Keep believing in yourself
There may be days when you get up in the morning and things aren't the way you had hoped they would be, that's when you have to tell yourself that things will get better.
There are times when people disappoint you and let you down, but those are the times when you must remind yourself to trust your own judgments and opinions, to keep your life focused on believing in yourself and all that you are capable of.
There will be challenges to face and changes to make in your life, and it is up to you to accept them.
Constantly keep yourself headed in the right direction for you. It may not be easy at times, but in those times of struggle you will find a stronger sense of who you are, so when the days come that are filled with frustration and unexpected responsibilities, remember to believe in yourself and all you want your life to be, because the challenges and changes will only help you to find the goals that you know are meant to come true for you.
He Did Rise
On Easter He did rise,
To everyone's surprise.
And to the surprise of all,
He will again come to call,
And all his people rise,
To everyone's surprise.
Written by Gidget
The Starfish - Make a Difference Story
Once upon a time there was a wise man that used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day. So he began to walk faster to catch up.
As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn't dancing, but instead he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean.
As he got closer he called out, "Good morning! What are you doing?"
The young man paused, looked up and replied, "Throwing starfish in the ocean." "I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?" "The sun is up, and the tide is going out, and if I don't throw them in they'll die." "But, young man, don't you realize that there are miles and miles of beach, and starfish all along it. You can't possibly make a difference!"
The young man listened politely. Then bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said, "It made a difference for that one."
There is something very special in each and every one of us. We have all been gifted with the ability to make a difference, and if we can become aware of that gift, we gain through the strength of our visions the power to shape the future.
We must each find our starfish. And if we throw our stars wisely and well, the world will be blessed and so will we.
Let’s Make Today Count
The New Year is exciting and a happy time because it always brings the opportunity for what seems a new beginning, a chance to start over fresh. We all get to start with a new page, and it is up to each of us what we want to write or put on it.
This New Year’s resolve to stop obsessing about the things you can’t change and work on the things you have control. Focus on daily behaviors that will make you happy. New Year's is a time to look ahead, but also a time for reflection. Begin by looking at your past, as there is much to be learned from it.
Thoughts to live by for the new year- a new day, a new life, a new beginning…
"I will live this day as if it is my last.
First, I will seal up its container of life so that not one drop spills itself …. I will waste not a moment mourning yesterday's misfortunes, yesterday's defeats, yesterday's aches of the heart, for why should I thro good after bad?
Can I take back the evil that was spoken, the blows that were struck, and the pain that was caused? My yesterday is buried forever and I will think of it no more…" And if it is my last, it will be my greatest monument.
This day I will make the best day of my life. This day I will drink every minute to its fullest, I will savor its taste and give thanks. I will make every hour count and each minute I will treat only for something of value. I will labor harder than ever before and push my muscles till they cry for relief and then I will continue….Each minute of today will be more fruitful than hours of yesterday. My last will be my best.
I will live this day as if it is my last.
And if it is not, I shall fall to my knees and give thanks."
It is important to remember that it takes months for a behavioral change to become instinctive. Expect to make mistakes but don’t allow them to become failures. Get right back in there and move forward. You can reach your goals!
Delight in the beauty that surrounds you.
When the world says give up, hope whispers one more time.
Courage is not the towering oak, but the fragile blossom that opens in the snow.
Handwriting on the Wall
A weary mother returned from the store,
Lugging groceries through the kitchen door.
Awaiting her arrival was her 8 year old son,
Anxious to relate what his younger brother had done.
"While I was out playing and Dad was on a call,
T. J. took his crayons and wrote on the wall!
It's on the new paper you just hung in the den.
I told him you'd be mad at having to do it again."
She let out a moan and furrowed her brow,
"Where is your little brother right now?"
She emptied her arms and with a purposeful stride,
She marched to his closet where he had gone to hide.
She called his full name as she entered his room.
He trembled with fear--he knew that meant doom!
For the next ten minutes, she ranted and raved
About the expensive wallpaper and how she had saved.
Lamenting all the work it would take to repair,
She condemned his actions and total lack of care.
The more she scolded, the madder she got,
Then stomped from his room, totally distraught!
She headed for the den to confirm her fears.
When she saw the wall, her eyes flooded with tears.
The message she read pierced her soul with a dart.
It said, "I love Mommy," surrounded by a heart.
Well, the wallpaper remained, just as she found it,
With an empty picture frame hung to surround it.
A reminder to her, and indeed to all,
Take time to read the handwriting on the wall.
Author Unknown
The Power of Belief and Positive Thinking
If only we believed. All things are possible. If only we trusted- there is goodness waiting for us. Miracles do happen that love surrounds you, that beauty is created for you. Belief is everything. What you believe determines your action. And your actions determine the results you create in your life. Start with your beliefs. They are everything.
To believe is to know that every day
is a new beginning.
It is to trust that miracles happen,
and dreams really do come true.
To believe is to see angels dancing among the clouds,
To know the wonder of a stardust sky
and the wisdom of the man in the moon.
To believe is to know the value of a nurturing heart,
The innocence of a child's eyes
and the beauty of an aging hand,
for it is through their teachings we learn to love.
To believe is to find the strength
and courage that lies within us.
When it is time to pick up the pieces and begin again.
To believe is to know we are not alone,
That life is a gift and this is our time to cherish it.
To believe is to know that wonderful surprises
are just waiting to happen,
And all our hopes and dreams are within reach.
If only we believe.
Believe.
You are special.
And are here to make a difference.
Ways to Maintain Good Health
The best ways to maintain good health are natural. By making simple lifestyle changes, within days you can start to look better, feel better, think better, have more energy, lose weight, help protect yourself from heart disease, diabetes and cancer (our number one killers) and slow down your aging process to live a longer, happier, healthier life. So why not do it?
Commit to an eating plan that’s low in calories and high in nutrition. Eat more broiled fish, chicken and low fat dairy and at least five to nine daily servings of colorful fruits and vegetables without the butter, cream and other fatty sauces and dressings. Eliminate refined carbohydrates - high glycemic sugars, white bread, flour, pasta, cakes, cookies, pies and pastries. Switch to sprouted and whole grain breads and pasta.
Start a regular exercise program. It doesn’t have to be high tech, high cost or high competition. If you’re out of shape, start slowly. Begin with a walk around the block. People who walk at least two hours a week at a 3-mph pace reduce their risk of death from heart disease by 34% and of all diseases by 39%. Those who walk 3 to 4 hours a week cut their risk of death by half.
If you smoke, stop. Smoking, which is linked to cancer of the lung, mouth, stomach, pancreas and bladder, is the number one avoidable health risk in the world. Smokers have four times the risk for heart disease and twice the risk of stroke. Smoking also wrinkles skin and yellows teeth, making smokers look older.
Changing current habits may seem challenging at first, but once you make health a priority, other things become less important. Good health is a blessing with priceless benefits, and your investment of time, energy and mental focus will soon pay off richly. Put more fiber in your diet here is a short list you might want to try.
Foods rich in fiber are;
Unprocessed wheat bran
Unrefined breakfast cereals
Whole wheat and rye flours
Grainy breads, such as whole wheat, rye or pumpernickel
Fresh fruits, such as apples, berries and pears
Dried fruits, such as prunes, apricots and figs
Vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots and green peas
Legumes, such as chickpeas, baked beans and navy beans
Fruits and vegetables are a great healthy addition to your diet. Not only are they high in fiber, but they are also high in other vitamins and minerals.
Fiber can improve your health in 3 ways:
- It helps your colon work better
- It reduces the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer
- It may help lower your cholesterol level
Men over 50 years of age should get 30 grams of fiber per day; women over 50 should get 21 grams per day.
There are many interesting uses for Aspirin
I have a huge bottle of expired aspirin in my medicine cabinet from back before I realized that buying in bulk isn’t always eco-friendly. It isn’t a good idea to take expired aspirin. As the chemicals in aspirin age they change and become more likely to irritate the lining of the stomach, and could cause ulcers. Instead of throwing expired aspirin in the trash, check out some of the alternative uses suggested by Readers Digest and others who have learned there are many other good uses for old outdated aspirins.
- Six to eight aspirin dissolved in warm water can help reduce chlorine discoloration in lighter colored hair.
- A paste of crushed aspirin can help a zit heal faster
- Adding aspirin to the water can keep cut flowers fresh longer
- Aspirin can even restore a dead car battery for long enough to get your car into the shop
- To treat dandruff, crush two aspirin tablets and add them to your usual shampoo. Leave on the hair for a couple of minutes and rinse as normal.
- Mosquito bites can be eased by wetting the skin and rubbing an aspirin over the spot.
- Bee stings can be treated in the same way but any adverse reaction to the sting should be reported to a doctor.
- Gardeners can treat fungal soil infections by dissolving an aspirin tablet in a liter of water and using the mixture to treat the soil. Don’t make this mixture too strong if using around plants as it may burn the leaves.
- Aspirin can also be mixed with potting compost in the greenhouse, or garden, to prevent fungus forming around the roots of new plants.
- Take some fresh lemon juice and mix it with a soluble aspirin to make a mixture that will remove grass stains, nicotine stains, etc from hands.
These are just a few things that aspirin can do for us to help make our life simpler. Read more on the beginning of aspirin and the old willow tree.
Let your kids share in an Old Fashion Christmas this year
Making old-fashioned Christmas cards to send your friends and family is the first step in starting the holiday season and one that will get you in the spirit in no time. Kids will love using their artistic talents to send to the family and you will have a great way of entertaining them while they are home for Christmas break!
It's too dangerous to use real candles on the tree but there are alternatives. Individual battery operated candles will give your Christmas tree the old fashioned appeal you want without the danger. Instead of putting the fancy ornaments on for decorations, teach kids the fine art of stringing popcorn. Spend one evening with some old movies and a big bowl of popcorn, and make garlands for the tree. Let them make the ornaments and place on the tree and they will enjoy seeing their artwork displayed in an old-fashioned way.
You may have trouble convincing kids to forego the electronics and video games in place of old-fashioned toys but you can enjoy something different with the adults you exchange gifts with. Making gifts to exchange is not only old fashioned; it is an opportunity to enjoy some unique gifts that will let you take pride in your talents. Whether you can knit or crochet a sweater, sew a colorful quilt, or bake a basket full of special treats, nothing will put you in the spirit of the holidays more than making your own gifts.
Do you normally spend Christmas Eve in front of the TV until bedtime? This year, create a special evening for the children and adults alike. Fill the house with the fragrance of warm apple cider and serve to guests with cinnamon sticks. Gather around the fireplace and read the true story of Christmas.
Christmas caroling was a popular part of Christmas in the past but has lost its appeal with the commercialization of the season. Bring it back to your holiday tradition by gathering together friends and family to serenade your neighbors and enjoy the company of those you are the closest to. You can also check with local nursing homes to see if you can go caroling for their guests and bring a smile to many others who haven't enjoyed an old-fashioned Christmas for a long time!
Share with those who are less fortunate than you. Deliver fruit baskets to neighbors who are alone and give toys to children of families that are having a difficult time. Nothing is more a part of an old-fashioned Christmas than giving to others and sharing the joy of giving.
For children, the more they do, the greater their understanding of the meaning behind the holiday. Volunteer to lead the neighborhood children through the production of a Christmas play. There's a place for kids of all ages to learn more and be a part of the celebration.
Having an old-fashioned Christmas is a heart-warming experience for children and adults. Sometimes, it is more a matter of what you don't do than what you do. If you aren't sure what to do to create your special holiday, ask some elderly relatives for their fond memories and then try to re-create them. It will be a treat for them as well as for you and your kids all will remember new old fashion memories too!
The True Spirit of Giving
It's just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no identification, no inscription. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past 10 years or so.
It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas -- oh, not the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it-overspending...the frantic running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harryand the dusting powder for Grandma--the gifts given in desperation because you couldn't think of anything else. Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so forth. I reached for something special just for Mike.
The inspiration came in an unusual way. Our son Kevin, who was 12 that year, was wrestling at the junior level at the school he attended; and shortly before Christmas, there was a non-league match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church. These youngsters, dressed in sneakers so ragged that shoestrings seemed to be the only thing holding them together, presented a sharp contrast to our boys in their spiffy blue and gold uniforms and sparkling new wrestling shoes.
As the match began, I was alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without headgear, a kind of light helmet designed to protect a wrestler's ears. It was a luxury the ragtag team obviously could not afford. Well, we ended up walloping them. We took every weight class. And as each of their boys got up from the mat, he swaggered around in his tatters with false bravado, a kind of street pride that couldn't acknowledge defeat. Mike, seated beside me, shook his head sadly, "I wish just one of them could have won," he said. "They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them."
Mike loved kids-all kids-and he knew them, having coached little league football, baseball and lacrosse. That's when the idea for his present came. That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling headgear and shoes and sent them anonymously to the inner-city church. On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his gift from me. His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year and in succeeding years. For each Christmas, I followed the tradition--one year sending a group of mentally handicapped youngsters to a hockey game, another year a check to a pair of elderly brothers whose home had burned to the ground the week before Christmas, and on and on.
The envelope became the highlight of our Christmas. It was always the last thing opened on Christmas morning and our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed anticipation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal its contents.
As the children grew, the toys gave way to more practical presents, but the envelope never lost its allure. The story doesn't end there. You see, we lost Mike last year due to dreaded cancer. When Christmas rolled around, I was still so wrapped in grief that I barely got the tree up. But Christmas Eve found me placing an envelope on the tree, and in the morning, it was joined by three more.
Each of our children, unbeknownst to the others, had placed an envelope on the tree for their dad. The tradition has grown and someday will expand even further with our grandchildren standing around the tree with wide-eyed anticipation watching as their fathers take down the envelope. Mike's spirit, like the Christmas spirit, will always be with us."
- Author: Unknown
Stress, Depression and the Holidays
Stress and depression can ruin your holidays and hurt your health. Being realistic, planning ahead and seeking support can help ward off stress and depression.
The holiday season, which begins for most Americans with Thanksgiving and continues through New Year's Day, often brings unwelcome guests — stress and depression. And it's no wonder. In an effort to pull off a perfect holiday, you might find yourself facing a dizzying array of demands — parties, shopping, baking, cleaning and entertaining, to name a few. Actually, with some practical tips, you can minimize the stress and depression that often accompany the holidays. You may even end up enjoying the holidays more than you thought you would.
