National Caregivers Month

A handshake and/or a hug to all those who can relate to this proclamation. This recognition is wonderful for those wondering where their source of strength will come from with each new day.


November is National Caregivers Month

Presidential Proclamation -- National Family Caregivers Month, 2012

NATIONAL FAMILY CAREGIVERS MONTH, 2012

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BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Our Nation's health care professionals provide essential medical services to millions of Americans, yet they do not shoulder their responsibilities alone. Family members, friends, and neighbors devote countless hours to providing care to their relatives or loved ones. During National Family Caregivers Month, we recognize and thank the humble heroes who do so much to keep our families and communities strong.

Across America, daughters and sons balance the work of caring for aging parents with the demands of their careers and raising their own children. Spouses and partners become caregivers to the ones they love even as they navigate their own health challenges. Mothers and fathers resume care for children returning home as wounded warriors. Friends and relatives form networks to support loved ones with disabilities. All of them give selflessly to bring comfort, social engagement, and stability to those they love.

Family caregivers have an immeasurable impact on the lives of those they assist, but their hours are long and their work is hard. Many put their own lives on hold to lift up someone close to them. That is why my Administration continues to support these committed individuals through programs like the National Family Caregiver Support Program and the Lifespan Respite Care Program, and through new initiatives like the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease. These efforts help caregivers access services, provide quality support, and reinforce their support through respite care options. Additionally, my Administration has pursued workplace flexibility initiatives that help caregivers balance their responsibilities to their employers with their responsibilities to their loved ones. I was also proud to sign the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act, which has helped our most seriously injured post-9/11 veterans and their family caregivers through financial support; access to health insurance, mental health services, and counseling; and comprehensive caregiver training and respite care.

National Family Caregivers Month is a time to reflect on the compassion and dedication that family caregivers embody every day. As we offer our appreciation and admiration for their difficult work, let us also extend our own offers of support to them and their loved ones.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2012 as National Family Caregivers Month. I encourage all Americans to pay tribute to those who provide for the health and well-being of their family members, friends, and neighbors.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.

BARACK OBAMA

Below are two collections of shops featuring items to give caregivers needed  support. Click on any box to enter that seller's shop.

Go With The Flow..In Yoga and Life

MEDITATION IN MOTION

Tired of going through your days "feeling like crap", feeling older than your years? Do you feel you are constantly pushing off your work-out program because other obligations of seemingly higher priority keep popping up and by the end of the day you are too tired to care?

For years I had been a faithful follower of Vinyasa yoga and swore by it for helping me cope not only with Lupus aches and pains but also for the "me" time I needed in dealing with stress. Life itself can be stressful, so the best thing is to not let things that bother you build to the point you are a tightly wound knot. Use the gentle movements of yoga to stretch out those knots. Lengthen the spine, relax the  muscles, rotate the joints, free the mind. All of these will help release tension, physically and mentally, and you may notice a reduction in back pain and headaches. The hardest part may be to carve out a private hour at least twice a week to be left alone. Consistency is the key to yoga. Everyone starts with baby steps but if you stick with it you'll be amazed how your body just seems to open up. Once on that mat, something magical happens.

Vinyasa means "breath-synchronized movement," and Vinyasa yoga is a series of poses that will move you through the power of inhaling and exhaling. Vinyasa movements are smoothly flowing and almost dance-like, which explains why it is sometimes referred to as Vinyasa Flow or just Flow.
Vinyasa Flow began as Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga by a Yogi named Sri Tirumala Krishnamacharya. He was given a place to teach yoga and eventually taught a young boy named Parrabhi Jois his learnings on the power of breathing. Jois then established an institute for practicing the specific form of Vinyasa yoga. Like all styles of yoga, Vinyasa has both mental and physical benefits. Physically, sweat expels toxins and re-energizes your body. Mentally, the synchronized breathing relaxes your mind and helps to release any blockage of energy flow throughout your body.

