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Anti-Cancer Strategies with Jeanette Evans

October 24, 2023 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

Episode 141 – Anti-Cancer Strategies with Jeanette Evans

In episode 141, Jill and Chris talk with Jeanette Evans, a long-time friend of Jill’s who has developed a wonderful anti-cancer lifestyle.

Jill first met Jeanette many years ago when they were both working as technical writers and belonged to a professional organization together. Jeanette is a writer and editor and is involved in all kinds of communications. They have kept in touch over the years and started to meet for lunch recently. We believe that Jeanette’s story and way of life might be of interest to everyone.

Jeanette Evans has had three cancer surgeries with the first being in 2003 and a diagnosis of presumed triple negative breast cancer.

She has tried to educate herself on staying healthy with an anti-cancer lifestyle and diet which she finds to be delicious too.

We discuss:

Her anti-cancer lifestyle
Which authors that she follows and why
What she eats on a regular basis
What food she avoids
How she gets variety into her diet
Her views on supplements
How this anti-cancer lifestyle has improved her health
Ways this type of eating has protected her from other problems like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Views on organic vs non-organic
How she exercises throughout the week
Ways she manages stress in her life

Books and Links:

Breasts: The Owner’s Manual: Every Woman’s Guide to Reducing Cancer Risk, Making Treatment Choices, and Optimizing Outcomes by Dr. Kristi Funk
The Food Revolution: How Your Diet Can Save Your Life and Our World by John Robbins
The Budwig Cancer and Coronary Heart Disease Prevention Diet by Johanna Budwig
Eat for Life: The Breakthrough Nutrient-Rich Program for Longevity, Disease Reversal, and Sustained Weight Loss by Joel Fuhrman, M.D.
Eat to Beat Disease: The New Science of How Your Body Can Heal Itself by William W. Li, M.D.
Angiogenesis: How We Can Starve Cancer with Food by William W. Li, M.D.
Cleveland Clinic podcast Triple Negative Breast Cancer Prevention Vaccine
Check with your own doctor first – disclaimer.

We’re being Interviewed on a Podcast – Live

October 17, 2023 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

UPDATE 10/24/2023 – The podcast recording of our interview on Hey Boomer is available to listen by clicking here!

———————–

Hey, the tables have turned and Jill McCauslin and Chris Brown are going to be interviewed on a podcast… LIVE! We’ll be on the Hey Boomer podcast on Monday, October 23 at 1PM EST. You can see us on Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn in the live feed or wait until later when it’s released on Spotify and other places.

You remember we interviewed Wendy Green, the host of Hey Boomer a few weeks ago? So now she has invited us to be on her podcast.
Here’s what she says about us:

Jill McCauslin and Chris Brown are the founders and creators of Becoming Elli, a site dedicated to women becoming strong and fit in the second half of life.are the founders and creators of Becoming Elli, a site dedicated to women becoming strong and fit in the second half of life.

Elli is the mythical Norse goddess of Aging. She defeated Thor in a wrestling match. Although she seemed older and less capable, she surprised everyone when she won. Her win became an inspiration for Jill and Chris.

Jill and Chris are two women who both hit their fifties, lost weight, became fit, and discovered that running and lifting weights can be a lot of fun. They got fit in their fifties and plan to stay fit and get strong well into their sixties and beyond.

Their podcast is called Fit Strong Women Over 50. Join us on Monday, October 23 at 1PM EST to hear their story and get some tips on staying fit and strong.

Wendy’s podcast is not only LIVE, it’s VIDEO.

Looking Forward to talking with Wendy on her podcast!!

Three different ways to join us on LIVE. Pick your favorite platform!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1311079249551669

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/events/becomingelli-confrontingagingwi7119761488461910016/theater/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88c0RQQGJ8U

Keeping a Fitness Mindset

October 16, 2023 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

October is a month that I traditionally have a tough time keeping a fitness mindset.

In years past, at the end of September, I participated in the Akron Marathon in a relay team or by running the half (2015 & 16 the team; 2017 & 2018 the half.) After that goal was achieved and October arrived, I was always felt a let down from goal achievement and a bit like taking a break.

I haven’t done a running race since the 2018 half, but still find that October’s weather tends to make me feel like staying inside and less like enjoying outdoor fitness activities.

Having Peanut (my dog) really helps me to get out and walk. This weekend I was looking forward to the color changes in the trees. While it has gotten colder, we haven’t had a frost yet which will help the reds, oranges and yellows come out. The trees have started to change.

