Did You Know?

Did You Know?

1.

Your  shoes are the first thing people subconsciously

notice  about you. Wear nice shoes.

2.

If  you sit for more than 11 hours a day,

there's  a 50% chance you'll die within the next 3 years

3.

There  are at least 6 people in the world who look exactly  like you.

There's  a 9% chance that you'll meet one of them in  your lifetime.

4.

Sleeping  without a pillow reduces back pain

and  keeps your spine stronger.

5.

A  person’s height is determined by their father,

and  their weight is determined by their mother.

6.

If a  part of your body "falls asleep", you can almost always "wake  it up" by shaking your head.

7.

There  are three things the human brain cannot resist noticing -  food, attractive people and danger

8.

Right-handed  people tend to chew food on their right side

9.

Putting  dry tea bags in gym bags or smelly shoes

will  absorb the unpleasant odor.

10.

According  to Albert Einstein;

if  honey bees were to disappear from earth,

humans  would be dead within 4 years.

11.

There  are so many kinds of apples,

that  if you ate a new one every day,

it  would take over 20 years to try them all.

12.

You  can survive without eating for weeks,

but  you will only live 11 days without sleeping.

13.

People  who laugh a lot are healthier than those who don’t.

14.

Laziness  and inactivity kills just as many people as smoking.

15.

A  human brain has a capacity to store 5 times

as  much information as Wikipedia

16.

Our  brain uses the same amount of power

as a  10-watt light bulb!!

17.

Our  body gives enough heat in 30 minutes

to  boil 1.5 liters of water!!

18.

The  Ovum egg is the largest cell

and  the sperm is the smallest cell !!

19.

Stomach  acid (concentrated HCl) is strong enough

to  dissolve razor blades!!

20.

Take  a 10-30 minute walk every day & while you walk,

.

It is  the ultimate antidepressant.

21.

Sit  in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.

22.

When  you wake up in the morning,

think about your purpose and goal, today.

23.

Eat  more foods that grow on trees and plants

and  eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

24.

Drink  green tea and plenty of water.

Eat  blueberries, broccoli, and almonds.

25.

Try  to make at least three people smile each day.

26.

Don't  waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires,

issues  of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control.

Instead  invest your energy in the positive present moment.

27.

Eat  breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince

and  dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

28.

Life  isn't fair, but it's still good.

29.

*Life  is too short to waste time hating anyone.

Forgive  everyone for everything!

30.

*Don't  take yourself so seriously.

No  one else does.

31.

*You  don't have to win every argument.

Agree  to disagree.

32.

*Make  peace with your past

  so  it won't spoil the present.

33.

*Don't  compare your life to others.

You  have no idea what their journey is all about.

34.

No  one is in charge of your happiness

-  except you.

35.

Frame  every so-called disaster with these words:

'In  five years, will this matter?'

36.

Help  the needy, be generous!

Be a  'Giver' not a 'Taker'

37.

What  other people think of you

- is  none of your business.

38.

Time  heals everything.

39.

*However  good or bad a situation is,

it  will change.

40.

Your  job won't take care of you when you are sick.

Your  family and friends will. Stay in touch.

41.

Envy  is a waste of time.

You  already have all you need.

42.

Each  night before you go to bed,

 be thankful for what you accomplished today !

43.

Remember  that you are too blessed to be stressed.

Happy Father's Day to all!

Smooth Sailing!

I don’t know about you, but when I’m looking good on the outside and when I can fit into my skinny jeans and only when the best hairdresser in the world makes me look great (my son)……………..my day seems to go more smoothly and I can handle setbacks more easily.  But, my hair only looks good when I go to Boston where my son lives and he works his magic on my hair.

When you feel good on the outside, it helps handle the daily grind.  But, tackling challenges is much easier and more dramatic when you feel good about yourself on the inside as well.

A strong self-worth builds personal resilience, which helps you face challenges and bounce back from adversity. You grow stronger from the inside out, and feel the confidence to persevere and move forward with enthusiasm.

