Itz all one

Neuroplasticity -- what I need after losing my mind

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Forker) — Sun, 10 Nov 2019 19:56:00 +0000

Okay, I DO seem overly curious about brain health, but that's because I can NEVER ever take it for granted again.

3.5 years ago, I got very ill, resulting in brain inflammation and injury leading to the longest, most horrific clusterf*#! imaginable, so I am fascinated and grateful that there is something called neuroplasticity. It may be my only hope.

Yep. My amazing brain. It got fried and then denied. Crazy.

But yes, we all have these amazing brains. Protect 'em if you can. Stop eating and drinking sugary stuff. It's like kerosene on your brain. Burns it down to transform you into someone you won't even recognize in the mirror.

You gotta believe me: you can't even begin to describe your brain and the stuff it can do without a functioning brain.

So eat your veggies, exercise, socialize and sleep well...

For Jackson -- My First Nephew

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Forker) — Sun, 10 Nov 2019 16:40:00 +0000

I am so proud of you, my only brother's only son. Envious, too. You're doing what I wanted to do when I was going to Cal. I wanted to be a filmmaker. So it's great to see that you became yet another creative force in the 4Js clan. Between your father and mother, you had the genes from the start. Ahhh, but it would be hard to find your own thing, right? Dad's a geek (aka software engineer), loop artist, musician, songwriter, graphic artist & photographer; and Mom's a teacher, athlete, world traveler, and excellent creative force/photographer in her own right.

And then, of course, there's Jade. Where do I begin with your sister? No doubt a formidable individual & artist for ANYone to follow, and now she's a landscape architect!? Wow.

Yes, Jerry & Julie made two masterpieces on their very own Green Acres. They did good.

Anyway, I started this whole blog thing because of your Dad. I had just moved to Houston (instead of hanging with him in Santa Cruz), which really pissed him off (and doubtless raised his already-elevated BP even higher -- into super hypertension!). Then, right around Christmas, he presented the symptoms of a man who was about to have a heart attack (angina, radiating pain down his arm, etc.). So your physician-grandfather took him to the hospital, where they ran tests, and then they took him to the cath lab to insert a stent.

Those stents are carefully inserted before they spring out to keep the vessel open, so blood can still carry oxygen to the cells that make up the heart's muscle tissue. Can't do much pumping without O2! So my first post was dedicated to my brother, your father, and his "stentorian awakening." It also gave me the opportunity to write about CPR and AEDs for everyone... Stayin' alive, stayin' alive...

And here is a link to one of my first posts, talking about New Year's resolutions, right around your birthday on New Year's Eve.

So, before we ever reach true 2020 vision, the morning after your birthday, just remember: Health and happiness may appear to come easily for some, but for most of us humans, it takes work.

Yeah, keep making those big bowls of salad greens! Alas, sugar is SO sweet. Giving up all the fun, yummy-tasting stuff (I scream, you scream, we ALL scream for ice cream!) after they've already highjacked our brains and turned us into addicts -- for love and pleasure and nostalgia or whatever it takes to justify self-destruction... that's what we will struggle with the rest of our lives -- the Standard American Diet (SAD). And that's why I "toil" at this labor of love -- sharing information I hope will be life-changing for the folks I will love forever and for those I have yet to meet.

The Revolution is On

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Forker) — Sat, 09 Nov 2019 18:49:00 +0000

Want to be part of a life-extending, vitality-promoting revolution, a way of achieving greater health and improved quality of your precious life from head to toe, inside and out?
Do you long for a trusted source of simple, accessible information to remove all the confusion and contradictions we hear about food and diets and healthy choices?
Do you desire to attain and retain the sort of information that builds confidence in your choices, the kind that clarifies and clears the way to better health, and a much rosier future?

I got back to blogging to let my beloved family and dearest friends know about this Revolution, leading to a way of Life that could free you & your liver from being forced to filter multiple costly pharmaceutical products prescribed by your physician purportedly to fix your problems. Well, until our medical schools catch up to the 21st Century and begin to incorporate the latest scientific knowledge about the cause-and-effect connection between our food choices and chronic illness I say:

Physician, health thyself.

Those of you who have read my increasingly rare posts beginning nearly 10 years ago know that I like to share my discoveries, to feature the information - books, video clips, authors, experts and teachers who have inspired me. Well, right now my inspiration is The Food Revolution Network (FRN). So that's what I've added to the right* of this post, with links to more information on this Organization founded by best-selling author John Robbins and his son, Ocean.

I don't pretend to be an expert in any area, but I am an inquisitive student-researcher. I love sharing information I've found from those who ARE widely-regarded as experts, individuals who are "walking the talk," and have vitally-important information to impart for our optimal health.

I encourage you to check out the Food for Health Master Class and to find out more about Robbins' Food Revolution Network. It could mean the start of true wealth for you -- your health. Wealth of knowledge, of the simple truths that can feel revolutionary while reassuringly realistic and attainable.

