All posts by J. Stern

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My Girl’s Boy

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I was really tired, bone tired. I was in the maternity ward waiting room at a world famous hospital far from home in the middle of the night at 2 am. I was trying to rest and laid across several seats, using my purse as a hard, but sufficient pillow. Across the room sat my in-laws. They were trying to make pleasant conversation, but I was reaching the bottom of my energy barrel and had to make a move or fall into an uncomfortable sleep across the hard chairs. My first grandchild was on the way and I wanted to be there for the great event, but it looked like I wasn’t going to make it. Work, commuting and other life stuff had used up most of my energy reserves for the week already and I was running mostly on sheer will and the desire to see the birth of my grandchild.

I hiked over one last time to my daughter’s room. Her labor was slow and precarious. This was the third day and we were all worried. I felt that she was in good hands with a medical team that was well known all over the world for delivering babies safely.

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She was still awake and had not had a good sleep for the past 72 hours. Her husband, part man-part angel, was by her side. He only left to use the bathroom or other necessary human tidying up. Otherwise he didn’t leave her side once. He held her, massaged her, dressed her, bathed her and took her phone calls. He talked to her and kept the ambiance positive with unwavering faith that she and the baby would make it safely and they would have the family they had always dreamed of. I felt like crying everytime I saw them. I was helpless to make a significant human difference in the situation, the only thing I could do was pray and have faith that it would turn out ok.

They told me it was ok to go home. The plan was that I would stay with them for a week after, to help them adjust and help with caring for their new son. So, I went home and then the call came about four hours later that he was here and she was fine. My new grandson was healthy, with high Apgars and my daughter was relieved and new mom euphoric. She was now a mom. I wish I could have witnessed it, but thoughts of going to meet him and see him took over. I was excited to head back over to the hospital.

Returning to the hospital I was caught up in introspection. A birth is an everyday miracle. It happens four times every second. Few take it for granted. It’s the most beautiful thing that can happen to a human being or to be witnessed. To see new life emerge. Brought about by a spark of divine energy. Life is everything. Basically, it’s all we’ve actually got. Without life, nothing else could exist and things would have no meaning. We humans seem to need things. Sometimes lots of things, to make us appreciate ourselves and our time here on Earth. Many people of the world live in poverty and they don’t have things. They live without the material stuff and still manage to love life, their family and make everyday count. Faced with starvation and exposure to the elements on a daily basis, they reach deep within for strength and meaning. This is the deep human instinct to live.

I saw a great show on television, that showed cultures from around the glove. One family literally had no home. Just some wood posts and fabric. But they experienced joy everyday as evidenced by their smiles that lit up when a family member was there or approached. I thought that this was the gift that we received everyday that was priceless and better than anything else. Life and love.

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I arrived at the hospital and there was my daughter, son-in-law and my new grandson settled in nicely to post delivery mode. My daughter looked exhausted but elated and was skin to skin with her son. My son-in-law was full of joy and stood by protecting his brood. It was a gorgeous sight. I felt myself getting weepy again and then the tears just came anyway, even though I struggled hard and painfully to keep my emotions in check. They wrapped the baby carefully and placed him in my arms. He smelled fresh and of life springing from something primordially. He was calm and perfect to me.

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A new generation was here to carry on and bring goodness to the world.

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Melanzana and Bubbly Flower

Spring was upon us in So Cal, June gloom had come in May and was rapidly dissolving now that we were in the early days of June. The last week of May hearalded a full moon that lasted a full four nights and cast is luminescence and magic over the world. Those who were smart enough to tap into it’s vibration, were supposed to be rewarded by excelling in all of their endeavors. Love and abundance was showered upon them from Luna, our faithful moon.

So the days were getting longer and the heat was emerging steadily with each afternoon in these early days of the month. I called my niece, who was always up for an experience and fun and we decided to meet at Aruffo’s, a wonderful Italian restaurant in the Inland Empire. I love to take my family there, because it’s the best place to eat-ever. The cuisine is authentic Italian made from recipes direct from Italy and served in full courses. Imaginative cocktails, delicious wine, inventive and traditional appetizers, complex and artful full plates and then to bring down the curtain; desserts that were fresh and to die for with fresh coffee pressed at our table.

