" Men are what their mothers made them. " - Ralph Waldo Emerson
"The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness. "
-Honore de Balzac
"Most mothers are instinctive philosophers. " -Harriet Beecher Stowe
" No matter how old a mother is, she watches her middle-aged children for signs of improvement.
-Florida Scott-MaxwellThere are countless quotes on mothers. I am fond of all that I have quoted. I believe with all my heart that I am who I am because of my mother. Although she is gone now 30 years I can still remember her voice and things she used to say.
There is no coincidence that my husband, Rick and I have mothers that were born on the same day- July 21st . Although born in different decades, both are born on the cusp of the astrological sign, Cancer. Although Rick depicted her as petite southern bell from Virginia with a soft accent who might not be easy to get along with, I knew we would be family forever as she had the same birth date as my mom. I have to believe that my own mom was there for my accomplishments, my medical school graduation and birth of my children and she has been there spiritually in the events of the last 11 years standing next to Nancy. I can never thank her and Fred enough for coming to my graduation from the Integrative Fellowship in Arizona in 2005. Both stood there with Rick, Alyssa, Michael and Gregory as I received my diploma and walking stick from Drs Andrew Weil and Tierna Lowdog. My dad couldn't make it as he was ill and lying in a hospital bed dying. My dad did say I know you will graduate. He did know I graduated but died two days after we returned home with the diploma.
Nancy and I talk for hours on the phone. I imagine that's how it would have been with my mom and I if she had lived long enough. Nancy has been a wonderful sport about step-grandchildren and the many ' children 'animals - Jack, Cary Grant, Kate, Spencer and Gracie. Who woulds have thought she would cuddle and bath our dogs. Even more shocking, Gracie, our Amazon Green , has great conversations with Nancy- mimics her voice. Nancy even holds Gracie.
When most people think of mothers - it is sometimes associated with baking. What do you think of ? I think of apple pie/pecan pie when I think of my mom(s). I also think of unconditional love, kindness, serenity, trust, and happy times. Happy Birthday , Nancy
I have been blessed to have important female role 'moms' in my life. In addition to my mom and Nancy, each of the following women have made up my 'gluten-free' cake recipe of happiness, serenity, peace and love. These woman have been My Nanny, Great Aunt Katie, Barbara B, Aunt Mary, Aunt MaryAnn, In addition to Jessica Cronin Tandy, Ms Audrey Hepburn and Loretta Young.
All of these woman are THE BERRIES of my existence !
This summer should be all about berries. All kinds of berries. What makes berries so special is their high levels of phytochemicals — those naturally occurring nutrients that help protect cells from damage. So snag some blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries and start munching.
There are studies on the health benefits of berries. One study found that women who eat about two servings of strawberries or one serving of blueberries a week experienced less mental decline over time than peers who went without these nutrition powerhouses, research published in the Annals of Neurology found. In the study, researchers reviewed data from 16,010 women over age 70. Those with the highest berry intake postponed cognitive decline by about two and a half years. “This is due to the effect of a class of compounds called anthocyanidins, which is a type of flavonoid. Berries are high in flavinoids.
Berries should be eaten by all- even diabetics. Berries have a low glycemic index ( low in sugar) and a high antioxidant potential. Berries are sweet, but not the kind of sweet that should send people with diabetes running. “Because they come with fiber, they can use that in a diabetic diet as a serving of fruit . In general, it’s better to eat fruit whole rather than drink juice, which is much higher in sugar and doesn’t contain fiber.
If you have bowl of fruit int he morning have 3/4 cup of all berries, and then 1/4 cup of other fruit. Some of the other fruit can be higher in sugar as mango, pineapple, watermelon and bananas.
There are more studies on berries and Parkinson's disease. People who eat at least two servings of berries a week have a 25 percent less chance of developing Parkinson’s disease than their peers, according to research published in the journal Neurology. The same research showed that men with the highest intake of flavinoids — which are abundant in berries — reduced their risk by 40 percent. Although I use and write about other herbs for Alzheimer's Disease, all berries can help. Berries contain chemical compounds called polyphenolics, which could help prevent Alzheimer’s disease by cleaning up the damaging build-up of toxins over time.
Berries also protect you from heart disease. Even people with a strong inherited risk for heart disease may find that a diet rich in raw fruits and vegetables, including berries, can reduce their chances of having a heart attack, according to a study published in PLoS Medicine.
I think berries mixed with all nuts ( except peanuts- which are legumes) are a great snack. You must get creative int he kitchen. Let kitchen creativity lead you to experimenting with berries in nutrition-rich recipes such as fresh fruit sauces and salad dressings, pair them with almonds for a fast snack, or eat them plain. I love to add pomegranate seeds and pumpkin seeds to our salads.
More studies have been done on berries for cancer prevention than other disease except for neurological diseases. There are not direct studies on berries for hypertension. I use hibiscus and Hawthorne berries for cardiac disease in all my patients. All cancer patients should consume berries. Flavinoid-packed berries, such as blueberries and raspberries, may one day lead to more effective cancer-prevention strategies. Research published in the Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis suggests that flavonoids and other compounds found in berries may help reduce colon cancer risk. Because cancer prevention diets generally emphasize fruits and vegetables, including berries certainly won’t hurt
Photo credit:
Top to Bottom: Leonard's Catering Hall Photographer1959, Rick Byrd, 1925 Wedding Photographer for my Grandmother, Rick ' Annie Liebowitz' Byrd, and Michael Byrd
Until tomorrow...
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