet's fur, wash off to prevent skin irritation.
• Clean iron plate - Mix to paste, rub on surface of iron, wipe off.
• Unclog and freshen drain - 1 cup baking soda and boiling water. 
• Mildly exfoliate your face - add  a few drops of water to bicarb to make a paste - rub on and rinse off.
• Prolong the life of cut flowers - Add a teaspoon of baking soda to a vase of freshly cut flowers.
• Whiten teeth - put bicarb and a drop of water on your toothbrush and scrub teeth about once a week.
• Clean kitchen benchtops - sprinkle with bicarb and add white vinegar - scrub and wipe off.
• Clean and shine Chrome - with Bicarb applied on a damp cloth.
• Remove sweat odours from fabrics - add bicarb to your laundry dispenser.

Do you have a use of beautiful bicarb that you can add?

Pictures of cute animals actually improve our concentration

Looking at pictures of cute animals captures our attention and improves concentration as a result and mental dexterity. "For future applications, cute objects may be used as an emotion elicitor to induce careful behavioral tendencies in specific situations, such as driving and office work," wrote Hiroshi Nittono of Hiroshima University who with his colleagues researched cute animals.

Good Quote about a real friend

A friend is someone who gives you total freedom to be yourself and especially to feel, or not feel. Whatever you happen to be feeling at any moment is fine with them. That’s what real love amounts to - letting a person be what he really is.

Jim Morrison, singer and poet  (1943 – 1971)

 

This is an amazing reminder to me of how to be a true friend. It helps me understand who my true friends are and how to be a better friend to others. Connecting with other human beings is important and taking them for how they are is a good and helpful thing to do.

 

Today I spoke to a man who has recently lost his wife, and we struggled through the language barriers, and expressed to each other things about change and loneliness and coping. We shared experiences that we had in common. He told me he could walk down this street, we were standing in, and meet his friends - any morning there would be some of them there at the coffee shop.  It was good, he said, to know they were there. As he walked off down the street I felt happy knowing this. He would not be alone today.

 

My wish is that you have a friend that allows you to be yourself. Maybe you are one of the lucky ones that has a few.

The Invitation and Thoughts on September 11

Them and Us- Thoughts on September 11

Each morning as I do my prayers, after I have prayed for all those who have suffered because of the September 11 attacks, I ask, "How can I BE the peace I want to see in the world, today?" Not, how can I CREATE the peace- but how can I BE it- because it becomes clearer and clearer to me that violence and war are not just "out there" but also inside me. And being with the war inside me, taking care of that, is where I have the most influence (although some days it's not much) and where I can do the most immediate good. I believe that how we are ripples out. When I yell at my son for breaking my tape recorder (again!) instead of sitting with my feelings of anger- the war ripples outward. When I find a moment of calm, am able to be with myself and the world as it is and be still- peace ripples outward. I have become more and more aware of how our words, actions, attitude, demeanour, and thoughts either water the seeds of violence or the seeds of real peace in ourselves and in the world.
And peace- the real internal peace of accepting completely what IS in the present moment as simply what IS within myself and in the world, so I can hold it tenderly and take the war our of it- is rare.
This is by Oriah. You may know her famous poem - The Invitation:

It doesn’t interest me
what you do for a living.
I want to know
what you ache for
and if you dare to dream
of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me
how old you are.
I want to know
if you will risk
looking like a fool
for love
for your dream
for the adventure of being alive.

just part of Oriah's poem.
Oriah is first and foremost a story-teller, a lover of words and symbols and the stories that lift our spirits, open our hearts and offer us ways to see patterns and create meaning in our lives. Visit her site.

 

Purchase Oriah's book -The Invitation (Plus) In this bestselling book, Oriah expands on the wisdom found within her poem, which presents a powerful challenge to those who long to live an authentic life.

In a world of endless small talk, constant traffic jams, and overburdened schedules, "The Invitation" opens the door to a new way of life - intimacy, honesty, and peace with ourselves, others, and the world around us. Oriah invites us to open ourselves to all that is possible. The Invitation is a guide to overcoming the obstacles that stand in our way and to discovering the true beauty that life has to offer.

Frugal Friday: 17 or more things to do with oranges

At the moment here in Australia, at our farm, we have a glut of oranges. This is a good thing but you can only squeeze so many oranges by hand! We have been giving gift bags to any visitors too but we are a bit remote and don't get many visitors.

I was so pleased to find Orange Crush at Kirsty's Bowerbird Blue where she lists 17 orange related things.

Love her visual lists too.     

