If not, the good news is that you can be, by learning to manage your energy more skillfully. If you are like me, you’re probably asking yourself about now “What the heck is ‘managing your energy’? Well, I assure you it’s not some new wave palaver or mumbo-jumbo, but a proven approach to balancing your energy and life, to reduce stress and burnout.

The creator of it, Tony Schwartz, the author of “The Power of Full Engagement”, outlines the key concepts behind it.

You can also learn more about it by visiting: http://www.theenergyproject.com

°A crocodile can’t stick its tongue out

°A shrimp’s heart is in their head

°People say “Bless you” when you sneeze because when you sneeze, your heart stops for a mili-second

°In a study of 200,000 ostriches over a period of 80 years, no one reported a single case where an ostrich buried its head in the sand or attempted to do so

°It is physically Impossible for pigs to look up into the sky

°A pregnant goldfish is called a twit

°On average, a human being spend two weeks kissing in their lifetime

°More than 50% of the people in the world have never made or received a telephone call

°Rats and horses can’t vomit

°The “sixth sick sheik’s sixth sheep’s sick” is said to be the toughest tongue twister in the English language

°Rats multiply so quickly that in 18 months, two rats could have over a million descendants

°Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in your ear by 700 times

°A duck’s quack doesn’t echo, and no one knows why

°In the course of an average lifetime you will, while sleeping, eat 70 assorted insects and 10 spiders!

°Most lipstick contains fish scales

°A cat’s urine glows under a black-light

°Like fingerprints, everyone’s tongue print is different

°Over 75% of people who read this will try to lick their elbow

and so they say!!! Now you know!😁

your blogging friend Ulrich Koepf

Despite a growing number of reports

and case studies regarding the cancer-busting properties of cannabis, the clinical use of cannabinoids as a treatment for cancer is unlikely to get the green light until scientists can figure out exactly how it interacts with tumors. While research on this subject has been frustratingly slow, a series of new studies have begun to shed light on the potent anti-cancer properties of CBD.

Among these is a research project currently being conducted at the University of Newcastle in Australia, where scientists have been comparing the efficacy of different cannabis cultivars in fighting cancer. Results have indicated that a high-CBD strain known as ‘Eve’ is significantly better at killing cancer cells than other varieties containing less CBD but more THC.

Other studies, however, have indicated that CBD does interact with cannabinoid receptors and that this mediates the formation of two key enzymes that synthesize reactive oxygen species. These, in turn, stimulate apoptosis in cancer cells, essentially causing them to self-destruct[ii].

Derzeit befinden sich auf meiner Website über 350 Blogs. Meine Plattform sollte interessante, informative Blogs über Essen, Getränke und Reisen bereitstellen.

Auf meiner Website

gibt es wirklich nichts zu verkaufen, mit Ausnahme der erstaunlichen Wandkunst meiner Frau und meines E-Books mit Lebensgeschichten, das allen neuen, aufstrebenden, jungen Kochlehrlingen gewidmet ist, um ihnen zu sagen, was es bedeuten würde, eine Kochlehre zu solvieren und Ihnen meine guten und schlechten entscheidungen darbieten.

In den letzten Monaten

haben immer mehr leute meine webseite “UlrichK’s Food and Travel Blog” abonniert!  Als ich das letzte mal geprüft habe waren es über 1100 personen! Für eine Webseite, auf der keine Produkte wie Shopify, Wish oder Amazon zu  verkaufen sind, war ich gleichzeitig überrascht und happy, da es sehr zeitaufwändig ist, Blogs zu recherchieren, zu schreiben und gleichzeitig eine  effiziente Webseite zu unterhalten..

Ich hatte absolut keine Ahnung, wie man eine Webseite erstellt und unterstützt, aber heutzutage kann man mit Hilfe von YouTube alles lernen, und die von WordPress.org bereitgestellte Website-Plattform war eine große Hilfe und einfach zur erstellung  am anfang. Nachdem ich von meiner Hosting-Firma Hostgator.com internen Analyseprogrammen und Google Daumen hoch erhalten hatte, für innerhalb eines Monats viele neue Abonnenten zu erreichen, schlugen sie vor, Google Adsense zu implementieren.

Ich optimiere

und passe die Dinge auf meiner Website fast täglich an, um sie für meine Abonnenten effizienter, schneller und interessanter zu gestalten. Seit meiner Pensionierung vor 2 Jahren habe ich die Zeit, mich der Beherrschung der Internetwelt zu widmen, und ich liebe es. Meine Frau beschwert sich, dass ich zu viel Zeit am PC verbringe, anstatt mit ihr!