No matter what your age or physical fitness level, yoga is a wonderful and rewarding addition to your routine. Make it not only a form of exercise but a lifestyle. The point of yoga is not to contort yourself into positions you fear will cause injury, or mean you are somehow now associated with a particular religion. It is meant to move the body and breath so you learn to calm the mind, release tension, stretch your spine, and overall, better handle stress.Yoga is a program you can do in the privacy of your own home, year round, at your own convenience, as well as offered at many locations for those of you who enjoy the company of others to keep you motivated. Ideal for beginners because you can adjust the movements and build on them to eventually reach more of a personal challenge.

Those of you suffering from an autoimmune condition such as Systemic Lupus or Rheumatoid Arthritis may find it more of a challenge than ever because more likely than not, you are dealing with pain on top of just the lack of energy and time to stick with a program.

The first misconception you have to get past is that yoga involves pretzel like motions impossible for people who already have difficulty with flexibility.  One of the most important things all of us, whether you have a chronic condition or not, is to realize the importance of movement and proper breathing techniques. You have to work through the stiffness or like any machine you'll lock up altogether.  It may take everything you've got to start and then actually finish the session, but once done you'll realize it is a good hurt. Learning about the importance of better posture, proper breathing, and a stretched out back will greatly benefit you in dealing with pain management. Many people don't breathe properly. The tendency is to shallow breathe, especially when upset. Learn to deeply inhale, lifting the diaphragm as you fill those lungs to capacity and exhale slowly.

"Challenge your limitations while remaining sensitive to them."  That is a statement by expert and teacher of Ashtanga Yoga, Baron Baptiste.  His methods utilize the 'flowing of postures' which create heat and energy.  His techniques help our minds and bodies release accumulated tensions and open pathways of blocked energy, allowing life's energy to flow freely through every part of our being.  For improved health it is paramount to open up those pathways which will increase the flow of oxygenated blood to our organs.  The opening up of the spine helps release those everyday stresses we soak up like a sponge. Discover the relief found with what is called "meditation in motion". Baron Baptiste stresses the importance of taking care of what he calls fragile creatures... the knees, neck, and back. Ask any physical therapist and it is very likely they will tell you those areas are very often the ones needing treatment.

Baron Baptiste wrote a book, "Journey Into Power" which came out in 2002. This inspiring program helps you to lose weight, increase your physical and mental strength and stamina, and develop an inner sense of calm composure. Known as 'The yoga master for the stars', his gentle approach is as apparent on his DVD workouts as is evident from the book. Power Vinyasa yoga is described as meditation in motion. Poses are not the complicated twists often associated with yoga. His gentle, encouraging voice guides you along every step of the way, with alternatives for the harder moves.

 There is the website http://www.baronbaptiste.com with an abundant source of activities and information, but if all you want is the exercise dvds, they can be found on shopping sites such as amazon, ebay or google, Available are a number of great dvds and even vhs tapes from back in the 1990's that are from beginner to intermediate. Below are a few of my personal favorites.

Baron Baptiste Foundations of Power Vinyasa Yoga

 
                                                   

Baron Baptiste Soul of Strength

Power Yoga level 2 The Next Challenge

Nature's Fury

"Mom, people say when bad weather hits it is "God's fury". Does that mean He is mad at us?"

Oh, from the mouths of babes. A classic moment when the child becomes the teacher in that such questions make us adults think enough to perhaps learn something.

In 2011 we had Hurricane Irene and now we have Hurricane Sandy to contend with as she makes her way up the east coast of the United States. As we prepare for the likelihood of damage and power outages, that question from years back popped into my head. I'm not sure what exactly I had said in response at that time, but with seemingly one natural disaster after another, it does make one ponder life in general.

 The human race has always interpreted such life events with various explanations:
Have we always had such catastrophic weather but now with the media we are notified and caught up in every bit of news about climate changes all over the world?
Are we humans the cause of the chaos by upsetting our ecosystem?
Has God had enough of our messing up His creation and sending us a clear message of the consequences?

Out of curiosity I looked up man's history of thinking about such events.

