Happy 80th Birthday Mom!
My wonderful Mom, Virginia Wolf celebrates her 80th birthday this summer! Most of the women in our family got together last weekend to celebrate by eating and shopping well, and staying overnight together at a downtown hotel (my Mom and most of my family live in Fort Wayne, IN). We thank God for an awesome time together, and I cried at the end of the weekend - we will just have to do again soon! The top picture is a photoshop pic my daughter Christina made for the party including the immediate women in our family (daughters, granddaughters, and 2 great-granddaughters), and the bottom one is after dinner last Saturday night. (And I am so happy that I was able to take my thumb splint off last week!)
This article I will write about tips from my patients Shelly and Karen and my husband Bruce on how to switch to gluten-free and organic (Shelly switched 2 months ago and feels so much better and finally can lose weight - has lost 10 pounds with the same amount of exercise and no more irritable bowel/stomach/colon issues that she had for years; and Karen just switched a month ago and has lost 6 pounds and has less fibromyalgia/migraine pain). Eric made a video of me doing the Maximum Effort workout. Please call him if you need an excellent personal trainer (and Purdue grad like me) - he has some openings now (eric_walden@waldopersonaltraining.com, 765-404-7343). He and my son Brendan are gone this coming week at Rainbow Christian Camp - their high school out of state trip - canoeing and caving and hiking (Eric as an adult chaperone!).
Healthy Gluten-Free & Organic Food Tips
From my patient Shelly
"First I would like to share a website http://www.gnowfglins.com/, which stands for God's Natural, Organic, Whole Foods, Grown Locally, In Season. And I have found a great book by Alicia Silverstone; "The Kind Diet", which is a vegetarian diet but also a wonderful source of information. This book explains how food is processed and where it comes from. Through my journey I have learned a great deal regarding the sources of our food. Which is why I have chosen to try to buy organically and locally. I have not taken the plunge to become a vegetarian, and in the book it talks about the superhero diet--which is pretty extreme. I have cut out all red meat and pork but I still eat chicken and turkey. I also suggest watching "Food, Inc" (you can borrow it from the library or watch it on youtube). The documentary goes behind the scenes into our countries farms and processing plants. I was horrified at what I learned. I will only buy meat that is cage free, hormone free and no antibiotics. My local Farmers Market has a variety of local meats and also Trader Joe's is a great place too.
So Here is a typical day for me:
Morning--Atkins shake and take all my vitamins & supplements
2hrs later--piece of fruit & a small amount of nuts (almonds are best)
Lunch--Cup of Greek Yogurt with fresh blackberries and blueberries
afternoon snack--fruit and vegetable smoothie
Supper--grilled tilapia with steamed zucchini and wild rice and mushrooms
dessert--a small piece of 70% dark chocolate. (I use the darkest chocolate I can find for my sweet cravings)
When I am on the go I always have with me nuts, dried fruit, strips from Trader Joe's (no sugar added) and plenty of water. I Never eat at Fast Food Restaurants!!!!!!! Brown rice noodles and corn noodles are good pasta, but need to be made al dente (otherwise they get mushy faster than those made with wheat).
When planning to go out to eat, I look up on the web for restaurants have gluten free menus. I also have an Iphone which helps with planning while I'm out. Also for Grocery shopping I have a Gluten App that is full of ingredient of info. I have cut out all high fructose corn syrup, processed sweeteners, artificial flavorings and preservatives. It takes longer at the grocery store but it is worth it. A great cookbook is "1000 Gluten-Free Recipes" by Carol Fenster, and she also has several other books about how to go gluten-free.
This journey has been a wonderful experience with guidance from our Lord. I have never felt this good about taking care of my body and family!! My health has improved by leaps and bounds!!!!! and I no longer suffer everyday with stomach pain. My girls are now more aware of the kinds of food they are eating and making great choices independently!!!!!! I can't thank you enough for opening this door for me. I do believe that God surrounds us with his love through relationships. He can take care of our needs if we surrender!!! Thank you!!!!
Shelly"
Tips From Karen - these are gluten free foods she has liked - Edward & Sons (Brown Rice Snaps), Gen Soy (Soy Crisps), Annie Chun's (Black Pearle Rice, Sprouted Brown Rice, Multigrain Rice - are good with chicken, veggies, and a little toasted sesame oil), Cream of Rice, Blue Diamond Natural (Almond Breeze Vanilla Unsweetened), Moody Meats (http://www.moodymeat.com/)
Tips from Bruce, my husband
-we all love the great food delivered weekly by Farm Fresh Delivery, and you can easily choose each week online what you want with even added things like meat and milk/cheese from Trader's Point Creamery, coffee, and many gluten free products (http://www.farmfreshdelivery.com/)
-from Costco, Crunchmaster Multigrain Crackers - gluten free
-plant your own garden, and we even have strawberries in our front flower bed
-a local woman from Labanon, Victoria Wessler writes a blog about growing and buying local organic foods, http://www.goinglocal-info.com/, and a couple other links, http://www.localharvest.org/, and http://www.indychef.blogspot.com/ (and from Costco magazine, http://www.celiacdiseasecenter.org/, and www.mayoclinic.com/health/celiac-disease/DS00319, http://www.rockli.com/ )
Eric's Fitness Tips: Max Cardio Workout with Dr. Miller!