 Meine Abonnenten kommen aus der ganzen Welt, vorwiegend aus den USA, Europa und einem kleineren Prozentsatz aus verschiedenen Ländern.

Der am häufigsten gelesene Blog ist über 5 G und Tinnitus,

Ich habe dieses Klingeln jetzt seit einem Jahr in meinen Ohren und es stört mich wahnsinnig! Während ich hier sitze und dies schreibe, summt das Innere meiner Ohren wie verrückt!
Ich lebe in einem Haus, das im 14. Jahrhundert mit dicken Backsteinmauern gebaut wurde, so wie sie damals gebaut wurden. Als wir in das Haus einzogen, mussten wir Internet- und Wifi-Verbindungen installieren lassen. Ich glaube, dass mein Tinnitus verursacht wird durch die 4 G Wellen, die in diesen dicken Mauern kriechen und hin und her funken!

Und jetzt denken sie darüber nach, irgendwo in dieser kleinen Stadt einen 5G-Turm zu installieren! das macht dann mein Ohr noch unerträglicher!

Nach Angaben der medizinischen Weltgesellschaften gibt es keine nachgewiesene Heilung gegen Tinnitus, was für mich angesichts der fortschrittlichen Technologien, die in den medizinischen Bereichen des 21. Jahrhunderts verfügbar sind, etwas erstaunlich ist.

Was ist die Lösung? Wenn mein Ohrensausen zum Zeitpunkt der Installation von 5G unertragbar ist, müssen wir entweder das Internet in diesem Haus loswerden oder an einen anderen Ort ziehen, vielleicht in ein Haus mit dünneren Wänden !!

Wenn Sie in den nächsten Monaten keine Blogs mehr von mir sehen, liegt das wahrscheinlich daran, dass mein Kopf explodiert ist, Komplimente von 5G !! 😄

Bitte bleiben Sie Sicher und gesund!

Gruss Ueli Köpf

As of today

there are millions of deaths caused by Covid-19 and millions of infections in the World.  I do understand that a country cannot stay shut for an indefinite amount of time, as it would cause as much harm as the virus itself, due to depression, medical issues, suicides, obesity, etc.

However, governments apply their rules and laws upon the population; they make us pay taxes, they make us put children in school, otherwise, they find the parents, they make us drive on the assigned side of the street, they make us pay a yearly TV & Radio tax (at least here in Switzerland), they make you apply for a drivers license before you can drive your car, they make you buy a specific, taxable garbage bag, they issue fines for speeding,  they fine us for jaywalking, etc., etc, the list goes on with all kinds of laws and regulations.

As I understand,

this virus is contagious and transmittable by mouth, nose, and eyes, it is considered an Acute Respiratory Syndrome disease?! Now, I may not be the brightest star in the sky, but wouldn’t it make complete sense to wear a mask to prevent the spread of this disease whether you are symptomatic or not, and since anyone could be a carrier?

I would not trust a stranger on the bus or on a train with my life, because that person refuses to wear a mask. 

To avoid and overcome that fear of trust and to eradicate the virus, in my opinion, everyone should be wearing a mandatory mask until a vaccine is available. Sure, some folks will rebel against such a rule, but they will overcome and deal with it just as they do and accept all the other rules and regulations put upon us!

One has to wonder

whether or not this is about population control. By not implementing a mask law, it’s like saying, “Deal with this virus on your terms, if you wear a mask your continued survival depends on it, if you are not wearing it you may die! “ 

It is a no-brainer to me! My opinion is just what it is, my opinion, and some common sense!

Please comment with your thoughts below!

Your blogging friend Ulrich Koepf

Wie ich in einem früheren Blog geschrieben habe, wurde ich nach meiner Handtrapeziektomie in CBD eingeführt.

Ich wurde vom Chirurg versprochen, dass ich nach der Operation keine Schmerzen hätte. Allerdings ist meine Hand 7 Jahre nach der Operation immer noch nicht richtig. Der Chirurg muss während der Operation einen Nerv beschädigt haben, da meine Hand heute noch sehr empfindlich ist.

Nach der Operation begann ich mit CBD-Öl, um die Schmerzen zu lindern. Nach dem Studium des CBD-Produkts wurde ich daher mit den verschiedenen Namen und Produkten noch mehr verwirrt.

Zuallererst… WAS IST HEMP?   WATCH THE VIDEO ON HOW HEMP IS USED HERE!!

