​     The weather was lovely this past week and will stay that way for a while.  I'm happy about that because we're looking forward to a visit with our cousin. She'll arrive mid-week and stay several days, and so far, it looks like the weather is cooperating. Steve and I plan to play golf ​tomorrow.  I always enjoy golfing because I do lots of walking and it seems I improve every time I play.  Besides exercising, I'm continuing to write a little, focusing on human rights history.  I'm currently working on a history of Civil Rights.  Next, I will write about the women's movement and, finally, the history of immigration in the United States.  I read an interesting book titled The False White Gospel by Jim Wallis. He encourages people to get as much truth out as possible to combat the current attempts to muddy the waters and promote oppressive laws.  So, I wrote a text delineating the history of slavery in the United States and created lessons to go along with it.  I'm providing it free to those who want to use it and getting a good response.  That's why I decided to do the other writings, and I'll create companion lessons for each. Also, as promised, I did a deep dive into another of my statin smoothie ingredients.  Last week, I discussed the benefits of Matcha green tea powder.  This week's focus is chia seeds.  I discovered that chia seeds offer lots of nutrition, providing keto-friendly high-fat, moderate-protein, and low-carb components. Chia seeds also contribute to bone and heart health and help with satiation between meals. Chia seeds contain five grams of fiber per tablespoon.  Fiber helps with digestion, gut health, and weight management. Fiber also takes longer to digest, which can help you feel full longer. Fiber also promotes intestinal health and can reduce cholesterol.  Chia seeds are rich in healthy fats, primarily omega-3 fatty acids, and contain all nine essential amino acids, which can help with muscle development and repair.  Chia seeds can enhance keto recipes.  They thicken foods like pudding. I've not made any pudding recipes, but several are available online. However, I have used them to make keto crackers, which are yummy. Next week, we'll dive into hemp hearts.  Til then, have a great day!  

         We returned from Richland, Washington early this week after helping our son settle in before beginning work at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.  It's so ironic that Jacob is becoming a researcher there because my work with the Department of Energy required that I take a deep dive into the issues he'll deal with.  Right after getting my master's in Energy Administration, I went to work for the Department of Energy and focused on the waste at the decommissioned Hanford Nuclear Plant, established to support the Manhattan Project in 1943. The DOE had just completed the Waste Isolation Pilot facility in New Mexico and planned to move nuclear waste from the decommissioned Hanford plant to New Mexico by rail. At least, they thought they'd do that until several states refused to allow the transport of nuclear waste across their borders.  Thus, the waste remains buried in holding tanks along the Columbia River.  These tanks are beginning to show signs of decay, so the U.S. Government must find a permanent solution.  Nuclear waste is a terrible problem worldwide.  The more I discovered about nuclear waste, the more discouraged I became, especially when I found out how the Atomic Energy Commission handled it early on. Initially, they placed it in 50-gallon drums and dumped them into the ocean.  Yikes!  No one tracked their position, and their location is unknown. I became very discouraged working with this issue because solutions seemed impossible, so I decided to change careers and became a teacher.  However, I remain very concerned about the problem of nuclear waste, and it is exciting that Jake might help solve the problem.  I definitely hope so.  In other news, I'm continuing with cholesterol management by taking a closer look at my statin smoothie ingredients because of the success I've had improving my cholesterol.  As a reminder, the ingredients include Matcha green tea powder, protein powder, chia seeds, hemp hearts, Moringa powder, spinach, and almond milk.  This week's focus is Matcha green tea powder.  This powder has many potential health benefits.  It helps with weight loss by increasing fat burning and speeding up your metabolism.  Matcha's antioxidants can help boost your immune system.  It contains nutrients and compounds that may help prevent cancer and reduce tumor growth. It's especially high in epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a catechin that may help kill cancer cells.  Matcha protects against cardiovascular disease by reducing cholesterol levels and lipid accumulation in the endothelium.  Matcha's antioxidants can help fight free radicals and environmental damage, restore moisture and hydration, and absorb oils from your pores.  Matcha contains high levels of L-theanine, which can help you feel calm and alert and avoid the energy crash that can follow caffeine consumption.  Studies have shown that concentrated green tea extracts can reduce enzyme levels that can lead to liver disease.  Obviously, there are many reasons why Matcha is a good ingredient in my statin smoothie.  Although I am using it to combat bad cholesterol, I discovered it has many other benefits.  Next week, I'll discuss protein powder.  Til then, have a great week.

