Having a grateful mindset all-year-round and not just on Thanksgiving Day is a positive trait to have. It is a trait that can help you be resilient and strong regardless of what life situation you might be in. What I mean by having a grateful mindset is appreciating what you do have in your life regardless of how small you might originally think they are and seeing them as big things. Here are three questions to help you reflect and feel grateful:   Do You Have Air in Your Lungs? I have air in my lungs. I can smell the flowers. I can hear birds singing. I can taste food. I can walk. I can feel the sun and the breeze of the ocean on my skin. I can talk. I can write. I can earn a living. I might need glasses sometimes but I have eyesight to see this beautiful world. I am grateful and feel strong because I know how lucky I am to be able to do all these things. Even though none of us know what tomorrow brings, I do know that having a grateful view of our current health status contributes to more health.     Have You Ever Overcome a Difficult Situation? I am proud of myself for everything I have been able to accomplish in my life regardless of the difficulties. Moving often as a child due to having parents from different countries. Learning English as a third language after moving to the United States as a teenager, going to college with a somewhat broken English, building a successful career in a highly competitive industry. Looking back, I am grateful for all these experiences because they made me the strong person I am today. Whatever your life situation was or is, make it a lesson of strength and have the confidence that once you overcome it, you will be stronger and nothing life throws at you can bring you down.     Do You Have Food and a Roof Over Your Head? I am grateful that I have food and a roof over my head. Some might think this is a silly thing to say but that is because some of us take these things for granted. Stop and think that about 1 billion of the world population does not have food to eat on a daily basis with as many as 1.6 billion people are lacking adequate housing and these are statistics that do not include the average struggling families. I feel extremely grateful to have a life where these immediate needs are always met. How this gives me strength? Even when lunch and dinner are not perfect, I am happy to have something to eat.  Even if we end up living in a tiny house (which we do contemplate sometimes) it is a roof and it will always be a happy place.     I do have a grateful mindset and I strive to always keep this mindset even when situations are challenging. And yes, one can say that things could be better, do not forget though that things could also be worse. Focus on the things that you do have in your life. Consequently, having the wisdom to see things that you might not currently have in your life as motivation points, positive life goals and dreams to be chased.

Do we ever overcome grief? My father passed away in February of 2024 at the age of 76. We were very close so this was the hardest thing I’ve had to go through in my life. I had to learn about grief and its stages in order to understand what I was going through and be able to know there was a light at the end of the tunnel and allow myself to go through the process. From the grief stages of denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance, this is what I’ve learned:    It's Okay to Feel Mixed Emotions For me all stages expect for one came together in full force, depression and denial followed by anger and bargaining and more depression. The feeling of deep sorrow took over me immediately after my father’s passing mixed with the feeling of not believing what had just happened. How can my father be gone? He seemed completely fine and making jokes before he went to the hospital earlier that week. Then, mixed with the deep sorrow and denial came the feeling of anger and bargaining when I found myself angrily playing the sequence of events of that week over and over in my head trying to find the areas where things could’ve been handled differently. These emotions are strong and seem to take over our lives but it is important to let these emotions happen in order to be able to start letting go and accepting.     Letting Go was the Most Difficult Part Since going back in time was not an option, I had to learn to be kind to myself and let go of the thoughts of the situations I didn’t have control over. Letting go of those thoughts was very difficult because it means to start creating the path for the acceptance process and to this day is something I work on a daily basis. We have to remember that although we might not have control over situations specially in situations of loss, we do have control over our thoughts and how we let them affect us. Letting go also means to let go of the sad memories that hurt us surrounding the passing of a loved one and choosing to remember the happy days with that person. In my case, I love remembering my father’s jokes and laugh.     Accepting Does Not Mean Forgetting your Loved One I miss my father and I know I always will. As part of the acceptance stage of grief, I have created ways that connect me with him. My father loved planting, nature in general and birds singing, so naturally I enjoy being in green areas and I find myself looking for birds that might be singing. In these settings, I allow myself to feel his presence and I allow myself to say a word or two to him in my mind. For me, creating a setting to connect with my father helped me with accepting the fact that he is no longer physically part of my life, however, knowing that I can feel his presence gives me the assurance that his soul lives on and that he’s still part of my life spiritually.     Time and Talking Do Help Allowing time to go through each of the stages of grief is extremely important and sometimes the different stages might come, go away, then come back again. Be patient with yourself and don’t be afraid to ask for help when needed. Talking things over and then over again definitely helps. In my case, my family was my support system through the roller coaster of emotions and I also was their support when they needed it. Now we can talk and mention my father without crying, most of the time.      (Older brother, mother, myself and younger brother in my father's hometown in Brazil where we brought his ashes in March of 2024)   I don’t think we overcome grief; I think that we learn to live with it. Understanding the stages of grief helped me understand myself. At this point, I can say that I have accepted the passing of my father, I know he’s in a better place now, not suffering and happily watching over us. Besides, like I told him on the moment he passed away in that hospital room while I was holding his hand, it was not a “good bye” just a “see you later”.

