Where Did The Time Go?

By Lisa Baker

Has anyone really looked at the calendar today?  Where did January go?  Here we are one month into 2019.  Time goes by so fast.  I talked to Dad this morning on the phone; it was hard to understand all that he said.  From what I could piece together, he is tired of sitting around and no one coming to visit him.  I tried to explain to him that both my husband and I have been sick.  He told me he has never had a cold, and that shouldn’t stop us from coming to see him.  He wants to see Mom and go to his house.  He thinks he can stay by himself.  He wants to walk in the yard and in the road so he can go wherever he wants.

He thinks that no one watches him at the facility.  It doesn’t matter how many times you try to tell him that staff watches him, he can no longer comprehend that he cannot be alone and that he is being watched.  He cannot communicate because he can’t verbalize what he wants to say.  He repeats words over and over thinking that he is completing his thoughts.  Dad will never again be able to be alone.

Right now, Mom seems to be doing OK.  She has been a little dizzy and has had some pain lately, but she seems to be settling in at her new facility.

I want you to sit down and think about this: you can’t speak clearly, and you can’t remember which words to use to express your thoughts.  You feel so isolated and alone because you are having huge communication issues.  Can you begin to understand how a dementia patient feels? How about the family that is trying so hard to keep their loved one at home? At this point, it doesn’t matter if they are in a facility or at home.  If they are at home, you or someone must be with them 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you have no help, you start to feel like you are losing your mind too.

Now imagine you are married.  Your spouse works outside the home.  You have to care for your children, keep up with your house work, prepare meals, wash clothes, and help your kids with homework. Now add a loved one with dementia to the mix.  Imagine they are at a point where they don’t want to bathe or eat. If you thought you had your hands full before, you were dreaming.  You are very quickly wearing yourself out.  You need help. Is it any wonder that caregivers for a loved one with dementia stand a very high chance of getting it themselves?

So what are you going to do?

Give up yourself completely? Find extra help who you will have to pay? Start looking at long term care facilities? The answers to all these questions and many more vary from person to person and family to family.

I do not have all the answers, right or wrong.  I can only do what’s best at the moment for myself and my parents.  What can I tell you then?  Well for me, I almost immediately made an appointment with my doctor.  I had no idea just how bad things could be, but I knew I would need help for me.  I knew I needed to be very honest with my doctor about my physical health as well as my mental health.

I knew that the stress of everything could be very high, but I also knew that I needed help.  I needed someone who I could share all the burdens and business of having both parents with a dementia diagnosis.  While I do have both of my brothers, I knew I needed someone else with some medical experience to help me with things.  My sister-in-law was a perfect choice.  She has medical experience which makes it so much easier when we have to split up with one of us with Mom and one of us with Dad.  We set up a group text between my sister-in-law, both my brothers, and myself, so we could communicate effectively to each other about both parents. Early on, I mentioned that my parents had their wills already done and their POA financial and medical already picked.  All their legal paperwork was in order.

Even with that, you need a human support system. I don’t see how anyone can do this without help.

What other things can you do? Look at the questions below.  Sit down with your loved one NOW and go through these.  Write their answers down or better yet, video record them and their answers.  You may think it’s not important now, but later you will wish you had done this.  Sometimes you don’t realize just how much is gone until you start thinking about the things you can never go back and ask your loved one because they are too far in the dementia process to be able to remember.

This disease takes so much away from us all even before your loved one dies.

Sorry folks, I’ve been pretty deep in thought about the process and how we’ve already lost so much of Mom and Dad even before they pass.  You start realizing you can’t just ask them the things you used to because they don’t remember.

Strive each and every day to make as many memories as you can.  Take lots of pictures.  Journal about your loved ones as well as yourself.  You never know if the day will come, so you will be so thankful that you did.

