Which Cheese is Best for CKD?

January 29, 2019February 21, 2021 / healthbuddymelissa / 3 Comments

Updated 2/21/2021 I am going to address the issue of cheese as related to CKD, namely Phosphorus content, and Sodium content. If you read my pizza post last week, then you already know that pizza cheese adds a lot of phosphorus to that dish. So, to follow up on that here are the cheeses that are the best to use for a CKD, renal diet. I am not sure any of these would taste good on pizza, though, except maybe Parmesan. I used Davita, as well as other nutrition websites, for my data. They were all in agreement on this issue. Remember that buying all natural cheeses, or organic is best. Avoid cheeses that come in a jar, box, or don’t need to be refrigerated and have a very long shelf life. These are most likely going to be full of Sodium, Phosphorus and other preservatives that can increase the work load of kidneys. I have been doing a lot of research on Phosphorus, and I found some interesting info about Phosphorus in medications. That post will come soon. So, now for the cheeses. Since I am not covering Potassium, mainly because most cheeses are low in that element, be sure and always read labels, especially for items that are low fat, no fat, or anything other than whole fat. Remember, when they remove something from a product they have to put something else in to replace it. If you don’t see your favorite cheese listed, then it is high in Phosphorus. Plus always check serving sizes.

Best cheese for CKD Phosphorus:

Parmesan shredded. I assume that means the kind that is on the shelf mostly used for spaghetti is not an option. Romano cheese is very high in Phosphorus so definitely don’t buy the combined.

Sharp Cheddar. This cheese is a favorite in my house.

Neufchatel. I have never had this cheese, no idea how it tastes.

Goat Cheese. Never tried goat cheese, either. I might have to, though.

Fontina. Yep you guessed it, never had it before.

Feta. This cheese is OK, it just tastes so awful salty to me.

Cream Cheese. I do use this cheese a lot in place of other cheeses.

Camembert. Never tried

Brie. Don’t care for it.

Lowest Sodium Cheese Options. I use all natural Baby Swiss by Sargento for sandwiches. brie, goat cheese, all natural cheddar, all natural Swiss, cream cheese, and ricotta are all best choices. Note mozzarella and American cheeses did not make either of these lists. I know American cheese in particular is extremely high in sodium. When I was a kid we used to eat a lot of Velveeta. You know the kind in the box. I would have to be starving to eat that now.

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Memory Care A New Word A Week: Antebellum

January 28, 2019January 28, 2019 / healthbuddymelissa / Leave a comment

Welcome back! It is time for word #5 in the list of 100 words we will be learning. This week’s word is, antebellum. Remember, look up the definition of the word. Then in your journal write the word, and the definition 10 times. Then, say the word, and definition, out loud 10 times. Then go back over the first 4 words, saying them out loud 10 times. You should already have them written in your journal. How are you doing? Are you remembering the old words? If you are still having a hard time, try going over them daily, saying each word and definition 10 times. You can also continue to write them 10 times. Try using them in sentences. Then re read the sentence each week, and see if you can figure out the definition.

This is a very long series, so be sure to check back weekly and follow along. If you would like more help with memory care, use the contact button to message me for a free meet and greet. February is heart awareness month, and I am running a special of 10% off the monthly package, for all new clients.

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Why Be A Minimalist?

January 25, 2019January 20, 2022 / healthbuddymelissa / Leave a comment

Updated 1/20/2022

First, this blog is just over a month old, and I am up to 11 followers, yay! No clients yet, but I knew going into this could take some time. Thank you to those who have decided to follow this blog and journey.

I am not a Minimalist, yet. I am working towards it, and hopefully, by the time I retire, I will be there. That is 20 years away, lol. Why do I want to be a Minimalist? It is so much less stressful, and budget-friendly too. I must add that I also lean towards being a Prepper, which is the complete opposite of a Minimalist. I have to fight that urge to stockpile stuff for the Apocalypse. We do live in FL, and that means hurricanes. So, I do have to be a Prepper in a sense. However, I have a list, and I only prep for what we are going to need, no more. In theory, lol.

For me, the first step to being a Minimalist is to de-clutter. I actually hate clutter, so over the years, I got really good at hiding it. Out of sight out of mind, right? For example, we moved here, from NY, 15 years ago, and yes I still have bins of items, and papers stored from the original move. I am proud to say, I have almost completely gone through and removed everything that was not needed, which was most of it. I have 2 more bins to go. That is just the garage, though. You won’t believe what my children have collected over the years. Ugh!

