Not much time and hope to give more details tomorrow. I take different ones and vary them. I might take nothing for a few weeks or months - what I've been doing lately Then I might do something like this: Day 1 - Melatonin Day 2 - 5-HTP Day 3 - Valerian Day 4 - L-Tryptophan Days 5, 6, and 7 - None or one of the above I try to listen to my body. I have found that things work better when I take a break from them, vary them, and don't take the same exact supplement day-in, day-out. Other times, I might take Melatonin or one of the above and that alone for a few weeks. Whatever works. Again, listen to your body. Right now, I'm happy that I don't seem to be needing anything. This is a rarity for me.

:grouphug: Happy to hear this. Been thinking of you a lot today. :grouphug:

:party: I'm a big believer in naps for moms :grouphug:. I take naps and they're quite long and I'm proud of that. :)

Thank you. I didn't know that. Guess I will start taking coconut oil more regularly. I wonder if one does all the other stuff that one can - turmeric, anti-inflammatory diet, etc. - but not take the coconut oil or at least, less of it - if one can still benefit?

:lol: :grouphug: :lol: Mine was of being at Dairy Queen ordering a Blizzard :tongue_smilie:. I think the ads for the DQ Blizzard are part of the problem. No Dairy Queens or pretty much any fast food in this part of the world. Sorry about your kidney stone. :grouphug: I agree about crazy and more vivid dreams not necessarily being a result of melatonin. I haven't taken melatonin in at least a month, probably more, and my dreams have been far more vivid, clear, and entertaining than when I was taking it. I've been sleeping like a log.

:iagree: :iagree: :iagree: I also want to add that unless something goes for an extended period of time and is obviously unreasonably prolonged, etc. - our dc need to learn resilience and strength. Yes, we can and should lead and guide them to healthier, more positive approaches. But there will come a time when they need to learn to deal with things when we won't be around to help fix everything for them. Hope I'm not sounding too harsh or offensive.

You're welcome. :grouphug: I love 5-HTP and first heard about it in The Diet Cure. She also wrote a book which I'm sure is also great The Mood Cure. I think this is the one I take. I like to break open the capsule and pour the contents under/on my tongue and allow it to dissolve sublingually. That's what works for me and is what's recommended in the above books.

:grouphug: I'm so sorry. If you can take a vacation, do so by all means. Vacations always help. They don't take the problem/s away, but they can help a lot. You're doing so much - exercise, eating right, etc. You will see that things will get easier. It just takes time and patience. :grouphug: Everyone's given great advice. Some other suggestions. If you ever want to consider therapy, I've heard time and time again that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the way to to. It teaches one to switch to healthier thought patterns. Not saying you need therapy, just saying that if you are considering it. Control your breathing. When you feel yourself beginning to stress, focus on making each breath slow and deep. Put your hand on your belly, and as you inhale, focus on your belly rising; as you exhale, feel it relax and fall. Say to yourself: “I can make it through this†and try not to let yourself get caught up in negative thought patterns. The Bach Flower Remedies represent a form of psychotherapy in a bottle, a noninvasive modality to address negative emotional states like: • Anxiety • Depression • Impatience Bach Rescue Remedy is, in fact, used in many emergency rooms to help alleviate trauma. A Welsh homeopath, Dr. Edward Bach recognized in the 1920s that, if herbs have healing powers, so must flowers. Over many years, he experimented with numerous flowers and trees to create a total of 38 plant-based Bach Flower Remedies. Centuary is useful for boundary issues, especially for people who give too much of themselves Impatiens is good for irritability and short tempers. Oak is for those determined types who struggle on (despite setbacks) through adversity or illness. Rock water can ease tension for those who tend to be hard on themselves. Amazon and vitacost reviews are often helpful. Bach stuff are used throughout Europe and sold in so many places. I've only seen them in some health food stores in the U.S. I've never tried them, but would like to get some next time we visit the U.S.

Me too. I can never, ever tell who's a troll and who's not. Mind you, I've always been the gullible type. I like to believe the best of people. Sounds like those who are trolls have a bit too much time on their hands.

