Jane Blacker | Arizona Homeowner | November 2021 Digital Newsletter

Vol. 8 Issue 11

There’s a Tea For That!

The Benefits of Tea

Tumacácori National Park Santa Cruz County, AZ

Turkey Meatloaf GoodNes

LOCAL VENUE Tumacácori National Park Santa Cruz County, Arizona

TEA TIME

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early half of all Americans sip tea every day…that’s some 159 million tea-drinkers in the U.S alone! Whether it’s because we love the taste or we enjoy tea for its myriad health benefits, Americans love hot and cold steeps alike. It’s no surprise that tearooms and tea boutiques are popping up all around the country. But do unique tea varieties help to ease different health ailments? Here’s how to choose the best brew for your particular needs.

Tumacácori sits at a cultural crossroads in the Santa Cruz River valley. Here O’odham, Yaqui, and Apache people met and mingled with European Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries, settlers, and soldiers, sometimes in conflict and sometimes in cooperation. Follow the timeworn paths and discover stories that connect us to enduring relationships, vibrant cultures, and traditions of long ago.

Source: www.nps.gov/tuma

If you’re looking to improve your overall health, choose one of the four true teas – black, green, white, and oolong – made from the tea plant Camellia sinensis.

These varieties all offer similar health benefits, thanks to tea’s high levels of antioxidants called flavonoids that may help protect against several illnesses, such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. For example, several studies have shown that people who drink three or more cups of black tea daily have a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke. A 2020 study published in the medical journal Advances In Nutrition found adults who drank tea had a 10 percent lower risk of dying from heart disease with each eight-ounce cup of tea they drank. Pinkies up! And several studies show drinking green or black tea can help lower bad cholesterol. A component in tea, L-theanine, may also boost your immunity. Studies have also shown tea consumption may help reduce the risk of dementia and Parkinson’s disease, and aid in weight management. Sounds pretty convincing to us!

Just remember that these true teas all contain caffeine, so if you’re trying to kick the coffee jitters, sip mild and floral white tea or a light grassy green tea, which offer lower caffeine levels. Conversely, if you’re looking to wake up, start your day with a cup or two of black tea (hello, Irish Breakfast).

Herbal teas, also known as tisanes, may offer health benefits as well. It’s important to note that herbal teas do not contain actual tea; rather, they are herbs, flower buds, roots, and spices that are blended and brewed with water to make what is also referred to as “tea.” Herbal teas may have health benefits but are technically not tea. One plus: Herbal blends generally have no caffeine making them perfect for those who don’t want a perk.

Yearning to fall asleep faster and stay snoozing? Chamomile tea from the Asteraceae plant family can help provide a feeling of calm and promotes an almost tranquilizing effect. Chamomile tea may also help with heartburn, indigestion, menstrual pain, and anxiety. (Bonus: Soaked chamomile tea bags can help calm puffy under-eye areas, so don’t toss those teabags after brewing.) Ginger tea, made from the spicy root of the ginger plant, may ease nausea. Mint tea can also help soothe an upset stomach. Additionally, the scent of peppermint tea can boost energy levels, so if you’re feeling sluggish, sip some peppermint tea to increase productivity. Hibiscus, turmeric, and licorice root teas may also help prime your immune system. Tea party, anyone?

LIFEWISE

Journaling THE JOY OF

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s many of us reexamine our lives, and some of us have more free time at home, journaling has become the perfect wellness tool for the 2020s. Writing is not only a fun and creative outlet. It’s also good for your mental and physical health…it may even boost your immunity and make you more productive, according to several studies. Even for those who don’t love to write, journaling can be an easy yet powerful roadmap to self-discovery and improvement.

Feeling stressed? One 2018 study published in the Cambridge University Press showed that people who wrote about traumatic or stressful events for 15 or 20 minutes, just three to five times in total, had more positive outcomes than those who wrote about neutral events. It makes sense to write about stressful or painful moments – a high-pressure job or a fight with a spouse or friend – to work out the problem and release tension. Think of your journal as your own private therapist, always ready to listen (for free!). And no one will ever read it other than you.

So how do you get started? First, decide if you’re a pen-and-paper scribe or a modern-day keyboarder.

Some people love a beautiful paper journal and pen, while others are more comfortable at a screen. Next, establish a time and place you journal, perhaps with your morning mocha latte in a cozy chair or in bed at the end of the day. To get the journal groove going, jot down a few prompts for each entry. You can use these every day or just in the beginning. A few to try: Best Part of Today, Things I Accomplished, What Upset Me Today, Goal For Tomorrow, Friends and Family I Spoke With, or How Am I Feeling Today? Guideposts like these can help

those who aren’t natural writers. The beauty of journaling is that you never know where these prompts may lead. Just write down anything that pops into your head, and don’t judge or edit yourself.

People also use journals for different purposes. Rather than simply musing about your day, you could have a theme – a gratitude journal to focus on all you are thankful for in life; a goals journal, to examine what you want to accomplish and where you want to be in five or ten years; an ideas journal, where you list and expand on thoughts for home projects or business ventures; or simply your life’s narrative to pass on to your grandchildren.

At the end of each month or so, scan your entries and highlight elements that repeat. Are you often commenting about spending time with someone who makes you feel bad? Maybe it’s time to give that relationship a break. Feeling good on days you exercised?

Boost your mood by being more active. Or perhaps your chill-athome days are when you feel best. Build in more me-time! The point is to learn from your habits what is working and what is not, and then make changes accordingly.

FLAVORFUL

TURKEY MEATLOAF INGREDIENTS 1 tbsp olive oil

3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup lowfat milk

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 large egg, beaten

1/2 cup chopped carrot

2 tsp chicken flavor bouillon

2 chipotle chiles

1/4 cup ketchup

1 lb ground turkey

2 tsp canned adobo sauce

DIRECTIONS Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery and carrot; cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in chiles. Remove from heat.

Place turkey, vegetable mixture, breadcrumbs, milk, egg and bouillon in a large bowl; stir well until ingredients are combined.

Press mixture into 8 ½ x 4 ½-inch loaf pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine ketchup and adobo sauce in a small bowl. Spread over meatloaf.

Bake at 350° F for 45 to 50 minutes or until browned and meatloaf pulls away from sides of pan.

GoodNes.com

About Jane J

ane Blacker has been a widely-respected member of the Valley of the Sun real estate industry since 2000. With over 30 years as a real estate professional, her

track record remains spotless-something she attributes to always placing her clients’ interests first, providing unsurpassed service, meticulous attention to detail, and staying abreast of market trends and changes affecting the real estate industry.

Jane joined Russ Lyon Realty Company in March 2001. She achieved a topproducer ranking within two years and continues to be a top producer with Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty.

Originally from England, her career in real estate began when she joined a commercial real estate company in London and worked for ten years as the Executive Assistant to the Managing Partner.

Her many community activities include serving on the Board of Directors of the Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale. In 2013 and 2014 Jane was recognized by the Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce for her outstanding contributions to the community and has been the recipient of two prestigious business volunteer awards.

Jane Blacker REALTOR | SRES

Cell 480.283.3009 Fax 480.624.3711 Jane.Blacker@RussLyon.com Call Jane today if you are thinking about a new home!

If your home is currently listed, this is not a solicitation for that listing.

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