You may be wondering what you can do to better protect yourself during cold, flu and COVID season. The uncomfortable truth is that we are continually exposed to bacteria, viruses and fungi that are inhaled, swallowed, or live on our skin or in our body. Whether these organisms lead to disease depends partly on how “mean” the bug is and how many of them there are. However, it depends just as much, if not even more, on how well your immune system is working to defend your body. The good news is that there is a lot that you can …

The Pearl By John Steinbeck I recently re-read The Pearl and remembered why I enjoyed the book. Now that I’m older — quite a bit older — I realized what a phenomenal lesson there was written into such a small book. The pearl depicts two forces that shape human life — a world where humans shape their own destinies and a world where forces often beyond our control can occur, completely changing the course of our lives. In the beginning of the tale, Kino, his wife Juana, and their son Coyotito are a happy family. However, one day Kino, a …

Golden Milk This recipe from The Minimalist Baker INGREDIENTS • 1½ cups light coconut milk (canned is best, but carton works too) • 1½ cups unsweetened plain almond milk (DIY or store-bought) • 1½ tsp ground turmeric • 1/4 tsp ground ginger • 1 whole cinnamon stick (or 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon – I prefer the stick!) • 1 tbsp coconut oil • 1 pinch ground black pepper • Sweetener of choice (i.e. maple syrup, coconut sugar, or stevia to taste) Mix together and heat for 10 minutes – Enjoy! Pad Thai Recipe adapted from tastesbetterfromscratch.com Ingredients • 8 ounces …

This issue marks the 10th year of publishing 5ive For Women. I am beyond honored have been part of your lives for the past 10 years. This issue is about health and happiness and how we continue to work together in these continued challenging times—how we can be well in the journey of faith, family, friends, fitness, and finance. ~ Jen [in this issue] 06 Editor’s Note 10 Immune System Boosting in the Season of Colds 14 School Daze – Pandemic Pedagogy 19 Rays of Grace 22 Foodie Forum 23 Bookmark [ in every issue ] Editor’s Note – News …

The greatest glory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising every time we fall. – Nelson Mandela This quote hit me hard today. I get daily quotes. Nelson Mandela’s passage was a God wink; I was having a tough day. I am an imperfect human, trying to navigate this crazy life. The above quote passed over me when I first read it, as I was busy with my day’s morning madness. However, it came back hard like the whipping wind I felt against my skin as I strolled the dog through Putnam Trail on the coldest day …

As some of you know, I have been in a sorority since my freshmen year of college. With things going online due to the pandemic this past semester, we started looking for new ways to focus on our friendships, even if it meant we could only see each other virtually. We implemented something called “hero journals.” One member writes a letter to another woman in the chapter and explains how they have impacted their life but does not mention who it is until the end of the letter. This idea got me thinking about who my hero would be, and …

Ladies, November is here, and things do not feel any less crazy than the last time we spoke. I had this editorial all written. I wrote about all the ways I have seen the community come together. This issue is full of positive stories of how this community has pulled together as a healthy community. The articles in this issue are genuinely impressive. [in this issue] 06 Editor’s Note 08 Training Your Brain 20 Foodie Forum 23 Rays of Grace [ in every issue ] Editor’s Note – News from Jen Theisen Energize – Feed My People On the Scene …

Big Bloody Mary Batch INGREDIENTS 4 cups V8 Juice 4 cups Tomato Juice 1/2 cup Lemon Juice 2 cups Vodka 2 tsp Ground Black Pepper 1 tsp Celery Salt 2 tbsp Worchestershire Sauce 1 tsp Tabasco or to taste Salt rim with equal parts celery salt and salt. Garnish with your favorites Apple Pie Monkey Bread Ingredients: 3½ cup All Purpose Flour 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar ½ tsp Salt 2¼ tsp Instant Active Dry Yeast ½ cup Whole Milk ½ cup Water 4 tbsp Unsalted Butter 1 Egg Apple Pie Filling: 3 Granny Smith Apples, Chopped 1½ tsp Cinnamon ½ …

I just finished taking my Fall midterms.  By the time I return home for Christmas break, I’ll only have one semester of college remaining. The thought makes me think back to my freshman year. It was a struggle back then, to say the least.  I missed Wisconsin, and even more, I missed the people who made Wisconsin my home. I still think about a conversation I had with my dad back then.  He reminded me to “Hang in there,” “Take it one semester at a time,” and that by the time I made it home for Christmas break, I would …

Ladies, November is here, and things do not feel any less crazy than the last time we spoke. I had this editorial all written. I wrote about all the ways I have seen the community come together. This issue is full of positive stories of how this community has pulled together as a healthy community. The articles in this issue are genuinely impressive. Nevertheless, my first draft wasn’t authentic. I was born and raised in the Chippewa Valley, moved away for college and work, but have now been back for over 22 years. The Chippewa Valley is my home and …