In what has become a bit of a tradition, I started out the New Year with some fellow travel loving pals for doughnuts and coffee at the downtown location of Top Pot.  Besides having some of the best darn doughnuts around town, it’s a pleasant location (with free wi-fi) to meet up with friends for coffee and conversation.

As is typical when travelers get together, there was plenty of conversation about where we’ve been, where we’re going, and where we want to go.  Some talk of resolutions and goals, and what we’re hoping will be in store for the coming year.  We laughed and reflected, munched on our doughnuts and sipped our coffee, talked about cold weather and dreamed of warm, and had an enjoyable couple hours.

It’s hard to imagine that a few short years ago I knew none of these people.  These friendships were formed after meeting via travel blogging, twitter, and Facebook. When people say that online friendships aren’t real, don’t believe them.  This morning I spent time with some very real friends:  Pam, Austin, Kelly, Andy, Sheri, Andy, Peggy, and Melody.

Photo credit:  SXC

Share on Facebook

Just because February is coming to a close, doesn’t mean that it’s time to forget about our hearts.  The facts are sobering and demand our attention.  Heart disease is the number one killer among women.  One in four women die of heart disease, with women in the 40-60 age range at the highest risk.

That made me stop and read it again.

Some risk factors are hereditary and beyond our control, but other risk factors can be lessened by modifying our diets.  One simple way to change your diet is by adding foods that are high in anti-oxidants, resulting in two benefits – helping to maintain a healthy weight and reducing risk factors of heart disease.

There are some many fruits that are high in anti-oxidants that it makes an easy addition to your diet.  Whether you prefer them raw, or want to add them to a favorite dish, they make a perfect snack food or addition to a full meal.  And they taste good, too!

Here are some heart healthy fruits that you can add into your diet.

1. Berries:  Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries
2. Plums and prunes
3. Cranberries
4. Apples:  Red delicious, Granny Smith, Gala
5. Cherries
6. Red grapes (one glass of red wine is okay as well)
7. Pomegranates (great eaten plain or on salads, and the juice can be used for a basting sauce on skinless chicken)
8. Citrus fruit:  oranges, pineapples, grapefruit
9. Kiwi fruit
10. Tomatoes (officially a fruit, not a vegetable)

I picked up some strawberries and raspberries at the store yesterday, and have eaten some plain.  I’m going to use the rest to make a smoothie, and keep some raspberries to mash up to add to a salad dressing for dinner.  How easy is that to eat well and healthy!

How do you add heart healthy fruits into your diet?

Photo credit: SXC

Share on Facebook

As a lover of wine, I excited to get a review copy of Red, White, and Drunk all Over, a wine-soaked journey from Grape to Glass.

I can tell, after only fifty pages, that author Natalie McLean is someone that I’d like to spend some time with!

So far she’s presented lots of wine history, facts, and other information in an entertaining story-like fashion.  I’m hooked!

You can pick up the book through Amazon or at your local bookstore, and check out her website Nat Decants.  Her website has lots of useful information about tasting and buying wine, along with a clever food and wine matcher. 

Once I finish the book (I’m not in a hurry, this is one to savor), I’ll be writing a proper review.

___________________________________________

Share on Facebook