My thoughts on food storage and serving sizes - we need to learn portion control!

As members of the LDS church, we are counseled to have food storage, in case of emergencies, in case of financial hardships, etc. Provident Living is what it is called. We should be as self sustaining as we can. With all the natural disasters we see happening around the world, it is a bit scary when we think it could happen to us! Wherever we live! Life as we know it could change in an instant.

Let's take hurricane Katrina for example. That natural disaster happened here, on American soil. I have been told that when FEMA and gov't officials told people to head to the SuperDome that they should bring enough food to feed themselves and their families for 3 days. Hardly anyone did. They weren't prepared. Do you have a 72-hour kit in your home? It should consist of basic food (emergency ration bars, at the very least), water or purification tablets, a basic first aid kit, radio/signal lights, hygiene items, emergency blankets, and an extra pair of clothing wouldn't hurt.

As I am doing this diet, I am realizing how much I really eat. I consistently eat over 3,000 calories a day. At least! And during times of hardship or disaster, we may have to rely on what we have stored in our pantry, or in our long term storage (if we even have any!). A serving size is usually about 1 cup, but how often do I eat 2-3 cups of spaghetti at a meal? We all really should learn portion control. Having control of our desires is probably one of the hardest things we can accomplish in this life, as humans. We are of course a society where we want instant gratification. We want to be able to have it NOW. Who cares what the consequences might be later, as long as we are happy now.

For me, I know that if we do have to rely on our food storage, we will have to eat about 1800 calories per day. Of course we can supplement that with all the fruit we want in the summertime when our fruit trees produce. But we will have to ration our food storage. The hunger pains we feel, the cravings... well, it would be easier if we got those under control NOW, before we are faced with an emergency where we don't have a choice.

Once I am off this diet, I am going to try to work on portion control. I won't deprive myself, but instead of taking a HUGE piece of cake, I will take a small to medium piece of cake, and do I really need all that frosting!? When I make a casserole (I LOVE casseroles) I will eat a portion, then save the rest for leftovers. Steve constantly tells me I feed him such huge portions. So I will have to take all of that into consideration.

So here's to a new way of eating! Smaller portion size, less processed foods, more whole grains. That is my plan!

HCG Diet update and detoxing my body

I have successfully passed day 8 of my low calorie diet. I have lost 6 lbs, but almost 2.5 inches off my waist.

If you do the homeopathic hcg diet, then I have to tell you to follow the instructions and measure your thighs, hips, waist, chest, arms, etc. I only measured my waist in the beginning. That is all I really cared about. But I am losing inches all over. I know this because my pants are fitting much looser all around. And, because I can tell how skinny my legs look HAH!!! But I can't tell you how much I lost because I didn't measure in the beginning.

I have 12 1/2 days left. I don't think I will make my goal weight loss of 25 lbs, but I think I may be close to 18-20 lbs. lost during this diet. The good thing is that I am taking care of myself, exercising, using my detox foot pads to help control my carb cravings, using my sauna, doing my weights/strengthening exercises, and taking my vitamins. I will continue losing weight after I get off this diet, I just won't lose it as fast. Maybe 2-3 lbs per week vs. 5-6 lbs/week.

I should definitely be at my goal weight by my birthday in April.

I am craving some foods. I am definitely craving mexican food, cheese, my raw milk that I drink, and grains. I would love to eat chips and salsa. The other night I made organic ground beef and mixed in taco seasoning, and then as my "veggie" I just scooped some salsa in and mixed it up. I pretended there was sour cream and cheese, and that I was eating a delicious soft taco!!

Some nights I have the light turkey dogs that you can get that are organic. They are about 80 calories each (so I have 3 of them!!) and just put gobs and gobs of mustard on them since mustard doesn't have any calories.

I also eat a spoonful of cottage cheese (fat free) if I am hungry in the afternoon. And, I drink a lot of hot tea, and also stevia-sweetened lemonade that has no calories.

My fruit of choice is apples. I have an apple corer that slices them up, and it is so easy to use. So now I can eat apples without having to bit into the whole apple. I am excited about this because we have 3 or 4 apple trees growing in our yard, and once they produce, I will be able to eat tons of apples and make apple pies, and apple sauce, etc.