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I ordered Pasta Melanzana. Translated, this is Eggplant Parmesana. A delicious and decadent creamy dish with an eggplant base surrounded by fresh cooked spinach and a magical sauce that unlocks dreams of the Italian countryside and a life filled with joy and pleasure. The sauce is made with fresh butter, cream, spinach and parmesan cheese. To accompany the dish, I ordered a Bubbly Flower Martini, a cooling concoction of Prosecco and St. Germain Liqueur with a lemon twist. The Saint Germain Liqueur is made with Elderflower gathered in the French Alps and adds warm floral notes. The drink is a perfect summer refresher at the end of a hot day. It went great with the dish I ordered.

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It just happened that it was also night of the Claremont Blues & Brews Craft Beer Walk. Jazz and Blues bands took up strategic locations throughout the village and provided cool and spontaneous notes to accompany an evening of possibilities. People were cruising, enjoying the night and the vibe was magic.

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It was the perfect setting for catching up and reveling in the beauty of life. Afterward we strolled across the Claremont Colleges campus beneath towering sequoias and expansive lawns bordered with blooming rosebuds. Along each street were gorgeous old houses and school buildings where history had been made and the world changed with discoveries that had happened there.

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Pomona, Goddess of the IE

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As you travel from Los Angeles via the interstate 60 towards the Inland Empire, the first Inland Empire city you reach is Pomona. Pomona, named for the goddess of fruit and trees. A land that was once filled with vast ranchos, orchards, farms, wineries and dairies. In the center of this hub of agricultural activity the city was built. A functional and sturdy downtown that today is the location of Western University, a fairly new university devoted to the sciences. Pomona was also the birthplace of Pomona College which eventually transformed into the Claremont Colleges.

To travel to Pomona, is to travel to the farming past of Southern California. The city became famous due to it’s citrus heritage and the wealthiest man in Los Angeles county during the 1890’s; a Jewish rancher named Louis Phillips. Louis Phillips made his fortune in ranching that produced wool, honey and wheat. He was a leader and an accomplished businessman that devoted his life to developing the region and prosperity. His home was built in 1875 along the Butterfield Stage route and is still standing today. It became a Registered National Historic Place in 1974.

Louis Phillips’ time was an era when families went into town only when needed to conduct business, attend church or other important social functions. A typical day in Southern California was hot, quiet and purposeful. Seemingly slow, but most likely just as industrious. The old downtown at face value is functional; yet jewels of architecture are imbedded within it’s practical face. Driving through, it’s evident that several of the buildings are large-very large and there is parking. Vast empty lots of free parking. It’s a city with a spacious floor plan. Large buildings on wide streets that are straight and easy to navigate. A fairly small downtown that accommodates a swelling population during business hours. It’s a thrifting paradise teeming with funky antique stores, thrift stores, art galleries and a concert venue. There are several cool, fairly priced restaurants and cafes to provide a respite from the heat.

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And then there are the churches. The soul of Pomona is it’s churches, and there are over one hundred. The architecture of Pomona’s churches serves well as a guide to turn of the century, ecclesiastic architecture. The churches are old and varied and make for a fascinating afternoon of surveying religious architecture. Western University is also here. The university is fairly new and just a mere 40 years old, but quickly gaining prestige as many brilliant young minds gather here to become the best practitioners of the sciences. Osteopaths, optometrists, nurses and many other vocations.

It’s not only historic architecture that Pomona is know for, but also is home to Diamond Ranch High School designed by Thom Mayne, co-creator of the Southern California Institute of Architecture, or SCI-Arc. The school has been utilized in several television and films productions due it’s amazing and mind bending design. It’s worth the drive to take in the breathtaking modern design that is inspirational and will open your mind to the coming new age.

A day trip to Pomona makes for a relaxed and funky afternoon. It’s a step into the past and a gateway to the future. Pomona is a perfect example of where cities are headed in Southern California. Celebrating a proud heritage, preserving beauty from the past and creating a new culture that incorporates history in a new and though provoking way.

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The Fabric Of Our Lives

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I love clothes and how people choose to express themselves through adornment. One of my favorite past times is to look through the glossy pages of a fashion magazine and dive into Pinterest blogs on fashion. One day, feeling completely inspired and like I wanted to immerse myself in that world, I headed out to the fabric district in Los Angeles. The fabric district is really part of the Fashion District, but it’s a whole world on to itself, so I really think of it as it’s own district-no matter what the city of Los Angeles says.