Recognize holiday triggers: Learn to recognize common holiday triggers, so you can disarm them before they lead to a meltdown:
Relationships: Relationships can cause turmoil, conflict or stress at any time, but tensions are often heightened during the holidays. Family misunderstandings and conflicts can intensify — especially if you're thrust together for several days. On the other hand, facing the holidays without a loved one can be tough and leave you feeling lonely and sad.
Finances: With the added expenses of gifts, travel, food and entertainment, the holidays can put a strain on your budget — and your peace of mind. Not to mention that overspending now can mean financial worries for months to come.
Physical demands: Even die-hard holiday enthusiasts may find that the extra shopping and socializing can leave them wiped out. Being exhausted increases your stress, creating a vicious cycle. Exercise and sleep — good antidotes for stress and fatigue — may take a back seat to chores and errands. To top it off, burning the wick at both ends makes you more susceptible to colds and other unwelcome guests.
Here are some tips to prevent holiday stress and depression
1. When stress is at its peak, it's hard to stop and regroup. Try to prevent stress and depression in the first place, especially if the holidays have taken an emotional toll on you in the past.
2. Acknowledge your feelings. If someone close to you has recently died or you can't be with loved ones, realize that it's normal to feel sadness and grief. It's OK to take time to cry or express your feelings. You can't force yourself to be happy just because it's the holiday season.
3. Reach out. If you feel lonely or isolated, seek out community, religious or other social events. They can offer support and companionship. Volunteering your time to help others also is a good way to lift your spirits and broaden your friendships.
4. Be realistic. The holidays don't have to be perfect or just like last year. As families change and grow, traditions and rituals often change as well. Choose a few to hold on to, and be open to creating new ones. For example, if your adult children can't come to your house, find new ways to celebrate together, such as sharing pictures, emails or videotapes.
5. Set aside differences. Try to accept family members and friends as they are, even if they don't live up to all your expectations. Set aside grievances until a more appropriate time for discussion. And be understanding if others get upset or distressed when something goes awry. Chances are they're feeling the effects of holiday stress and depression too.
6. Stick to a budget. This is something I do because we live on a very limited amount of income. Before you go gift and food shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend. Then stick to your budget. Don't try to buy happiness with an avalanche of gifts. Try these alternatives: Donate to a charity in someone's name, give homemade gifts or start a family gift exchange.
7. Plan ahead. I do this and it does help a lot. Set aside specific days for shopping, baking, visiting friends and other activities. Plan your menus and then make your shopping list. That'll help prevent last-minute scrambling to buy forgotten ingredients. And make sure to line up help for party prep and cleanup.
8. Learn to say no. This is something I still have trouble doing myself. Saying yes when you should say no can leave you feeling resentful and overwhelmed. Friends and colleagues will understand if you can't participate in every project or activity. If it's not possible to say no when your boss asks you to work overtime, try to remove something else from your agenda to make up for the lost time.
9. Don't abandon healthy habits. I try to stick to what I know I should do because I don’t like myself the next day if I don’t and that can stress me out. Don't let the holidays become a free-for-all. Overindulgence only adds to your stress and guilt. Have a healthy snack before holiday parties so that you don't go overboard on sweets, cheese or drinks. Continue to get plenty of sleep and physical activity this can help to refresh you enough to handle everything you need to do. Try taking a walk at night and stargaze. Listen to soothing music. Find something that reduces stress by clearing your mind, slowing your breathing and restoring your inner calm.
10. Seek professional help if you need it. Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself feeling persistently sad or anxious, plagued by physical complaints, unable to sleep, irritable and hopeless, and unable to face routine chores. If these feelings last for a while, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional.
Take control of the holidays
Don't let the holidays become something you dread. Instead, take steps to prevent the stress and depression that can descend during the holidays. With a little planning and some positive thinking, you may find that you enjoy the holidays this year more than you thought you could.
Save Money in the Kitchen
For many people, cutting back on their grocery budgets can be an overwhelming experience. They know they're spending too much, but don't know where to begin to cut. Often, they fear that they will deprive themselves and their children if they become frugal. The good news is that there are ways to have your cake, eat it and save money at the same time. The whole secret is to start slowly. There are countless ways you can cut, but if you need to, target just one thing at a time - you will still be saving money if you do only one thing
1. Cooking frugally is like changing your diet. You need to learn gradually how to save money and cook frugally. Don’t expect that you will get your food bill down to $150 for four people in the first month if you are spending $600 a month right now.
2. Try cutting just $25.00 or $50.00 a month. Even if you cut back only $50.00 a month, you will save $600.00 a year. If you save just $1.00 a day that is $365.00 a year. You can then apply that $365.00 a year to paying off your credit cards. At 21% interest, you will save over $70 a year. This will eventually cause a snowball effect since the more you pay off, the less you pay to interest. When you pay less to interest, you have more each month to apply to paying off your overall debt. This means that as you pay off the debt, the rate that you can pay it off increases.
3. Before you shop, take a tour through your pantry and your refrigerator. Be organized! Don't buy what's already hiding in your kitchen.
4. If you're a fan of coupons, remember this: It's not what you save, it's what you spend. If you save 30 cents on something you wouldn't ordinarily buy anyway, you haven't really saved anything.
5. A typical fruit item is significantly larger than one serving. Most people would be just as happy eating a small apple as eating a large one -- so buy smaller fruits! You will save money by the pound.
6. This month, try two meatless meals a week (or one, if you think the change is too much).
7. Make simple meals. One-dish meals can contain your meat, your vegetable and your bread.
8. For many people, cutting back on their grocery budgets can be an overwhelming experience.
Most people don't think they can live the frugal life and still be comfortable. I feed my family of three on $150 month. It’s been six years since I lost my job it was a big adjustment but a good one for us all. We had to learn to live a whole new way of living. We have learned to think about things and apply better decisions along the way before just acting on our wants. When cutting our grocery bill and paying off certain debts, we found it was the little things that add up.
9. Drink water with your meals. If your family is used to drinking milk, juice or pop for every meal then start by cutting juice from one meal or snack a day and drinking only water. After you get used to this, cut from another meal until you drink only water for meals and a glass of juice or milk at snack time. Did you know you can save over $425.00 a year by cutting just one glass of juice per person per day for a family of three?
10. Stop wasting food. Try eating smaller portions. You can always have more if you are still hungry. Put food in the refrigerator right after the meal so it doesn’t spoil. Use leftovers for lunches, in other dishes or frozen in one portion sizes for a quick warm up meal.
11. Don’t buy everything at one store. Prices vary greatly from one store to the next. Go to different stores to buy only their sale items. You will save more than the cost of your gas. It usually only takes half an hour to 45 minutes per store to get the items that are on sale including driving time. If you save a minimum of $20-$30 per trip, it is like "earning" $40-$60 an hour.
12. Remember cooking frugally is a mind set. You have to change your cooking and eating habits. Don't get discouraged if one idea fails. Try another one.
13. Stop buying things like toaster pastries and breakfast bars for breakfast. Eat oatmeal, pancakes, granola and fruit instead.
14. Don't assume that bulk is cheaper. Compare cost by the ounce or pound.
You will find that before you know it you will be doing all these things automatically and the best part be saving money at the same time.
Have an Old-Fashioned Christmas
Do you long for the days when you faced the "most wonderful time of the year" with joyful anticipation rather than stress-filled times? You're not alone. Half of all Americans report an increase in stress levels as the end-of-year holidays approach.
But it doesn't have to be that way. Experts agree keeping it simple can help keep Christmas enjoyable. "One reason so many of us love the idea of an 'old-fashioned Christmas' is because our lives seemed much simpler then, and the joys of Christmas were simpler as well." We own and manage a small store almost everyone who has come into the store this year has made the statement if only they could enjoy Christmas and not dread all the hustle and bustle. My comments to my customers are, “You are so right let’s have an Old-Fashioned Christmas this year.”
Evoking the simple joys of an old-fashioned Christmas doesn't have to be a complicated affair. "Few of us have time for all the old-fashioned traditions, but by choosing some pleasant, easy traditions, you can create the Christmas atmosphere without the holiday stress. I recommended creating the Christmas atmosphere with a few holiday home decorating touches that you and your family enjoy.
When you think of an old-fashioned Christmas, what images come to mind? Candy canes, cookies, and popcorn strands adorning the Christmas tree? The popcorn strand is easier than ever to make and still a fun family project for the holidays. Decorating with cookies may not be practical, but borrow their homey feel by decorating with cookie cutters. A good set of Christmas cookie cutters is never a bad investment," "You'll use them year after year to make your family's favorite holiday treats and to dress up your home for the holidays. Functional and beautiful, cookie cutters can be unique napkin rings for your holiday table, and eye-catching decorations for your Christmas tree.
"Sleigh bells ring. Are you listening?" Sleigh bells create the quintessential Christmas melody. If you're fresh out of reindeer to adorn, try hanging a strap of sleigh bells on your front door. Their warm sound will be a great greeting for holiday guests.
"The sound I most associate with Christmas is children's laughter," You can almost count on squeals of glee on Christmas morning when the presents are opened, but decorating your home with a few traditional toys prior to the holidays can help keep the children laughing right up to the big day. "Think of toys that are simple - things that you might have played with as a child, like a classic musical jack-in-the-box or an old-fashioned doll, toy truck or teddy bear on a sled.
Evergreen, spices, bayberry and baked goods are all scents that evoke the holidays. Choose Christmas décor that appeals not only to the eyes but to the nose as well. Drape fir branches, tied with a red bow, above a doorway. Place bayberry scented candles in your windows. Make freshly baked Christmas cookies, or hot rolls or fresh bread. The scents can bring back lots of memories of some great Christmases gone by. "Anything you use to bring Christmas to your home can also bring the spirit of the season to your friends, far-off family and business associates." "Giving a gift that says 'old-fashioned Christmas' also tells the recipient that you really put some thought into their gift."
"The key is to find a few special things to do so that you don't add to your holiday stress," "I do a lot at Christmas, but I only do what I really want to do. These things really bring the spirit of Christmas to my home without ruining the holidays for me."
This year enjoy the holidays more than ever and share your time making memories with your family. Try giving smaller simpler useful gifts to loved ones and friends; they will know you care and that you have put some of your own special talents to work just for them
Merry Christmas have a Healthy, Happy New Year ______________________________________________________________
Christmas Gift Suggestions
To your enemy, give the gift of forgiveness.
To an opponent, give the gift of tolerance.
To a friend, give the gift of your heart.
By Oren Arnold
__________________________________________________________________________
Christmas Is Forever
Christmas is forever, not for just one day,
for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away
like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.
The good you do for others is good you do yourself.
By Norman W. Brooks
Christmassy Moments
Tell me a story of a Christmas I knew.
Help me remember that time oh so true.
Show me a picture of snow glistening trees
to help and enlighten the cold winter breeze.
Play a Christmas song for my ears to hear
to help me remember what I so endear.
Now as I listen to the story that's read
I can have sweet dreams when I go to bed
and with the picture of which I can see,
I remember Christmas with dad, mom and me.
Us together joyfully singing along
with all the sweet sounds of each Christmas song.
Christmassy moments that I just can't wait
are what I now just anticipate.
©By Bill Pearce
May 24, 2008
__________________________________________________________________________________
A Time That I Remember
I remember sleigh bells in songs that were sung
and I remember moments presents were brung.
I remember train tracks all around the place
with a train chugging on as moments embrace.
I remember seasons of that Christmas joy
of my first child days great Christmas toy.
It was the greatest moment for me
for I saw my gift there under the tree.
Mom and dad came and we each would say
isn't it wonderful great Christmas Day.
We would exchange gifts one at a time
as we would each open gifts theirs and mine.
Oh the great feelings I still remember
of my greatest Christmas in that fine December.
Mom and dad smiling and my sister too
as we would all gather and watch the choo choo.
The train set a chugging right around the tree
is a time that I remember in my memory.
©By Bill Pearce
Dec 14, 2007
Skin Friendly Oatmeal Soap Recipe
By Jumneez Swensen
Oatmeal is a delicious breakfast cereal taken with milk and/or fruits. It has been in the limelight due to its valuable health benefits and recently, as a recognized natural ingredient, it has also been found out to have beneficial effects on the skin. A good oatmeal soap recipe that can help protect and nourish the skin and can be used to remove dead skin is available here for you to try.
Ingredients:
1 bar of mild soap (a large Dove bar soap is recommended) 3 to 4 tablespoon oatmeal 4 to 5 tablespoon water
Procedure:
1. Finely grind the oatmeal in a blender or miller. It should be finely ground but not too powdery.
2. Use a cheese grater, grate the bar of mild soap in a microwavable bowl.
3. Add the 4 to 5 tablespoons of water to the grated mild soap.
4. Put the soap and water mixture in a microwave for 2 to 3 minutes on high temperature. The mixture will tend to rise due to the heat. Do not let it bubble over. When the mixture rises, stir the mixture before it bubbles over.
5. If the soap has dissolved, take out the bowl of mixture from the microwave.
6. Gradually add in 3 to 4 tablespoons of the finely ground oatmeal, mixing well after each addition. Add and mix the oatmeal until the consistency of the mixture and the proportion of the oatmeal to the soap are to your liking.
7. Pour the mixture into your molds. Suggested molds for oatmeal soap are muffin pans, small bowls or 1 inch height round tin cans (you can use taller ones but you will have to remove both ends and slice the soap into round bars once it is cooled).
8. When the oatmeal soap mixture has slightly solidified but still warm, remove it from the mold and let it stand to cool thoroughly.
9. When the oatmeal soaps have completely cooled, wrap or package as desired.
Oatmeal soap is a good exfoliant and can be used to relieve itchiness due to insect bites and dry skin. Aside from its beneficial effects on the skin, you can also add lavender or eucalyptus oil for aromatherapy use. You can also add a little goat's milk to your soap mixture that will make your skin soft and silky or add a drop of vanilla or cinnamon for a sweet fragrance. Adding cocoa butter will make your oatmeal soap a great skin softener with a natural chocolate aroma.
Here is another product you can match with your soap. To a 4-ounce bottle of unscented body lotion, just add around ¼ cup of finely ground oatmeal. Mix or shake well to make your matching oatmeal lotion. You can pack your oatmeal soap and lotion with a loofa sponge together to give as a nice gift.
