GLUTEN FREE GLADIATORS?

Is this possible, gladiators that are gluten free?  My goodness, and I thought Italians liked pasta! Seriously, folks, there is something to the banter in the news lately that the Roman gladiators ate beans, vegetables, and took supplements for calcium and magnesium to build and maintain muscle and bone strength.

Firstly, let us take a bird's eye view of yesteryear.  Below is a photo from my second year Latin book, yes, entitled Second Year Latin, and therein I found this photo of the ancient ruins and Roman Colosseum.  

Imagine walking through those gates, you, the spectator, waiting to see the day's events.  Just like a spectator sport in today's world, a tennis match, a ball game, the arena and excitement of anticipation span generations, centuries; human nature does not change all that much.

Source: Second Year Latin, entry Roman Collosseum

So there it is, a mere remnant that holds so much commotion of a life style perhaps still happening on another plane of existence, but in our time zone it remains a mere shadow.

BUT, not so fast, no need to discard history. Right when we think we have the answers, science itself trudges on to give us greater data, better understanding.  A recent report discusses the bone testing of a sampling of these gladiators.

Yes, tests have shown that these warriors, these entertainers of life and death were lean machines. Here is a quite informative USA Today news article on the findings, apparently barley was a staple for them as well as the beans.

Let's talk about barley for a minute.  I  aways loved chicken and beef barley soup as a young girl, I have it less these days, but after reading up on these gladiators it may be a good time to brew up some home made soup.  Barley is not gluten free, I suppose there can be exceptions to the gladiator gluten free food plan, but this grain has constantly satiated and satisfied a healthy appetite of mine on cold winter days.  

Skincare and beauty specialist Dr. Nicholas Perricone calls barley his number 3 Super Food.

And, click here for Types of Barley, not all barleys are the same!

A Word of Caution~ Barley is not recommended for those with celiac disease. Barley is a whole grain and not gluten free. Click here for an informative link about celiac disease and gluten and barley sensitivity.

Back to the gluten free part of this article. Gluten refers to wheat and wheat by-products.  Simply put, it creates a type of plaque in the body and system, that over time can create inflammation and a myriad of disorders if you are so prone. Even a standard eye exam can show presented plaque and cholesterol in the tiny veins of your eyes, so beware!

I love this illustration of Roman gladiators~

photo courtesy Getty Images

They are lean and focused!  Imagine this while playing tennis, you too can get out there and be your best whether dueling at the net or pounding shots from the baseline.

So, perhaps gladiators that are gluten free with the exception of barley, but definitely bean eaters, and consumers of calcium and magnesium for muscle and bone strength.

We can do all the above too!  A bit of motivation, better health habits, and no need to worry about binge tendencies on chocolate, candy, anything detrimental to overall health.  

Beans, especially for me white beans, eaten at lunch, drained and seasoned with a bit of pepper will eliminate cravings later on in the day.  Why? Because the fiber in the white bean fills you up!  It is that simple. The Phillies baseball team eats white beans, a lot. Try it.

And, I want to share another link with you on family physician and board certified Joel Fuhrman, M.D., a "nutritarian" and proponent of good health. He coined the word G-Bombs, an acronym for greens, beans, onions, mushrooms, berries and seeds.  That is it, the total health diet.

You can find informative Youtube interviews of Joel's health formula, especially his  "3 foods you should eat every day."

Another life-changing website is that of cardiologist Dr. William Davis, author of Wheat Belly that you can found on Amazon. Click here for quite informative and eye opening data on gluten free ingredients and how they can be even more harmful than gluten!

And yes, tennis must fit in here somewhere.  You know tennis gladiator Novak Djokovic.  You can find his biography and gluten free lifestyle and recipes at Amazon, Serve To Win~

Serve to Win: The 14 Day Gluten Free Plan for Physical and Mental Excellence

Enjoy, fellow gladiators, you too can become the most of who you already are!

SPRING TENNIS!

updated March 12, 2014

I am so excited for Spring tennis!  I am playing singles for two teams, one a 3.0 USTA singles line 1 team, the other at USTA 3.5 level. This is a goal I have aspired to for a very long time, and finally I am here, after a lot of physical work and ongoing training. 

Nothing worthwhile comes easily! At the age of 58 and finally getting my act together, so to speak,I have been preparing as best as possible for  healthy competition. 