WW

So when things go wrong, don’t reach for your credit card like I used to do to find a great pair of good looking shoes!  I guess I lost interest in those "hot" looking shoes since my chubby, swollen, painful feet no longer can wear them.  LOL

I have no choice but to reach inside for that priceless deposit of self-worth.  It's smooth sailing everytime!

Had my annual eye exam yesterday.  My appointment was at 2:00 PM and I got home after 6:00 PM.  They confused my file with another lady named, Rose!  Ugh!  Need I say more about my day?  Don't get me started with the medical field and their staff!

Before I was a Mom!

Before I was a Mom -

I slept as late as I wanted and never worried about how late I got into bed. I brushed my hair and my teeth everyday.

Before I was a Mom -
I cleaned my house each day. I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby. I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous. I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom -
I had never been puked on - Pooped on - Spit on - Chewed on, or Peed on. I had complete control of my mind and My thoughts. I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom -
I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could do tests...or give shots. I never looked into teary eyes and cried. I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin. I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom -
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down. I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt. I never knew that something so small could affect my life 
so much. I never knew that I could love someone so much. I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom -
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body. I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby. I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child. I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important.

Before I was a Mom -
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay. I had never known The warmth, The joy, The love, The heartache, The wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom. I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom.

Life Isn't A Nursery Rhyme!

I have not posted on my blog in a while as I have been sitting in doctor’s offices/ appointments with Specialists and many, many tests taken, MRIs, CT scans, Echocardiograms, Breathing Tests in that tiny booth for an hour of breathing tests, X-rays, tons and tons of blood work, etc.  Boy, the co- payments for all these were draining my wallet.

The diagnosis is Rheumatoid Arthritis with overlapping Scleroderma! I'm currently on Predisone which is a harsh drug and gives you a Moon Face and a hump at the nape of your neck!  Ugh!  I've been on this drug since February and can't wait to be weened off of it soon. R/A is bad enough but Scleroderma turns your body into stone and can affect all the major internal organs such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, etc.

I complained for 8 long months to my Primary Care doctor that I was in extreme pain and unable to even dress myself or raise my hands above my head.  My hands and feet were swollen really bad.  I also was experiencing difficulty swallowing.  I learned to continue to speak up until my doctor heard my pain loud and clear!  You have to continue to speak up when you have problems and notice changes in your condition, don't feel too self-conscious to speak up during your appointment or even call your doctor or another member of your health care team.

No problem is too small to inquire about, and early treatment for any problem can make the disease more manageable for you and your health care team.

It's understandable that a person with a chronic illness like Rheumatoid Arthritis/Scleroderma would become depressed.  I try hard not to accept depression as a normal consequence of my condition.  If depression makes it hard for you to function well, don't hesitate to ask your health care team for help.

I think it is a must to learn skills like meditation, calming exercises, and relaxation techniques may help you cope with emotional difficulties as well as help relieve pain and fatigue.

If you have problems doing daily activities, from brushing your hair and teeth to driving your car like I was going thru, consult an occupational or physical therapist. They have more helpful hints and devices than you can probably imagine.

Of course, we all resort to our computers to do research as the doctors will not spend the time with you to explain everything.  The clock is ticking in a doctor’s office and they want the next patient in so they can meet their quota for the day to fatten up their bank account.

I live in Florida, so exercising in my community pool turned out to be my best friend, as it hurt too much to continue going to my Silver Sneakers classes three days a week.  It doesn’t hurt to exercise in the water.

If anyone out there is experiencing leg pain, don't forget to put a bar of soap at the foot of your bed under the fitted sheet.  Check it out for yourselves online.  It truly does work and if the pain comes back months later, replace the bar of soap and use the old one in your shower to bath with.

What happened to the Oath all doctors took??????  I had to fight tooth and nail to get a referral to see a Specialist.  Well, I’m on an HMO.  If I were on a PPO I would not need referrals.  But PPOs are expensive.

Since just yesterday before I decided to get back on my blog and write, I was chatting to two friends, one is a lovely blogger friend and the other is my Maid of Honor, both going thru serious medical issues.  Also, I mentioned a year ago, that my son was diagnosed with CML which is Leukemia and the news put me in an emotional state of depression then.  