Fathers are Wonderful People
Fathers are wonderful people
Too little understood,
And we do not sing their praises
As often as we should...
For, somehow, Father seems to be
The man who pays the bills,
While Mother binds up little hurts
And nurses all our ills...
And Father struggles daily
To live up to "HIS IMAGE"
As protector and provider
And "hero or the scrimmage"...
And perhaps that is the reason
We sometimes get the notion,
That Fathers are not subject
To the thing we call emotion,
But if you look inside Dad's heart,
Where no one else can see
You'll find he's sentimental
And as "soft" as he can be...
But he's so busy every day
In the grueling race of life,
He leaves the sentimental stuff
To his partner and his wife...
But Fathers are just WONDERFUL
In a million different ways,
And they merit loving compliments
And accolade of praise,
For the only reason Dad aspires
To fortune and success
Is to make the family proud of him
And to bring them happiness...
And like OUR HEAVENLY FATHER,
He's a guardian and a guide,
Someone that we can count on
To be ALWAYS ON OUR SIDE.
Helen Steiner Rice
Fear of prostate cancer may stop men seeking medical help.
A Birmingham University team quizzed 20 men with prostate disease, such as cancer, about how they made the decision to consult a doctor. One of the key themes that emerged was that men often recognized they may have the symptoms of a serious disease. But they delayed going to a GP because of fear of the condition and the fact it was not "macho" to seek help.
Prostate cancer is the most common male cancer, with more than 30,000 new cases a year. It affects the prostate gland, which is found near the bladder in men, and produces one component of semen. Symptoms include pain when urinating or ejaculating, blood in the semen or urine and pain in the lower back, hips or thighs.
Researchers interviewed men aged 51 to 75 who all had prostate disease, including cancer, the British Journal of Health Psychology reported. The report said several themes emerged as to why they delayed seeking help. Pressure to live up to the stereotype that real men ignored health problems was commonly mentioned.
The team also said the possibility of having cancer invoked considerable anxiety among participants and this caused them to avoid health information or minimize the seriousness of symptoms.
The respondents said that they felt male GPs often had negative attitudes towards men and that they were also concerned by the prospect of rectal examinations, which are used to help diagnose prostate cancer. Lead researcher Dr Susan Hale said: "This suggests that, far from ignoring the symptoms or being uncaring about their health, men are extremely anxious.” Fears about the effects of illness and treatment emerged as major influences on their eventual decisions to seek help."
The Human Body and Water
Water is vital to your health. Every part of your body is made up of cells.
Protoplasm, the basic material of living cells, is made of fats, carbohydrates, proteins, salts, and similar elements combined with water.
Water acts as a solvent, transporting, combining, and chemically breaking down these substances.
In a normal case, minerals and micro elements pass through the cell membrane to the nucleus by electro-osmosis.
A cell exchanges elements with the rest of the body by electrolysis.
The body needs electrolytes (salt minerals like sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate) for basic body functions.
If your body loses water, it loses the use of these minerals. Otto Warburg, winner of Nobel Prize, made an important discovery in 1933. He found that in the case of an abnormal or sick cell, the direction of the exchange reverses. The cell empties and dies.
So, we need to drink water in order to keep our cells hydrated, to keep our body’s electrochemical balance to stay alive. The quality of our internal water also plays an important role in the process. If the water is too acidic or too alkaline, electrolysis cannot happen properly and we become sick.
The benefit of drinking water is the elimination of body wastes and toxins
Our organs are made of cells. The cells are made of and live in a water solution. Our blood also is mostly water and serves to dissolve process and transport nutrients, and eliminate waste materials.
“In the case of dehydration, the blood becomes thick and saturated, not being able to flow properly. The excess of toxins must then be stored within the interstitial space surrounding the cells pending elimination for life to continue, and over time this space begins to resemble a toxic waste site - an acidic medium. Since the cells cannot have the proper oxygenation and nutrition they begin to change in form and function in order to survive. The end stage of this process results in the cells not resembling normal cells at all, and they continue living by means of fermentation rather than the normal oxidative mechanisms. - This is when the oncologist will tell you that you have CANCER"
A major benefit of drinking water is maintaining the body Ph balance in order to prevent and cure disease.
G
Ground flaxseed or whole flaxseed?
Most nutrition experts recommend ground flaxseed because your body is better able to digest it. Whole flaxseed may pass through your intestine undigested, which means you won't get the health benefits of flaxseed.
Flaxseed is high in fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and phytochemicals called lignans. Flaxseed can help reduce total blood cholesterol and LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels — and, as a result, may help reduce the risk of heart disease. Flaxseed oil also contains omega-3 fatty acids, but it doesn't have the beneficial fiber that the seeds have.
You can purchase raw flaxseed in bulk — whole or ground — at many grocery stores and health food stores. Whole seeds can be ground in a coffee grinder and then stored in an airtight container for several months. Refrigerating whole seeds may also extend their freshness.
Although the Institute of Medicine has not set a recommended daily intake for omega-3 fatty acids, it has established adequate intake amounts of between 1.1 and 1.6 grams a day for adults. One tablespoon of ground flaxseed provides 1.6 grams of omega-3 fatty acids. Tips for including flaxseed in your diet:
Add a tablespoon of ground flaxseed to your hot or cold breakfast cereal.
Add a teaspoon of ground flaxseed to mayonnaise or mustard when making a sandwich.
Mix a tablespoon of ground flaxseed into an 8-ounce container of yogurt.
Bake ground flaxseed into cookies, muffins, breads and other baked goods. You can also use flaxseed in place of eggs in muffins, pancakes and cookies. To substitute flaxseed for one large egg in a recipe, use 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed plus 3 tablespoons water. Keep in mind that it will somewhat alter the texture of the finished product, making it slightly "gummy."
______________________________________________________________________________
Not Covered By Insurance
The first thing you have to realize is that flaxseed isn’t covered by insurance. Using flaxseed for arthritis pain isn’t approved by the FDA as many prescriptions are. The good thing about this is that flaxseed doesn’t cost that much money. A month’s supply can cost anywhere from thirty to a hundred dollars, which is a lot less than many prescriptions cost without insurance. Not only that, but you know that putting flaxseed into your body to help relieve your arthritis pain is an all natural product. For those who don’t trust prescriptions, this is the best option.
What Does It Do?
Using flaxseed for arthritis pain has many benefits. First and foremost, it can help relieve the inflammation in your joints and muscles. Using flaxseed has also shown to help kidney function, it can thin your blood, and it can even help with your cholesterol. When compared to prescriptions that only help with pain, these are some great benefits that should be taken advantage of.
Flaxseeds also contain natural anti-inflammatory benefits too. Flaxseeds contain Omega 3 fatty acids which helps the body produce Series 1 and 3 prostaglandins, which essentially act as an anti-inflammatory hormone-like molecules. You can find flaxseed in any health food store and you can even find it at your grocery store in the vitamin section. Before you start any health regimen, however, even if just to relieve arthritis pain, you should consult with your doctor to make sure it is, in fact, arthritis and not something more serious. Tell your doctor you will be using flaxseed and see what he or she says. You never know, you could find that taking the all natural ingredient flaxseed completely frees you of arthritis pain once and for all.
Soapnuts
For hundreds of years, people in India and Nepal have been doing their laundry and cleaning with Soapnuts. The nut is the dried fruit of the Ritha tree and the saponin it releases is a 100% substitute to normal detergents. The saponin has the ability to clean and wash when it comes in contact with water it creates a mild suds, which is similar to soap. Soap nuts can be used for cleaning basically anything. Soapnuts are highly-effective and gentle at the same time. It will leave your laundry fresh and clean and compared to other detergents, its mildness will keep colours bright, maintaining fabric structure of your clothes for longer periods. It can be used on all fabrics and at all temperatures. Soap nuts are allergy-free and hence are good for your skin especially good for babies, eczema and sensitive skin. This chemical free product is excellent for washing children’s clothing. Soapnuts are both Ecological and Economical when compared to other forms of detergents.
TOXIC CHEMICALS IN YOUR LAUNDRY DETERGENTS
Your everyday laundry detergents contain a combination of many toxic chemicals, the residues of which are left behind on your clothes after washing This can be potentially dangerous as these chemicals are absorbed by your skin into your blood stream and also evaporate into the air, which you and your children breathe Both, the manufacturing process of the chemical detergents and their use, have a long term effect on the environment as well. Most of your common laundry detergents contain phosphates, ammonia, naphthalene, phenol, optical brighteners, artificial fragrances, EDTA etc. These chemicals can cause rashes, itches, allergies, sinus problems and have long term toxic effects on the environment. Contents of the shell include:
How to use Soapnuts:
For your laundry place 6-8 shells in a small pouch of cotton or a sock tied at the top. Put this into your washing machine load with temperatures up to 90 Degrees. It can be used on all fabrics and at all temperatures. Your clothes will be incredibly soft and all this without the need for fabric softeners or conditioners. Soapnuts are both Ecological and Economical when compared to other forms of detergents. 1 kg of Soapnuts can be used for up to 150 loads of laundry. If you wish to change the scent of your clean laundry, you can add a few drops of essential oils to the wash. Shells can be used for more than one wash but the number of washes per shell bag will depend on the water temperature used. Washing at lower temperatures, the Soapnuts can be used more often. Use Soapnuts only once if washing at high temperatures.
CLEANING & DETOXIFYING FOOD
Soak your fruit and vegetables for approximately 10 minutes in the Soapnuts liquid. Rinse off and enjoy this food free from harmful chemicals and residue. The Soapnuts solution can then be reused for household cleaning.
CLEANING JEWELLERY
Soapnuts are commonly used in Indian households for cleaning and shining jewelry due to its effectiveness. Jewelry is soaked in Soapnuts liquid and then rubbed with a cloth to give it a shine.
NATURAL PESTICIDE
Using Soapnuts is an effect and natural alternative to repel insects off your plants and around the house. This easily replaces chemicals. You’re left over Soapnuts liquid from washing or laundry can be used for this purpose.
DANDRUFF CONTROL
Apply the liquid Soapnuts on scalp and leave on for 5-10 minutes. Make sure the liquid does not get into the eye as it will burn. Rinse hair with water. Following this procedure regularly will not only help prevent dandruff, but will also keep your hair soft and strong. You can also replace the Soapnuts liquid with Soapnuts powder.
Questions that are asked about Soapnuts
• Are Soapnuts safe to use on my delicate clothes?
Yes. You can even use it to wash the most delicate of fabrics such as wool & silk. Its gentleness maintains the fabric structure of the clothes for longer.
• Are Soapnuts able to soften clothes or do we need to add any fabric softeners?
No. Soapnuts will leave your clothes soft and fresh, without the use of any fabric softeners.
• Are Soapnuts safe for people with sensitive skin?
Yes. Soapnuts are a safe way to look after your clothes and skin. They are chemical free and hypoallergenic. It is recommended that children and people with sensitive skin use Soapnuts.
• Are Soapnuts a problem if someone is allergic to nuts?
No. Soapnuts are not nuts. They are a fruit. So people with nut allergies need not worry.
• Soapnuts have mild vinegar like fragrance. Are my clothes going to hold onto that fragrance?
Once you have finished your washing, the clothes will be fragrance free. Adding a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil will give your clothes a nice smell.
• How many Soapnuts are required per wash?
It all depends on the size and quality of the Soapnuts. But on average, around 6-8 shells are sufficient. If the water is soft, then even 3-4 shells will do the trick. A bit of trial and error will help you understand what best suits your washing conditions.
•There are not that many visible suds, is that a problem?
No. Your cleaning will be just as effective without the presence of suds. There are no commercial foaming agents or chemicals added, which are commonly used in commercial detergents.
• Does it matter that the nuts are in pieces and not as a whole?
No. Actually it is better if the nuts are in smaller pieces. Many people crush the Soapnuts shells into smaller pieces so that the contact surface with the water increases.
• Can Soapnuts to be used more than once?
It depends on the washing conditions. If you are using cold water, then it is possible to reuse the shells. Saponins are released slower in cold water. In warm to hot water, the shells can only be used once.
• What should we do with the Soapnuts once they have been used?
Put them in your compost bin or throw them in the waste bin. They are 100% bio degradable.
• Do Soapnuts have a shelf life?
No. They however need to be stored properly in an airtight bag. If they are left open, they absorb moisture easily and become dark and sticky. This does not affect the product or its cleaning capabilities. They will still wash brilliantly.
• Why do people claim that Soapnuts are water and energy saving?
Commercial detergents need to be rinsed out of the clothes completely as they leave a soapy residue. Since Soapnuts are a 100% natural product with no soapy residue, you can reduce the machine rinse cycles, hence saving valuable electricity and water.
• Are Soapnuts safe for my machine?
Yes. It is a 100% natural product without any harsh chemicals. The life of the machine will only be greater if you use Soapnuts. If you are switching to using Soapnuts, it will even clean your machine of any chemical residues from any previous washing.
• Is Soapnuts liquid ok to use in my washing machine?
Yes. Depending on the concentration of the liquid, you can add it accordingly. It is best to experiment and see what works best for you.
• Are Soapnuts effective for really dirty laundry?
Yes. Only thing to remember is that you may need to reduce the clothes in the machine to give some room for the clothes to move freely.
You can actually BUY Soapnuts (the seed kind) from these places
www.bananatree.com
www.maggiespureland.com
www.wildlifearoundus.blogspot.com
My children are both very picky eater’s.
Experts disagree on whether daily multivitamins are necessary for all children. Many young children are picky eaters, but that doesn't necessarily mean they'll develop nutritional deficiencies. Children don't need large amounts of vitamins and minerals. In addition, many common foods are fortified with important nutrients — so your child may be getting more vitamins and minerals than you think.
Still, it's a good idea to consult your child’s doctor. If your child regularly omits a particular food group from his or her diet — such as fruit, green or yellow vegetables, or dairy products — or if the doctor is concerned that your child isn't getting adequate vitamins and minerals, he or she may recommend a daily multivitamin. Choose multivitamins designed specifically for children. Follow the recommended dose, and remind your children that multivitamins aren’t candy. Make sure an adult dispenses the multivitamins, even if your child seems responsible enough to do for themselves. And remember, multivitamins don't replace proper nutrition. Continue to offer your children healthy meals and snacks.
