a fruit a day

It is a fact that I don't eat as much fruit as I should.

During certain times in my life -like when I did the Atkins diet- I barely ate any at all...

Yes. I know that is not good.

But now, I think I do [somehow] better, but still, I don't eat as much as I should.

And the thing about fruit is that it's packed with vitamins and minerals, plus also they are delicious gifts from nature, so there should not be any real reason (other than economic) why I should deprive myself of these jewels of nature, right?

So while analyzing that fruit is such a vital part of our nutritional needs, I've been thinking that I need to come up with an idea of how to eat more fruit and different kinds as well.

Now, when it comes to fruit variety I know there's lot of different types available, unfortunately in my case, I always tend to buy the same ones.

My top choices are usually; Strawberries, Raspberries (my favorite among all berries), Blueberries, Bananas, Apples and the occasional Mangoes.

So, what can I do to improve my amount of fruit consumption and variety????

Well, I have come up with an idea that I am going to implement starting tomorrow.

As of tomorrow Sat. October 14th, 2011 I will be eating a different type of fruit every week. And how am I going to decide which fruit to eat???

Well, I am going to do it in alphabetical order.

I will buy enough fruit for a whole week and will eat at least 1 fruit a day (perhaps 1/2 a day, depending on how expensive certain ones are- as I live on an island that pretty much imports everything, meaning EXPEN$IVE!)

My overall goal is that in aprox. 26 weeks I would have eaten all sorts of fruits, perhaps some that I haven't even tried before... Plus remember 26 weeks is exactly 1/2 a year, so if this works out I can do the entire process twice in a year.

I am excited to start and I am looking forward to try new fruit but specially get all the great healthy benefits that each one will bring me.

How are you in your fruit consumption? What's your favorite fruit? Have any tips for me???

Have a wonderful weekend... Tomorrow I will be buying some APPLES!

where do we draw the line?

Last night we watched a documentary called "The End of the Line", a shocking, very explicit film that reveals the impact of overfishing in our oceans, something that (as a species), we've been doing for at least 50 years.

Now, this is not a film for the faint of heart, or for those people that only eat fish (as meat) because of animal cruelty... well, actually, this is a film for EVERYBODY that walks on this earth and swims in our oceans.

It's a reality that is affecting every single one of us, whether we buy fish, we sell it, we catch it or even if we just like to go underwater and enjoy their beauty. And this is a problem that should concern each one of us because we are depleting our ocean of  many species and the most important ecosystems on our home planet.

So, then we tell ourselves- " Well, I'm not the one going out there and doing the overfishing, so it's not my responsibility". Well it is, because when we buy or eat fish from a restaurant we need to be conscious on our choices, find out which fishes are endangered, so if there's no demand, there's no market!

There are responsible seafood guides that are very helpful for when we need to find out what fishes are "green" to each, which ones are over fishes and the most critical endangered ones.

If you would like a seafood guide for your reference, the Guy Harvey Ocean foundation has one that you can download and print for you to keep that information handy, just click here.

Also, if you would like to get more involved, the end of the line website has many more options to offer, like reclaiming 2 hectares of ocean for ourselves to encourage governments to declare more protected areas (if you watch the documentary, you will learn that currently there's only a 0.4% of the entire ocean declared as protected areas, that means that more than a 99% is open for fishing- or should I say overfishing?).

Believe me, the power of one and the choices we make today, will have a direct impact on our future and the well being of our entire planet... This is our Ocean, we need to protect it.

Here's the trailer for the documentary, a must watch!!!

messages to be listen

There are certain messages that don't need to be long or very elaborated for us to capture what they are trying to make us aware of.

The message expressed in the following video, it's short, very clear but also a very sad one. 

Unfortunately there are still people out there, that need to hear it, in order to change their ways for good.

It is very sad to even think human beings are capable of such crimes against animals. 

The few times my dogs have gotten into an argument, it shakes up my soul in the most indescribable way, it makes me scared and sad... 

Now, I cannot imagine anybody making dogs fight until one kills the other, for, fun? entertainment? 

Can somebody explain that to me? 'Cause I just don't get it and I never will

Is it  that some humans have their hearts filled with violence and rage? Mine isn't

We need to wake up, treat animals with respect and starting giving back to animals and the environment what we have been abusing and taking from them, for so long...

Just saying... food for thought!

is it Friday yet?

It's only Tuesday and already I feel very tired.

Sunday to wake up Monday wasn't a very good night for me. Although I did get some sleep, I constantly felt as if I had "too much" on my mind and didn't get a good rest, so starting such a busy week at work on a "half gas tank" is not the best way to go.

So last night I went to bed early after having a few pieces of pizza we ordered when we came back from a short snorkeling at sunset...

photo not taken by me... but this much like our sunset snorkeling was!

It was so wonderful to spend a few minutes snorkeling right at the moment when there's a sunset on the west and the big Moon already rising on the east and with my favorite snorkeling buddy.... Loved it!

We saw an octopus coming out of his hole and a few flying gurnards - which I think is one of the weirdest looking fish - and perhaps yesterday was the only time I've seen them while snorkeling/diving here in Grand Cayman, although I have seen them before on the island of Cayman Brac...

photo source here

So, yesterday we not only saw one, but three of those, I think they are so exotic looking, like a Chinese Fan.

Anyway, today is another school visit and we have schedule 160 kids, it should be fun. Yesterday presentation went well, now we just have today's and tomorrow another school of 80 kids.

Happy Tuesday!

through my 3rd eye

Photos are such a huge part of my life that sometimes I feel like the camera is my 3rd eye and through it I can capture bits and piece of this amazing journey called LIFE.

My weekend was great, not very eventful, but that is not necessary a bad thing.

Now, today is the beginning of a very busy week at work, filled with school visits to keep promoting the passing of the Grouper Ban law.

Today, tomorrow and Wednesday we have a full schedule of school visits during the morning.Will make sure to capture some of the "action" with my "3rd eye" and then share the fun, right here!

But now, how about some random weekend pictures for your enjoyment? Here there are...

These past two days I finished two crochet project and a first time project in both cases, one is my very first (ever) crochet bag.

And the other is a brand new pattern of a Calla Lilly. I am very excited and I think it came out very nice, I am thinking of making a few and put together an arrangement that I can donate to my church.

This is the first of a few I am going to start working on.

And now for the random ones...

Ditto posing for the camera

Sheba cannot avoid the paparazzi

Jet plane going by my house

Sheba ALWAYS wanting the toy she can't have

Lilly in our front yard

Little One and Goldie on the car

Well, that's it for sharing my view through my 3rd eye, have a great Monday and a wonderful week!