Family & Faith
Marriage Tips - from "Simple Secrets Couples Should Know", by Bob & Emilie Barnes
Secrets to Romancing Your Wife
*Help your wife wash her hair.
*Cuddle up in front of a roaring fireplace (no TV, no children, and no phone)
*Bring home and watch her favorite movie.
*Write "I love you" on the bathroom mirror with a piece of soap.
*Take your wife's car to be serviced.
*Call your wife from work just to tell her you love her.
*Give your wife a kiss and thank her for all she does to make home so warm and fun.
*Write down five things you love and appreciate about your wife. Sign and date it, and then give it to her. She'll love it.
Secrets to Romancing Your Husband
*Write your husband a thank-you note just for being him-self. Place it under his pillow.
*Fly a kite together.
*Wash and vacuum his car until it sparkles like new.
*Recognize his sock and underwear drawer.
*Wash and iron his dress shirts that need attention.
*Give him a shoulder, neck, and back rub.
*Shine his dress shoes.
*Run an errand for him today.
*Take his clothes to the cleaners.
*Surprise him with tickets to a game or a movie that he'll enjoy.
Parenting Tips for Boys - from "Bringing Up Boys", by Dobson
Father & Sons - pray diligently for your sons and daughters; read the first 5 chapters of Proverbs, where King Solomon gives fatherly advice to his son
Modeling- "I'd rather see a sermon than hear one." Boys watch their dad intently, noting every minor detail of behavior and values. If a dad is honest, trustworthy,caring, loving, self-disciplined, and God-fearing, then his boys will be influenced by those traits as they age. He needs to be an oak tree - a man of strength and integrity. Your boys and girls need to see you doing what is right, especially when it is inconvenient to do so.
Specific Instructions - dads need to transmit to their sons, especially about girls and women - Tell your son he may never hit a girl under any circumstance; he must protect girls if they are threatened; he should walk on the outside of the sidewalk near the car; he must open doors for girls and women and help them with their coat; teach him to stand in formal situations when a woman leaves the room or table and when she returns; on a date he must knock on the front door and introduce himself and shake hands with eye contact-be the initiators of dates-pay for her food; and stress sexual abstinence and a very very slow progression of physical touch-tell your son not to take anything that doesn't belong to him ESPECIALLY the moral purity of a woman - sexual morality is not just right and proper: it is one of the keys to a healthy marriage and family life. If a man treats a woman like a lady, she will respect him and treat him like a man.
"I strongly urge fathers to tell their teenage and college age boys that girls are incurable romantics, and that it will not be enough for them as husbands to be successful in their professional pursuits. If they are going to have strong marriages and families, they must reserve time and energy for the marital relationship, talking together and treating each other as sweethearts."
Mothers and Sons
Moms need to reach out and physically touch their boys if they want to get their attention, and give messages in short bursts. Boys, just like most men, are not listening much of the time! The quality of early relationships between boys and their mothers is a powerful predictor of lifelong psychological and physical health. Spend time developing the bond between mother and child in the preschool years. Then in the school age years the presence of parents is very beneficial at four key times during the day - early morning, after school, dinnertime, and bedtime. When that regular contact is combined with other shared activities between parents and kids, the most positive outcome is achieved. Adolescents whose parents ate dinner with them 5 times per week or more are the least likely to be on drugs, depressed, or in trouble with the law. Parental involvement is key, and family mealtimes continue to be great settings in which to impart the truths of our faith. As the blessings of the day are recounted, children see evidence of God's loving faithful care and then importance of honoring Him with times of thanks.
Dr. Dobson also encourages us moms to facilitate the access of children to their father, and for us to talk regularly with our sons. Work hard at keeping the lines of communication open. Explore what your children and spouse are thinking and feeling. Especially seek out and target your boys, because they can often be concealing a cauldron of emotion.
Faith
Psalm 63:6
"I think about you before I go to sleep, and my thoughts turn to you during the night." (- and I will rest more peacefully!)
Remember to go to bed praising God for His goodness. This lays the groundwork for gratitude, thanksgiving, and praise in the morning. Recalling His goodness motivates you to trust Him for the future, to be honest and admit your need for Him, and gives you hope for the day to come, and helps you turn to Him quickly no matter what may arise.
With my hugs and prayers for all you so very special wonderful gifts from our Lord and for your families,
Dr. Lisa