If you choose to give your child multivitamins, make sure they contain vitamin D. A vitamin D deficiency can impair a child's bone development. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends 400 international units (IUs) of vitamin D a day — taken either as a vitamin D supplement or in a daily multivitamin — for all breast-fed and partially breast-fed infants and all children who consume less than 32 ounces or 1,000 milliliters of vitamin-D fortified formula or milk a day.
The Human Body and Water
Water is vital to your health. Every part of your body is made up of cells.
Protoplasm, the basic material of living cells, is made of fats, carbohydrates, proteins, salts, and similar elements combined with water.
Water acts as a solvent, transporting, combining, and chemically breaking down these substances.
In a normal case, minerals and micro elements pass through the cell membrane to the nucleus by electro-osmosis.
A cell exchanges elements with the rest of the body by electrolysis.
The body needs electrolytes (salt minerals like sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate) for basic body functions.
If your body loses water, it loses the use of these minerals. Otto Warburg, winner of Nobel Prize, made an important discovery in 1933. He found that in the case of an abnormal or sick cell, the direction of the exchange reverses. The cell empties and dies.
So, we need to drink water in order to keep our cells hydrated, to keep our body’s electrochemical balance to stay alive. The quality of our internal water also plays an important role in the process. If the water is too acidic or too alkaline, electrolysis cannot happen properly and we become sick.
The benefit of drinking water is the elimination of body wastes and toxins
Our organs are made of cells. The cells are made of and live in a water solution. Our blood also is mostly water and serves to dissolve process and transport nutrients, and eliminate waste materials.
“In the case of dehydration, the blood becomes thick and saturated, not being able to flow properly. The excess of toxins must then be stored within the interstitial space surrounding the cells pending elimination for life to continue, and over time this space begins to resemble a toxic waste site - an acidic medium. Since the cells cannot have the proper oxygenation and nutrition they begin to change in form and function in order to survive. The end stage of this process results in the cells not resembling normal cells at all, and they continue living by means of fermentation rather than the normal oxidative mechanisms. - This is when the oncologist will tell you that you have CANCER"
A major benefit of drinking water is maintaining the body Ph balance in order to prevent and cure disease.
Salt is it Good or Bad for You?
I get asked so many times why do I crave salt and how much salt is too much. This month’s article is for you. Here are some interesting facts I found and thought maybe you too might be interested in this information. Let’s review a few things most of us already know.
Our body is 75% water. This water contained in all of our tissues, cells, blood, etc. is a salty water solution, very similar to the seawater. Which salt is the best? Why are we often told that salt is not good for our health? Is salt good or bad for us? There was a study made by Inter-University of Graz, Austria, patients who drank FIJI Water together with the Original Himalayan Crystal Salt they saw significant positive changes in respiratory, circulatory, organ, connective tissue and nervous system functions. Patients also reported increases in the quality of sleep, energy and concentration levels, brain activity, weight loss, enhanced consciousness and noticeable nail and hair growth.
If you get the chance read the book, Water and Salt, the Essence of Life by Barbara, Dr Hendel and biophysicist Peter Ferreira.
Natural Sea Salt re-balances entire body - explains the book:
Salt is most effective in stabilizing irregular heartbeats and, contrary to the misconception that it causes high blood pressure, it is actually essential for the regulation of blood pressure - in conjunction with water. Naturally the proportions are critical.
Salt is vital to the extraction of excess acidity from the cells in the body, particularly the brain cells.
Salt is vital for balancing the sugar levels in the blood; a needed element for diabetics.
Salt is vital for the generation of hydroelectric energy in cells of the body. It is used for local power generation at the sites where energy is needed.
Salt is vital to the nerve cells' communication and information processing all the time that the brain cells work, from the moment of conception to death.
Salt is vital for absorption of food particles through the intestinal tract.
Salt is vital for the clearance of the lungs of mucus plugs and sticky phlegm, particularly in asthma and cystic fibrosis.
Salt is vital for clearing up catarrh and congestion of the sinuses.
Salt is a strong natural antihistamine.
Salt is essential for the prevention of muscle cramps.
Carbondale Center for Macrobiotic Studies explains that: "Salt is the great purifier, and protector of health. Why go to all the trouble to discharge animal protein-derived salt from your body? Because being able to absorb the proper amount of salt is essential to maintaining the proper isotonic balance of salt in the blood, and protecting us from infectious disorders.
Our blood should be salty to protect ourselves from disease. The Gospel of Mark quotes Jesus as teaching, "Salt is good…therefore, have salt in yourselves and live at peace, one with another."
Table salt vs. unrefined sea salt:
Salt obtained from solar evaporation of sea water is entirely different from modern refined salt, and it contains a variety of minerals that play a role in keeping the body's electrolytes in a healthy balance.
The common table salt, we use today is primarily kiln-dried sodium chloride with anti-caking agents added. Trace minerals, as well as calcium, magnesium and potassium salts are removed in processing. Kiln-drying involves scorching salt at high heat to remove moisture. This refining process creates a product that is unnatural and hard on the body. It is the true culprit that contributes to high blood pressure, heart trouble, kidney disease and eczema, among other problems.
Even many salts labeled “sea salt” are washed or boiled, which removes minerals and trace elements from the salt. These salts are absolutely toxic to the body. Beware of "Sea salt" tells the Salt Institute
Today many people cannot tolerate the amount of salt required to remain healthy. As a result getting sick from time to time has become an inescapable aspect of the human condition we take for granted.
My family and I switched over to the original Himalayan Crystal Salt. We all feel so much better.
Father’s Day Inspirations
"The most important thing a father can do
for his children is to love their mother."
Fathers Day Quote by: Unknown
Fathers are angels sent from heaven.
Fathers Day Quote by: Unknown
My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.
Fathers Day Quote by: Jim Valvano
Be Honest with Children about Breast Cancer
When I had my first bout with breast cancer it was hard for me to talk to my 8 year old daughter about an illness I knew very little about. I was trying to deal with the illness and didn’t feel I should overwhelm her with lots of details, but I knew how important the truth was and to keep something that important from her might mean in her later years she too might not share with me something she needed too about herself.
It can be difficult to talk to children about your breast cancer, and you may feel tempted to try and shield them from your illness and its effects. Most children will have a sense that something is wrong. If you don’t talk to children about breast cancer, they may fear that the situation is too serious to discuss and may become even more afraid.
Being included in the information and education process and feeling that everyone has a role helps family members, especially children, comprehend the physical and emotional challenges of the cancer experience, feel more in control and provide support where it counts.
I tried not to avoid difficult questions such as "Will you die Mom?" Answer these kinds of questions honestly but as optimistically as the situation allows. I would say, "This is a serious illness, but I am getting the best possible treatment and the doctor thinks I am responding very well." Emphasize your determination to confront whatever happens together as a family.
From age 2 to 7, children think very concretely, so use concrete terms when discussing your breast cancer. For example, you might say, "Mommy is sick and her medicine is making her hair fall out." Since children this age are egocentric and may think they caused the breast cancer somehow, be sure to reassure them that they had no impact on the illness.
By age 7 to 11 or 12, children can begin to solve problems. You might want to ask for their input into resolving the home management issues that develop when a family deals with an illness. This involvement may provide children with a much-needed sense of usefulness. Adolescent children can understand what is happening, so you may be tempted to share extensive information with them. Limiting their increased responsibility and continuing to allow them normal activities will be helpful to maintaining their development.
Signs of Problems
Tell your child’s teachers about your breast cancer so they can be alert to problems that might crop up in school as a result. Kids who had problems in school prior to the illness are likely to have a difficult time now. Counseling may help children manage their feelings without harming their school performance or friendships. Keep in mind that withdrawal from peer relationships sometimes indicates depression.
Children of all ages may have trouble sleeping or have nightmares, lose their appetites, develop physical complaints, become unusually quiet or fearful and/or begin to fail at tasks at which they are usually successful.
What You Can Do
Additional attention from parents may be all that young children need to adjust to the situation. Talk to them, try to get them to verbalize their feelings and always express your love. Remember that kids need to know that the parent who is not ill will always be there to take care of them. Sometimes added support is needed; we all went to a local support group specifically for children of parents with cancer. It can help and through all of this you will grow and share things together as a family that you might never have thought of before your cancer.
Some tips for caregivers of Breast Cancer Patients
Caregivers are those who take care of someone - such as a parent, spouse, sibling or child - with a chronic illness or disease. Caregivers often provide emotional as well as physical support to the chronically ill and the job can be very taxing. Caregiver stress levels can run very high and there is a real danger of the caregiver also becoming ill if they do not take care of themselves. Here are some tips that may help caregivers to balance their critically important caregiving role with their own health and well being.
Take care of your own health: It is critical to remember to take care of your own health as well as the health of the person you are caring for. Caregivers are at greater risk for contracting infectious disease than the general public. This is probably due both to the stress that being a caregiver entails, which can reduce the effectiveness of the immune system, and to a lack of time in a busy caregiver’s life to devote to one’s own health.
If someone is dependent on you for regular care, when you get sick both of you will suffer. Keeping up with your vaccinations and having yearly physical examinations and other appropriate medical care (for example mammograms, prostate exams) are two things you can do to keep yourself healthy.
Depression: It is twice as common among caregivers as non-caregivers. While it is normal to feel down sometimes when taking care of a sick relative, it is important to pay special attention to your mood and seek out medical advice if you start to have symptoms of clinical depression. For example, if you find you are losing interest in the things you normally enjoy the most, or getting angry for no reason, or if you are avoiding friends and loved ones, you may want to see a doctor to be screened for depression.
Take time for yourself: Caregivers often have the responsibility of employment in addition to the large amounts of time spent caring for their patients. You should try to take some time for yourself every day. That doesn’t mean you need to watch a three hour movie; sometimes a hot bath is enough, as long as you have some respite from the day where the only person you are focused on is you. This can do wonders for your emotional well being.
Get some exercise: Physical activity often gets neglected when caregiving. Finding time to exercise, even for just twenty minutes a day, can help you maintain your physical health.
Eat healthy: When people are busy they tend to eat more fast food and junk food, or to skip meals entirely. However, even a little effort can improve your eating habits dramatically. Buy healthy breakfast foods that you can eat on the go. Get fruits and vegetables to eat as snacks - they are affordable and portable. Try to make dinner at home. If you don’t have time to make dinner, get takeout or delivery from a restaurant that has a healthy menu options.
Learn how to manage stress: Learning how to manage stress can be difficult, but it can make all the difference for your own health. Stay in touch with your friends and family members. If you need to, ask them for help giving care. Asking for help doesn’t make you a failure; it just means you know your own limits.
Share the caregiver resources with your family or others in your town: Finding support is critical to sustaining yourself as a caregiver. Sharing your experiences with others in a similar situation, or hearing how other people deal with the same challenges that you face can help you gain perspective.
Will A Positive Attitude Affect My Breast Cancer Outcome?
I think a positive attitude is important. Your mind is very powerful and it played a big part in my getting well. It can, however, be overstated sometimes. I worked hard at keeping my mind and my emotional state positive. Each day I dealt with something I hadn’t the day before, but I pushed forward and knew I wasn’t going to give in to the cancer. It's important to feel positive and to take decisive action in terms of your treatment. And in dealing with the different aspects of your treatment it's important to maintain a positive outlook. It can be difficult, however, and that's realistic at different times during the treatment, to hold onto that attitude. And it's okay at that point to experience some self-doubt and perhaps even some feelings of pessimism; those are normal feelings that are coincident with the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Will My Life Ever Return To Normal?
I tell women that there's life before breast cancer and there's life after breast cancer. And part of their healthcare team's responsibility is to help her create a life afterwards that's just as good, if not better than their life before. Women are oftentimes reaching for their life before. "I want to be back to normal again," is what they'll say. What you need to do is to find a new normal for yourself and be very comfortable with what that new normal is going to be. We cannot erase the fact that you've been diagnosed and treated for this disease, but you can actually benefit, if you can identify things that have happened to you that have made you feel stronger, have helped you to grow; perhaps you're now closer to your family.
Is It Normal to Feel Hopeless About My Future and What Should I Do About It?
When you first find out that there's something wrong with your physical examination or your mammogram, it is the most terrifying experience in the world. You don't know who to turn to; you don't know what to say. Then you start in the process and everybody is giving you information and it's just so overwhelming that most people will have a sense of feeling very frustrated and out of control and wondering if they'll live to see their children grow up or ever go to their wedding or any future events. It's important that at that time you take a deep breath and step back and look at the support around you. Look to your family and friends. Talk to other women who has went through the same thing.
Remember you are stronger than you think and you will learn so much about yourself from your cancer. In time you will help others feeling like you do now. Take one day at a time and Make Today Count!
Don’t Quit
When things go wrong as they sometimes will;
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill;
When the funds are low and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but have to sigh;
When care is pressing you down a bit
Rest if you must, but do not quit.
Success is failure turned inside out;
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt;
And you can never tell how close you are
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit
It's when things go wrong that you must not quit.
"Don't Quit,"
Author Unknown
Winners Are People Like You
Winners take chances Like everyone else, they fear failing,
but they refuse to let fear control them.
Winners don't give up. When life gets rough, they hang in
until the going gets better.
Winners are flexible. They realize there is more than one
way and are willing to try others.
Winners know they are not perfect. They respect their
weaknesses while making the most of their strengths.
Winners fall but they don't stay down. They stubbornly refuse
to let a fall keep them from climbing.
Winners don't blame fate for their failures, nor luck for their successes.
Winners accept responsibility for their lives.
Winners are positive thinkers who see good in all things.
From the ordinary, they make the extraordinary.
Winners believe in the path they have chosen even when it
is hard, even when others can't see where they are going.
Winners are patient. They know a goal is only worthy
as the effort that is required to achieve it.
Winners are people that believe in themselves.
They make this world a better place to be.
Anonymous
Do You Know?
What Causes Breast Cancer?
Certain changes in DNA can cause normal breast cells to become cancerous. DNA is the chemical in each of our cells that makes up our genes -- the instructions for how our cells work. Some inherited DNA changes can increase the risk for developing cancer and are responsible for the cancers that run in some families. But most breast cancer DNA changes happen in single breast cells during a woman's life rather than having been inherited. These are called acquired changes, and most breast cancers have several of these acquired gene mutations. But so far, the causes of most acquired mutations that could lead to breast cancer remain unknown.
