Simple Summer Salads

Called the Salad Lady by some in my churches, I love to bring fresh raw foods to our luncheons and potlucks. I learned to love these gourmet salad greens, sometimes called mesclun mix. My sister had married an Italian from Sicily. He loved a big green salad with exotic lettuce, and thus we all learned to love them.

Since I love to garden, I was soon growing my own fresh greens: romaine, arugula, and red lettuce. Later I added radicchio, escarole, and endive to my repertoire. At first I painstakingly gathered the young leaves one by one. That being too time-consuming, I soon learned that I could easily use a sharp knife, trim a whole section off, and they would soon grow new leaves.

Now in my small backyard I have my lettuce garden, along with my other vegetables, interspersed with my flowers. They are so easy to grow, and I love to give them away to friends who appreciate their subtle and not-so-subtle flavors.

Read more about Simple Summer Salads

Your Fast Track to Medical Information

Are you looking for an Internet site that’s user-friendly and dependable? Medlineplus (www.medlineplus.gov) is your source. Brought to you by the U.S. government’s National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health, it’s one of the best resources for general medical information. Included are health topics, a medical encyclopedia, directories, organizations, and the latest medical news. You can access information about various diseases and conditions and pharmaceutical drugs.

Read more about Your Fast Track to Medical Information

Is Stress Making You FAT?

You stressed? Come on. Just because you’re swamped at work, your car broke down on the freeway yesterday, and you’ve barely had time to breathe-much less make it to the gym-that doesn’t mean you’re stressed, does it? Sure, you admit you’re a little frazzled, maybe even cranky. But the last straw came this morning when you discovered you couldn’t zip up your favorite jeans.

Read more about Is Stress Making You FAT?

21 Ways to Build a Stronger Spiritual Life

Because we live in a culture that increasingly leans toward commercialism, materialism, and secularism, it is not always easy to keep the soul nourished.

The challenge of these days, when times are not hospitable to spiritual growth, is how to nuture, feed, heal, restore, and renew the soul. Here are 21 practical suggestions for building a stronger spiritual life.

Read more about 21 Ways to Build a Stronger Spiritual Life

In It for the Long Haul

Sure, it’s more difficult to get back into an exercise routine after a long layoff–or even start one when you’ve never worked out regularly before. Once working out is a regular part of your life, it’s easy to stay in the habit of keeping fit and healthy. But the battle’s not over. Even the most diehard fitness buffs occasionally fight workout burnout and boredom.

Read more about In It for the Long Haul

24 Ways to Reclaim Peace of Mind

It is not an understatement to say that these are stressful times. Almost routinely there are news reports that further heighten our anxieties-airport security is lax; the country is vulnerable to chemical, biological, and even nuclear attacks; our water can be poisoned and our food contaminated; sleeper terrorists are in our midst. The litany of dangers can unnerve even the strongest, most optimistic person. In spite of challenging times, it is possible to be a person who lives with serenity and tranquillity. Here are two dozen ways to reclaim your peace of mind.

Read more about 24 Ways to Reclaim Peace of Mind

Cancer… Again

How lucky can a person be, anyway? Five years’ worth of lucky? That’s the target date most oncologists quote for official membership as a breast cancer survivor. Really, the buildup begins at three years running. You start to feel a tingle of hope. Four years? Now, that’s different. You might as well forget the tingle and confess downright anticipation. It’s the ultimate home stretch.

Read more about Cancer… Again