The foods you eat or don't eat have an enormous impact on the quality and the length of your life. ~ John Robbins

This basic but profoundly important and empowering information from Robbins' Food for Health Master Class will help to increase your awareness of and appreciation for our amazing bodies, and our incredible built-in abilities to self heal when given the right food to fuel our optimal cellular renewal and repair. It will enable you to shake off the self-limiting ways many of us view aging and illness, and help you to recognize that MUCH of our current and future states of health are linked to the food choices we make. And -- big bonus -- after your introduction to this Revolution, you could grow more energetic, youthful, Plant-Powered & Thriving for many years to come!

Let FOOD be thy medicine. ~ Hippocrates

I'm talking about the kind of revolution that can save us AND the Planet. A way of living that helps us to grow stronger, and less dependent on doctors and drugs. A way of eating that promotes health, while increasing awareness of the choices that are less destructive to our environment.

We are stardust

We are golden

And we've got to get ourselves

Back to the garden ~ Joni Mitchell

Thanksgiving is coming. It needn't be a time to "pig out." It can be the time to come together and express our gratitude for friendship & family; for good health and The Harvest: the cornucopia of colors that bring us healing, strength and a youthful vitality that can bring us back to the Table for many years to come.

Let us form a circle, hold each other's hands, and bow our heads in humble gratitude for the Earth's bounty, recognizing that our own personal revolution is within our power. Let it begin...

* on the Web-friendly version of Itz all one on your desktop not the "default" view on your mobile device.

Back to basics -- that gut feeling

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Forker) — Sun, 24 Apr 2016 18:27:00 +0000

I am back to blogging for my tiny audience of friends and former "followers" -- are you still out there? I hope you're happy and healthy!

Soooo many changes in my life, and still -- many other key things (struggles, frustrations, etc.) remain the same. Yep, I'm still battling that big boulder -- baby steps, baby...

Ahhh... Arghh... Ohhhh la-la!

(Except my body is a lot different than that dude's.)

Recently, when I was in my favorite thrift store, I found a book called "Grain Brain." Boy, am I inspired! I also couldn't wait to get Perlmutter's newer book "Brain Maker," on CD. So I'm immersing myself in this stuff about the connection between our two brains -- the one in our cranium and the one in our gut. SO interesting and -- I believe -- life changing. We'll see...

That's it for now, but I'm ba-aaack, brothers and sisters.

Sweet mystery of life

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Forker) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:22:00 +0000

For some time now, I have been on a quest to understand why it's so difficult to do the things we know are best for us. What drives that "devil" on one shoulder to drown out the messages of the "angel" on the other? I had a sense it was more than just lack of discipline, willpower, or the lack of other personal traits such as integrity or strength of character. Shame be damned. Human behavior is best understood, rather than judged. The Pleasure Trap really helps me understand a lot of stuff I've been flirting with for some time. I think it could provide some "ah-hah" moments for others, as well...

New year, new start

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Forker) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 14:52:00 +0000

I started this blog late December 2010, after brother had a serious health scare. My first post encouraged everyone to learn basic CPR. Since then most posts have been focused on health-related issues, with the majority on food and diet.

On a recent flight, my husband David and I watched a documentary on my iPad called Forks over Knives. It carries a life-changing message. It's also very well produced, promoting healthy changes without resorting to sensationalism or scare tactics. I encourage everyone to watch it, but especially those who feel discouraged or defeated by excess weight or chronic conditions that leave them feeling sick and tired.

Since watching Forks over Knives, we have jumped into a whole-food, plant-based diet with renewed enthusiasm and purpose. I wanted to get more educated, so I ordered a number of books (listed to the right) that I hope will: 1) educate me further on plant-based nutrition, and 2) give me healthy recipes to help keep me on track and inspired. I'm certain there are many other great books, but this is enough for now. Trying to be relatively moderate...

Winning and losing: it's an inside job

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Forker) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 12:37:00 +0000

Back when I was reading Kessler's The End of Overeating, I became acutely aware of that small moment of decision, when I am about to eat something I know is not healthy. I wanted to be more aware of my inner dialogue, and how I kept derailing my dieting efforts. I wanted to tune in to what I say to justify my choices. You know, those "sabotaging" thoughts, that "devil" that is whispering (or yelling) into one of my ears. I decided to not do much other than observe. It was very interesting to hear what I say to myself when I am craving something. I can be very willfull and defiant. Other times, I may hear a mellower tone, kind of a "go with the flow," "if it feels good do it" voice. Rationalization's always been one of my strong suits.

The whole point of this exploration is to do things differently this time. I am willing to take more time this time, so I can find a solution that will work for me for a lifetime of temptations.

A few years ago, I heard about Laurel Mellin's work and her book The Solution. She was definitely on to some of what makes people get themselves into trouble with food and excess body weight. The emotional component is a big one. Developing an awareness of what I'm feeling in relation to what I am driven to eat is certainly important. I know that when I dive into binging behaviors, there are always strong feelings associated with them, even if I choose to ignore this reality. The problem with The Solution was that Mellin's approach was a LOT of work, and I wasn't ready to invest my time in the work. She's now expanded into The Pathway, and Emotional Brain Training (EBT), to take on more than just food issues. I imagine she's helped many people with her work.