I drove into Los Angeles and splurged on great parking. The parking was on a rooftop and just across the street from one of the oldest and most prestigious fabric shops, Michael Levine. It was great being in the middle of the whole scene and convenient too. Pedestrians, cars, vans, motorbikes and city buses moved quickly to avoid colliding. There were several blocks where every corner and the spaces in between contained a multitude of fabric stores. There were fabrics of every color and type imaginable. The prices were amazing and the shopowners were out to bargain. It was not a place to be shy. The fabrics were works of art. Every weave imaginable was represented. There were beautiful and glorious pieces with beading and flowers that shimmered in the light.

It was a world filled with color. A Kaliedescope of various hues. The possibilities were infinite. It made me think of how our world is lit by the sun. Each morning, light greets the world and illuminates our space and creates a stage. The colors of the rainbow that are reflected in beams of light influence human mood and energy.

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Through science we’ve learned to understand the meaning of light and color and apply what we’ve learned in traditional scientific medicine as well as holistic and ancient medicines. Therapy utilizing light and color can be implemented on a very basic level and artists have known this for ages. Famous artists have expounded on the life giving benefits of light and color for centuries. Physicians as far back as the Renaisance implemented light therapy. The oldest spiritual guides and texts direct the human flock to follow the light, that God is light. The path to Nirvana is filled with light and color which serve as milestones for various levels of enlightenment.

I headed into Michael Levine’s, which had been there since the 1940’s. Groups of people milled about discussing projects and making plans. The employees were skilled and answered my questions quickly and with in-depth knowledge of the product. They seemed to have a good eye for serious buyers and creatives that frequented the district to make their livelihoods. There was an air of seriousness and intent hovering over the scene. Creativity danced about the space, seeming to be shooting everywhere, from so many people that had come to this industrial, but beautiful space to realize their dreams.

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There were designers comparing fabrics and discussing building a line of fashion for the next season, people picking out small accoutrements to add to their creations such a flowers buttons and beads and moms with their daughters picking out fabric for possibly a prom dress. It was completely open and comfortable with a sense of purpose. I soaked it in and stored it away for future inspiration.

Next, I headed across the street and up a flight of stairs into a worn warehouse smudged with grease, dirt, graffiti and possibly anything that had been flung at it by humans and machinery. About three flights up was the remnant store for Michael Levine. It was a great spot filled with fabric ends. You could fill a bag for just one dollar. It was quieter here with fewer customers. I toured the space, sizing up what was offered and realized what a great opportunity it was to be creative on a smaller budget. I filled up a bag and then was on my way.

Before I headed back to my car, I stopped in a few of the smaller shops that were jam packed with gorgeous fabrics from around the world. I spoke with one of the sales guys, who was super friendly and ready to make a deal. After scoping out the district and experiencing the excitement of the area, I felt that I had got what I came for and even more. I headed back to my car feeling that it had been an amazing day well worth the drive that took about an hour on a Saturday morning from the Inland Empire.

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Serum Magic

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Who doesn’t love an amazing skin product that actually works? We are so lucky these days, because now more than ever people are developing new and exciting skin products that really work. One major advance is serums. Women in Asia have been using serums accompanied by cotton masks and massage for decades now and the practice has finally arrived on the shores of the United States. This new health product can be found in your corner drug store, department stores and prestige retail stores.

You can buy stand alone serums or serums that are loaded into disposable masks.The consistencies range from oil bases to gels to organic mediums. The consistency of a serum is usually quite gooey and slimy, but cool and wonderful. The serums contain secret formulas of vitamin enriched mediums that cool the skin and attract hydration and then lock it in.

The gooiest in some cases come from snail slime. Factors in the snail slime promote excelerated healing of the skin and intense moisturizing. One has to wonder how such large quantities can be extracted from such tiny animals? Can this possibly be humane? The answer is both yes and no depending on who the snail farmer is and how he or she chooses to extract the slime. Yes, sadly, some farmers kill the snails, but there are many who utilize a scientific approach that utilizes steam and actually creates pleasure for the snails with the end result of gallons of slime and the snail getting to go back home after a lovely group sauna.

