The Triple Crown trail loop is 35 miles of the best hiking in the Roanoke Valley and arguably some of the best overlooks in the entire state of Virginia.
Most of my time was spent hiking, but since I did two of the three Triple Crown hikes in the same day, I also had time to take a break from hiking and see some other things in the area.
Overlook at McAfee Knob on the Triple Crown section of the App Trail.
At that time, many venues were completely shut down or really restricted due to COVID regulations, but Beliveau Farm and Winery was open (though with safety measures) and I was still able to have a great visit!
Beliveau Farm is located in the Catawba Valley of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, just 12mi from downtown Blacksburg and 20mi from Salem.
They were also only a 30 minute scenic drive from my lodgings near the McAfee Knob trailhead.
The Farm’s hiking trails, scenic views and plenty of picnic areas made the drive well worth while – and the wine was pretty good, too 🙂
If you or your children are asthmatic, you’ve probably spent a lot of time looking for the best medicine for your asthma.
Or maybe looking for better asthma treatments, if you’ve already been prescribed something.
The Ledge trail at Pilot Mountain
If you’ve read some of my other posts, you know that I’ve had asthma and have been fighting it my whole life, with both medical and non-medical tools.
In the U.S., asthma affects more than 25 million people.
There is no cure, but some people do “grow out” of it (meaning you don’t have obvious symptoms), and medical drugs are available that treat the symptoms for those that have them.
I didn’t grow out of it, and from childhood through young adulthood, my parents tried all available medical options to make my illness better.
But in spite of allergy shots and prescribed inhalers and pills, my asthma got worse every year.
Pine pollen is a huge problem in the South
Finally, as a young adult, I had an epic attack that led to complete respiratory failure and several days unconscious on a ventilator.
When I woke up, the doctors just told me to take more medicine and stay in a controlled environment.
That’s when I became very pro-active in my search for better treatments and lifestyle choices to reduce my asthma symptoms and prevent future severe attacks.
Author happily viewing Bryce Canyon for the first time!
I’ve had some success 🙂
In this post I tell you about the prescribed medical options available now, and the ones I’ve used – and mostly still use – that appear to help my chronic asthma.
For inspiration I’m also sharing photos of beautiful places I’ve been able to hike, without any trouble breathing!
Forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku, is a Japanese form of healing therapy that started to gain popularity back in the 80’s.
No rubber duckies required!
In case you’ve never heard of forest bathing, rest assured you’re not going to need a towel or your rubber duckie.
You also won’t be required to wander the forest in your birthday suit 😉
At it’s simplest level, forest bathing could be described as taking a leisurely walk through the forest for physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual benefits.
Shinrin-yoku in Japanese means “taking in the forest atmosphere”.
Forest bathing is best done where there are a lot of trees.
Research has long shown “green exercise” to have a positive impact on our overall health, and the practice of forest bathing grew out of that recognition.
Promoted by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, the practice has become a mainstay of preventive health care in Japanese culture.
Today, many spas, resorts, and retreat centers across the world offer guided forest bathing experiences as part of their services.
That said, you don’t necessarily need a guide to take a forest bath yourself or with a friend.
All you need is a park or forest, a pair of good outdoor walking shoes, and some simple instructions.
You’re snoozing along, all peaceful and comfy in your bed, when suddenly –
Your toes curl back and touch your instep or your calf muscle tenses up as hard as a cannon ball. And boy, does it hurt!
Talk about a rude awakening… The cramps get worse, and you have to get out of bed and walk it out to get relief.
Sound familiar? It should if you – like me and around 60% of adults – have had nocturnal foot or leg cramps.
This common, mysterious pain happens when a foot or leg muscle gets involuntarily stiff and can’t relax.
Overdoing it on the trail can cause leg cramps.
The recurrent, painful tightening – known as a cramp or charley horse – usually occurs in the calf muscles and can lead to insomnia, especially if it happens more than once per night.
Usually the cramping subsides in a few minutes, but you’re left wide awake with a sore leg, wondering what caused the cramps and how you can make it stop.
“They tend to happen more frequently as we age,” says sports medicine specialist Caitlin Lewis, MD.
Foot and leg cramps can vary from just being a nuisance to being a painful and crippling experience.
