Friday, September 28, 2012

my son the comedian...


Reese  (four going on thirteen)

We took Reese for ice cream tonight and she said, "it isn't ice cream, Non... it is a palate cleanser." Her daddy is such a kidder. When they misbehave, he asks them what they are giving him. They have to answer him, "We are giving you sass and guff, daddy." 

He kills me.

Willie the bowler.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Shambala...


"When the dog is chasing you, turn around and whistle for it."

- Henry David Thoreau




1. Don't believe the lies you tell yourself. i.e. "I am unlovable. I am useless. I am dumb." 

2. You are responsible for your own health. Bark at disease.

3. Go after positive people and run from those who bring you down. Nothing ruins your morning coffee more than the not-so-fresh scent of negativity and whining. Quit being with angry people. If you walk out of a room feeling bad after being with these types, don't go back in the room. Pee on their stoop before you leave so you remember not to return.  

4. Exercise. Make no more excuses. Your body was designed to move, not to lie around. Go fetch balls. 

5. Appreciate your health. Embrace forgiveness. Pet someone or let them pet you.

6. Start running after happy puppies and stop chasing the Golden Calf.  If you don't know what that is? 

Google it.




Everyone is helpful and everyone is kind on the road to Shambala.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

 "Actions prove who someone is. Words prove who someone wants to be. On the same token, an honest enemy is much better than a fake friend."

Kemmy Nola







Saturday, September 22, 2012

and your little dog too...

The only purpose of life is to love and be loved. It is the only part of life that has any true meaning... what comes after life is irrelevant if you haven't loved someone other than yourself. Life becomes meaningful (and relevant) when you give love because only then will you understand God, joy and peace. The only afterlife is within the heart-memory of those lucky enough to have been touched by the authentic, loving you.

We all spend our life looking for more and more relevance within or outside of ourselves only to find out that Dorothy was right in the Wizard of Oz all along.

"If I ever look for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than in my own backyard."


You had the power all along.

Friday, September 21, 2012

Mommies: Beware of the grocery store


Exercise and Cancer



By Dr. Mercola
Mounting evidence shows that exercise can not only help cancer patients get well but also help keep their cancer from recurring. Yet, few oncologists tell their patients to engage in exercise beyond their simple daily, normal activities.
And many cancer patients are reluctant to exercise, or even discuss it with their oncologist.
A recent study1 by the Mayo Clinic investigated exercise habits among cancer patients and their clinicians' roles in providing related counseling, and found that:
"Participants overwhelmingly cited usual daily activities as their source of 'exercise.' Symptoms, particularly treatment-related, discouraged participation, with fear of harm being a significant concern only among younger women. Exercise was recognized as important for physical and mental well-being, but seldom as a means to mitigate symptoms.
...Although respondents preferred to receive guidance from their oncologist, none reported receiving more than general encouragement to 'stay active.' A lack of direction was typically accepted as a sanction of their current activity levels. Participants appeared less receptive to guidance from ancillary health professionals."

An Important Conversation You'd Be Wise to Have With Your Oncologist

Fear that exercise might be harmful appears to be largely unfounded, though it's certainly understandable. It can be difficult to be enthusiastic about exercise if you struggle with nausea, fatigue, and other detrimental side effects from the treatment. However, it may be helpful to focus on the benefits you can reap from exercise. For example, research has shown that exercising during and after cancer treatment can:
  • Reduce your risk of dying from cancer
  • Reduce your risk of cancer recurrence
  • Boost energy and minimize the side effects of conventional cancer treatment (see additional listing below)
The fact that most oncologists overlook this vital aspect of their patients' care is highly unfortunate, especially considering how most patients defer to their recommendations. However, it's not unexpected. Conventional doctors are trained to prescribe drugs, not exercise.
Ideally, they'd prescribe exercise in the same manner drugs are prescribed – in specific "doses" and intervals. To do this properly, oncologists would be wise to develop relationships with personal trainers, and prescribe training sessions for their patients. If you have cancer, I would highly recommend discussing exercise with your oncologist, and/or work with a trained fitness professional who can help you devise a safe and effective regimen.

