My Baby

4 Treatments for Fibromyalgia - by Dr Oz

Photography by Jason Leonard

Dr. Oz will see you now! In his first O column, he analyzes the different treatments for fibromyalgia.

Defining Fibromyalgia: Though classified as a disorder of the musculoskeletal system, the condition is now seen as a central nervous system problem. Symptoms include increased sensitivity to pain, achy and stiff joints, fatigue, and specific tender points on the back, chest, arms, and legs. Migraines, sleep disorders, and irritable bowel syndrome are also common complaints. Up to 3 percent of the population may suffer from fibromyalgia, but with no clear cause, the condition is difficult to diagnose.

Western Medicine Approach: A formal diagnosis for fibromyalgia didn't exist until 1990, but now there are three FDA-approved meds to combat the pain. Still, says Nancy Klimas, MD, director of the Allergy and Immunology Clinic at the University of Miami, "there is much more to treatment than a pill." Strategies are needed to improve sleep, stretch and restore symmetry to muscles that have been shortened by spasm, and raise overall conditioning through exercise.

Energy-Based Approach: Practitioners believe the root of fibromyalgia is a disturbance in nerves that blocks energy. The disturbance, says Devi S. Nambudripad, MD, PhD, and a licensed acupuncturist, is caused by sensitivities to substances ranging from pollen to vaccines to chemical agents in fabrics. Anxiety and depression may also play a part. Practitioners use acupuncture to release energy and allergy testing to identify problem substances.

Psychological Approach: "The pain of fibromyalgia is not caused by depression," says Leonard Jason, PhD, professor of psychology at DePaul University, "but depression can deepen a patient's experience of pain." Mental health professionals may play a complementary role in treatment, but it's a vital one. Cognitive behavioral therapy can relieve depression and help patients identify sources of stress that magnify their symptoms.

Nutrition-Based Approach: Fibromyalgia is a systemwide breakdown, says Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, medical director of the nationwide Fibromyalgia & Fatigue Centers. After suffering from the disease in the 1970s, he developed his own protocol; in studies, patients improved by as much as 91 percent. He recommends supplements to help sufferers sleep, balance hormones, boost immunity, and improve nutrition. He also prescribes regular exercise. (Try Dr. Oz's 20-minute workout plan)

My Recommendation: Because Western medicine was slow to accept fibromyalgia, it is behind in its work; this is an area where patients will want to take a serious look at alternative approaches. Energy-based medicine could offer some important advances in treatment over the next decade, but since it has yet to be tested by independent research, I think it's premature to base your therapy solely on this approach. I'm more impressed by Teitelbaum's supplement regimen, and not only because he has tested his theories: I've put patients on this program with very good results. I would add counseling, as it should always be a part of fibromyalgia treatment. If after a couple of months you don't see improvement, talk to your doctor about drug therapy.

By Mehmet Oz, MD

from O Magazine
http://www.oprah.com/article/omagazine/200909-omag-dr-oz-fibromyalgia

For my information about Fibromyalgia - National Fibromyalgia Association

10 Fresh Lunchbox Ideas

ired of packing your child's lunch only to discover it barely touched when you empty her backpack? Get creative with these 10 fun and -- yes! -- healthy lunchbox meals that your child will actually enjoy.

by Jennifer Saltiel

1. Pita-Butter and Jelly

If your child's main food staple is PB&J, but peanut butter is a no-no at her school, here's a peanut-free option. Substitute butter or cream cheese in for peanut butter and spread on whole-wheat pita bread. Top with jelly, or if she loves apple pie, try cinnamony apple butter.

Plus:

Hard-boiled egg (If you child hates the yolk, serve two servings of egg whites instead.)
Squeezable yogurt tube
Sliced grapes & sliced grape tomatoes

2. I ♥ Turkey

A plain ol' turkey sandwich gets a little love with this Thanksgiving-inspired, heart-shaped version. (Kid not a heart-lover? Stars or dinosaur shapes work, too.) Spread a thin layer of cranberry sauce on two pieces of whole wheat bread. Layer two slices of roasted turkey breast and sliced cheese. Use a cookie cutter to cut the sandwich into the shape of a heart.