Alas, here is an amazing product, but does it last? This is the big question and I would say in a very subtle way, yes, but not in of itself. This is not a stand alone fix for aging or damaged skin. I would propose that you combine the use of these products with a stress free lifestyle and a very healthy diet. Balance is the key that unlocks the door to wellness and results in a glow that we interpret as beauty.

It’s real life magic at our fingertips.

Photo by Anna Sullivan on Unsplash

“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”
― W.B. Yeats

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The Past Opened

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Once a year Riverside celebrates it’s beautiful historic architecture with the Doors Open event. It’s an alluring evening for those who love history, architecture, mystery and all things beautiful. The doors to Riverside’s most iconic buildings are opened to the public with free tours that are gateways to Riverside’s illustrious past. Few today know that Riverside was once the wealthiest city per capita in the United States and that statesman, land developers and a who’s who of the gilded age flocked to Riverside for business, respite and entertainment.

The architecture of Riverside is eclectic and much of it was created by illustrious and famous architects. There are buildings that were designed by Myron Hunt, Julia Morgan, Arthur Benton, G. Stanley Wilson, Peter Weber and many others.

I love volunteering for this event. It’s a fast paced, fun and exciting night. It’s usually in the middle of the week, after work and school. Even though it’s at a very busy time, people come from far and wide to experience the beauty of old Riverside. It’s starts at six in the evening when the tours begin. The tours are usually short in duration and present the historical and architectural highlights of the building. There are approximately 20 buildings to see, so it’s a race to see how many you can actually tour within the allotted four hours the buildings are open.

The best part is meeting the people that have journied to see these fabled buildings. I’ve met so many wonderful and interesting people from all walks of life that love history just as much as I do and are fascinated by architecture. Many of the guests recount personal stories that took place in the buildings. Stories that have been passed down through generations in their families. People also come to see the buildings they have passed by for years and wondered what was in it and who created it; coming to satisfy their curiosity.

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The grand dame of the night is The Mission Inn Hotel, created by Frank Miller in 1903 and finished in 1931. A magical wonderland of architectural styles from all over the world. Frank Miller loved the people of the world and devoted his life to promoting peace and building a beautiful community. His legacy is the Mission Inn and speaks for itself. During Doors Open a mini tour is provided that gives a good overview of Frank Miller’s vision and a primer of the varied architectural styles gleaned from around the world. It’s a teaser for a 75 minute tour that is presented seven days a week by the dedicated Mission Inn Foundation for a nominal fee.

The Doors Open event, held every May, is just one of the wonderful events held annually in the Inland Empire and makes the I.E. such a fantastic place to live.

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Beat the cold

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Winter in all of her frostiness is here. She breathes an icy wind down the streets of my sweet city and across the tender throats of humans, making us susceptible to illness and flu. Here are a few holistic strategies to beat back the imps of winter and the havoc they wreak upon our health.

1.) Eucalyptus oil. It’s magic. Even if your nose is not runny now, but you feel suspiciously congested, head to your local natural foods store and pick up a tiny bottle of this magic oil. Just take a few deep breaths and this will clear your lungs and create an inhospitable environment for those nasty cold germs. And if the cold was not beat back and you are suffering, place a few drops on your pillow, rub it across your chest and maybe a small drop under your nostrils. That nasty cold will clear much faster and you will breathe easier, I promise.

2.) Ecinacea. Thanks to the health craze that is now sweeping our lovely country, we can find all kinds of sources to partake of the herb Echinacea and it’s fantastic immunity boosting properties. It’s lovely in tea, but any medium will do and it will surely shorten the life of your cold.

3.) Propolis. Propolis is the reason that bees are precious and we should do everything we possibly can to protect them. A byproduct of hive building, propulis holds legendary immune building properties. Had a wild night out or the kids are sick and you didn’t get to sleep? Pop a propolis capsule and let it guard your health until you get those rare moments to rest. Propolis will give you the energy and protection your system needs to work through the cold, your work routine and all those things we do to be the amazing people we are.

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4.) Lemons. The fruit that promises health and a healthy ph. Lemons are bursting with pure vitamin C. A cup of hot water in the am with a squirt of fresh lemon juice with infuse your morning with sunshine on wintry day and help you to fight those persistent bugs that fly about infecting one human after the other.

5.) Apple Cider Vinegar. Acidic and another way to balance the body’s ph and make your system inhospitable to germs. A teaspoon in your hot lemon water will quickly relieve any upset, nausea or feelings of bloat. Also full of good organisms that will do battle with anything that is paying a visit, but you don’t want to stay.