I have gone on long enough. I am a bit tired, but that might be because I am not getting a lot of sleep. Otherwise my energy levels are at least that of what they were before I started the diet.

Once I can add breads and grains back into my diet, I will focus solely on whole grains and brown rice, and only eat white rice as a "treat" (like fried rice at an asian restaurant).

I still want sesame chicken to be my first meal after the diet i sover, so that will be March 22nd.

Have a great day!

Dangerous diet fad hits Hong Kong

Dangerous diet fad hits Hong Kong

If you've eaten your way to a big jelly belly, you can't worm your way out of it... but that's exactly what some Hong Kong diet weirdos are trying to do.

They're ingesting live parasites in the belief that the critters will run around in the stomach and eat up all the fat. This screwy idea crops up from time to time -- but it's gotten so bad in Hong Kong that health authorities had to issue a warning over weight-loss products that contain awful stomach parasites such as the Ascaris roundworm.

Click here to see what these awful things look like -- if you can stomach it.

Any dieters who think this is a good idea shouldn't waste another minute worrying about their weight... because they clearly have a mental disorder far worse than obesity.

I've worked in clinics in South America and Africa, and I've seen my fair share of parasite infections. Trust me, these awful things are a wriggling mass of bad news. They can grow to about 15 inches long... and lay up to 200,000 eggs per day in your intestines.

Once they're running around in your gut, these disgusting creatures aren't obedient little pets. As they multiply inside you, they have free run all over your stomach and digestive tract. They can block your intestines and even worm their way into your other organs, like your lungs.

They can also cause all the problems and side effects associated with the typical diet drug: diarrhea, stomach pain, nausea and vomiting... and eventually, you may need to take drugs anyway or even undergo surgery to rid yourself of these nasties.

And since they can even be fatal, you may not lose weight by eating these worms... but you could provide a meal for earthworms as you rot in your early grave.

Not dying for this diet,

William Campbell Douglass II, M.D.

My favorite rescued breeder boxer girl, Molly

This story touched me as I was part of her rescue team, I made the flyers, helped recruit people and was part of the door to door team. Molly ended up many miles from her house, across 2 busy freeways. She has been to my home with Stella a few times now, to play with my boys. She will run after them a few times as they chase a ball or frisbee, but she isn't interested in the toys, as Lucy's story mentions. She has the most beautiful "lope" and carries herself well, until she notices you watching her, and then she wants to shy away.

It Takes a Village

From "Lost Souls: Found! Inspiring Stories about Boxers":

Boxer dogBefore coming to live with me, Molly spent her days in a Missouri puppy mill’s cement block kennel, giving birth to litter after litter of pups who were designated to go to pet stores across the country. Molly was over-bred, under-socialized, painfully shy, and looked just plain scared to death.

After years of “service,” Molly’s reward was to be dumped on the side of a busy freeway. A passerby alerted authorities after seeing the stray dog, and the hunt was on. It took Missouri animal control two weeks to capture Molly and transfer her to Minnesota Boxer Rescue (MNBR), an organization with a reputation for saving these breeding girls.

When I adopted her, Molly did not know about houses, doorways, or leashes. She kept her head down, eyes averted, and looked like she wanted the ground to swallow her up. We carried her into the house and she immediately sank to the floor. When I tried to gently guide her to another area of the house, Molly crawled on her belly, looking more like a snake than a dog. Her first day with us was spent in the fetal position with her head hidden and an invisible sign on her back stating: “Leave me alone!”

On the way to the vet the next day, Molly panicked and squirmed like a hooked fish out of water. In short order, the collar and leash were in my hand, and Molly was down the street. It was futile to call after her (even though I did) because she did not know her name and was certainly not coming back.

I pursued Molly in my car and enlisted a few policemen in the chase. She was spotted at a local high school a mile from my home and was gaining ground fast. We were just about to give up when a man walking a dog said he had just spotted Molly on the next block. I turned the corner in my car and there she was, running right down the middle of a busy road and headed toward the freeway. Then she was gone, and there were no more sightings.