Hanf ist eine langlebige Naturfaser, die als erneuerbare Quelle für Rohstoffe angebaut wird, die in Tausende von Produkten eingebaut werden können. Es ist eine der ältesten domestizierten Kulturen, die der Mensch kennt. Hanf wird in Nahrungsmitteln wie Hanfsamen, Hanfherzen und Hanfproteinen für Menschen verwendet. Es wird auch in Baustoffen, Papier, Textilien, Tauwerk, organischen Körperpflege und anderen Nutrazeutika verwendet, um nur einige zu nennen. Es hat Tausende anderer bekannter Verwendungen. Ein Hanfanbau erfordert die Hälfte des Wasservolkens und kann ohne den Einsatz von Pestiziden angebaut werden. Weltweit bauen Landwirte Hanf kommerziell für Ballaststoffe, Saatgut und Öl an, um sie in einer Vielzahl von Industrie- und Konsumgütern einsetzen zu können. Die Vereinigten Staaten sind die einzige entwickelte Nation, die Industriemanf nicht als wirtschaftliche Ernte in großem Umfang anbauen kann, so der Congressional Resource Service. Mit sich schnell ändernden Gesetzen und mehr Staaten, die sich dem Industriehanf hingeben und ein Industriehanfgesetz verabschieden, könnte sich das ändern. Derzeit wird der Großteil des in den USA verkauften Hanfs aus China und Kanada importiert, den weltweit größten Exporteuren der Industriehanfkultur.

Um das gerade veröffentlichte Video von Hemp, Inc. mit dem Titel “Die größte Hanfmühle der westlichen Hemisphäre ist jetzt online – es ist live zu sehen, klicken Sie hier. 

Besuchen Sie die persönliche Facebook-Seite von Bruce Perlowin und blättern Sie bis zum 1. August 2017, um zu sehen, wie das Hemp, Inc.-Werk in Betrieb ist und ein Verarbeitungsprodukt ist.

DER UNTERSCHIED ZWISCHEN HEMP UND MARIJUANA

Hanf unterscheidet sich in seiner Funktion, Kultivierung und Anwendung vollständig von Marihuana. Bei der Kultivierung von Marihuana sind die Pflanzen weit voneinander entfernt und die männlichen Pflanzen werden zerstört, um sicherzustellen, dass sie die weiblichen Pflanzen nicht säen können, was zu unerwünschten, weniger wirksamen und weniger marktfähigen samenartigen Marihuana-Knospen führen würde. Hanf hingegen wird dicht beieinander und in der Regel Hermaphroditen gepflanzt, wodurch ein Überfluss an Samen entsteht, der Hauptbestandteil von Hanfnahrungsmitteln und -ergänzungsmitteln. Die Hanfhalme werden für Faser-, Komposit- und andere auf Hanf basierende Endprodukte verarbeitet und verwendet.

Hanf wird in einer Reihe anderer Anwendungen verwendet, in denen Marihuana möglicherweise nicht verwendet werden kann. Dazu gehören gesunde Nahrungsergänzungsmittel, Hautprodukte, Kleidung und Zubehör. Insgesamt hat Hanf mehr als 25.000 mögliche Anwendungen. Hanfprodukte wie Hanfmilch, Hanfgetreide und Hanföl werden täglich von Verbrauchern verwendet.

Besuchen Sie das Ministerium für Hanf, um die Unterschiede zwischen Hanf und Marihuana zu lesen.

9 GROßE GRÜNDE,

UM HEMP ALS EIN TEIL FÜR GESUNDES LEBEN ZU ERKENNEN (Quelle)

Hanfsamen stammen zwar aus der Cannabis sativa-Pflanze, sie haben jedoch keinen verblüffenden Effekt. Diese kleinen, braunen Samen sind reich an Eiweiß, Ballaststoffen und gesunden Fettsäuren, einschließlich Omega-3-Fettsäuren und Omega-6-Fettsäuren. Sie haben antioxidative Wirkungen und können die Symptome zahlreicher Beschwerden reduzieren und die Gesundheit des Herzens, der Haut und der Gelenke verbessern. Lesen Sie hier alle Gründe, um Hanf als Teil einer gesunden Ernährung zu verwenden.

WIE HEMP DIE WELT ÄNDERN KANN

Faser – Hanffaser kann zur Herstellung von Stoffen und Textilien, Seilen und Papier verwendet werden. Das Wort “Leinwand” leitet sich eigentlich von dem Wort “Cannabis” ab.

Treibstoff –

Während die industriellen, medizinischen und kommerziellen Eigenschaften von Hanf seit langem in der Menschheit bekannt sind, wurden seine Vorteile für die Umwelt erst in den letzten Jahren realisiert. Hanf bietet unter anderem Kraftstoff an. Angesichts der Erschöpfung der Erdölreserven wäre es schön, wenn wir eine Brennstoffquelle hätten, die wiederverwendbar ist und die wir hier anbauen könnten, wodurch wir völlig unabhängig von der Energie sind.

