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Our Podcast is Listed in Google Podcasts

October 7, 2019 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

**UPDATE: Google Podcasts are no longer active.**

Although we have been creating episode after episode for the Fit Strong Women Over 50 podcast, it was just recently that Google decided that they are going to return podcasts as a choice when someone googles something.

Since it started, Google has returned websites. Ever since Google became popular, people have used the search engine to find what they are searching for. Meanwhile companies have worked to understand how to get found on the internet. They struggle to get their website to be among the top results for certain phrases.

Google used to just return website results but then Google started returning other media besides just websites. Things like PDFs, images, news, blog posts, videos and other types of media. Granted, they are all housed on a website.

Podcasts have been around since 2005, but it’s only been in the last few years that they have become popular.

At the Google I/O 2019 (their annual developer conference) held in early May 2019 Google announced that they will be returning podcasts in their results.

Anyone with an Android phone has been able to use Google Podcasts for quite a while, but now you can Google the name of a podcast and Google will return the results with a link to the podcast.

If you listen to podcasts from your computer, this may be a great way to find podcasts of interest:

We announced this on our Becoming Elli Facebook page late last week:

You can listen to the “Fit Strong Women Over 50” podcast for the Becoming Elli community on Google Podcasts now. Share with a friend!

https://www.google.com/podcasts…

If you already listen to Fit Strong Women Over 50 podcast episodes, this is no big deal, but many folks are still learning about how to listen to podcasts. Hopefully having the giant search engine of Google listing our podcast will really help spread the word!

What I Learned About Supporting Runners at a Big Race

September 30, 2019 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

I had an amazing inspirational day on Saturday.

The started with a bit of rain and an amazing double rainbow. I only caught part of it, but how often is there a rainbow at 7 am??

For several hours I cheered the runners compete in the Akron Marathon, Half Marathon and Team Relay through the streets of Akron, Ohio. I was a spectator along with another estimated 99,999 other people!

Over the past 4 years I ran in this race. Both in 2015 & 2016 I was on a marathon relay team and in 2017 & 2018 I ran the half marathon. This year my participation was limited to making it about supporting runners by cheering and high five-ing.

I’ve done a lot of volunteering at water stations over the years (at least 12 different races) and have competed in over 30 races since 2009 (mostly 5Ks and three half marathons.)

As a runner, I know that having someone watch you makes a difference in performance. You just simply try harder. And when the going gets tough, a kind word or even a smile at the right moment can make a really huge difference. I find it inspiring being around people who are working to achieve something really hard.

During my time running, spectating and cheering people on, I’ve learned a few things about supporting runners:

Make a sign that makes people smile. My signs were taped to a rake. They are easier to hold. And it left one hand free for the ringing the obnoxious cow bell.
Move locations to get different perspectives of the race. From 8:15 am I was at mile 6 until around 9:30. The streets were filled with half marathoners along with the full marathon racers and the relay teams. As this group turned into a trickle of people, I drove my car over to mile 14 and rang the bell again from 9:45 until 10:40 am. Mile 14 was at the top of the hill where the marathoners had just finished about 2 miles of vertical climb. It was much hotter as the overcast skies had burned off and sunglasses were needed.
I had a 2 sided sign but used the “Go Random Stranger Go” side that I used for for 99% of the race because it got the most smiles and comments. Many racers yelled out “Thanks, Random Stranger” and I hollered back “This sign is for YOU!” Most of those comments were at mile 6. At mile 14 I got a couple of “Hey, there’s that random stranger again!”
The other side of the sign said “This sounded like a good idea 4 months ago!” which for some reason I thought was funny the night before, however when I got to the race it seemed pretty snarky. Certainly not encouraging. I realized that there were a lot of people who thought it was funny, but they were all the bystanders and spectators, not the runners! So I learned for future races where I am a spectator… but sure to think of it from the perspective of a tired runner.
I learned that when cheering people on, it is great to use their name. The Akron marathon would print the name of the person (or what ever you wanted) printed on the front of the bib. It was particularly effective when the person was running by themselves. Their face would light up in a smile and their eyes said “Thank You!” even if they were too tired to say anything.