By finding the triggers for your specific cramping situation and making some simple lifestyle changes, you can minimize the occurrence of foot and leg cramps and sleep undisturbed. Continue reading Get Rid of Painful Foot and Leg Cramps
If you have asthma, like I do, you may be extra concerned about how COVID-19 could affect your health.
COVID-19, after all, is a respiratory disease and those of us with asthma have had bad experiences with those.
And by “concerned” I might also mean frightened, anxious, panicky… 😉
The COVID-19 virus is known to cause problems in the respiratory tract (nose, throat and lungs).
Courtyard at Fort Macon State Park
Because asthma is also a respiratory disease, it’s been assumed that people with asthma have a greater chance of catching the virus and getting very sick from it than other people.
It’s a reasonable assumption, and asthmatics have been classified as “high risk” since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But I’m here to tell you, I’ve done the research, and at this point – maybe for the first time ever – asthmatics are just like everyone else 🙂
It’s important to know that currently there’s no evidence of increased COVID-19 infection rates in those with asthma.
And now, after months of studying this new disease, medical and infectious disease experts have been able to create a more exact picture of the risk to asthmatics.
Since the release of the vaccines, there have also been questions about the possible risk to people with allergic reactions. I’ll tell you what I found about the current CDC advice.
(I’ve included photos of my garden and places I’ve traveled, as a reminder both that while there is beauty to be found at home, the world is still full of amazing places waiting for us to find them!)
Almost exactly a year ago, I spent a great week in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia.
Gazebo surrounded by lavender plants at the White Oak Lavender Farm
Most of my time was spent hiking at beautiful Shenandoah National Park – you can read about my five days of hikes here – but I also took a break from hiking to see some other things in the area.
White Oak Lavender Farm & The Purple WOLF Vineyard is a family owned farm located in Shenandoah Valley, near Harrisonburg.
I’m an enthusiastic gardener and also enjoy a good glass of wine, so a visit to White Oak Lavender Farm was a perfect break from all of the sweaty hiking 🙂
They offer wine tastings, farm tours, lectures, classes, a petting area and a lovely lavender gift shop all in a historic setting.
They were also only a quick 20 minute scenic drive from my lodgings near the Park.
Indoor plants are growing in popularity in American homes and workplaces, and also in places like hospitals, shopping malls, and hotels.
National Indoor Plant Week (September 16-22) was established to promote and increase public awareness of the importance of live plants in interior spaces.
Anyone can participate in this holiday. You can do your part with something as simple as giving a plant to a friend, or picking up a new houseplant for your kitchen or living room.
Some of my potted plants spend the summer on the deck outdoors.
Houseplants and other indoor greenery improve your mental and physical well-being in a host of ways you’ve probably never thought about.
These days, with more people working from home, we’re spending more time inside our own homes than ever before.
By now maybe you’ve realized there’s a funky smell you’ve never noticed before, or the decor could use a little brightening – or maybe you’re just tired of watching screens and need to create something!
Plants can help clean indoor air, enhance your mood and create a soothing and cheerful living space.
Caring for a plant can be very rewarding.
I knew a guy who grew 200 potted marijuana plants in the attic of his apartment building… But that’s not the kind of “mood enhancement” we’re talking about here 🙂
Growing indoor plants can really help alleviate loneliness and depression.
Caring for another living thing is very rewarding, especially when you see that living thing bloom and grow, all because of you!
No matter what your indoor space is like, there are many plants that would thrive at home with you – and be useful, too.
It’s that time! Time to get ready for your Fall & Winter holiday gatherings.
Yay!!! And also: Oh, no!!
Everyone loves to decorate and make their home feel festive for the winter holidays, but before you can decorate, you also need to clean. (This is the worst part, honestly.)
Lighted trees in the snow in Big Bear, CA
And not only do you have to clean your house, but you might also need to freshen up your stored holiday decorations!
Unfortunately, some of our traditional decorations can harbor allergens that may irritate allergy-and-asthma-prone family or guests.
Some people are even allergic to Christmas trees – which is a point in favor of having an artificial tree.
Are you allergic to your Christmas tree?
And just think about all of the other decorations you put up, where you put them, and how long they stay there.
The key to avoiding hosting allergens (along with your guests) is to prep your home well in advance of your first holiday event, and choose your decorations carefully.