 

The Importance of a “Best Girlfriend” No Matter Your Age

By Janet Prince

Women need to have a “best girlfriend” just as much as younger girls do.  You know, the type of friend you can call on at any time day or night and know she will be there for you.  I am very blessed to have several “girlfriends” in my life.

Recently, my best friend sat with my daughters while I had surgery and then helped them get me home and settled.  Gary was away on his “bucket list trip,” so it was up to the girls to take care of me until he returned.  Then, she was with me again on the day of our daughter’s wedding rehearsal and dinner when I had to go back to surgery.  We were supposed to be spending that day decorating for the wedding, not at the surgery center, but thankfully I was able to attend both the rehearsal dinner and the wedding!

Back to my best friend, Susan.  She always takes the time to pitch in and help me, and she is always there when I call.  She has prayed for me through many surgeries and challenges over the past 18 years.  I honestly don’t know what I would do without her in my corner.  Because I don’t have any sisters, I am thankful that God brought us together all those years ago at the MOM program at Holland Avenue Baptist Church.  We have watched each other’s children grow into young adults and teenagers and have shared many special events in the kids’ lives.  We are “family” in every sense of the word.

I also have my best girlfriends in GFWC-SC.  I am blessed and very fortunate to have four women in my life who I know are there for me and lift me up when I am feeling down.  When the decorations needed to go up for the wedding, Jackie was there with her husband helping Ashlan’s new mother-in-law, Marsha, and Gary make everything perfect.  Jackie and Tammy gave a wonderful brunch for Ashlan and her bridesmaids which I didn’t get to attend.  Tammy also helped the bridal party put makeup on the flower girls and made sure they looked beautiful. Most importantly, Jackie, Laurie, Marian, and Tammy weren’t only there to witness Ashlan’s marriage to Joe, but also to show their love and support for me.  The “Fab-Four” are my travel companions when attending GFWC conventions and board meetings.  We enjoy the meetings, but we more so enjoy the time we get to spend together talking and laughing.  We are true “girlfriends” in our hearts.

I hope you all are as blessed as I am with those special “girlfriends” in your life.  If you are, let them know how much your relationship means to you.  Plan a day of shopping, going to a play, or trying your hand at a new craft.  Make it fun and enjoy the laughs you have together!

Those Wintertime Blues

By: Marianna Boyce

Have you checked in on your friends and family lately?  It’s important to ask those close to us how they’re doing periodically, especially after the holidays.  We never know what someone is going through.  They may seem fine on the outside but could be experiencing sadness and chaos on the inside.

Speaking of sadness, have you ever heard about symptoms of seasonal affective disorder or SAD?  Our shortened winter days make for very long nights.  You are most likely affected if you start to feel sad or depressed in late fall carrying through the winter.  We crave more daylight hours and can hardly wait until Daylight Savings Time begins.  This year, the day for those wintertime blues to magically disappear is March 10, 2019.

According to mayoclinic.org, symptoms of seasonal affective disorder are as follows:

• Feeling depressed most of the day, nearly every day✅
• Losing interest in activities once enjoyed✅
• Having problems sleeping✅
• Changes in appetite and weight✅
• Having very low energy✅
• Easily agitated✅
• Difficulty concentrating✅
• Feeling of hopelessness or unworthiness✅

I immediately recognized all these symptoms, but not for seasonal affective disorder.  Instead, I recognized them in relation to rheumatoid arthritis (RA).  Add daily chronic intense joint pain to this list and VOILA!  That was me in 2016!  Who knew?  Not me!  I was totally blindsided and clueless.  It took about a year and a half but with the help of a great rheumatologist here at LMC, I am feeling somewhat better.

Words cannot describe the difficulty one deals with when something so mentally and physically draining leaves such a lingering adverse effect.  Whether it was SAD or solely RA, these symptoms changed my psyche to the core.  I had to delve deep to bring about self-help and healing to my body, soul, and mind.

If you need only a long sunshiny perfect spring day to uplift your spirit, you have a little longer to wait.  In the meantime, try these simple home remedies to help in your quest for a quick pick me up.