     I'm beginning this as we wait for a very long train blocking our route to Canada.  It's loaded with lumber heading south toward Seattle. We regularly wait for trains to pass back and forth from country to country. The trains going into Canada are loaded with Montana coal and the cars go on forever. Young Montana activists are trying to stop the mining and shipping of coal claiming the practices defy their state constitution which prohibits harming the environment. So far, they've been unsuccessful, and of course, we all know what is likely to happen at the Supreme Court level. Money still overwhelms global concerns. Sad! On a lighter note, I began my week with a visit to the doc for my yearly checkup and everything is improving, probably because of my weight loss. The only issue is that LDL is slightly over the recommended level, but vastly improved from last year. I'll work on that some more over the next year. I've mentioned my statin smoothie before, and it is obviously working for me.  I'll continue to have one every day.  As a reminder, it includes almond milk, raw spinach, chia seeds, hemp hearts, matcha green tea powder, moringa powder and now I'm adding protein powder for building muscle. This smoothie is a great way to start the day because it's healthy and nutritious.  My brother-in-law is also focused on cholesterol since his last blood work and suggested we watch The Game Changers on Netflix. It documents athletes who only consume plant-based foods and yet they have better energy and strength and according to blood tests, vastly improved numbers in the critical areas. I'm going to stick with keto for other reasons but I'm sure it benefits many. We're finally enjoying rain free days, and clear skies. This is the Birch Bay summer I'm accustomed to. However, the rain was very good for my tomato plants. They're already flowering. Our son, Jake flew in on Friday because he is beginning a new research position at the national lab in Richland next week. We traveled to Richland yesterday and we're helping him settle into his apartment today.  We'll head home tomorrow morning. This area of Washington State is lovely! There are a number of wineries and unlike our area, it is sunny most of the time including winter so Jake will do fine there. He needs sunshine.  So do I!

​     Birch Bay weather remains rainy, but we're enjoying our days a little more because the rain is happening at night and the skies clear during the day. However, it's still a little too cool with temperatures remaining in the low sixties. Our daily visit to the Grandview Aquatic Center is a great place to use up our energy since we spend limited time outside.  Given the extra workout time, I'm focusing on core strength.  I know that improving my core strength is increasingly important as I age. because adequate core stability improves the overall quality of life of older people.  It helps with coordinating movements while maintaining spinal stability.  It also helps with balance, thus preventing falls.  As I said at the beginning of my weight loss journey, I'm not trying to be beautiful.  I simply want to remain functional and independent, and my core strength is foundational to that goal.  My core strength exercises include yoga moves, free weight training and the deadlift which engages every abdominal muscle, including the smaller stabilizers, and can help improve core stability. It is a hip-dominant movement that works the glutes, hamstrings, back, and trapezius muscles.  I accomplish the core yoga moves with a ten-minute routine. I plan to add links to my core exercises to the exercise page. My work with free weights helps strengthen my core muscles as well.  I used free weights while keeping my core stable.  I think that these are effective because it's easier getting up and down from chairs and other things.  Because my keto diet emphasizes protein intake, it supports core strength by maintaining muscle mass and building lean muscle. Keto-friendly foods that are good sources of protein include eggs. Eggs also help me feel full longer and help maintain blood sugar levels.  I also consume meats like chicken, pork, beef, and fish, like salmon, lingcod, and crab.  My weight is still the same, but I'm not at all discouraged.  We visit our doctor next week, so I'll report my blood work results on Monday.  I'm particularly interested in my blood sugar and cholesterol numbers. In the meantime, I am healthier every day.