Exercise Needs to Be Part of Standard Cancer Care

A recent report issued by the British organization Macmillan Cancer Support2 argues that exercise really should be part of standard cancer care. It recommends that all patients getting cancer treatment should be told to engage in moderate-intensity exercise for two and a half hours every week, stating that the advice to rest and take it easy after treatment is an outdated view.


This is good news for my OCDexercise lifestyle! Yay!

Wheat Belly continued...


Dr. William Davis interview

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Wheat Belly

ohh, emm gee... I am reading a really good book: Wheat Belly by Dr. William Davis.

 I don't consider myself a musician although some would say so. I am not an artist but some people believe it when they see my paintings.  I certainly don't consider myself a writer, but, God knows, I have the need to share and analyze... if not on paper then perhaps in a conversation with strangers... Blah Blah Blah...

blah blah blah blah...

 With all of those things that I am (or am not) my biggest interest through my life has been in the field of nutrition. This has always been true. Why? I don't know. Amidst all of my "good intentions" for good eating habits, I have had this swollen belly for at least ten years. I'm not a fat woman but am a woman with a soft belly. I have always wanted to be Modigliani, even though I look more like a Rubens, but through the years I have given up my quest for the perfect bod.

Until now. 


Rubens




Modigliani

You're thinking about me naked now, aren't you?


So, through these last ten years, I have been searching as though I am at an archaeological buffet to find out why I have this waistline... the single symptom of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma - still swollen even after the fifteen lb. tumor in my stomach has been killed with chemo. I am hyper. I have the energy of a thirty-five-year-old. I never sit down. I work out like Jack LaLanne (OCDaily)and I eat with nutritious intention. No matter. I have a belly with or without this Spartan lifestyle. "Whiney" the Poo.

After my friend sent me this book,  I felt like Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady.

By George, she's got it.

I have heard about Atkins for years, but never bought the idea of downing a pound of bacon covered with butter and sour cream sounded like a good idea any more than HCG, vegetarian, Fruitarian or the latest Dr. Oz concoction for weight loss. Dr. Atkins has had it right all along, but with a little healthy tweak, it is the perfect way to live. Here's why:

1. Wheat is no longer the same thing as what our great grammies ate.
2. It is modified into something dangerous. (read the book for the details)
3. There is a substance in it that crosses the blood/brain barrier screwing with neurological receptors as though it is LSD.
4. Hence, it is addictive, and makes us feel like we are drugged and sleepy. Anyone been there after pasta  and beer night?
5. It promotes inflammation which is the cause of diabetes, depression, rheumatoid arthritis, immune disorders, acid reflux and cancer. Oh my.
6. It inflames your colon making you unable to assimilate nutrients no matter how well you eat.
7. Finally, it makes you so you are always hungry, insulin resistant and edgy. No amount of food feels like enough... kinda.like.heroin.

Now that I've made your flippin' day, go put that breadstick down.

*sigh*


Wednesday, September 19, 2012

rerro, I reed a rog ralk...

More dog guilt.

Still working on the bod, so I decided to kick up the daily walking to an hour. Who am I? I did pilates, zumba and now this today. I have cancer. I am not supposed to feel this good. No complaints here, I guess.

 I've been taking Maizie an hour a day, but today I just didn't feel like it. I was enjoying a good book, sat in the sun by the pool on this gorgeous fall day. Nevertheless, my dog has gotten used to her chasing squirrels, sniffing critter holes, wrapping her owner around trees and pooping huge piles of dung for owner to pick up with my cute little doggy bags. Ugh. I hate that part.

I will not get out of it today because I have spoiled her rotten. Every time I get up from my chair or come into the kitchen she looks at me and says, "are we goin? Is it time? Are ya takin me? Are we goin?" Pant, pant pant, grrrrrr, pant pant pant... "oh please, oh please... you lazy ass you. Get out of that chair, Sally."

I probably put the end of that in myself, but the dog guilt is just killing my day off.


Tuesday, September 18, 2012

strip down!