• Open all your blinds during the day. Make your environment brighter and “sun shinier.”
• Exercise regularly, even if it’s only 10-15 minutes. A mid morning walk would be perfect!  Outdoor light is beneficial, even on a cloudy day.
• Consider eating your lunch outside on milder days. Living in South Carolina, chances are, that could be often!
• Make minor changes in your routine. This may be enough to carry you through those wintertime blues.

For me, I chose my reliance and personal relationship with God to guide me through my horrible experience with RA.  It was never easy, especially when I felt like God was so far away.  It turns out, He was there the entire time.  Looking back, He was blatantly obvious.

You may choose to seek help with your general or mental health doctor;  this is also a great idea.  My point being, do whatever is necessary in order to just get help, especially if you are depressed and have the last symptom listed for SAD:

• Thoughts of death or suicide.

I can honestly say I have never experienced this thought, but if you do, you need the most urgent attention!  Awareness is key.  If you or a loved one are having thoughts of suicide, please seek help immediately!  “It’s okay to not be okay.”

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

1-800-273-TALK (8255)

suicidepreventionlifeline.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

Support Groups for Breast Cancer Patients

Lexington Medical Center offers a number of support groups for patients with cancer. Meeting with fellow cancer patients and families can help alleviate stress and depression, and educate families about their cancer journey. The support groups are also free for anyone to attend, even if they did not receive their cancer treatment at Lexington Medical Center.

The first group is called “Coping with Cancer Together.” It’s for anyone diagnosed with cancer and meets at the hospital on Wednesday mornings.

The second group is “Sharing Hope.” It’s for women with recurrent or metastatic breast cancer. With the group run by a Lexington Medical Center breast cancer nurse navigator, patients gather and draw support from others.

This month, WLTX came to a Sharing Hope meeting to learn more about how the group helps patients. Here is the story.

Sharing Hope

Our Lucky Collards

By Shannon Boatwright

It’s the new year, and we’re all eager to kick start our year with positive thoughts, wishes and goals of good health, abundant happiness, and financial security. One of my traditions is to cook a new year meal that “promotes” and “represents” all these things. Black eyed peas, collards, pork chops/ham, cornbread, and grapes are the staples for our good luck meal. My favorite is the collards. I always like to buy my collards from local farmers: they’re the best, the real deal, and even the most affordable.

 

Over the years, family members and friends have taught me all sorts of tips and tricks to making the best collards ever. These tricks range from making sure to wash the collards 3 times (I wash mine 4 times and use some vinegar when I do the last two washes), to cutting the collards into the shape of dollar bills (I like to pretend mine are $100 bills), to putting chunks of ham in the collards as they cook.

I like to cook two batches. For one (my favorite), I just use chicken broth, good ole Lawry’s seasoning, fresh garlic cloves, salt, and pepper. This year we actually had some leftover ham, so I put some ham chunks in as they cooked to add to the flavor. The other batch I make super spicy, with pepper, crushed red pepper, garlic salt, and whatever our favorite hot sauce is at the time –whether it’s Sriracha hot sauce or Tapatio’s hot sauce.  The collards are always my favorite part of the meal because it’s something I typically end up cooking literally only once a year.

This year I scored a total win with my parents. I actually got my Dad, who has always claimed to not care for any cooked greens, to try my collards. I had to do a little convincing, but he loves spicy things, and I think when he saw my spicy collards cooking, he couldn’t resist. Let’s just say, I got him to come around, and he officially admitted that he likes my collards! Plus, my Mama declared that my regular collards were the best she’d ever had!

Though there has been a bit of a collards shortage this year due to the hurricanes and cold weather, you can still find some. And guess what, if you didn’t get your good luck new year meal in yet, it’s still January, so you’ve got time! I’d love to hear about any cool, good luck foods you and your family eat to bring in the new year, so do share!