Nahrung –

Hanfsamen sind sehr nahrhaft und wurden ursprünglich von den alten Chinesen und Indern gegessen. Hanfsamen haben einen nussigen Geschmack und können roh, gemahlen, gekeimt oder zu getrocknetem Sprossenpulver verarbeitet werden. Hanfsamen enthalten auch ein sehr nützliches Öl, das reich an ungesättigten Fettsäuren ist, einschließlich eines optimalen Verhältnisses von 1: 4 von Omega-3 zu 6.

Baustoff –

Hanf kann zu einer Vielzahl von Baustoffen verarbeitet werden. Dazu gehören betonartige Blöcke, die als „Hanfbeton“ bezeichnet werden, biologisch abbaubare Kunststoffe und Holzersatz. Diese Materialien wurden bei der Herstellung vieler Dinge verwendet, darunter Elektronik, Autos und Häuser. Tatsächlich wurde im August 2010 in Asheville, North Carolina, das erste amerikanische Haus aus hanfbasierten Materialien fertiggestellt.

Biokraftstoff –

Bemerkenswerterweise kann das Öl aus Hanfsamen und Stielen auch zu Biokraftstoffen wie Biodiesel verarbeitet werden – manchmal auch als “Hanfolin” bezeichnet. Dieser Biokraftstoff kann zwar zum Antreiben von Motoren verwendet werden, aber es ist ziemlich viel Rohmaterial erforderlich, um eine beträchtliche Menge herzustellen.

WAS IST MEDICAL MARIJUANA – CBD?

Medizinisches Marihuana bezieht sich auf die Verwendung der gesamten Cannabispflanze oder der Pflanzenextrakte der Pflanze zur Behandlung verschiedener Leiden oder Zustände. Wenn Sie keine Beschwerden oder Beschwerden behandeln, kann Marihuana nicht als medizinisches Marihuana bezeichnet werden.

Oft werden die Leute zwischen den Begriffen Cannabis und Marihuana verwirrt. Cannabis ist eine Kategorie für eine Pflanzenart, die sowohl Hanf als auch Marihuana umfasst. Für viele Menschen ist der beste Weg, über Cannabis nachzudenken, eine Analogie: Hanf und Marihuana gehören zu Cannabis wie Zitronen und Orangen zu Zitrusfrüchten. Zwei verwandte, aber unterschiedliche Pflanzen aus derselben „Familie“.

Das Merkmal,

das Marihuana aus Hanf definiert, ist der Gehalt an Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), der Verbindung von Cannabis, die die Konsumenten hoch anspricht. Hanf ist fast frei von THC, aber häufig in einem anderen Cannabinoid – Cannabidiol (CBD). Hanf hat 0,3 Prozent THC oder weniger, während der Schwellenwert für Marihuana bei einer THC-Konzentration von 0,31 Prozent oder mehr beginnt. Es wurde gezeigt, dass beide Formen von Cannabis, Hanf und Marihuana medizinisch vorteilhafte Mengen verschiedener Cannabinoide enthalten, aktive Bestandteile, die in der Cannabispflanze gefunden werden.

Cannabis enthält über 85 Cannabinoide, von denen sich einige als therapeutisch vorteilhaft erwiesen haben. Die beiden wichtigsten Cannabinoide, die in Cannabis gefunden wurden und von akademischen und wissenschaftlichen Studien die meisten therapeutischen Eigenschaften aufweisen, sind Cannabidiol (CBD) und Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), obwohl auch eine Reihe anderer Cannabinoide, wie Cannabigerol (CBG) und Cannabinol (CBN), zeigen Nutzen für die Gesundheit.

Diese Cannabinoide interagieren direkt mit dem körpereigenen Endocannabinoidsystem – einem Signalnetzwerk, das in jeder Säugetierart auf der Erde vorkommt. Es verfügt über zwei Cannabinoid-Rezeptoren, CB1- und CB2-Rezeptoren, die von THC und CBD „angedockt“ werden, um ihre therapeutischen Wirkungen zu erzielen. THC, der bewusstseinsverändernde Inhaltsstoff von Cannabis, erhöht nachweislich den Appetit, reduziert Muskelkontrollprobleme und reduziert Übelkeit, Schmerzen und Entzündungen. CBD verursacht keine psychoaktive Wirkung wie THC, es wurde jedoch gezeigt, dass es Schmerzen und Entzündungen verringert und bestimmte Krebszellen abtötet, epileptische Anfälle bekämpft und psychische Erkrankungen behandelt.