In case anyone's interested, I'll share the info I have on some of the supplements mentioned. I take them but vary them. I don't take any of them every single day. I like to rotate them by days or weeks. I find that they become less effective when taken for too long or every single day. I also go through long periods of time when I take absolutely nothing. Been doing that lately and I've been sleeping better than ever. Lesson learned: listen to your body. 5-HTP Helps with: • Sleep problems – quality and duration • Emotional eating and evening cravings – helps suppress appetite • Anxiety and depression as it increases serotonin levels • Melatonin production • Serotonin production • Prevents migraines after using for 2-3 months Best if taken sublingually - opening the capsule and pouring the contents on your tongue. Try to avoid eating or drinking anything for 20 minutes before and after taking it. No more than about 3 capsules a day – can safely take up to 400 mg per day – although most need less. Loses its efficacy if taken every single day – best if you take breaks – sometimes alternating days – and sometimes take a break for an entire month or so It may take 1-2 weeks to notice any effects and up to 6 weeks to notice the full benefits. Be cautious about taking this if you’re on anti-depressants Melatonin is a natural hormone that promotes sound sleep. Acts as an antioxidant - early in life, the body produces an abundant supply, but as we age, production steadily declines Helpful for more difficult insomnia Cleans the toxins and free radicals from cells Helps protect cells from DNA damage Designed to prevent toxins from entering your brain Has been shown especially effective at preventing free radical damage to cell membranes (one of the prime targets of EMFs from cell phones etc) If melatonin is taken in the evenings, tumor growth may be slowed Decreases anxiety by stimulating GABA (a brain chemical that calms you down) Supports your immune system by regenerating your thymus gland – the center of immune function May inhibit cancer-cell growth In one study, breast cancer cells were dosed with the same amount of melatonin you’d find in a young, human body. Growth of these cancer cells was blocked by 75%. At the very least, this suggests that melatonin could be an important hormone in protecting against breast cancer. Melatonin has been used in high amounts – 20-40 mg – to protect against cancer. Reduces toxicity from radiation therapy Helps thyroid gland produce T3 Protects your bones Helps body use zinc: a mineral needed to lower stress and increase appetite Slows down graying hair WHY WE NEED MELATONIN When we stay up late at night or work night shifts, we keep our body from producing melatonin. This increases the risk of hypertension, heart disease, migraines, diabetes, obesity, and cancer. Studies show women night-shift workers have a 500% higher risk of breast cancer and male night shift workers have a 50% increased risk of colorectal and bone cancer. While not realizing it, many people increase this risk with inconsistent sleep/wake schedules - late night studying or partying or shift work schedules. After the age of 45, melatonin levels decrease. Those who are exposed to EMFs (and who isn’t these days) – cordless phones, cell phones, wireless – should definitely consider supplementing with melatonin Melatonin is the only hormone supplement that’s safe to self-medicate. GUIDELINES • Start with 1 mg just before bedtime. Take 2 hours or less before bedtime. If this is not effective, gradually increase dosage. Melatonin dosages vary from individual to individual ~ and most do not need the highest dose. Ease into melatonin in increments. Some take up to 20 and even 40 mg. • Do not take melatonin every single night – a few nights a week • Do not take melatonin during the day. • When you awaken after melatonin-assisted sleep, you should feel refreshed – not tired or groggy. If you do experience grogginess, reduce the dosage. • Do not give to children • If you wake up in the middle of the night, you can take another 1-5 mg. • The time release version is best for people who don't just have trouble falling asleep but have trouble with waking up in the middle of the night. NATURAL SOURCES Walnuts Fiber-rich foods such as brown rice, oats, and quinoa Cherries—when tart—and their juice Valerian is used in Chinese medicine for insomnia. This herb promotes relaxation and curbs anxiety. Take 400 to 800 mg in divided doses throughout the day. However, long-term use of it weakens the adrenal glands. Anyone taking valerian root for extended periods will begin to experience fatigue, dizziness upon standing, headaches, and other symptoms commonly associated with hypoadrenia. I have more info on insomnia and supplements. If anyone's interested, I can post them here.

