My favorite flower. The national flower of Wales, where I grew up. The flower of my birth month (March) and I just love daffodils. I miss them. No daffodils in the tropics. Off to read more replies later ... :)

Me too. Drives me out. of. my. mind. I've gotten to the point where I refuse to open those threads if I can help it. I can understand one typo, but oftentimes, the person says "loose" repeatedly all in one post. I can't, just can't, read a post like that. :glare:

:lol: :D I just changed mine. I change mine a lot. I used to always keep it the same, then dd begged me to keep changing and I'm on a roll. I love lots and lots of things. This one is from one of our (dh and I) favorite movies. :D

:lol: Love it when a book does that to me. Maybe my family doesn't, but I do. :D

Thank you. I will. :)

Weird question: Does one have to love Moby Dick in order to appreciate this? I keep wondering if I should get this or not. :confused: Love Mitch Albom and all of his books. The movies that have been done are very good also.

Yes, magnesium is great for cramps, etc. Anywhere from 400 mg (minimum for most) to 1200 mg is fine. Glycinate won't give you diarrhea. Let me get back to you later. I have the info, but not on me right now.

One more thing ... I juice, but not for weight loss, more for health reasons. When I have done it for weight loss, I've done it like you're doing it - replacing two meals with juice and having just one meal a day. This is the fastest way to lose weight, but also can be very difficult. I find this almost impossible to do these days and I admire you and your dh for sticking to it. I've also lost weight and experienced much less hunger when I just replaced my lunch with juice. I had breakfast, juice for lunch, and a healthy dinner. The weight loss is slower, but this option may be easier if you're having a very hard time.

I think that's great. :D If you're constantly hungry, you need to change something. Yes, almonds are a great idea. Chew them well. Eat them individually, one at a time. More protein. Perhaps a small protein at each meal. Thinly sliced cucumbers - keep them in the fridge for times of hunger. Eat all the raw veggies you want. HTH.

2 Miles of Leslie I have that one. :) When I used to go running, I wore 2 sports bras. That always did the trick. A little tip I got years ago from Glamour magazine.

In the past week, I finished two books. Lessons from the Mountain by the Erin Walton character in The Waltons - the more I read, the more I enjoyed this book. The Nellie Oleson book was a far more engaging read, but this was very good also. Garden Spells - liked this a lot. Look forward to reading more by her. I've just started Let the Great World Spin. So far, so good. Robin, added this to my wish list :). I loved Da Vinci Code. Heather, I read this while we were in Paris. Not my all-time favorite book by any means, but it was particularly nice to be in Paris while reading it. :)

Fairytalemama, I love your blog. :D

I read this and enjoyed it when my dc were very young. Stacia, thanks for your great review of Mozart's Last Aria. Yes, it would be ideal to have a 70/30 mix of truth in historical fiction. :) Dd and I LOVE Clinton Kelly. We watch "What Not to Wear" together. Mother-daughter bonding experience, as well as Tim Gunn. I have another book by Clinton & Stacy. I was very close to ordering the one you read, but then the reviews made me not so sure about buying. He is very entertaining and hilariously funny. I follow him on FB and he cracks me up. :lol: He's often so funny on TV also. :D Beautifully said. Thank you. :grouphug:

Paris, Paris, Paris :D I've been to London countless times and although I love it, you could fit a lot more into Paris. Paris is just a whole 'nuther category. :D

Stott Pilates: Firm & Fit - great for introduction to Pilates and for those who don't have access to a class I think, if my memory serves me correctly, that this was one of many that I ordered in the recent fabulous sale at Total Fitness DVDs. I like the Crunch DVDs. :) My dc used to take yoga classes. The teacher's not here anymore and they're not interested for now. I hope they take it up again someday. Our ds needs all the help he can with posture. I have to keep nagging him to sit up. I really dislike nagging. :glare:

So very, very sorry. Praying for him, for you, and all your family. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: Hope she's feeling better very soon. BTDT with ds. It's not easy. :grouphug:

I love the book. :) Need to implement it more. We were in Paris last summer. The French are still quite trim. I barely saw any obesity - the obesity that I saw were mostly tourists. And one possibly French woman working at the McDonald's in the Louvre. That was it. The B&B we stayed at - the elderly lady was overweight. But you hardly see any obesity like you do in so many other countries today. I don't think it's just the walking. The walking helps, but it's not the end-all and be-all. The Brits walk a lot. They're more overweight. I think it's the food choices, eating slowly, savoring your meals, and so on. And when food costs so much as it does in Paris, you can't help but lose weight! :) Their portions are tiny compared to other places.