All mothers will agree, we worry constantly about our children no matter their age.

So, we all need the strength to deal with these chronic diseases and need tons of prayers not only for ourselves but for the people we love and care about.  I strongly believe in the power of prayers!

Setbacks

Gosh, we all have had our share of setbacks in our lives and often they can turn out to be very fortunate occurrences.  Because they prevent you from going any further down a dead-end road.

When you've had a setback, ask yourself this. What is it attempting to tell you? Perhaps, you need to be eating a little healthier or exercise more or be kind to one another or take pride in your job.  There is definitely something to be evaluated for sure.  Just search for the message in it.

Use it as an opportunity to step back and get some perspective. Use it as an opportunity to renew your commitment and realign with your purpose.

I guess we all need to re-evaluate and leave the past where it belongs.  Don’t stumble over something behind you. Don’t use the past as an excuse to miss out on today. How can you possibly heal the wounds of the past by digging deeper into them.

Acceptance truly is the bitter pill you have to bravely swallow to move beyond yesterday’s sorrows. It’s a choice you must make. Because the truth of the matter is that history only dictates the future if you allow it.

In other words, you only have to relive it if you choose to.

Toxins in all our skin and hair products! I'm livid!

I attend a lot of free seminars that my Humana insurance offers and this one was most interesting to me and should be to everyone.  It was about skin and skin cancer caused by beauty products that are loaded with toxins.

I knew toxins were in hair color and even in Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo, as I saw that on the News. Names that we have trusted for years.  I know that most reputable companies have removed the harsh chemicals from their products but not all did.

These chemicals cause a wide range of adverse health conditions from skin irritations to cancer.  Unfortunately, skincare giants do not want you to know about them, as there is too much money at stake in the anti-aging market.

I was shocked when I got home after the seminar with my notes in hand to check the ingredients in my facial cleaners, moisturizers, sunscreen creams and they all had chemicals in them from the list I learned about.

Parabens:  Widely used as a preservative to extend the shelf life of moisturizers and anti-aging products may actually cause premature aging and sagging skin.  Studies suggest parabens can cause cancer, allergic reactions and skin rashes even breast tumors!  Oh my.

Sodium Laureth Sulfate:  This is a foaming agent used in facial cleaners; chemical sulfates can be contaminated with measurable amounts of the cancer-causing agent ethylene oxide, which can harm the nervous system.  My very well-known brand name facial cleaner listed this in the list of ingredients.  I was livid.  I’ve been using this product for over 40 years.

Padimate O:  this ingredient is usually found in sun-screens and it may increase the risk of skin cancer.  I found this in the recent sunscreen I recently purchased and after one day, I had white spots all over my arms, legs and chest where I applied the product.  I live in Florida so sunscreen is a must here and no matter where you live actually.

I do water aerobics in the pool for exercise because my arthritis is so bad that I can no longer go to the gym for my regular classes.  The chlorine in the pool water is not good for my skin either and I have discussed this matter with the Condo Commandos to change the pool to Salt Water instead.  The cost is not that bad to reverse it but they are thick headed and snowbirds so they don’t care.

I can’t believe the government allows these products to contain such serious harmful stuff.  I’m livid.

US researchers have reported that one in eight ingredients used in personal care products are actually industrial chemicals such as pesticides, plasticizers, degreasers, reproductive toxins, hormone disruptors and carcinogens and they even use the same ingredients that are in weed killers.  Nasty stuff.  How do they sleep nights knowing what they are doing to our own people?

There has to be a way to scream out to stop all this.

It takes forever to shop and read ingredients on the food we eat, the shampoo and soap we buy……………We never had to do this when I was a child growing up.  We didn’t have all these chemicals in our products.

Companies are getting greedy and they don’t care about our health and people are just not informed about this serious matter.

It may cost more to shop at WholeFoods but at least you will know your purchases will be pesticide free.  I bought my bottle of shampoo there just recently.

One good thing…………..Dewars Scotch containes NO CARCINOGENS!  Other brand names do.

I’m doing research on red wines now.

Enjoy Life's Little Pleasures!

Every day is a blessing, whether it seems like it at the time or not.  I think all of us never show enough gratitude.  Gratitude is not merely the result of having good and valuable experiences in your life. Being grateful is an essential part of causing life’s goodness to come your way.

Gratitude is an emotion expressing appreciation for what a person has and I'm not referring to material things; what I mean is taking the time to appreciate the beautiful things in life. 

I remember my first trip to Key West, FL for a weekend was a Mother's Day present from my son many years ago.  I remember it was the most spectacular sunset on the planet!  And, it was a ritual every evening at sunset that a crowd would be outside with a drink in hand and applaud the amazing sunset of bright orange that looked like it was sinking right into the ocean.  

Believe it or not, I've never been to Disney in spite of the fact that I have been living in Florida for nearly 25 years now.  I had the opportunity to go many times with friends but the thought of listening to people dragging whining kids around the park themes did not appeal to me.  Walking around in the heat and humidity in Florida is not pleasant for me either.

 

Another wonderful Mother's Day present was from my daughter not that long ago..................taking me to the Red Sox game!  What a thrill.  Oh, "Sweet Caroline" "So good, So good, So good"!  It was exciting to be in my home town for a visit with my family and seeing my favorite baseball team.  The fans at the game are so exhilarating and it makes the experience all that more wonderful!  Love being a part of "the wave".

I'm grateful for my beautiful children.

Life is good!

They say: “Age is something that doesn’t matter – unless you’re a bottle of wine.”

They say: “Age is something that doesn’t matter – unless you’re a bottle of wine.”

“You are only as old as you think you are.”   But if you wake up every morning with a new ache and/or pain, yes age is interfering with your golden years.

I feel like a brand new person since my Primary Care Doctor finally gave me a referral to a Rheumatologist for my pain.  Now, why didn’t he send me there 9 months ago?  The Specialist said I suffered in pain needlessly.  Major improvement within days but I still have not received the results of the Specialist’s blood work taken.  At least, I now have movement in my arms.  So grateful.  Now, if he can’t get rid of my swollen hands and feet, life will be good again!

I’m looking forward to getting back to the gym soon.  I miss my Silver Sneakers classes and friends that I have made at the gym.

We seniors all try to embrace new opportunities and seek new learning and to try and stay motivated and lively at heart.  But, in fact, we can’t do most of the things we used to do.  We do have the wisdom and experience we have acquired over the years which is a plus.

It is so important to keep your body lively through healthy diet and exercise.  I still cook all my meals, that way I have full control of the ingredients in my food choices.

I try to stay in touch with the world via modern technology, that way; the world will stay in touch with me!

Time to pour the wine!

Not everything at the Dollar Store is cheaper!

Everyone is trying to stretch a buck these days and resorting to Dollar Stores for some savings on certain items.

I realized that three items I purchased were actually cheaper at my local grocery store.

One way to avoid this is to keep a running list of stores in your area that have the best prices for products you use regularly. That way, if you see a product you use for sale, you can quickly and easily know whether or not what you see is actually a good deal.

I was told to pay attention to sizes and the price per ounce -- not the price overall.

I never buy food in the Dollar Stores either.  Another issue bothered me was that some brand name items for toothpaste for example are not made from the same manufacturer as the ones you find in your regular stores………hmmmmmmmmm!  Yet, the packaging look almost identical.

I think people like the idea of seeing the word “Dollar”!  So, I decided that these type stores are not for me.  Do you like them?

A new Walmart Neighborhood Market opened near me that only sells food.  I tried it and since the store is new, I loved the fact that it was so clean.  My total savings there was $15.00 because I used my discount card from my medicare insurance company.  I don't think I would buy my meat there though. I eat less meat these days so that is not an issue.

I hate cutting coupons these days and feel the stores should just give you the discount automatically.  It would save them tons of money not having to print the coupons and advertising on flyers.

Let me know your savings tips!  Happy Shopping.