If you find it confusing when wine collectors talk about their trip to the Bordeaux or Burgandy regions in France, never fear, there is hope for you.

On a recent trip to Napa, my fellow travelers helped me to break the code. Countries outside of France cannot call their domestic wines by the French appellations of “Bordeaux” or “Burgandy”.

In the United States we use the terms Cabernet Sauvignon instead of Bordeaux, and Pinot Noir instead of Burgandy.

Because I had cellared two bottles of a 1992 red wine for my son’s twenty-first birthday, I was able to see (and smell) firsthand why one would cellar a Cabernet Sauvignon, but not a Merlot.

Fortunately, my parents had cellared a sublime (a.k.a. expensive) 1992 Cabernet Sauvignon and it was fantastic 21 years later.

Being my frugal self, I had cellared (a.k.a. put on my large wine rack in my pantry) an inexpensive, but good, 1992 Cabernet Sauvignon. Eureka!  It was very, very good 21 years later.

The 1992 Merlot that I had cellared, however was a different story I’ll admit that I did not know in my youth that one does not store away a Merlot for years hence.

We always hear about wine going bad over decades and “turning to vinegar”.  Well, I can attest that it can be a lot worse than that.

The Merlot was revolting.  We could not even manage to try to taste it, because the dirty-diaper-like (sorry) odor was so disgusting.

You may have heard about decanting red wine into a wide-bottomed decanter to aerate it, in order to improve the flavor experience. …read more of The Lean and Green Frugalista Talks Wine here

The governor of New York has declared a state health emergency, as the flu epidemic that has sickened more than 19,000 people in his state.

We are in the midst of one of the worst flu outbreaks in recent years.  Massachusetts General Hospital has already treated more confirmed flu cases than it did by this time during the swine flu “pandemic.”

You don’t need to check the Center for Disease Control’s national flu trend map to know that’s the case.

The typical flu symptoms are a fever of around 100°, chills, exhaustion, cough, chest congestion, sinus pressure, runny nose, sneezing and body aches.

The typical flu also causes heaviness or pain behind the eyes.  A nasal swab can detect it, but this type of testing is not 100 percent accurate.

What is confusing for medical professionals and patients alike, is the fact that experts continue to encourage the flu shot, claiming it is well-matched to the circulating H3N2 strain of this flu virus, many patients getting the flu had received the flu vaccine. …read more of Natural Flu Treatment Alternative here

Joanne Rose is a vegan with a vision. She is founder and CEO of Vegan Vision Productions – a production company established in 2008 with a mission to inspire lives on screen through comedy.

Rose, who left Australia at 19 for America, divided her time between both countries before settling in the US, where she studied at The Lee Strasberg Theater Institute in Los Angeles.

Vegan 101, the world’s first vegan comedy series, was the first project for Vegan Visions Productions and launched online in 2009 where viewers can catch three seasons of webisodes. Rose, vegan since 1994 created, produced and stars in the show featuring exaggerated parodies of veganism from all walks of life. …read more of Sex and the Single Vegan with Eric Roberts in Mobcaster Mode here

Iron is a double-edged sword.

If we don’t absorb enough we risk anemia, but if we absorb too much we may be increasing our risk of colorectal cancer, heart disease, infection, neurodegenerative disorders, and inflammatory conditions. Video: Risk Associated With Iron Supplements

Other conditions that have been associated with high iron intake include Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, arthritis, and diabetes.

Because the human body has no mechanism to rid itself of excess iron, we evolved to tightly regulate its absorption. If our iron stores are low our intestines boost the absorption of iron and if our iron stores are topped off our intestines block the absorption of iron to maintain the sweet spot. …read more of How to Enhance Mineral Absorption here

As the holidays approach and you’re thinking of gifts for your loved ones and friends, I have put together a wellness gift basket filled with ideas to help keep you healthy and well during the coming year.

Holiday pampering is all about treating yourself to things that make you feel good, so why not choose the kind of things that enhance your wellbeing?

Here are my favorite wellness gift ideas this holiday season. …read more of Holiday Gift Ideas for Health and Wellness here