Bisher wurde Marihuana von der US-amerikanischen Food and Drug Administration (FDA) nicht als Lebensmittel oder Arzneimittel anerkannt oder anerkannt, jedoch hat die Behörde einige auf Cannabis basierende Medikamente für den Vertrieb in den USA zugelassen. Darüber hinaus gibt es mehr als die Hälfte der Bundesstaaten und Territorien In den USA wurde Marihuana für medizinische Zwecke legalisiert, sofern sich Patienten angemeldet haben, um die „Cannabis-Karte“ für medizinische Cannabis ihres Landes zu erhalten.

Sehen Sie sich das Video an, wie Hanf verarbeitet und dann zu verschiedenen Produkten verarbeitet wird.

Watch the Video of Hemp production, click here

This may be an obvious question for the health conscience amongst us but there are influences that may be less cogent.

Exceeding safe alcohol limits regularly. partaking in recreational drug use, smoking, and eating a poor diet are the least brain-friendly pastimes you can partake in. Less innocuous activities that unbalance a healthy brain are disturbed sleep, too little exercise, high blood pressure, and simply not engaging your grey matter. These considerations put brain health at the forefront of the agenda, as they are very common factors that can affect even the most virtuous of us!

What should, must and can we do about it?!

Of the  Energy the body produces the brain uses a massive 20%; armed with this information it is crucial to ensure the foods we consume provide adequate nutrition to support our control center.  Poor energy production can create symptoms such as memory problems, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating. 

In a very digestible nutshell, the brain benefits from:

5 to 10 pieces of fruits and vegetables per day should come in the form of soup, stew, snacking dried fruit, or smoothies; chances are you are well on the way to hitting that target. To get you thinking; why not count the portions of fruit and vegetables you have consumed today?

But what is a portion of fruit or veg you may ask? The World Health Organisation has a clear guideline on what constitutes a portion!.

 We have highlighted a few for you below.

Fruit

*Two or more plums, two satsumas, three apricots, or seven strawberries 

*One apple, pear, banana, nectarine, or orange 

*Half a grapefruit, one large slice of pineapple, or two slices of mango

*30g/ one heaping tablespoon of dried fruit

Vegetables

*Two broccoli florets, four heaped tablespoons of cooked spinach or kale

*Three  heaped tablespoons of cooked carrots, peas, sweet corn, or eight cauliflower florets 

*one medium tomato or seven cherry tomatoes; 5 cm piece of cucumber or 1 1/2  sticks of celery

Did you know when awake the brain can generate approximately 23 Watts of power?

Carbohydrates

They are essential and not all bad for you.  Good choices can be brown bread, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, and cereals. tAs a rule of thumb, if the food is white, for example, white bread, then it’s likely to have been lightly processed to get that commercially attractive color. Carbohydrates are your buddy (best friend) for improved concentration and mental performance.

Essential Fat

Intake is easily achieved if you eat oily fish mackerel, sardines, herring, or eggs and lean meat.

The brain consists of 60% fat a fifth of which is composed of the essential fatty acids known as Omega3s and Omega6s.  These brain-supporting nutrients are not produced in the body so, including eggs, avocados, poultry, and nuts will cover the Omega6s,  but Omega3s  are mostly found in oily fish, seeds, and nuts.

Protein 

It is commonly found in lean meats, fish, pulses, legumes, and tofu.  its primary function is for growth and repair.

 it is always a good practice to limit sugar and salt, as recommended by public health organizations. A healthy balanced diet is the bedrock for good brain health but making leisure time, being active, and planning ahead to mitigate anxiety when traveling or doing something new; is also good advice.

How the brain changes with age

Your brain is an organ but it behaves like a muscle and muscles love to learn and be challenged as we move through the different life stages; our brain acquires new information; learns fresh practices and develops different habits.

 Old nerf connections are lost; new ones are built, in the ever-changing environment that is the brain.  These processes are known as brain plasticity. Age is a wonderful thing, without it, we could not hope to be exposed to the magnitude of influences necessary to grow and expand the mind and its ability.

Being a wise owl s great, however noticeable changes in brain performance to creep in as we get older.  forgetting to take medicine or having difficulty remembering names could be an indication there is cause for concern.

Age 10 to 30

The brain reaches maturity when we reach our 20s. Areas such as reasoning, impulse control, and planning are fully developed.

Age 30 to 40 

It’s at this period in our lives that nerve cells start to gradually decline and brain volume starts to reduce

Age 42 to 50

Short-term memory may be trickier to recall as the first signs of gradual brain volume decline starts to show. Reactions to complex situations may take that much longer

Age 50 to 60 

Understanding, creativity, financial literacy, and language are still acute; however, multitasking may be a little more of a challenge

Age 60 to 70 

Reasoning, creativity, and solving problems are still sharp although processing information may slow down.