My mother was right when she said “Veinte años no es nada”, twenty years did fly by and here I am today in my 40s wondering where the time went. One thing is for sure though, I am much smarter and wiser. I’ve come to the conclusion that the longer you live the more you learn to enjoy life’s special moments and this is because as we get older, we learn what’s really important and have less tolerance for things that do not bring us happiness and peace. Here are the six things I wish I knew when I was 20. Who Cares What People Think About You People will criticize you no matter what you do so do what makes you happy in life. Always remind yourself what you are the owner of your own destiny and nobody else’s opinions matter. It is a skill that you have to practice on an ongoing basis to achieve proficiency and getting older is the perfect practice field for this. Be yourself, be happy and ignore the rest!   Do Not Compare Yourself to Others It’s very easy to compare ourselves to others, it must be human nature but we must fight against it. That comparison brings negative thoughts which prevent you from being your best self. We are all special in our own way and have something unique and valuable that nobody else has. Being older shows you that comparing yourself to others is wasted energy. Be and appreciate yourself! Always remember you’re beautiful! There’s only one “you” in this world!       The Small Things are the Big Things Little do we know when we are young that the little things are the big things in life. Time shows you that the smallest of the details can make lifetime memories and that those are the things that really matter in life. Take the time to smell the roses, feel the breeze of the ocean, make snow angels. Take everything in and enjoy every moment and every detail.     Don’t Settle for Anything Work hard, chase your dreams and don’t settle for anything! One of the best freedoms we have in life is to be able to choose, so choose to have the life that you see in your dreams and life aspirations. It took me many years to stop settling for things, now I am chasing my dreams, I kick routine in the butt and I am living the life that I want.     One Thing Never Changes, Money Does Buy Happiness I am sorry to tell you but money does buy happiness. However, in my 20s, the happiness money bought was the new outfits, the best seats to a concert and that trip to Europe. I still like those things but what’s more important to me now is what I can do for my family and I am not talking about being rich or anywhere close to that. Money buys us experiences like going to Disney World together, eating at iconic restaurants, helping our kids with college expenses but most importantly money gives me the peace of mind of having a comfortable home and good food on the table. This makes me happy.       Life is Short The sooner we learn that our time in this world is limited the sooner we start actually living. Don’t leave for tomorrow the things you want to do today because tomorrow might never come. Create a bucket list and start checking things off, the earlier you start the better. Life is short but is also the most beautiful present we could have received. Let’s make the best of it!     Too bad we couldn’t be this wise at the age of 20 but is never too late to learn. A life well lived is the only thing we can all hope for and always remember that getting older is a privilege that many do not get to experience. Have a good life!      

It’s officially flu season which is also the time that we start hoping that our immune system is strong enough to fight the several viruses and infections going around. Our immune system for sure does wonders but in order for it to be strong enough we also have to do our part so here are five natural ways to boost our immune system all year around. 1.    Eat Real Food The food we eat is one of the main things that shapes us meaning that the food we eat directly shapes not only our physical health but also our mental state as well as how the cells are generated in our bodies. Nutrients are the work force repairing and building everything inside us. Our immune system benefits from real food which is food that is not processed, food that comes from plants or animals. The ideal nutrition comes from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and dairy. It is food our grandparents would recognize. Foods to avoid are processed foods or food that have been modified by humans. Foods with artificial additives, preservatives, excessive sugar or fake sugar. 2.    Drink Water Water is what keeps our bodies functioning smoothly, it helps transport oxygen and nutrients to our cells, it helps flush out toxins and it even helps decrease inflammation in our bodies. All these things help support our immune system. This does not mean we need to start drinking gallons of water per day, it means we need to be consistent. If we wait until we are thirsty to drink water, by that point we might already be mildly dehydrated. Having the habit of sipping water throughout the day helps keep our bodies strong. 3.    Make Sleep a Priority Sleep is needed not just for beauty but also because that’s when our bodies repair and restore. It boosts our immune system by allowing our bodies to produce very important infection-fighting cells and proteins. It also allows our bodies to conserve energy and reduce adrenaline which improves cell efficiency. An adult should get at least 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep. If you have interruptions while you are sleeping you might need to add a couple more hours of sleep. If our bodies are not allowed the time to rest, it can make us prone to getting sick. 4.    Let’s Move Exercising is about way more than just fitness, it plays a very important role in our immune health. It boosts our immune system by increasing the circulation of immune cells throughout our bodies, helping them find and fight viruses and infections faster while helping reduce inflammation long-term. We don’t need a gym membership or intense long workouts to achieve these benefits. Walking, dancing, going up and down the stairs, biking and even gardening all count. Aim for 30 minutes of movement, five days a week. You can also break it into 10-minute chunks if it feels more doable. The important thing is to move your body. 5.    Manage Stress When we feel stressed, our bodies produce more cortisol, which can suppress immune function over time, opening up our bodies to many potential negative health impacts. Therefore, it is extremely important to learn to manage stress. Some of the ways to react to stress are to focus on immediate calming techniques like deep breathing and short walks. Another immediate technique is to close your eyes and picture yourself in a place that you love, or listen to your favorite song deeply concentration to remove the negative and stressful moments from your mind. For long-term stress management, many of the things mentioned in this article will help you build resilience and strength to handle stress and turn it around without letting you impact you. Things like eating healthy foods, getting enough sleep, exercising are essential for our ability to manage stress. So what have you done today to help your immune system? It’s all about creating good habits, small but consistent changes can make a big difference in the long run. Eating healthy, staying hydrated, getting enough sleep, moving your body and learning to manage stress can help your immune system with the support needed to protect you all year.  

