April Challenge

[RobinN]

My mouth is watering.

I love those zucchini that I forgot in the garden, and they are about 4" across, they are so good sliced and grilled. I forget about the pineapple, but I am going to remember to try that.

I have been having more of a problem lately, as I am having work done at my house. Right now the floors in our bedrooms are being refinished, and everything is in the living room and dining room. It is a crazy mess.
The only place with any organization is in the kitchen, which of course has the snacks in it. :bigmouth:

 

[Cinnabar]

I was reading how stress can really do some damage to your brain. It simply is not good for you and you need to figure ways to reduce it.

I think like anything you teach yourself these sort of patterns so you should be able to teach yourself out of them. Just finding the instructions that is the challenge.

Bernard - Hazelnuts = tree nuts which he does say are better than ground "nuts".


How is everyone doing on their challenges?

Hi Robin - Past few day my stress is related to navigating this forum! No, really I'm dealing with alot of familial stress. The evil cousin who's trying to "do me in" with a beloved uncle. I've resolved - Let her hang herself. I have a saying "If you lie you better be damned brilliant at it or don't even bother. I'm now just sitting back giving her all the rope she's bound to hang herself with! Practicing avoiding "obsessive thinking" is my tool right now. Always - Laurie

 

[skillefer]

Had a seizure Monday before school. I'm pretty sure that it was due to my getting poor sleep the three nights prior. I've had a miserable cold/allergy that kept me up coughing and blowing my nose. Now I'm taking antihistamines. Talk about feeling like a space case. My sinus is putting pressure on my eardrums, which is driving me nuts. My caffeine consumption is at about 1 cup of coffee a day....but that's because the antihistamines make me dopey. Ah welll.........

 

[RobinN]

Hi Robin - Past few day my stress is related to navigating this forum!

Sorry about that. It takes a little while to figure out this place, but just like at a party it is fun to wander a bit and to get to know the lay of the land. There is always someone to point you in the right direction. So no need to stress out over it.

No, really I'm dealing with alot of familial stress. The evil cousin who's trying to "do me in" with a beloved uncle. I've resolved - Let her hang herself. I have a saying "If you lie you better be damned brilliant at it or don't even bother. I'm now just sitting back giving her all the rope she's bound to hang herself with! Practicing avoiding "obsessive thinking" is my tool right now. Always - Laurie

Sounds like not a very nice person.
I think you are right in turning your thoughts to other things that are more positive.

 

[alivenwell]

I've got glaucoma (high pressure in the eyes). With this condition, it's advised not to take cold medication.

I've developed some alternative methods to clearing my sinuses.

1. Make a cup of hot tea. As you sip it, breath in the steam.
2. Microwave one of those hot compresses (you can get unscented ones at a drug store). When it's not too hot to touch, hold the warm compress over your eyes.
3. Hang out in the bathroom (preferable outside the tub if you're prone to a seizure in it) and let the shower run warm water. The steam will help clear your nasal cavity.
4. Drink a hot cup of tea with lemon for a sore throat. Adding honey may cause extra phlegm.
5. Hold a hot compress over your ear (especially below the ear). This allows drainage out of the ear especially if fluid is building up within the tube between the ear and your throat. The pressure from that fluid is incredibly painful.
6. If you absolutely have to have that cold medication, do not take too much of it. It can actually make your cold worse.

 

[RobinN]

My pediatrician, always suggested to bundle up the kids and get them in the car on a cold day and open the windows.

I think this is why Rebecca prefers to be in the ice rink when she has sinus trouble.

 

[alivenwell]

I used to suffer a lot from sinus infections. After I got a dishwasher, they practically disappeared. It was well worth it. I also was not staying up late doing dishes, either.

This week, I lost 2 pounds. I cut out the diet soda. That seemed to do the trick so far.

My parents used to make a great grilling dinner with no dishes to wash. They would wrap the following stuff tightly in foil: a piece of skinned chicken breast with a few little potatoes (pre-cooked), a few green beans, a few carrots (etc.) some onion, and put it on the grill. When the chicken was done, it was served on the foil. I suppose it could be cooked in something other than foil if preferred. The foil allowed the food to be steamed.

 

[RobinN]

How exciting! Was it difficult to do? Or was it the right time and place to make the change?