Here’s to a new year full of wealth! Wealth in health, happiness, and money!

Hank-Dog

by Tina Michelle Cameron

In October 2017, my son Hunter and his friend saw a puppy running down a busy street in Rock Hill, SC. My son was a senior at the time at Winthrop University living in a fraternity house, so the last thing he needed was a dog. Well, he showed up the night before Thanksgiving with this precious surprise that I knew nothing about. He named him Hank Williams, Jr. (he did spend 3 weeks posting flyers, taking him to be scanned for a chip, and looking for the owner without luck).

My first thought was “no.” Then this sweet dog came into the den to meet me and my other dogs and proceeded within a minute to mark his territory on my cloth chair in the den. That put another “no” in my mind. I am so thankful that my son was able to save this poor puppy from being hit from a car or put into a bad person’s hands. After spending Thanksgiving with him, I was in love. My son understood the responsibility of having a dog, and since he was a student without a job, I agreed to help him pay for the dog’s needs. Hank is a Beagle-German Shepherd mix and was 8 months old when he was rescued off the street.

Fast forward to June 2018 and having to put my beloved Haley, my older Yorkie, to sleep.

My other Yorkie, Peyton, became extremely depressed and would not eat or drink. My son suggested that I keep Hank for a week or two while he finished his summer job before moving to Charleston for graduate school. Peyton was not too happy at first, but they eventually started playing a little here and there. I decided that when Hunter started grad school, it would be best if Hank stayed with me to let him get adjusted with a school schedule. Plus, Charleston apartment rentals are expensive and even more so with a pet. He reluctantly agreed. Hank’s bark is rather loud, and he needs a backyard for the space to run and chase squirrels and birds and just be a dog.

Hank has settled in nicely at my home, and now he and Peyton have a love-hate relationship. She is 6 years older than him and is still suffering from depression from losing her best friend Haley. For the most part, she loves playing with him; however, he never slows down. He is 90 miles an hour, wide-open 24/7. I wish I knew the story of his first 8 months. My heart tells me he was abused because when you go to pet him on his head, he cowers down like you are going to hit him. This breaks my heart. He is the sweetest, craziest (sometimes most annoying) dog, but he has brought joy to my home.

His favorite play time is 3 a.m. every single morning—nudging me in the face with his toy all while standing on my stomach. Peyton and Hank both suffer from separation anxiety which is a challenge, but they comfort each other by snuggling is his large crate when I leave.

I am so proud of my son for saving this poor, scared dog, and even though Hank can be a handful at times, I love his sweet hugs and puppy kisses, and I love that he and Peyton are best buddies. Here are some pictures of Hank and Peyton- enjoy!

 

 

Once Upon a Time…

By Rhonda Woods

Hello Everyone!

“Once upon a time…” is a game my granddaughters like to play while riding with me.  We all take turns adding to the story, and as you can imagine, their stories always include a mermaid or princess.  What fun and memories we are making!  The older three were with me this past weekend for some Nana spoiling.  The sleepover included running, squealing, laughing, playing, and ice cream cones.  I even took them bowling.  Yep, that’s right, I took them bowling by myself!  Adventurous, right?  None of this would have been possible without my constant prayers for peace and God’s merciful grace answering those prayers.  I have faith that my life story will have a ” …. and she lived happily ever after” page.

My family, friends, and students have been happy to see me as I once was- energetic, confident, and “large and in charge!”  With two weeks of school left in the first semester, my tasks included finishing up quizzes, tests, and exams and a faculty/staff lunch.  The students stayed busy helping me freshen up the commercial kitchen for the new semester and preparing foods for practice labs.  Between the two classes, the students made Waffle Iron Brownies, Cinnamon Rolls, Buttermilk Biscuits, Chocolate Covered Strawberry or Red Velvet Cheesecake Bites, Shrimp Scampi, Crab Cakes with Red Pepper Remoulade, and Low Country Boil.  I bound their final projects: a cookbook complied of recipes used during the 18-week course. It was a proud moment for both the students and I when I handed each of them their own personal creation.  Most will keep this special memento for years to come and will use the prized standardized recipes.  Former students from my 18-year culinary arts instructing career still have theirs and keep in touch.  I thank God several times a day for this peace and renewed spirit that makes life enjoyable again after a year and a half of sadness, anxiety, exhaustion, and overcoming regrets.