I had given up on the idea of ever seeing Molly again, but when MNBR immediately organized search groups, contacted hospitals, animal control centers, and shelters, and printed and hung 300 flyers, my hope was restored. Over the next several days we were called with many sightings: Molly scrounging through the trash on the edge of the freeway, a thin boxer drinking from a backyard pond, a dog lurking around some condos. Again and again, team members staked out the area to try to catch Molly.

It looked like we wouldn’t catch her, until one day Molly made a gigantic mistake; she took up residency on a very exclusive, private golf course. That got everyone’s attention, especially the groundskeeper, Ben. Ben chased her around in his golf cart and found out where she was slipping under the fence to come and go. There was also a large drain pipe Molly may have been using as a hideout. At one point, Ben followed Molly off the golf course and cornered her in a partially fenced area at a local playground. But Molly, the breeder gal who knew no other life than a cement cell, desperately wanted her freedom and again managed to escape.

Day nine finally brought an end to Molly’s adventure. She was winded, tired, and emaciated, and Darrick, a wonderful man who loved dogs and had been following Molly’s story, was finally able to corner her for the last time. Molly returned to my home, never to run again, but she still had a long road to walk toward becoming a family pet.

As I worked with her, I started to wonder if she might be missing her last batch of pups that were taken away. I thought of the stuffed brindle Boxer I kept on my bed, which had been my companion for all those years I couldn’t have a real dog. I decided to give it to Molly, and she immediately started to grunt. Then Molly started to sniff, moving closer to the toy. When I picked up the stuffed dog, Molly stood up. I took the toy to the back door and placed it on the deck. Molly followed.

This went on for several weeks, but how could a stuffed dog teach Molly to eat from a bowl? To walk on a leash? To cuddle up and accept love from humans?

That was when I went back to MNBR and found Stella, a 10-year-old, happy, well-socialized girl, who had a good family life until a divorce forced her out of her home. Stella taught Molly everything about being a Boxer.

Today, ten months later, Molly is making progress. She does well walking on a leash, as long as Stella is around. Now Molly is not afraid to go through doorways and play and potty in the backyard, but she is still afraid of shadows and will hide in the corner of a bedroom unless all the lights are on in the house. Molly makes grunting noises but does not bark, instead letting Stella alert us to strangers. Molly still does not play with toys, but she seems to enjoy watching Stella chase a ball around. Molly eats a few bites at a time from her food bowl and then runs and hides, but she does come back for more bites and more hiding. Stella has taught Molly how to jump up on the bed at night and lie next to her humans. Molly will follow Stella up on the couch, and together they watch out the window for me to come home from work.

The greatest joy in my life so far is that Molly allows me to pet her. She will raise her angelic face to mine, and for a moment I can see a light in her hauntingly sad eyes, a ray of hope that life will always be this good. During these special moments, I might also get a tail wag or two, before Molly catches herself trusting a human. She will then run off and hide to compose herself. When Molly first comes back out to visit me again, I will see that hollow, dull look in her eyes. But as my hand stretches forward to scratch her head and ears, the light returns and all is good in the world.

Molly is matronly-looking with her white face, although our best guess is that she is only around seven. She has calluses on all her joints that have worn to leather patches, but she wears them like badges of honor. Her shoulders droop a bit and she slouches when she sits, as if the weight of her past life is almost too much to bear. Her gentle soul shows in every movement she makes.

Molly is cared for, comfortable, protected, and wants for nothing. No matter how far down the road to recovery Molly does or doesn’t walk, she will always be loved intensely and infinitely.

By Lucy Blake, Minnesota Boxer Rescue

Earthquake preparedness from Emergency Essentials

This is Emergency Essentials latest post on their blog!

Earthquake Preparedness

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, there have been 5 major earthquakes worldwide so far in 2010:
  • 1/12/10, Haiti, 7.0 magnitude
  • 2/4/10, Offshore Northern California, 5.9 magnitude
  • 2/18/10, China-Russia-N. Korea border, 6.9 magnitude
  • 2/26/10, Ryukyu Islands Japan, 7.0 magnitude
  • 2/27/10, Offshore Chile, 8.8 magnitude
Earthquakes can be very dangerous and can occur at any time of the year. Identifying potential hazards ahead of time and advance planning can reduce the chances of death, serious injury, or property damage.