Hudson Springs Park in Hudson Ohio on October 3, 2023

Although the leaves have changed, the weather has changed too. Hudson Springs Park Oct 15, 2023

When the overcast and clouds reflects in the lake, it kinda dampens the light. It’s hard to even see the trees changing color. I am going to try to find a sunny day to recapture this photo. Hudson Springs Park is one of my favorite places to walk with Peanut. Yesterday when I was there, a group of dog owners had a meet up in one of the pavilions. It was a group of corgi dogs and maybe 50 different ones. So cute. I didn’t get any photos of them, but I should have!

You can see that there are parts of Hudson Springs Park where the trees have changed.Meanwhile, I’m hoping the weather holds and I can keep looking for outdoor activities that fit into the brief moments of good weather. Good weather helps me keep the fitness mindset.

We have some very old apple trees that are still producing some fruit. These deer have visited quite often, even before dusk because they can’t resist the apples.

The deer don’t have anything to do with fitness, just the change of seasons. I rarely see them in my yard unless it’s apple season.

I really can’t count on good weather during the next few weeks, so this week my plan is to start using my treadmill more and carve out a consistent time to go to the gym,

What do you do to keep your fitness mindset when the weather changes?

What Are Prebiotics?

October 12, 2023 / Jill McCauslin / 0 Comments

What are prebiotics? How are they different from probiotics? We hear about both but it’s not always clear how they differ.

Probiotics introduce microorganisms into the gut. Many people take probiotic supplements, but you can also eat things like fermented foods to introduce “good” bacteria into your system. I wrote a blog post a while ago about the value of probiotic foods. The purpose of probiotics is to add certain bacteria into our systems.

Prebiotics serve a related but different function. They provide food for the microorganisms we’re trying to encourage to be in our system. Prebiotics are basically the food that bacteria eat to help them flourish and proliferate. If you’re taking probiotics, making sure you eat prebiotics might help those bacteria you’re introducing into your system survive and flourish.

Consume prebiotics to improve the balance of these microorganisms in your gut. Our microbiome is filled with a wide variety of microorganisms. The prebiotics help the ones that we want to encourage to stick around.

When healthy bacteria break down prebiotics, the bacteria generates energy, which increases their odds of survival. Also, the by-products produced by the bacteria are helpful to us.

Eating a diet high in fiber supports the health of the intestines. The prebiotic fiber improves our digestion, supports the immune system, and helps our bodies absorb nutrients.

Fiber can also help you feel full for longer after meals. This can promote a healthy weight. Fiber also helps regulate metabolism.

Curious about how to increase the prebiotics you’re consuming? Here’s a list of foods that contain prebiotics.

What are Prebiotics?

Fruit

Apples with the skin
Bananas
Berries
Nectarines
Pears
Watermelon

Vegetables

Asparagus
Chicory root
Dandelion greens
Eggplant
Garlic
Jerusalem artichokes
Jicama
Leeks
Onions
Peas
Peas

Grains/Beans

Beans
Oats
Whole grain barley
Whole grain rye
Whole grain wheat

Seeds/Nuts

Almonds
Cashews
Flax seeds
Legumes
Pistachios
Pumpkin Seeds

Try adding these foods to your meals and see what happens. A word of caution. Sometimes it helps to increase fiber consumption slowly. Adding fiber too quickly can cause digestive issues.

Let me know if you try adding more of these foods to your diet and if you notice any differences in how you feel.

Amazing Female Athletes with Elizabeth Emery

October 10, 2023 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

Episode 140 – Amazing Female Athletes with Elizabeth Emery

In episode 140 Jill and Chris talk with Elizabeth Emery. She is a former professional cyclist, US National Champion, and Pan Am Games gold medalist who raced in the women’s Tour de France for many years when it was called The Grand Boucle. She won the US Time Trial National Championship, a gold medal in the Pan American Games, the Pan American Championships, and the Tour of Japan.

Elizabeth is the host of the podcast Hear Her Sports where female athletes share stories of the amazing things they’re doing.

We discuss:

Her experiences as a professional athlete and racing in The Tour de France
Her motivation to keep training
Why she started her podcast Hear Her Sports
What she has learned about ways the female athletes train and eat
Lessons we can learn from professional women athletes
Why there is lack of media coverage about women athletes?
44% of all athletes are women and only 4% of the media coverage is about women.
Tidbits about the stories of some amazing women athletes she has interviewed. Most recently in episode 154 Jayden McKinney 2x Ohio High School State Wrestling Champ.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Hear Her Sports Website and Podcast Episodes

Hear Her Sports Bookshop

Move the Body, Heal the Mind: Overcome Anxiety, Depression, and Dementia and Improve Focus, Creativity, and Sleep by Jennifer Heisz

Getting Steps in Autumn

October 8, 2023 / Chris Brown / 1 Comment

One of my goals this time of year is to be outside and enjoy nature. I find that it’s easy to get plenty of steps walking in nature and it’s easy to get the steps when you’re not thinking about it. Lately I’ve done some hiking and talking with friends. It’s always a pleasure to walk and talk. It’s also one of the prettiest times in nature here in Northeast Ohio — Fall!

