Long Commute

The average commute to work is around 25 minutes long. Get the most out of yours.  Experiment with the route. Leave 10 minutes earlier or later to see if the traffic patterns change.  Get the most bang for your buck. Do the math and find out if it makes sense to drive or take public transportation – or even a combination of the two.  Make it fun. Listen to an audiobook or podcast, or find a friend to share the ride.

Ideal Bedtime?

We all know that sleep is critical to our overall health and well-being, but how do you know what time you should be going to bed every night? Rather than thinking about this in terms of number of hours, sleep specialists talk about the number of “sleep cycles” a person needs per night. A sleep cycle lasts, on average, about 90 minutes, and experts say that adults generally need between four and six sleep cycles each night. This translates to between seven and nine hours of sleep time, factoring in the time it takes to actually fall asleep. Sleep isn’t a one-size-fits-all situation, however. The numbers that get repeated frequently by sleep specialists are averages—not a “correct” answer. Your personal sleep needs may vary considerably from the average, and that’s perfectly fine. The thing to focus on is whether or not you feel rested in the morning, or whether you wake up still feeling sleepy. Keeping a sleep diary for a little while can be very helpful. When you wake up each morning, make a note of how many hours of sleep you got and how well-rested you feel. This can vary, of course, depending on the weather or even what you ate for dinner, but ideally you should start to see a pattern of how many hours of sleep makes you feel the best. With this number and a target time you want to get up in the morning, you can then do some backwards math to figure out what time you should be going to bed the night before. There’s a sleep calculator table on Sleep.com (https://www.sleep.com/sleep-health/sleep-calculator) that runs the numbers for you, too.

Around The Home Tips

 Eliminate grease stains. Coca-Cola removes grease stains from your driveway—overnight.  Remove labels from glassware with peanut butter.  Get rid of paint or grease from your hands. Spray them with PAM.  Crayon marks on walls? Use a damp rag, dipped in baking soda and some elbow grease.  Remove permanent marker on counter tops or appliances by using rubbing alcohol on a paper towel.

Donating Clothes And Accessories

Is it time for a wardrobe facelift? Before hauling your old clothes away to the same secondhand store or tossing them in the trash, consider these options. Blue jeans: Old blue jeans donated through bluejeansgogreen.org will be turned into insulation in communities that need it most. Shoes: Both soles4souls.org and oneworldrunning.com accept gently worn shoes to donate to people in need around the world. Wedding and formal dresses: Most people only wear formal clothing a few times, so if your wedding dress or formal gowns are still in great condition, pass them on! Soon-to-be-military brides are on the receiving end at bridesacrossamerica.com, and Project G.L.A.M. (wgirls.org) provides teenage girls with prom dresses. Eyeglasses: If you’ve updated your prescription lately, donate old frames and lenses to new-eyes.org, where they’ll be passed on to someone who can’t afford new eyeglasses.

Memory Boosters

Have you misplaced your keys again? If you’re like most people, it’s an occasional annoyance. But if it’s happening more frequently than you’d like to admit, maybe it’s time for some memory boosters to help strengthen your mind. Here are five easy tips to improve your memory power: 1. Keep Items Where You’ll Need Them. Keep your keys by the front door; eye glasses in the same place everyday, and wallet/purse in the same location. 2. Keep A Notebook With A Calendar. Keep names, phone numbers, important dates, medical information, to do lists, and a notepad. Carry it with you (or carry a small notepad), so you can jot down information as needed. 3. Minimize Distractions. Focus on one thing at a time. Turn off the TV or radio when you need to focus your attention on a task. 4. Exercise Your Mind. Read, do crossword puzzles, play cards, chess, or a musical instrument to keep your mind active. Watch television shows like Jeopardy. 5. Take Care Of Your Body. Go for a walk, swim, or bicycle. It’ll clear your mind. And remember to eat a balanced diet and get enough rest!