Prior to 1500 BC world events were governed by the gods of a particular religion or mythology. Everything in nature contains a spirit and the earth is like a Great Mother. Prayer and sacrifices were made in efforts to make life a bit easier.

Classical Greece (400 - 100 BC) brought us Aristotle and Plato who established the foundation for the development of science and the traditions of the western world.

By Medieveal times (400 - 1400 AD) a Christian God reigned over everything. Life was a strict hierarchy where God ruled at the top with children and animals at the very bottom. The "Will of God" was paramount; what the Church dictated was how life was or the person suffered the consequences. Human actions were not explained, only judged as good or evil. God was feared in the literal sense. When bad things happened people felt somehow they deserved to be punished.

During the Renaissance (1500 - 1850 AD), God was still to be behind everything and set things in motion, but science provided an objective view of the universe. By the late 19th century all spiritual forces were removed from the universe and everything was explained objectively through science.
Since nature was thought to have no meaning, it was common thought to exploit it for whatever it was worth to enhance the life of humans. It was thought that technology could solve all of our problems.
As people became more literate and had access to reading material they began to think for themselves about matters of spirituality and behavior.

So as our population has grown to nearly seven billion people, we can now deal with the consequences of our actions and try to clean things up and find alternative sources of energy to fuel our modern wants and needs.

Christians today feel they can have a personal relationship with God and the term 'fearful' not to be interpreted literally, but rather a matter of respect and awe.

To interpret our weather patterns as God's way of punishing us is not the mainstream thought in today's modern thinking. We may jokingly kid about "God's fury" but few of us really believe we humans are a central focus to the point that even the weather revolves around us.

It makes more sense that the weather patterns are along Newton's thinking. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. The goal of mother nature is to survive and if at all possible she will amidst consequence and change. How we as a species have to adapt to survive that change, only time will tell.

Life is what it is. Take the advice of Harold Kushner, the Conservative rabbi who wrote the book, "When Bad Things Happen To Good People". Stuff happens.
The trick to not getting down is to not expect life to be smooth sailing, things just happen and we have to deal with them.

Ecclesiastes 3:1
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven

One thing we as a society should learn is not to put ourselves in the position to be totally helpless should the system break down. We as a culture are so intertwined that our daily lives seem to come to an absolute halt when the power goes out. We are so dependent on electricity to power our lights, water pumps, phone chargers, internet service, etc. that many feel helpless and cut off when suddenly without these services.

 Throughout history man has known how to survive by making do, doing without and utilizing skills of survival so they can be self-sustaining when need be.  Plan ahead for emergencies. Use a generator for back up power or have a place to go for a few days. Have a secondary heat source such as a wood, coal or pellet stove. In the event you can't get to the grocery store, know how to prepare your own meals from scratch, bake your own bread, stock up on things like bottled water, dry milk, canned goods, dry goods, batteries and candles. If you garden, learn how put up the surplus fruits and vegetables by canning, freezing or drying.

Remember the Boy Scout motto..."Be Prepared"
And also remember my mother's motto..."This too shall pass."

Halloween GMOs, Sugar..Try a Healthier Treat

My kids still remind me the most likely reason we didn't get many trick or treaters wasn't because we lived in a rural area, it was because I usually had "healthy" goody bags.Yea well, too bad. When my kids were preschool I had full control over the quality of food to which they were exposed. By first grade I didn't exactly give up but waged my battles carefully, hoping to at least set the foundation of good eating habits. And now that they are both young adults they, without my nagging, are realizing that how they physically feel, how clearly they can think, and of course their appearance all depends on their lifestyle and eating habits.

Only a few years back we were concerned about the amount of fat, sugar and salt added to candy and snacks but we didn't hear about the concerns with GMO modified food. Not wanting to be just one more voice spoiling  the fun of the holidays, we should at least be aware of what is going on.