Life can be crazy sometimes and it can take a toll on your mental and physical health. Since most of us are not ready to drop everything and move to a farm then what if I told you that something you already do every second of your day can make you feel healthier if you do it a little bit different and it can be done in seconds while you are busy conquering the world. It’s breathing, yes breathing but I am referring to deep breathing. Deep breathing brings more oxygen into your brain and body which can give you some great benefits and it is something so simple to do. Let’s explore some of those benefits.   Helps Beat Headaches I came across deep breathing by accident. I was suffering from persistent headaches that just wouldn’t go away. At the moment of my worst pain, I closed my eyes and started to breathe deeply while working hard to clear my mind, almost like meditating. The deep breathing gave me an immediate peaceful feeling but what happened a few minutes later was the amazing part, my persistent headache was better. Then a little later while I kept doing the deep breathing, my persistent headache was gone. Deep and slow breaths can help relax tense muscles specially in the neck and shoulder areas potentially helping get rid of headaches.     It's a Stress Reducer When someone is stressed, their breathing pattern changes. A stressed person takes small, shallow breaths, using their shoulders instead of their diaphragm. This style of breathing deprives your body of the much-needed oxygen to function properly. Without enough oxygen our bodies and our minds become weak, so take a deep breath in then let it all out. You might notice a big difference in how you feel in a matter of seconds. Your breathing pattern is a powerful tool to control stress and anxiety making you ready to face any challenge in your day.     Improves Sleep Nothing better than a good night sleep to get you ready for a hectic day ahead, but what if you just can’t get enough sleep? And did you notice the more you worry about not being able to sleep the longer it takes to actually fall asleep? I am here to tell you that deep breathing techniques can be very effective in helping you fall asleep and stay asleep by promoting body and mind relaxation. The diaphragmatic breathing technique has become my favorite. You focus on breathing deeply into your abdomen, feeling your hand on your belly rise as you inhale and fall as you exhale, while you try not to move your chest.   It Helps you Focus Deep breathing techniques can also help you increase focus and improve cognitive function. By including deep breathing in your daily routine, you can calm your nervous system, reduce stress, and increase oxygen flow to your brain, making your mind sharp which promotes improved concentration. It will help train your brain to stay present and focused on the task at hand.   So let’s not forget to breathe but breathe right! If I knew about all these benefits, I would have started deep breathing a long time ago. Find the deep breathing technique that works best for you and consider including it in your daily routine. Some of the techniques out there are the diaphragmatic breathing, the 4-7-8 breathing, the box breathing, the alternate nostril breathing and the counting while breathing. If techniques are not your thing, just close your eyes and take a deep breath. Happy breathing everyone!  

  Feeling stressed or overwhelmed like the weight of the world is on your shoulders? Own less things! This is exactly how I started my new year, doing a detachment of material things by reviewing every single item in my closet and other areas of my house. The feeling of freedom with each full bag that left my house was kind of shocking. Getting rid of the unnecessary things in your home might just give you a fresh start and help you reduce stress, it gives you a sense of freedom, it supports better focus and it might even give you more confidence, let’s expand on these benefits. Reduced Stress and Improved Focus An overfilled or disorganized home can trigger your body to produce the stress hormone cortisol making you feel overwhelmed making it difficult for you to concentrate and get things done. Eliminating the excessive number of things on surfaces, clothes on closets, decorations and even furniture can reduce stress by creating a sense of control and order in your environment. It clears your mind allowing you to relax and a calm and relaxed mind is able to think at its full capacity, focus and concentrate to analyze situations and find solutions.     Feeling Free Are you a slave to your own possessions? Do you feel emotionally attached to material things or have the need to constantly buy more material things? The hardest part is getting started but once you find the power to let go, the feeling of freedom is just amazing. You will find yourself free from the expense of unnecessary spending, free from having a huge number of things to clean, free from the fear of unexpected visitors and free from the lack of space in your house. You will feel like a weight came off your shoulders, a feeling of unexplainable happiness. This is something that most of us don’t realize that by buying unnecessary material things aka clutter you are actually making your life worse.    More Confidence By reducing stress, feeling free and more focused, you could find yourself feeling more confident in many aspects of your life. Owning less can provide a sense of accomplishment and control over your environment, positively impacting your self-esteem. Now you will be able to easily find clothes in your closet which will make getting ready in the morning a piece of cake. You will feel confident feeling like your brain is working at full capacity at work due to your newly found focus. Problems become something easy to solve, just throw me another one! It’s exactly like they say, confidence is everything!     I couldn’t believe these benefits myself and I plan to continue working on my new semi-minimalist self throughout the year. In addition to improving your life, this lifestyle supports cutting back on spending, reducing waste and focusing on what’s really important in life. It’s all about owning less and living more and I am all in for that. Would you dare to try it?  

Do you know that app called Zillow that you can search for places to buy or rent? Yes, that one. What if I told you that it can be used as motivation for the life you want even if you are not thinking about buying a property or renting a new place in the near future. You can go from just browsing potential dream homes in areas you dream of, to turning it into a strategic tool for life inspiration and what it takes to get there. Here’s how to do it: Do you Dream about a Change in Life? If you live in the city and see yourself living in a farm with chickens, cows and horses, or if you live in a small town but would love to have the experience of living in a big city like New York City, or if you currently live in a big house but dream about getting rid of all your belongings and moving to a tiny house in the middle of the woods or are you tired of long winters and want to live in Florida? Then use Zillow to find the place or places that would make that life vision come true. Save your Vision Now that you have a vision in your mind of the life and place you want, make sure you keep it handy. Add the Zillow links to your list of favorites or send it to a person close to you like your significant other. I always send Zillow links to my husband and we love talking about our life dreams. Being able to see your life vision will help you stay motivated on the actions to get there. Always remember that nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it and that everything starts with a vision. Create an Action Plan Now that you have a life vision, create an action plan for what it takes to get to that vision. Break it down into categories and by order of completion. For example, start with a timeframe, do you see yourself in a farm 3 years from now? Once you have a timeframe, you’ll be able to create an action plan based on that. For example, do you need to work on your credit score? In which case, get a copy of your official credit report and create a list of items to clean up. Another example, based on the prices you found on Zillow, how much money will you need to put aside each paycheck in order to have a good enough down payment for your farmhouse? Once you know that, then you can create a plan like opening a savings account and start saving money, always keeping your vision in mind. Allow Yourself to Change your Mind Once you are saving money for your life vision, allow yourself to change your mind. You are not locked to a vision you had a couple years ago. People change and so do life visions. It’s never too late to have a new life vision with a new timeframe and a new action plan. The important part is to always keep looking ahead while enjoying the present moment. Regardless of where you are in life right now, it is always a great thing to have life dreams, visions and aspirations as they keep us motivated to keep us pushing forward and working hard. I enjoy browsing through Zillow and dreaming away to different lives I want, some days I feel like a farmer, some I feel like a Disney adult and some days I feel like a New Yorker at heart and this is called living.  

