**HOPE

I was attending a mental health conference five years ago when this quote was presented:

There is no medicine like hope,
No incentive so great
And no tonic so powerful
As expectation of something tomorrow.
Orison Swett Marden

**Snacks that Lower Cholesterol

http://www.everydayhealth.com/heart-specialist/cholesterol-snacks.aspx?pos=1&xid=nl_EverydayHealthDietandNutrition_20140709
This is an article from Everyday Health.  For the most part, these are pretty common snacks.  Each has its own method of helping lower cholesterol.  Apples have plenty of antioxidants; but the good stuff is in the peel, so eat the peel.
Nuts and seeds, particularly sunflower seed, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds, almonds, and pine nuts.  But don't overdo if you are trying to lose weight.   One ounce per day.
Oat Bran.  It is true what the boxes of Cheerios and Quaker say, these are heart healthy snacks.  Some how, oatmeal can block the absorption of cholesterol in you stomach.
Finally grapefruit is good for lowering cholesterol.  Just be careful as grapefruit can hinder the absorption of some medicines.

**The Starfish

The Starfish

I first heard this story from W Mitchell at an Amway conference.  It made an impression with me then and I still like it.  I hope to make a difference to the one.
The Starfish

There was a young man walking down a deserted beach just before dawn.  In the distance he saw a frail old man.  As he approached the old man, he saw him picking up stranded starfish and throwing them back into the sea.  The starfish had been washed ashore by a storm.  The young man gazed in wonder as the old man again and again threw the small starfish from the sand to the water.  He asked him, “Why do you spend so much energy doing what seems to be a waste of time?”  The old man explained that the stranded starfish would die if left in the morning sun.  “But there must be thousands of beaches and millions of starfish,” exclaimed the young man, “How can your effort make any difference?”  The old man looked down at the small starfish in his hand and as he threw it to safety in the sea said…… “It makes a difference to this one.”
 Adapted from Loren Eiseley

**Love Yourself: Bernie Siegel: Dynamic Health: Powerful Strategies for Healthy Living

I post my baby picture here for a reason.  Dr. Bernie Siegel tells a story of a phenomena that happens over and over.  He often talks to people, and holds up a baby, and everybody will ooh and aah and say how precious, how adorable.  He will then hold up an audience member, often a high school student, and every one will laugh and make fun, even the person being held up or asked to stand up.  And so the question, what changed in fifteen, sixteen years.  "Why were you a gorgeous baby, and now you're laughing at yourself?"... "So I really do tell people to get out their baby pictures and take a look at them.  I try to communicate to them that they're a child of God--to feel that they are divine rather than to tell them to do this, don't do that, it's not good for you, but to get them to love themselves so they then do what is good for them."
So I have posted my baby picture.  I am a child of God.  I am of divine worth.  I remember a saying our seminary teacher had in his office. "You are a child of God, and God doesn't make no junk."  When I feel down, I hope to see my baby picture, and remember my royal heritage.
Dr Siegel is a surgeon, and practices in the cancer field.  He began to realize hope and a lot to do with survival.  He and his wife established a program called ECaP (Exceptional Cancer Patients).  He talks of the importance of having love.  By this he means to love and be loved.  But he also is talking about having something you love, a passion.  He says it is funny, but now matter how ill you are, when you lose yourself in something you love, it seems to go away, you don't worry about the pain for awhile.  In my case, I don't hear my tinnitus.
Hope is important.  It improves your immune system.  It extends life.

**Doctor-Patient Relationship: Valley Medical Center: Health Shorts

http://www.scvmc.org/patients/health/Pages/yourhealth.aspx
This is a website dedicated to the doctor-patient relationship.  There are a couple of short videos featuring Dr. Jeff Arnold, Chief medical officer at Valley Medical Center.  Questions are an important part of the relationship.  The web page includes about thirty questions you might want to ask your doctor.  It also includes about fifteen questions to ask if surgery is being considered.  The more the patient is involved in care, the more positive will be the results. 

**Eight Kitchen Gadgets that Help Cut Weight

http://www.everydayhealth.com/weight-loss-pictures/kitchen-gadgets-to-help-you-lose-weight.aspx?pos=1&xid=nl_EverydayHealthManagingDiabetes_20140706#/slide-1

This is a link to an article from Everyday Health.  We only have a couple of the gadgets mentioned:
Smaller dishes equal smaller portions, less calories.  We have smaller plates.
Lemon squeezer, we have this.  I love to squeeze lemons and freeze the juice.
Citrus Zester.  This is like a grater for your citrus peels.  The grated peels can be used for adding flavor to your meals in a way with less calories than oils, and less negative effect than salt.
Vegetable steamer: Steaming is a healthy way to cook food without added fats.
Slow Cooker: This is another tool we have.  Slow cooking helps to cook meets in their own juisces rather than adding calories or fat.  It is also a simple way to cook healthy food.
Oil Mister: Spraying on oil to avoid over using oil is a good idea.
Kitchen scale: Portion control cannot really be don without a scale, and is so important for portion control.
Immersion Blender: I would really like one of these.  This is a whipper/ beater you can put in your drink.
Salad spinner:  A spinner can make salad making easier, and consequently more likely.  Also a dry salad holds dressing better so you can use less.
All good ideas.  I would really like a citrus zester next.

**Taking Care of My Health

State of Welllness: Wellness Works winter 2014

This county provided pamphlet starts with a review of the health of county workers.  It is not very flattering, but good to know I am not alone.  55 percent of the county in general, and 56 percent of county worker are either overweight or obese.  I must admit I would like to get down to just being overweight.  51 percent of county workers have high blood pressure or are borderline, 44 percent are stressed or very stressed.  I have to say with regards to stress, it is stressful doing more with less, which seems to be the trend.

So some answers:

Eat right.  They suggest enjoying your good by eating more slowly, and eating less.  Prepare portions visually by using smaller plates, have of plate should be fruits and vegetables; leafy colored vegetables over starchy ones (my favorite is potatoes which didn’t make the list).  Make half your grains whole grains—watch the bread and the rice.  Eat less processed food, ingredients list should be short and sweet, avoid sugary drinks and make sure to include dairy.

Get physical activity:

“Exercise is absolutely essential to a healthy lifestyle.  Try to get in at least 150 minutes moderate physical activity each week; more if weight loss is the goal.”

Smart goals

These are goals that are attainable and time bound.  They are specific identifying actions to reach the goal; measurable, how much how long etc.; attainable, outcome is within reach; relevant, start small and make sure you have skills, resources to achieve goal; and time-bound, have an end date.

March into May, the county is sponsoring an exercise program which they do every year, to get people more active and to measure their activity.