Rodney Yee: Yoga Burn Yes, that's a calorie-burner for sure :). Hope you got it sorted out by now. Diverticulitis? Sorry you can't have your favorite crackers. That's not fun. :glare: hcg

Thank you. Nice title. :D :iagree: I remember once reading how people's attitudes differ towards having many children. If that family in Iowa (can't remember their names) have septulets, it's all sweet and nice. But if a woman in Darfur/Mumbai/you name it has seven children, suddenly everyone is quite uncomfortable with that. The demographic winter thing really does seem racist to me also. :glare:

Before marriage and children, I was at my healthiest and lightest. I juiced veggies (and very seldom fruit) twice a day. And had 1 slice of veggie pizza for dinner. I was very healthy and oh, ever so trim:tongue_smilie: . I need to do that again from time to time. Breakfast was veggie juice (sometimes fruit), lunch the same, dinner - 1 slice of pizza. I lived in NY at the time, so there's never a shortage of pizza. ;) Several years ago, I wanted to lose a significant amount of weight. I knew it would be very difficult to juice veggies for two meals a day. I did it only for lunch. It worked and helped me lose a lot (along with some other changes of course). It also helped me greatly during maintenance. Eating a whole grain cracker or something after the juice helped take away the sometimes icky after-taste. Unfortunately for various reasons, I cannot seem to do the above. I'd like to try. I still juice most days, but I have a hard time having only that for meals. Gosh, I wish I could. :001_huh: I try to juice daily or at least as often as possible. I juice veggies for the most part, and seldom juice fruits, since they say that too much fruit juice raises insulin levels. When making juices for our children, however, I add a little bit of fruit – usually an apple. Adding an apple or some grapes is also great for those who cannot stand the taste of veggie juices and are just starting out. Any good juicing book will give great recipes as well as all the benefits of various juices. My favorite one is Juicing for Life. There are many others, but that’s the one I have and like. I like to rotate my juicing recipes and vary the vegetables. As with any food, if you keep juicing the same veggies day after day, you may develop food sensitivities to them. Variety is important. My reasons for juicing: 1. I believe that regularity of and ease with bowel movements are probably amongst the most important measures of overall health. A healthy person should preferably have at least one bowel movement per day. Also, it should not be painful, take too long, or involve straining. Bowel movements should be easy. There should be very little time for magazine reading! I notice a huge difference in this area when we juice as opposed to when we don’t. 2. Juicing helps to detox the liver. The cleansing and health of the liver is essential to overall health. The liver has many important functions – mainly to clean the blood and to remove toxins and waste. 3. One of the most important measures of health is a well-balanced pH system – one that is just above neutral and slightly alkaline. Pretty much any disease and health disorder (ranging from acne, to the common cold, all the way to cancer), simply cannot survive in a system that is alkaline. Vegetable juices are great for alkalizing. A good friend of mine, who really knows her stuff about natural healing, once told me that maintaining a healthy pH balance and lymphasizing are the two best things one can do for overall health. 4. Most of us know that the more raw foods we can eat, the better. Juicing is a great way to do this. For those who reject juicing because of the lack of fiber, yes, of course fiber is essential. Most of us need even more fiber than we’re currently taking. To me, juicing is an excellent way to get even more nutrients than I would otherwise. When I see the amount of veggies that I juice, I know that it would be very, very difficult to eat all those veggies. I see juicing as an addition to a high-fiber diet. Besides, from what I understand, juicing removes mainly indigestible fiber, which your body cannot absorb anyway. The only downside of juicing is the amount of time it takes to prepare the veggies and to clean the juicer. The latter really and truly can be an absolute pain! But the benefits of juicing far outweigh this. After juicing, you should drink it within a few minutes, or the enzymes will be destroyed from exposure to air. Within 20 minutes the enzymes are all oxidized.

Cassy, sorry you had such a bad experience with it. This goes to show that not every diet works the same for every single person. For me and for most I know (other than you and another friend here), it's been great. Different diets, different results. Lisa, hopefully, you can start your next round soon. :grouphug: I know exactly how you feel. This is how I felt right before my current round which I've just started. You're wise to wait for the right time. :) hcg is the only diet that works for me. I've tried so many others. I need structure and lots of it. Also, fast results are so motivating. And the best part is: virtually no hunger.

:iagree: with all this. Natural is great and all - but there comes a point where you need to have endoscopies from time to time. Dh has them every year. It's important. There is a rather expensive supplement that has been proven in a few studies to really help prevent Barrett's and esophogeal cancer. Dh takes this a few times a week. We'd take it more, but it's quite expensive and he's doing okay now that he's on meds.