Here today I am sharing current mindset for a best spring tennis season regarding fitness, nutrition, mindset, and equipment~

Fitness:  I am what you would call a 'lazy' athlete. There are so many times I make excuses not to work out, I am too tired, too busy, simply not in the mood, the excuse list goes on and on.  BUT, I will not stand for the silly excuses, so what to do? 

(A) If you can, it is best to join a group, whether in a gym or in a tennis club.  Simply by having a schedule to get you someplace to work out WILL get you there!  And, the peer group is so important to keep you on track. We all wind up helping each other, which becomes another set of rules entirely, one from silly procrastination and excuses to a better way of life where people help people. 

(B) Lift weights- this keeps the fat burning even while you are at rest!  YES, the best workout is not working out at all, so for the 'lazy' athlete, lift some weights, then kick back the next day and relax while your body does the work simply by being in muscle stress mode! You can lift weights anywhere, get creative!

(C) While your muscles are in recovery, take a day off and watch tennis tapes, anything to keep you in the tennis mentality. You can also do tummy tucks while driving a car, tighten your abs, legs, glutes while you sit, and indeed you are still working out even while at rest.  

(D) Keep it simple, go for a walk, and power walk anywhere anytime, even while making dinner stretch those arms to reach in a cabinet, work out whatever you are doing!  The take away here is that increase your awareness of what you do each second of the day, and see the value in your physical motions, you work out much more than you think!  So relax and appreciate your fitness all for improving your tennis (then, be sure to schedule that workout or tennis clinic when you can, NO EXCUSES!).

Nutrition:  Wow, is it hard to stick to a plan, or what? At my age in my late 50's, nutrition is key for optimal health.  Each year gets trickier, so to keep the telomeres strong and in shape, I am aspiring to a gluten free diet, with some exceptions.  The exceptions are when I am in a public venue and gluten free is not possible.  Then, instead, while at home I will resume the better diet.  No big deal, I have my cake and eat it too! But tiny bites, please.  

As much as coffee is a mainstay in my diet, I have discovered I actually have an allergy to it (it gives me the jitters, nausea, headaches from withdrawal, loss of focus), so I only allow myself one cup of coffee (delicious coffee!) once a week, that's it. In fact I have given up for Lent this year all forms of coffee, decaffeinated and regular. 

In its place, I thoroughly enjoy tea. In fact, I have pleasantly discovered that by drinking about 6 to 8 cups of tea day, yes, from morning through evening you CAN ingest 8 cups, that my teeth and gums are in great condition! Truly!  

 For spring tennis, I have opted to follow a Novak Djokovic plan, which is gluten free.  At one time Novak had difficulty breathing on court, and according to the Chinese, the intestines are directly linked to the lungs, so be good to your gut!

courtesy of Getty Images

If you want some Novak Djokovic gluten free recipes, I thoroughly recommend his '14 day gluten free plan for physical and mental excellence' found in his book Serve to Win, that you can find at Amazon. 

Mindset:  Another tough hurdle to overcome, and you thought being an athlete was easy?  I have the highest regard for these oh so very disciplined folk! Once you get the physical and nutrition understood and at an even keel, focus on your mind.  Your mind is a physical component to your being as well, being fed and anesthetized at will according to your nutrient intake and brain stimuli. 

Then, your thoughts emerge.  Do you not think that a healthy mind is a snapshot of your physiology?  Sounds pretty basic to me. Fix the body through exercise and nutrition and a healthy mind will emerge. Understand your own personal limitations, address them, and through this acknowledgement you will be one step closer a fitter you, ready to embrace your sport, whether tennis, running, weightlifting, pilates, yoga, ice skating, any physical discipline that requires effort.

Equipment: Really know your strengths and limitations, you will have to experiment with discovering what your capabilities are, but stick with your plan and you will be rewarded! I have had issues with tennis racquet weight and balance, and its impact on my stroke production and physical awareness. 

If you have a favorite racquet, get the strings re-strung, get a new grip on that racquet! A fresh outlook will do wonders for your game, newness is good!  It breaks old habits.  And a new grip is not expensive, about $5.00. Since I play singles tennis, I opted for a lighter weight Head Instinct racquet which has been out on the market for two years now. I have the Head Instinct MP from a few years ago which I also love, but it is too heavy for my singles game, it will be reserved as my doubles racquet, or when I cannot warm up properly and need to keep the ball in the lines.  Both tennis racquets will be my mainstay for many years to come, so an initial investment is worth the long haul.