So, let me share some of the recipes prepared by my students the past two weeks.  I hope you will enjoy them as much as they did.

May God bless you and your family as He continues to bless ours.

 Chef Woods

Cheese Cake Bites

Yields 30-36

Tools and Utensils:

• Gallon-sized plastic freezer bag or food processor with blade
• Large metal spoon
• Medium mixing bowl
• ½ sized sheet pan
• Waxed/parchment paper
• Measuring spoons
• Microwavable container
• Fork

Ingredients:

• 1 lb sandwich cookies (30 large cookies)
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 8-12 oz. chocolate candy coating, (bark), melted
• Garnishes (as needed):
• Chopped nuts, sprinkles, melted white chocolate

For Chocolate Covered Red Velvet Cheesecake Bites: 

• 20 oz. vanilla sandwich cookies
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1 T cocoa powder
• 1.5 t. butter flavoring
• 2 t. red food coloring
• 10 oz. chocolate candy coating, (bark), melted

For Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cheesecake Bites: 

• 1 lb vanilla sandwich cookies
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1 T. + 2 t. sugar free strawberry jello mix
• 1 t. strawberry extract
• 8 oz. chocolate candy coating, (bark), melted

Procedure:

1. In a food processor or gallon freezer bag, crush sandwich cookies to make crumbs.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine cookie crumbs and cream cheese to form soft dough.
3. Line a half-sized sheet pan with waxed/parchment paper.
4. Portion dough into 30-36 pieces with a tablespoon.
5. Roll each portion into balls.
6. Place formed dough on the waxed paper lined pan, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze until firm.
7. In a double boiler, or microwave, melt chocolate candy coating.
8. Dip chilled cheesecake bites in the melted chocolate and place back on waxed paper lined pan.
9. Sprinkle with optional chopped nuts or sprinkles before the chocolate hardens, or drizzle with melted white chocolate.
10. Place the finished cheesecake bites in mini muffin papers.
11. Refrigerate finished cheesecake bites in a covered container until ready to serve.

Waffle Iron Brownies

Tools and Utensils:

• Waffle Iron
• Medium mixing bowl
• Small mixing bowl
• Small microwavable bowl
• Dry measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Whisk

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ c. Flour
• ¼ c. Cocoa
• ¾ c. Sugar
• ¼ t. Salt
• 2 Eggs
• 1 T. Water
• ½ c. Melted margarine
•  1 t. Vanilla
• Pan spray
• Toppings:
  • Ice cream,
  • Chocolate or Caramel Syrup,
  • Powdered Sugar or Whipped Cream/topping,
  • Maraschino Cherries

Procedure:

1. Preheat Waffle Iron to 350°
2. In a medium mixing bowl, measure and combine flour, cocoa, sugar, and salt.
3. In a small mixing bowl, measure and combine eggs, water, melted margarine, and vanilla.
4. Stir liquid ingredient mixture into the dry ingredient mixture, until smooth with a whisk.
5. Lightly spray waffle iron with pan spray.
6. Portion batter on the griddle, ¼- ½ c., depending on the size of your waffle iron.
7. Bake the brownie batter for 1 minute or until firm enough to remove.
8. Server warm with the suggested topping.

 

Happy New Year

By Lisa Baker

I hope everyone had a very happy start to their New Year.  My husband and I did not do any special celebrating.  I had to work New Year’s Eve while he was off, and he had to work New Year’s Day while I was off, so the New Year slipped in while we both slept.