One problem that happened a few times with using people’s name. I would say something like “Looking good, Julie!” but as soon as I got the words “Looking Good” out of my mouth, someone else, running right next to Julie would say “Thank you!” It only happened a few times, but made me feel bad, like I was calling out the person next to them and not them!

So, to remedy that, I learned to not use someone’s name if they were running near someone else, or I would use the name first, like “Julie, Looking good.”

I mentioned the obnoxious cow bell. I put it on a rubber band so that I didn’t have to worrying about setting it down and picking it up. As a runner, I always appreciated the cow bells. Especially when they ran in the same pace pattern as my feet were running. It helped me to keep going. As a spectator, I learned that cow bells are obnoxious to the people around you. Hearing that constant ringing for more than an hour gets jarring.

It is a similar effect for cheering people on.

I learned if I said the same thing over and over and over, it feels like a chant and starts to lose all meaning. So I tried to switch it up:

“Stay strong.” “You got this.” “Good job.” “Looking good.” “Keep it up.”
I learned that the runners have different attitudes towards how the day was going. While some people had head phones on. Most smiled back at me with my cow bell and sign. Other people wanted to be noticed. I found to really encourage someone, that it was really important to lock eyes with the runner, just them, one by one. A few runners didn’t want to engage, they were in their own flow state. And some were really desperate in need of some encouragement and support. “Thank you!!” some runners would gasp.

Once in a while the runner would looked like they were out for an easy run. They had a quick easy smile come across their face. “Thank you random stranger!!” they would shout back at me! I suspect that these type of runners were pacing someone else. Especially when I was a mile 14 and the runners had just completed a 2 mile up hill section.

I learned it was good to be prepared. I was really glad I brought my own water bottle. Being out there, cheering people on makes my smile start to hurt, dries out my teeth and gets my throat dry and voice raspy. A good swig of water fixed that every time. I tried to make it all about supporting runners.I know that people were running for 5 hours at a time. And I know I was only out there for a little over 2 hours, (so it feels like I shouldn’t have any issues,) but believe me, I was glad to have water. If you are going to be supporting runners and cheering people on, it’s good to have water!
I learned that is is good to research who you know will be running the race. Seeing the flat version of people the night before on social media really helps to identify someone when the sea of runners are going by!
Best of all, I learned that I loved seeing all the familiar faces running by me! Friends I know from volunteer work. People from my gym. Women from MRTT (Moms Run This Town.) Even someone I recognized from the Becoming Elli Community! (More about her later!!)
I learned that I should have padded the handle of the cowbell. I ended up with a blister on my right index finger. (I guess I should have trained to ring, eh?)

While I’ve taken the past year off from running, I still greatly admire the runners and get inspired seeing the determination, courage and struggles. My heart is filled when I participate – as a runner or volunteer or even just as a spectator who is all about supporting runners!

I’m sure you have some ideas, as a runner or a volunteer at a race or a spectator. What’s the most encouraging sign you’ve ever seen? What phrases have you heard that encourages people the most? Let me know by leaving a comment below or calling our voice mail at 330-970-6662.

Nita Sweeney Depression Hates a Moving Target Podcast 42

Depression Hates a Moving Target with Author Nita Sweeney

September 24, 2019 / Jill McCauslin / 0 Comments

Episode 42 Depression Hates a Moving Target with Author Nita Sweeney

In episode 42, Chris and Jill talk to Nita Sweeney, the author of Depression Hates a Moving Target: How Running with My Dog Brought Me Back from the Brink. Nita Sweeney is a writer and runner who lives in Columbus, Ohio. Her memoir was published this year and an audio version was recently released. In it, Nita describes her transition into a runner and how she overcame both physical and emotional obstacles.