As I begin to synthesize the various messages I have received -- through self-observation; my explorations of theories and approaches; my many attempts at dieting (both successful and un-); my hit-and-miss approach to exercise; the new science that's out there about food: craving and reward; about our own biological evolution in relation to feast and famine; the crazy variety and availability of food; along with the statistics on the growing girth of the population and all the avoidable disease that accompanies it... Oy. That's a lot to process.

I have decided to give Judith Beck's version of the solution a try. Rather than Mellin's EBT, I'm going to go for Beck's CBT -- Cognitive Behavior Therapy. Again, a fair amount of work, a definite commitment of my time, but I feel it's do-able. At some point, I'll fold in my eTools from Weight Watchers to track what I'm eating. I'll also incorporate insights from The Instinct (or "I") Diet, by Susan Roberts. I want to train my brain to crave healthier stuff! I'll also apply what has motivated me from John Ratey's Spark about the many payoffs that come with exercise.

But I'll take my time... as they say, it's an "inside job." Slow and steady wins the race...

Sisyphus -- tell me it ain't futile

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Forker) — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 17:01:00 +0000

Well okay, so there's this increasing sense of futility as the "rock" rolls back once more, putting me in the same place.

But am I doomed? Are most people doomed when it comes to their self-defeating choices?

What if virtually all of what we think of as "happiness" is tied to our energy, life force, and sense of optimism for what's to come?

Isn't that mostly tied to our health? And isn't our health linked to our choices? And aren't many of our "choices" tied to instincts that are hard-wired? So... is our "lizard brain" in control? How can we override that strong force and gain the upper hand?

I am going to look at this some more... I've been reading The End of Overeating and The Full Plate Diet, which has already given me some good tools. I know it's mostly a case of cognitive re-wiring, rather than something simple like my lack of willpower. I'm about to get the i diet to train myself to crave salads, and I'm going to listen to my audio book The Beck diet solution, to train my brain to think like a thin person. (That's a little frustrating for me, because I used to think like a thin person, back when I was thin! Huh. Weird. What happened?)

Alright, I'm not the only one this happened to. I am not alone. That should provide some comfort. I have gone to support meetings (WW, mostly), but they can only take me so far. Knowing others have the same issues just makes me want to "solve" this even more, for the happiness of all humanity!

Ahhh... if the very act of acquiring a book could solve such problems!

Well, it's a new day, and new books are on their way. Here I go again... urg... grunt, grunt...

Samosadillas

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Forker) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 00:36:00 +0000

From Vegan Unplugged -- the blog and the book

This recipe by Robin Robertson* sounds so good, I had to share it with you.

...from Vegan Unplugged by Jon Robertson © 2010, Vegan Heritage Press.

1 1/2 cups cooked potatoes
1 cup finely chopped cooked cauliflower (or other cooked vegetable)
1/4 cup thawed frozen green peas
2 tablespoons canned hot or mild diced green chiles, drained
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon curry powder or paste
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
Salt and black pepper
4 large flour tortillas
1 small jar chutney

(Note: Cooked chickpeas can be used for a portion of the potato-vegetable mixture.)

1. Mash the potatoes in a saucepan. Add the cauliflower, peas, chiles, soy sauce, curry powder, coriander, cumin (if using), and salt and pepper to taste. Mix until well combined and heat over medium heat until hot, stirring as needed, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
2. Cut the tortillas into quarters. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the filling onto each piece of tortilla. Fold one side over the filling and press lightly to flatten. Set aside. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
3. Arrange the samosadillas in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook until lightly browned and heated through, turning once, about 8 minutes total. Serve hot with chutney.

Makes 4 servings

____________________________________________________

Vegan Unplugged is a nifty blog (and book). I include it on my links to the right, under "good stuff." Jon Robertson (the author) came up with the idea of "pantry cuisine" and his "Five-Day Meal Box." Check it out:

Recipes by Robin Robertson*

Robin Robertson has a bunch of wonderful vegan cookbooks, and a great blog (and book) of her own, called Vegan Planet. That link is also on the right under "good stuff"). All her recipes sound really yummy, but check out her latest (from March 21): "hummamole" and "olive-cado" dips...

Sated

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Forker) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:17:00 +0000

It's weird, but after a week of this vegan diet, I feel different. I'm feeling satisfied. Weird. Tonight for St. Patrick's Day we had braised purple cabbage with apples. Yum. Reminds me of Milwaukee. The recipe came from foodily. So, although I've been a "fan" for some time, I'm starting to get the whole point of The Full Plate Diet. I feel good. Getting lots of fiber and phytonutrients, and I don't miss the other stuff I used to eat at all. There's no struggle. The shopping and cooking part has turned out to be easier than I thought it would be, too. Huh. Go figure.

