When I had carpal tunnel many years ago, it was in my left hand. Weird, I know. Hope you're feeling some relief :grouphug:. If you still feel pain or if you know it's carpal, I can post some tips here. In the meantime, magnesium and B6 should help. There are also wrist exercises you can search for online.

Yes. I've only ever met one elderly person who's not very cynical. Everyone else I know has gotten more cynical as they've gotten older. Not something I like at all. I think of this often.

Stacia, I think you recommended it/first mentioned it. If so, thank you. Loved it. :) Maybe you won't enjoy it as much as I did. I grew up watching the show in Iran, in Wales, wherever we lived. We have almost all the DVDs and love watching them. It's dh (and mine also) favorite TV show of all time. It was funny watching it in Iran, dubbed and speaking Farsi. :D I think you're the first one who recommended this to me about 2 years ago. I still have your list of book recommendations. :) Rosie, I found this on pinterest :D. So it was probably you who mentioned it here. Thank you. :D Dd and I love Tim Gunn. I have been thinking of this one. Need to get his other book also. Thank you. From pinterest: And if you do, I'd love to hear which one you end up liking more - Laura's or Nellie's. I haven't read Laura's yet and am not sure if I will. Quick question: Is Botany of Desire fiction or non? Guess I should look it up myself. Lazy me. Is it an easy read? I keep hearing it mentioned. Wondering if I'll like it or not.

I don't think you'd like it ... ;) Nellie's memoir is definitely TMI, but she writes with humor and is very real. Nonetheless, you could give it a try - and follow my 10% Rule - read the first 10% and see if you like it or not. :)

Was it really? Guess I should read this one also. :D I haven't read hers yet - thought it might be a bit boring. One I will most definitely not read is Melissa Sue Andersons's. There are lots and lots of 1 Star Reviews on amazon. Once I read those reviews, I understood why. ;)

I finished two books. I really enjoyed both. Immensely. :D The Tower, the Zoo, and The Tortoise - very sweet, some sad stuff, deals with it all so well Confessions of a Prairie B**ch - If you love the Little House on the Prairie DVD/TV series, this book is great. I never, ever thought I could like her. You should see me yelling at the TV screen every time we watch the show! This book is such fun, even though it deals with some very difficult stuff. Love her writing style. I haven't enjoyed a book this much in quite a while. Someone here mentioned it. I don't remember whom. Thank you so much. I just love that cover. :). I really like Alison Arngrim. I just started Middlesex. So far, so good.

Larla, thank you for the encouragement. :) Yes, these are all the things that appeal to me about pilates. I've always loved yoga for similar reasons. Been doing yoga since I was 14. I'd like to do a mix. Right now, I'm trying to make a plan - how many times a week to do cardio, weights, pilates, yoga, swimming, walking, etc. If anyone has suggestions, please share. :D Which Winsor ones are the best? There are so many? Which are your favorites? Guess I could look at the amazon ratings and reviews. Couldn't view this - couldn't even access the link. No Netflix in this part of the world. I've heard of these and would absolutely love one. The one on amazon is $900! Yikes ...

I'm laughing at your comment about 1000s of calories :lol: :D. Having Creme Brulee Baked French Toast this morning. Thinking of all you ladies. :grouphug:

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

CREME BRULEE FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE 1 large loaf of French bread 8 large eggs 2 1/4 cups milk 1 cup plus 4-5 T sugar 1/4 tsp salt 2 T vanilla extract 1/4 cup orange juice 2 tsp cinnamon 3 T unsalted butter Combine eggs, milk, 1 cup sugar, salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, vanilla, orange juice, and 2 T melted butter in a large bowl. Whisk together until well incorporated. Use remaining butter to heavily butter a 9x13 baking pan. Slice bread into 1/2" thick slices and then cut slices into cubes. Combine remaining cinnamon and 1 T sugar. Add bread cubes to pan and toss with cinnamon sugar mixture. Pour custard mixture over bread cubes, pressing cubes down with a spoon to thoroughly soak bread. Cover with foil and refrigerate at least one hour or overnight. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Bake approximately 40-50 minutes until golden brown and set. Remove from the oven and sprinkle remaining 3-4 T of sugar over the top of the casserole in an even, heavy layer. Set broiler on high and return to oven or use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar. The sugar will turn brown and liquefy and then harden as it cools. Serve warm with maple syrup if desired.

Have not yet tried the following. EGGNOG FRENCH TOAST 4 large eggs 1 cup store-bought egg nog 4 Tbs spiced rum (optional) or 1 T. vanilla extract ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice (or ¼ tsp. cinnamon + ¼ tsp. nutmeg) 12 slices bread Whisk together eggs, nog, rum (if using) and spices. Preheat griddle. Dip bread in egg mixture, allowing it to soak in slightly. Butter the hot griddle and place soaked bread on griddle. Cook on each side until golden brown. Serve with butter and powdered sugar and/or syrup.