I suffered with ear infections as a child. I remember being rocked by my mom. Being a swimmer this was an expected side effect, or so I was told. Being on a boatload of antibiotics, I have learned in my research lately that taking probiotics is important to replace the good bacteria. I have been taking them about every other day. All of these supplements are so darn expensive.

 

[alivenwell]

They used a gas grill, but I suppose any grill will do the trick. The food cooked within a half hour. They always checked the chicken. The other moist foods would keep it from burning. I'm in the mood to get my grill out now and make that again.

I've been eating those yogurts with probiotics in them. It's also my way of adding a little extra calcium to my diet.

 

[RobinN]

My parents used to make a great grilling dinner with no dishes to wash. They would wrap the following stuff tightly in foil: a piece of skinned chicken breast with a few little potatoes (pre-cooked), a few green beans, a few carrots (etc.) some onion, and put it on the grill. When the chicken was done, it was served on the foil. I suppose it could be cooked in something other than foil if preferred. The foil allowed the food to be steamed.

I saw this done once on a TV show, and they put the foil in a safe place near the engine of the car, and went on a trip. By the time they got to their destination the food was cooked. I thought that was so cleaver.


I didn't make myself understood.... was quitting the soda easy for you?

 

[BuckeyeFan]

My parents used to make a great grilling dinner with no dishes to wash. They would wrap the following stuff tightly in foil: a piece of skinned chicken breast with a few little potatoes (pre-cooked), a few green beans, a few carrots (etc.) some onion, and put it on the grill. When the chicken was done, it was served on the foil. I suppose it could be cooked in something other than foil if preferred. The foil allowed the food to be steamed.

Ahh - Foil packs as we call them. Great for potatoes with onion. The foil is also great for grilling fish. We are having a cook out tonight!!!

I have learned in my research lately that taking probiotics is important to replace the good bacteria.

Now you are sounding like a Pumkin Grower. That is one of our tricks. To enhance the beneficial bacteria in the ground which release all of the nutrients to the plants. Suprisingly, many of the growers are looking back at the old organic methods versus just dumping chemicals and fertilizers. We just take them to new extremes.



As far as the congestion. I have border line asthma and allergies. Obviously, double check against the rest of your meds, but Singulair has been a blessing for me. The other more direct one I use is a nasal spray called Aestilin on an as needed basis. It is basically glorified salt water, but it opens up by sinuses 'right now'. Haven't needed it much lately due to the Singulair working so well.

 

[angel]

mmmmm grilled veggies and pineapple! yummy

 

[alivenwell]

mmmmm grilled veggies and pineapple! yummy

Quitting diet soda has been really hard for me. I'm now aware of excitotoxins in the diet soda. I knew caffeine was a bad thing.

I actually started feeling better within a few days of detoxing myself. I woke up easier, and not in my usual dead head state.

I replaced it with organic choices like organic carrot juice (Low in calories and I love it), skim milk, and herbal decaf tea (it's cold at work).

I'm making my chicken bountiful on the grill with crustless pumpkin pie for tomorrow.

Well, my dog is restless. We're taking our nightly walk.

 

[Cinnabar]

Skillefer - sleep and coffee

Had a seizure Monday before school. I'm pretty sure that it was due to my getting poor sleep the three nights prior. I've had a miserable cold/allergy that kept me up coughing and blowing my nose. Now I'm taking antihistamines. Talk about feeling like a space case. My sinus is putting pressure on my eardrums, which is driving me nuts. My caffeine consumption is at about 1 cup of coffee a day....but that's because the antihistamines make me dopey. Ah welll.........

Oh!Everyone want's a cup of coffee after a poor night's sleep. My doctor says coffee in a no no for me but I do indulge weekends. I take 10-15mg of dexidrine to give me a jump start in the a.m. - along with my other meds for epilepsy and Bi-Polar. My shrink and neurologist have different views about me taking dexidrine because of my epilepsy but they came to a mg compromise. Sleep: I lite a tea candle by my bedside table near a picture of my mother who passed on when I was a child. This comforts me and swear it helps me sleep. Maybe, you could come up with some creative comfort before hitting the pillow? Always - Laurie

PS Tossing and turning is the worst.:roflmao:

 

[RobinN]

Hi Everyone....
So how do you think you did for the April Challenge?
Did you see some success? I must admit I wasn't 100% true to my personal challenge, but my compromise with myself is that I have been burning the candle at both ends this month, and I needed to let a couple things not weigh me down. Tomorrow I begin my second personal challenge. That is to get out and walk a minimum of 3 mi / 4 times a week.
Anyone up for an exercise challenge for May?
Now that the weather is nice, there really isn't any excuse to at least walk down the street and back.... everyday.