While we do not yet know exactly what causes breast cancer, we do know that certain risk factors are linked to the disease. A risk factor is anything that affects a person's chance of getting a disease such as cancer. Different cancers have different risk factors. Some risk factors, such as smoking, drinking, and diet are linked to things a person does. Others, like a person's age, race, or family history, can't be changed. But risk factors don't tell us everything. Having a risk factor, or even several, doesn't mean that a person will get the disease. Some women who have one or more risk factors never get breast cancer. And most women who do get breast cancer don't have any risk factors. Although many risk factors may increase your chance of developing breast cancer, it is not yet known exactly how some of these risk factors cause cells to become cancerous. Hormones seem to play a role in many cases of breast cancer, but just how this happens is not fully understood.
Historically, the method of battling breast cancer, as with any other cancer, has been to catch it early and treat it thoroughly. But, increasingly, it is becoming possible to predict individual risk of breast cancer and to take preventive action.
GENETICS
A major factor in whether or not you are prone to breast cancer is your genetic background, which is something you have no control over. You are stuck with the stack of genes you've been given. BRCRA1, the gene that indicates that someone is at high risk of breast cancer, is quite easy to identify but it is very rare in someone who doesn't have a strong family history of breast cancer. Unless someone has a strong such history, it's usually not tested for.
It's likely that in the next few years a whole set of other genes will be identified as contributing to cancer risk; in other words, one gene might not do it, but if you express the right combination of genes you might develop the cancer. Identifying if someone is at risk of breast cancer is important, because it means that you can then be tailor-made a lifestyle that is more likely to stop the cancer from developing. For someone who is at very low risk of breast cancer, you might give them a mammogram at 50 and that's it. If, on the other hand, they have an 80 per cent chance, then they might have one every year and also be recommended certain medications plus one or two changes in lifestyle.
Soon we will develop better tests than mammography, which is clumsy. It's a very cheap test, but it quite often produces results that indicate abnormalities which then turn out to be nothing. Psychologically, this is very damaging because women then have to be recalled and, naturally, they panic while they're waiting to be called back.
PREVENTIVE MEDICATION
Once you have identified someone with a high risk of cancer, you can begin to develop personalized drugs to prevent it. One of the things about cancer is that it does seem to be a disease of inflammation. So a preventive thing you can do is to take an anti-inflammatory; the most obvious one is a low dose of aspirin, and there is some evidence that that is useful. I, personally, don't recommend taking it, but some do and it's something that is more common in America. There is some evidence of benefit from that and it's linked to the prevention of heart-disease as well. So, at the moment, the most often-used preventive medication for breast cancer is an anti-inflammatory such as Tamoxifen, and we will start to see even more clever drugs than that. They are being developed now and are not yet available; clinical trials take a long time and you can't get any results within, a year – you have to wait five or more probably 10 years.
Coffee: The New Health Food?
Want a drug that could lower your risk of diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and colon cancer? That could lift your mood and treat headaches? That could lower your risk of cavities? If it sounds too good to be true, think again.
Coffee, the much maligned but undoubtedly beloved beverage, just made headlines for possibly cutting the risk of the latest disease epidemic, type 2 diabetes. And the real news seems to be that the more you drink the better.
Reducing Disease Risk
After analyzing data on 126,000 people for as long as 18 years, Harvard researchers calculate that compared with not partaking in America's favorite morning drink, downing one to three cups of caffeinated coffee daily can reduce diabetes risk by single digits. But having six cups or more each day slashed men's risk by 54% and women's by 30% over java avoiders.
Though the scientists give the customary "more research is needed" before they recommend you do overtime at Starbuck's to specifically prevent diabetes, their findings are very similar to those in a less-publicized Dutch study. And perhaps more importantly, it's the latest of hundreds of studies suggesting that coffee may be something of a health food -- especially in higher amounts.
In recent decades, some 19,000 studies have been done examining coffee's impact on health. And for the most part, their results are as pleasing as a gulp of freshly brewed Breakfast Blend for the 108 million Americans who routinely enjoy this traditionally morning -- and increasingly daylong -- ritual. In practical terms, regular coffee drinkers include the majority of U.S. adults and a growing number of children.
"Overall, the research shows that coffee is far more healthful than it is harmful," says Tomas DePaulis, PhD, research scientist at Vanderbilt University's Institute for Coffee Studies, which conducts its own medical research and tracks coffee studies from around the world. "For most people, very little bad comes from drinking it, but a lot of good."
Consider this: At least six studies indicate that people who drink coffee on a regular basis are up to 80% less likely to develop Parkinson's, with three showing the more they drink, the lower the risk. Other research shows that compared to not drinking coffee, at least two cups daily can translate to a 25% reduced risk of colon cancer, an 80% drop in liver cirrhosis risk, and nearly half the risk of gallstones.
Coffee even offsets some of the damage caused by other vices, some research indicates. "People who smoke and are heavy drinkers have less heart disease and liver damage when they regularly consume large amounts of coffee compared to those who don't," says DePaulis.
There's also some evidence that coffee may help manage asthma and even control attacks when medication is unavailable, stop a headache, boost mood, and even prevent cavities.
This article was sent to me by a friend who enjoys her coffee. I am sharing it with you. However, I have not researched this subject nor do I have any facts to back this article up. This is an article only you can decide if coffee is right for you or not. I think most things taken in moderation can’t hurt us, but then there are other things done in moderation that can kills us. Coffee, is it a new health food? You decide!
Breast cancer-specific issues
This article is for the caregiver who has never been down this road before.
Taking care of someone with breast cancer requires mostly emotional support. The disease is often highly treatable, but like any cancer diagnosis, this one is hard to deal with. Breast cancer treatments can result in drastic body modification and also cause a lot of unpleasant side effects, so patience and understanding are paramount. Helping them through the diagnosis is important. When your loved one finds a lump, it is one of the scariest experiences a woman can have. It takes a lot of courage to make that doctor’s appointment and to follow through with the visit and the tests. While most breast cancer scares are just that: scares, you should be supportive and prepare for the worst. Go to the appointment with them, even if they say they are OK, even if it means missing the big meeting or the big game; this is one of those times when you need to be there.
Help them prepare for the appointment by anticipating the questions the doctor will ask and preparing written answers. Make sure that you remember to tell the doctor all the relevant information if your loved one forgets - which may happen during such a stressful experience. Be sure to be there when the doctor gives the results of any tests or discusses any diagnosis or treatment options. A lot of medical information is now available on the internet so you can research treatments even if your loved one is not yet ready for all that reality.
When a loved one is newly diagnosed with breast cancer, one of their biggest immediate concerns may be what will happen to their breast. It may seem counterintuitive that physical appearance would be foremost on the mind of someone with a serious disease, but this is the reaction of many women. If you are a man, it may be hard to understand, but you can think of it this way: for many women, their breasts are a critical component of their womanhood. Many women fear that they will not feel “whole” if they have a breast removed. It is very important to reassure the patient that losing a breast is not the end of the world and that you will love her no matter what she looks like. This is a complex issue that may take time for her to work through so your job as a caregiver is to be there, to listen to her concerns, and to reassure her when necessary.
Support during treatment: Treatment for breast cancer may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or other drug treatments. All of these result in some undesirable consequences. Losing a breast to surgery is not only emotionally traumatic, but it can be physically painful and may require physical therapy for a full recovery. Having the lymph nodes under the armpit removed can cause buildup of fluid and a lifelong increased risk of infection in the arm so you can help the patient deal with these new complications. Radiation causes fatigue and can also cause changes to the appearance of the breast as well.
Chemotherapy often causes hair loss and serious temporary digestive problems as side effects. Hair loss can be difficult emotionally because it is an obvious external manifestation of what is really an internal disease. You can reassure the patient that the hair loss is always temporary and help her decide how she wants to deal with her newly naked head: hats, wigs, or nothing at all, perhaps.
Dealing with the sickness of chemotherapy can be hard on you both. It is very difficult to watch a loved one go through the amount of discomfort that chemotherapy sometimes causes. The extreme fatigue that often accompanies chemotherapy may require you as the caregiver to help with everything from feeding to trips to the bathroom. Again, you can reassure her that, like the hair loss, these effects are temporary as well.
Emotional support: Especially with breast cancer, the most important role of a caregiver is providing emotional support. Simply being there to listen to the patient’s concerns and to provide encouragement can help keep their spirits up and improve their prognosis and overall health. Letting them know that you are there for them and making them feel safe despite their disease may help them deal with their condition. I have worked with breast cancer patients for many years, yet each and every time I work with a new case I can and do feel what these women are feeling because you see I too have been where there are now. I know what they will face and how they will feel. Prayer, time, honest information, and support are some of the best advice I can give anyone facing breast cancer.
The story of the Rose
Roses are the best gifts ever. Roses are known for their exclusive beauty and fragrance. Gift a bouquet of roses to your beloved parents to show your gratitude, to your fiancé or fiancées your partner to express your love and to your friends to tell them how much they mean to you.
Roses are the most popular flowers in the world and have probably always been the most popular flowers. Roses have been symbols of love, beauty, war and politics from the beginning of time. Rose, besides being the popular gifts around the world, is also a great addition for the homes and offices as decorations. Besides fresh cut roses, artificial flowers like silk roses in different colors are also widely used.
Facts about Roses
If floral orders are a reliable measure of popularity, the rose is America's favorite flower. This beloved bloom is as rich in history as it is in fragrance and beauty. Here are a few interesting facts about the rose:
The rose is the official National Floral emblem of the United States. This legislation was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on October 7, 1986. The rose is also the state flower selected by Georgia, Iowa, New York, North Dakota and the District of Columbia.
Three separate nationally conducted public opinion polls, dating from 1975-1986, found the rose to be the number-one choice of over 85% of those individuals surveyed.
George Washington, our first President, was also our first U.S. rose breeder!
In current years, over 1,200,000,000 roses were purchased by U.S. flower buyers. This works out to a per capita consumption of 4.67 roses per person.
The rose is native to the United States. The oldest fossilized imprint of the rose was left on a slate deposit found in Florissant, Colorado. It is estimated to be 35 million years old.
There are nearly 900 acres of greenhouse dedicated to the production of fresh-cut roses in the U.S. One acre of greenhouse rose production in the U.S. is valued at about one million dollars, which includes the value of the plants, greenhouse structure and land.
About 60% of the roses grown in the U.S. are produced in California.
The most popular rose holidays in the U.S. are Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and Christmas.
Columbus discovered America because of a rose! It is written that on October 11, 1492, while becalmed in the Sargasso Sea, one of the crewmen picked a rose branch from the water. This sign of land renewed their hope for survival and gave the seafarers the courage to continue on to the New World.
Trivia:
Facts: In the 19th century old scented roses were used to make jelly. The red rose is the symbol of England and is worn on St George's Day. It is also the symbol of love and is hugely popular on St Valentine's Day, when roses make up the largest proportion of the £22 million spent on flowers in the UK on this day.
Medicinal:
The crusaders when defeated by Saladin in Jerusalem returned to the west with rose plants which were then cultivated by monks in their monastery gardens for their medicinal properties. Rose water was successfully used to cure all kinds of ailments, such as trembling, constipation, drunkenness, skin and throat infections and insomnia. There is some truth in this as we now know Rosa rugosa hips contain high levels of Vitamin C. Indeed, rosehip tea is often recommended in pregnancy. Rose oil can reduce high cholesterol levels. Roses are used in face toners and perfume and are one of the most effective anti-ageing ingredients.
Now you know the story of the Rose. Enjoy them and give them to those you love.
A New Beginning
This is the beginning of a new day.
You have been given this day to use as you will.
You can waste it or use it for good.
What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever;
in its place is something that you have left behind... let it be something good."
Author Unknown
Good Gardening Tips are Important
Nothing tastes better than vegetables picked fresh from your own garden. There’s a certain satisfaction
to serving and eating food that you yourself have grown and harvested. Although they typically demand a good bit of space, vegetables can even be grown in window boxes. Everyone, then, can experience the many joys of the kitchen garden.
Companion Plants in the Vegetable Garden
There are some plants that, when planted close together, will benefit each other. Likewise, there are certain combinations of plants that will inhibit the growth of one or both types of plants. Here are a few combinations to avoid:
Potatoes – inhibit growth of tomatoes and squash
Beans – inhibit growth of onions
Broccoli – inhibits growth of tomatoes
Carrots – inhibit growth of dill
This isn’t to say that you can’t grow these plants together in the same garden, just don’t grow them right next to each other.
Rotating Crops
Assuming that you plan to grow vegetables more than one year, it is important that you rotate your crops. Crop rotation prevents building diseases up in the soil and preserves micro-nutrients. Rotating is not very difficult, but does take a little advance planning as well as a basic knowledge of the vegetable families. Vegetables are broken down into basic family groups. These groups should be rotated together as they use soil in similar ways and share similar pests.
Alliums
Include Onions, Garlic, Scallions, Shallots, and Leeks.
Brassicas
I include Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and Kale.
Crucifers
Include Turnips, Radishes, Rutabaga, and Collards.
Cucurbits
Include Cucumbers, Squashes (from zucchini to pumpkin), and Melons.
Legumes
Include Peas and Beans.
Mescluns
Include Arugula, Swiss chard, Chicory, Endive, Escarole, and Radicchio.
Solanaceae
Include Tomatoes, Peppers, and Eggplant.
While technically a fruit, most people consider tomatoes (Lycopersicon spp.) to be an essential part of the vegetable garden. Who can resist the delicious temptation of a tomato picked fresh from the vine? It comes as no that surprise that the tomato is the most commonly grown vegetable in the State Tomatoes should be harvested when they are fully ripened and just starting to soften. Once picked, store tomatoes in dark, warm conditions. DO NOT REFRIGERATE TOMATOES! Ever! Fresh tomatoes start to fall off the flavor wagon as soon as they go below 55°; you might as well buy those soulless, tasteless clones at the supermarket.
Timing
How many times have you had a co-worker or friend arrive at your home or office with bags full of zucchini or cucumbers? If you plant all your vegetables at the same time, everything will come to maturity at the same time. The solution is to continually plant small amounts of short-season vegetables throughout the growing season. That way, you can enjoy your vegetables all summer long and not be inundated by them all at once.