Spring tennis, we tennis warriors wait all year long for this magical season. Nothing better than to wake up early, hear the birds tweeting and chirping to greet the day, and suit up for an early morning match.  And my recovery? Keep playing tennis!  

Tennis aficionados, have a wonderful spring season!!

THE COFFEE BEAN

updated January 6, 2014

Magic, or no? How many times have we heard the yeahs and nays of the touted coffee bean and its so-called health benefits. Then there is the decaf controversy.  Is decaf any good at all, or supported by coffee bean mongers to be healthful when it is not, due to over-processing and the desire to open markets and sell more product?

The Coffee Bean

Right now it is mid afternoon, and of late I have set aside my cup of tea for, yes, a small cup of very black, very bold brewed coffee.  I must say, yesterday after such a feat, I was wide awake, focused, and ready for anything by 6 PM, usually the slump time of the day where all goes ever so slowly with the added stress of having to make some kind of a healthful dinner when food shopping has been quite delinquent of late :)  I MUST say, the coffee tasted great, just a few sips of the java made all the difference and a mustered up delicious dinner ensued despite my quite lacking culinary skills! 

Here are a few interesting and simple studies, I really go to Mayo Clinic, its coffee benefits advice is trusted, researched and au courant.

Newer studies have also shown that coffee may have benefits, such as protecting against Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes and liver cancer. And it has a high content of antioxidants.

A caveat however which I find compelling, as more than one cup a day can give me ill effects  as mild dizziness and jitters, is this warning from Mayo Clinic:

High consumption of unfiltered coffee is associated with mild elevations in cholesterol levels. And another study found that two or more cups of coffee a day can increase the risk of heart disease in people with a specific — and fairly common — genetic mutation that slows the breakdown of caffeine in the body. So, how quickly you metabolize coffee may affect your health risk.

I would like to know more about this "genetic mutation" regarding the breakdown of caffeine in the body, and how this breakdown could be measured and the mutation identified. Also, the link with heart disease and metabolism is compelling.

Another article from CNN refers to Mayo Clinic and sums up quite nicely other articles I have read on coffee, so please take a peak for data compiled this August 2012 and see where you fit in.

Okay, so now there is decaf coffee. IS it as beneficial as caffeinated, different somehow good or bad?  I really like the Livestrong website, sign up if you have not already.  Here, the decaf benefits are similar to the caffeinated benefits, with less jitters!  Listed benefits of decaf coffee are lower risk of diabetes, decreased incidence of cancer, and less death from heart disease.     There are other great related links too, find what ails you and seek out solutions!

My favorite coffees?  Gevalia, Starbucks, and good old American Folgers, well priced and good to the last drop!  Also, look for coffee with heavy grinds, the more refined the less oxidants, according to Dr. Oz.

*UPDATE: check out this link at Forbes, A Snapshot on Caffeine's Fascinating Effects On The Brain, bravo coffee bean!

SMOOTHIES FOR TENNIS

updated March 20, 2014

It is time for smoothies, for tennis athletes training in full force for spring! So much to talk about!  Today, this post will focus on best nutrition practices for the tennis court.  

We know about the benefits of the plum, see my post THE VENERABLE PLUM for health benefits and more (!). So what else is there to keep us beautiful inside and out? What's good, what's new?  

Add TEA to your favorite smoothie!!

I brew a favorite tea, and chill it for an hour or so, or even use it from the night before. I really like the brand Teavana, the loose tea is fresh and raw, with many selections.  I have tested and return to their oolong tea for long life:

Teavana Strawberry Blush!

And do something different this time~  For the past few months I have been blending different teas with fruit juices to create the perfect smoothie for a worthwhile effect on the body.

Remember THE APPLE!!  Put it in ALL your smoothie recipes!!

What I like to do is see what fruits I have on hand to make that perfect smoothie but I always add the apple, a perfect food. 

Next, I will mix up apples with raspberries or strawberries, definitely with frozen berries for chill, whatever I have on hand, take your pick!

Add banana and plain Greek yogurt (0% fat) for texture, maybe cinnamon for some pop, be creative with what you already have in the cabinet!

The flavoring of berries with tea actually reminds me of the chewing gum Teaberry from the 1960s, anyone remember this one?  It was my favorite, by the way, so no surprise the flavor has re-surfaced again in my smoothie recipe!