:grouphug: Sorry that you went through this. :grouphug: :iagree: There are lots of other things one can do. Us too. We take fish oil. Even though we live in the tropics and get local coconut oil, we seldom take it - party because we forget and partly because it's not very appealing to us. I fully agree that if something causes pain or extreme disgust and loathing - one should not have to take it. Life is too short to take supplements and foods that do this to us. :grouphug: I never thought I would say that. ;) Me, of all people.

:iagree: and this is one of the main reasons I really like this book. It also helps that it's written in a very engaging style. You don't feel as if you're reading a diet/health book that would normally bore one to tears. Yes. My dh and ds fall in the former category. Lucky things. This is one of the main reasons that I've been interested in this book. Others had recommended it to me time and time again because of his take on exercise. I've read so many studies and articles on this. Plus, my own personal experience. Yes, exercise is fabulous for overall health - physical, mental, and emotional. But when it comes to weight loss, I have found, that sadly, it's not all that it's cracked up to be. I have numbers and pictures to prove it (not that I feel comfortable sharing either ;)). If anyone is interested in further info on exercise and weight loss, I can share that here also.

As well as all the great suggestions you've gotten, make sure that you drink enough water. I have read time and time again that the number one remedy for dry skin is to drink enough water throughout the day. Stay hydrated with plenty of water and moisture-rich fruits and veggies – such as cucumbers and apples.

Ann-Marie, here's all the info I have. Sorry that it's a bit long and overwhelming. Some of it may not be particularly appealing to a child. :tongue_smilie: I love vitacost.com for supplements - great reviews and decent prices. Allergies are a common symptom of a congested lymphatic system. Things that help to clear up the lymphatic system: • Rebounding (bouncing on a trampoline) • Deep Breathing • Dry Body Brushing (some parts are directly related to the sinuses) • Massage and/or Reflexology • Swinging (sitting on a swing) NUTRITION Eat nutritious, colorful foods – blueberries, tomatoes, broccoli, fruits, veggies More Omega-3s (salmon, mackerel, flaxseed, walnuts, chia seeds) Eat 1 oz of walnuts daily – walnuts contain a healthy fat called ALA, which keeps your immune system working properly, so it’s less likely to overreact to pollen in the air. Get enough fluids – water and warm drinks as well Spicy foods help if you’re stuffed up and can open up nasal passages Quercetin (apples, onions, citrus fruits, and garlic) works like antihistamines Apple skins are loaded with quercetin. Quercetin may help relieve congestion, itchy eyes, and other pesky allergy symptoms. SUPPLEMENTS Omega-3 Supplements – Carlson’s Fish Oil or any good fish oil Vitamin D3 reduces inflammation in infected lung tissues Without D3 the body’s immune soldiers—T cells—can’t fight infections I give my children 2000 IU per day and symptoms have greatly improved. Probiotics – Take them daily (particularly a brand with shelf-stable lactobacillus) while you’re on antibiotics and for at least 3 months after you finish your Rx. Those with grass pollen allergies who take probiotics experience fewer allergy symptoms than those who don’t. Any probiotic you take should contain at least 1-5 billion colony-forming units (CFUs). Nature’s Way Primadoophilus Optima delivers more than 35-billion CFUs. Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics 12 PLUS Culturelle Nature’s Way Probifia Pearls Enzymatic Therapy Acidophilus Pearls Jarrow Butterbur – works like an antihistamine. It can work as well as Zyrtec or Allegra at relieving allergy symptoms. A common brand is Petadolex. Make sure the label specifies that pyrrolizidine alkaloids have been removed. Get ones with capsules free of Pas, compounds found in crude butterbur that are toxic to the liver. If you don’t have a history of allergies and just experience occasional flare-ups, you might get relief from a general homeopathic blend. Take combination blends when symptoms strike. Or if you know you have seasonal allergies, it may help to start the formula a couple of weeks before the season begins. Boiron’s Sabadil Hyland’s Seasonal Allergy Relief Heel’s Luffeel Nasal Spray Place 3 drops of Goldenrod extract under the tongue. Repeat as necessary until nasal passages are clear. Goldenrod is particularly effective for treating congestion caused by allergies. Quercetin (apples, onions, citrus fruits, and garlic) works like antihistamines 1200 mg quercetin daily OR 200 to 500 mg 2-3 times a day Apple skins are loaded with quercetin. There are two major benefits of consuming the many fruits and vegetables that contain quercetin or taking quercetin supplements. In the short term, quercetin may help relieve congestion, itchy eyes, and other pesky allergy symptoms. Over time, taking this valuable substance might help prevent life-threatening conditions, such as cancer and heart disease. QBC Plex is a good supplement to take. It has Querctin, Bromelain and Vitamin C. The quercetin is for the allergies, bromelain for swelling in nasal tissues and the vitamin C is just good for healing. Freeze-Dried Stinging Nettle – Take 300 mg of freeze-dried stinging nettle a day. Sinus Survival: The Holistic Medical Treatment for Sinusitis, Allergies, and Colds – Dr. Robert Ivker