Happy gardening, enjoy the summer season and all its many healthy fruits.
What is CCA?
Here are some informational facts about CCA. The vision of the Children’s Cancer Association is to be the leader in innovation of pediatric patient care, partner with key children’s hospitals, and deliver superior quality programs and services. With their vision come these important core values: excellence, innovation, integrity, compassion and stewardship. CCA also stands by the following heartfelt maxims, for they exemplify the commitment to and pride in crucial work to bring hope and possibilities, caring and support to seriously ill children and their families day after day:
When seriously ill children and their families need more than medicine, CCA's innovative programs create joy one moment at a time. With help from amazing community leaders, Regina Ellis and her family founded the Children’s Cancer Association in 1995, the same year her daughter Alexandra died from cancer at the age of five. Regina’s experience with her child's extensive treatment and surgeries provided her with an understanding of what can help many children and families in medical crisis, and the areas of non-medical care that were unmet by hospitals and community organizations. The Children’s Cancer Association has had the privilege of working directly with extraordinary medical professionals in delivering a series of innovative programs and services. Now in its thirteenth year, CCA is recognized as a national leader, and a friend to tens of thousands of seriously ill children and their families.
A child’s or teen's serious or life-limiting illness dramatically impacts the family’s everyday life experience, and the bi-lingual Life Support Family Enrichment Program is there to help, bringing hope, joy and understanding to an overwhelming and financially depleting journey. The Life Support program helps local families with essential needs, provides parents with direct links to hundreds of local and national resources, and offers funeral assistance and bereavement support. And Life Support helps families by saying yes when a child's eligibility falls outside the parameters of other organizations. The Life Support Program is one-of-a-kind, filling the gaps and meeting Oregon and Southwest Washington families when and where they need us most.
To read more about this wonderful support for children and their families who are dealing with their children’s cancer you can go to this website. www.childrenscancerassociation.org/ the website is informative and the stories will touch your heart.
Nutrition before Cancer Treatment
Good nutrition is especially important for people with cancer. That is because the illness itself, as well as its treatments, may affect your appetite. Cancer and cancer treatments may also alter your body's ability to tolerate certain foods and to use nutrients. Nutrition is an important part of cancer treatment. Eating the right kinds of foods before, during, and after treatment can help you feel better and stay stronger.
A registered dietitian can be one of your best sources of information about your diet. If you are going to meet with a dietitian, be sure to write down any questions before your meeting so you don't forget anything, and ask the dietitian to repeat or explain anything that is not clear. When you are healthy, eating enough food to get the nutrients you need is usually not a problem. When you are being treated for cancer, however, this may be hard to do, especially if you have side effects or just don't feel well. Learn what you can do to prepare yourself for cancer treatment before it begins. Until you begin treatment, you won't know exactly what, if any, side effects you may have or how they feel. One way to prepare for them is to think of your treatment as a time to focus on yourself and on getting well. Some other ways to get ready include the following
:The power of positive thinking
You can reduce your anxiety about treatment side effects by having a positive attitude, talking about your feelings, and learning as much as you can about your cancer and treatment. Planning how you will cope with possible side effects can make you feel more in control and help you keep your appetite. Many people have few or no side effects that keep them from eating. Even if you have side effects, they may be mild, and you may be able to control side effects with drugs that are available. Most of these effects go away after cancer treatment ends. People who eat well are better able to cope with side effects of treatment. And you may even be able to handle higher doses of certain drugs. In fact, some cancer treatments are more effective in people who are well-nourished and are getting enough calories and protein.
Don't be afraid to try new foods. Some things you may never have liked before may taste good to you during treatment.
Choose a diet with many types of plant-based food. Try substituting dried beans and peas for meat at a few meals each week.
Try to eat at least 5 colorful servings a day of fruits and vegetables, including citrus fruits and dark-green and deep-yellow vegetables. Colorful vegetables and fruits and plant-based foods contain natural health-promoting substances called phytochemicals.
Limit high-fat foods, especially those from animal sources. Choose lower-fat milk and dairy products. Reduce the amount of fat in your meals by choosing a lower-fat cooking method such as baking or broiling
Limit the amount of salt-cured, smoked, and pickled foods that you eat.
Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all.
Try to maintain a healthy weight and be physically active. If you are not able to do any of the above during this time, do not worry about it.
Plan ahead
Stock your pantry and freezer with your favorite foods so you won't need to shop as often. Include foods you know you can eat even when you are sick.
Cook in advance and freeze foods in meal-sized portions.
Talk to your friends or family members about ways they can help with shopping and cooking, or ask a friend or family member to take over those jobs for you.
You can also talk to your doctor, nurse, or a registered dietitian about any concerns you have about eating well. She or he can help you plan meals and develop a grocery list in case you have side effects such as constipation or nausea. Remember to take one day at a time. Don’t try to change yourself to please others. Do what is in your best interest you will do fine.
The Emotional Impact of a Cancer Diagnosis
When you are told you have cancer, the diagnosis affects not only you, but also your family and friends. You may feel scared, uncertain, or angry about the unwanted changes cancer will bring to your life and theirs. You may feel numb or confused. You may have trouble listening to, understanding, or remembering what people tell you during this time. This is especially true when your doctor first tells you that you have cancer. It is not uncommon for people to shut down mentally once they hear the word "cancer."
There is nothing fair about cancer and no one "deserves" to have it. A cancer diagnosis is hard to take and having cancer is not easy. When you find out you have cancer, your personal beliefs and experiences help you figure out what the diagnosis means to you and how you will handle it. As you face your own mortality and cope with the many demands of cancer, you may look more closely at your religious beliefs, your personal and family values, and what's most important in your life. Accepting the diagnosis and figuring out how cancer fits into your life is challenging.
After you are diagnosed with cancer, you may feel shock, disbelief, fear, anxiety, guilt, sadness, grief, depression, and anger. Each person may have some or all of these feelings, and each will handle them in a different way. Your first emotion may be shock, because no one is ever ready to hear that they have cancer. It is normal for people with cancer to wonder why it happened to them or to think life has treated them unfairly. You may not even believe the diagnosis, especially if you don't feel sick. You may be afraid. While some people fear cancer itself, others may be afraid of cancer treatments and wonder how they will get through them. Fear of pain and suffering is one of the greatest fears people with cancer and their loved ones have.
You may feel guilty. You may ask yourself could you have noticed your symptoms earlier, or wonder what you've done that may have caused the cancer. You may wonder if you were exposed to something at home or work that led to cancer. Or you may worry that other members of your family will also get cancer. At this time we do not know what causes most cancers. But a few are known to be hereditary, or passed from a parent to a child. This means if one family member develops it, others in the family may have a higher risk of developing it, too. This can cause even more concerns for the person newly diagnosed with cancer.
You may feel hopeless or sad if you see cancer as a roadblock to a life full of health and happiness. It is hard to feel positive and upbeat, especially if the future is uncertain. Just thinking about treatment and the time it will take out of your life can seem like too much to handle. Feelings of sadness or uncertainty can be made worse by your experiences with cancer. You may have a sense of loss linked to your cancer diagnosis and treatment. Cancer can change your sense of self, that is, how you think of your body, yourself, and your future. Grief is a normal response as you give up your old ideas of yourself and begin to develop ways to cope with the new, unwanted changes in your life. It may take time for you to become aware of these losses and changes. It can help if you share your grief with someone close to you. If there is no one near you that you want to confide in, you might want to see a mental health professional. Your feelings need care too, just like your physical body needs care.
You might feel angry. While some people may not outwardly express their anger and frustration, others may direct their anger toward family members, friends, or health care professionals. This is usually not done on purpose. If you are only trying to vent your feelings, let people know that you are not angry with them and know it is not their fault. Also let them know that you don't expect them to solve your problems--you just need them to listen.
I have been through this journey myself and I know what you’re feeling. Sometimes the words don’t express our feelings like we want because it is all too new and we have to find ourselves before we can move on. Take your time, I too have been in your shoes, it will and does get better. Remember everyone faced with cancer must go through these steps to find their own strengths. You will learn how much guts you actually have to get through this illness and will find a person inside you that you never knew existed. God Bless.
The Story of Life
Sometimes people come into your life
And you know right away that they were meant to be there.
To serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson,
or to help you figure out who you are or who you want to become.
You never know who these people may be,
(Possibly your roommate, neighbor, coworker, long lost, lover, or even a complete stranger),
but when you lock eyes with them you know at that very moment they will.
Everything happens for a reason.
Nothing happens by chance or by means of good luck.
Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness, and sheer stupidity
all occurs to test the limits of your soul.
Without these small tests, whatever they may be,
life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere.
It would be safe and comfortable, but dull and utterly pointless.
The people you meet who affect your life and the success and downfalls you experience,
help to create who you are and who you become.
Even the bad experiences can be learned from.
In fact, they are probably the most poignant and important ones.
If someone hurts you, betrays you, or breaks your heart,
forgive them, for they have helped you learn about trust
and the importance of being cautious when you open your heart.
If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally,
not only because they love you, but because in a way,
they are teaching you to love and how to open your heart and eyes to things.
Make every day count.
Appreciate every moment and take from those moments everything that you possibly can,
for you may never be able to experience it again.
Talk to people that you have never talked to before, and actually listen.
Let yourself fall in love, break free, and set your sights high.
Hold your head up because you have every right to.
Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself,
for if you don't believe in yourself, it will be hard for others to believe in you.
You can make of your life anything you wish.
Most importantly, create your own life and then go out and live it with absolutely NO regrets.
And learn a lesson in life each day that you live.
Bacterial Meningitis
Bacterial Meningitis is an acute bacterial disease that results in an infection of the membranes of the brain and spinal cord.
Signs and symptoms include stiff neck, high fever, headache, or a dark purple rash. The symptoms often progress very quickly and within 12-24 hours after the development of symptoms, a person may already be very ill.
Anyone with symptoms suggestive of bacterial meningitis should see a medical provider immediately—early diagnosis and treatment is important. Treatment of this illness includes antibiotics and supportive care.
Meningococcal disease is contagious. It is spread through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions. Generally only close contact of an infected person, such as a household member or boyfriend/girlfriend, are at risk of becoming infected themselves. It is not a disease that is spread by casual contact or breathing the same air as an infected individual. It is recommended that close contacts of an individual with meningococcal disease be treated with antibiotics to prevent the illness.
There are vaccines available to prevent against the spread of some of the most common strains of meningococcal bacteria. The vaccine is recommended for all high risk groups and for college students living in dormitories. There are vaccines available, so be safe be careful.
Does it improve on the silence?
"Before you speak, ask yourself, is it kind, is it necessary, and is it true, does it improve on the silence? By Sai Baba
I feel the above quote to be so well stated that it is hard for me to add anything to it that could clarify on its wisdom. So this shall be short and brief. When tempted to fill the silence with words, please consider the question above carefully before you speak. Make sure what you are saying is kind. Be certain that it is something that absolutely needs to be said. Verify that what you are about to say is in fact true and not just a hasty judgment or ego-driven opinion. And finally, assure yourself that it will improve the situation or be helpful to someone or something.
Spring is Coming
The cold gloomy days of winter are gone.
Sounds and smells of spring now fill the air,
Life of spring is blooming everywhere.
People planting gardens, throughout the town,
Everywhere you go, you hear a wonderful sound.
Gentle breezes, butterflies dancing by,
If you close your eyes you almost think you too, can fly.
Children running, climbing trees and playing,
Memories of a fresh new spring, again in the making.
Written By: Mary D. Johnson
Telling a child about an illness
How a parent can tell a child what is happening. Working from the central, irrevocable principles of openness and honesty and keeping the discussion age-and child-appropriate, there are three things children must be told at the very beginning. A nurse can be of enormous help by guiding the parents with these points:
Tell them you are seriously ill.
Tell them the name of your disease.
Tell them your best understanding of what may happen. Being honest does not mean telling everything or telling it all at once. First, parents need to get their own questions answered and have their own emotional responses in check. Children can absorb different levels of complexity at different ages; the parent is the best judge of what each child can understand. However, honesty does mean simply never telling anything but the truth. Experience shows that after this moment of revelation, the child will inevitably respond, usually with one of the three questions discussed earlier
The question that is probably the most difficult for parents to hear is, "Are you going to die?" Is there any more heart-wrenching issue for a parent to face? And yet, it is not unusual for children of all ages to ask this question. Because this question challenges the very core spiritual and personal beliefs of an adult, it is difficult to script an answer. If it is not true, parents need to reassure the child that they expect to live a very long time. If it is true, parents should state that although people do die from this disease, they plan to work very hard to overcome the risks of this disease. Some families use this question as an opening to discuss religious beliefs. The earlier core principal still applies: Do not knowingly tell a child a non-truth.
Children will naturally have questions, feelings, and concerns that you should encourage them to share with you. They can be more resilient and accepting of life's changes than adults. Common reactions from children are that they have caused the illness, that it is contagious, and also that they themselves will get cancer. These issues can create a lot of anxiety for children.
Here are a few tips for talking to children about illness.
• Choose a time of day when the child isn’t tired or distracted.
• Make sure you can look her in the eye and gauge her reaction (a car talk is not ideal).
• Give her a conversational warning. Try “we have something important to talk about.”
• Don’t feel you have to share all the details at once: state the basics, then answer questions.
• It’s OK to say “I don’t know, but I’ll try to find out” to any question.
• Use medical terms, and explain them. Express confidence in the doctors and your hope for a normal life.
• Explain what the illness may mean to changes in the child’s routine if any.
• Check in from time to time to make sure the child understands and feels supported.
This is how - I Make Today Count
I am a superb list-maker. Writing out all the tasks that I wish to accomplish on a piece of paper for the day. At the end of the day when I look at my list of items and see that I've only crossed off a few of them I can either choose to be upset with myself that I didn't finish them all or I can feel satisfied that I completed the tasks that I did. It's my choice. I'm human and don't always choose the obvious better route, but I have learned not to beat myself up for not being more productive. Regardless, I feel so much better when I have made some small gesture in my day that makes me feel GLAD - in this way I have made today count. In making today count all the other small ho hum stuff that didn't get accomplished doesn't seem so important anymore.