I don’t buy new stuff unless I need it. No, I don’t wear clothes from the ’80s, though I do love some of those styles. But, if the economy counted on just our buying style it would be a snail’s pace. We have friends that buy new furniture every two years, for their whole house, literally. I can not tell you how dumb that is to me. But, we get their hand me downs so I guess I can’t complain too much. I drive my cars until they die, electronics last well over 10 years in my house, and shoes well let’s just say everyone has one good pair. I have been accused of being cheap. Maybe that is true, but I like to think of it more as to why should I throw something away when there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. That does not mean we are perfect at managing our family budget, but you can not live on a one-person income for a family of four in this day and age without being frugal. Technically it is one full-time worker and one part-time, but you see my point. I have had the pleasure to homeschool my children and being a full-time mom. That has meant more to me than any material items I could possibly have.

I would love a tiny house on a beach someday. I would be perfectly happy, and content. My husband, I am not so sure.

After I finally get all the clutter out of this house, the next step to being a minimalist would be in focusing on just what we need. We have way too much stuff, that isn’t even considered clutter. It is just accumulated stuff. Not accepting stuff from others, like my Mom who just wants to get rid of her stuff in an easy way, is extremely hard, but I am committed. It is a step process, with small goals. I have to start with one, complete that, and then go to the next.

Do you live a minimalist lifestyle? What tips would you give to someone aspiring to be a minimalist?

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The Importance of Phosphorus and Risks with CKD

January 24, 2019January 21, 2022 / healthbuddymelissa / Leave a comment

Updated 1/21/2022

Phosphorus is a very important element that all human bodies require to stay healthy. However, when you have Chronic Kidney Disease, remember I am stage 3, actually hovering around stage 2 at the time of this revision, but there are 5 stages, the kidneys can not remove the excess Phosphorus that the body does not use. That means the Phosphorus will build up in the blood, causing other ailments like joint and bone pain, an increase in fractures, and Osteoporosis, among others. The short video below explains Phosphorus and bones. But, Phosphorus is also very important for how our muscles get energy. For stage 3, no more than 800 mg of Phosphorus per day should be consumed according to sources, though some say 900 and others 700. If your doctor or dietitian tells you that you need more or less, then you need to follow what they advise. Never, assume what someone writes in a post is necessarily right for you. Later stages of kidney disease may need to take Phosphate Binders to help control the level of Phosphorus in the blood. There are some foods that are very high in Phosphorus, some should be completely avoided, while others offer other nutrition benefits. I will list them below. Please remember I don’t have HTN, Cardiac Disease, or Diabetes. If you have any of those then your requirements may differ. There are also foods, mostly prepackaged easily prepared, and often shelf-stable foods, that have Phosphorus added in, usually as a preservative, or filler. You absolutely must learn to read the labels on food packages. Anything containing the word PHOS in the ingredients means it has added Phosphorus in the foods. Food companies are not required to tell the amount of Phosphorus in foods, so this can be very dangerous for kidney patients. Low fat or no-fat foods also have added Phosphorus for flavoring and as a filler. The only foods labeled low fat that I eat are part-skim cheeses, and I eat very little to no dairy on most days. I will do another post on dairy products that are lower in Phosphorus and Sodium, next week. Note that almost all foods have Phosphorus naturally in them, usually in trace amounts. Plant-based foods, according to Science, absorbs Phosphorus at a much lesser level than animal products. So, even though beans, nuts, and seeds are high in Phosphorus, the body does not absorb it as well as say processed foods which is 100% absorbed by the body.

High Phosphorus Foods:

Dark sodas: All of them should be avoided. Sodas offer no nutritional value at all. Clear sodas are OK, for Phosphorus but still have no nutritional value at all.

Eggs: The egg yolk is where you will find the Phosphorus in an egg. You could eat egg whites. However, eggs are an extremely good source of good proteins, as well as other nutrients. So eating a whole egg a couple times a week is not a bad thing. I use the website Eat This Much to help me calculate the phosphorus per serving in foods. Not all foods are listed, however.

Milk, Cheese, Yogurt: These are very high sources of Phosphorus. Like I said I eat little to no dairy products at all. They do have other health benefits, especially if you eat Organic. Apparently, Greek Yogurt can be OK, I just don’t like it.