As for measuring ingredients, keep it simple:

Use 1 whole cut and cored apple and banana, 1/2 small bag of frozen berries, and a handful of washed strawberries, et cetera, put in blender, then after 1 min. remove and add 4 Tablespoons of plain yogurt, 1/2 cup very strong brewed tea, stir gently, and blend again for another minute.  

And here it is!!

Reminder: The challenge at any age is how to be and stay healthy, while building the body and mind for the future WITHOUT injury, because injuries will occur. Take care of yourself!

How we hydrate and build our muscle mass is crucial to fitness success.  I know this! What I have learned most is that what you put into your system has an immediate effect on your performance, as well as long term influences besides.

Each year will get harder with athletic acumen, and I have tested and tried many options to get my tennis game at its best. The smoothie is a big help!  You get your vitamins, it even makes the eyes brighter, and you have done something nice for yourself and your loved ones as well. 

To your good health, cheers!! ✈

THE VENERABLE PLUM

updated February 15, 2015

The plum. Does anyone know what this wonder fruit offers?  So much, you'd never think such a tiny piece of fruit could be so good for you!  Look at its color, rich in deep reds and blues, no wonder plum is the preeminent color of nobility!  

The plum has shown up in works of art, Paul Cezanne with his Plums and Pears, it has been a standby in works by Pablo Picasso, and as main character in still lifes by Jean Simeone Chardin, and by Jacques Linard, savor his Plate of Plums with a Loaf of Bread. As a worthy group the plum here holds Centre Court in all its glory!

Below is a detail from French artist Alexandre Desportes "Still Life with Silver," see the bowl of plums, as if they subtly support the whole structure of this momentous work:

Please see Still Life with Silver, AF Desportes, 1661-1743, and enjoy!

So, what can the plum do for YOU?

Plenty!  The USDA data list as of March 2012  has an entire listing of nutrients, including vitamins and minerals in this tiny raw fruit.  It is superfluous for me to list them for you there are so many, so please take a look for all the benefits that are ours for the picking!

Plums are a low glycemic index food, here's an excellent article for you, with other links too on the benefits of this little gem, Livestrong Plums and Diet Link.

Here's a great site,  a bit off the beaten path and medically approved, that tells us all about the plum. Do not forget the benefits of zeaxanthin from plums for healthy eyes and vision. Who knew?

Here is a great set of plum shadows, Dual -Intensity Eyeshadow by NARS!

PLUM intensifies your eye color, mix it with BLACK for even higher drama!

BEAUTY TIP~ you can mix color and test differing brush sizes to meet your eyelash needs, I like to soften the shadows with mascara by lengthening the outside of my lower lashes only, and keep them smaller as you get closer to the bridge of the nose~ this approach keeps your eyes looking wider!

AND, for extra allure, NARS has a wonderful trio eyeshadow, in Arabian Nights!~

Great PLUM color! Go to Arabian Nights

                                             Have a plum today, or two, and enjoy!!  

AND, stay enraptured with fragrance!

I simply ADORE a top favorite perfume from the everlasting beauty Dame Elizabeth Taylor, for winter evenings bat those Violet Eyes, with light yet deep tones that envelope you for lasting allure and memories....

You can find Violet Eyes at Perfume.com~

       

created for Dame Elizabeth!

BE VENERABLE!

WATERMELON, CHOCOLATE & TELOMERES

updated February 26, 2015

Hello, there!  I have brought back the venerable watermelon into my diet plan. I used to think it was simply an aqueous fruit that kept you cool in the summertime without much nutritional value, but I have since learned much more about this giant of a gourd!  

The Watermelon

The secret ingredient? Nitric oxide~ supports body building and muscle strength.  As women, we need extra support in building our bodies, with some extra effort of 2X per week, we will not look like those professional muscle building types, but instead will have tone and good skeletal support. 

Back to the watermelon: it is chock full of nitric oxide, naturally! 

Another great site is at Livestrong about nitric oxide and this worthy fruit! This fruit will definitely help with your tennis game, besides support your circulation and strengthen your blood for serious tennis matches. The rind has the most nutrients, surprisingly enough. 

And chocolate?  Replete with nitric oxide, too!  So, be guilt free and get some semi sweet chocolate morsels, they are less calorie driven and satisfy cravings, but just half of a handful, please!  Too much chocolate contains fat and if you are not careful too much sugar. Read your labels.

Take a peak at this link I found on Amazon, nitric oxide lozenges are a great alternative to capsule intake, and you can easily carry them in your purse or pocket for when your schedule is best to take the supplement.