Several years ago after developing breast cancer it became a trend for me to perform "Random Acts of Kindness." I found the concept of this movement to be quite inspiring and remarkable. I especially liked the shifting focus of the world at large, moving away from myself-absorption to one of caring for others, perhaps a stranger. Oddly enough (or not oddly at all - depending on what your perception of universal law is) it became apparent to me that by choosing to shift my energies toward a more altruistic mind set my own troubles seemed to melt away. You too can and will discover that our world seems more like an expanded playground when we play a part in pleasing others in some small way. I have learned that it is much better not to be living in a rushing-by world in which I felt trapped in or victimized by.
It feels good to do something nice for someone. Likewise, it feels good when someone does something kind for me. It's a win win situation either way you look at it. I'm sure you too can think of some small gestures to make today count for others.
Make Today Count: Forget your personal agendas for a few minutes and do something that will bring a smile to your face and warm your heart by helping someone else. Have a great day. Bless others and God does Bless You!
What is Psoriasis?
Psoriasis is a common and chronic skin disorder. Plaque psoriasis is the most common type of psoriasis and is characterized by red skin covered with silvery scales and inflammation. Patches of circular to oval shaped red plaques that itch or burn are typical of plaque psoriasis. The patches are usually found on the arms, legs, trunk, or scalp but may be found on any part of the skin. The most typical areas are the knees and elbows.
Psoriasis is not contagious but can be inherited. Research indicates that the disease may result from a disorder in the immune system. Factors such as smoking, sun exposure, alcoholism, and HIV infection may affect how often the psoriasis occurs and how long the flares up last. Approximately 1-2% of people in the United States, or about 5.5 million, have plaque psoriasis. Up to 30% of people with plaque psoriasis also have psoriatic arthritis. Individuals with psoriatic arthritis have inflammation in their joints and may have other arthritis symptoms. Sometimes plaque psoriasis can evolve into more severe disease, such as pustular psoriasis or erythrodermic psoriasis. In pustular psoriasis, the red areas on the skin contain blisters with pus. In erythrodermic psoriasis, a wide area of red and scaling skin is typical, and it may be itchy and painful.
Psoriasis affects children and adults. Men and woman are affected equally. Females develop plaque psoriasis earlier than males. The first peak occurrence of plaque psoriasis is in people aged 16-22 years. The second peak is in people aged 57-60 years.
Psoriasis can affect all races. Studies have shown that more people in western European and Scandinavian populations have psoriasis than those in other population groups. Research indicates that the disease may result from a disorder in the immune system. The immune system makes white blood cells that protect the body from infection. In psoriasis, the T cells (a type of white blood cell) abnormally trigger inflammation in the skin. These T cells also cause skin cells to grow faster than normal and to pile up in raised patches on the outer surface of the skin.
Those with a family history of psoriasis have an increased chance of having the disease. Some people carry genes that make them more likely to develop psoriasis. When both parents have psoriasis, the child may have a 50% chance of developing psoriasis. About one third of those with psoriasis have at least one family member with the disease.
Here are a few things that may trigger psoriasis.
Skin Injury: Injury to the skin has been associated with plaque psoriasis. For example, a skin infection, skin inflammation, or even excessive scratching can trigger psoriasis.
Sunlight: Most people generally consider sunlight to be beneficial for their psoriasis. However, a small minority find that strong sunlight aggravates their symptoms. Bad sunburn may worsen psoriasis.
Streptococcal infections: Some evidence suggests that streptococcal infections may cause a type of plaque psoriasis. These bacterial infections have been shown to cause guttate psoriasis, a type of psoriasis that looks like small red drops on the skin.
HIV: Psoriasis typically worsens after an individual has been infected with HIV. However, psoriasis often becomes less active in advanced HIV infection.
Drugs: A number of medications have been shown to aggravate psoriasis. Some examples are as follows: Lithium - Drug that may be used to treat depression. Beta-blockers - Drugs that may be used to treat high blood pressure. Antimalarials - Drugs used to treat malaria. NSAIDs - Drugs, such as ibuprofen (Motrin and Advil) or naproxen (Aleve), used to reduce inflammation
Emotional stress: Many people see an increase in their psoriasis when emotional stress is increased.
Smoking: Cigarette smokers have an increased risk of chronic plaque psoriasis.
Alcohol: Alcohol is considered a risk factor for psoriasis, particularly in young to middle-aged males.
Hormone changes: The severity of psoriasis may fluctuate with hormonal changes. Disease frequency peaks during puberty and menopause. A pregnant woman's symptoms are more likely to improve than worsen, if any changes occur at all. In contrast, symptoms are more likely to flare in the postpartum period, if any changes occur at all.
An individual with plaque psoriasis usually has patches of red, raised, scaly areas on the skin that may itch or burn. The patches are usually found on the knees, elbows, trunk, or scalp. Approximately, 9 out of 10 people with psoriasis have plaque psoriasis.
The flare-ups can last for weeks or months. The psoriasis goes away for a time and then returns (chronic).
General characteristics of the scaly skin of the most common type of psoriasis are as follows:
Plaques: The plaque areas on the skin are elevated. The plaque areas vary in size (1 to several centimeters) and may range from a few to many at any given time on the skin. The shape of the plaque is usually oval but can be irregular in shape. Smaller plaque areas may merge with other areas and form a large affected area.
Scalp: The scalp can have dry, scaly skin or crusted plaque areas. Sometimes psoriasis of the scalp is confused with seborrheic dermatitis. In seborrheic psoriasis, the scales are greasy looking, not dry.
Nails: Nail changes are commonly observed in those with plaque psoriasis. The nails may have small indentations, ridges, or pits in them. The nails can be discolored or separate from the nail bed.
Pus on patches: Sometimes, the patches of dry, scaly skin can crack and have pus on top of them. This may be pustular psoriasis.
Psoriasis in children: Plaque psoriasis looks slightly different in children compared to adults. In children, the plaques are not as thick, and the affected skin is less scaly. Psoriasis may often appear in the diaper region in infancy and in flexural areas in children. The disease more commonly affects the face in children as compared to adults.
Other areas: Although the most common body areas affected are the arms, leg, back, and scalp, psoriasis can be found on any body part. Psoriasis can be found on the genitals or buttocks, under the breasts, or under the arms. These areas can feel especially itchy or burning.
When to Seek Medical Care
You should see your doctor or health care practitioner if you have symptoms of psoriasis, such as red raised patches of skin with silvery scales, and do not feel comfortable with how your skin looks or feels. Psoriasis is usually a mild inconvenience to most people. However, for others, it may be disabling or painful. The doctor can prescribe treatments that help. If symptoms are treated when they first appear, the condition will usually not progress.
When someone with psoriasis visits the doctor, he or she is usually concerned about raised, itchy, red areas on the skin that are scaly or peeling. The individual is typically self-conscious about the plaques or scaly areas and uses clothing to cover the affected skin to avoid being embarrassed in public.
Those with psoriasis commonly recognize that new areas of psoriasis occur within 7-10 days after the skin has been injured. This has been called the Koebner reaction. Sometimes, the reverse occurs in which psoriasis clears after injury to the skin.
You should always see your doctor if you have psoriasis and develop significant joint pain, stiffness, or deformity. You may be in the reported 10% of individuals with psoriasis that develop psoriatic arthritis.
You also should always see your doctor if signs of infection develop. Common signs of infection are red streaks or pus from the red areas, fever with no other cause, or increased pain.
Food poisoning strikes 1 in 4 Americans each year
Next time you have a case of diarrhea that lasts a day or more, chances are better than 1 in 3 that it was food poisoning. Did you know that as many as a quarter of Americans suffer a food-borne illness each year — though only a fraction of those cases get linked to high-profile outbreaks like the recent salmonella-peanut scare, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Scientists have counted more than 250 food-related types of illness — from viruses to bacteria to parasites. Most common are Norwalk-like viruses — famous for sickening cruise-ship passengers. They account for about two-thirds of known food-poisoning cases, according to the CDC.
There are two types of bacteria, campylobacter and salmonella, which are the most common. Campylobacter is blamed for about 14 percent of food poisonings, salmonella for roughly 10 percent. The exact toll of these and other bugs is not known.
Here are a few facts that might surprise you. Ten years ago, a team of CDC scientists put together the best enduring estimate of how many Americans get food poisoning each year: 76 million illnesses, which resulted in 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths. There are no more recent figures available, but the current numbers must be close to 87 million cases, 371,000 hospitalizations and 5,700 deaths, according to an Associated Press calculation that used the CDC formula and current population estimates.
The statistics seem even more alarming in the context of a parade of high-profile food-poisoning outbreaks in recent years: salmonella poisoning linked to hot peppers and tomatoes from Mexico that sickened more 1,400 last year; an E. coli outbreak from bagged spinach in 2006; and even deadly cases of hepatitis A from green onions in 2003.
The recent peanut-related salmonella outbreak has caused more than 640 confirmed illnesses in 44 states and been linked to nine deaths. It was traced to a Virginia-based company, Peanut Corp. of America, which makes minor-label peanut butter, peanut paste and other products.
Those numbers just scratch the surface: A case is confirmed only after a lab test is sent to the CDC. Many sick people have just helped themselves without seeing a doctor.
Health officials assume that for every salmonella case, there are three dozen unreported cases. By that calculation, the latest peanut-related outbreak actually has sickened closer to 20,000 people.
The number of confirmed food poisonings has basically held steady in recent years. It may seem worse because more advanced testing allows investigators to better link cases and identify outbreaks, CDC officials said. Despite sometimes dramatic problems in food production and inspections, the U.S. food supply is still considered one of the safest in the world, so experts say.
Food poisoning affects an estimated 25 percent of Americans every year. That compares with roughly 30 percent of people in industrialized countries, according to the World Health Organization. The toll is much higher in developing countries, where diarrheal diseases are a major cause of death for children.
Patients suffering gastric distress sometimes assume food poisoning, partly because of all the outbreak news and partly because it's human nature. But if you have any of the problems listed here such as; a temperature of 101.5 degrees, blood in your stool, have prolonged vomiting, dizziness, decreased urination or other signs of dehydration or diarrhea that lasts more than three days see your doctor as soon as possible.
Looking beyond cancer treatments
When you’re in the middle of chemotherapy or radiation treatments, sometimes it seems that this particular journey will never end. It will, of course, and I’ll tell you what to expect when that happens. As at the end of any meaningful road, you’re likely to find several forks. In this case, you may want to explore lingering physical side effects of cancer treatments, the possibility of recurrence, and some emotional adjustments that are often required after treatments are complete.
When I say that it is your job to educate yourself about your cancer and your treatments, please don’t think that the responsibility rests entirely on your shoulders. You will have help — a lot of it. Some people first learn that they have cancer from a surgeon or another specialist. When it comes time to do the tests that determine the extent of the cancer, you need to see a medical oncologist, a medical specialist who treats cancer. If radiation therapy is recommended for you, your medical oncologist will refer you to a radiation oncologist, a medical specialist who treats cancer patients with radiation therapy.
Don’t for a minute expect that you never need darken your doctor’s door after the last of your cancer treatments. On the contrary, you will be carefully monitored for years to come. In time, you’ll even appreciate that fact. There is a lot to expect in terms of follow-up care — regular checkups and periodic screening tests — and you can look over a list of long-term side effects that may or may not trouble you. That list includes such physical problems as the following: fatigue, pain, lymphedema, oral problems, bladder and bowel problems, early menopause, and maybe infertility or impotence.
I suggest you craft a personal wellness plan to see you through the years to come. Some people finish cancer treatments and never have to confront this particular disease again. However, that may not be the case — if cancer recurs months or years after treatments end. In many cases, a recurrence can be treated as a flare-up, and cancer can be considered as a chronic disease.
Should your cancer recur, there are several reasons why the second time around may not be as trying as the first. If the recurrence is as bad, or even worse, look for information on palliative care and an explanation of the mission of hospice.
After cancer, nothing is ever really the same again. Even if you are not troubled with long-term physical side effects as a result of treatment and even if your cancer never comes back, you’ll likely find that you are different emotionally and that your standard mode of operating in the world has changed. This is the time that you get to decide all over again who to be, what to say about yourself, and how to make changes in your life that reflect your new perspective on the gift of time. You will learn how to protect yourself as you head boldly into your brave new world.
Valentine Jokes from kids
- What did the caveman give his wife on Valentine's Day? Ughs and kisses!
- What did the boy sheep say to the girl sheep on Valentine's Day? I Love Ewe!
- What did the stamp say to the envelope on Valentine's Day? I'm stuck on you!
- Knock knock! Who'e there? Frank Frank who? Frank you for being my friend!
- Knock knock! Who's there? Howard Howard who? Howard you like a big kiss?
- What did the boy owl say to the girl owl on Valentine's Day? Owl be yours!
- What kind of flowers do you never give on Valentine's Day? Cauliflowers!
- What do you call a very small Valentine? A Valentiny!
- What did the boy squirrel say to the girl squirrel on Valentine's Day? I'm nuts about you!
- What did the girl squirrel say to the boy squirrel on Valentine's Day? You're nuts so bad yourself!
These jokes are so cute and the kids enjoy telling these jokes over and over. Share these jokes with your kids I bet they know most of them already.
Looking beyond cancer treatments
When you’re in the middle of chemotherapy or radiation treatments, sometimes it seems that this particular journey will never end. It will, of course, and I’ll tell you what to expect when that happens. As at the end of any meaningful road, you’re likely to find several forks. In this case, you may want to explore lingering physical side effects of cancer treatments, the possibility of recurrence, and some emotional adjustments that are often required after treatments are complete.
When I say that it is your job to educate yourself about your cancer and your treatments, please don’t think that the responsibility rests entirely on your shoulders. You will have help — a lot of it. Some people first learn that they have cancer from a surgeon or another specialist. When it comes time to do the tests that determine the extent of the cancer, you need to see a medical oncologist, a medical specialist who treats cancer. If radiation therapy is recommended for you, your medical oncologist will refer you to a radiation oncologist, a medical specialist who treats cancer patients with radiation therapy.
Don’t for a minute expect that you never need darken your doctor’s door after the last of your cancer treatments. On the contrary, you will be carefully monitored for years to come. In time, you’ll even appreciate that fact. There is a lot to expect in terms of follow-up care — regular checkups and periodic screening tests — and you can look over a list of long-term side effects that may or may not trouble you. That list includes such physical problems as the following: fatigue, pain, lymphedema, oral problems, bladder and bowel problems, early menopause, and maybe infertility or impotence.