Nita earned a journalism degree from The E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University, a law degree from The Ohio State University, and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Goddard College.

A product of best-selling author Natalie Goldberg’s “writing practice” method, Nita has taught writing for nearly 20 years and is a member of the National Association of Memoir Writers and the Ohio Writers Guild.

Nita started out running for 30 seconds at a time using a kitchen timer. Through training and having supportive family, friends, and running communities, she has become a true runner. She has run three marathons, 27 half marathons and over 80 other races. Her memoir describes how she became a runner and able to participate in all of these races.

Chris and Jill’s conversation with Nita included:

How Nita took up running
How it improved her mental health
Dealing with pain and injury
Being a slow runner
Meditation
The value of communities for running
What kind of shoes she likes

Nita’s memoir is available at the various online book stores and your local bookstore. Nita says she loves seeing the waiting list for her book at her library system.

Links

Nita Sweeney

Chi Running

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nitasweeney/

Facebook: https://facebook.com/nitasweeneyauthor/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/nitasweeney/

Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/nitasweeney/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/nitasweeney/

Grab and Go Supplies for Easy Exercise

September 23, 2019 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

I have found that sometimes 90% of getting to the gym or going for some exercise is getting out the door. That’s why I try to do what I call “grab and go supplies.”

One way I decided to make that a little easier is to create a spot where all my bike riding gear goes. Helmet, sun brim hat, gloves, water bottles, neckerchief, and bike shoes are stored together in a little cubbie area. My bike and pump stay in the garage. It works for me to keep everything together, so I can just grab and go.

Having my gym bag packed with all the essentials is another trick. Swimming suit, googles, and cap, all live in my gym bag, along with a hair brush and deodorant.

I keep another bag for skiing. It contains my favorite ski socks, handwarmers, liners, pants, gloves, helmet and goggles. I hang the bag over the wooden hanger that holds my ski jacket. Boots, poles and skis are stored in the basement.

My running gear is more spread around, especially since I haven’t been running very much this past year. I don’t use as much equipment, but the clothes, socks and shoes make the biggest difference. I love to create a “flat Chris” the night before an event. Most running events are very early in the morning and many roads are closed well before the event, so I’ll be getting up to go we;; before the sun and leaving the house super early.

It really helps to keep me on track in the morning. Having things ready the night before calms the nerves about forgetting something.

Yoga is pretty simple. My mat is about all I need, because my gym supplies blocks, blankets, straps and bolsters. I used to have yoga socks with the little stickies on the bottom of the sock and the toes open, but I think my washing machine ate one of the socks.

For each one of my “sports” I put together a list. It really helps when I change seasons. The check lists include the long version (weekend ski trip or bike trip) along with a just quick trip. It really helps when I keep everything together.

For me it is okay to skip the lip balm when I am biking, but not when I’m skiing! Or skip water bottles if it is a short run, but include electrolytes and snacks if it’s a long one.

For all of my sports, I have my sport fanny pack. Even walking! In it goes my glasses with case, my phone and that all important bee sting kit.

How do you organize? Do you keep lists? Do you keep your gear all together? Let me know how you manage. I’m always looking for a better way.

End of Summer

September 19, 2019 / Jill McCauslin / 2 Comments

It’s now the end of summer and in just a few days it will be the first day of autumn. Summer in Ohio is key training time, if you do anything outdoors related. Soon, it will be time to get back on the treadmill or head to the gym for more strength training.

Before I do that, however, I thought it is worth looking back at the summer to see what I accomplished.

Summer Activities

I managed to keep attending boot camp and training sessions at the gym. Did I really gain any strength? I don’t know but I went often enough that I don’t feel that I lost anything.

I ran a fair amount and managed to run in a variety of places.

In the early summer, I spent a few days at the beach and got a couple runs in there. My ankle and hip was still bothering me so I walked on the beach and ran on sidewalks and boardwalks. Sand running was too challenging for me.

