Prayer for Vera

I have this sweet Siamese Kitten name Vera and she is about to have surgery this upcoming Tuesday.  We just found out that she has many internal genetic abnormalities and the surgery is very risky.  Her heart is mishaped and it has bands of tissue around it and it connects to her other organs, her liver is three times the size it should be (although her liver function test are normal) and her diaphragm is misshaped. The risk is that her diaphragm doesn't hold her lungs up and that her lungs collapse.  She is the sweetest kitten ever and my husband and I have grown so attached to her. This is extra hard because I am still morning my dear Beagle Arby. So, my heart hurts.  Vera has no idea that anything is wrong with her, she runs around and plays with Daisy and just enjoys being a regular fun kitten. My hope is that her abnormalities are "her normal ".
I am asking all that read my blog to say this prayer or any other prayer to ask GOD to help Vera through her surgery and back to us healthy, if this is his will.  Thank you so much, and GOD BLESS YOU.

                                           

(As I write this post, Vera is sitting here licking my arm and just looking at me....she is adorable.)

Heavenly Father,
Please help us in our time of need,
You have made us stewards of Vera.
If it is Your will, please restore Vera
to health and strength through her upcoming surgery.

I pray too for other animals in need.
May they be treated with the care and respect
deserving of all your creation
Blessed are You Lord God,
and holy is Your name for ever and ever
Amen

I will post the outcome of the surgery on Tuesday. 


Little Vera & I

 

Do you have a protein source with all your snacks and meals?

It’s funny all these years I thought eating an apple or an orange for a snack would be a healthy choice. Maybe eating a granola bar or a yogurt would also be a good choice. Then about an hour after I would eat my snack, I wondered why I would start to shake. I would get dizzy and light headed. It would be the same reaction as if I ate a candy bar an hour earlier. My blood sugar dropped and when I get to that point…I would eat anything to stop the shakes. So, let me tell you, whatever I could get my hands on, I would eat and eat and eat. Then I would be upset with myself for overeating. This became a vicious circle.

Since getting my certification in nutrition, I have learned why it’s important to eat a carb and a protein together. It may be contrary to what you have heard or been taught, but it is very important to balance meals and snacks with protein rich foods along with carbohydrate rich foods. I know so many diets out there tell you that “Carbs Are Bad” A meal comprised solely of carbohydrates and nothing else can be problematic because your glucose levels can spike up and then crash down. This leaves you feeling hungry, tired and weak it also gives your body an easy opportunity to convert those carbohydrates in that meal to fat.

When you include proteins you will stay full longer, and glucose levels stay more consistent, your metabolism will work more efficiently, and you will feel like you have more energy for longer periods of time. When we combine carbohydrates and proteins in a meal the carbohydrates are digested in about two hours, but the proteins take longer to digest. When the two are eaten together, proteins slow down the digestion of the carbohydrates, and energy from the carbohydrates is released slower. This is a positive result. In addition, eating carbohydrates with protein means the carbohydrates will be used for energy, leaving the protein for use in building and repairing muscle tissues. This is the primary function of protein.

Okay, so what are you going to eat along side of that apple the next time you grab one for a snack? How about a slice of low fat cheese or a small yogurt? When you eat some fresh cut up veggies have a few ounces of light soy milk. I love those little laughing cow triangles with a few multi grain crackers. I suppose that is why a good old bowl of low fat milk and cereal (high fiber / low sugar of course) is a great choice.

The Power !

What can you do when you can’t do anything?

First of all, when you want to do something about an event in your life or you want to help someone close to you and you are unable to, you can feel out of control. I am at my worst when I feel out of control. I hate when this happens and I am sure most of us are not too fond of feeling this way either. We all handle life stressors in different ways. Some people drink, some hit the bars or maybe get depressed and stay in bed for as long as they can.

Here are a few things I do, when I know there is something going on and I can’t do a dam thing about it. Some are great choices, some good choices and some not too good choices. It’s okay though, because it’s just how I handle the stressors in my life. Then, I try to bounce back up and put one foot in front of the other. Because God knows, you have to move on through your day and handle new challenges as they arise.   Here are a few ways I handle stress in my life:

• Exercise but then go home and eat something I shouldn’t
Or just exercise.

• Wash……and fold.

• Eat chocolate

• Cook up comfort foods…..and bake something to go along with it.

• Pray….before bed

• Clean….there is always something that can be wiped down or vacuumed up.

• Take care of a child…..this always gets your mind off things

• Write down my thoughts and feelings

• Pray, while taking a shower

• Be with my family

• Talk with my friends

• Pray, while sitting in my car

• Make tea……..not sure if this works but something I always want to do

• Comfort someone by making them feel comfortable with a fluffy blanket

• Just be there…..yes, just be there.

• Oh you know what? I can do something, anytime, anywhere. So, actually I do have the power to do something when things in my life are out of control.

• PRAY…ANYTIME…..ANYWHERE……THE POWER OF PRAYER.  It's all in the hands of god anyway.

A Good Day to Make Soup

Hearty Lasagna Soup

1 lb ground turkey
1 chopped onion
1tsp garlic
1/4 tsp Parsley
1/4 tsp Oregano
2 lg cans low fat low sodium chicken broth
2 cans crushed tomatoes (I add 1 can whole tomatoes too)
1/4 tsp Italian season
1 box whole wheat pasta ( I used the small shells)
1/4 parm cheese (I like a little more)

Cook the first four ingredients over medium heat for about 10 min. Drain fluid from meat if needed. Add the rest of the ingredients & cook until pasta is done. Serve with multi grain rolls or bread. Yum!

This is a hearty low fat, low sodium soup.....perfect on a snowy day.

My Sweet, and Gentle Boy!

Arby was my 16 year old Beagle. He was the kindest, sweetest dog I have ever met. He was more then the family pet. He was a member of my family. He was my sidekick and my companion. He was my friend.

He always enjoyed cuddling up in a blanket and snuggling up with me and he made sure he was insight of me at all times. If he couldn’t see me, he would make sure he would look all around the house until he found me. He enjoyed trips to the Jersey shore and walks on the beach with his Aunt Debbie and I.  He loved coming into the playroom whenever Nicole brought my grandaughter over.  He just wanted to be a part of whatever the baby was doing......it was so cute..stinky as he was.   He enjoyed family functions and he made sure he would be sitting in the middle of whatever was going on. Christmas time was one of his favorite times. When everyone was opening up their presents and gift paper was flying all over the place, he would be in the middle of it, just looking at everything going on. He just loved when everyone was together….period. That’s what he loved.

When he was a puppy he slept at night with my son. He just loved getting all cozy with the blankets and pillows. My son liked to dress him up in clothes, and Arby didn’t mind a bit…okay, maybe a bit.

Arby was the stinkiest beagle ever. He enjoyed trash eating, bunny droppings, cat littler and over the years, he has eaten his fair share of chocolate bunny rabbits, as well as bags of Halloween candy. I think he had a stomach of steal.

Something I never told anyone about my puppy Arby and I……I often called him my “Link” …..He was my link from my first marriage to the life I live today (second marriage). Going through a divorce is painful. Moving on is painful……the changes that you and your children go through are very, very difficult. Through all that mess, my Arby was my “Link from my past to my present”. I spilled many tears and gave him many hugs and cuddled up with him many, many of times through that period of my life. He gave me nothing but unconditional love. He was there for me completely and nonjudgmental of my decisions. He was my “Link” (Tearful right now) He will always be my LINK.

He had a special white spot on the top of his head that I called his “Kissing Spot” I loved kissing him there. I will forever miss kissing him on that special white spot of his.  I miss him so much and my house will never be the same without him. (my heart hurts)

Arby rest in peace my dear sweet baby boy of mine. I will forever hold a special place in my heart and I will meet you on the other side of “The Rainbow Bridge”.  Here are a few small clips of sweet Arby.

A New Year & A Good Start

Happy New Year!

I am really excited about 2011. I feel it’s going to be a really good year.

I have some decisions I know I am going to have to make, that are not going to be easy, and I know that it’s just a part of life to make difficult decisions. I am not going to look at this as a negative thing; I am going to try to think of it as just a part of life. (More on this at another posting.) With this mindset I don’t want to start this year out on a bad foot. I think it’s going to be a good start…..life will be good this year, again just a feeling. After all isn't that what they say.....what you put out there in the universe the universe will give back to you, or just the power of positive thinking. Or even better, the power of prayer. It all depends on how YOU look at it.

“A good start” is a perfect way to start my first posting for this 2011 posting.

Talking about good starts…….I am going to start sharing my feelings on how we can start this year out taking care of our insides and our outsides. We can start off by eating Breakfast everyday. I never used to eat breakfast, but it’s a fact that it starts up our bodies just like gasoline starts up our cars. Without the food / fuel you can’t get anywhere for the day. Another rule of thumb for weight loss is to drink 16 oz of water when you first wake up. Then make sure you eat your breakfast within the first 60 minutes of waking up. Make sure your breakfast consists of a protein and a carbohydrate mix, this way your sugar level stays even through out the morning. That’s what your body needs to be fueled up and be ready to face the world.

It maybe difficult to get that much water in you first thing in the morning, but let me tell you it helps flush out any built up toxins in your body from the night before. Your organs inside your body and your skin outside your body will be freshly hydrated and ready to do their job.

It’s relatively easy to eat a healthy breakfast but it’s a lot easier to eat an unhealthy breakfast. Let’s see….picking up chocolate donuts or making an egg white omelet with Multi grain toast and 1/2 a grapefruit. So yes, it is easier to eat unhealthy, but if you take just a few extra minutes you can eat and enjoy a healthy breakfast.

A few examples are: high fiber cereals, fat free milk with a banana and a small glass of juice. I need my cup of Joe along with that.

A multi grain English muffin with homemade or organic all fruit and a small nonfat yogurt. Of course a cup of Joe.

My favorite is an egg white, spinach and feta cheese omelet with, whole wheat toast and a light smidgen of butter, an half grapefruit and of course my cup of Joe.

I could go on and on…..but the point is to get that healthy protein, carbohydrate mix to get you started for the day and to hold you over until your morning snack. So, drop that donut or muffin routine and take a few extra minutes to take care of yourself.

Breakfast is a good start to your day and it’s a good way of starting your New Year!