Nuts/Seeds: Macadamia nuts are the nuts with the lowest Phosphorus levels. However, all nuts and seeds have other beneficial nutrients in them. I eat a handful twice a week. I have small hands, so a 1/4 cup is a better reference point. This includes peanut butter.

Oats/Whole Wheat: Most flours have a good amount of Phosphorus in them, but whole grain flours are higher. Also, oats like Oatmeal also have high levels of Phosphorus. I eat very little bread, I do eat whole grains when I do, though, because they offer more nutrients than bleached white bread, which I avoid.

Chocolate: Bleh that stinks, right? Dark chocolate is a much better choice, than milk chocolate, and believe it or not white chocolate is the best.

Creamed Soups: For obvious reasons of the cream, but because they are canned you are getting even more. You can opt to make your own which will save some.

Meat: Beef and Fish are high, Chicken and Turkey are lower options. I stick to serving sizes of meat, which is the palm of your hand, 3 oz, or a deck of cards. Of course, meat has protein, and Iron both very important, so you do need to eat some.

Processed/Packaged Foods: Learning to cook is the best way to avoid these products most of the time. I like creamer in my coffee, so I am sure and add that to my daily count as it is high in Phosphorus also.

I use the website Eat This Much, where I can find the Phosphorus level for most foods. Some name brands are not there, but you can compare them with generic brands listed. I also have an app on my phone, but it is not user-friendly at all and takes a ton of time to find the proper food. I use it only when I have to.

If you would like to learn how to find the amount of Phosphorus in the foods you are eating, use the contact button to send me an email.

The National Kidney Foundation and Davita have great articles on controlling your Phosphorus levels, and I used them as a resource when learning about this when I was newly diagnosed.

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I Love Pizza, But I Have CKD

January 23, 2019January 23, 2022 / healthbuddymelissa / Leave a comment

Updated 1/23/2022: It has been three years since I wrote this post. I can tell you that if you buy organic, low fat, and low sodium crust, sauce, and cheese, you will be saving a lot of sodium and possibly phosphorus. Organic foods also don’t have all the additives and preservatives of frozen or takeout pizza.

We are huge pizza lovers in this house. We eat pizza at least a couple of times a month. But, with CKD this is very hard. Pizza is full of sodium, phosphorus, and potassium, among other things. For me, with CKD, the three I mentioned are of the most importance. I am going to review the 3 pizzas below and share the nutrition for each. O That’s Good, Publix Greenwise Organic Pizza, and a homemade recipe found on the Davita kidney website. O That’s Good pizza with pepperoni, by Oprah Winfrey, I actually thought would be the best, because the crust is made with 1/3 of it with cauliflower. I can not find the phosphorus in that brand, but I am thinking it has to have the least due to the cauliflower in the crust. It tastes OK enough, my husband even liked it. But, for taste, I personally pick Publix Organic Pizza. For the nutrition results, the following code will be used. O is for Oprah’s pizza, P for Publix, and H for homemade. This is per serving of 1 slice.

O: Phosphorus: Unsure, but most likely the least

Potassium: Not listed on their nutrition label. Probably comparable to the others.

Protein: 14 grams

Sodium: 740mg This is actually very high compared to the other 2. I thought it was for the whole pizza, but it is per slice.

Iron: 15%

P: Phosphorus: Again, not listed on the label, but because flour is used you can assume it is comparable with the Homemade. Remember a lot of this element comes from the cheese, and if you use a whole grain crust.

Potassium: This too is disappointing because it is not listed on the label. But, again you can consider it close to homemade since you are using tomato-based products. Eliminate this by eating a white pizza, which means no sauce is used. I love them.

Sodium: 280 mg This is not horrible considering cheese is loaded with sodium. However, if you get a pizza with just mozzarella and no other type of cheese you will save some sodium.

Iron: 10%

H: Phosphorus: 230mg

Potassium: 352 mg

Sodium: 150 mg

Iron: No iron is listed for this recipe, but is probably consistent with the other 2.

As you can see making your own pizza is the healthiest option. Be sure to use white flour, not whole wheat to save on phosphorus. For me, I would rather have the healthier whole grains, and just limit the amount I eat, adding a salad to go with it. You can also use lower sodium cheese options, less cheese, no sauce, etc. Veggies, instead of cured meats, of course, are always a better option. If you want to see the homemade pizza recipe, click here.

If you would like to learn how to cook at home for your kidney disease, or any chronic illness, use the contact form to send me an email.