1. buy these
2. pee on one of the strips
3. look at the color
4. if you are eating right the strip will be green
5. if you aren't the strip will be yellow


Cancer can't live in an alkaline (most fruits and vegetables) environment.

List of acidic foods:

grains
sugar
artificial sweeteners (use stevia)
coffee
beef
poultry
fish
eggs
booze

(sucks, i know)

(for the record, I eat all of these foods, but down two kale/spinach shakes a day mixed with pineapple, apples etc. Flush your body with nutrients to save your body. If I die too young in a cancerous state, you will know that this didn't work.)





Life was so much easier then.

holy shit...

Prince is following me now on twitter. I have truly arrived as a human.  Kiss me, baby.


Sunday, September 16, 2012

Warning to germ-a-phobes!


Triclosan
In the last couple of decades, triclosan has found its way into soaps, cleaners,toothpastes, and not surprisingly, hand sanitizer, especially non-alcohol-based types.
There are reports that 75% of the US population excretes triclosan in urine because it is so widespread.
The problem with triclosan is that it's antibacterial. On the surface that seems all right, but if you look deeper, it's becoming more associated with bacterialresistance. Thus, we might inadvertently create super-bugs, resistant to antibiotics. Initially, bacteria succumb to triclosan, but there are always a few that are resistant to its effects. Those bacteria are then able to reproduce, despite the triclosan.
It's also associated with being an endocrine-system disruptor. That means human growth and development could be affected by exposure to this particular chemical.

The Verdict

I use hand sanitizers. I am not against them. I am neither a doctor nor a scientist and I haven't personally conducted my own scientific tests to find out everything about these chemicals.
But, I also like to take responsibility for my own health. It's also important to note - again - that other than alcohol and water these chemicals are present in small amounts in hand sanitizers and they are not in every type of sanitizer.
With the prevalence of so many industrial chemicals in water, shampoo, cleaners, and personal hygiene products, I aim to limit my use of hand sanitizers, however. I am not sure how many repeated exposures to these small amounts of chemicals will tip the biological clock to create irregularities in my cellular DNA, but I don't really want to find out.



Alternatives to Hand Sanitizers

  • Regular soap and water. Generations of people have used regular soap and water to clean their hands and have done just fine with it.
  • Use natural products whenever you can.
  • Make your own on-the-go hand sanitizer. Get a little bit of dish soap (preferably fragrance and triclosan-free), add water, shake and you have your cleaner. Bring along some napkins and paper towels and you can clean your hands and other objects like toys, car steering-wheels, and anything else you might need to clean on the go.
  • Use a hand-sanitizer with completely readable ingredients. That is, ingredients that you can readily identify without being a chemistry major. You'll be doing yourself a favor and on the Skin Deep Database, use one that ranks as "0" (the lower the better) in terms of health and environmental concerns.
www.mercola.com

Friday, September 14, 2012

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

chemo-sabby...

So, today I had the grands (all three) from around 2-6pm. I wasn't going to take the baby (2) but those little doe eyes looking at me were convincing as she put her shoes on herself saying, "me, come?"

I had no choice.

I wasn't sure what I was going to do with them but decided that one thing I know is... children, and sometimes seven of them happy is so much better than three of them bored. So, I proceeded to go across the street and rustle up even more children their age as well as one older (for the baby, of course).

genius.

I suggested that they go in the backyard and look for American Indian artifacts since Indiana had to have had Indians living here at one time or other. Right. Well okay... whatever. I never laughed so hard (to myself) at my lunacy. We have these huge trees behind our house so I told them there were many, many 'artifacts' there but they needed to look carefully. After two hours, they came up with feathers, firewood, old toys, ribbons and used candy wrappers. I came up with a halfway decent story for every single one and they bought it all - even the fourth grader. My favorite find was the 'fossil' cooking utensil, which was really part of a bike tire.

more genius.

As I giggled to myself watching their eagerness, my four year-old granddaughter said... "I'm not so sure I like those woods, Non. Those Indians might still be there watching us in the trees."

Hilarious, but all seven of them had a ball.


Sunday, September 9, 2012

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

hungry much?

After a two year loan to the United States, David is being returned to Italy.