I recently ordered lots of books from the library. I love the library, especially since it has been tied to the Internet. Anyway, I checked out some vegan cookbooks and this book a doctor urged me to read: Eat to Live. The author recommends a large green salad before lunch and dinner. Before anything else you eat. So I started that tonight, too. Eating two salads might be difficult to do daily, but I will do my best... Salad and cabbage for dinner. I'm feeling plenty full, don't even miss the corned beef, potatoes and green beer. Huh.

So I had this idea... I'm going to use the Top 5 lists from The Full Plate Diet, for my core shopping list. Cool. Simplifies things. Without even referring to it ahead of time, I just realized I already have the top five veggies in the house, along with the top five fruits. Guess it's really sinking in. On to beans, nuts & seeds, and grains. Look out, navy beans, flax seeds, quinoa... I'm comin' to get ya!

Quinoa with veggies

Feeling optimistic

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Forker) — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 20:11:00 +0000

I was invited to have some pizza today. I politely refused. My friend asked "are you still a Lenten vegan?" Yes, I am. Day 3. I just had a veggie sandwich with Nayonaise. It was good. I am feeling a little more hopeful that this is do-able. I got some almond milk last night. The woman who was checking me out (my groceries, I mean) said that she and her husband drink almond milk. I asked: "vegan?" She answered: "my husband is. I'm trying to be..." I wondered aloud: "have you lost any weight?" She replied "15 pounds." Well. Fifteen. My resolve to give veganism a go just got a serious boost.

Today, I am not only still living the vegan way of life, I'm back to tracking. Wow, a tablespoon of Nayonaise is only one point! That's exciting! (We WW vegans are easily amused.) Jeepers, with most veggies and fruits at zero points, this could really be interesting! Hmmm... I recall a cheeseless pizza I loved, back in my omnivorian days. It's delicious. It's legal! You don't even miss the cheese. I could have it right now! By golly, I just might do that! I think I need to take a drive...

Try it, you'll like it!

SuZ Creamcheez

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Forker) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 17:51:00 +0000

Okay, I'll admit it, I'm already having my doubts about this vegan business. I mean, I love LOVE milk and I prefer to add half 'n' half to my coffee, and I'm fond of real omelettes with eggs and cheese, and I can't imagine a world without cream cheese! Cream cheese: I love it on my bagel with lox, I love it in spinach dip, I love it with pepper jelly on crackers, I love it globbed on my finger. And what about feta, pepper jack, aged cheddar, Jarlsberg, brie and cambozola?

When I look on the labels of stuff I think is "safe," it'll have chicken broth or something that's a vegan no-no. Yesterday, I was reading recipes for vegan cooking and they call for vegan versions of meat, cheese, mayo, and more. When I think of a lifetime of giving up the real stuff, of never having a juicy beef burger or a fish taco or a chicken enchilada or creamed eggs on toast with those little bacon bits, I get kinda queasy and awfully anxious. Can woman live on tempeh and tofu and beans for a lifetime? Well, yes, I'll answer that, augmented with lots of yummy fruits, veggies, nuts, oils and grains... yes she can. Okay, but would she want to?

Dadgummit, I'm gonna try this, as an experiment. Not so much with the idea that I'll turn vegan for a lifetime. But maybe I can be more vegan when this is all over, or at least approaching vegetarian. I really don't eat enough fruits and veggies. When I was caring for a patient in the ICU a while back, his doctor kept talking about The China Study. He was passionate about it. He'd say "if you only read one book, read The China Study." He believed that diet was the main cause of disease. Anyway, I know that if I took its message to heart, I'd probably end up being a vegan. That much I know. But... but...

Oh... I LOVE eggs benedict... Look, it's a kiwi! and spinach!

Viva Las Vegans

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Forker) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 18:44:00 +0000

I've never given something up for Lent before, but this year, I've decided that I'm going to give up animal products in my diet for the next 40 days. Dietary veganism. Why? Reading recent posts on my cupcake craze careening out of control, my Catholic friend suggested I give something up. At this point, I need serious motivation to do something radically different in my diet.

On The Season of Lent, it's explained "In many countries, the last day before Lent (called Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, Carnival, or Fasching) has become a last fling before the solemnity of Lent. For centuries, it was customary to fast by abstaining from meat during Lent, which is why some people call the festival Carnival, which is Latin for farewell to meat."

I know that Lent is also the time to take stock. So I will, as long as it's vegetable stock.

Yesterday, I celebrated Mardi Gras ("Fat Tuesday") by fixing myself a chocolate chip pancake and sucking down coconut cream custard, squeezing it straight out of the corner of a plastic storage bag. Slurp! I guess what I need is to say farewell to sugar, and I plan to, but why not throw meat in there, too? Especially since lately I've combined meat and sugar in a variety of selections -- orange chicken, Beijing beef, super yummy sweet spicy stuff like that. Deep fried to boot. Oy.

Heck, I'll throw in eggs, cheese, milk, and butter, too. It beats fasting, right?

So vegan lifestyle, here I come (at least until April 23)! Stay tuned for a lot more on veganism...

Fat Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Forker) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 01:06:00 +0000

cupcake conundrum
confectioner's canopy
cane can't cry... can I?