Another Amazon link I have for you is a very telling book by Nobel prize winner Dr. Louis Ignarro on the HUGE benefit of nitric oxide on your heart health to strengthen and prevent damage, in paperback. 

And, telomeres, can't talk enough about this new input into my arsenal of sought after well-being, what exactly are telomeres??  Studies maintain that you want to augment telomere length as greatly as possible to inhibit cancers and increase longevity.  See also,  telomere length and aging, great stuff here! 

I find the correlation between telomere length and Vitamin D compelling, so some sunshine is good! I always feel stronger after being outdoors for any period of time, so seek out any activity that puts you outside with nature. 

As a blogger, I must underscore to you my audience that these are basic articles that introduce you to the medical findings on the role of telomeres in our chromosomal composition. Please be sure to seek personal medical advice from your doctor or health care provider to best question and implement these findings into your own daily routine.

As perspective~

I am not a doctor, but personally research these findings either through the internet or from my friend and colleague base.  I have also helped with healthcare and aging over the years since the age of twelve, with family members and visits to nursing facilities, having children of my own, so I have a long term, continued experience in healthcare, aging, and getting the most out of life, especially now in our middle years and beyond. 

That is the goal, Fit Lovelies~ to extend the middle years experience not to end at the age of 60 as in our parents' and grandparents' generation and concede old age, but to go well beyond, to the age of 85, or 90 and beyond! 

So then, kick back with a cup of decaf green tea, or south african rooibos, and say that yes, our middle years were the best!  

Be sure to help your parents and children, your friends, and hopefully society somewhere along the way as well. This daily approach will contribute to a worthy life. 

And, yes, in my 80s I will be suiting up for my next singles or doubles tennis match that day, packing my watermelon and chocolates (in a cooler!).          

Have a great day, help someone and get outside!


       

HERBS & SPICES, BREAKFAST FOR CHAMPIONS!!

Sugar and spice and everything nice... 

Let's talk herbs and spices for a great level of fitness, to enhance your inner and outer beauty, and assist your favorite sport (tennis!).  

The Cinnamon Tree

Firstly, it boggles my mind that once war ships would battle over the spoils of cinnamon, a rare spice indeed once indigenous to the Amazon, its cinnamon trees were legendary and priceless, let alone difficult to find and successfully cultivate. Now, we just have to make the effort of finding this spice in the proper food aisle in our local grocery store!  

For a targeted list of herbs and spices to improve your fitness routine, I really like  http://tennismagazine.com/articles/templates/fitness.aspx?articleid=15481&zoneid=19.  

It's impossible to incorporate these suggestions all at once, but over time, one by one, make them a part of your day.  

And sugar?  Stay away from it, it's in most processed food anyway, certainly don't add it to anything.  if you cannot get away from sweetener, however, try Agave, much better for you, and does add flavor to yogurt, cottage cheese. 

This morning for breakfast, I had kefir low fat milk (a little fat is okay for women), mixed in with bran, banana and walnuts. Sprinkled with a teaspoon of cinnamon of course!  

Plus, one large cup of Teavana white tea, try http://www.teavana.com/the-teas/white-teas/p/white-ayurvedic-chai-tea, a spicy, robust flavorful tea with strong cinnamon flavoring for a great morning wakeup!   

... that's what little girls are made of! (Source, English poet Robert Southey,c.1820) ✍

TENNIS ADDICTION!

Tennis, tennis, tennis!  It's great to find a fitness routine, and I am happy to say for me it is definitely tennis! Once I think I have a good feel for the game, something else new pops up, that's the fun part.  

The other day I had a very hot singles match, and after the first set, which was indeed a battle, I was truly wondering if I could ever finish the match.  We hydrated, took  a short walk to retrieve water for other players, and somehow I completed the next set and match was over.  

There is something thrilling, challenging about competing under adverse conditions, it prompts you to play a bit differently, conservatively, because each step you take may not be your last, but will contribute to wearing you down all the more sooner. 

A Division 1 college tennis player suggested I drink Pedialyte, a children's drink, which I had watered down in my ice jug.  It does help with electrolytes and water absorption, so necessary on a court that felt like it was burning up from the heat.  We played mid morning, but already the temperature was 94 degrees farenheit, with extremely high humidity (great for the skin!). So, whatever that temperature equates to on court I'd be curious to know.  

My goal was to keep the ball in, and even play tougher at times when I wanted so badly to slow down. That tactic really worked for me, and at times I didn't even play up too hard, but just a bit because of the heat. 