According to the Earthquake Country Alliance based in Southern California, there are 7 major steps to take for earthquake safety:

  1. Secure it now! Conduct a "hazard hunt" to help identify and fix things such as unsecured televisions, computers, bookcases, furniture, unstrapped water heaters, etc. Securing these items now will help to protect you tomorrow.
  2. Make a plan. Planning for an earthquake is not much different from planning for a party or vacation. Make sure that your emergency plan includes evacuation and reunion plans; your out-of-state contact person's name and number; the location of your emergency supplies and other pertinent information.
  3. Make disaster kits. Everyone should have a disaster supply kit stored in accessible locations at home, at work and in your vehicle. Having emergency supplies readily available can reduce the impact of an earthquake. Your disaster supplies kits should include food, water, flashlights, portable radios, batteries, a first aid kit, cash, extra medications, a whistle, fire extinguisher, etc.
  4. Is your place safe? Most houses are not as safe as they could be. Whether you are a homeowner or a renter, there are things that you can do to improve the structural integrity of your home. Some of the things that you might consider checking include inadequate foundations, unbraced cripple walls (a short wall built upon the foundation of a house that produces a high crawlspace), soft first stories (click here for details), unreinforced masonry and vulnerable pipes. Consult a contractor or engineer to help you identify your building's weaknesses and begin to fix them now.
  5. Drop, cover, and hold on! Learn what to do during an earthquake, whether you're at home, at work, at school or just out and about. Taking the proper actions, such as "Drop, Cover, and Hold On", can save lives and reduce your risk of death or injury. During earthquakes, drop to the floor, take cover under a sturdy desk or table, and hold on to it firmly. Be prepared to move with it until the shaking stops.
  6. Check it out. One of the first things you should do following a major disaster is to check for injuries and damages that need immediate attention. Make sure you are trained in first aid and in damage assessment techniques. You should be able to administer first aid and to identify hazards such as damaged gas, water, sewage and electrical lines.
  7. Communicate and recover. Following a major disaster, communication will be an important step in your recovery efforts. Turn on your portable radio for information and safety advisories. For most Presidential declared disasters, resources will also be available from federal, state, and local government agencies.
 
Kaito® Voyager™

Another great resource for earthquake safety and preparedness is the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This is a very comprehensive site concerning disaster preparedness. You can also find additional information at the U.S. Geological Survey website.

Keep in mind that the best way to survive an earthquake is to be prepared for it. You can have greater confidence in being safe by knowing that you have made preparations for natural disasters that may come your way.

Reminder -- help MN Boxer Rescue get $1,000 TODAY ONLY!!

 

Please vote for my dog so I can donate the money to animal rescue!!

 

http://startribune.upickem.net/engine/Votes.aspx?PageType=VOTING&contestid=14163#SubmissionDisplay

 

Please vote on page 13 of round 4 (I think entry #153)– for Aegis. This contest goes on today through 9am tomorrow morning, and if Aegis wins, all proceeds $1000 prize money, will go to MN Boxer Rescue and we really need the funds!! Unfortunately, you have to register, and I hope you don’t mind taking an extra minute to do that, as it would really help MN Boxer Rescue out. We would love for this money to go help pay for Frannie’s care (see our website www.mnboxerrescue.org to read about her sad story).

 

You can vote EVERY HOUR!! Please let me count on you for at least 3 votes each today. Thanks!

 

Here is Aegis’ picture:

 

Aegis is also the March superstar in the MN Boxer Rescue calendar if you have one. Him and his rescue brother, Max!!! Aegis’ birthday was yesterday!

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Rebecca Hauptman | Marketing Manager

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P: 763.504.3536 | F: 763.531.8235
www.e-switch.com | www.lambind.com

 

Now you can follow E-Switch on Twitter

 

Help my puppy win $1,000 to donate to MN Boxer Rescue! click the link please!


http://startribune.upickem.net/engine/Votes.aspx?PageType=VOTING&contestid=14163#SubmissionDisplay

Please click the link, and register at the Star Tribune cutest canine contest. Aegis is on page 13, he is on the left hand side maybe halfway down, cuddling with a stuffed animal.

You have to register, so thank you for taking the extra minute to do that. And you can vote every hour from now until 9am central time tomorrow, so PLEASE DO!!!