Are you a bread lover like me? Do you love a good sandwich on a French baguette or Cuban roll but do not want to be eating all those carbs? If so, this is the right trick for you. Some people might think it’s silly but it really works because your brain thinks you are eating the entire bread so you feel satisfied when in reality you are eating mostly the outside crust. Instructions Only One Step: Open the bread that you will be using to make your sandwich and remove the inside of the bread. The amount you remove is the amount you prefer to avoid eating.  The end result is a sandwich that is leaner with less carbs.  

The term “Chase your Dreams” sounds like something so unreachable, something that we all want to do but it feels more like a dream in itself specially when all the daily responsibilities and the chaos of life hit us, believe me I know how it feels. One thing to remember is that life is short, very short, and that we owe it to ourselves to live it and not only survive it. Chasing your Dreams means having a vision of what you want for yourself and taking actions to achieve that vision. Your dreams and the desire to achieve them will make you wake up every morning with a big smile on your face eager to take the next step to chase those dreams. Here are my five tips:  Tip # 1 – Dream Big but Don’t Tell Everyone     This might be a cultural thing but my mother always told me to not tell everyone about your plans for the future because unfortunately most people won’t be happy for you and their negative comments towards your dreams can bring you down and discourage you. The best approach is to only share your dreams and aspirations with your closest loved ones, people that you know will support you and will provide the positivity that you need to go on your dream chasing journey. To the others, let them know about your dreams with your actions not with words.   Tip # 2 – Write Down what Dream you want to Chase     Have a vision on how your dream will be. Write down what’s on your vision of that desirable future state. Describe the goal you want to accomplish in your life, but write it down either on a piece of paper that you will pin to a board on your wall, your daily planner or diary, or even on our smart phone notes. You must write it down on a place that you will see often so your dream is not forgotten.    Tip # 3 – Picture your Dream     Now that you have a vision in your mind of what your dream looks like, make your eyes see it too. This can be as simple as having a picture of that final state dream put in a place that you will always see like the fridge or on your desk. The “picture” can be anything that will help you visualize your dream, like a magazine cutout, a magnet, a printed page from online, or an actual picture. Being able to see your dream will help you stay motivated on the actions to get there.    Tip # 4 – Break your Dream down into Smaller Goals     From that vision, start breaking it down into several smaller goals. Write them down in a list format to create an action plan. This action plan aka the list of things you need to do to achieve your dreams needs to be simple enough that you can easily follow. I recommend having dates for each goal so that you can keep track on the progress and hold yourself accountable. This list of goals can be as long as it needs to be because the important part of this tip is that these are not big tasks but rather small tasks that are much easier to complete. Keeping them simple and small will help you not get overwhelmed of the work involved to achieve your final state dream.    Tip # 5 – Allow Yourself to Make Mistakes and Learn from Them     Let me tell you, there will be mistakes or things just won't go as planned because it’s life. Regardless on the situation, do not get discouraged. You need to get up, try again and always learn from your mistakes. By learning I mean sometimes you will need to adjust, maybe one of the smaller goals to get to your dream need to be re-planned and redone. Mistakes and failures are life’s way of teaching us so embrace them and keep growing. These five tips will help you but always remember that the “chasing” journey is the most important part of it all regardless of the end state dream because it means you are LIVING so make sure to enjoy the moments along the way, make unexpected lifetime friends, dance like no one is watching, feel the breeze of the ocean, always include things that make you happy because as my friend Steven Tyler would say “Life’s a journey, not a destination”.        

Tilapia in the oven is a light yet delicious option for any dish as a lean protein. It is so easy and quick to make. So many family dinners over the years we had Tilapia in the oven with white rice and quinoa. Some nights we had Tilapia in the oven with yellow rice and broccoli. Tilapia in the oven is definitely one of our favorites! Ingredients -    1 pound of Tilapia fillets-    5 tablespoons of olive oil-    One teaspoon of garlic powder-    One teaspoon of salt-    One lime (optional) Prep Work -    Rinse the Tilapia fillets and cut them in half lengthwise. -    Then sprinkle salt and garlic powder on both sides of each piece of Tilapia. Instructions Step 1: Pre-heat the oven at 400 F Step 2: On a large oven-safe baking tray, add the olive oil. Step 3: Spread the olive oil by holding the tray and moving it around. Step 4: Then place the pieces of Tilapia inside the baking tray with the olive oil in it. Try to not overlap them. Step 5: Place the baking tray in the pre-heated oven and add a timer for 30 minutes. Step 6: If you check after 30 minutes and you feel like you want your Tilapia a little toastier, add new timers by 5 minutes increments for close monitoring. Step 7: Removing the tray from the oven and serve. Step 8: Squeeze some lime juice on the Tilapia as you serve (optional). Enjoy!  