A good article on the subject of what are GMOs and why we should be leery of their use in our food supply is found here from the Non-GMO Project. In the absence of mandatory labeling, the Non-GMO Project was created to give consumers the informed choice they deserve. In the U.S., the government has approved GMOs based on studies conducted by the same corporations that created them and profit from their sale. Not knowing who to believe or even trust with the health of our loved ones, more and more Americans are taking matters into their own hands by trying not to purchase foods containing GMOs. The hope is that if people stop buying GMOs, companies will stop using them and farmers will stop growing them.

Now let's be more aware of what those labels mean in terms of sugar intake. How many grams in a tsp. of sugar is there anyway? As you can see from the chart below, the typical candy bar has 20 or more grams of sugar. Five teaspoons is 21 grams of sugar, six teaspoons is 26 grams of sugar, seven teaspoons is 31 grams, and my favorite Milky Way bar came in at 35 with 9 teaspoons being 36 grams of sugar!

As disturbing as it is to actually know that, we don't want to take all the fun out of our kids' Halloween loot. My way of handling the indulgence was to put most of the candy in the freezer and ration it out over a few weeks. Some parents let their kids have their gorge fest to get it over with and accept the sugar highs and sugar crashes as all part of the holiday. Below is the candy bar chart but for the full candy comparison refer to the following site:

Chocolate Bars Compared

Chocolate Bar	Serving Size	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Saturated Fat (g)	Contains Trans Fat	Sugar (g)
Hershey's Milk Chocolate (Hershey's)	1 bar	270	16	10	NO	31
Hershey's Milk Chocolate With Almonds (Hershey's)	1 bar	210	14	6	NO	19
Krackel (Hershey's)	1 bar	210	10	6	NO	24
Mounds (Hershey's)	1 bar	230	13	10	NO	21
Almond Joy (Hershey's)	1 package	220	13	8	YES	20
Kit Kat Bar (Hershey's)	1 bar	210	11	7	NO	22
REESE'S Fast Break (Hershey's)	1 bar	260	13	4.5	YES	30
5TH Avenue (Hershey's)	1 bar	280	14	5	NO	27
Mr. Goodbar (Hershey's)	1 bar	260	17	7	NO	22
YORK Peppermint Pattie (Hershey's)	1 piece	140	2.5	1.5	NO	25
Take 5 (Hershey's)	1 package	210	11	5	YES	18
Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate (Hershey's)	1 bar	218	12	8	NO	21
REESE'S Peanut Butter Cups (Hershey's)	1 package	260	15	6	NO	25
HEATH Toffee Bar (Hershey's)	1 bar	210	13	7	NO	23
PAYDAY Peanut Caramel Bar (Hershey's)	1 bar	240	13	2.5	NO	21
SKOR (Hershey's)	1 bar	210	12	7	NO	24
SYMPHONY Milk Chocolate (Hershey's)	1 bar	210	13	8	NO	23
Snickers (Mars)	1 package	280	14	5	YES	30
Snickers Cruncher (Mars)	1 package	220	11	6	YES	21
Snickers Almond Bar (Mars)	1 package	230	11	4	YES	26
Milky Way (Mars)	1 package	260	10	7	YES	35
TWIX Caramel Cookie Bars (Mars)	1 package	280	14	11	YES	27
3 Musketeers (Mars)	1 bar	260	8	5	YES	40
Chunky (Nestle)	1 bar	190	11	5	NO	21
Baby Ruth (Nestle)	1 bar	280	14	8	YES	33
Butterfinger (Nestle)	1 bar	270	11	6	NO	29
100 Grand (Nestle)	1 package	180	8	5	NO	21
Nestle Crunch (Nestle)	1 bar	220	12	7	NO	24

FOR A HEALTHIER SNACK

If you want an easy, chocolate lover's snack that is delicious and simple to put into gift bags, here are two no-cook recipes:

This recipe is an adaptation of a peanut butter ball recipe from an old Rodale cookbook.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Coated Sesame Balls

3/4 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup honey

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine these three ingredients in a medium sized bowl.

3/4 cup skim milk powder

1 cup oatmeal

Combine these two ingredients in another bowl.

Gradually add the oatmeal/milk powder mixture to the peanut butter mixture, blend thoroughly, mix will be stiff, may need your hands.