This got me thinking of what else we should, could, would try with all these oranges.
So continuing on from Kirsty's list:
18. Make orange marmalade
19. Make clove pomanders to fragrance the house
20. Paint oranges in a still life - this one is by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

21. Relieve stress with orange peel tea
22. Serve fresh oranges with any chocolate desert
22. Learn how to make candied peel
23. Drink tea with a squeeze of orange juice instead of lemon and forget the sugar
24. Make caramelised oranges
25. Make a natural air freshener with orange peels (video)

26.  Serve fresh oranges with chocolate ganache
27. When baking chicken stuff it with a whole orange to make moist meat.
28. Serve champagne with orange juice.

Do you know anything else I can do with all these beautiful oranges?

What are you most grateful for today?

We often take for granted the things that deserve the most gratitude. 
I am grateful that I see the world as a beautiful place.

 But even more than this I am thankful for life.
This morning, and every morning, I hope to take a moment to really appreciate this gift of life, and feel happy.
I also hope to show my gratitude for this miracle that I have been given. Today I will give something, be kind to someone, create something useful to help others, be kinder, do something, anything.

What are you most grateful for today?

"When you are grateful—when you can see what you have—you unlock blessings to flow in your life.” — Suze Orman

When you are grateful - when you can see what you have - you unlock blessings to flow in your life.

Smile in Each Moment By Leo Babauta

There’s a tendency to get caught up in the tasks of our day, the urgency of what’s coming up, the distractions of being online.
And we forget to smile.
In the rush of the day, the stress of wanting things to happen a certain way, we lose the enjoyment of each moment.
In every moment, there’s the capacity for happiness. It’s not that we need to be ecstatic, full of pleasure, excited or even joyous each and every second of the day. Who needs that kind of pressure? And it’s not that we can never feel sadness or anger or stress. It’s that we can feel happiness, in some form, any moment we like, even in the midst of stress or sadness.
And it’s exceedingly simple. We just need to remember to smile.
You can smile in each and every moment.
OK, maybe you don’t need a smile on your face all day long — your cheeks will feel tired. But we can smile more, and in between physical smiles, we can have an internal smile.
Try an internal smile now: have a calm, unsmiling face, but think of the miracle of this moment, and find a thought to smile about. Feel the smiling feeling inside. Isn’t that amazing?
What do you have to smile about in this moment?
Some ideas:

• You have someone in your life who cares about you.
• There is beauty all around you, in many forms.
• You are generous, compassionate, and good-hearted.
• You have someone you can help.
• You have eaten today.
• You can move.
• You can see the sun shining.
• You can appreciate the leaves of a tree, rain falling, wind blowing.
• You can taste chocolate.
• You get to spend time with someone you love.
• You have music in your life.
• You get to create something.

And so on. You probably don’t have all of these, but you might have one or two, and if so, that’s a more than good enough cause to smile.
You’ll forget to smile in some moments, because your mind gets caught up in stories about the past, stresses about what might happen in the future. None of this is happening right now — it’s just movies playing in our heads.
Instead, remind yourself of what’s happening right now, and see the beauty in it, see the reason to smile. And then smile, externally and internally.
This changes your day, because now instead of being caught up in stress and stories, we are present, and happy. We can be content with every moment.
It changes your life, because too often we miss the smile-ability of life when we are not paying attention.
Thanks Leo.

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Being Happy in Unhappy Circumstances

It seems that every day life is getting more and more difficult.  We no longer have to turn on the TV to hear stories of heart ache anymore.  Talk to any of your friends, family, or neighbors and I’m sure you’ll find hard times have hit closer to home than we are used to.  Yes, hard things are happening.  But that doesn't mean that we have to become hard.  
I believe that we can be happy even in unhappy circumstances.  How?   In the book “The How of Happiness” Sonja Lyubomirsky states that 50 percent of a given human’s happiness level is genetically determined (based on twin studies), 10 percent is affected by life circumstances and situation, and a remaining 40 percent of happiness is subject to self-control.  Isn't that interesting!  Only 10 percent is affected by life, and 40 percent is subject to self-control.  I find that amazing, and contrary to popular belief.  If that is true, then we do have the ability to choose to be happy.  So, how do we do that?   
Here are a few things I believe will help us to be happy in unhappy circumstances.  
1. Help Others.  Feeling down about yourself or your life?  The best antidote for that, in my opinion, is doing something for someone else.  Seriously, it's like magic!  While we are helping someone else our own sadness disappears.  And it's not just by doing grand acts, small acts of kindness are just as helpful.  A familiar quote says, "if you see a friend without a smile give him one of yours.”  Sometimes that's all it takes. 
2. Be optimistic.  The definition of optimism is "A tendency to expect the best possible outcome or dwell on the most hopeful aspects of a situation."  Sometimes it's hard to "expect the best possible outcome", but I like that second part, dwell on the most hopeful aspects of a situation.  Ahhh, dwelling.  We are all prone to dwell on things now and then.  Why not embrace it by dwelling on the good instead of the bad!  See the good in situations.  Look for it.  Write it down.  Be thankful for it.  Tell others the good things going on instead of the bad.  If you can make that a habit, you'll be much happier.  "I can complain because the rose bushes have thorns or rejoice because the thorn bushes have roses", J. Kenfield Morley.  Be an optimist!
3. Don't give up.  Take a break, have a cry, call your best friend, but DO NOT QUIT.  The following poem always helps me find the strength to carry on.
 When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all up hill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don't you quit...
 Success is failure turned inside out.
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit.
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.
Author Unknown