My opponent's shots really broke down, which surprised me as she was a nice player, you just never know sometimes, so hang in there! A friend on the adjoining court brought a banana, she said it keeps her legs from cramping, so that's a thought for you if you have that tendency.  

My Head Instinct racquet came in handy this past match, I wonder if Maria will be playing with it again? It gave me great control to keep the balls inside the lines, and has a very nice feel upon impact. 

My mantra this match?  Keep my eye on the ball!  And, Wimbledon is here, the playoffs have started! Yes, it is that time of year again, such a great sport tennis is! ✓

FIT BEAUTY SUPPLEMENTS & MORE

 Hi!  Let's talk supplements and nutrition right now.  There's so much out there, where to begin? Here's an example from a conversation I had yesterday with a quite worthy tennis singles opponent.  

She asked me what I was doing/taking, because she observed that I "don't have any wrinkles."  Thank you for the compliment!  Here's what I told her:  definitely supplement with calcium, glucosamine and chondroitin once a day, every day, fish oil every 2 days, but I'm ramping this up to every day for joint health.  

Also, I don't take a multivitamin because I have a balanced diet of fruits and vegetables, but I also supplement with targeted B vitamins such as biotin for hair and nails (it really does work, my hair color is real, minimal grays, and richer in tone), and choline and inositol for liver metabolism and cell health.  

Vitamin B12 is beneficial for those of you out there who don't eat meat, I like the dissolving intake  best. Occasionally vitamin E with booster selenium for anti-oxidation. I take vitamin C when it's been awhile, and magnesium once a week for brain health.  A definite must for heart health is my favorite coenzyme Q10. This supplement is really popular in the Asian countries. Coenzyme Q10 in a dose of 100mg can lower my blood pressure in 20 minutes by 10-15 points, I have measured this difference with my own monitor. 

Also, do some research on telomere lengths and its role in cell composition, dna, and longevity.

 I'm still working on minimizing that crease between eyes at the forehead ~ practicing less squinting and relaxing the area, plus relieving congestion to minimize inflammation of the sinuses. The area has been maintained and improved somewhat, but will remain as my personal definition I think!  

Beauty tip for the day: Try LANCOME'S ABSOLUE EYE PRECIOUS CELLS, I sampled it last night and woke up with refreshed eyes, minimal puffs, and increased softness, no eye irritation whatsoever!  Let me know if you have a favorite! 

At Nordstrom

Here are some more Lancome Precious skincare products:

                                    

Have love in your heart  and give someone a hug today! ♡

THE SUPER BOWL OF COLORFUL GREENS

Hi there, check out this article, Are You Turning Your Salad into Junk Food?  So many times it is easy to reach for that bottle of salad dressing and to literally pour on the calories!

Beware, take heed with your actions, and realize there is art in what you do. 

The Acacia Tree, South Africa

Photo credit by wallcoo.net

Replete with healthful benefits, the acacia tree has healing properties for the colon, your immune and digestive systems.

Make your own dressings, and use this Round Acacia Wood Salad Bowl, 12" healthy for you and cleans up well, it will keep you focused on the greater pleasures of mealtime and not dousing on the calories!

Keeping yourself beautiful inside and out is not easy, we want to stay fit and healthy to do all those things we need and want to do. Life is to be enjoyed and contributory, and savoring a terrific salad of greens can be incredibly beneficial to our health, beauty and well being so we can reach our goals. 

Have some style and make mealtime an event!

I read over and over, the more colorful our plate is, the better.  Try not to over soak it with the wrong salad dressing, really detrimental to the heart!  Even in the 1970s my dad knew this, and he made his own dressings for that very reason.  

There are wonderful oils out there, I  like grape seed oil for a slightly different flavor than the usual olive oil, and so many vinegars that are not only laced with the usual red wine, but with onion flakes and other little delicacies.  

Be creative and be your own advocate on your health.  After a few trial and error sessions of what works and what does not, you'll be pro active in your quest and getting results soon.  

So much of self betterment is sticking with your plan.  Top athletic coaches have done this, Tony Dungy for one. Even when the going was rough and sodden in new terrain, Coach Dick Vermeil called him to say he was on the right track and to hang in there, the tide would change for the team. 

 And it did, Tony's football team went on to win the Super Bowl, and you can too, make your own super bowl of colorful greens and creative dressing for beauty inside and out, any good recipes you' d like to share?  Take care! ✍