If Aegis wins the $1,000 -- all of it will be donated to MN Boxer REscue for Frannie's surgery. Help us win!

HCG Diet - getting my body back to a healthy weight

Homeopathic HCG Diet.

I started the HcG diet this week. In 2 days I have lost 3 pounds of fat so far. It is very difficult for me to eat a very low calorie diet, but the food I AM eating tastes delicious, so I am not depriving myself of anything tasty... I ate grilled chicken last night with some delicious peas. I used savory sea salt from Mother Earth Minerals to season almost everything. Today for lunch I had leftovers from yesterday. I also am eating grilled chicken salads with a raspberry vinaigrette dressing that has 30 calories. I am eating fresh fruit as snacks, and if I get too hungry between meals, I eat a few spoonfuls of fat free cottage cheese.

I am drinking a LOT of Jasmine Green Tea from Bigelow. I am also sweetening some koolaid with Stevia so it is no calories but yet I don't have to have the sugar. I LOVE stevia. My favorite flavors of koolaid are strawberry and fruit punch. I am not a big koolaid drinker, and miss my raw milk. 18 more days to go and my goal weight loss is 25 pounds. I think I can do it.

I am still taking my minerals and vitamins, and my Silica Gel and resveratrol.

My BMI was 25.8, which is just a tad above "healthy" weight for me. But because of my hypothyroidism, I could not lose weight. Now that my thyroid is acting better, I have to lose the weight. The sooner the better. I am used to fluctuating between 135-145 my whole adult life, so this was frustrating for me! I am tall, 5'8" and can carry my weight well, but who wants to "carry weight well". I want to feel good and look good, too. And, I don't want my clothes to fit me tight anymore. I HATE clothes shopping as much as I hate grocery shopping. I have plenty of nice clothes, I just need to finish this diet so I can wear them again! I am normally a size 6/8 and hate being a 10/12 so that will be something to look forward to!

So, I will try to give updates every few days. I am hoping for at least a pound of weight loss per day. That is do-able, as it burns FAT not MUSCLE, and I am using the sauna, and will try to use it more frequently during this diet. I can burn up to 900 calories in 1 sauna sitting, and that is more than the number of calories I am eating per day. I am very active and am doing my strengthening exercises, and using my "jiggly machine" (vibration exerciser). So... we will see.

I am not starving. I am hungry, but as my body adjusts to less calories, with the same activity level, I think I will do fine. My biggest craving right now is Strawberry Starbursts. I don't know why. It is easy for me to go to bed at night on an empty stomach than it is for me to skip breakfast. So that is hard, since we aren't supposed to eat breakfast, and then only eat a piece of fruit mid morning.

Other things I am craving: Ramen Noodles without the seasoning (I use non-msg beef or chicken broth), mexican food, Leeann Chin's sesame chicken (this is probably going to be my first regular meal again, in 19 days!)

And, I am using my detox foot pads. I want to make sure I am not putting more toxins into my thyroid to make it stagnant again! I am also doing minor other things, like not drinking out of plastic water bottles anymore, not storing my foods in plastic containers (I switched to glass pyrex containers and I think I really like them), and being consistent with my supplements.

One month from now I will be feeling amazing. Just you watch and see!!

You gotta be kidding me!! (pic of congress and story to go along with it)

Should we buy them larger screen computers - or - a ticket home, permanently?

This is one of their THREE DAY WORK WEEKS that we all pay for.  I am ready to start from the beginning by voting out all elected officials and not letting any of them stay in office for more than two terms.  No more lifelong healthcare, retirement, voting in their own pay raises, taking perks on our taxes, etc.

 

House Minority Leader  Lawrence F. Cafero Jr. , R-Norwalk, pictured standing, far  right, speaks while colleagues Rep. Barbara Lambert,  D-Milford and Rep. Jack F. Hennessy, D-Bridgeport, play solitaire Mo nday night as the House convened to vote on a  new budget. (AP)

The guy sitting in the row in front of these two.....  he's on Facebook, and the guy behind Hennessy is checking out the baseball scores.

These are the folks that couldn't get the budget out by Oct. 1,  and are about to control your health care, cap and trade, and the list goes on.....