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Thursday- Day 6

What a gorgeous morning it was. I felt like I was beaming with gratitude. Perhaps it was that it is Thursday, the end of a workweek; or that the air was cool enough for a pleasant walk; or knowing that Week-1 is about over! Whatever the reason I am not complaining. 

It has been a very productive work week as well, and what I want to complete today is obtainable. So after a 20-minute stretching-yoga style practice, I was off to the races. Well, not really, more like off to the kitchen 😊.  Sometimes it feels as if Bill and I are dancing gracefully in the kitchen as we move about to get things done. And we made it out of the house to get our 2.5 miles in at the park before we went to work!  

Cooked up a sweet potato last night to try and make this race a bit smoother. This morning I made a smoothie for breakfast and late morning. It turned out really good. Makes me want to add smoothies back into our repertoire after the 21-days are over. This Sweet Potato Pie smoothie was so filling, I couldn’t eat anything else (Bill had oatmeal). I will have to do some web searches because I need help with new options.  Many smoothie recipes I see call for adding spinach.  I do not wish to do that if I am using milk - whether it be dairy or non-dairy because spinach, while high in nutrients, is not a good option for people with low bone density or osteoporosis.  "Why?" you may ask?

Spinach is one of those greens that is very high in oxalates. A diet high in oxalates can have negative effects (including kidney stones). Oxalate is a chemical that interferes with your body's ability to absorb calcium. Oxalates bind to calcium, and hinders your body from absorbing calcium. Spinach is also best eaten cooked, because cooking destroys much of the chemical.

SMOOTHIE: 2T SP Complete, 2T Whey Pro Complete, 1 1/4 cups Califia coconut milk ( cup was too thick), 1 cup mashed sweet potato, 1/2 frozen banana, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, pinch of cloves.

I did put off lunch until after my walk at the noon hour. The mid-morning shake again filled me up.  

LUNCH: 1 cup thinly sliced fennel, 1/2 Gala apple in chunks, 1 rib celery, 1 T olive oil, 1/2 T lemon juice, sunflower seeds, 1 cup chopped romaine, freshly ground pepper. 

After they were tossed I placed on a plate for the picture. Then I transferred them to my lunchbox tin over chopped romaine lettuce and whatever kale I had for the garnish on the plate.

Well, supper is about ready.  Put back 2 uncooked quinoa stuffed peppers when I made them Sunday.  Serving them with tomato basil sauce and freshly chopped basil on top.  I suppose I can be kind and give Bill some wonderful Parmigiano Reggiano.

The poem below I wrote in September 2018.  Rereading the words gives this 21-day challenge purpose. Some days one just wonders . . . what is growing older gracefully?? 

SEASONS GRACEFULLY

Growing older gracefully
resting with me
trying to decipher
what it means in my life
in the season ahead.

Autumn approaches
temperatures say otherwise
humid and sultry
nature confused
perhaps as well as me.

A new decade of life
soon to appear
on the horizon
lovingly packing away
many seasons gone by.

Growing older gracefully
how should it be
or perhaps should not be
as growing older
is just a new season.

It cannot be planned
nor anticipated
as it is a moving forward
embracing each day
for whatever it brings.

Growing older gracefully
may just come through
daily acceptance
state of mind
and gratitude.

9/18/18



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