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By Clare Mendez, Resident Cottonwood trees, while providing ample shade and beauty along our paseo, can be a real nuisance for those with allergies. During their springtime pollination season, they release cotton-like seeds that carry allergenic pollen. is pollen is wind-pollinated, making it difficult to avoid. Residents living along, or close to the paseo, may see piles of pollen seeds that look like cotton balls or snow, building up along the curbs. If you're a regular sufferer: • Check local pollen counts and limit outdoor activities when counts are high. • Keep windows closed and use air conditioning. • Wash bedding and clothes regularly. • Bathe and wash your hair before bedtime to remove pollen. • Use antihistamines, corticosteroids, and decongestants as needed. And, practice lifestyle changes: • If you're going to be outside during high pollen times, consider wearing a mask to reduce inhaling allergens. • Try to work out indoors, in our amazing gym, during peak allergy season. • Drinking plenty of water can help thin mucus and alleviate some allergy symptoms. According to the University of Utah's School of Biological Sciences, climate change is intensifying the problem. Pollen seasons start earlier and last longer than ever before. Not only are allergies more common, they report, they're getting more severe over time. SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | APRIL 2025 9 Cottonwood Pollen Snow in April? By Janet Boyce, Resident In the last five years or so, intermittent fasting has become quite popular as a way of controlling weight gain. It involves choosing one day per week where you give your body a rest, and just sip water, plain tea, or black coffee. Many people choose Sunday before the start of the next week, but it could be any day of the week. Fasting one day a week involves going without food for 24 hours. When you fast, four drinks will not interfere: water, plain tea, black coffee, and bone broth. Generally, fasting helps your body use stored fat for energy. Fasting one to two days per week (spaced out, not in succession) is considered safe, if you don't have serious health issues. You can typically lose one to two pounds per week with the calorie deficit. Short-term fasts boost metabolism as much as fourteen percent. It still remains true that eating fewer calories than you burn, and exercising regularly, will help you lose weight and keep the extra pounds off. Even sleeping counts as fasting, because you don't eat while you sleep! at's why they say it's important to maintain a regular, consistent sleep routine. I have experienced serious fasting twice in my life, wherein I didn't eat for three days. e first time was during my college years, because I was curious about the experience. e second time was aer spending six months in Spain where I studied at the University of Madrid. e Spanish food was so delicious, especially the breads, cheeses, and olives. Both fasting times were similar. e first day without food was the hardest. e second day was just ok, and by the third day, I wasn't feeling hungry anymore! I lost weight, but this kind of fasting is too intense, so you usually gain back some or more of your previous weight. e worst time to snack is at night aer dinner. is is when I get the "flying munchies," but I know if I sip a hot, decaffeinated tea instead, I will lose weight. I've done this before, so I know it works! e problem is that we are in our Golden Years now, and we want to enjoy our retired life to the fullest while we still have time. e latest advertisements for losing weight are special morning drinks referred to as quick fixes that take only seconds to do. ere are so many different kinds out there: e Coffee Trick, the Pink Salt Hack, Apple Cider Vinegar, etc. Most of them involve secret, science lab ingredients that you have to buy from a particular company, and a typical bottle of pills cost $69.99 at least. ere's too much marketing out there with no guarantees. From what I have found, it might be worth trying lemon, cinnamon, and/or turmeric in your coffee, water, or some other low-calorie drink. You can experiment on your own at home without spending hundreds of dollars for something that may not work. As a final comment: Diets don't work, but changes in lifestyle do. So, if you tweak just one thing such as no late-night snacking, and/or doing an intermittent fasting schedule, you just may find a good result. Losing Weight Through Fasting & Lifestyle Changes

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