White rice is such a staple food since it goes well in many dishes and it’s a great source of energy. I couldn’t live without rice! This is a stovetop recipe and is very easy to follow. Made with fresh garlic and olive oil, you will love it as much as I do. Ingredients -    3 cloves of garlic-    4 tablespoons of olive oil-    2 cups of long grain white rice-    4 cups of water-    ½ teaspoon of salt Prep Work -    Peel the 3 cloves of garlic and cut the them into tiny pieces.  -    Put the long grain white rice in a fine mesh strainer and gently rinse the rice by letting the water go through it in the kitchen sink. After rinsing, keep the rice in the strainer until it’s time to cook it. Time to Cook Step 1: Put a medium to large cooking pan on the stovetop and turn it on to medium heat. Step 2: Pour the olive oil into the cooking pan and add the garlic right after. Then wait until the garlic starts to cook. Step 3: When the garlic is visibly cooking, add the rinsed rice and add the 4 cups of water to the pan. Step 4: Add the ½ teaspoon of salt and mix it all using a wooden spoon. Step 5: Turn it to high heat and wait until it starts boiling. Step 6: Once it is visibly boiling, turn it to low heat and cover the cooking pan with its lid. Step 7: Occasionally uncover the cooking pan and mix the rice with the wooden spoon and monitor the water evaporating. Step 8: Once you notice that most water has evaporated, check the side of the cooking pan from the inside with a spoon to see if no water is left.  Step 9: Once the water is gone and the rice it’s still moist, turn off the heat and cover the cooking pan again.  Step 10: Let the rice sit for about 5 minutes before serving since the rice will finish drying during that time. Enjoy!

Avocado Toast with Egg is one of my favorite foods for breakfast, brunch or lunch. It is so delicious and nutritious, plus it’s so easy to make! Ingredients -    1 hash avocado-    2 eggs-    2 slices of bread (I used sourdough bread)-    4 tablespoons of olive oil-    2 pinches of salt-    Black pepper as desired Prep Work Step 1: Rinse the avocado and pat dry it with a paper towel. Step 2: Cut the avocado open lengthwise and remove the pit by scooping it out with a spoon. Step 3: Preheat a frying pan to medium heat. Add the olive oil and fry the eggs sunny side up style at low heat. Add one pinch of salt and black pepper as desired to the eggs as they are being fried.  Step 4: Once the eggs are fried, place them on a plate using a spatula. Don’t worry if your eggs do not have a perfect sunny side up look, they’ll still be delicious. Step 5: Toast the slices of bread to your preference. Putting it Together Step 1: Put the toasted bread on a plate. Step 2: Using a spoon, scoop out small pieces of the avocado and put them all over the 2 slices of bread. Repeat until all avocado is scooped out. Step 3: Once the avocado is on the bread, spread one pinch of salt throughout. Step 4: Then carefully add one fried egg to each slice of bread using a spatula. Your Avocado Toast with Egg is ready. This is one of the best breakfast, brunch or lunch idea ever, and who says it can’t be dinner, right?!  

The process of making sourdough bread brings us back to the basics to a time where humans used to eat only naturally made foods, doesn’t that already sound so much better than most things made today? In a world where we are told that bread is not good for us, understanding how sourdough bread is better than other types of bread will make you see that you don’t have to avoid bread altogether but maybe embrace it in a different way. Here are three reasons why I switched to sourdough bread. How It Is Made Sourdough bread is made using a natural fermented starter with flour and water with wild yeast and bacteria instead of industrially produced baker’s yeast. The way it works is that it uses fermentation by naturally occurring yeast and lactobacillus bacteria aka the healthy bacteria to leaven the bread. In addition to leavening the bread, the fermentation process produces lactic acid which is the good kind of acid and that also gives sourdough bread its unique sour taste. The History Sourdough has been around since the beginning of times as it is one of the most ancient forms of bread way before any industrialization was involved in breadmaking. It actually was considered the standard method of making bread for most of human history until the Middle Ages when it was replaced by barm from beer which in turn was replaced in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by industrially produced baker’s yeast. Health Benefits Although sourdough bread can be made from the same flour as other types of bread, its fermentation process makes it more nutritious. It has antioxidants that help protect cellular damage. It has probiotics and prebiotics that nourish your gut microbiome boosting digestive health. It contains lower glycemic index so it doesn’t raise your blood sugar. It supports enhanced mineral absorption by breaking down phytic acid which is the bad kind of acid making it easier for your body to absorb things like iron, zinc and magnesium. Lastly, its fermentation process breaks down the gluten making it easier for your body to digest it compared to regular bread. For me who has always been a bread lover it was a no-brainer, I switched to sourdough bread and have not looked back. I still eat other types of bread when sourdough is not an option but my first choice is always sourdough bread now. Just imagine the simple morning cup of coffee with a toasted slice of sourdough bread with butter melting as you take the first bite, do I need to say more?  

