THIS SPRING BE AT YOUR BEST.

As spring and summer bring warmer temperatures and lifted spirits, I expect to be at my best. Here are some tips that I find helpful and would love to share with you. Also, I’m going to brag ……I lost 10 lb!!!
Happy Spring Everyone,
M.B

For Extra Brainpower
Salmon or Mackerel
The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish are one of the primary building blocks of brain tissue, so they’re essential to boosting brainpower. Salmon is also rich in niacin, which wards off Alzheimer’s disease and slows the rate of cognitive decline.

For Focus
Peppermint Tea
Researchers found that it took a mere whiff of peppermint to increase subject's concentration and performance on tedious tasks.
Bonus tip: Think that all tea is created equal? Think again. In today’s sugar-laden environment, it’s easy to consume an overwhelming percentage of your daily calories in liquid form—some researchers estimate that we consume about a quarter of our day’s calories through beverages. Swapping sugar-saturated drinks for smarter choices is an easy way to take pounds off.

For an Energy Boost
A Handful of Trail Mix
Raisins provide potassium, which your body uses to convert sugar into energy. Nuts stock your body with magnesium, which is important in metabolism, nerve function, and muscle function. When magnesium levels are low, your body produces more lactic acid—the same fatigue-inducing substance that you feel at the end of a long workout. Ever notice how hard it is to concentrate when you’re feeling sluggish?

For Sharper Senses
1 Tablespoon of Ground Flaxseed Daily
Flax is the best source of alpha-linolenic acid (or ALA)—a healthy fat that improves the workings of the cerebral cortex, the area of the brain that processes sensory information, including that of pleasure. To meet your quota, sprinkle flaxseed on salads or mix it into a smoothie or shake.

For Long-Term Memory
Blueberries
Antioxidants in blueberries help protect the brain from free-radical damage, which could decrease your risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases and improve cognitive processing. Wild blueberries, if you can find them—check the freezer section—have even more brain-boosting antioxidants than the cultivated variety.

To Calm Your Nerves
Low-Fat Yogurt or Mixed Nuts
Scientists in Slovakia gave people 3 grams each of two amino acids—lysine and arginine—or a placebo, and asked them to deliver a speech. Blood measurements of stress hormones revealed that the amino acid-fortified guys were half as anxious during and after the speech as those who took the placebo. Yogurt is one of the best food sources of lysine; nuts pack loads of arginine.

The Millenium trilogy by Stieg Larsson

During my February visit to Poland I had heard a ton of good things about this series of books by Stieg Larsson. Everyone was asking me if I had a chance to read the trilogy. I found the idea intriguing and decided to purchase first two books.I've been a huge fan of Minette Walters’s books since 1998. Her psychological novels explore the dark side of a human nature below a calm surface. She never follows rules, each novel is so different. Larsson's books gave me same taste for something very different.
Stieg Larsson (1954-2004) was a Swedish writer and journalist who gave us this gift of trilogy "The Millennium-series" which were published posthumously; "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", "The Girl Who Played With Fire" and "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest". Altogether, his trilogy has sold more than 12 million copies worldwide, and he was the second bestselling author in the world 2008. Before his career as a writer, Stieg Larsson was mostly known for his struggle against racism and right-wing extremism. Starting in the late 1970's, he combined his work as a graphic designer with holding lectures on right-wing extremism for the Scotland Yard. During the last 15 years of his life, he and his life companion Eva Gabrielsson lived under constant threat from right-wing violence.

Have to admit that I did not speak to anyone for 2 weeks while I was drowning into the first books of the " Millennium series" I could not wait till end of May for the North American release of” The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest". I placed an order from the UK and anxiously expect a delivery next week.

To me these books are way more than "just" thrillers.

I recommend this international bestseller to all who eagerly sift through new books for challenging intellectual crime thrillers, who like immersing themselves in the lives of memorable characters and who soak up financial and investigative subjects.

Larson does an outstanding job of sketching rich portraits. Salander and Blomqvist are not easy to like - they both have some rough edges - but each is known for his or her passion. I can't wait to read the 3rd book and see the upcoming movie based on the first book. But before you go to see this new Swedish movie you must read the book first. You must! My husband is on page 124 of the second book.

http://www.thegirltrilogy.com

All the Best,

M.B


www.meggib.ca