BLUEBERRY FRENCH TOAST Serves 12 1 (1 pound) loaf Italian bread, cut into 1 inch cubes 1 (6-8 ounce) package cream cheese, diced 1 cup blueberries 9-10 eggs 2 cups milk 1 tsp vanilla 1/3 cup maple syrup 1 cup white sugar 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 cup water 1 cup blueberries 1 tablespoon butter Place half of the bread cubes in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Sprinkle cinnamon on bottom layer of bread. Sprinkle cream cheese on top of bread cubes OR spreading the cream cheese on the bread before slicing is a great idea if you have family members who aren't fond of cream cheese - it's less visible. Otherwise, cut into small dice no bigger than 1/2 inch (a little messy, but much better than the 1 inch squares suggested in other recipes. Top with 1 cup blueberries and remaining bread. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, vanilla, milk and maple syrup. Pour egg mixture over bread. Sprinkle cinnamon on top layer of bread. Cover pan and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, remove pan from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Uncover pan and bake for an additional 30 minutes, until golden brown and center is set. To make Sauce: For the sauce, use only about 1-2 tsp. of cornstarch, especially if you prepare it ahead of time - otherwise the sauce becomes too thick. Reduce the sugar to 1/4-1/3 cup, and add the juice of half a lemon for a little zip. In a saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch, add water. Boil over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in blueberries and reduce heat. Simmer 8 to 10 minutes, or until the berries have burst. Stir in butter until melted. Serve the sauce over squares of french toast. Tip: Be careful not to use too much bread -- the dish can't "puff up" if all of the cubes aren't sufficiently saturated. Also, as much as I love the sauce, the dish is equally good and maybe even better with real maple syrup.

We love Baked French Toasts. Tomorrow I'm trying out a Creme Brulee one for the first time. Think I got my recipe from pinterest. Here are ones that I have tried and that we like, BAKED FRENCH TOAST WITH PIE FILLING 1 8 oz loaf French or Italian bread 8 eggs 1 cup milk 2 tsp. vanilla 1/2 tsp. baking powder 2 cans pie filling – apple/blackberry/blueberry 1 tsp. cinnamon 4 T. margarine, melted Powdered sugar Slice bread into 3/4 inch slices. Place on cookie sheet. Mix well the eggs, baking powder, milk, and vanilla. Pour over bread and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Next morning, preheat oven and remove bread from the fridge. Pour pie filling into 9x13 pan and spread as evenly as possible. Sprinkle cinnamon over pie filling. Wedge bread slices, wettest side up, into pan on top of filling. Brush tops with melted margarine and bake at 450 degrees for 20-25 minutes until toasted golden. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and let sit 5 minutes. Serves 6

I wish I knew. Not that I'm interested in foundation, etc. anymore (and not to hijack your thread :tongue_smilie:). But now and again, I would love a great concealer (dark shadows under eyes). I wish they'd invent something that would work on all/most skin tones. Something natural. Something that doesn't show. I have yet to find one. The only make up I wear is the occasional tinted lip balm. Some great concealer would be nice also. Maybe someone here can help? :bigear:

Praying right now. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

Thank you all. I just ordered two and am excited. I also added your suggestions to my wish list. :D This is one of the ones I ordered. :) - based on your great review and someone else's on another forum. The other one I ordered was this. My friend on another forum, who has LOTS and LOTS of fitness DVDs says that the one you suggested and this one are her all-time favorites. Both DVDs have very good reviews. I'm excited and can't wait. :D Now that I'm in my 40s, I realize the importance of regular pilates. :tongue_smilie:

Good that you're going to get a brush and are looking into the other stuff. Don't know much about nettle tea. I know it's good. But I also know that Fenugreek is the best. Seems like many nursing teas have fenugreek in them. Might be fine. I say: Do what you can - as above. Deep breathing, dry body brushing, rebounding if you can, gentle massages (even dh can help) - don't have to massage that specific area, but close it, or, massage around other lymph nodes. I would drink at least 3 cups of fenugreek tea daily. Do as much as you can. Try to stay calm until October 7th. Only one week left. Breathe, breathe, breathe ... Pray if you're the type to pray. I am. If not, do whatever else brings you peace and calm. I wouldn't worry too much. Really. You're not the first person to get swollen lymph nodes and you won't be the last. Not all swollen lymph nodes are malignant. Remember that and tell yourself that constantly. :grouphug: But I can totally relate to the worrying. Just do know that the worrying won't help. Easier said than done. :grouphug:

Yes, but 1 out of 20 being happy with working there seems pretty bad. And yes, although it's a warehouse, does not justify treating employees like that. First amazon was in Scranton, PA. They got such a terrible reputation. Now they're in the Allentown area. Same thing is happening. As someone else mentioned, soon they'll be forced to move out of the U.S. and hire child labor. :confused:

Any favorites, any recommendations? Thank you. :)

I found this very disturbing also. I first read about it here. We buy many things from amazon due to convenience, etc. Rainbow Resource and Love to Learn, etc. don't have that big variety. Some things I found particularly disturbing were found in the comments section. Few bathroom breaks, etc. Someone wrote how they were told that if they need to go, they can do it in their pants. :confused: Not amazon. Another warehouse. This is 2011, not 1911 or something. Crazy. 1 out of 20 Amazon employees say that it's a good place to work. No, they cannot eat cake or choose to work elsewhere in this economy.

SWINGING Kids seem to inherently know what’s good for them! I don’t get to sit on a swing very often due to lack of access, but I have been told that this is another method of helping to clear up the lymphatic system. I would just love to someday get this: Fenugreek Tea is great for cleaning out the lymphatic system It also dissolves fat within the liver

I hesitate to post this image of the lymphatic system, since I'm sure that some will feel uncomfortable with its graphic nature. I don't particularly care. We all have human bodies. Nothing to be embarrassed about. The lymph fluid moves through channels called "vessels" that are filled with one way valves, so the lymph always moves in the same direction. The main lymph vessels run up the legs, up the arms and up the torso. This is why the vertical up and down movement of rebounding is so effective to pump the lymph.

MASSAGE Massage is one of the most important and effective ways of increasing lymphatic circulation. I used to be a massage therapist and in my training, we were often reminded of all the amazing benefits of regular massage. When it comes to the lymphatic system, massage is one of the most effective ways of improving its circulation. The Father of Medicine, Hippocrates, believed that all physicians should be trained in massage as a method of healing. Lymphatic Massage is offered in some areas. If not available, any form of deep tissue massage is great. For those on a budget, massage schools often give discounted rates and are can be pretty much equally good. I say: treat yourself to a massage as often as your budget and time allows. You deserve it! :)

BREATHING "Improper breathing is a common cause of ill health. If I had to limit my advice on healthier living to just one tip, it would be simply to learn how to breathe correctly. There's no single more powerful - or more simple - daily practice to further your health and well-being than breathwork." ~ Andrew Weil, M.D. The lymphatic system can’t work properly by itself. Unlike the circulatory system, it doesn’t have a heart or a natural pump. The lymphatic system relies on breathing (as well as the other lymphasizing methods) to move all the waste around. If we aren’t breathing deeply, our lymphatic system becomes sluggish and full of toxins. Over time, this leads to all the health concerns and symptoms of a congested lymphatic system - high blood pressure, inflammation, fatigue, and the list goes on. I’m still trying to teach myself how to breathe and to and constantly remind myself to breathe more deeply, and I’m certainly no expert in this area. I have read that the correct way is nose breathing. Infants don’t breathe through their mouths unless they’re stressed. By watching them, we can learn to breathe correctly. Sadly, we tend to forget how to breathe as we grow older. A good method (and I’m sure you can find many more through the internet, classes, books, etc.): Lie down on floor with a hardback book on your stomach. Breathe in through your nose, feel the book rise, and hold this for four seconds. Breathe all the air out through your mouth, letting the book lower. Basic common-sense suggests that the best time to practice deep breathing is in the morning when the air is more fresh and clean, and in nature, or even in your garden, if possible. But this isn’t always possible. You just do what you can.

REBOUNDING The lymphatic system is different to the heart. The heart pumps blood continually regardless. Lymph circulation, however, depends entirely on our own efforts. If we don’t move enough and if we sit around a lot, our lymph (metabolic garbage container) won’t be emptied and our cell’s trash cans start to overflow. All that waste and build-up of toxins can lead to poor health – swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, sinus congestion, headaches, and the list goes on. The absolute best exercise for lymph circulation is rebounding/jumping on a min-trampoline. Rebounding has a ton of other benefits also. Start by bouncing gently for at least five minutes a day – working up to 20 if you can. I asked a very good friend, someone who knows so much about natural health, as to what is one of the best things I can do for my health. Her answer: daily rebounding. She does it every single day. I can’t say that I always do, but I am trying! There are many places to get a good rebounder. You can read reviews on amazon. I love the ones from http://www.healthbounce.com/ - although they do tend to be more pricey. I think that you do get what you pay for and it obviously depends on your budget.