I am proud to say that Quinoa was “invented” in my culture since it is an Andean grain that originated in Peru and Bolivia in South America. I’ve known that Quinoa is good for you but I didn’t know that it was this good until later in life. Quinoa is very unique because it is the only plant-based food that contains all of the essential amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of the proteins that make up our muscles, bones, skin and blood. The nine amino acids classified as “essential” must be obtained from food daily since our bodies cannot produce or store them and quinoa provides all nine of them. In addition, Quinoa is very high in fiber. Here are five potential benefits of Quinoa to our bodies as well as ways to prepare it.   Might Contain Anti-Cancer Properties Quinoa's antioxidant compounds, phenolic compounds, polysaccharides and saponins may have anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects, according to a 2021 study published in Food Frontiers. Laboratory studies on polysaccharides suggest that these components may help protect cellular health and prevent certain types of cancer, such as liver and cervical cancers. However, more research is needed to confirm this in humans. Not sure about you but this tells me that I should continue to eat Quinoa.       May Reduce Inflammation Quinoa’s polysaccharides and saponins are not the only antioxidant compounds found in it. Quinoa also contains flavonoids and polyphenols. The antioxidant properties of these compounds may help protect your cells from oxidative damage and reduce inflammation, according to a 2023 review published in Antioxidants. Well, guess what I will be eating for dinner tonight!     Can Help Regulate Blood Sugar The nutrients in Quinoa may also be beneficial in regulating blood sugar. In a small study, participants over 65 with blood glucose levels between 100 and 125 mg/dl consumed Quinoa for four weeks—the results indicated a significant reduction in glucose and slight weight loss, according to the 2022 study published in Nutrients. The researchers suggest that eating Quinoa to replace other complex carbohydrates may be a preventive measure against type 2 diabetes. Protein and fiber contribute to Quinoa's low glycemic index. Phenolic compounds are also present, slowing carbohydrate digestion to prevent a high post-meal glucose spike. This is just another great potential benefit of eating Quinoa.   May Smooth Digestion Quinoa is very high in fiber, a critical nutrient for healthy digestion. Eating Quinoa may also increase healthy bacterial growth in the gut microbiome since fiber helps nourish those beneficial bacteria. Are you yet convinced that Quinoa is good for you?     May Lower Cholesterol People susceptible to heart attack, cardiovascular disease and stroke can benefit from eating more Quinoa to help manage their cholesterol levels as well as to help maintain a healthy weight. The fiber content found in Quinoa may help reduce LDL cholesterol levels. Additionally, Quinoa's ample omega-3 fatty acids may have a significant positive impact. Quinoa is really a food with superpowers.     Ways to Prepare Quinoa There are many ways to prepare Quinoa, some of the most common ways is to eat it are in salads, as a side dish, in grain bowls, in soups and in baked goods but my favorite way to eat Quinoa in Peruvian style is as a stew. The stew can be very elaborate with many ingredients like yellow potatoes, onions, garlic and tomatoes or very simple for a quick meal. To prepare the simple version of the stew dish, I simmer diced garlic on olive oil and add paprika, then I add the washed Quinoa and add water and salt. Bring it to a boil and immediately turn it to low. After this, you will need to keep an eye on it and mix it occasionally. Add more water if the Quinoa dries too fast, cover and allow it to cook until soft. I serve it with white rice and either salmon or steak.     You can find Quinoa in most supermarkets and membership-only warehouse clubs but if you prefer to buy it on Amazon, here is an excellent organic Quinoa from the Viva Naturals Organic brand. It is a 4 lbs. bag for $17.99:    Amazon: Viva Naturals Organic Quinoa, 4 lb - Plant Based Protein #ad   After reading this blog, are you ready to give Quinoa a try? Even if you don’t love it at first, don’t give up on it as it takes time to get adjusted to new flavors. However, knowing the potential health benefits, it might be worth implementing it into your diet. And for the love of food, have a great day!       Reference: EatingWell.com Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  

Tomato sauce by nature has some acidity but too much of it can be overwhelming and it can mean the difference between a delicious pasta dish versus a sour one so I use this cooking hack every single time to make sure my tomato sauce always has the best taste possible. Yes, I add sugar and I stand by it. Instructions Step 1: Once you are done preparing your tomato sauce meaning all the vegetables, meat, seasoning including salt have been added, mixed and cooked throughout, taste your sauce to determine if it is sour. Step 2: If the tomato sauce tastes sour, you will need to add sugar to it but the amount of sugar will depend on the amount of sauce you have. Step 3: The best way to handle it is by adding a very small amount of sugar, mix and taste the sauce. Repeat this step until your sauce no longer tastes sour. If you feel you added too much sugar and your sauce now tastes too sweet, add a little salt to break the sweetness. It’s all about the balance.

I am sure there are many ways to cut open an avocado and remove the pit but here I’ll show you the way I do it which I learned it from my Peruvian family.  Instructions Step 1: Rinse a fresh avocado and dry it with a paper towel. Step 2: On a cutting board, slice the avocado lengthwise around the pit. Step 3: Then slightly twist the avocado to separate the two halves. Step 4: Carefully to avoid waste, use a tablespoon to scoop the pit out of the avocado by running the spoon under and around the pit. Once the pit is out, you can use the avocado for whatever you need. You can scoop the entire avocado half to slice it for salads or other dishes. You can also scoop it in small parts or smash it for sandwiches.  There are a million ways to eat avocado so have fun with it!