Book Recommendations

If you are like me you are always looking for your next book to read. Here are my top ten to consider when it’s time to shop. Send me your favorites to look at - davidfrasch@msn.com 1. On The Beach – Nevil Shute 2. A Golfers Life – Palmer-Dodson 3. Cobb – Al Stump 4. A Course Called Ireland – Tom Coyne 5. Grapes of Wrath – Steinbeck 6. The Worst Hard Time – Timothy Egan 7. Able Seacat Simon – Lynne Barrett-Lee 8. Les Miserables – Hugo 9. Empire of the Summer Moon – S.C. Gwynne 10. Blood and Thunder – Hampton Sides

Growing Groceries Master Gardener Foundation

Have you ever considered growing your own healthy food using sustainable gardening techniques? The first Master Gardner program was developed by Dr. David Gibby of Washington State University in 1973. He understood the demand for education in urban horticulture and established the successful curriculum and training program in King and Pierce County which has now spread to all 50 states and eight Canadian provinces. There are over 95,000 active Master Gardeners who have provided over 5 million service hours per year to their communities. I have had the pleasure of touring a local Master Gardeners property in Des Moines. When you come across a yard like Peggy’s you can see the dedication and experience a Master Gardener employs. Growing your own food in an urban setting is nothing new. Many of us have an understanding of the famous victory gardens that Americans grew to support the war efforts. Post war community gardens became common and cities set aside uninhabitable land for gardeners. The Growing Groceries Program series is ideal for beginner to intermediate home gardeners and is crafted for the general public. They teach gardening practices based on current science for the Seattle’s maritime environment. Participants will become more successful in their home gardening outcomes and use more sustainable and environmentally healthy practices. Specific crop plants will be advised so you know exactly what to purchase to become the best farmer you can be. Nothing tastes better than fresh food from your garden. High-end grocery stores and farmers markets will not even come close once you have been educated by the Master Gardeners! Its spring so now is the time to plan your summer garden! www.mgfkc.org

Multipurpose Garage

A garage may seem like the space to dump miscellaneous items, tools, and garbage/recycling. “It’s not cluttering up the house, so why does it matter?!” you might think to yourself. Here’s the thing, though: you could be losing an opportunity to use it for storage and a new functional space. Some good ways to make it a dual-purpose room include: • Install an attic lift to gain additional storage for items you only use one season a year, like camping stuff. • Store bikes on hanging racks that are flush with the wall. • Consider installing a livable floor coating, like epoxy or polished concrete. Then you could portion off a part of the garage to use as a media room, den, or creative space. • Speak to your electrician about adding outlets and lighting so that the space can be used at all times of day. • Add drywall and insulation to keep the space warm in winter time and give it a more home-like feeling. • Use storage systems like shelving racks and give each rack a job. For example, store similar items together like tools, which you can keep separate from gardening stuff, or use a rack for overflow storage for the kitchen.

Lower Your Cholesterol Naturally!

A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), found that people who ate a lot of plant sterols and fiber naturally lowered their cholesterol by 29%. What are plant sterols? They are foods that many of us like to eat: avocados, walnuts, almonds, olives, eggplant, olive oil, and flaxseed. The researchers found that people on the drug, Lovastatin, lowered their cholesterol by 30%, and people who ate a low-fat diet reduced cholesterol levels by 8%. What’s interesting about these findings is they show that a diet rich in plant sterols can be as effective as one of the most frequently prescribed cholesterol-lowering drugs—and without some of the side effects associated with prescription drugs. Adding these important foods can help raise your good cholesterol (HDL) while lowering your bad cholesterol (LDL). Note: If you’re on a cholesterol reducing medication, talk with your physician before making any changes.

Congrats to Seattle Native Fred Couples

Fred Couples made more history at the Masters Tournament last month by becoming the oldest player to make the cut. 63 year old Couples also shares the consecutive cuts made record with Tiger Woods and Gary Player at 23. Freddie grew up just blocks from Jefferson Park Golf Course and is the most accomplished golfer to have called Seattle home.

Caddyshack Lines

My top ten quotes from one of my all-time favorite sports movies: 1. You’ll get nothing and like it. 2. My uncle says you’ve got a screw loose. Your uncle molests collies. 3. Last time I saw a mouth like that it had a hook in it. 4. You’re rather attractive for a beautiful girl with a great body. 5. I’ve sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn’t want to do it. I felt I owed it to them. How about a Fresca? 6. This is a hybrid. It is a cross of Bluegrass, Kentucky Bluegrass, Featherbed Bent and California Sensemila. 7. Just be the ball, be the ball Danny. 8. Two wrongs don’t make a right, but three rights make a left. 9. That’s a peach, hon! Oh, by golly…I’m hot today! 10. This is the worst-looking hat I ever saw! When you buy a hat like this I bet you get a free bowl of soup! Looks good on you though…