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Memory Care Monday: Acumen

January 21, 2019December 6, 2021 / healthbuddymelissa / Leave a comment

Updated 12/6/2021: As I continue to edit these old posts from when I first started this blog, I am mindful that I really stunk at this, lol. If you are a member of my Mailchimp newsletter then last Wednesday you would have received a link to the current list of words where you can print it and write in the definitions. Or, you can just copy them to whatever journal option you are using. Once I get all of the old posts updated, I will move on until all 100 words are included. I will only add a new word each week, so it will take a while, plenty of time to learn and recall them all. My newsletter goes out every two weeks and I will include a new free worksheet monthly with simple ways, or games to remember the words. Make sure you sign up for my newsletter to participate.

We are at week 4, already. If you are following along you should be on the fourth word, there are a hundred total. You can find the other posts by looking in the archives. Remember, you should be writing the word, and the definition 10 times, then say it out loud 10 times. Each week also review the previous words by saying them out loud 10 times. You could also write down synonyms, and antonyms for the word, to help remember even better. There are of course lots of ways to improve your memory. If that is a goal of yours, click the contact button, send me a message to discuss my health coaching services. The word for this week is Acumen. The video below will describe the word Acumen and some ways to use it in a sentence.

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My Latest Labs for CKD and What They Mean

January 20, 2019January 20, 2019 / healthbuddymelissa / Leave a comment

OK, I am not an expert on lab readings, but I do know how to read them, and ask questions where needed. I will share my most recent labs, and for the previous year, and tell you what I think is significant. If you have CKD, then you know it is a balancing act trying to keep everything in line. The kidneys don’t just remove waste, they also make a hormone called Erythropoietin that plays a very important roll in the body’s ability to make Red Blood Cells. Kidneys also control blood pressure. Healthy kidneys are rich with Vitamin D receptors that turn Vitamin D into it’s active form to be used by the body. This helps control Calcium and Phosphorus levels. Keeping everything working correctly with a damaged kidney is like a seesaw.

First let me say, I thought I was GFR of 57 last July, just 3 points away from being stage 2. This was so encouraging, but alas I forgot I actually had my Nephrologist cancel that appointment, so I never actually saw those labs. I have since downloaded the app from my Lab provider so I can check all my labs, whether I see the MD or not. So far, except when I was initially sick, I have been able to maintain all my levels, including Iron, which is encouraging. So, I will stop taking the multivitamin, and just take the Vitamin D supplement. Multivitamins with Iron cause constipation, and trust me that is not fun.

So here are the labs, that have been out of range over the last year for January, July and then January again:

Creatinine in my blood: 1.13, 1.29, and 1.23 While this is only slightly high it is still the most frequent marker for kidney disease. I will continue to try to figure out a safe way to decrease it. Now that I am working out regularly, I might have to cut protein intake to get it down to normal. Of course there is the chance that may never happen, but won’t stop me from trying.

estimated GFR: 57, 49, and 51. GFR is an estimate, but when I pulled up the graph of the values, when my GFR was highest, my urine protein was actually below normal. So, that leads me to believe that I can keep my protein levels high enough to maintain body functions, but low enough to help my kidney status improve. I do have to clarify this with the MD to make sure there is not some other reason my urine protein would be below normal.

PCR: below normal, 113, 139 Again, note that in January of last year, when my GFR was it its highest, my PCR was below normal. PCR is the protein creatinine ratio in a random urine sample. While the other 2 numbers are normal, my GFR was also lower.

Creatinine urine: 19, 53, 36. Again note with the higher GFR one year ago, the amount of creatinine in my urine was below normal at 19. In July of last year, the appt I missed it had gone all the way to 53, and a huge dip in my GFR all the way to 49. I have been racking my brain because I was still following the renal diet. But, I also sustained an injury while pushing myself when walking. We were speed walking, and I ended up with a pretty severe case of Plantar Fasciitis. The injury took many months to completely heal, and I started a new job during that time where I was literally on my feet 8 hours. It is my opinion that the injury caused my body to have increased protein synthesis to help aid the injury to repair causing the changes without diet change.

Protein urine: less than 4, 6, 5 Again, below normal protein meant a higher GFR. How they calculate the GFR, and PCR is still not completely understandable to me, but I am hoping he will take a minute to try and explain it to me. I will also be discussing with him having a Cystene C with my next set of labs, in July to see what the GFR shows.

