Have you ever felt so tired in mid afternoon that as you flopped on your couch you looked over at your droopy unwatered houseplant and said “I know just how you feel!” Well, instead of reaching for a cup of coffee or a cookie, pour yourself a tall glass of water because just as your plants will wilt when they need water so will you! Sometimes what feels like fatigue is just dehydration, which can be made worse by drinking coffee. So, when the afternoon blahs hit reach for a cool refreshing drink. While you’re drinking, open the window and breathe the fresh air which is also an energy booster. Better yet, take a brisk walk around the block!
Research has shown us that the American way of combating the afternoon doldrums with a vat of coffee and a sugary snack is not the best option. Watermelon is another good choice. Along with some sugar you get fiber, Vitamins C and A which make it healthier than a high calorie, sugary snack. If you add some cottage cheese and a handful of nuts your boost of energy will last a lot longer. And if they are Brazil nuts you’ll be getting selenium which is a fantastic mood lifter as well as magnesium which is a strong fatigue fighter.
Another good alternative is the all-American sandwich – peanut butter and jelly – but this time ditch the white bread for a whole wheat bread with whole grains. The healthful mix of whole grains, protein, carbs and good fats will give you a long lasting lift. Well, as it turns out Mom was right again and P & J is not only good for kids!
Farmer’s Market
The newest research tells us that just one extra serving a day of fruit or veggies may be able to help us prevent cancer. Of course we want those fruits and veggies to be the freshest they can be to be sure we are receiving the most nutrition.
A farmer’s market can help us get produce that was picked just hours before we purchase it, therefore retaining more of the vitamins, minerals and goodness. Many of the farmers at Farmer’s Markets offer organic produce which can be difficult to find at our supermarkets. Due to popular demand these markets have been popping up everywhere!
The NY Botanical Gardens will have a Farmer’s Market every Wednesday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Enter at the Kazimiroff Boulevard entrance and you will find the farmers on Tulip Tree Allee. Along with the fruits and veggies you’ll find home baked breads and other goodies. Give it a try!
3030 Middletown Road
There will be no membership meetings during the months of July and August so we will be updating you on what is happening with the proposed development at 3030 Middletown Road through this column and our newsletter.
The latest is that Senator Klein has requested a soil and air test for asbestos at the site. Due to the age of the building that was demolished on this site, we feel that there is an excellent chance that asbestos was used its construction. This is very important because the danger of asbestos will cause the city to once again put the project on hold. The more the project is delayed, the more money he looses. Our hope is that he will decide that the project is not worth his effort and he will leave. Then, we must get the city to give us what we need – parking!
Councilman Vacca is still monitoring the entire project through the DOB and other agencies and he will continue to do so. We are working with Councilman Vacca and City Planning to help us with changes in the zoning codes that will provide more desperately needed parking and put an end to loopholes that benefit only the developers!
We will also be meeting with the Department of Housing, Preservation and Development to find out why a person owing them $91, 000 has not had a lien placed on his properties to recover the amount owed. We also want to know why Jacob Selechnik is allowed to participate in government rental subsidy programs such as Section 8 and SCRIE when he has over 23,000 housing code violations and a track record of abusing tenants for decades!
Our promise to you is that we will leave no stone unturned in our effort to stop this developer. We have contacted every local politician and city official and they are aware of the problems that this developer brings. We ask that you remain engaged, enraged and ready to fight because we may need you to come out and demonstrate if a satisfactory result is not reached. An organized effort in huge numbers will be the only way we can win. We must remain vigilant and vocal! Our message, “No Parking, No Peace” must be sent loud and clear to every city official. And then we must ask, “Can you hear us now?” and we must not stop until we are heard and action id taken!
