Make sure to get a good, high-quality fish oil – such as Carlsons’s. You want to avoid fish oil that may come from polluted sources or that may be high in mercury. Other good brands are Nordic Naturals, Enzymatic Therapy, and Metagenics. Fish Oil is good for your heart partially because it decreases blood clotting and reduces blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, high triglycerides, or other signs of heart disease, 3-5 grams may be helpful. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you’re taking medications to make sure there are no negative interactions. Fish oils thin the blood just like aspirin, gingko biloba, and garlic. You don’t want to thin your blood so much that it causes bleeding. For all others, 1 gram (1,000 mg) is fine. Stop taking fish oil and any EPA supplements 2 weeks before surgery – as well as possibly avoiding a fish dinner the night before any surgery. Do not take fish oils if you are on any blood thinner.

I read: The Cat's Table - 2 Stars The Peach Keeper - 3 Stars MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars Fantastic, couldn't put it down 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

Yoga and stretches, plus 1 Mile of Leslie - that's all I have time for today.

Link to new thread.

New thread. Everyone welcome. Please post your workouts here.

This was cool. I haven't read that Mary Roach book, but have been meaning to for the longest while. She used to make me laugh when she had a regular column in Reader's Digest.

Already done some yoga moves and stretching. Need to leave the house super-early today. Not sure if I'll get to do some Leslie, but I'll definitely try.

About to do 2 Miles of Leslie. Read this - motivation to do weights more often. The fastest way to firm your middle is not via cardio workouts, but through strength training for your entire body. In one study, women who lifted weights for an hour twice a week lost 15 percent more abdominal fat than those who didn't. Add some form of weight-training to your exercise schedule, at least twice to three times a week. This is a big, big deal in terms of weight control.

You've received lots of great advice already. Here's some more info that I have. Sorry if some of it's a repeat of what's already been suggested. Varicose Veins are veins that are widened, distended, and, in some cases, twisted. More common symptoms include dull nagging aches and pains and a feeling of heaviness in the legs. EAT MORE Consume a diet that’s high in fiber. Try sticking to a low-sodium, high-fiber diet Eat more ginger, garlic, and onions. These foods help to break down the fibrin surrounding the varicose vein. People with varicose veins have a decreased ability to break down this substance. Garlic and onions have an anti-clotting factor. Ginger has anti-inflammatory and anti-clotting properties. Bromelain (found naturally in pineapples) aids in activating a factor that promotes the breakdown of fibrin. Bromelain also prevents the formation of blood clots. Dark-colored berries (cherries, blackberries, and blueberries) contain anthocyanins and proanthocyandins which may help to strengthen the venous wall and increase the muscular tone of the vein. Cantaloupe is a source of beta-carotene (healing properties) and has an anti-clotting factor. Kale, parsley and collard greens are rich in beta-carotene, a healing nutrient. EAT LESS Excess salt can cause swelling SUPPLEMENTS Horse Chestnut 300 mg twice daily – be sure the herb is standardized to contain 50 mg escin per dose. Horse Chestnut Extract – you can take horse chestnut extract containing 10-20 mg of escin three times a day, or apply a salve with 0.5-1.5% escin topically. Horse Chestnut seals leaking capillaries and improves the elasticity of veins. Gotu Kola tones the vascular system and improves circulation. Look for an extract that provides a daily dosage of 30-60 mg triterpenic acids. Gotu Kola has reduced cellulite in 80% of the people who tested it. The participants took a gotu kola extract containing 30 mg of triterpenes three times a day. Both of the above have been used successfully for varicose veins as well as for cellulite. Butcher’s Broom contains anti-inflammatory and vessel-constricting compounds. Use an extract standardized to contain up to 11% ruscogenin at a dosage of 100 mg 3 times a day. Bromelain supplements if pineapples are not a possibility -aids in activating a factor that promotes the breakdown of fibrin. Bromelain also prevents the formation of blood clots. Vitamin E is a healing nutrient. Only take d-alpha, not dl-alpha (the synthetic form). Zinc is another healing nutrient. OTHER TIPS Exercise regularly Maintain a healthy weight Avoid crossing your legs, which puts pressure on veins Avoid standing in one place too long. Wear support stockings if you need to.

I love this book so much. :)

Easing back into exercise - yoga routine this morning. :)

You are all so very sweet. Thank you for making my morning. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

Nothing today or tomorrow. Hopefully, Thursday when the fast is finished. Just touching base here and reading everyone's posts makes me happy. :)

Stretching only

I read: Mockingjay - 5 Stars The Boy in the Striped Pajamas - 5 Stars MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars Fantastic, couldn't put it down 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

nm - trying again

Also wanted to add, and I know that it's said to be a myth, but I often wonder if hair dye is a factor in hair loss. Some say yes, and some say, no. A friend of ours who recently passed away, never, ever dyed her hair. She had the thickest hair I've ever seen all the way through to her mid 80s. Others I know who have dyed their hair very often, are suffering from hair loss. So I do wonder. I'd rather have a full head of gray hair than no grays but much less hair.

I'm 45 and my grays are becoming more pronounced. My dh has never wished me to dye my hair. My dc, especially my dd, both want me to dye it. I come from a culture and background where women always dye their hair and do the whole make up, Botox, surgery thing. Many who have discouraged me from dying my hair say that once you start dying it, you cannot really stop. Is this true? Doesn't seem to make sense to me. I love the idea of going gray naturally. Mind you, my hair is quite coarse and frizzy and coarse, frizzy gray just doesn't look as good. I wish I knew what to do ... Oh well. When in doubt, I tend to avoid making a decision.

Nothing today. Hope to really and truly start later this week when the fast is over.

Link to new thread.

New thread. Everyone welcome. Please post your workouts here. :)

Thank you so much. So do I. I've had more than my share of plantar warts in the past several years.

The first time that I had one, I ended up having surgery because it was so deep. When I get plantar warts, mine are very deep. The second time, I heard about the duct tape method here and my friend who's a podiatrist told me to try it. It worked like a charm. I can't remember how long it took - maybe a month. I hope it works this time. I hope that it doesn't take too long. I miss the beach already. Until the fasting period is over (next week), swimming would have been ideal for me. Now I can't do much other than stretching and yoga-type moves and I feel very sluggish.

I think that taking them with food helps. I have heard that they can increase hunger. It's possible that your body is adjusting. D3 is best taken with a fat-containing food/meal containing fat in order to maximize absorption.