I'd like to, but haven't been able to yet. Hard to get a hold of here, as with many movies. Thanks for the reminder. On the one hand, I love great documentaries and obviously this one interests me greatly. On the other hand, I think I'll get rather depressed at how little I can do and how I'm not that great at teaching :(. Thank you for the other links. Will look into those. :) If Ravitch saw the educational system in this part of the world, she'd give an F also, I'm sure. They're an extremely test-obsessed/cramming culture. :glare:

Yes. And it works out really well here, where, although books are supposed to be duty-free, oftentimes if one gets a fairly large shipment from amazon or wherever, one will likely be charged duty. But with book depository, since the packages are small and individually wrapped, they sort of miss the system entirely :D. We got a bunch of books yesterday and I thought of this thread. :party: And Iran and Afghanistan, I think. And North Korea may as well not even exist these days. Poor North Koreans :(. After reading and loving Nothing to Envy, I keep thinking of them. Thank you for this list. It's very interesting. I love lists like that. I like going through them and daydreaming about visiting one country under each alphabetical letter. I've always been into things like that. Lists and daydreaming. :D

So true. The more I have read and keep reading, the more I realize that waist measurement is KEY. Everything I read leads me to believe that the most important factor for health is your waist size -- not an arbitrary number on a scale. In my reading I have discovered that the fat around your mid-section actually acts as an organ--secreting hormones and disrupting your health. It adheres to your internal organs. It is not good. That is what I want gone. :) I have come to the realization that weight and waist measurement are very closely related. I don't think I have ever been at an ideal weight and had a large waist, or vice versa, had a small waist and weighed a lot. I guess the two do go hand-in-hand ... Just different ways of measuring, I guess. I figure they're both important. I just read this from one of the links below: "As your weight changes, you can expect to lose about 1" from your waistline for each 6-8 lbs of weight loss." http://www.collectivewizdom.com/NormalWaistSize.html BMI’s downfall is that it does not take into account body composition - whether or not excess weight is fat or muscle - which is why fit people often find themselves in the fat category of the BMI rating system. The important thing to consider is how body fat is distributed around the body, as the real problems occur when fat accumulates in the central abdominal region. Some physicians suggest that a waist circumference measurement is more informative, in that it is a direct measure of the part of the body that tends to accumulate fat.Having a waistband of more than 35in in women and 40in in men indicates the highest risk of cardiovascular and metabolic disease. There is an increased risk of the diseases for women with measurements of more than 32in and men whose measurement is over 37in. Many of us have been programmed to worship a number on the scale, but waist circumference is more important than weight. A large waist can increase your risk of insulin resistance, the body’s inability to process sugars, which raises your risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Women should have no more than a 35-inch waist, and men should measure 40-inches or less. If your waist circumference is more than that, the advice is simple: Cut down on food intake, exercise more – or even better, do a combination of the two. The best way to reduce your waist size is first to get as close as you can to your ideal body weight. In addition to that, research studies have found that certain foods can help you to reduce fat around your abdomen, particularly foods high in omega-3 fatty acids such as halibut and salmon. It turns out that your waistline measurement may tell us more about your overall health than any other statistic. Why? All fat is not created equal. And fat around the middle may be the worst fat of all. Your waist line measurement may be the most important indicator of your overall health. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106268439

:party: :lol: Yep, I hear you. :grouphug: This. :glare: Yes, I've been rather reluctantly coming around to this way of thinking. Mind you, I don't normally eat much wheat. Yep. I never understand this logic of how one needs to eat more to lose weight. This has never worked for me. I honestly do appreciate that. :grouphug: Still great nonetheless. :D Good job! I'm pretty sure this will be me also. :glare: Yes, it is true. Us shorter women (I'm 5' 2") are supposed to live longer. I don't care nearly as much about longevity as I do about quality.