Sue, sorry that you're suffering with this, plus the lack of insurance, etc. :glare: This has been what's worked for my dh. He's now on meds and takes them most of the time. There comes a point where the natural stuff just isn't as effective any more. Even with Rx, many find that they need to keep switching around. You know many of these already. My dh (who is very thin) has been suffering from this for going on 3 years now. I do want to point out that if anyone is on Rx meds for this, please, please remember to consider supplements for bone strength. If you need specifics on which type of calcium is best, I'll share. Which type, based on my reading. Plus, other supplements are needed for bone strength - the right type of magnesium, D3, etc. Acid reducers also reduce B12 levels. Here is what has helped my dh off and on. Vitacost.com has the best prices and reviews. Acupuncture helps a lot. Helps with reducing anxiety and stress levels. Aloe Vera Juice aids in healing of intestinal tract It coats the esophagus, keeping rising stomach acids under control Drink a half-cup twice a day between meals. The juice coats the esophagus, keeping rising stomach acids under control. (Caution: Aloe vera may cause diarrhea in some people and shouldn’t be used during pregnancy). In India, turmeric powder is a highly regarded remedy for heartburn, because it breaks down fatty foods and reduces acidity. Chamomile Tea More Fiber – oat bran, flaxseeds - many have found that GERD is aggravated by constipation. Triphala is a fabulous, fabulous supplement for this. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and peppermint. Caffeine increases acid secretion. Alcohol and peppermint make it easier for acid to creep back up. Avoid dairy. Milk is one of the most acid-producing foods. I would think that cow's milk is the worst. As usual. Nothing new there. Acidic foods – citrus juices and fruits Coke, Pepsi, carbonated drinks Sugar is a major problem with GERD. Fats Fried Foods Raw Onions Peppermint Spicy or highly seasoned foods Tomatoes You need to see what works and doesn't work for you. Not everyone reacts the same way. SUPPLEMENTS Aloe Vera supplements if juice is not tolerated or desired. Although the juice is probably better. DGL (Deglycyrrhizinated licorice) Gastro Soothe Slowly chew two tablets before or between meals and at bedtime This worked for dh for a while. Works for many. Slippery Elm Heals irritated digestive tract tissues Marshmallow Root Soothes inflamed intestines Magnesium neutralizes acids in the digestive tract. Magnesium deficiency is one of the causes of reflux because magnesium helps the sphincter at the bottom of the stomach relax, allowing the food to go down. For most people on a healthy diet, 400 mg of Magnesium daily should be sufficient. But for those who have symptoms of deficiency (as previously listed), I would recommend more, but probably no more than 1200 mg. Add in more magnesium gradually. Your body knows how much it can handle according to how much your bowels can tolerate. The stools should feel soft, but not excessively loose. Take in divided doses and with meals to ensure optimal absorption – preferably more at night I have read that it’s preferable to not take magnesium at the same time as calcium. Others say that it’s fine. This is where I am confused. I think the former makes more sense. The most absorbable forms are: Magnesium Citrate Magnesium Glycinate Magnesium Taurate Magnesium Aspartate Magnesium Malate Magnesium Succinate Magnesium Fumirate Avoid: Magnesium Oxide Magnesium Carbonate Magnesium Gluconate Magnesium Sulfate These are not absorbed well and are the cheapest forms Side effects from too much magnesium include diarrhea, which can be avoided if you switch to Magnesium Glycinate. People with kidney disease or severe heart disease should take magnesium only under a doctor's supervision. Irish Moss in tea form or in capsules – Irish Moss helps indigestion, since it protects the digestive tract with a coating that reduces inflammation, gas, bloating, and heartburn. B12 – Digestive complications and the drugs we use to treat them – can lead to huge shortages of B12. Shortages can lead to mental fogginess, mood imbalances, and memory lapses. Eat more: active-culture yogurt and probiotics. Also take B12 sublingually – 1000 mg daily. Increase the dose to 2000 mg if you’re over 40 or taking acid blockers. Cumin Seeds Soak an ounce of the seeds in water, and eat a spoonful of them three times a day to neutralize acid. Bitter herbs, such as devil’s claw, dandelion greens, and wormwood, boost enzyme production, which aids digestion and gently neutralizes stomach acid. Meadowsweet Tea Pour 2 teaspoons of the dried herb in one cup of hot water; steep 20 minutes and drink once a day. The Native American herb, high in salicylic acid, calms inflammation in the stomach, often working within a day or two. For people on protein pump inhibitors who are desperate to get their heartburn under control without medication, it’s recommended to drink one cup of meadowsweet tea a day and that’s all they need. They’re often shocked that it’s so easy. Don’t eat before bedtime. Finish eating 2-3 hours before you lie down to give gastric contents time to empty into the intestinal tract. Prop up your head w/extra pillows. Sleeping flat can lead to acid backflow. This does help my dh, but as with everything, every body is different. Smaller, more frequent meals As many as 90 percent of people with acid reflux have a hiatal hernia, where the upper part of the stomach pushes into the opening of the diaphragm and gets stuck. I highly recommend seeing an alternative practitioner (acupuncture, chiropractor, whatever) - or an integrative physician - one who believes in both approaches - if you can afford to do so.

Just added it to my constantly-growing wish list. Thank you! :)