SEARCH: Brewing Kombucha

Brewing Kombucha
by Dianna Kersey

I’m sure by now you have read the myriad of articles regarding the health benefits of consuming kombucha tea. You’re hooked, you love the flavors and varieties, but hate the cost of $4 bucks a bottle. Right?

Would you believe you can make this amazing healthy probiotic tea yumminess for pennies a glass? Do I have your attention?

First, you’ll need to gather a few items to hold your kombucha as it’s brewing and then you’ll need bottles if you want to add fruit or flavors for the second ferment. A quart-sized jar, wooden spoon, coffee filter cover or cheese cloth, and a rubber band or canning jar ring.

To start you’ll need an active scoby. A what? A scoby is the tea culture. Think of it as your grandma’s buttermilk culture that she uses for her amazing biscuits, but this is a culture specifically for… continue reading the Spring 2018 issue of SEARCH Magazine.

 

SEARCH: Post-Partum Congestive Heart Failure

Post-Partum Congestive Heart Failure
by Emerian Rich

For most women, pregnancy is a joyous, healthy time. For others, it can be nine months of discomfort and anxiety. Don’t worry, if you are one of those women who haven’t had it easy. I’m here to tell you, you are not alone.

The doctors had told us we wouldn’t be able to conceive. We had tried for years, but it just wasn’t happening. When I found out I was pregnant, I was overjoyed. The baby was a gift I’d longed for. I had the normal baby-momma fears. Something would go wrong with the baby. I would die and my husband would have to raise our child alone. The baby would die, and I wouldn’t be able to handle it.

As the pregnancy progressed, issues started to crop up like gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, high blood pressure, anemia‒the list was depressing. With each diagnosis, my worries increased. As we neared the due date… continue reading the Winter 2017.

SEARCH: Cataract Surgery, Close to a Miracle

Cataract Surgery, Close to a Miracle
By Larion Wills

During a routine eye examine years ago, my ophthalmologist discovered a small cataract in one eye. At that time it was too small to worry over, but something I did keep in mind when during the last year or so I became aware of a difference in my vision. Things close were clear enough, but everything out at a distance looked smoky, and reading was becoming more and more difficult. Colors were harder to see, especially in traffic lights and on TV, bright lights hurt my eyes, and forget night driving.

If any of those things are bothering you, don’t cross them off as “getting older” and simply accept them. Go to an ophthalmologist, not an optometrist. An optometrist examines your eyes, prescribes and supplies spectacles and contact lenses. An ophthalmologist is a medical practitioner specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases.

For me, understanding what a cataract is and getting information on the procedures helped to lessen the instinctive fear of knowing someone would be cutting into my eye. A nice clinical description is ‘A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye leading to a decrease in vision, the cause of half of the blindness and…read more in the Fall issue of SEARCH Magazine.

SEARCH: Tips for Seniors: Keeping Active

In the Summer Issue of SEARCH Magazine,
Tips for Seniors: Keeping Active
by Ron Vitale

“Getting older does not mean you hang up your hat, sit on the sofa, and watch the world go by, bemoaning the fact your best days are behind you. Inactivity produces boredom and weakens your body. Swinging to the other end of the spectrum and exercising too much can cause problems as well. Before trying any of the physical activities listed in this article, or starting any exercise program, talk with your doctor

Put One Foot in Front of the Other

Many think walking is boring, but it is a great way to stay fit and also see the world around you. With summer temperatures rising near 100 degrees, take an early morning walk, pay attention to the rising sun, the sounds around you, and the birds. Bring a light pair of binoculars on your trek (along with water) and see the world or try a different approach, walk after the sun goes down. If the temperature is too hot and unsafe to be out for long, walking on a treadmill inside may not be as much fun, but in a pinch, it’s a solid way to work in some activity…” to read the full article, check out the free eCopy here.

Running the Golden Gate

by Ron Vitale

“Ever thought about running across the Golden Gate Bridge? I never thought I would have the opportunity, but I had several hours open during a business trip and took advantage. I was training for a marathon and needed to squeeze in a 13 mile training run anyway. A simple Google search helped plan a route.

On the day I ran, the sun was hot, and it was a clear day, no fog, and I could see for miles. I run with a Garmin watch to track my miles. I’ll admit I was scared. I had never run the course before and wasn’t familiar with the terrain, but I felt the sun on my face, took a deep breath, and headed off.

I looked out at the bay and couldn’t see the Golden Gate Bridge. That’s how far away it was. The first part of the course was the most challenging. I needed to weave in and out of groups of people on the crowded Embarcadero where tents were set up for a craft show. Through Fisherman’s Wharf, I had to run in the street, zoom around buses and throngs of people. Once I cleared that area, I ran past the aquarium, could see Alcatraz, and far, far off in the distance my goal. Like a toy on a train set, the Golden Gate Bridge stretched across the horizon. I kept my pace steady, and when I entered Golden Gate Park, I fought against the steep hills. To give myself a break, I stopped for a bit, took some pictures of Alcatraz and watched the sailboats on the bay...” to read the full article, download the free eCopy of SEARCH Magazine‘s Fall Issue.