In conclusion, I felt the same no matter the GFR, and I know for a fact when my GFR was lower in 2017 I felt awful. That leads me to think that the GFR may not be the most effective way to test my kidney function. It is scary though, if I have to worry every time I get an injury, or infection, that my kidney is going to lose some of its function.

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Everyone Can Walk, Even With A Chronic Illness!

January 17, 2019January 24, 2022 / healthbuddymelissa / 1 Comment

Updated 1/24/2022: Walk With Me!

Sticking with the theme of being active, everyone can walk. I have CKD, stage 3, and while it was very hard to get into an exercise regime, now I feel icky if I don’t do it. That is a good thing. Update, I am not hovering right at stage 2!

Before I was diagnosed, in 2017, exercise was daunting. I was tired, had weak achy muscles, was cranky, and just didn’t want to. That doesn’t mean I didn’t do things, I did. I have children, we homeschool, and they are very active. So, I had to be somewhat active. But, I would pick and choose, do as little as I could, and would take Ibuprofen just to get through it. Ibuprofen is bad for CKD, but that is for another day. After diagnosis, with diet change, and the help of some Sodium Bicarb, all the toxins that had been building up literally for years, went away, and I felt so much better. I started out small, had to, that was all my body would tolerate. Doing Walking videos, for short amounts of time, until I slowly built endurance. I had an injury last Summer that slowed me down for a long time but it didn’t stop me. I now have moved up to fitness walking, and low impact aerobics. I don’t want more injuries, I am almost 50 after all. There are studies about doing no more than low-impact exercises with CKD, but again that is for another day. Update, I now walk an average of 10,000 steps every day and work out at least 3 times a week.

Yesterday, I wrote about ways you can add steps to your day, to increase your step count. I love these walking videos by Leslie Sansone. She works with the American Heart Association, and the videos are just walking. She does have some others that add in some band training, for muscle work, but those have to come much later in your journey when first starting. They are low impact, weight-bearing exercises, more on weight-bearing exercises in a later post. Anyone can walk, including you. If you need a walking buddy, or someone to help keep you motivated, and encouraged, click the contact button, or use the contact form at the end of this post, to send me an email to set up a free consult.

Start with the 5 min video below. Do it until it is easy. If you can’t do it all, don’t. You can do it as many times in a day as you can, to work up to 30 min if you only have 5 min here and there to do. Whatever works to get you moving. If you need to use a chair, walker, or other devices to give you support while you walk, do it. You will start to feel better within a few days, and you will be amazed at how quickly you will feel stronger. When it is easy, move to the 15 min video. These walking videos should be OK, for everyone. We all walk to the bathroom, refrigerator, mailbox, etc. But, if you have been advised to not do any exercise, for whatever reason, then don’t. Get approval first, even for simple exercises. I know most doctors say walk more, but be careful, and ask if you need to. If some of the movements, like the knee lifts, are not something you should be doing, then just march in place, ie walk in place. As long as you are moving, that is what counts. Also, you should do some basic easy stretches before beginning, to prevent injury. Her 5-minute video is part of another video, just shortened to 5 minutes.

Don’t Worry, Be Active!

January 15, 2019January 28, 2022 / healthbuddymelissa / Leave a comment

Updated 01/28/2022: If you are old like me, then you probably remember the song, Don’t Worry Be Happy. It was a catchy jingle. It is going to be colder than I can ever remember since we moved to Florida in 2005. Please bring your pets inside and if you can help stray pets stay warm, please do so. Check on your neighbors, protect your pipes, and be aware of fire hazards. Be safe! A note about this article. When I first wrote this it was hard to just make 6,000 steps a day. Now, I walk 10,000 steps most days plus a 30 minute exercise routine at least 4 days a week.

Have you ever had your doctor, or other health care worker, ask you if you are active? The answer is most likely yes. But, what exactly does active mean? Most of us will say yeah I am active, I walk a lot, or I play with my kids. But, that is probably not what they mean by active. According to health experts being active actually means having some kind of movement for at least 15 continuous minutes, at a time, for at least 5 days a week. Do you do that? I was doing it, but not enough times a week, so I was considered sedentary even though I was being active at least 3 days a week. You also can’t count what you do on an ordinary day at work. It has to be outside your normal routine. For people who are on their feet all day, this seems dumb. So, because I am almost 50, and have never in my life been thin, I decided to increase my active lifestyle. At first, this was hard. I was tired after walking all day at work, and fitting it at least 15 more min of activity, with a goal of 30, seemed daunting. So, I am going to share some of the things I have done to keep me moving, In later posts, I will share some of my favorite walking videos for when I can’t be outside.