6.) Last, but not least, where a scarf around your neck. So simple, but incredibly useful. By keeping your neck warm, the site of life giving blood flow, you keep your head warm and well-perfused with the your own healing properties.

In closing, I wish you health, the ability fight your ailments and beautiful, clear, frosty days during this lovely winter.

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Growing Grays

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I’m a Pinterest fanatic and I was really fascinated when I started seeing pins of women of all ages with gray hair. Gray hair had become the latest fashion trend and it was gorgeous. Gray actually looked good on all ages not just senior women. Young girls bleached the natural color out of their hair and then infused it with a ghostly shade or a brilliant color of the rainbow.

I was especially drawn to the senior women. Radiant in their natural beauty and proud of their silver strands. Yes, there were wrinkles and many imperfections, but the joy of having lived and seeing the map of their lives written across their faces was beautiful. I loved seeing women of age celebrated and taking the stage. Guiding the public into an era that was embracing nature and realizing that our very survival depended on it. The future looked brighter without chemicals in our food, our beauty products, our water and air. It was time to stop, get smart and start focusing on living in sync with our natural world.

Since I loved this look so much, I decided to try it. It was great at first, giving up the long appointments with the hairdresser. I no longer had to tolerate the bleach that sat against my scalp for at least 30 minutes and irritated my skin. It took 30 minutes or more to achieve the color you wanted. And then afterward, watching it fade away day by day. The expensive color would drain away and fade into bizarre hues. This was often accompanied by the loss of precious strands of hair because of the chemical stress put on the hair follicles.

So after arresting this unpleasant process, eventually the grays peek through. The grays are natural and free and many times curly. Your hair becomes a map of two opposing lands that are so different and don’t really blend.

That’s when it becomes challenging and can be fun, depending on your perspective. You can take many approaches to this. If you love the salon, you can have your stylist help you with blending the old and new. It’s usually a novel experience for them and at first a bit confusing. First you are met with disbelief, “You want to have gray hair?” “You don’t want me to cover your roots?” Then if you’re lucky and they accept that you are absolutely sure that going gray is your chosen path, it becomes fun.

Another route, is going it on your own. There are scads of cover up products to help you on your way. It’s easy, just style, then cover. You will also need a purple shampoo to counteract air pollution and deposits that create a yellow tinge, if not washed away. This whole process usually takes a few years. At three years, my grays were in and the complements rolled in like waves on the beach. Virtually every acquiantence had a compliment and loved seeing a rare head of gray hair.

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Come Into The Garden

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Have you ever walked through a gorgeous garden? A garden that is teeming with flowers and shrubbery, a cacophony of life and nature in happy harmony?

My mom always loved gardens and then my sisters too. They particularly loved roses. I loved them, but until recently hadn’t found space in my life to care for them. So I enjoyed theirs. Having a garden had many benefits. It was a local opportunity to bond with nature and it also made Christmas shopping fun and easy. I love picking out wind chimes, statues and stakes to embellish their gardens. These objects were pure whimsy and not to be taken seriously.

In the garden, there were small spaces that were set aside for magical enclaves to entice children to enter and imagine. My sister had a fairy garden under her roses. She had set out miniature patio furniture, a swing and a statue of a fairy. Her grandchildren loved to spend time in the garden, playing and making up stories about mermaids, princesses and lands far away.

In my mother’s garden, hummingbird feeders were hung and there always seemed to be a butterfly flying among open buds. Many times the butterflies would land and perch on my mother. They somehow knew that she loved them and they were safe with her. A stone fountain invited birds to come take a drink and rest within the quiet green enclave. A collection of chimes provided a musical backdrop for the natural magic.

Photo by Jeff Finley on Unsplash

I eventually reached a point where I wanted to start a garden. I found a great sprinkler guy. Hard working, great prices and he set out to provide the life source that every garden needs. Precious water. Water that covers most of our planet, but becomes so scarce as you move inland. Even though we live over huge aquifers, accessing this liquid gold has become a privilege as cities and counties tax and raise water prices. Not a new occurrence as significant water wars were a fact of life for the early settlers of the west. The most famous water war in the Inland Empire centered around the needed water for citrus and created the legend of Eliza Tibbits, a sociable and intelligent matron who had to water the two trees that started it all with her own dishwater.