 

[skillefer]

Hmmmm.....I did pretty good on the caffeine part. As for the getting more sleep...that didn't work out. My allergies are going nuts. My ears are still congested. But at least I'm not coughing as much. I can sleep when I get the chance to. Right now, I'm busy trying to pack so that my hubby and I can move into a house. This also requires making sure that my mom-in-law gets her apt. packed up too. We're consolidating households. It should be interesting. Right now I'm taking generic claritin. I don't think it's really doing squat...I think over the weekend I'll try the Zyrtec I saw at the store. Benadryl made me sleepy and didn't help the ear congestion.... It's the ear congestion that's driving me nuts. Sounds like I'm listening to an electrical current all day and night...*sigh* Balance is off. I have to focus on walking straight. Ah well.....

 

[p22denise]

I am definitely up for the challenge for my 5 year old. I am trying to slowly weed out alot of gluten in her diet (and ours too, by the way) as I read about gluten on dogtorj.com and the things that he says are really good. I am doing this little by little so hopefully Janae will eat healthier and learn good habits to last her lifetime. Good luck to all who are taking the challenge! Hopefully she can lower her AED (with a doctor's consent of course) so that she can one day be SEIZURE FREE!!! God I pray for that...thanks to all who are supporting us!

 

[Mr. Pibb]

To all out there I am up to the ideal of an exercise program of some sort. I know that this might sound a little odd to most but for me it is keeping the weight on I am 6'1'' 172# most that I have ever weighed in my life and would like to keep it on. Problem is that come summertime that is the time that I am likely to lose the #'s back to 155# -160#. I am pretty good about what I eat the biggie for me is that I like my soda and drink all of three 12 oz cans of soda that is a light day if I am out and about I will often stop at the gas station buy the special two twenty oz. You guessed it Mr. Pibb’s depending upon the day this might happen in the morning and then latter in the day depending upon my schedule. The rest of my schedule is pretty regular I don’t eat junk food has been years since I have eaten a Twinke in High School there was one that sat on a shelf in a classroom for all to see it was still there when I left. I would like to get back into riding a bike again. In my youth I put the miles on easy 10,000 per year got to ride with the likes of Lon Hadllman Beth and Eric Heiden . So now I would like to get back in shape maintain my current weight. Anyone else out there that rides let me know is always great to talk about rides that you are about to go on and those past weather road conditions etc.

Jerry

 

[LynnW]

Well, I think I broke my addiction to caffeine. I have been trying to reduce my coffee intake, and I think i succeeded. At first, I felt kinda blah in the afternoons, but now I feel pretty good. I have more of an even energy level throughout the day, not just one big burst in the morning.

The thing that surprised me, though, is my emotional attachment to that cup of coffee in the morning. I think the behavioral aspect to dependence can sometimes be stronger than the physical dependence. I still need that cup of coffee (now it's decaf), so have I really succeeded in my challenge?

Robin, sign me up for the May exercise challenge. I have been trying to increase my activity level for a while now, but somehow only end up exercising a couple of days a week. Maybe if we make it a challenge, I'll do better.

Right now I'm taking generic claritin. I don't think it's really doing squat...I think over the weekend I'll try the Zyrtec I saw at the store.

Skillefer-- My daughter and oldest son have terrible spring allergies. I have always gotten them Claritin for the daytime. It seems to work better than nothing, but not spectacularly. Let us know how the Zyrtec is. I don't really think any of the non-drowsy allergy medicines are that great. Benadryl is best, but makes them sooo sleeeepy.

 

[RobinN]

Right now I'm taking generic claritin. I don't think it's really doing squat...I think over the weekend I'll try the Zyrtec I saw at the store. Benadryl made me sleepy and didn't help the ear congestion.... It's the ear congestion that's driving me nuts. Sounds like I'm listening to an electrical current all day and night...*sigh* Balance is off. I have to focus on walking straight. Ah well.....

I challenge you to a completely and totally dairy free nutritional plan. I have heard that allergies, especially ear and sinus trouble are eliminated within days. Med free....