The town of Celebration in Florida is a place that attracts many people including celebrities due to its beautiful 20th-century architectural style and peaceful environment, but do you know who is the biggest celebrity that has ever lived in our town? I do understand that considering a person a celebrity can be subjective, however, when a country with a territory almost as big as the United States considers someone to be the greatest personality in the history of television, I would say that this person is indeed the biggest celebrity to ever live in our town. That country is Brazil and that name is Silvio Santos.   The Man Behind the Name He was famous by his stage name of Silvio Santos but his real name was Senor Abravanel. He was the son of a father of Greek Jewish descent and a mother of Turkish Jewish heritage, who grew up in the neighborhood of Lapa in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He started as a street vendor at the age of 14 in the 1940's in downtown Rio and went on to become the biggest TV host of all time. He was the owner of Grupo Silvio Santos that included his own TV channel called “SBT” which is the second largest television network in Brazil. His net worth was USD $2.3 billion in 2013. It is impossible to find a person in Brazil who does not know who Silvio Santos is.     His Charisma He connected with the audience like no other TV host. He had an ear-to-ear smile. His laugh was something that can’t be explained in words other than if he was laughing, the entire room was laughing, as was everyone watching him at home. He had a very charismatic personality, a very unique style and a voice like no other. He was considered one of the most influential and beloved people in Brazil. His famous catchphrase was “Who wants money?” and every Sunday the entire country would be watching him in his several shows and contests. He became part of Brazilian history.     Life in Brazil He lived in the prominent neighborhood of Morumbi in São Paulo which should be similar to the quality of life of the United States. However, he used his platform to criticize aspects of life in Brazil including poverty, inequality, lack of access to basic services, all which contributed to higher crime rates in Brazil. In 2001, one of his daughters was kidnapped but thankfully returned unharmed. Once, Silvio Santos himself was held hostage at gunpoint in his own home. He often expressed his dream for Brazilians to be able to enjoy a similar standard of living as people in the United States.    Photo: Morumbi, São Paulo, Brazil   His Love for Celebration He was a resident of Celebration and he found comfort and joy in being in our town. He spent months each year in his Celebration home with his wife and pets enjoying the simple things in life. In Celebration, he was able to live a more “normal” life away from the big crowds of fans and most importantly away from the constant threat of crime. He was sometimes seen at the Publix on Blake Road while shopping in his pajamas or enjoying dinner at downtown Celebration with his family.  He would interact with the few Brazilian fans who were lucky to spot him, he gave autographs and took pictures.    Photo: Silvio Santos with wife and pets in front of their Celebration home.    Photo: Silvio Santos and wife at the Italian restaurant in downtown Celebration, Reggiano's of Celebration.   Many people in Brazil know about Celebration because of Silvio Santos. If he liked living here, then it must be a great town. He passed away in August of 2024 at the age of 93. Even though he’s no longer with us, his legacy lives on and the Abravanel family continues to be a big part of our Celebration community. He was a very smart man to have been able to build his empire from nothing but he was a smarter man for having discovered the beauty of Celebration.    Photo: After Silvio Santos' passing, fans left flowers in front of his home in Celebration.    Photo: Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil dressed as Silvio Santos as a tribute after his passing.   Valeu Silvio!                  

The town of Celebration in Florida is a beautiful place for sure, you can immediately see its beauty as soon as you step into this amazing town. Its green areas and trails, the beautifully designed homes and streets look so surreal. But besides all this, do you know why Celebration is so special? Some residents might have different reasons as to why Celebration is special to them but for most of us, it all started with a mouse.Location, Location, Location!Celebration is located just outside the Most Magical Place on Earth, a 5-minute drive to Disney World. This is a dream come true for any Disney fan or anyone who loves to have a good time. Disney World does not only consist of theme parks, there is also amazing dining options, shows, live music, entertainment, shopping, just anything you can imagine when you think of having a good time either as a family, as a couple or solo. A Very Special HistoryCelebration is a town that was designed by Disney so it is not a surprise that its first name was Disney’s Town of Celebration. Disney was inspired by the charm of small-town America and had the dream of creating a community that combined both modern conveniences with a traditional look. The Disney Development Company (DDC) established the Celebration Company to oversee the development of the community. The DDC invested an estimated US$2.5 billion in the project. To decide who would be the first residents, Disney held a lottery type of selection process where 1,200 people submitted $1,000 deposits. The first family moved in on June 18, 1996, and the downtown area was completed on November 12, 1996. Beautiful Design and PlanCelebration is a master planned community (MPC) which is a large, custom built residential community. The community was designed in an early 20th-century architectural style, with homes featuring porches, picket fences, and different types of roof lines. Civic buildings were designed by world-famous architects like Philip Johnson, Cesar Pelli, and Robert A.M. Stern.   If You Get It, You Get ItSimilar to Disney, those who like Celebration are those who understand its magic so yes if you get it, you get it. The appreciation of the town from its residents and fans in general come from each person's connection and life memories of Disney and you can see it and feel it while you walk around Celebration. Residents are always happy, smiling and greeting each other.   Celebration has a special place in my heart. Even though it is no longer owned by Disney, Celebration is located on land that used to be part of the Walt Disney World Resort which is now part of Kissimmee and Osceola County. Celebration is a fun place to live with lots of events and activities, not to mention the ongoing growth of amazing restaurants and shopping options as a result of a recent expansion project of the town. While growth is inevitable, the Disney and Celebration fans hope that the special feeling that you get while you are in Celebration never goes away. Thanks to Walt Disney for making his dreams come true because they became our dreams.