Plus:

Baby carrots with ranch dressing dip
Squeezable applesauce tube

3. Build-Your-Own Sandwich

Let your little chef test his culinary skills by packing the ingredients to a sandwich á la Lunchables. Assembling his own meal right at the lunch table may inspire him to eat it as well. Slice lunch meat and cheese into small squares. Serve with whole-grain crackers and individual packets of mayonnaise or mustard.

Plus:

Pear or apple slices (squeeze a bit of lemon juice on them to prevent browning)
Store-bought cinnamon pita chips


4. Mini Pizzas

This kid-favorite gets a healthy makeover to fuel your child's busy body all day long. Make these the night before to save time in the morning. Top English muffin halves with jarred marinara sauce (if your child won't object, add chopped steamed broccoli or spinach to the sauce.) Sprinkle pre-shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Let cool, then wrap up.

Plus:

One half cup of blueberries
Individual chocolate pudding

5. Brunch for Lunch

Who says French toast and eggs are just for breakfast? This traditional morning meal makes a power-packed lunch. Feel free to make these the night before. French toast cinnamon sticks: Add pureed squash or sweet potatoes to egg-milk batter for an extra boost of beta-carotene. Cook French toast and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture. Let cool and slice into sticks for an easy-to-eat fork-free option.

Plus:

Hard-boiled egg (If you child hates the yolk, serve two servings of egg whites instead.)
1/2-cup fruit salad

6. Go Fish!

An under-the-sea adventure right in your child's very own lunchbox: Tuna fish sandwich shaped like a fish. Cut a corner off of the bread and reverse it, placing the point at the middle of the cut line. Use a round slice of baby carrot for the eye.)

Plus:

Baby carrots (Write "Fish Food" on the plastic bag)
Blue-raspberry "water" -- an individual Jell-O container
Mini goldfish-shaped cheese crackers


7. Fruit Roll-Up

While your child would no doubt enjoy diving into a meal of sticky sweet fruit leather, this guilt-free version offers nutrients and energy to keep her going for the second half of the school day.

Spread blueberry or strawberry-flavored cream cheese on a whole-wheat tortilla wrap. Top with fresh blueberries or sliced strawberries and roll tortilla.

Plus:

Small container of hummus
Celery sticks and sliced cucumbers for dipping
A real fruit roll-up for dessert

8. Kid-friendly Chicken Salad

Sliced grapes and cubed apples add sweetness to plain old chicken salad. If your child eats nuts, add crushed cashews for extra crunch. Serve in a small container with whole wheat crackers or flatbreads.

Plus:

String cheese
Cook-free S'Mores: Spread Marshmallow Fluff on one graham cracker square, nutella on the other, and press together and enjoy!

9. Rainbow Wheel

A colorful, super-healthy lunch choice. Spread white bean dip on a whole-wheat or spinach tortilla wrap. Layer with lettuce, sliced tomato, cheese, thinly sliced cucumber (or pickle if your child is a fan), avocado and other favorite vegetables. Roll up the tortilla. Then slice into 4 1-inch cross-sections to make the wheels.

Plus:

Banana
Chocolate milk

10. Cube Food

Kids love finger foods -- why not serve up a whole meal of uniform, easy-to-eat cubes? Serve with a toothpick if your little one doesn't want to use his hands.

Cubed rotisserie chicken
Cubed cheddar cheese
Cubed sweet potato (microwave the whole potato for 8 minutes, let cool, then cut.)

Plus:

Cubed cantaloupe
Cubed brownie bites

http://www.parenting.com/recipes-gallery/Recipes/10-Fresh-Lunchbox-Ideas?cid=enews082509

What are they eating?

After being a mother for 24 years, I thought a few insights of what I had learned would be helpful. I would like to give out some more information that I feel strongly about and if it can help one mother out there my effort has been for good.

Okay, let me set the scene for you. (This can be any place at any time) You have made it to church, even on time. Good Job! You laid out the clothes the night before, even the socks and shoes (that is always the killer) why can you only find one shoe when you really need to get out the door?

You have packed the diaper bag with toys, books and snacks. You wait until they have passed the bread and water, always waiting until the boys have sat down :-), and now you hand out the snacks. Within about 1o - 15 mins. Your child is crying, hitting, biting she/he has lost all control and coping skills. What just happened?

When picking out, buying food and snacks many watch for fat and sugar content but overlook a very important thing. Artificial Colors and Flavors!! Our children are becoming so sensitive to these things. They lurk everywhere, in yogurt, cereal, Kool Aid, drinks, juices, candy, fruit snacks, otter pops, soda, condiments, ice cream, chips, lunch meats, crackers, soups, jellies, jams etc. Unfortunately they are everywhere. I find that they tend to be in items that are less expensive or in generic brands. Real is best.

But what about “saving” money, at what cost in the long run? The health and well being of our children. You need to be aware, proactive, read the labels. You can find alternatives, small changes that will make huge differences.

Christi - Mother of 9

Real Food

If we lived in a perfect world we would grow and cook all of our own food and we would store everything in GLASS.

Every thing would be real, fresh, without pesticides, antibiotics or hormones

High Fructose Corn Syrup is another Bad Boy – That is another whole topic

Real Sugar is better than ANY artificial sweeter period!!

The word – “Natural” Flavor can be deceiving – Did you know that if a chemical tastes like a banana without changing it in anyway, it can be called a “Natural” Flavor

We will pick our battles First – Colors
Just to give you an idea:
Oscar Mayer Deli Meats – Carmel Color
Kraft Mini (white) marshmallows – Blue #1
I put Yoplait yogurt cups on the okay list etc.
for Lime – Yellow #5 and Blue #1
Taco Bell Taco Shells – Yellow #5

You can great items at Good Earth Health Food Store, Whole Foods, Real Food Market, Harvest Fresh Market, Trader Joes,

Food Choices

Some good ideas:

Ice Cream – Breyers (still check your labels)
Popsicle does have a few okay choices – Natural Colors and Flavors with Fruit Juice – Orange, Cherry, Grape, Fudgsicles
Capri Sun – 100% Juice Boxes
Juicy Juice – 100% Juice Boxes
Brach’s has put out a few good fruit snacks – Tree Top – All Natural Fruit Snacks (at Costco) and Motts - All Natural Fruit Snacks
Yoplait yogurt cups


Snack Ideas:
Kix, Cheerios, Puffed Wheat & Rice,
Nuts, Seeds, Pretzels, Cracker Jacks, Raisins,
Air Popped Pop Corn, Cut Up Fruit, Dried Fruit
String Cheese, Baby Carrots

20 Ideas for Healthy Kids Snacks

As a responsible parent, one of our main concerns is to supervise what our kids eat. As obesity becomes more common, its important to ensure that we feed them healthy food, and that includes healthy snacks too! A growing child has higher metabolism, and snacks often add up to the regular meals. Unfortunately, that means a lot of extra calories, sugar, and fat. So the next time you are searching for lunch-box ideas, take a look at the list below. With these healthy kid-friendly snacks, you can not only prevent the risks of childhood obesity, but also keep cavities at bay!

Here's a list of 20 Healthy Snacks for yourself and your kids to fight off the snack attack in a healthy nutritious way. Plus, these are SO GOOD, they are great for adults too, so you don't binge on junk food anymore!

[Adapted from an article originally printed via EatRight.org & Fun and Food Cafe

1. A Banana by itself, or dip one yogurt, then coat with crushed cereal and freeze.
2. Stuff a whole-grain pita pocket with ricotta cheese and apple slices, and sprinkle a dash of cinnamon.
3. A bag of ready-to-eat cereal, dried fruit and nuts, all tossed together.
4. A bowl of vanilla yogurt topped with crunchy granola and berries.
5. A small serving of baked potato with reduced-fat cheddar cheese and salsa.
6. Fruit Kebabs, made with fruit cubes and cheese on toothpicks.
7. A whole grain waffle topped with fruits and honey
8. A PBJ sandwich or smoothie
9. A sandwich on wholegrain bread with cilantro, cheese and tomatoes.
10. Mini Pizza on corn tortilla base and topped with salsa and veggies.
11. Instant oatmeal topped with craisins and chopped nuts.
12. A cup of tomato or vegetable soup with whole-grain or cheese crackers.
13. Fill a waffle cone with frozen yogurt and cut-up fruit for a healthy ice cream cone.
14. Toast an English muffin, drizzle with pizza sauce and sprinkle with low-fat mozzarella cheese.
15. Rocky Road - Break a graham cracker into bite-size pieces. Add
to low-fat chocolate pudding along with a few miniature marshmallows.
16. Banana Split with a banana, low-fat vanilla and strawberry
frozen yogurt, topped with walnuts or pecans.
17. Whole grain cereal with otas, almonds and dried fruit.
18. Homemade Granola Bars
19. A simple cheese sandwich with a glass of Orange Juice
20. Celery sticks and cherry tomatoes with cheese cubes.

In addition to getting snacks with a lot of sugar and fat, getting too many snacks or snack serving sizes that are simply too large unhealthy for kids. Snacks like Cookies, chips, candy, doughnuts, fruit drinks, soda, etc. are indulgencies, and should not become regular habits. Limiting snacks to just 100 to 150 calories per serving is a good ballpark.

This is not a fool-proof list; I'm sure there would be tonnes of more ideas that you moms out there would be using! Care to share some with our readers? It's necessary to prevent childhood obesity, and you can do it! Hope this list helps you whip up a healthy, nutritious yet delicious snack for your kids the next time they cry out "Mommy, I'm hungry!!"

Save Your Lips

This is the best stuff to use on your lips.

Mothers Who Know

Mothers Who Know

 

Julie B. Beck

Relief Society General President

There is eternal influence and power in motherhood.

Education is what remains when one has forgotten everything he learned in school.
Albert Einstein

The Mom Song

Remember Lot's Wife - by Jeffrey R. Holland

Jeffrey R. Holland - Remember Lot's Wife

January 13, 2009

Fun with Food!!

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What’s for Lunch? Funky Cuteness!

...Those Who Matter Don't Mind

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.”Dr. Seuss

Be of Good Cheer - President Thomas S. Monson

"None of us makes it through this life without problems and challenges—and sometimes tragedies and misfortunes. After all, in large part we are here to learn and grow from such events in our lives. We know that there are times when we will suffer, when we will grieve, and when we will be saddened. However, we are told,“Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy." President Thomas S. Monson - April, 2009

Baby Blues

Baby Blues

Summer is:

Lazy mornings

Long days
Smell of fresh cut grass
Snow cone brain freeze
Playing at the park
Sunkissed cheeks
Corn on the cob
Bare feet
Roasting marshmallows
Homemade ice cream
Hiking
Eating outside
Driving with the windows down
Kids leaving the doors open while the AC is on
Ice cold lemonade
Watermelon
Bike rides
Lake swimming

From Heidi Swapp's Blog

There is nothing we can't live down, rise above or overcome.

—ELLA WHEELER WILCOX

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Compendium

I'm Just a girl

Little Miracles

We have to take the time to see the little miracles all around us. We can get so busy and we forget to just breath and smile. We are truly blessed.

We have witnessed the power of prayer, and the miracles that still happen today. God is aware of each of us. Even is we do not always understand the reasons why things happen, we need to trust in Him.
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Photos by Jason Leonard

My Nephew - Justin Williams

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Justin Williams Tour

Photo by Jason Leonard

Don't Blink...

CKU - An end of an Era

I went to the last CKU this week, I also went to the first (and others in between) it is sad it see it end. But I do agree that it needs an overhaul. The were so many there for their first time, so I know the need and want is still there.

I had a great time being a Teacher's Assistant at CKU again this year. There are so many amazing, creative, talented, good people in the world. :-)

I worked with Debby Schuh with her Inspiration Station project. Using October Afternoon paper. October Afternoon. (I LOVE this paper line)

On Fri I helped with the project "The Wild Things: by Imaginisce , great woman to work with and a really fun line of paper, stamps, ribbons, stickers etc. imaginisce

So many great ideas, but the biggest thing is that people are recording their history in pictures and words. What a blessing for those who come after us to have such wonderful records that are fun and beautiful.

So little, so much work!

Lindsay was crying in pain, she was complaining of a toothache. We could not calm her down, I know that pain all too well. A call went in to the Dentist early that Monday morning, she was seen, but very scared. The results, she would need two root canals and to be put under.

It came as no surprise that she would have a problem with these two teeth. Mine has been removed and so has Mom's. So there seems to be a problem with them. But it was when see was under they found three move cavities. Okay Lindsay, less treats and better brushing. That was a lot of work for someone so little, but she seems to be doing fine.

She looks so little

This is the best part of going to the Dentist.