Kindness is Good for You

When was that last time you noticed you were grumpy, then, out of the blue, someone does or says something nice to you? Didn’t it make you feel better…even a lot better? When you are kind to other people, it also makes you feel good about yourself. And it’s good for your health. Researchers have found positive people have fewer health problems. In his book, It’s a Meaningful Life, it Just Takes Practice, author Bo Lozoff writes about the importance of being kind and building a better community. That community encompasses family, friends, co-workers, and the people you meet in your daily life (the bank teller, cashier, the parking lot attendant). So as you go about your day, be kinder to your spouse, your kids, your co-workers, and wherever your travels take you. Then see if adding a little more kindness to your daily diet makes a difference in how you feel, how other people respond to you, and how others feel when you are kind to them. It’s a worthwhile experiment!

Healthy Habits

From choosing healthy meals to creating positive relationships, there are lots of little things adults can do every day to instill good habits in kids. Physical • Exercise regularly as a family, and make it fun! Go for evening walks in the park, take advantage of open swim days at the gym, and ride bikes together. • Eat a healthy diet. Start early with introducing a rainbow of produce and minimizing sugary snacks. Mental • Maintain – and reflect – a positive outlook. Kids mirror what they hear and see, so use positive reinforcement and praise appropriately. Celebrate your successes as well as theirs. • Keep screen time to a minimum. Sedentary behavior is known to increases risks for obesity and cardiovascular disease, and it’s not conducive to positive social or mental growth either. Set a daily limit for TV viewing, video games, and smartphone usage and stick to it. • Read every day. Incorporate this habit into playtime or bedtime routines to help build self-esteem and success later in life. Social • Encourage kids to explore a myriad of activities to find one (or more!) they really enjoy. Whether singing in a choir, playing soccer, taking language lessons, or volunteering with a youth group, kids will meet others with similar interests while also developing their self-identity. • Eat dinner as a family, and use this opportunity to maintain open lines of communication with everyone around the table.

Life 101: Advice

• If you can’t be kind, at least have the courtesy to be vague. • The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right time, but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment. • He who hesitates is probably right. • Did you ever notice that the Roman Numerals for 40 are XL? • There’s a lot to be thankful for if you look for it. I was just thinking how nice it is that wrinkles don’t hurt. • Did you ever notice that when you put the words “the” and “IRS” together, it spells “theirs?” • A pessimist’s blood type is always B-negative. • A hangover could be called the wrath of grapes.

Outdoor Adventure Websites

Why sit inside when a world of adventure waits out your front door? www.rei.com – In addition to selling gear, REI offers an array of classes (many of them free) to help prepare you for everything from cycling and hiking to camping and climbing. www.geartrade.com – Gear can be pricey, but you can buy it used for a fraction of the price at this site. www.nps.gov – Find a U.S. National Park near you to begin exploring today.

Berry Season

The Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University has discovered that the humble blueberry and its European cousin, the bilberry are a uniquely rich source of the powerful antioxidant, anthocyanin. Anthocyanin gives grapes, blackberries, and blueberries their deep blue-violet coloring. Bilberry extract has been used in Europe and Japan as a natural vision-enhancer for years. Beta-carotene combined with 400 mgs. of bilberry have been shown to significantly improve the ability to see in dim light, especially at night. Bilberry extract appears to strengthen the tiny blood vessels behind the eye and prevent macular degeneration. There is strong research-backed evidence that anthocyanin may protect the brain cells from the wear and tear of extended life. They shield the neurotransmitters from age-related changes in the brain. The antioxidants in blueberries could help preserve our memory, as we get older. The Nutrition Research Center suggests eating fresh blueberries for the maximum benefit, or substitute a good bilberry extract from the health food store.

Food Safety Tips

 Food safety starts at the grocery store. Pick up frozen and refrigerated items last before checking out.  Even fruits and veggies you peel should be washed before eating, since it’s very easy for bacteria to transfer from the peel to the part you’ll eat.  Raw flour can carry E. coli, among other things, and should only be consumed after it’s been cooked.  Thaw meat in the fridge when possible, but you can also safely thaw it in cold water or in the microwave. If thawed in water or the microwave, meat should be used immediately.  All marinating should be done in a covered container in the fridge, not on the countertop. Even acidic marinades can allow bacteria growth at room temperature.  Your nose is not a reliable tool for testing food safety. Things that cause food poisoning don’t always make things “smell bad.” Refer to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Safe Storage Times chart instead at: www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/storagetimes.html