1- If you have a smartphone put a step tracker on it. My phone is a Samsung, and it already had one installed. I started out with a low step count, because I had Plantar Fascitis over the Summer, and well if you have ever had it you know why. Another day for that one. I am up to 7000 steps per day, and I do allow half of them to come when I work at my day job. Every couple of weeks I will increase it to a goal of 10,000 steps per day.

2- When I sit for too long I get leg cramps, so this next one was easy for me. I got rid of the sit-down desk, and chair, and put the computer upon the top of a high dresser. Now I stand, march in place, and type, or watch my classes whatever I am doing on the computer. I can get in at least 15 minutes right there just doing a blog post.

3- Go for a walk on your lunch break. If you can avoid eating do this. Here in Florida, the weather is very often nice enough for this. Unfortunately, I need to eat lunch most days if I want to make it through the day and not hurt someone. Thank goodness I only work 2 days out of the home.

4- Park just a little bit farther away from the entrance.

5- If you like to watch TV, get up and walk around when the commercials are on. We have a DVR so I can go through the commercials, but on those days that I didn’t meet my step goal, I leave the commercials and move through them.

6- This is probably my favorite, play ball with the dog. I have two dogs, one young and one not so much. The young one is hyper and has tons of energy. He does not do well on a leash, but we have a fenced backyard. So, I have marked off an area that is exactly 100 steps around. I throw the ball, walk the steps, and repeat. I do this 10 times, and that is 1,000 steps. Plus, by the time I have done 10 laps he is tired and ready to take a nap. The older one follows me, so she gets her exercise too.

7- I homeschool my daughter, so on days that it is warm enough in the morning, we walk a mile. We really can’t afford more time than that out of the school day, and it counts as PE credits for her.

8- March in place when talking on the phone, doing dishes, folding laundry, or even doing your morning hygiene routine.

If you have a chronic illness you must start small. Overexerting yourself will only cause you to be discouraged, or cause injury. If you can only do 5 minutes, then do 5 minutes. Whatever gets you started, you will build strength, endurance, and muscle. Trust me you will. Once you have gotten where you can move around for at least 15 minutes you can move up to light aerobics, yoga, fitness walking, light weights, etc. I lift light weights at least once a week, not big on yoga though. I have moved up to fitness walking, and aerobics. I now do 30 minutes 4 days a week of being active. I would love to work with you to help you meet your goals. Everyone needs a buddy. Check out my Walking Buddy Plan. Use the contact form to send me a message with questions.

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Memory Care Monday: Abstemious

January 14, 2019November 29, 2021 / healthbuddymelissa / Leave a comment

Updated 11/29/2021: As I continue to edit the old posts from this list, I have created a free printable with the current 15 words. You can print it, keep it in a journal, and write the definitions right on that paper. If you would like the free printable please sign up for my Mailchimp newsletter below. I will send it in each newsletter. After I have edited the current words covered, and I start adding new words, each month I will send a free printable with a kind of game or way to help remember the words. Do you remember the definition of words 1 and 2, abjure and abrogate? Leave the definitions in the comments if you do. Last year I shared Christmas gift ideas for people with CKD. This year watch for gift ideas for people with Dementia.

Welcome to week 3 of the Memory Care Challenge. How are you doing? Are you following along? You still always can get in at any time. Why do memory care challenges? Because it keeps your brain healthy. Dementia and Alzheimers are on the rise in this country, and one of the best things you can do to help lower your risk of getting those diseases is to exercise your brain. There is a total of 100 words on this list, and it is a list I used with my high school son, and now my daughter. I didn’t learn the list with him but am learning it with her. Anytime you want to memorize something, write it 10 times, then say it out loud 10 times. Each week I go back to the previous words and see if I remember them. So, here is the word for week 3: abstemious. Do you already know what it means? I kind of had an idea but wasn’t 100% sure. This is a fun word. Try to use it in a sentence too. Leave me a comment, and let me know how you are doing. The short video below will help you out. I think abstemious is a very pertinent word around the holidays, lol.

There are other ways to improve memory. I am still accepting new clients if you want to work on memory or any other health-related goals. Use the contact button, at the bottom of this post to message me and set up a free meet and greet.

Exercise is a great way to keep your brain healthy. Check out my Walking Buddy Plan. Walk with me!

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