So the waterworks were installed, it was time to pick plants and visit nurseries. There was an amazing nursery in Riverside; Parkview Nursery. Here, one could find all exotics varieties of flora and natives too. The plants were healthy and primed to create beautiful gardens. I picked out a beautiful pink iceberg rose variety and a few other colorful species to plant. A careful education was provided, some great plant food, and I was on my way.

This was the start to some sporadic gardening sandwiched in between long work hours and the other specifics of daily life. Eventually the weather turned cold and the garden rested and sporadically bloomed through the cold, short days. Finally, I understood, why people looked forward to Spring.


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Lazy Delicious Dinner

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Recently, I was speaking to a young working mom about life balance and creating a healthy and happy life for your loved ones. We talked about balancing the demands of school and work, while making sure your family created time for the good things in life and for each other. I was a single working mom for most of my child-rearing years and one of my greatest challenges as a mother was to provide good nutrition for my children. To add even more pressure, I’m a nurse and a virgo. Nurses are all about health and virgos are health freaks. We look at everything for it’s healthy value. Will this make me feel good? How will it impact my body, energy and my well-being?

So dinner was always a challenge. Each night I was usually exhausted from working hard and trying to be a good employee, while simultaneously coordinating good daycare, fun filled weekends, finding the right school, after school activities and training my children to evolve into happy and healthy adults. I soon realized that I had to plan. How could I create something that didn’t require a lot of organization and thought, but tasted and felt like I did? A meal that delivered good nutrition, but was delicious as well.

Well my first epiphany was the fajita. My sister, a medical resident at that time and with jam-packed days worse than mine, had me over for dinner. We went to the grocery store first, where I followed her and her fiance around the aisles. I watched them argue and debate the finer points of grocery fare. Finally they picked the ingredients for what they told me were fajita, which consisted of everything you ever needed for a healthy and delicious dinner. My sisters and I were raised that a healthy meal included meat, vegatables and starch. So our starch was the tortillas, boneless skinless chicken breast was the meat(protein) and then the colorful peppers and onions were the vegetables. We purchased the lot and made our way home. My sister and her honey hit the kitchen and step-by-step showed me how to whip up this quick and easy dinner. Just chop up the meat and veggies, sautee and brown them in the oil of your choice with your favorite seasoning, wrap in a tortilla and you were good to go.

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So, I started utilizing this for my family dinners. I guess I utilized it a lot, because one day when my kids asked me whats for dinner and I lovingly responded, “fajitas.” They look back at me with serious faces and uttered the dreaded “again?”

I was bummed, I realized I was going to have to anti-up and get creative. So, I took the challenge and created the best lazy dinner ever and here I am presenting it to you. I love this dinner. It has the protein, the veggies and the starch(now known as carbs), that was drilled into me was the healthiest dinner ever. It’s takes about five minutes to prepare and maybe 20 minutes to bake and you don’t have to watch it. So, here it goes.

You take one defrosted, organic, boneless chicken breast. Oil both sides of the chicken breast, I like coconut oil, because it softens the meat and compliments the taste. If you use your hands, wash them thouroughly after to remove any bacteria.

The next step is to season the chicken breast. I like to use a prepared seasoning thats a mixture of garlic salt, lemon pepper, paprika and oregano. I lightly season both sides of the chicken breast for maximum flavor.

Place the chicken breast in a pan lined with foil or parchment paper (depending how organic you are feeling).

Take a bag of frozen seasoned potatoes or rice and dump the bag over and around the chicken.

Next set the oven at 350 and put the dish in the oven.

For your veggies, pick your favorite and place it in a steamer on the stove top.

Now walk away.

Return to the kitchen in ten minutes and turn the chicken and turn off the steamer. Walk away again.

In another ten minutes go back to the Kitchen. By this time, your kitchen and maybe your whole house will be filled with the enticing aromas of herb-baked chicken, roasted potatoes or rice and fresh steamy vegetables.

Remove the dish from the oven and serve with the steamed vegetables.

So when I’m really tired, but I know I have to eat and eat well if I want to keep up the pace, this is my current go to dinner. For those days in the middle of the week, have this meal before eight in the evening, stop when you are full and don’t eat again that evening. You will wake up with a fairly reduced belly feeling fresh and strengthened.