Are You Honest?

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Ask most people if they are honest and they will say “yes” with absolute conviction.  We as a people like to think that we have integrity and morals.  In the larger picture, that may be true. After all the majority of the population obey the rules and stay out of jail.  We work hard and raise our children to be upstanding citizens.  We pay our taxes.  We live an honorable life.

But the truth is (pun intended) that we tell “little” lies all of the time.  We convince our little ones that there is this person called Santa Claus.  We tell our friends we have other plans when we just do not feel like going out to dinner with them.  We call in sick to work when what we really want is a day off.  And we tell our mate we had a salad for lunch when we really had a cheeseburger in order to avoid conflict.  And one of the biggest lies we all tell is that we are “fine” when someone asks how we are doing when we really feel horrible.  In fact, we are a lying culture because it is much more acceptable to be polite than sincere.  

Where am I going with all of this?  I honestly do not know, except to explore just how complex our ethics really are.  We are taught that lying is wrong, but we are also taught that you shouldn’t hurt people.  The truth hurts sometimes….so we avoid it.  Because the lesser of two evils is to spare someone’s feelings.  Or is it to spare our own?  Conflict avoidance seems to be one of the biggest triggers for dishonesty.

In my own life, I try to avoid doing things that I would need to lie about to the people I love.  My child was also never subjected to the “stork” and Santa Claus was “The Christmas Spirit”.  But am I 100% honest?

My newest piece above titled “Honesty” is. 🙂

 

An Apple A Day…

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Or maybe two…..Tis the season for apples!  Apple pie.  Apple cider.  Apple and cinnamon candles.  In our home an apple for the teacher too!  Americans have always had a big love for this crisp, sweet and healthy fruit.  Here are 14 health benefits to eating this great food:

1. Get whiter, healthier teeth

An apple won’t replace your toothbrush, but biting and chewing an apple stimulates the production of saliva in your mouth, reducing tooth decay by lowering the levels of bacteria.

2. Avoid Alzheimer’s

A new study performed on mice shows that drinking apple juice could keep Alzheimer’s away and fight the effects of aging on the brain. Mice in the study that were fed an apple-enhanced diet showed higher levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and did better in maze tests than those on a regular diet.

3. Protect against Parkinson’s

Research has shown that people who eat fruits and other high-fibre foods gain a certain amount of protection against Parkinson’s, a disease characterized by a breakdown of the brain’s dopamine-producing nerve cells. Scientists have linked this to the free radical-fighting power of the antioxidants contained therein.

4. Curb all sorts of cancers

Scientists from the American Association for Cancer Research, among others, agree that the consumption of flavonol-rich apples could help reduce your risk of developing pancreatic cancer by up to 23 per cent. Researchers at Cornell University have identified several compounds—triterpenoids—in apple peel that have potent anti-growth activities against cancer cells in the liver, colon and breast. Their earlier research found that extracts from whole apples can reduce the number and size of mammary tumours in rats. Meanwhile, the National Cancer Institute in the U.S. has recommended a high fibre intake to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.

5. Decrease your risk of diabetes

Women who eat at least one apple a day are 28 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who don’t eat apples. Apples are loaded with soluble fibre, the key to blunting blood sugar swings.

6. Reduce cholesterol

The soluble fibre found in apples binds with fats in the intestine, which translates intolower cholesterol levels and a healthier you.

7. Get a healthier heart

An extensive body of research has linked high soluble fibre intake with a slower buildup of cholesterol-rich plaque in your arteries. The phenolic compound found in apple skins also prevents the cholesterol that gets into your system from solidifying on your artery walls. When plaque builds inside your arteries, it reduces blood flow to your heart, leading to coronary artery disease.

8. Prevent gallstones

Gallstones form when there’s too much cholesterol in your bile for it to remain as a liquid, so it solidifies. They are particularly prevalent in the obese. To prevent gallstones, doctors recommend a diet high in fibre to help you control your weight and cholesterol levels.

9. Beat diarrhea and constipation

Whether you can’t go to the bathroom or you just can’t stop, fibre found in apples can help. Fibre can either pull water out of your colon to keep things moving along when you’re backed up, or absorb excess water from your stool to slow your bowels down.

10. Neutralize irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome is characterized by constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal pain and bloating. To control these symptoms doctors recommend staying away from dairy and fatty foods while including a high intake of fibre in your diet.

11. Avert hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids are a swollen vein in the anal canal and while not life threatening, these veins can be very painful. They are caused by too much pressure in the pelvic and rectal areas. Part and parcel with controlling constipation, fibre can prevent you from straining too much when going to the bathroom and thereby help alleviate hemorrhoids.

12. Control your weight

Many health problems are associated with being overweight, among them heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea. To manage your weight and improve your overall health, doctors recommend a diet rich in fibre. Foods high in fibre will fill you up without costing you too many calories.

13. Boost your immune system

Red apples contain an antioxidant called quercetin. Recent studies have found thatquercetin can help boost and fortify your immune system, especially when you’re stressed out.

14. Prevent cataracts

Though past studies have been divided on the issue, recent long-term studies suggest that people who have a diet rich in fruits that contain antioxidants—like apples—are 10 to 15 per cent less likely to develop cataracts.

Who knew?

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Just For Me…

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Just for me….A Garnet Sea.  I took yesterday to create work for my soul….just expressing what “I” wanted to feel.  A break from the custom work and show pieces….Felt so good!  And now I share it with you….

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