I spent a couple weeks in South Carolina with my parents. I found a few great trails for running on and managed to get in some runs. It was extremely hot so I had to adjust to that.

Back in Ohio, I ran in several locations. I enjoyed some parks, some road running in neighborhoods, and did some trail running.

This was the first summer in a few years when I didn’t run any races. I missed the races but never managed to sign up for one. At first, I was feeling too slow and out of shape to race and then I began to improve but just never managed to sign up for one.

End of Summer

A lesson learned is that it’s good to have some races on the calendar. It really does improve training because there’s a goal and an actual date on the calendar. I think next year I’ll sign up for races in the spring so that I know I have to do them.

How was your summer? Did you reach your goals? Do something fun? Share a comment here or on the Becoming Elli Facebook page. You can email me at Jill@Becomingelli.com.

NEOC Cookie Century Ride Recap

September 16, 2019 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

Yesterday was the perfect weather for a long bike ride and the NEOC event on Sept 15 2019 put on by the Out-Spokin’ Wheelman didn’t disappoint!

My biggest challenge of the day was trying to not overindulge in the cookie table. You see, I had forgotten what the initials NEOC stood for – I thought it was Northeast Ohio Century, but when I asked one of the organizers they jogged my memory. The initials stand for Northeast Ohio Cookie ride.

This was their 46th year of putting on this ride. Wow! I’m amazed I never heard of it before.

PRE-RIDE:
The ride was held at the Trumbull County Fairgrounds which is about an hour from where I live now. I left around 6 am. I was rewarded for getting up before dawn with the most beautiful sunrise! The weather was chilly, so I brought my bright zipper sweatshirt for the early part of the ride.

The people at the check-in registration table couldn’t have been nicer! Friendly and organized, they handed me a giant bag of “goodies.” I preregistered on line for only $20 and day of registration was still only $20. I have to say I was amazed at all the support, food and prizes that the $20 provided!

ROUTE:
Route maps with both the turn-by-turn directions and a mile marker route image were perfect. The turn-by-turn directions were on the back of the map and stacked so it was easy to attach to the bike so you knew exactly where you were. The ride featured different choices – 5 loops of varying mileage, surfaces and degree of difficulty. All the routes started and finished at the fairgrounds. I think all 5 routes were flat, although I only rode three of them. One was the Western Reserve Greenway Hike and Bike trail which was straight and flat, surrounded by beautiful trees and greenery. (My bet is this would be a gorgeous fall ride route!)

Great maps for each of the routes. All routes had a small color coded arrow sprayed on the road as well. Outstanding job by the Out Spokin Wheelman for the 46th year!

If you are a fast rider, or at least faster than me, this is the perfect ride to get a century. If you are a cookie lover, this is also a great ride! Regardless, I had a really great day of riding. This year, and maybe many other years, the ride was all around my hometown of Cortland, Ohio and Mosquito Lake Reservoir.

This was a screen shot from my Strava app that shows our route for the whole day. I grew up in Cortland and went to Lakeview High School. Lots of memories while riding around!

There are some areas that were covered twice. My total mileage for the day was 63 miles. While it wasn’t a century ride, it was a metric century. A century ride is a 100 mile ride. A metric century ride is 100 Kilometers or about 62 miles. I had originally thought I would try 100 miles but my pace is more like 10 or 11 miles per hour, which means a very very long day. I think we still did about 6 hours of moving to get the 60+ miles in, so I feel like I got plenty of enjoyment from the ride!

FOOD:
A large table full of homemade cookies. Oatmeal raison, peanut butter with Hershey kisses, date bars, coconut flaked, chocolate chip! It reminded me of some of the weddings I have been to in western PA and eastern Ohio. Lunch was home made meatballs with pasta, salad and choice of lunch meats and cheeses with rolls for sandwiches. While it wasn’t overly healthy, it sure was delicious!

In between routes, they had water and Gatorade in large cooler jugs for filling water bottles. I enjoyed a coffee as well during one of the breaks – delicious. It was a big spread!