Don't give up.  You are strong.  You can get through it.  Believe in yourself, and have faith.  I believe that by helping others, embracing optimism, and not giving up our sorrows can be replaced with joy.  Good luck to those of you facing hard times.  It is my hope that we can all find happiness, even in the midst of trials.
 Your optimistic friend,
Maria @ focusedonthepositive

Maria is a quirky Canadian and an optimistic mother of two. She currently lives in the U.S. with her family and is the creator of Focused on the Positive, a blog about positivity. 

What is the Watermelon Credo?

 

W – Whatever you believe creates your reality. Believe that life is a positive experience and it will be.
A – Attitude is the magic word. Your greatest asset is your attitude. Be positive regardless.
T – Together everyone achieves more. There are no limits to what we can accomplish together. I am more than I am but less than we are.
E -Enthusiasm is the wellspring of life. There is no limit to what can be accomplished with enough enthusiasm.
R – Respect yourself, as well as others. When you begin to respect yourself, your whole world changes.
M – Make commitments, not excuses. There is overwhelming power in the words “Yes I will!”
E – Everyday can be a fun day. Fun is the lubricant that keeps life moving forward. Laugh a lot.
L – Love is the answer. Whatever the question, Love is the answer. It is the greatest force in the Universe.
O – One day at a time. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. All of life happens in increments of one.
N- Never give up or become a victim. You are guaranteed to lose if you give up. Winston Churchill was right, “Never, never, never give up.” It works if you work it.
Watermelon is FUN, inspirational and a great reminder for us to always live life from our highest self. Do not allow yourself to be overwhelmed by events. Let watermelon remind you that you are larger than events. You have the power to create and change events by what you believe. – Wally Amos

Fierce fighter becomes peace maker

Ashoka was a fierce warrior-king who changed his ways and became a beloved peace maker.
The battle of Kalinga in 250 B.C. was what changed everything. Ashoka was standing on the field after the fighting had ended. Surrounded by the dead bodies, he realized that more than 100,000 people had died because of a war he had instigated. Horrified, he decided to change. He embraced the Buddhist belief of ahimsa, or non-violence. From that day on, he became known as “the pious Ashoka”, Dharmashoka.

Asoka made many changes both personally and across his kingdom. He gave up hunting and stopped eating meat. He established many hospitals for people and animals. He ensured that Banyan trees were planted to provide shade and mango trees to provide fruit, wells were dug and rest houses established.

Hope you have a safe and enjoyable holiday.

Wishing you a Good Christmas

Vintage Dutch Christmas Postcard

If you love this vintage card you can find many more at Penny Parade

Frugal Friday: Money Challenge

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. Confucius 

How do you simplify your spending? For me it happened when I simplified my life. I scaled back and worked out what I really needed and what was really important to me.
Besides learning that family and friends and a peaceful existence with some connection to nature were what mattered most for me I also started to implement a few ideas to do with money.

Don't clutter your life with stuff.
Part of saving money is not spending it.
If you need something and you can't afford it do not buy it on credit - wait until you can pay for it with cash.

Let go of stuff.

Paying with cash. Wrap your credit cards in a slip of paper that lists your life goals that you defined at the start of the month. It shouldn’t take more than a little slip of paper. This way, every time you go to pull out your credit card, you see your goals right there – and it becomes a reminder that by using this card, you are likely pushing away those goals.

Do you really need that? Use the ten second rule. Whenever you find yourself about to buy anything, count to ten and ask yourself whether or not this purchase really meshes with your life goals. Quite often, you’ll find that it doesn’t, and this will be enough to cause you to put that item back on the shelf or to close the browser window. 

GREAT RESOURCE: 31 Days To Fix Your Finances, EXCERPTS HERE FROM Day 30: Live What You Love

Do you have any other handy hints you use to simplify your spending?