We got Mom moved into her new facility.  It is an assisted living facility in Batesburg.  She looks happy in the picture.  She still thinks that she has to check on Dad every day, so we have to tell her that he is fine, and that the staff at his facility are taking care of him.  We remind her that we will take her to visit him every so often so she can see for herself that he is fine.

My sister-in-law, Stefanie, went by to see her a couple of days after she moved in.  She made a point to peek in the window to see what she was doing before entering.  Mom was sitting with a group of ladies, and they were all talking and laughing and looked like they were having a good time together.  It feels good to see her happy.  Yet if you ask her, she will still say she doesn’t like it there.  Sometimes you just have to laugh.  Especially when you can tell by watching that she is indeed enjoying herself.

Dad is doing OK.  He has gone downhill, and you can tell by trying to talk with him.  He will just look at you when you talk with him as if he can’t really understand what you are saying.  He still seems to know us and will call us by name which is a blessing.  He has become a little steadier in his balance and walking.

I’m not sure if he is missing Mom a lot or not.  I guess only time will tell.  The doctor is changing his medication a bit and will keep a check on him to see if this helps.

Our lives continue to change.  It seems like not much settles down for a while before something else happens, so we are really hoping with the New Year that things will settle down some.

Right now, we each try to see Mom and Dad as often as we can.  For me, this past week has been very busy at work, so I haven’t gone by as much as I would have liked.  Therefore, I’ve made a few phone calls to check on them both.

In other family news, my son, Justin, and his beautiful wife, Rachel, are expecting their first baby in May. At their last doctor appointment, they found it’s going to be a boy.

They are very excited, and so am I.  Out of all our grandchildren, this one will be local to us, so let the loving and spoiling begin.  I can’t wait!

So, I’ll leave you all for now.  I’m sure I’ll have lots more to tell you in my next blog post.

Remember to make memories while you can and enjoy each day!

 

Four Reviews

By Rachel Sircy

When I last wrote, I was beginning a series of New Year’s resolutions- the first of which was to actually keep a symptom/food journal. So, I thought that this time I would go over my progress so far. If I’m being honest, it’s been pretty hit and miss. I thought I’d share a few of the methods I’ve tried for anyone out there who may need some fresh ideas on how to track their own food consumption and symptoms. I am still experimenting and have yet to come to a perfect solution, but here’s what I’ve tried so far:

Food/Symptom Tracking Apps (I have an iPhone. I’m not sure if/how all of these apps will work on other kinds of phones. I’m not really good with technology myself, but this advice should help you if you’re an Apple user.)

1. Lose It! – this is technically a weight-loss app, but to me, this is the easiest food tracking app out there. Most of its important functions come with the free version of the app. I’ve never really seen any need to purchase a subscription, although if you are really interested in tracking how much water you drink and getting weight-loss suggestions, then purchasing the full version of the app might be a good idea. The thing that I like about this app is that you can tell that a LOT of people already use it and pretty much any food that you can think of (including most items from major brands and restaurant menus) has already been logged by someone. I am incredibly lazy and not very technologically savvy, and I hate looking up the calories on a food I’m eating. Most foods I put in there already have been put in the app, and someone else has already done the research for me. Also, this app has a scanner which recognizes almost all the food items that I scan. You can also track the exercises that you do in a day and for a big rush of endorphins, save that for last and watch your calorie count drop. That always makes me feel good.

Keep in mind that it’s not a perfect app for celiac because it doesn’t have a place to track your symptoms (again, it’s made for weight-loss), but the ease of use can help you at least take down the foods that you’ve eaten even on really busy days. For that, it’s worth having on your phone.