WEATHER:
The weather was around high 70’s low 80’s but overcast. That made for the perfect ride day. I had put sunscreen on before riding early morning, but the sun never got to that hot cooking feeling like sometimes happens in July and August. Light breeze at one point made me realize we might have a slight headwind, but it never was very noticeable. Around 2:15 or 2:30 we were on our 3rd route and it started sprinkling, with a bit of drizzle. Rather than get another 10 miles out, we decided to cut short and head back to the fairgrounds. Of course it stopped after we started heading back, but I didn’t have any rain gear with me.

My trusty bike is an 1988 Cannondale. Water bottles courtesy of Eddie’s Bike Shop. The front one has about a cup of Gatorade in it, that’s why it is blue. Plus, matches the bike!

AFTER:
Since this ride was located so close to my parents’, I stopped over for a quick “hi, how are you” drop-in visit. That also added to fun of the day!

Next year is going to be their 47th year and will be held 9/20/20. Although it’s hard to plan a year out, I think this ride is going on the calendar for next year!

Do you have a favorite event that you’ve participated in this year? Tell me about it! Leave a message in the comments below or call our voice mail line at 330-970-6662. You can also leave a post on our Facebook page.

Replenishing Electrolytes

September 12, 2019 / Jill McCauslin / 1 Comment

It seems like people are always advising me to work on replenishing electrolytes after I go for a long run or do any physical activity in the heat of summer.

People are also always advising us to stay hydrated but not to drink too much water without replenishing electrolytes.

Lots of advice for sure but what does it mean?

What are Electrolytes?

I knew that electrolytes are minerals in our bodies, such as calcium, magnesium and potassium but that’s about the extent of my knowledge. (I really should have taken more science courses in college.)

Here’s a great definition of electrolytes that I found on Medline Plus, which is a website of health information put out by the U.S. National Library of Medicine:

Electrolytes are minerals in your body that have an electric charge. They are in your blood, urine, tissues, and other body fluids. Electrolytes are important because they help

Balance the amount of water in your body
Balance your body’s acid/base (pH) level
Move nutrients into your cells
Move wastes out of your cells
Make sure that your nerves, muscles, the heart, and the brain work the way they should

Sodium, calcium, potassium, chloride, phosphate, and magnesium are all electrolytes. You get them from the foods you eat and the fluids you drink.

Hydration Fluctuations

A number of reasons can explain changing levels of electrolytes. You can have too little water in your body, which is called dehydration. Too much water in your body is called overhydration. Either situation affects your electrolytes. This can happen from taking certain kinds of medicines, nausea, diarrhea, sweating, and illness.

When I exercise intensely or in the heat, I sometimes end up feeling dizzy or faint. Sometimes I just end up feeling sluggish. I find myself thinking, “it feels like I’ve never run before.” I end up replenishing my electrolytes and usually feel much better pretty quickly. Chris talked about different solutions for dealing with heat, including replacing electrolytes.

It’s thought that when we get cramps, particularly in our legs and often at night, it’s our bodies alerting us that we need to work on replenishing electrolytes. Other things can cause this, of course, but it’s worth trying if you’re dealing with this. Cramps can be so painful, they’re impossible to ignore.

Replenishing electrolytes

If you’re struggling with electrolyte problems due to health issues or medication, you should talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist.

If you’re dealing with this because you’ve been working out, you can use a few different methods for replenishing your electrolytes.

First of all, food is your best source:

Bananas are a great source of potassium.
Dairy products are well known for their levels of calcium.
Green leafy vegetables can replace both magnesium and potassium.
Coconut water is considered to be a good source of electrolytes

Basically, if you eat a well-rounded diet of natural, whole foods, your body will get what it needs.

However, when you’re out running or biking or really pushing yourself in the gym, you may need to supplement with something. Don’t just drink lots of water because you can end up overhydrated which basically dilutes your electrolytes. You need to make sure you get what your body needs.