I've been trying not to. This, I thought, was a bit disturbing. I can't imagine ever calling out someone on these boards or any other, and pointing out what most of their posts are about. I dare not imagine it being any business of mine. :confused: Yes, maybe you have a point and most of my posts are about weight. But so what? That's where my focus is these days. Obviously, topics about weight loss and diet are of relevance and interest to many, hence the mere length of this and similar threads. So no, it's not just moi. My original post asks opinions from those who have hopefully read the book or know about this approach. I feel that my posts are now being police-d and monitored. Since I feel that I should possibly justify the distribution of my posts, please excuse my brainstorming. We're not allowed to talk about politics here, but boy do I love that topic. I would post about curriculum and homeschooling approaches, but we're very content with what we're currently using and no more needs to be said on that. I used to post on that a lot. Topics like ... ummm ... The Duggars or The Pearls - not interested :rolleyes: Khan Academy - love it! Health Topics - I still post on those - when others don't seem to mind. I LOVE those. Spelling Corrections - "loose weight" versus "lose weight" - anyone remember how others jumped down my throat for that one?! :lol: I post on the weekly book thread regularly and love that. Other than that, since we are allowed to talk about diet, weight loss, and health here - I don't feel that I need to be restrained, thank you very much. Close, but not quite. :) As I have said before, it's quite easy to lose the weight. It's the keeping it off that's the challenge for most of us. True that. :D Just like everything in life. Yes, and I love being curvy. I do not like the emaciated or highly muscular type. I don't want to be any other type. Well ... actually. This is what I have been doing for the past 3 weeks. Fasting. Cheetos every single night. :lol: How did you know? Once Wednesday rolls around, back to turning over a new leaf. How did you know that I LOVE Cheetos? :D Off to read and reply to other posts soon. I love this thread. Thank you all for your fabulous posts.

Julie, yes, shipping is free to pretty much anywhere, at least it is to Grenada and we really do love that. However, since they've been bought out by amazon, I think, there has to be catch. Their books are a few dollars more than amazon, but still worth ordering from bookdepository, for us anyway. The selection is pretty good, we can get most books that we want, not all, but most. I love bookdepository. We'd be seriously lost without it. Amazon's shipping rates are shameful. :glare: There may be certain countries that they do not ship to anymore. They used to ship to my friend in China. She was devastated when that stopped. I felt even more bad for her since she's the one who told me about bookdepository.

Thank you for this. Every time I see these, I wish that we had lived in Finland from day one. :tongue_smilie: Could do without the weather, however. I'm a cold-weather wimp. One of our friends is a teacher in Finland and she's an absolute angel. Sweetest lady ever. :) I'm thinking of ordering Finnish Lessons and possibly the other one. I'm sure I asked you this before - have you read them? Would they be of any benefit to those of us who homeschool and have children the same ages as mine, that is, it's not as if we're newbies to homeschooling. It's not as if we're just starting out. I have to be so picky about books, since I have to buy them all - no library here. Thank you and thanks for this great article. I've bookmarked it to read when I'm slightly more alert. :D

Yep. Tell me about it :rolleyes:. I haven't encountered any books that have touched me and that I've loved as much since this one. I'm thinking of getting her other book, but I don't want to read it right away. I usually like to take breaks between authors. It's not about North Korea - it's about Sarajevo. I do have some other North Korea books on my amazon wish list. I'd like to read them soon also. Just have my doubts that they'll be as good as Nothing to Envy. I downloaded this one to my Kindle, I think. It was free for a while, again, I think. I couldn't get past the first few pages. It annoyed me greatly. I'm tired of organization books. :tongue_smilie: I've come to realize that I can only handle non-fiction books that are so engaging and so well-written that one forgets that one is reading non-fiction :D. Alas, those books are hard to come by.

Sorry, can't help you, but I thought this was funny.

Congrats! :D :D :D