I was lucky to be out in sunny warm weather and still get to see trees just beginning to change. One of my walks was at Hudson Springs Park, not too far from where I live. Jill and I took a short walk around Hudson Springs Lake with our dogs, Penny and Peanut. It sure seemed like a perfect day for walking a dog and many of the people we passed by were also walking their dogs.

I snapped this photo as we were coming into the home stretch. You can see that the trees are just beginning to change color.Tonight the temperature is supposed to drop to 38 degrees, so I will try to recreate this photo to see what changes have happened in less than a week!

Another great place for taking photos and walking is the Holden Arboretum. I love taking photos and the views at Holden Arboretum really don’t disappoint. There are so many beautiful walkways there. I really get inspired to work in my yard after walking in an arboretum. The Holden Arboretum has a tall tower with many steps. It is exhilarating being up so high and looking down on the very very tall oak trees!

Chris at the top of the tower at Holden Arboretum. Windy!

Walking on the bridge was a little bit dicey for me. My vertigo kicked in a little because the walkway sways as you walk, up & down… and side to side!

Beautiful reflection pond with a path all around.

A giant Hydrangea plant, made even bigger with a panoramic photo.

Autumn crocus

By the end of the day, I had almost 22,000 steps. It’s funny how when my mind is thinking of the plants and nature’s beauty, I don’t think about getting exercise. It just happens!

Returning to the Gym

October 2, 2023 / Jill McCauslin / 2 Comments

I’ve returning to the gym that I’ve belong to for years after trying out some new gyms over the summer. It was interesting to see what was available to me and I didn’t get to check out as many as I intended. I may still go to some of the gyms that are further from my house just to see what they have to offer.

I decided that my gym was still a good option for me. It’s close to my house. I can drive there in five minutes. When I returned, it was good to be welcomed by people. Having people know your name has some value. (Of course, if you go to any gym, eventually they know your name.)

I decided to try some different classes once I returned to my gym. I thought it w would be good to see what was being offered in the classes. That has been fun. I’ve taken a few strength classes, a stretching and mobility class, a yoga class, and a Pilates Reformer demo class.

There were a couple of strength training classes I really enjoyed. I used kettlebells and dumbbells for some of the exercises. Body weight exercises were also popular. I ended up with some good workouts.

The yoga class made me realize that I really need to be going to yoga because I’m not nearly as flexible as I could be, and my balance is not great. Yoga would be a great way to get better at both.

A friend in my neighborhood recently joined the same gym and she’s very new to working out. I’ve taken her to some classes with me. It’s enjoyable to have some company. She has taken a liking to the yoga classes so I think that’s where she’s going to spend her time.

I have not been back to my bootcamp class because I felt that I should work my way back to it. It’s a strenuous workout and I liked starting my Saturday with that class so I suspect I’ll return soon.

Tips for Returning to the Gym

Here are some tips for returning to the gym after a long break:

Start slowly. Don’t think you can start where you left off. You don’t want to return to the gym only to end up with an injury. This is true whether you are returning to strength training or endurance sports. Start with lower weights or run for a shorter distance. You’ll soon catch up to where you want to be.
Try something new. You’re back after a break which can be exciting but it’s also a time to reevaluate your routine. Is there something new you can add to the mix? I tried some new classes and found some good options.
Don’t forget to rest. Since it’s been a while, you might not want to return to the gym every day. Maybe take it a bit slower than you were doing before. Your body will need to recover as you adjust to the new fitness regime.
This is a good time to set a goal and then track your progress. You’re starting with a clean slate so give yourself something to aim for. Personally, I’d love to find a bench press competition but haven’t managed to find one.

I’ll keep you posted on how I do with my workouts now that I’ve returned to the gym. Let me know if you have any suggestions on things to do when you’re ready to resume your fitness activities.

New Goals and Dreams with Wendy Green

September 26, 2023 / Chris Brown / 2 Comments

Episode 139 – New Goals and Dreams with Wendy Green

In episode 139, Jill and Chris interview podcast host Wendy Green who helps people to feel more purposeful and engaged with life. She helps them increase their confidence to re-Imagine their next chapter, helping them understand that they still have a lot left to give and that they can have a positive impact on their lives and their community.

Wendy Green is the host of the live show & podcast. “Hey, Boomer!” Her goal is to serve an inspirational role for people 55 to 75, who are looking for ways to live meaningful, fulfilling lives. Wendy wants to help people see that they are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream.

We met Wendy Green in Denver when we were at Podcast Movement, the conference for podcasters. We hit it off right away. We were women of a certain age who host podcasts and discovered we have a lot in common. We realized very quickly that Wendy should be a guest on our podcast. She lives in Greenville, SC. She has two children and four grandchildren.

