Healthy Tip of the Day

The temperatures are on the rise across the country and some states are well over 100 degrees like Arizona. I saw where the temps there will reach 110. The Atlanta area is forecasting 102 by the weekend.

Now more than ever in this heatwave, we need to drink plenty of water throughout the day. If you drink coffee, it's important to drink lots of water after several cups to replenish hydration. I know there are lots of people who enjoy soft drinks, but water is the better refresher and replaces electrolytes lost during activities like exercising.

Before heading on your commute to work or errands, place your water bottle in the freezer a few minutes so it stays cold longer. Actually, one of those insulated water bottles is better than the plastic ones because the water will stay colder while dashing in and out of the car on a hot day. Plus, it's more eco-friendly!

Thursday Tidbits

Is Thursday here already, Yep! The official start to summer apparently was a little after 7 pm yesterday. We're good to go and here are some Thursday Tidbits to share with my super readers.

--->Listen to some great music all summer long with "The Mix: The Songs of the Summer: 1962-2012" on NPR. It's a great mix that includes lots of favorites like Irene Cara's song from the hit movie Flashdance "What a Feeling," Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance with Somebody," and DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince smash jam "Summertime." Turn up the volume on your laptop and let the music play.

--->As the temperatures rise, get an early start on daytime and weekend errands if you can to avoid the heat. Always carry a bottle of water or eco-friendly water bottle to stay cool and refreshed. Don't get dehydrated!

--->If you need to use the oven for baking, do so early in the morning to avoid warming the house and the A/C having to work extra hard to cool the house down. Grab a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store deli section that's ready to eat.

I'm looking forward to a great summer, aren't you;-)

Back to Work Tip of the Day

Good Monday morning everybody. Yep, it's back to work and a new week of projects and assignments. Let's be honest, sometimes it takes awhile to get going on Mondays and for coffee lovers, a cup or two sure helps to give our bodies a burst of energy from the caffeine.

Just remember to refresh your body with plenty of water while drinking coffee to stay hydrated. You will get that same burst of energy from cool cups of water. If you can, start on a few smaller projects that won't take long to finish and work your way up to the more time-consuming ones. Stay focused!

Healthy Bite of the Day

Happy Monday and we're off and running just like the horses at the Kentucky Derby this past weekend. It's out the front door to work, appointments, errands or class. The spring temperatures are recording summertime readings already. Keep cool and hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. Plus, add watermelon as a way to replenish thirst and get healthy bites of nutrition. 

Watermelon is a great source for vitamins C and A along with lycopene which helps fight cancer. It's also fat free! Save time by cutting up bite size chunks for easy snacking and store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. The kids will enjoy the cool down it provides after playing outside. Watermelon helps replenish electrolytes lost during perspiration. It's a great in-between meal snack too. Stay cool and hydrated with watermelon all season long!

Mind, Body & Spirit

For those who work from home or telecommute a few days a week from the job, it's good to take a few minutes in the morning before logging on to the desktop or laptop computer to ready your mind, body & spirit for the tasks ahead. Here are some quick warm up exercises that won't take up too much time:

--->Head rolls in one direction and switch the other way
--->Sets of squats for legs and glutes
--->Side bends and twists to work the mid-section
--->Stretch out your arms and twirl them in both directions
--->Shoulder rolls to the front and then backwards
--->Close your eyes, breathe slowly for a moment of meditation


Credit: Free photos from acobox.com

Do 2-3 sets and remember to take breaks throughout the day to stretch and refresh before sitting down for more work. Keep a large water bottle filled nearby your work area to easily grab and quench your thirst. Have a good day!

Merry Weekend

Hello my good readers, the weekend in Atlanta is looking merry indeed. I opened the window blinds and the sunshine burst right inside, the houseplants are loving it! I have lots to do today including a stop by my friend's garage sale. She owned an antique store, but closed it last year. We were up in her attic recently which is filled with some great things and she showed me items she plans to put out in the sale. It's a good time to have a yard sale with the Christmas holidays around the corner. I know it can be a lot of work to organize, but the extra money will come in handy for gift & food costs.

Credit: Free photos from acobox.com

Let me wrap up with this holiday tip ->Make sure you take a break to eat and drink water when shopping. In the hustle to hit all the stores on your list, stopping to have breakfast, lunch or dinner can get delayed which can lead to sluggish energy and irritability. Be Merry!

The perfect nightstand for thirsty sleepers

The perfect nightstand for thirsty sleepers, holykaw.alltop.com
This is creative and cool. I need me one of these nightstands :)