I thought I knew something about the Haunted Mansion until a few months ago when we met up with friends who are huge Haunted Mansion fans and know so much about this awesome ride at the Magic Kingdom. I then realized I didn’t know much at all and needed to do some research of my own. One thing was clear to me, to better know the Haunted Mansion I would need to get to know more about the main characters in it and that’s exactly what I did.     Let’s Start from the Beginning The Haunted Mansion is a slow-moving ride at the Magic Kingdom that opened along with the Magic Kingdom itself on October 1, 1971. The ride length is approximately eight minutes long. The ride is open for guests of any height and any age. It is considered to be a spooky ride but with friendly ghosts which means that everyone would enjoy it. There are versions of the Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyland California, Disneyland Tokyo, Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland. Each of these versions have their own little bit of history behind it.   Picture: Yale Gracey   The Best Spooky Fun As part of the ride queue at Magic Kingdom, be prepared to walk through some tombstones including the one for Master Gracey, who is the owner of the Mansion. Make sure to have your hands free for some supernatural hands-on experiences as well. Once inside, you will see a room actually stretching along with a hanging body from the ceiling and yes this part is actually a little scary. Then you climb aboard a Doom Buggy for a grave tour through a dark maze of haunted chambers. The ride is narrated by the voice of The Ghost Host as your private guide through a very Haunted Mansion, home to ghosts, ghouls and supernatural surprises. You will go by a casket-filled conservatory, Madame Leota’s chilling seance room and a ghostly graveyard of singing ghosts as you try to find your way out. Beware of hitchhikers and be careful because a ghost may follow you home.        Master Gracey Master Gracey was a very rich man and the owner of the Mansion. After his passing, you can see Master Gracey's tombstone as part of the queue of the Haunted Mansion. Many believe he is also The Ghost Host which will make him also be the hanging body from the attic on the first part of the ride. There's also an interesting and mysterious fact, fresh flowers appeared for many years in Master Gracey’s tombstone. Who do you think put those flowers there? Now let’s go over the true story of Master Gracey. He was created as a tribute to Disney Imagineer Yale Gracey who was murdered in 1983 at the age of 73 at his home. He was responsible for pretty much all of the illusions found within the ride. The association of him being referred to as, "Master" Gracey lead the majority of cast members and guests to presume of him having been the Master of the Haunted Mansion. This was supported by how every morning a red rose was placed on Master Gracey's tombstone, this was most likely started during the 1980s by cast members as a way of mourning Yale Gracey after he was murdered.         The Ghost Host Many people believe that Master Gracey and The Ghost Host are one in the same and that he died by suicide. Master Gracey as the owner of the Mansion acts as the host as he welcomes mortals into his haunted home. His evil laugh once you enter the mansion as he displays his own hanging body from the attic is just priceless. Regardless if Master Gracey and The Ghost Host are the same or not, I couldn’t think of a better voice for this ride and you will hear his spooky narration throughout the entire ride. He is voiced by actor Paul Frees, who appeared in many Disney movies and was the voice of many famous characters over the years. You can hear his voice in another ride at the Magic Kingdom, Pirates of the Caribbean. He recorded the ghost voice saying the iconic "Dead Men Tell No Tales", as well as lending his voice to several audio-animatronic pirates.         Constance Hatchaway Constance Hatchaway is bride in the attic and one of the figures depicted in the Stretching Room’s portraits. She is the scariest character in the Haunted Mansion, because not only she is a bride ghost but when she was alive she murdered all her five husbands. She’s also known as The Black Widow Bride. She would marry the richest of the richest then she would murder each husband by cutting their heads off. This is why you see her holding a hatchet in the ride next to the portraits of her husbands with no heads. Pretty creepy, right?           Madame Leota Madame Leota’s character is a disembodied head that speaks from inside a crystal ball, how cool is that? Madame Leota got her name from Leota Toombs who was a Disney Imagineer and the face of Madame Leota. Yale Gracey (Master Gracey) asked her to pose for the floating head character to test it out and the rest is history. However, Madame Loeota was voiced by Eleanor Audley, who had the perfect villain voice. You can hear Eleonor’s perfectly villain voice in Cinderella as the evil stepmother and in Sleeping Beauty as Maleficent.           The Hitchhiking Ghosts The Hitchhiking Ghosts have to be the coolest characters of the Haunted Mansion. They are the three ghosts that you see towards the end of the ride. These ghosts are established residents of the Mansion known as The Traveler (Phineas), The Skeleton (Ezra) and The Prisoner (Gus). Since they “hitchhike” be ready for them to jump on board your Doom Buggy for a little ride. They might also mess with you just because they can. The three ghosts got their names from a backstory created by a cast member. Since the creation of the story, their names have become official for all Disney lovers and you will even see their names in Haunted Mansion merch in the parks.       Hatbox Ghost The Hatbox Ghost character is a crazy and evil looking skeleton with a big hat on. He was at the Haunted Mansion ride in Disneyland when it first opened in 1969 then removed then made a permanent return in 2015. Even though he’s located in Disneyland and not in Disney World, it is worth mentioning him since in September 2022 during the D23 Expo, it was announced that the Hatbox Ghost character will be added to the Magic Kingdom’s Haunted Mansion at some point in 2023. We are patiently awaiting. UPDATE: In November 2023, the Hatbox Ghost materialized at Disney World. Yes, he's here!     The Haunted Mansion ride at Disney World is loved by many but learning more about its characters can give you a better appreciation for the ride. So next time you ride the Haunted Mansion, don’t forget to bring a red rose for Master Gracey, or to count how many portraits of Constance’s headless husbands you can see, or to try to see which Hitchhiking Ghost you can identify by name. Lastly, don't forget to say this awesome line out loud with Madame Leota: “Serpents and spiders, tail of a rat. Call in the spirits wherever they’re at!”   Watch our Haunted Mansion videos on YouTube: