So, I decided to do a little research before I started writing. As with almost any product, supplement, tool, etc that claims amazing weight loss – usually there are going to be as many websites saying it’s all a scam as there are selling the product. But, in my research I hardly found any websites saying it was a scam. There were a few unhappy reviews that said they didn’t think the product did much of anything.

What I did find in my research was more information on using pure garcinia cambogia. Apparently there are some products that don’t use the pure version or it may be diluted enough that you will not really get the benefits that are reported by those that have used the product in a more pure version.
Garcinia Cambogia (HCA) is a natural extract from a plant that is native to Indonesia. The extract is a supplement that comes from the rind of the fruit which is a small pumpkin-shaped fruit. It’s been around for a long, long time.

It is supposed to help your body burn fat quicker and more efficiently by blocking fat and suppressing the appetite. It has also been found that HCA increases serotonin levels which are a neurotransmitter that makes you feel better. This can help those of us who are emotional eaters. If we feel better, we eat less or at least we don’t run for the fridge in a bad situation!

Is it safe? People who live in regions where the Garcinia Cambogia fruit grows have known about its health-giving benefits and have been safely enjoying them for centuries. I suppose all things are fine in moderation. So, I would only take the recommended amounts and with any new diet or health supplement – ask your doctor before using.

When you are looking for pure garcinia cambogia or “GCE”, make sure it has at least 50% HCA (active ingredient potassium). According to Dr. Oz, “some experts believe that the newly available HCA potassium salts are more effective than the other HCA formulations”.
Looks like it really could be a winner. Most important – make good, healthy food choices and exercise regularly!

Let me know what you think!

Herman, Ditty, Boo & Sugar

So, I’ll paint instead.

The three that I have had are –
English Muffin Sandwich with Turkey Sausage
Pancakes with Turkey Sausage
Waffles with Turkey Sausage

Smart Ones English Muffin Sandwich with Turkey Sausage

Smart Ones Waffles with Turkey Sausage

That’s all for now.
Tomorrow – lunch!

My first diet review will be for what I’m doing right now – create my OWN diet plan. I’ve gone through Jenny Craig and NutriSystem, both are plans that had required you to by all your food from them. The basis of these plans is portion control (in addition to other nutritional values). So, I figured I can create the exact same plan without spending all the money the other diet programs require.

First thing I did was to take a trip to my local grocery store and see what was available in the pre-packaged foods. There were many to choose from. I went to the freezer section to select my lunch and dinner entrees. For lunches, I know that I need things that are quick and easy and able to be microwaved from the office; they also need to be lower in calories to make this venture successful. For lunch I got a bunch of different types of frozen pizzas –
Smart Ones pizza minis, three cheese pizza, etc
Lean Cuisine four cheese pizza, deep dish pizza, french bread pizza – many more!

Dinners, I also found a great selection of frozen meals. I’m not a big meat-eater so I was able to find lots of pastas, fish and other respectable entrees.

Breakfast, I decided I would either stick to breakfast bars, frozen egg sandwiches – anything that I didn’t have to weigh and measure and came already portion controlled (which is the point of this plan).

Last – dessert and snacks. Well, I found tons of options here. To satisfy my ice cream need, I got weight watchers (Smart Ones) desserts. They have a cookie-dough sundae that is amazing (if you don’t think of it as ‘real’ ice cream). Then I was able to find another huge assortment of 100-calorie packs. I know, they’re all packaging and super expensive compared to buying the regular size. But, again this is all about portion control and I’m not well enough yet to trust myself to do the portions.

I started this last week, had a few slips and now – after Easter, I need to get serious again.
Monday! They best day to get serious about a new diet program.

That’s all for now!

An ice massage is practiced by using frozen water in the form of cubes, packs, cups, or specialty therapy devices, in order to help reduce swelling, inflammation, and pain to tissues that have been injured. When properly applied, it can also help to ease or mobilize tissues so that healing will be promoted. Both acute and chronic musculoskeletal conditions can be treated in this way.

The key to the benefits of ice massage is the fact that it helps to reduce the flow of blood to the injured area, which results in decreased swelling. The less inflammation and swelling there is, the less pain the recipient will feel. Furthermore, removing heat from an injured area is a natural form of pain reliever (analgesic), as the tissues are numbed, muscle spasms become less frequent, and the metabolic rate of the tissues slows.

Many people enjoy an ice massage due to the immediate relief they feel, in addition to the fact that it is a natural therapy that does not require the use of drugs and medications.

At your local drug store you can purchase insoles, arch supports and cushions. If you suffer from chronic foot pain it is advised that you consult with your podiatrist to have custom made supports for your feet.

Most common type of support for the feet is arch supports. This type of device is made to build up the arches to help lessen the pain. Arch supports help to re-align the foot and ankle bones. They also in evening out the weight distribution which can take pressure off the areas of the feet that are sore. The support can also be used for people whose shoes don’t offer enough support. In addition to relieving pain, they can also provide balance and support which in turn can help improve a person’s posture.
Athletes are prone to foot pain and because of this it is crucial that they have the proper foot supports. The type of support they need can help prevent foot injury. Getting proper foot support in athletic footwear can also help their knees and prevent future problems.

Whether you are a seasoned athlete or have a job that requires you to be on your feet all day, foot problems are something that causes many people to suffer. Fortunately, many foot issues can be helped with proper foot support.

I come from a long line of pasty-white people and we burn. It doesn’t help that we don’t properly prepare each time we leave the house.
I spent yesterday, the 4th of July out in the sun and of course, I got a sunburn.
But, I came across a product that is the absolute best thing I’ve found for sunburn – Sunburnt!

I wish I had known of this years ago, but I’m glad I’ve found it.
I don’t think you can get it online but it’s at K-mart, Walgreens and similar stores.

The thought behind this, I believe is that flour and sugar to the ‘over-eater’ is akin to alcohol to the ‘alcoholic’.
It does make sense when I think about it. Unlike the alcoholic, I can’t NOT ever have ‘another drink’. I have to eat to live (I know, I don’t have to live to eat). But, if I were to permanently stay away from the foods that I absolutely love, which, by the way, ALL contain vast amounts of flour and/or sugar.
But, can I survive only eating foods that don’t have those two ingredients?

That thought took me back to the Mediterranean diet – that was the ‘lifestyle’ I most loved over all these years of trying to lose weight, get healthy and stick with it!

There were a vast assortment of foods that I thoroughly enjoyed back in my Mediterranean days….
Fresh tomatoes
olives
olive oil
salmon, tilapia, tuna
whole wheat breads, bagels
hummus
brown rice cakes
salads
veggie burgers
and so much more…

Every patient will bring a different set of precautions and existing fitness level to the program, and this means that every exercise program should be designed with the circumstances in mind. Many studies have focused on endurance aerobics, such as walking and light jogging. These standard forms of exercise are appropriate for most patients, but patients in special circumstances will benefit more from other types.  Some conditions that call for specially designed workout programs include post-op recovery, limited function or palliative care, and cancer of the bone or connective tissue.

Exercising for Post-op Recovery
Surgical advances in recent years have reduced the invasiveness and sped up recovery for some forms of cancer surgery. Prostatectomy, for instance, can now be performed with micro-incisions that minimize complications related to bladder and sexual function. Other forms of surgery are by necessity still highly invasive and have a long recovery time. The two most common types are mastectomy and surgery for colorectal cancer.

A review of randomized control trials published in 2010 showed that exercise interventions specifically designed for post-op recovery after breast surgery were highly effective at returning range of motion to the upper limbs. The long-held concern that exercise may contribute to lymphedema was also found to be invalid. Patients in these trials reported no complications. Of course, the key to this is responsible use of the specific exercises. A fitness expert can help in teaching these and ensuring proper form, and there are also DVDs available for those without the benefit of an expert. Similar benefits and programs are available for those undergoing other types of cancer surgery.

High Risk Patients
Elderly patients, those with limited mobility, and mesothelioma patients on palliative care can all gain the benefits of physical activity. However, the type of exercise and intensity will need to be more closely monitored to prevent dangerous injuries. The good news is that fitness experts are routinely employed to help in these cases, and the expense is covered by most insurance plans.

Musculoskeletal Cancers
Cancer of the bone or connective tissue is not a contraindication for exercise. In fact, most patients will still be able to use many types of traditional gym workouts. The special consideration here is that fitness programs should include some form of weight-bearing exercise while avoiding high-impact forms. Weight-bearing exercise prompts the body to build new bone and connective tissue, which may be essential in preventing fractures.

In special cases, it is imperative to seek out expert advice on the safest and most effective forms of exercise. This will ensure benefits and minimize the risk of injury.

By: David Haas of the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance

I have one fabulous child left at home and she’s looking at colleges. Yikes! She’s a junior in High School and definitely college-bound. It looks like I have only 14 months left of her. She’s incredibly social, so she’s not ‘around’ all that much, but at least she comes home to sleep every night and I know she’s never much farther than 10 miles from home.

I have been having the worst time sticking to my exercise program and resisting all the sweets that come my way – and there are many. So, off to the therapist I go, wanting to discover what could be the cause of my struggle.

My therapist knows me fairly well after all these years – at least 10 years! She listened to me ramble on about all that’s going on in my life. All the ups and downs, extreme hardships of raising my boys on my own, back to school, getting a job, many deaths – overall a fairly normal, albeit busy life.

And the diagnosis – once all the kids are gone – AKA Empty Nest Syndrome – I will have to deal with myself and my issues. Not putting all my energy into the kids, the house, the financial issues and on and on and on…. I will be there, alone and have nothing to occupy my time, but me. And that scares the crap out of me.

So, I eat sweets to help cover up all the ‘sour’ that’s coming my way.

What do you think?