1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds (toast seeds in a preheated 200 degree oven for 20 minutes)

2 tbsp. boiling water

Blend the seeds and the hot water into the mixture.

Using your hands, shape into 1-inch balls. (The mix will be sticky so wet your hands periodically with cold water.)

Roll the balls around in a bowl containing finely chopped nuts, almond meal, wheat germ or ground flax seeds.

Place the balls onto wax paper lined baking sheets. 

Place the baking sheets in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Place a pound of chocolate coating wafers or a 12 oz. bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips along with 1 tbsp. shortening into a small microwave safe bowl (or melt using a double boiler).

Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes, stir, another 30 seconds, stir till smooth.

Dip the balls into the melted chocolate using a strong sandwich pick. Place onto the wax paper lined baking sheets to harden.

This batch makes about 3 dozen.

From the Taste of Home cooking magazine, this recipe is a bit easier and uses only four ingredients. You can use your own granola mix or purchase a store brand.

Granola Fudge Clusters

1 cup (6 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup (6 oz) butterscotch chips

1 1/4 cup granola

1 cup chopped walnuts

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips, stir until smooth.

Stir in the granola and walnuts.

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper lined baking sheets.

Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until firm.

This batch makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

The Great Halloween Pumpkin, What does the story really mean?

Charles Schulz' views of American customs and life in general have been teaching and entertaining us for over fifty years. Take the time to ponder what Schulz is saying and you will soon realize there is a lot more to these cartoon strips than entertainment.

I can remember as a child reading the cartoon strips and at times I thought, "I don't get it.", though knowing full well there is a bit of wisdom right in front of me.  The 'something' that is outside of each of the characters would be obvious once I understood. 

"It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" portrays the struggle between existentialism and religious determinism. The Western fear of Paganism has always reached its height on October 31, originally the closing date on the pre-Christian Celtic calendar and marked be Druid harvest practices.  All Saints' Day was introduced by the pope in the 7th century as a way to counter the effects of the pagan festival.  Brought to the United States in the 1800's by Irish immigrants, Halloween is mainly regarded as a social gathering, a holiday for children, with little thought to its being connected to the restless afterlife.  The Great Pumpkin attempts to find the spiritual in the mundane and to locate the divine in the pagan.

For the Peanuts gang, the world is an inhospitable place.  Narrow-minded and gullible, Charlie Brown sees the world as cruel and unforgiving.  Day in and day out he falls into the same patterns of behavior resulting in the failure once again.  Many of us can relate to Charlie Brown because we often find ourselves going through life repeating patterns of behavior or expectations and then wondering why things don't work out any differently.

Violet's Halloween party with all its temptations of fun and frolic pulls the rest of the gang into the excitement of 'the now', while Linus is mocked for missing out and choosing to separate himself and wait for the unknown rather than enjoy the obvious.  Even Sally loses interest and joins the festivities, portraying the message of how often the chasm of beliefs can put a wedge within a relationship.

Linus seeks religion and philosophy as the key to understanding his universe.  Rather than letting Charlie Brown's self-pity in why things are the way they are, Linus believes there must be something beyond the ordinary everyday happenings, a divine purpose.  He doesn't give an air of superiority over his peers but his perceptions set him apart from the rest of the gang, similar to the way those of us with strong convictions feel so alone among the majority in our society.  Linus clings to his thumb and blanket for security and comfort.  The Great Pumpkin is symbolic as the 'sign' that there may be something greater in which to believe even if we must continue to wait.  We need to keep firm in whatever foundation of faith we have and to understand that some things in life are just a mystery.

Charles Schulz' writings reflect his own personal search for understanding and meaning.  He portrayed very well the message that for those who keep on searching, the world can be an unforgiving and perhaps lonely place.  But life is what it is and though an unpredictable blend of tears of joy as well as grief, we mustn't give up on the fascination of this mysterious journey.