A 70 +

Cognitive health problems may become apparent; lifestyle and health issues will start to express themselves.

Keeping your brain active

Let’s get Physical

Did you know that exercise and being physically active are not the same thing? Being physically active simply means that you are mobile walking the dog, making a cup of tea, or visiting the shops.

Performing exercise means that you are raising your heart rate to improve your fitness.  it’s this activity that is of the most benefit to brain health.  Increasing the blood flow around the body has positive effects on cerebral performance;  so get that heart rate pumping!

According to a study, improving your balance can also pave the way for a healthy brain.  Balance and toning exercises may have a supporting effect on the part of the brain that controls mobility, better balance means we are less prone to trips and falls.

Learn Something New

This is a no-brainer, now that we know how much the brain loves to be challenged. When we acquire new skills or absorb new information the brain establishes new connections between nerve cells. As we repeat the practice it strengthens these connections.  The Brain makes complex decisions on how to process and store new material using different pathways which helps to change our performance. It is this process we attribute to improved cognitive flexibility and our ability to learn.

Brain Food

Nutrition plays a pertinent role in maintaining a sharp mind.  By paying attention to the food you consume you are supporting brain function and health. The well-reported attributes of oily fish are not likely to half-past you.  We are certainly avocated by their health-giving properties.

It is the essential fatty acids that the body cannot produce that we obtain from oily fish that nourish the brain;  after all, as we know now,  the brain is made of 60% fat.  The most effective essential fatty acids for brain health are EPA and DHA and oily fish provide ample amounts of these nutrients in the bioavailable form.  Almost 50% weight of the neuronal membranes is accounted for by DHA.  Widely known as Omega3s, these EFAs build cell membranes and foster new brain cell development.  Adding macrele, sardines, pilchards, or kippers to your diet, or linseed or Chia seeds if you are vegetarian, will support cognitive health.  If fish is limited in your diet you may consider a potency fish oil supplement, leafy green vegetables, blueberries, nuts, eggs, and seeds all packed with brain-loving nutrients and are easily incorporated into a daily menu.

Brain Therapy

Hit the Hay… when we sleep the brain doesn’t just switch off, it begins a clearing and restorative process. Getting a good night’s sleep allows the brain to perform vital housekeeping tasks,  such as washing waste from the brain by using cerebral spinal fluid. This task is possible only when we sleep as brain cells reduce in size opening channels between cells allowing fluid to pass through and sweep toxins away that build up during the day.  With this knowledge, it is not difficult to understand how a poor night’s sleep can interrupt this important work and result in a brain fog in the morning. Catching those valuable zzz also serves as a time for the brain to ingrain information taken throughout the day and preserve important memories. After quality rest, the brain performs better, and memory, focus accuracy, and creativity all benefit. So, pull up the pillow, defuse some soothing lavender oil, and sleep into the brain-supporting slumber.

Watch what you Drink

The Jury seems to be at a stalemate on this topic. Coverage in the media encourages that a little of what you fancy does you good and the next day abstinence is back in favor.  Whatever your view, getting sozzled may be fun but the hangover the next day is evidence enough that your brain wasn’t in on the party!

Alcohol interferes with brain chemistry, upsetting basic functions such as thoughts and feelings. Memory is also impaired and judgment can be affected too.  The brain processes slow down and short-term memory can even fail.

 It is sensible advice to preserve your precious mind, drink responsibly, and follow recommended alcohol guidelines by your authorities.

Connect

There is a lot to be said about happiness affecting brain health.  Connecting with family friends or like-minded people can provide a wealth of brain-loving endorphins.  being a socially active person can protect your mental well-being and on the flip side, loneliness can have a detrimental effect on cognitive health. Isolation is up there as a health risk along with obesity and health. Volunteering is heralded as being an excellent way to support brain health. 

Staying connected is how our species evolve and thrive,  the same principle applies today.  To live a happy life and maintain optimal cognitive conditions we need to spend time with people, laugh, share memories, and learn new things together, history knows we are good at it! 

Companionship takes many forms, and one never to be undervalued is the comfort that pets lend to our well-being.

Our furry friends create a routine and need our attention which adds structure to our day and gives a sense of purpose. 

They are perfect motivators for a daily exercise regime, who could deny those ‘ love my eyes’!  And can smooth away the owner’s tensions by stroking or playing with them.

 it is widely recognized that animals have a positive impact on our mental health and there are programs in place where animals visit patients in hospitals and residents in assisted living to help lift their spirits and improve their quality of life.

Pregnancy

Did you know there are approximately 100 billion nerve cells in the brain? In early pregnancy, they develop at a rate of  250,000 per minute.