We discuss:

How people handle changes in their lives
Specific advice for women going through physical and mental changes
Cultivating a healthy mindset
Reframing a difficult transition
Dealing with stress
Healthy ways to handle a loss (death in the family or losing a job)
What people need to know about retirement
The role of physical exercise in a healthy mindset
Exploring the “100 Year Life“
Unpacking what we feel about aging
Defining your “why”
How she helps people virtually as a life transition coach

Links:

Hey Boomer Website – https://heyboomer.biz/
Hey Boomer Podcast – where she podcasts live on Monday’s at 1pm Eastern Standard Time
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/heyboomerpodcast
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@HeyBoomer
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-green-heyboomerpodcast/
Transitions by William Bridges

Tracking Food with Cronometer

September 21, 2023 / Jill McCauslin / 0 Comments

I wrote about tracking food in the very early days of the Becoming Elli website. I wrote a blogpost entitled Counting Calories or Eat Less and Move More. At that time, I was using SparkPeople for tracking my food. I stuck with that app because I had a large body of data in it. I had created recipes and lots of favorites. It was easy to use. Five years later, I’m now tracking food with Cronometer.

Unfortunately, SparkPeople closed its doors for food logging. It changed its focus and no longer provided a free tool for tracking food.

Within the past year, I tried logging food on the Fitbit app. It was ok but I definitely prefer tracking food with Cronometer.

Some of the reasons why I prefer Cronometer is that I can see my macros by food item and by meal. The Fitbit app just gave me the macro breakdowns for the day so I couldn’t tell which meal was low or high in protein or fat.

Logging food is easy. I can tag foods as favorites so they are easy to find. It also lets you swipe a bar code on the product and gives you the nutritional information right away.

One thing I noticed with the Fitbit food logger was that it also provided bar code scanning but often misread the bar code. I’d have to swipe the code several times to get the correct food. Cronometer is much more accurate.

The other feature I really like about Cronometer is the ability to import a recipe from a different website. You simply paste the URL into the field and it creates the recipe for you. You can modify the recipe if necessary but it’s so much easier than having to enter an entire recipe manually.

I use the Android version of Cronometer and I don’t know if the Apple version is different. Sometimes, I access the Cronometer website on my computer. It’s easy to use there too.

I’ve been working hard on tracking food for the past six months. I can see very quickly when I’m overeating or under-eating. I also like seeing how much protein and fiber I get each day. It’s a challenging habit to create because food logging takes work. It helps to use a tool that makes it a bit easier.

Let me know what tool you use to track food.

Lunch of Veggies with Protein

September 18, 2023 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

I had an awesome lunch over the weekend of veggies with protein. It was delicious. It seems like all the vegetables are becoming ripe and are really tasting especially good to me right now. Maybe it is just that time of year!

By this photo you might think I didn’t get enough protein ,but I added a couple of ingredients at the end of cooking and after I took this photo that really boosted the protein levels in my meal.

Here’s my recipe for these delicious veggies. No surprise, I sautéed them on the stove.

To prepare this meal, first I pulled out the cutting board and a sharp knife. Heated up the pan with some extra virgin olive oil.

Chopped and sliced the following veggies:

Onions
Peppers: red, orange, yellow, (forgot to get green peppers)
Yellow Squash
Celery
Mushrooms

The onions went into the heated olive oil first because it took them the longest to cook. I sautéd all the vegetables over medium heat and after it started really cooking, I added a little bit of water, then covered it and turned down the heat to low.

I put the mushrooms in very last because they so cook much faster.

Adding Protein
In order to get more protein I added some tofu and some feta cheese. Tofu has a lot of protein (9 grams of protein in a 3 oz piece.) And the feta cheese added some great flavor. I added a little salt and pepper to taste. This meal was really delicious. Tons of colorful vegetables, so I am “eating the rainbow” and getting lots of veggies. #veggiechallenge2032

These vegetables are are fairly typical, probably the only unusual ingredient was the tofu, which I don’t usually have on my shopping list.

Tofu takes on the flavor of the other foods and it didn’t take much for it to take on the flavor of the vegetables in olive oil. So if you’ve thought about trying tofu in your meals, this might be a good way to try it. I usually slit the top and drain it. There’s a lot of water in the carton.

I cut it like a checkerboard into probably 25 pieces, at least 16 pieces. And when storing it in the refrigerator, I place it in a gallon zip lock sandwich size baggie. It’s got a consistency that is thicker than yogurt or pudding, but similar texture. It’s probably not something to eat plain, just by itself unless you really love it.

Do you like tofu? How do you prepare it or add it to recipes? I’d love to learn new ways of eating it as I think it’s a really good protein for me.