Health & Decadence

14/09/2023

Nice bit of a river on a cloudy day.

25/06/2023

Kata Tjuta of an afternoon

26/07/2018

I've always been really interested in the folklore associated with herbs. I was reading about parsley in "Medicinal Plant Monographs" ( Edited by:Cassandra L.Quave, Ph.D.) and found this gem:

The ancient Greeks believed that parsley originated from the blood of Archemorus, the “Forerunner of Death”. The herb was a symbol of imminent death and was used in funeral rites. For example, parsley was given to the terminally ill and parsley garlands were placed on corpses.

Parsley also eventually became associated with Satan and was dedicated to the queen of the underworld, Persephone.

Virgins were warned not to plant parsley, for doing so would result in losing their virginity to Satan.

The Greeks believed that the parsley seed travelled to and from the underworld several times before germinating. Due to these negative associations, parsley was not consumed or incorporated into dishes.

Interestingly, the Greeks began to crown athletic victors with parsley garlands in memory of important predecessors. Over time, parsley shifted from a symbol of death and Satan to a symbol of strength

22/02/2018

Hey Groovers, Here's another one I wrote for work. It's all about chloride and fluoride. You'll probably find them in your water, whether you want them or not. You probably didn’t take much notice of it when you were in high school, but chlorine is an element. Chloramine, on the other hand, is the combination of chlorine and ammonia. Both are used to disinfect drinking water. [ 1,403 more word ]

https://healthynormal.wordpress.com/2018/02/22/chlorine-and-fluoride/

A brief overview of chlorine and fluoride in our water and in our bodies.

15/02/2018

Hey Groovers, I was thinking about heavy metals (and no, that’s not entirely a reflection on my taste in music) and contemplating that we all know heavy metals are bad for us, but not many of us know exactly why and what they do. So, I decided to do a bit of research on a few of them for all of us. [ 1,387 more word ]

https://healthynormal.wordpress.com/2018/02/15/heavy-metal/

A brief overview of what a few of the heavy metals do in the body

14/12/2017

Howdy Groovers, Long time no hear, I know, but The Silly Season is here and that's something worth writing about. Yahoo, lots of socialising, flitting from one gathering to the next, seeing family and friends that sometimes you haven't seen since this time last year. Food on the “have a little occasionally” list get moved to the “eat lots of regularly” list. [ 1,676 more word ]

https://healthynormal.wordpress.com/2017/12/14/top-ten-tips-for-surviving-the-silly-season/

Harm minimization in the face of endless parties.

05/10/2017

Procrastination, much more than just wasting time.

https://healthynormal.wordpress.com/2017/10/05/the-art-and-science-of-procrastination/

Hey Groovers, Or I could call it the Zen of Procrastination (Now and Zen?) Only problem is.. I don’t really know what Zen is all about, so I probably shouldn’t do that. I mean, I can throw around …

13/09/2017

Hey Groovers, It doesn’t matter how perfect my diet gets; if I don’t include some movement of some sort I won’t have a 'toned' beach body by summer. Straight off the cuff, I don’t like thinking of it as exercise, or getting fit. I'd rather call it 'movement'. The word 'Exercise' brings up memories of pain. Of being 'regimented' and something you h… [ 1,101 more word ]

https://healthynormal.wordpress.com/2017/09/13/beach-body-by-summer-the-exercise-edition/

Movement is essential for fitness, but it doesn’t have to all be grueling. It can be lots of fun.

31/08/2017

Hey Groovers, For me, the first thing in any health kick (after the plan that is), is a detox. So here's my quick breakdown of detoxing (well, as quick as I can make it anyway). The attitude of many doctors They'll tell you any detox is a waste of time and money and effort as the body is really well designed to eliminate toxins. [ 1,974 more word ]

https://healthynormal.wordpress.com/2017/08/31/beach-body-part-2-the-detox/

Hey Groovers, For me, the first thing in any health kick (after the plan that is), is a detox. So here’s my quick breakdown of detoxing (well, as quick as I can make it anyway). The attitude…

31/08/2017

One of the less obviously biased reports on if dairy is good for you or not.

A large observational cohort study[1] in Sweden found that women consuming more than 3 glasses of milk a day had almost twice the mortality over…

27/08/2017

Part 1 The PLAN Hey Groovers, There I was.. all ready to start my new health kick, I had even given it a catchy title: BEACH BODY BY SUMMER. Then.. I got a head cold, then a chest infection. I strongly believe in giving myself time to recuperate after an illness. So here I am three weeks later and FINALLY I’m feeling well enough to get started. [ 1,488 more word ]

https://healthynormal.wordpress.com/2017/08/28/beach-body-by-summer/

Getting fitter doesn’t just happen, it needs work and dedication and a plan.

08/08/2017

Twelve tips for reducing the severity of a cold and boosting the immune system.

https://healthynormal.wordpress.com/2017/08/08/the-12-steps-to-surviving-your-next-cold/

Hey Groovers, I was all set to start my latest ‘health kick’ last Monday. I’d done all the prep. Bought all the food. Had all the plans. Had all the outfits, and the shoes. Then I…

27/07/2017

My last weekend of eating starchy carbs for a while. This will be one of my last indulgences. Can't wait. Yummmmmm

This simple and stylish Thai fish pie is perfect for entertaining.

26/07/2017

Hey Groovers, Want to look and feel better and save money on skin care? Want more energy and clearer thinking? Want smaller hips and a trimmer waistline? Easy Want to know how? Let’s face it, it’s hardly ground-breaking news. Most of us don’t drink enough water in winter. It’s cold… and significantly less humid. We don’t feel as thirsty as often. [ 1,525 more word ]

https://healthynormal.wordpress.com/2017/07/27/ten-top-tips-for-keeping-the-fluids-up-in-the-colder-months-and-why/

Drinking enought water in the winter isn’t as easy as we’d like. But it’s worth it if you do.

25/07/2017

If it comes in a packet or a tin, it probably isn't all that healthy.

Seven out of 10 packaged foods contain added sugar that is not clearly identified by nutrition labels, according to new research.

24/07/2017

Deciphering what the info on a food label actually means. Does healthy in big letters really mean it.

18/07/2017

Newest studies of the effects of drinking hydrogen rich water indicate that we may save thousands in dentist's bills.

18/07/2017

My morning drive to work, first there were two fat pigeons (not their technical name) then 3 kookaburras, then a really cute wallaby. Fantastic start to the day. Got to work to find a puddle of spilt milk, but that's nothing to cry about.