2. Cara – This app is very intensely detailed, allowing you to take pictures of the foods you’ve eaten and allows you to (as far as I can tell) group certain foods together as “ingredients” to create “dishes.” The advantage of this is that if you make the same meal often, you can just choose the dish, but you still have a list of every single thing in that dish. This app also allows you to track your symptoms, bowel movements (yeah, I thought the BM tracker made me feel a little uncomfortable, but if you have intense gut issues – like most celiac/gluten intolerant people do – then it is undeniably useful), medications, moods, menstrual cycles, exercises, and sleep. The app also has a feature that allows you to export your data into PDF, CSV, and web files so that you can potentially share this information with your doctor. This is important in my book, and it’s what makes this app worth having.

I frankly couldn’t keep up with this app. I don’t necessarily mind tracking all of that stuff, but being the Luddite that I am, I prefer not to do it on my phone. I somehow find it more difficult to track things on the computer or on my phone than in a notebook, but I think I’m sort of the odd duck out in that respect. I think most people these days usually prefer to track stuff electronically, and if you’re into detail, then this app is for you. This app is also free, which is a huge plus.

3. Symple – This app seems well worth your while if you are experiencing continuing symptoms even after going on a gluten free diet. The trial version of this app allows you to track up to five symptoms and factors (that is, anything that could be causing your symptoms) daily. The app then compiles this data into graphs and even has a feature that allows you to send the information to a laptop or desktop computer where you can print out reports for your doctor. That fact alone makes me think that this is probably the best app for anyone who has a food allergy or intolerance and for anyone who thinks they may have an allergy/intolerance. I truly believe that sharing with your doctor is important, and I would urge everyone out there not to be a lone wolf about any illness. You can and should get help. The trial version of this app is pretty basic, but for $6.99 you can get the full version. Really, for this kind of technology, I think $6.99 is a pretty reasonable price.

The drawback to this app is that it is not a food tracking app, although you can list gluten free food as one of your factors, you can’t list other foods- just “gluten free food.” If you choose to upgrade, however, there is a journal feature, and you can take and store up to 10 photos per day, so you could potentially keep your food log in that way. The “doctor’s report” feature on this app allows you to include journal entries that you have tagged, which would allow you to include your food journal with the graph of your symptoms.

Again, I’m not someone who is good with technology, so I didn’t pay for the upgrade of this app because I really didn’t feel that I would use it. This is what I bought instead:

Health Journals

4. Health Journal: Discover Food Intolerances and Allergies                 

Yeah, most people my age (that is early to mid-thirties) are probably shaking their heads in shame at me, but I really prefer the old-fashioned method of writing stuff down on paper. I purchased this journal, just called Health Journal: Discover Food Intolerances and Allergies, from Amazon for $12.99. It seems to be made by a small company, and it is geared specifically to tracking food allergy and intolerance symptoms. These are the sample pages from the journal (You didn’t really think I was going to shame myself by taking pics of my personal food logs, did you?):

I like the fact that this journal not only allows you to track what you’ve eaten and your symptoms, but also other factors which might be causing the symptoms, like the weather or other common irritants like household cleaners. When your immune system is haywire, it can be hard to track down what is really triggering an immune response, and I thought that these features were really helpful. There are also places to track your blood pressure, blood sugar, water intake, weight, and exercise, so this can work for your overall health and also can help you if you’re trying to lose weight. In the back of the book, there is a Health Information section which includes the subsections: Medical Tests, Medical History, Notes and Questions, and a Symptoms Glossary.

One drawback to this book is that the binding is pretty stiff, and it makes it difficult to write in. One fellow Amazon purchaser showed a picture of where he had taken the book to a copy shop and had it spiral bound for a few bucks, which might not be a bad idea if you, like me, really prefer pen and paper to all this technology. The other downside to this book is that while you have paper reports in front of you, you’ll have to find a way to copy these for your doctor. Perhaps your doctor will recruit some poor nurse or office associate to do the copying for your while you’re in talking to the doc, but it’s an added difficulty.

Well, I hope these little reviews will help some of you out there looking for ways to improve your health in the coming year. Good luck!

 

 

New Year…New You…No Dieting!

