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Lent comes for lengthening. The days are getting longer. Put them to good use. If you are self-improving this season, healthy eating, prayer, learning and improving relationships and enjoying nature are hot topics. Here’s a collection of some items and reads that have come my way and I’m sharing all these self-improvement tips right now:

How You Roll – I really got excited about my Oceanfoam roller when someone saw it on my desk and got excited about it. I’m new to these rippled cylinders you put behind your back for muscle relief. Little ones can go in your chair or between your back and a wall while bigger ones can help your legs stretch out with a floor roll. The cool thing, besides experiencing they really make you feel good, is that this line is made from algae, and they are beautiful. Of all the color options I chose a black and white that looks like a marble column. And yes, I said algae. The creator wanted them to look so good you wouldn’t need to hide them away. Mine are handy and a little artistic. My back feels great. Get the Oceanfoam story at: www.oceanfoam.com

ActivatedYou – Raspberry Lemonade powder, mixed into fizzy water, has been my afternoon “cocktail” on the patio. This pink drink is giving me “support for a happy gut and calm mind, by ActivatedYou. I may not be using this as intended, as an afternoon refreshment, but the restful sleep and digestion support it is designed for has been rewarding. Nighttime Complete is the name. I guess this is a case where it’s 5 o’clock somewhere. It’s simply a delicious supplement, but in a fancy glass, it sure seems like an indulgence. I’ve had good luck with other products from this line: Slim + Balance, Total Bio Reset and Essential Skin Food. www.activatedyou.com

Small Batch Therapy Dough – Restless hands? Need to focus? Did you ever try deep breathing and mushing up a wad of lemony dough to relax? Or maybe you would make impressions of your jewelry in lavender or peppermint. Analu Therapy Dough is thinking of you. Made in small batches in Raleigh, North Carolina, the therapy dough is packaged in wheat straw bio-plastic made from the byproduct of edible grains of wheat. Well I felt relaxed even reading the unopened package. Then the aromas were released and go figure, this stuff works! www.elsewhereunplug.com

The Right Questions – What would it take feel more relaxed when you get home from work? Maybe your spouse would have picked up a few items around the house and have some of the dinner prep going. Maybe you ask each other the right “scaling” questions to level up all sorts of life experiences. Maybe you never realized how just a few changes could improve your love language. Ziba Graham Jr. helps you get to the right questions in the book “Fix Your Marriage Without Counseling: A Practical Method Men Will Appreciate.” So, there you have it, the ZG Method in a quick read that could have you spend less time fussing and more time culinary thrill seeking with each other.

Manage That Pour – What if your “lover” tied up your free days, damaged your health and destroyed your confidence? Imagine putting a face to a “lover” that is alcohol and you’re better off without that jerk. Authors of “Tipsy: A Woman’s Self-Guided Method for Managing Alcohol” walk readers through stages of grief at this loss, including anger and acceptance. Take their relationship quiz and starting managing your self-love, energy and vitality.

“The Monarch Butterfly Migration” – Get a glimpse of a pretty butterfly this spring? Did you think about how far they came, their tagging, food and rest, milkweed supply and how avocados and cartels may have come into play? There’s a National Geographic cover girl who was came back onto the grid for a while and some strong personalities at play in this book. We’ve even got a blue jay barfing. What’s not to love in this butterfly adventure book by Monika Maeckle, who shares all this insect drama with a Texas flair.

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie who strives to be better every day. If you have good advice, please share! darraghcastillo@icloud.com