Providing what your baby needs during pregnancy is what your body will do naturally,  however, the resources need to be ‘in the bank’, so to speak, there is plenty of attention paid to diet advice for pregnant couples with an emphasis on nourishment that will support their baby’s development. No less conceded is the baby’s growing brain.  Rapid growth changes occur in a baby’s brain during weeks 24 to 42 with a significant spurt from week 34. Similarly, the foods we consume for our own brain health stand to benefit that of gestating babies.

Brain supporting Supplements –

where to get your Vitamins -Nature’s Best UK

 I am going to list a few brain supplements that  I think are the best ones to use, but let’s start with antioxidants – antioxidants can be categorized into 2 groups 

1. Flavonoids – mainly found in plants include; Anthocyanidins- red grapes, blueberries, grapeseed, bilberry – Catechins- dark chocolate and tea 

2. Non-Flavonoids – found in plant pigment; Carotenoids – carrots, oranges, butternut squash –  Minerals- selenium, eggs Brazil nuts, grains, and fish and Vitamins; C – citrus fruit, broccoli, strawberries, and E – almonds, sunflower seeds, leafy green vegetables.

Below are some recommendations of natural brain health-promoting supplements offered by a company in England called “Natures Best”, I do not get a commission by mentioning or promoting them, (well maybe a 10% discount on my next order) I order some of the items for the past 4 years from them, and I am very happy with the company and the products.  They are completely natural, delivered all over the place, and are very efficient.

°Turmeric 60 0r 120 tablets

°Curcumem  60 tablets

°Fish Oil Omega 3s 1100mg

°Refreshall 120 tablets

°Sage 2500mg

°Vitamin E 400iu

°Vitamin B-100 Complex

°Rosemary Oil  20ml or 50 ml

Click here to buy it

Being a Chef is not always as glamorous as it seems to most people!

Being a Swiss-trained Chef,  I have been in restaurant and hotel kitchens since the age of 16, so when I hear about famous chefs committing suicide such as Anthony Bourdain just a few days ago, Benoit Violier in 2016, Homaro Cantu in 2015, Bernard Loiseau in 2003 and a few years ago a Swiss Chef Alfred Luescher who worked for me as a Sous-Chef in Santo Domingo, I know very well what they went through to bring themselves to an end their own lives. I had my taste of the stress and pressure this profession can cause, however, I was lucky enough not to get into too many depression modes over the years, my wife told me, coming home after a stressful day, “It’s only a job it’s not worth killing yourself over it”, well that was always easier said than done!

To Be The Best

I always tried and pushed myself to be the best at what I was doing, I kept telling myself if I was going to pursue this profession I might as well be the best I could be. I wasn’t interested in working in a mass production facility, a large hotel, or a food service company, I tried all of that and to me, it was just a job with not too much pride in pumping out meals, I always preferred to work in a smaller establishment where I could create and offer the type of food that I would enjoy eating myself when I take my wife out for dinner.

Creating, Cooking, and observing the Customers

I loved going into the walk-in refrigerator with a notepad and creating my specials right inside the walk-in ref. for that same evening with products that were just delivered! At Cafe Septembers in Fort Lauderdale, a 40-seat restaurant, the menu was created on daily specials, that is also where I introduced Nouvelle Cuisine to South Florida after a two-month journey to Europe. I came back to South Florida with my head full of ideas and innovations, ready to go!

Cafe September – Fort Lauderdale

Steve, the owner, came to me in the beginning, before we opened, and handed me the cookbook from the International Culinary Competition during which the American Team won, and said he wanted that to be the menu for this restaurant! I looked at him with my mouth open in disbelieve that he would even consider that to be a possibility; it takes months to establish which dishes to consider to enter into a competition and then hours to prepare those dishes, just as I had to do in the Dominican Republic, were together with my crew, won the first prize of the culinary competition three consecutive years; not feasible for this restaurant with one assistant in that small Kitchen, actually smaller than the household kitchen! it didn’t take me long to talk him out of it! Besides the specials and the a la carte menu, the waiters always came up with their menus, and special requests from the customers, there was absolutely nothing I refused to cook upon request by the waiter or the customer in that restaurant if the product was on hand of course, which added to the pressure and self-inflicted stress.😀

That was the beginning of the pressure!