The complete article "The Book of Linus" by Michael Koresky

A Quip and a Quote

 

Seasonal Reflection

"Our gardens are tired, they've given their all,
The bounty is gathered, we're ready for Fall.
Herbs cut and dried, seeds stored away,
Swallows have flown, mice hide in the hay.
Take time to listen, the message is there,
Blessings abound, our work now to share.
Give what you can, but take a moment to rest
Take care of yourself and you'll give back your best."


We often feel like squirrels bustling around multitasking, trying to get everything done, always feeling as though there is a race against the clock.

The months just seem to blend one into another and it is easy to let these beautiful days slip away as we focus more on the day to day schedule of demands than on taking advantage of the moment.

Our daily work is what it is and does need to get done, but remember Lao Tzu's wisdom and remember to look up from our tasks so we don't miss something we can't get back.

Power of Peppermint For Pest Control

No one likes being cold, and that includes unwelcome guests entering our homes such as spiders and rodents. With the arrival of cold weather, keep this in mind as you prepare your home for the chill of winter.

Take action at the first sign of mouse droppings because if there is one there are more. Mice breed at an incredible rate and with each litter consisting of six to twelve young it only takes a few weeks of ignoring the signs to find yourself with a real problem. The spots we have had the most trouble are under the kitchen sink, the cabinets nearest the vent for the stove and in our unfinished basement. All areas where there are most likely gaps in construction and should be remedied. 

Killing with mouse traps, glue traps or poison works in the short run but in the long run they only open up space for another mouse to move in.
Should you want to avoid dealing with the smell of death but unable to find the source, or disposing of the dead or dying caught in traps, a humane method of pest control is best. 


Peppermint essential oil is the essence of peppermint leaves. These oils are obtained by steam distillation and contain the volatile oils within the plant itself.  It is strong and offensive to the sensitive noses of our little rodent pests and being they find it repulsive they avoid it and the hope is that they move out or don't enter our homes in the first place. Don't buy the type of peppermint oil used for flavoring in the cooking section of your store. Purchase at a reputable health food store where you'll find 100% pure, therapeutic essential oils. Synthetics may smell the same but it is more than the smell that does the trick. You want the real thing. 

Add a few drops to cotton balls and leave them at the points of suspected entry or activity. Add fresh oil to the cotton balls on a weekly basis as a preventative measure. Or use the spray bottle method of 10 - 15 drops peppermint essential oil to 8 - 12 oz. of water. Spray around doorways, counter tops, baseboards, garage doors, basements, etc. 

Spiders are more common in our homes than we think. If we leave them alone, usually they try in earnest to leave us alone. According to David Bodanis in his book, "Secret House", the typical clean and tidy home still houses many, many spiders. These beneficials prefer to stay hidden in dark corners and quietly give us a hand in keeping those insects at bay who can do us harm. While we don't want visible spider webs we also don't want to contribute toxins to our home by spraying with pesticides.

As with rodents, spiders and ants also hate peppermint. Ants can be a problem in any home but those with mortar and brick seem to be more susceptible for entry points. Be sure to keep your kitchen counters and cabinets free from open food and crumbs. Ants follow a trail so take notice of where they are coming in and block the trail with undiluted peppermint oil or spray the peppermint oil/water mixture.
Use the spray bottle method of adding 10 to 15 drops of peppermint essential oil to 8 to 12 ounces of water. Spray wherever you suspect ants and spiders are entering your home.
Planting peppermint outside near your doorways can help deter pests. Just be sure to plant in tubs or pots since mints spread rapidly and can easily take over a flowerbed or garden area.

Aside from spiders and mice, peppermint oil also is a natural insect repellent for fleas and mosquitoes. To use as a bug repellent spray for yourselves or your dogs (not to be used on cats) add a bit of vodka to distilled water at the ratio of 10 - 15 drops peppermint essential oil to 8 - 12 oz of the distilled water/vodka mixture. Rubbing alcohol can be used in place of the distilled water/vodka mixture. Peppermint is strong and though known to be safe test first on a small area of skin to check for any skin sensitivity.


Check out the many uses for using peppermint oil as a body spray.