By Marianna Boyce

I hope everyone had a great start to the new year!  Hopefully, if you made any resolutions, you will keep them much longer than I ever did.  If you read my last LMC post, “D-I-E-T…That Dirty Four Letter Word,” you already know I swore fad diets off forever.  I chose the whole lifestyle change instead.

I simply started by cutting my calorie intake.  I continued eating the food I was normally eating, just much less of it.  What a novel idea!  When I lost five pounds in a few weeks, I was surprised and excited all at the same time!  This pushed me to go a step further.

I had to make myself accountable in some way so I downloaded a calorie counting app on my device.  I measured everything for a couple of weeks just until I was confident in the portion sizes I should be eating.  On days I exceeded my calorie allowance, I logged everything anyway!  Seeing the overage in calories ALWAYS encouraged me to make better choices the following day.

Helpful hints…

• Download any free calorie counting app of your choice. I personally like the “Lose It” app.
• When entering your personal information, set your goal weight 10 lbs lower than your actual weight. Losing 10 lbs is obtainable for anyone.  Set new goals as you reach each one.  “Inch by inch, anything’s a cinch.”
• Log all food and drinks…even one itty bitty Hershey Kiss. (22 calories by the way)
• Eat only enough to keep from being hungry. Fueling your body throughout the day makes for a good experience which is how it’s supposed to be.  You should never be hungry, but you should also never be “stuffed”.
• Drink plenty of water! It has zero calories!
• Don’t go back for seconds.
• If you love salad, load up on lettuce, carrots, cucumbers etc. Eliminate or go easy on cheese, bacon bits and croutons.  Choose wisely on dressing.  Don’t go overboard if you choose the creamy ones.
• If you love bread and dessert, don’t cut them out completely, just cut the portion at least by half.
• If you somehow find yourself at Rush’s or McDonalds, choose a smaller burger and skip the fries.
• Always have healthy snacks available at home and work. One ingredient snacks such as grapes, bananas, apples, almonds, pistachios, or boiled eggs are good.  Any of these, plus a glass of water should be enough to satisfy.  (Unless you have a food allergy to them.)
• Eat or drink protein if possible. Protein makes you feel full.
• If you like chips, buy the individual small bags of baked chips. They are more expensive but they are pre-measured and only average 150 calories per bag.  Limit yourself to one.  You’re at least getting to eat chips!  How cool is that?
• If you walk or exercise, log that in also. This will credit more calories to your account for the day.
• Your goal is staying below your calorie allowance. This is when weight loss will occur.
• Weigh once a week in the morning before you eat or drink anything. Don’t be afraid to step on that horrible scale!  If you are serious about this method, it won’t be long you’ll be happy to step on that wonderful scale.  (Yes, I just said that!)
• Don’t beat yourself up over a bad day. Log it all in, get over it, and move on to the next day.  Don’t EVER wait until the following week.  Your progress is worth more than tossing it out the window for one bad day.  It’s going to happen, but this should never derail your plan.

 If your goal is to lose weight and keep it off, stop “dieting”.  It’s easy getting started.  Simply cut down on what you’re currently eating.  If you are under the care of a physician and on a specialized diet, stick with your doctor’s plan.

Take a week or two to familiarize yourself with your new app.  Logging will get quicker.  This app will begin to remember your favorites so be patient.  If you don’t like logging, do it for three months.  Once you know your limits, you can discontinue logging but keep eating wisely.  I’m the type of person that needs to keep track.

I have lost 10 lbs since October.  This time span includes 2 family reunions, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.  My clothes are fitting much better already.  One photo is me this past summer at 155 lbs.  The other is me at 145 lbs which is where I am currently.  My goal is 135 lbs.  This is where my body is at its optimum.

Some may need to lose more and some less.  Regardless of gender and if given a fair shake, this can potentially create a HAPPY NEW YOU for all of 2019, and even beyond.  This is what works for me.  I would love to hear what works best for you.