After a few weeks we started to receive accolades and recognition in local publications, I was on local cooking shows, featured in the Miami Herald, Sun-Sentinel, etc., and rated as one of the best restaurants in the USA, according to the Chaine des Rotisseurs.  What added to the pressure at Cafe September (and Hot Chocolates) was the fact that the kitchen was open to the dining room and customers sat only a few feet away from the open kitchen, therefore there was a lot of personal interaction with the dining customers and pressure to do your very best since you are looking at the paying customer eating your food in front of you; folks like Ringo Starr, Barbara Bach, George Benson, and  Robert Vaughn just to mention a few. During the 5 1/2 years at Cafe September, I was admitted once to Holy Cross Hospital for what seemed like a nervous breakdown, the doctors didn’t find anything wrong with me, but I remember my stomach felt like there were a thousand snakes inside of me fighting with each other! I still feel the pain today! It was a busy nite and the waiters drove me crazy with special requests one after the other, and since I am not a screaming, yelling maniac in the kitchen (especially in an open kitchen) I kept the rage and anger inside of me which caused the snakes in my stomach to go crazy. Another possible cause for my admittance to the hospital was the lack of proper nutrition; starting the working shift at 1 pm, leaving my house to drive to Fort Lauderdale, arriving at the restaurant at around 1:45 pm, then diving right into the prepping, getting ready for 17:30 service, there was little time to have a proper dinner before service, it was always a snack, or a fast bite to eat standing up!

Hot Chocolates – Fort Lauderdale

Hot Chocolates also had a wide-open, long cooking line exposed to the dining room creating interaction with the customers. I was always a hands-on Executive Chef, working on the line with my guys controlling the orders, and cooking at the same time, here it happened on a busy Saturday nite, stressed out to serve the food properly and on time to a full dining room with my crew of 6, I was hot, sweating and exhausted and I felt like I was going to faint, my partners, Richard and Steve, called the ambulance to get me to a hospital, but after checking me out again, they couldn’t find anything wrong! I guess it was another stress attack!

The conclusion is if you are thinking of getting into this Profession always remember these 5 points:

1. Take care of your body by eating the right food
2. Stay away from alcohol and smoking as much as possible
3. Spend as much time as possible outdoors ie. jogging, walking, going to the beach, etc.
4. Exercise a lot!
5. If you spent as much time in the walk-ins as I did, always wear the proper clothes, and protect your neck & shoulder by wearing a chef scarf – otherwise, when you reach a certain age you will feel the pain!

If you are experiencing mental health issues or suicidal feelings contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or BeyondBlue 1300 224 636. If it is an emergency please call 000. 

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

I never thought that one day I would be writing about retirement! One suddenly realizes that life is unbelievably short!

I noticed over the last few months that I am reflecting and thinking a lot about past times, all the things that I have accomplished, and things that I should have done, or not done. Things that I have missed out on, opportunities I passed up, family events I couldn’t attend, weddings I missed, and saying goodbye at funerals, all because work was always the priority and came first.

Being a chef,

means sacrificing more personal time than hardly anyone does in another profession; because one always works when everyone else is not, and one is off when everyone else is not.

It also depends on what type of establishment you work in, if you are employed in a large establishment such as a hotel then chances are your schedule is more flexible because obviously there are more employees to cover shifts, if you work in a smaller establishment such as a family or single owner restaurant then you’re working flexibility is very limited because chances are there are only you and a handful of employees the owner can depend upon. Now if the operation is open 7 days a week you are really screwed, if someone is sick, on leave, or on vacation..guess who has to fill in! In a larger establishment that would not be an issue.

As I completed my apprenticeship,

in a restaurant establishment in Switzerland, I was always attracted to a similar size operation, I preferred that style of cooking.

After I left Switzerland to see the world! I landed in Bermuda with Holiday Inn in St. Georges, which really made me realize that I didn’t want to pursue that type of cooking, in the main kitchen I felt like I was back in the Swiss Army cooking for 150 guys! In the Supper Club kitchen, where I was in charge most of the time, very little was fresh, prepared food, instead, we served frozen seafood, even though we were in the middle of the ocean!

When I arrived at my next gig in the Bahamas, El Casino in Freeport, the food quality was a lot better, everything was prepared and cooked to order for several hundred people on a nightly basis.

After that I finally arrived in the USA opening a private club as a chef, that is where I really began to create the type of food I wanted to serve.

Now that I am retired I am pursuing some things that I missed out on over the years such as photography, traveling, blogging, enjoying the family, etc.

I came to the realization that when you reach a certain age it doesn’t matter what your portfolio of accomplishments contains and what your lifelong professional experiences could be contributing to another generation within that profession, your possibilities are very limited due to age, at least here in Switzerland, that is to attribute to the fact that the social benefits for people over the retirement age are more costly than for younger people for an employer. Actually, I feel that here they discriminate against the older workforce as employers are allowed, through job advertising platforms, to mention they don’t want you unless you are a certain age! That would be a lawsuit in the US.

That reminds me of a saying from my friend George  Mayo

“You are only as good as your last meal!”😁