AVOCADOS

.....are delicious!

Over the past few days, I've developed an extreme love for avocados. They're easy to mix into things I already eat such as salads, salsa, sandwiches, burgers, and more! If you're not into avocados yet, try one! :)

There are many health benefits of avocados which I'm sure I'll blog about later! Keep reading - I appreciate you!

Jewel's Random TidBits: I personally would not advise eating more than one avocado each day. Since avocados have a lot of natural fat, eating too many avocados could have more of a negative health effect than a positive one.

I RUN AUSTIN

Yes, I run Austin and I have the shirts and finisher's medals to prove it. Since my first semester of my freshman year in college I have been running races for the pure joy of it! I started with the Susan G. Komen 5K run, then ran the Austin Half-Marathon twice, and finished my first marathon - the Austin Marathon - this February. There's just something about crossing the finish line and knowing that you just accomplished something so great.

There's a unique inner will-power and mindset that is required of race-runners.

Running races teaches me so much about myself! The volunteers that line the race route who give out water, Gatorade, and moral support can only motivate you so much. There comes a point where their cheers and words of encouragement dwindle and you have to remember why you're running to push yourself onward.

I would recommend running a race to everyone! Start somewhere you're comfortable with (for example, a 5K is 3.1 miles) then work your way up!

Jewel's Random TidBits - Pay attention to how old/new your running shoes are. If they're too old, using them in a race could hurt your shins and if they're too new, you can run the risk of getting blisters.

A Special Version of Guyanese Pinetarts

I always joke that my future husband will be one of the best fed people ever but it's true! I absolutely LOVE spending time cooking and baking! When I was ten I started my own cooking club at my house. My friends would come over and I (with my mother's help) would teach them how to prepare fun and easy recipes.

It's such a fulfilling feel to see people enjoy dishes I've cooked. 

Even now I constantly jump at opportunities to cook for my friends and family - from the annual Christmas dinner parties I host for my college friends to baking treats for my organization's fundraisers to being in charge of my family's Thanksgiving turkey.

Below is a video sampling of my abilities! In this video I make a special version of Guyanese pineapple tarts which look like mini-pies as opposed to the traditional triangle style. Enjoy :)

Jewel's Random TidBits - I made this video for my final project in one of my college communications classes.

Summertime Shine

It's summer! While the first official day of the summer season is not until June 21st, my "real" summer started a long time ago. For us college students, the last class day was over a month ago and grade schools all over are closing for summer break in the next week or two! If the end of the spring semester is not indication enough, this Texas heat is all the proof I need.

Speaking of the heat, there are so many things that need to be taken care of before we dive completely into our summer activities. One major thing: awesome skin care.

It's so funny to see my friends' reactions when I tell them that I'm going "tanning". Being a darker-skinned girl, they get confused wondering why I need to "tan". But what I mean - and I guess what I should say - is that I'm going to soak up the Sun. I love spending time in the Sun because of what it does to my skin. I'm pretty sure you've heard of the "glow" that every woman desires. Well, you can get a natural one by simply spending time outside! The Sun provides us with natural vitamins and nutrients that keep our skin sparkling.

However, whenever you talk about the Sun, there are dangers involved such as sun burns, skin discolorations, and risk for skin cancer. So, take care of yourself! No matter what skin shade you have - WEAR SUNSCREEN! You won't regret it - at all. Also, don't forget to DRINK LOTS OF WATER so your skin stays smooth and glowing. Otherwise, you're going get dehydrated and your skin is gonna leather-up --> not cute.

Have lots of fun in the Sun this summer and be safe! :)

Jewel's Random TidBits - Since our skin needs sunscreen, I always wondered if our hair needed it as well and if hair sunscreen products existed. Yes it does and yes they do! Just type 'hair sunscreen' into any search engine and you'll see!

Namesake

As I was going through my list of possible names for this blog, I came across a very interesting article online. The title reads 'To Cut The Risk Of A High-Fat Meal, Add Spice' and the article can be found here. Published by www.npr.org, the article describes how 'heavily spiced' foods can lower your risk for sicknesses such as heart disease and diabetes. The specific spices mentioned are tumeric, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, rosemary, paprika, garlic, and oregano. From personal experience I can tell you that those spices go a long way to improve your dish's taste! Another common health concern is having too much salt in a regular diet. Well, I'm neither a doctor nor a professional chef, but I'm telling you that using these spices will help to eliminate your need to add extra salt to your food and therefore reduce your risk for hypertension and high blood pressure.

Delicious dishes should be heavily spiced, not heavily salted.

Now bear in mind, I came up with this blog's name BEFORE I found this article. I was so pleased to find it and read about things my parents have been telling me about since I was born! This is why I feel that 'Heavily Spiced' is the perfect name for this blog! It describes me and the topics I plan to blog about so well. There really is nothing mundane and normal about me. No explanation would suffice - you're just going to have to read and see!

Jewel's Random TidBits - 'Namesake' - the title of this post is also the title of one of my favorite movies, 'The Namesake', directed by Mira Nair and released in 2006.