Hangover

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Forker) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 04:10:00 +0000

About a month ago, I was eating really well, and hardly including any sugar in my diet. I felt good, as I recall. Then, something happened, and I started to load up on sweets. I was buying stuff I never usually touch: Coke, chips, cookies... Like an addict, I was even sneaking things like Snickers bars, secretly, guiltily, when no one else was around... clinging closely to the wall as I surreptitiously scarfed some salty cheese crackers.

This turned into a month-long binge, culminating in my purchase of cupcake pans, and my second large batch of cupcakes last night. Chocolate cupcakes. I felt really icky this morning. Like when I said or did something drunk the night before only to wake up wallowing in regret. Yuck. It's not that I ate them all by myself. No. I passed them out like a drug dealer to create more cupcake casualties. Misery loves company.

According to an article I found in Psychology Today, "Laboratory experiments with rats showed that signs of sugar dependence developed over the course of 10 days. This suggests that it does not take long before the starve-binge behavior catches up with animals, making them dependent." That helps to explain my rapid descent, but only in part.

I'd like to say that what I've been doing for the past month is in the name of science, that -- like the guy in The Fly -- I put myself into the experiment for the greater good. Sounds noble, if misguided, no? No. I didn't even do that. I slipped, I stumbled and now I feel like, well, like doo-doo.

I lucked on this video on the addictive properties of sugar. It's really interesting and surprisingly entertaining. The beginning -- how to magnetize a baby -- hooked me in from the start. (I always wondered!) The talk is given by Dr. Neal Barnard, founder and president of Physicians Commitee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). He's also the author of several books related to nutrition and diet.

Here's a short list of more videos for people who can't get enough of this sweet stuff:

Sugar: the bitter truth (like going to a college lecture; long, but educational)
Sugar -- how it's made (like going on a field trip!)
High fructose corn syrup (CBS News interview with David Kessler and Eric Schlosser)
Obesity epidemic due to fructose (ABC News/Nightline story)

Blasts from the past: When I was searching for the popular 1975 book called Sugar Blues, I found the 1931 song by the same name. I immediately recognized it as the song my brother and I used in a little super-8 movie we made, way back when...

That's all I got for you, Sugar.

Juggling

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Forker) — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 14:52:00 +0000

I took a juggling class from an old vaudevillian fellow. I was probably about 13 at the time. He would say "atta boy..." which was really insulting, as you can imagine, being a girl and all. I did have short hair, and maybe I can blame it on his cataracts, but still I never forgot that slight. Maybe that's why I've always sucked at juggling. Trauma. Anyway, I do. I could get those three balls going once, twice, maybe three times around before one would decide to defect and escape sideways. DOH!

So this month I haven't posted much at all, except a pathetic attempt at hydration. Yes, pathetic. I have to remember: simply saying "From now on, I have to (fill in the blank)" doesn't make it happen. I haven't been all that successful at hydration. This month I've worked a lot. That's about it. Oh and I've eaten REALLY badly. And I haven't exercised at all. Why? Because I suck at juggling. Back on December 31st, I included a quote by Mark Twain about resolutions. He nailed it, old Sam. Yes, I've been paving the road ever since... jiggling, not juggling. My home's in disarray, my dirty laundry is growing mountainous, my fridge is filled with neglected fruits and vegetables (ranging from dry and faded to slimy), my gym bag's gathering dust, the cat's getting clingy, and my credibility's completely kaput (to me, at least). Must have forgotten to do my daily positive affirmation over that bowl of organic quinoa. No, wait, I forgot the quinoa in my frenzied grab for those cute little bags o' Famous Amos and Cheez-its.

So... it's absolutely irrefutably now confirmed: I am an emotional eater. When I'm stressed, anxious, super busy, I carbo-load. I won't even try to list the outrageous ways I've been acquiring and consuming food in February. Tracking my points? HAH! This is BIG-time defiant denial happening here.

I made cupcakes for the first time in my life a couple of days ago -- red velvet cupcakes with butter and cream cheese on top. Cupcakes? -- moi? I went right out and bought cupcake pans and those little paper cupcake thingies so I could undertake this important mission. Why?! I don't even eat sweets, usually, and now I have this urge to bake cupcakes??? Well, okay, I heard my (temporary) co-workers talking about these designer cupcakes and decided to bake up a batch, because I have so much leisure time. I thought it would be a nice "farewell" gesture. So I'm up late, past midnight, spraying powdered sugar and cream cheese over every available surface, in my attempt to create the perfect cupcake (for what, I could no longer recall). And then I get up the next morning around 4:30 to finish the job -- presentation is very important. Oh, and I made two kinds of brownies, too. I am now officially insane. Of course, I have to taste them, to make sure they're good enough. I get so full of tasting I lose my sense of taste, but my sense of disgust and self-loathing is approaching an all-time high.

So what's the point of all of this? I don't have to have a point, it's my blog. I don't even care if it matters. So there! Take that, you critics of titles of blogs. I've had too much sugar and I'm turning into The Fly. Do you think The Fly cared about "stuff that matters?!" The Fly is beyond caring!! The Fly wants pepperoni pizza with Classic Coke, pulled-pork po' boys, Haagen-Dazs ice cream bars and fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies. Num-num-numb...

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Help me... please help me...

Hydration

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Forker) — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 23:57:00 +0000

Now that it's February, I have decided to pick one habit and only one because I might actually achieve success that way. I have had "drink more water" on my to-do lists for YEARS, and not just my annual New Year's resolutions lists, I'm talking probably hundreds of times I've consciously aimed for this. I'm getting thirsty... gtg.

Keeping track

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Forker) — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 17:54:00 +0000

For successful weight loss, I've learned it's critically important to have an awareness of what I'm doing each day. Otherwise, I kind of get lost and return to my former bad habits. The times I've lost weight most successfully were when I kept track of what I ate. There are lots of food diaries and trackers available these days. I'm a Lifetime Member* of Weight Watchers (WW) and I've gotten used to its etools, so that's where I do my tracking. It's a program that's worked for me, both in terms of flexibility and usability. Its online food tracker and recipe builder are well-designed.

Here are a few other great options I've found:

WebMD has a free food and fitness tracker. It looks like a good one.
A friend sent me a link to a free calorie counter she's using, on MyFitnessPal.
Duke Diet & Fitness Online is a great deal at $5 a month (billed quarterly).
SparkPeople is a very popular free site, as is SparkTeens.
I also found another free site: My-Calorie-Counter.
Here's another one from a friend: MyPlate (Livestrong)

There are many benefits to tracking. Keeping honest and accountable for my choices is one thing. Increasing my awareness of the cost of various choices is another. Hmmm... I could have a cup of grapes for zero points, or a quarter cup of raisins for three... I have become much more aware of nutritional issues from this daily practice, too. I know the value I get from lean protein and high fiber foods, and I also know the price I pay for too many carbs or fats. Also, I have become much more aware of satiety -- which foods fill me up, and leave me feeling satisfied longer. For instance, if I start with some soup that's mostly broth and veggies, or I have an apple and some water before I eat my main meal, I know I'll get that full feeling a lot earlier than if I just dive into the main course and gobble it up quickly.

Tracking may seem like a lot of work, but after a while it's not. It becomes second nature. I know my portions and the value of most of my favorite foods now, so tracking goes pretty quickly. I ran into a new WW member the other day who signed up with the Monthly Pass and was immediately tracking on her iPhone and accessing recipe information on her pink rhinestone-encrusted iPad. Techology's really helped make tracking easy and convenient on apps like those for WW Mobile.

I'm not interested in promoting any single program or product. I just wanted to share some of my experiences in the battle of the bulge, and urge everyone interested in weight loss/management to give tracking a try.

* Note: the Lifetime Member title never goes away even when the pounds return. I'm currently tracking my food and exercising to get back to my goal weight.

Brain training

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Forker) — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 14:43:00 +0000

Why is it so difficult to make resolutions stick? My list is almost always the same from year to year.  When I look back over the past year, I don't drink more water, exercise more, eat better, etc. Not measurably so. I kind of hit and miss -- a lot. One of the biggest problems with failing again and again to make these changes is that I start to doubt my own resolve. Yeah, right... I've heard THAT one before! My self-respect droops. Maybe my list is too long, or maybe I'm approaching it in the wrong way. If I took just one item and set it in my schedule regularly until it was second nature, maybe I could forever scratch it off any future lists.   But how are good habits formed and bad habits broken? Is there a way to truly change habitually for the better? Behavior modification? CBT? Hypnosis? I don't have an answer yet, at least not based on personal experience. I have hope, though, that change IS possible, and a sense of confidence in the malleability of my brain, thanks to recent research. I share a sampling of what I've found here:

Emotional hunger: how can I gain control over my cravings?
In my previous post, I wrote about a recent book, The End of Overeating, the science behind our desire to eat, even when we're not hungry, and the tools it suggests to overcome the impulse to overeat. Understanding how the brain works in relation to food, gives me a better handle on how I could effect personal change in my way of eating. I've been exploring this subject for some time -- the inside, mental part of weight gain and loss. I know I have food issues, as do most people. For many, food = love. It's the center of a celebration, the reward for doing well, something to mark a special occasion. But it's making us really large, which makes us feel bad. It gets so confusing! Great recipes, wonderful restaurants, variety is the spice of life! The push-pull of eating makes us feel a little crazy and out of control and sometimes very guilty.

The psychological/psychic part of eating is generally overlooked or merely touched upon in most diet books and programs. I think that's why most if not all established diets don't work for the majority of us. One of the least expensive, most comprehensive online programs I've found is The Duke Diet. Its emphasis on diet, fitness and the behavioral issues of weight loss goes much farther than most programs. In the late 90s, I came across The Solution, from Laurel Mellin at UCSF. I knew she was onto something, but it seemed too involved and I never followed through. It was on my "to do" list for a while, though. Mellin's work has evolved over the years into EBT (Emotional Brain Training), building on the latest science in neuroplasticity. Her latest book Wired for Joy gives an introduction to EBT. Sounds promising, and I might even sign up for EBT when I can afford to... But while I'm on the subject of neuroplasticity, I've included some interesting information below:

One word: plastics
Neuroplasticity is an exciting and relatively new area of brain research. It draws upon the latest breakthroughs in neuroscience, cognitive-behavioral studies and insights gained from examining the effects of contemplative practices, such as compassion meditation. If you're interested in this topic, search your library for Sharon Begley's Train Your Mind Change Your Brain -- How a new science reveals our extraordinary potential to transform ourselves.  She talks about the meeting of the minds between new western science and ancient eastern practices. I find this area enormously fascinating, for all that it may -- in time -- open up for us. Here's a talk by U.W. Madison's Dr. Richard J. Davidson: Transform your Mind, Change Your Brain. His talk is long, but so interesting! Another take on this subject is Dr. Norman Doidge's The Brain that Changes Itself. I'm also including his talk on brain plasticity. This area is really just in its infancy. There are so many potential applications down the road. Here's one more interesting talk, on the neuroscience of emotions from Stanford's Dr. Philippe R. Golden.

Mindfulness meditation: the first step?
For a long time, I've believed that regular meditation practice could lead to profound personal changes. It's been on my list for a number of years. I am aware of its many benefits for helping to cultivate centeredness and compassion. Here's a good introduction to mindfulness meditation. I found another talk by Dr. Golden that combines neuroplasticity and meditation: cognitive neuroscience of mindfulness meditation. As far as instruction goes, I tend to favor the western-born practitioners. Jack Kornfield is one of my favorites for guided meditation. You can listen to a short preview of his talk on Mindfulness and the Brain on the Sounds True site. Another teacher I like is Pema Chodron. Her description of mindfulness is a good one. I have been especially drawn to her talks on maitri, unconditional friendliness to onesself.  Her talks are good medicine for me. Another big name in the field of mindfulness meditation is Jon-Kabat Zinn. You might like listening to his talks Coming to our senses and Mindfulness. From the East, there are so many great teachers. One of my personal favorites is Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh. He has such a gentle way of explaining things. I always feel better after listening to him talk on any subject.

There are lots of videos devoted to the subject of meditation, but if you just want something neutral to focus on while you're in contemplative mood, I discovered a great assortment of videos online. Here's a good one, if you don't mind "new age" music. This video's also good. Both of these videos include instrumental music and beautiful imagery. Try just looking at the images while breathing slowly and deeply. This alone might help when you're in a bad head space.

So, just from this single post, it's clear that there's a lot of information floating around in my noggin. Yes, a veritable cacophony of complex, complementary concepts competing for my attention. When all is said and done, I have to exercise lots of maitri while I struggle to form new and better ways of living. Maybe the best way to start is to pick just one new habit and build from there.

Perhaps I shall just sit with this and meditate on it for a spell...

n a m a s t e

Changing my relationship with food

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Forker) — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 03:35:00 +0000

I love pizza. I'd marry it if I could. Seriously, pizza's one of my greatest temptations. It's also really unhealthy, and that really bums me out. Portion control? Come on. Just one slice?!

The first resolution on my New Year's list is to change my relationship with food. I have to. It's arguably the single most important thing I can do. It's also one of the most confoundingly difficult things to start and then sustain.

When I first set out to select some of the links in the right column, under "thought for food," I planned to feature some of my favorite books on nutritious, healthy eating. I also wanted to include a newsletter I love, one my nutrition teacher (now friend) turned me on to. It's called Nutrition Action Health Letter, published by Center for Science in the Public Interest. I always learn a lot about nutrition, healthy choices, and processed foods from it.  There's not a single ad in it, either. Then I remembered how much I love reading what Michael Pollan has to say, so I wanted to include links to some of his writings. Before long, I got really worked up and decided that it's not enough to change my personal relationship with food. It's bigger than that.

I'm no conspiracy theorist, but there's a lot more manipulation going on than we may be aware of. Also, our children are getting bigger and bigger. What's going on here? It can't all be because of video games and the Internet. I need to keep food on my radar socially and politically. That's why the 2010 TED winner / chef Jamie Oliver and his Food Revolution is included, along with the documentary FOOD, INC. The way food is produced and sold to us in this country should turn us all into food activists.

Okay... shifting away from food activism, back to personal food issues...

We all know what we are supposed to be eating. So why is it so difficult? Part of the problem is that the majority of us are eating foods that are energy dense (high in calories) but not nutrient dense. So we always feel starved for something we don't get from the foods we choose. The Full Plate Diet, published by Lifestyle Center of America is a great book for giving you information on the benefits of high fiber and many other nutrients in fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, and whole grains. It's a beautiful reference you could turn to for a lifetime. I especially love the Top 5s chapter. This book alone would go a long way towards addressing the nutrient and satiety pieces of the overeating problem. Once those issues are addressed, portion control tends to take care of itself. People rarely "OD" on good, nutritious, satisfying foods.

Still, I feel frustrated and fascinated by the emotional and physiological pieces of the puzzle. To truly get my arms around this thing, I can't neglect the piece that a lot of folks chalk up to gluttony, weakness of character, or lack of willpower. You know, the stuff that makes us feel so much added shame and self-loathing (esp. if BMI's too high)? I've learned that those aren't the reasons most of us overeat. It turns out that brain chemistry is a major contributor. The End of Overeating (by David A. Kessler, M.D.) helped me to better understand what's going on there. Kessler goes into the science of things in a way that is interesting and accessible to anyone. Then he suggests approaches to effectively override the chemical responses in our brains that drive us mindlessly toward temptation and reward.  He also offers the wide angle view on how the food industry exploits that hardwiring we all have by making its products even more difficult to resist.

So, time to get serious. As much as I'll miss it, I gotta kick that pepperoni pizza to the curb, along with some of the other foods I can't resist. Lead me not into temptation!  If I can get a handle on my own eating first, all the while keeping my eyes and ears open to opportunities to have my voice heard on the wider stage, through petitions and what not (ever mindful of how the food biz sets us up to fail, and what we can do about that), things could begin to change.  Eating right could end up being something that's manageable, rewarding even. What a concept! Then one by one, example by positive example, as individuals and as a global family, we can take back control of what and how we eat. We do not have to accept that we are hopelessly hardwired to fail, that we are fundamentally flawed and doomed. We can be change agents, each in our own way.

Okay, whew, got dizzy up there on that soapbox. So there's a lot more to food than one post on one silly little blog could possibly cover. I mean, I didn't even begin to talk about organics, farming, ranching, vegetarianism, cooking, fats... the list goes on and on. It really IS a big deal. You know, a lotta ins, a lotta outs, a lotta what-have-yous... I think I'll grab some water and end for now.

New year

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Forker) — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 16:19:00 +0000

What does it mean to reach the end of one calendar year and the beginning of the next? Is it, like, no big deal to you, or something special? What are your New Year's traditions? Is it the time you like to kick back and watch Bowl games? A great excuse to party? Do you look back, get all reflective and philosophical? Do you enjoy those year-in-review specials, those “best of” lists? Or maybe you’re more interested in predictions, prophesies, astrological forecasts for the year to come? Do you make your annual New Year’s resolutions? I make almost identical ones each year; over and over, the same items appear. (A sure sign of insanity?)

Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual. - Mark Twain

I found one site listing the top 10 New Year’s resolutions most people make, and I realize my list is everyone’s list, pretty much. Should I feel good about this? Is there strength in numbers? Or is it more of a misery loves company sorta thing? Or worse, kind of a sisyphean exercise in futility (and is that redundant?). How can we ever break our bad habits and make our resolutions stick? Behavior modification gets into some pretty interesting stuff, but I'll leave that for another day.

So... lots of questions to ponder, or not. Okay, one more: What if your birthday hits on New Year’s Eve? Awesome, right? For nearly 20 years, I’ve known one person who makes this time of year very special to me, a fellow named Jackson. He’s effortlessly cool. He takes action, Jackson does, but he’s not overly showy. He has heroic qualities, too, along with being sweet, funny, and pretty darned wise for his years.

Here he is, protecting his sister Jade from dangers lurking around every pen at Phillips Ranch. That makes me a very proud aunt. Happy birthday, young man!

And to the rest of y’all… however you mark this time of year, may peace be with you... and if you party any day of the year, be sure you line up that driver for the way back home.

Matters of the heart

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Forker) — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 16:49:00 +0000

We tend to think of ourselves as invincible in my family. "Good genes." Almost a mantra. We've been saying that for years. Relying on it pretty heavily, really. Still, there are a few things we could all be doing better to make the best use of those good genes...

A great gift to yourself and those you care about would be this: Learn CPR. Even if you think you know it, it's changed. The emphasis is on compressions now. The old ABC acronym for airway-breathing-compressions has changed to CAB, because proper compressions administered right way, help keep the oxygen that's already in your blood circulating (especially to your brain) while emergency response is on its way. In full CPR, breathing still comes into play, but the order of steps has changed.

Check out Hands-Only CPR. It's a great place to start, and it features a free app for your iPhone or Android. You might also enjoy the videos on the side -- the hand symphony and the handwalker. Both pretty fun.

If you take a CPR class, you will likely also receive training on how to use an AED (automated external defibrillator). You may not have noticed them before, but there are AEDs hanging on the walls of many public places. AEDs come with easy step-by-step instructions and won't administer a shock unless one is needed. Here's a good video for more information on AEDs.

Lastly -- today -- learn the warning signs of a heart attack, stroke & cardiac arrest. It will only take a couple of minutes to read the information. Hopefully, you'll never be in that situation, but if you are, you'll have a lot more confidence to take action. Recognizing warning signs and acting quickly can save a life. It can also limit the damage and recovery time of these injuries. Remember: time is the critical factor.

This post is dedicated to my brother and his stentorian awakening...