There are lots of ways to supplement. Probably the best known is drinking a sports drink like GatorAde or PowerAde. There are electrolyte mixes you can add to water and there are tablets you can dissolve in your mouth.

I’ll discuss some of these supplements in future posts so stay tuned!

In the meantime, let me know if you have problems with fluctuating electrolytes and what you do to resolve the problem. Leave a comment below or leave a phone message at 330-970-6662 or send an email to Jill@BecomingElli.com.

Healthy Eating, Shopping and Meal Prep with Health Coach Beth Kazcmar

Healthy Eating, Shopping and Meal Prep with Health Coach Beth Kaczmar

September 10, 2019 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

Episode 41 Healthy Eating, Shopping and Meal Prep

In episode 41, Jill and Chris talk with Health Coach Beth Kaczmar about healthy eating, grocery shopping and meal prep ideas.

She holds a bachelor’s degree from University of Akron in Nutrition and Dietetics, is certified in health coaching through Precision Nutrition and currently works as a health coach at a medical practice.

She likes to help people to see what they can eat, instead of focusing on what they are told they can’t eat.

She said she likes to help them with variety, make it about recipes. “We tweak recipes, so they are not feeling deprived. For instance, substituting, normal flour for an almond flour and then adjust the liquids in the recipe.”

Some of the discussion points:

Tips on shopping the grocery stores – Produce. Fish. Organic. Locally grown. Nutrition label.
Food prep ideas for the week.
TasteMyTable instagram page of her original recipes for eating the rainbow. https://www.instagram.com/tastemytable/
How she squeezes exercise into her busy week: swimming, elliptical, and weights
Fueling for working out and training for endurance events.

Find her on:
@TasteMyTable
RevitalizeMed.com

Beth’s Red Cabbage Recipe from TasteMyTable:
Sweet and Spicy Cabbage on the go!

I love this recipe because all I do is chop all my ingredients, pop them in a zip lock bag, including the dressing, and when I’m ready to eat, just give a little shake and I have my salad to go

It’s packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and it’s high in fiber and low in calories

I hope you enjoy! 1/4 head of purple cabbage, shredded, 1 slice white onion, diced, 1 small whole carrot, diced, 1 T goji berries, 1 T raisins, 1 T Apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp hot sauce, 1 tsp honey, sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Throw all ingredients into a zip lock bag, give a shake and enjoy!

These are a Few of my Favorite Veggies

September 7, 2019 / Chris Brown / 1 Comment

I love vegetables, especially my favorite veggies. I have found that if I don’t have a bunch of product in the refrigerator, I feel like we don’t have food. Most of them I cook, but many just eat raw.

“Eat your vegetables” is something that kids hear from adults, but many times, even as adults, we find it hard to eat enough vegetables.

During 2019, we’ve been doing the #VeggieChallenge here in Becoming Elli by coming up with new recipes or trying new vegetables each week. While it’s a marvelous goal, I’m finding that my vegetable list continues to include the tried and true choices.

Here’s what I find that I buy and eat most often. I guess you would call these My Favorite Veggies:

Artichokes – I usually buy in a jar, but love to make these with Parmesan cheese the way my sister showed me.
Asparagus – My other sister makes asparagus for holidays and I’ll fix it like that with cheese, but usually just roasted in the oven.
Avocados – It’s been hard to find ripe ones lately, I love eating these with my egg whites in the morning.
Bib lettuce – delish in a salad or to hold hummus
Beets – in our garden. LOVE these roasted
Broccoli – I usually steam broccoli but also like it raw or roasted
Brussels sprouts – roasted is my favorite
Cauliflower – raw, riced, baked and boiled/mashed – I love C-flower!
Celery- chopped and mixed with tuna
Cucumber – with vinegar and tomatoes
Green cabbage – a little olive oil and baked on a cookie tray
Iceberg lettuce – rarely buy except I eat from a salad bar
Kale – growing this in our garden out back
Mushrooms – love these sauteed with eggs
Olives – black, green and Greek especially
Onions – white, and yellow. Not so much the purple
Peppers – green yes. But love the yellow, red and orange minis
Pumpkin – especially the canned plain pumpkin to bulk up a soup
Radishes – shaved in a salad. Whole when roasted
Red cabbage – shredded in a salad
Red Lettuce – placed under another salad as garnish
Sauerkraut – Love sauerkraut. I cook it in the crock pot low and slow.
Spinach – two bags of washed spinach each week. Wilted and eaten with my eggs
Sweet Potato – baked is favorite, but sweet potato fries are a treat
Swiss Chard – growing in my garden. Great wilted and sauteed with garbanzo beans.
Tomatoes – mostly little grape tomatoes but this time of year big Beefsteak or Early Girl or Roma tomatoes are great!
Zucchini – now is the time, right? Who else makes zucchini bread?

What am I missing that you wouldn’t go without? I’ve shared my favorite veggies, so now, what is your favorite way to fix them or eat them? Let me know by sending an email to Chris@becomingelli.com or calling 330-970-6662.

Corn on the Cob: Veggie Challenge

September 5, 2019 / Jill McCauslin / 0 Comments

Corn on the cob is not a unique vegetable nor is it an unusual way of preparing corn. So, technically, it probably doesn’t count as an entry for the Becoming Elli Veggie Challenge.

I’ve been making it frequently over the past few weeks. Yes, I know that most corn is GMO and is high in carbs or sugar. It is usually not on the list of acceptable foods in most weight loss diets. However, it’s August in Ohio and it’s sweet corn season.

Some of my favorite childhood memories are of eating sweet corn in the late summer. I can remember my mother stopping at one of the local farm stands to buy corn for our dinner and how we all ate it with great enjoyment. We slathered butter and salt on it and devoured it. My father would eat several ears at a meal. There was a certain ritual about eating corn.

When I visited my relatives on their dairy farm in northwestern Pennsylvania, we would go out into the garden and pick ears of corn for dinner. Then we’d stand by the barn to husk the corn and throw the outer leaves into the heifer pens. Those cows loved the corn leaves.

Since this is the Becoming Elli community, most of you will remember that we didn’t get produce out of season very often when we were children. So, corn came into season and lasted for a month or two and then no more fresh corn for the year.

Now, I can buy corn on the cob almost year-round though I don’t think it’s the same thing. I don’t often buy it out of season. But, in both Ohio and Pennsylvania, corn is in season in August and lots of produce stands pop up and sell it. Also, there are farms that specialize in corn and they sell a lot of it in the summer.

You can cook corn on the cob in any number of ways. You can grill it, throw it in the embers of a camp fire, and microwave it in the leaves. I cooked it a couple times this summer in the Instant Pot but decided that I preferred the old-fashioned way of boiling a big pot of water and throwing the corn in for three to five minutes. My mother instilled in me a horror of overcooked corn so I’m careful not to boil it for too long.

There’s a lot of talk about emotional eating. I know that usually means we eat when we’re angry or sad or happy and that it’s considered to be an unhealthy habit. But for me, corn is emotional eating in that it reminds me of family and summer and happy times. A favorite memory is my familysitting at our picnic table enjoying our corn and Velvet, our Cocker Spaniel, sitting under the table, hoping some food would fall. I both miss those days and am grateful to have had them.

I have a friend who eagerly buys Silver Princess corn whenever she finds it. It reminds her of buying corn while on vacation with her family. You don’t find much of that variation in Ohio so she’s always happy when it shows up in our local farmer’s market. So, I know I’m not the only person who associates sweet corn with family and summer and love.

Do you have regular, everyday foods that evoke that sense of nostalgia for you? I’d love to hear about them. Leave a message here or on the Becoming Elli Facebook page or email me at Jill@becomingelli.com.