I suggest you craft a personal wellness plan to see you through the years to come. Some people finish cancer treatments and never have to confront this particular disease again. However, that may not be the case — if cancer recurs months or years after treatments end. In many cases, a recurrence can be treated as a flare-up, and cancer can be considered as a chronic disease.
Should your cancer recur, there are several reasons why the second time around may not be as trying as the first. If the recurrence is as bad, or even worse, look for information on palliative care and an explanation of the mission of hospice.
After cancer, nothing is ever really the same again. Even if you are not troubled with long-term physical side effects as a result of treatment and even if your cancer never comes back, you’ll likely find that you are different emotionally and that your standard mode of operating in the world has changed. This is the time that you get to decide all over again who to be, what to say about yourself, and how to make changes in your life that reflect your new perspective on the gift of time. You will learn how to protect yourself as you head boldly into your brave new world.
Love is....
Love is the greatest feeling,
Love is like a play,
Love is what I feel for you,
Each and everyday,
Love is like a smile,
Love is like a song,
Love is a great emotion,
That keeps us going strong.
I love you with my heart,
My body and my soul,
I love the way I keep loving,
Like a love I can't control,
So remember when your eyes meet mine, I love you with all my heart,
And I have poured my entire soul into you,
Right from the very start."
Author unknown
A Special Valentines Day
With Valentines Day coming up February 14th many couples are starting to think about how they are going to use this special holiday to show their love to that special person in their life. Sometimes the best ways to say I love you are the simple ways even though thoughts automatically turn to big boxes of chocolates, fancy dinners and huge bouquets of red roses. But is that really the best way to say, I love you?
How about starting something new this Valentines Day and be a little more creative with your gifts. It's really not that hard. One of the things that most successful couples have in common is the fact that they constantly give tokens of their affections to their loved one. So, just what is a token of affection? Here are some examples.
- They are not huge bouquets of flowers-they are a single red rose with a happy note when they get out of the shower given for no special reason or occasion.
- They are not big boxes of fattening chocolates. They are knowing that your mate is trying to loose weight and making the effort to help by buying non-fat candy, fresh fruit wrapped up in a fancy box, or maybe just one extra special morsel from a gourmet chocolate shop.
- You might decide to make a special breakfast for your spouse with a little heart shaped note that says good for one free back and foot rub tonight after dinner. I Love You.
- Buy that special book your spouse has wanted. Make a basket up with some finger foods and a bottle of wine enjoy the evening together at home spending time together.
These examples show you understand your lover and giving gifts that are special to the two of you is what it is all about the gifts aren't bought to impress the neighbors, the people at work or your families. Have fun and try to think of some small token every day leading up to Valentines Day this year. Write each other a short poem say what is in your heart. Life is short and it is the simple things in life we seem to look back on and remember when our loved ones are gone. So this year do something different be more creative and Make Today Count!
What is Esophageal Cancer?
Esophageal cancer is a serious form of cancer that starts in the inner layer of your esophagus, the 10-inch long tube that connects your throat and stomach. The most common symptom of esophageal cancer, usually occurring late in the disease, is difficulty swallowing and a sensation of food getting stuck in your throat or chest. In the past, the outlook for people with esophageal cancer was poor. But survival rates have improved, in part because close monitoring of Barrett's esophagus — a serious, premalignant complication of acid reflux disease — can help detect cancer early, when it's more likely to respond to treatment.
Symptoms
It's unusual to have signs and symptoms of esophageal cancer in the early stages of the disease. When the disease is more advanced, esophageal cancer symptoms may include:
Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia). Although this is the most common symptom of esophageal cancer, it usually doesn't appear until a tumor has grown large enough to narrow your esophagus to about half its normal width. At this point, meat and bread may be nearly impossible to swallow, and you may unconsciously change your eating habits, chewing more thoroughly and carefully, or switching to softer foods. In time, even liquids may be hard to swallow.
Unintentional weight loss - As eating becomes more difficult, you may not consume enough calories to maintain your weight. In addition, cancer in general can cause weight loss and muscle wasting because it changes the way your body metabolizes nutrients.
Pain in your throat, in your midchest or between your shoulder blades. Although not common, you sometimes might have pain when you swallow or discomfort or burning behind your breastbone.
Hoarseness, hiccups and sometimes vomiting of blood. These signs and symptoms usually don't appear until cancer is quite advanced.
Risk factors
Heavy drinking, smoking and chronic acid reflux or Barrett's esophagus are some of the most significant risk factors for esophageal cancer. Other factors that may increase your chances of developing esophageal cancer include:
Age - Your risk of developing esophageal cancer increases as you grow older. Most people with the disease are between 55 and 70. The risk is much less if you're younger than 40.
Sex - Men are far more likely to develop esophageal cancer than women are.
Race - In the United States, esophageal cancer, especially squamous cell esophageal cancer, is much more common in blacks than it is in whites. But white Americans are more likely than black Americans to have esophageal adenocarcinoma.
Diet - If your diet is low in fruits and vegetables, or you're very overweight, you're at increased risk of esophageal cancer.
Radiation therapy - People who've had radiation treatment to treat cancers near the esophagus have a higher risk of esophageal cancer.
Occupational exposure - People who work with dry cleaning solvents appears to have an increased risk of esophageal cancer, as do people exposed to silica dust — a primary component of sandstone and granite. Miners, people working in the pressurized spaces used in building tunnels, and construction workers, especially those handling brick, concrete or tile, are likely to be exposed to high levels of silica dust.
Drinking hot liquids - There's some evidence that people who frequently consume very hot beverages have an increased risk of squamous cell esophageal cancer.
When to seek medical advice
See your doctor if you have difficulty swallowing, a chronic cough or unintended weight loss. Having these signs and symptoms doesn't mean you have esophageal cancer. A number of other conditions can cause similar problems, and your doctor can perform tests to help determine the cause.
Also seek treatment if you experience gastroesophageal reflux, which can cause inflammation in your esophagus and increase your risk of esophageal cancer.
Signs and symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux include:
Regurgitation - This leaves a sour taste and the sense of food re-entering your mouth.
Burning chest pain - Commonly called heartburn, this symptom may occur especially after meals or at night when you're lying down. Difficulty swallowing. This is often due to a spasm or stricture in your esophagus. Coughing, wheezing, asthma, hoarseness or sore throat. This often results from acid reflux in your throat or windpipe.
Check with your doctor if these symptoms are present. He or She will direct you to the proper test or treatments whichever the case may be.
You need your Sleep
Anything less than 7 hours sleep a night can raise your risk of getting cancer. Being active is the best, but if you don't get enough sleep then it almost erases the effect of being that active. Women who averaged less than 7 hours of sleep increased their risk of cancer by 25 percent.
Though more study is needed to understand the relationship between sleep and cancer, it is well established that adequate sleep is generally important to health for everyone -- men, women and children.
The following are some suggestions for improving sleep:
Establish a regular pattern. Go to bed at the same time every night and get up at the same time every morning -- even on your days off.
Create a pleasant sleep environment: quiet, dark, comfortable and relaxing. Make sure your room is neither too warm nor too cold, and keep it well ventilated.
Invest in a bed that's the right size and firmness for you, and don't use it as a multipurpose space. If you enjoy reading before bed, do it in a comfortable chair. Watch TV and listen to music elsewhere in the house. Never eat in bed. Keep electronic equipment out of your bedroom.
Relax before bedtime. This is not the time to fit in your three mile jog. Exercise is best done earlier in the day. Avoid action-packed, frenetic entertainment offerings. Don't use this time to do stressful tasks such as paying the monthly bills. A warm bath is great. So is pleasant music. This is a good time for reading -- as long as the book is not one that will keep you turning pages all night long.
Don't eat large meals close to bedtime. Also, don't drink caffeinated beverages or alcohol. A drink might help you fall asleep initially, but it interferes with the quality of your sleep. You'll be more likely to wake up during the night. Don't smoke (ever -- but especially not before bedtime).
Avoid taking medications right before bedtime if possible. This applies to over-the-counter remedies as well as prescription drugs. Check with your doctor if you're not sure whether you can alter your med schedule.
Facts about Baking Soda
Bicarbonate of soda or baking soda has many different uses in the household! Here are just a few of the ones my family and I use. Hope you find this information useful to.
To make your own baking powder, stir and sift together 2 parts of Cream of Tartar to 1 part baking soda and 1 part cornstarch.
Be sure to keep an extra box of baking soda by your stove in case of grease or electrical fire. Scatter the powder by the handful to safely put it out. Keep a container of baking soda in your garage as well as in your car to put out a fire. It won't damage anything it touches. Baking soda will also put out fires in clothing, fuel, wood, upholstery and rugs.
Clean vegetables and fruit with baking soda. Sprinkle in water, soak and rinse the produce.
Wash garbage cans with baking soda.
Soak and wash diapers with baking soda. Always add 1/2-cup baking soda to your washing machine load.
Oil and grease -- stained clothing washes out better with baking soda added to the washing water.
Deodorize your fridge and freezer by putting in an open container of baking soda to absorb odors.
Clean combs and brushes in a baking soda solution.
Wash food and drink containers with baking soda and water.
Wash out thermos bottles and cooling containers with baking soda and water to get rid of stale smells.
Sprinkle baking soda on barbecue grills, let soak, and then rinse off.
To remove burned-on food from a pan: let the pan soak in baking soda and water for 10 minutes before washing. Or scrub the pot with dry soda and a moist scouring pad.
For a badly-burned pan with a thick layer of burned-on food: pour a thick layer of baking soda directly onto the bottom of the pan, then sprinkle on just enough water so as to moisten the baking soda. Leave the pot overnight, and then scrub it clean next day.
Soak your shower curtains in water and baking soda to clean them.
To remove strong odors from your hands, wet your hands and rub them hard with baking soda, then rinse.
Sprinkle baking soda on your wet toothbrush and brush your teeth and dentures with it.
Sprinkle baking soda in tennis shoes, socks, boots and slippers to eliminate odor.
Add 1/2-cup or more of baking soda to your bath water to soften your skin.
Putting 2-tablespoons of baking soda in your baby's bath water will help relieve diaper rash irritations.
Apply baking soda directly to insect bites, rashes and poison ivy to relieve discomfort. Make a paste with water.
Take a baking soda bath to relieve general skin irritations such as measles and chicken pox.
Take 1/2-teaspoon of baking soda in one-half glass of water to relieve acid indigestion or heartburn.
Gargle with 1/2-teaspoon baking soda in one-half glass of water. Freshens and cleans your mouth.
Used as a mouthwash, baking soda will also relieve canker sore pain.
To relieve sunburn: use a paste of baking soda and water.
Bug bites: use a poultice of baking soda and vinegar.
Windburns: moisten some baking soda and apply directly.
Making Play Clay with baking soda: combine 1 1/4 cups water, 2 cups soda, 1 cup cornstarch.
Use baking soda as an underarm deodorant.
Add baking soda to water to soak dried beans to make them more digestible.
Add baking soda to water to remove the "gamey" taste from wild game.
Use to remove melted plastic bread wrapper from toaster. Dampen cloth and make a mild abrasive with baking soda.
To eliminate dog odors or just freshen up the air, sprinkle baking soda on your carpet where your dog lies and vacuum up. Leave the soda on the carpet for half an hour. It also eliminates odor in your vacuum after it has been vacuumed up. A great way to freshen up your home air during the winter when everything is closed up.
Value Yourself
“You are always a valuable, worthwhile human being -- not because anybody says so, not because you're successful, not because you make a lot of money -- but because you decide to believe it and for no other reason.” — Wayne Dyer
What if today you lost your job or your possessions? Would you be worthless? What if someone walked up to you and told you that you were stupid, would you believe them?
Base your self-worth on who you are at your source. You are not what you do, you are not what you have, and you are not what others think of you (both positive and negative).
Believe you are of value because that is the reality for every single person in the world no matter what they do or don't do, what they have or don't have, and what others think of them or don't think of them.
The Difference between Winners and Losers
Are you a winner or a loser? We as individuals should be accountable for our own actions, how we react to a situation sometimes determines whether we are winners or losers. How do others see you?
1. A winner says, "Lets find out." A loser says, "Nobody knows."
2. When a winner makes a mistake, he says,"I was wrong when a loser makes a mistake, he says, "It wasn't my fault."
3. A winner isn't nearly as afraid of losing, as a loser is secretly afraid of winning.
4. A winner works harder than a loser and has more time;
A loser is always "too busy" to do what is necessary.
5. A winner goes through a problem; A loser goes around it, and never gets past it.
6. A winner makes commitments, a loser makes problems.
7. A winner say's I'm good, but not as good as I ought to be"; A loser says, "I'm not as bad as a lot of people."
8. A winner listens; A loser just waits until his turn to talk.
9. A winner respects those who are superior to him and tries to learn from them;
A loser resents those who are superior to him, and tries to find chinks in his armor.
10. A winner explains; A loser explains away.
11. A winner feels responsible for more than his job; A loser says, "I only work here."
12. A winner says, "There ought to be a better way to do it," A loser says, That's the way it's always been done here."
13. A winner paces himself; A loser has only two speeds hysterical and lethargic.
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Seeing Yourself Through the Eyes of Others
How do you see yourself? Do you think of others? Do you try to get along with stubborn know it all individuals? Do you have traits like your mother or father? Have you asked yourself who you are and who you would like to be? Are you a happy person or a sad person? Do you like doing things for others for no reason? Does giving to someone else make you happy? Can you talk to someone and know if they are genuine? Do you owe up to your mistakes? Do you blame others for your misfortune or when things don't go well for you? Can you say you’re sorry when you’re wrong? Do you try to make others see things like you do? Do you tell others its this way or no way? Does being nice and polite bother you? Is it easier for you to set others up instead of taking the blame for when you are wrong? Do you play sides with people to find out their thoughts about you? Do you let others borrow from you and then try to make them pay you back for the rest of their life? Do you set others up because things didn't go your way? Do you borrow something from someone and then decide that it is yours to keep? Do you ask others to do something and then when it doesn't go well, blame them for misunderstanding the whole conversation?
Take this test, see how you would rate yourself with the questions above. You might want to take a good look at the answers, and think about seeing yourself through the eyes of others.
Written By: Mary D. Johnson
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