Night Terrors

Going through menopause has many uncomfortable symptoms to say the least.  Night terrors, this is what I call it, is my new addition to the list.  This is where your sleep is interrupted by nasty nightmares that wake you up and leave you feeling extremely unsettled.

I also experienced anxiety with this.  These feelings are not common for me and I thought I was on the brink of dying or having a heart attack!  I searched the internet to see if this is a common menopausal thing and it is!  Not being a fan of drugs, I searched for home remedies and found that switching my magnesium intake from the morning to evening has alleviated my problem!

I have been a fan of magnesium for years.  I keeps me regular and after reading more about it, I have found it is more beneficial when taken before bed.  I slept better that very first night and each night got better.

I called my mother to see if  she went through the night terrors.  She and her mother experienced this.  I am not sure is this is hereditary or if common when going through menopause.  My mother wishes she would have known about the magnesium fix.  Her doctors put her on depression medication that she did not like.  Who would think to try magnesium?  Such an inexpensive and quick fix.  You can buy it at your local grocery or drug store.  Then if that does not work I would go to the doctor.

Menopause is not a pleasant experience.  The hot flashes, the night sweats, the mood swings, the lumps and bumps and these are just a few of the many different phases this long drawn out road travels.  I pray a lot.  This seems to help also;)

Dumping The Sugar - Dumping My Fat

The last Thursday in January, 2011 - I stepped on the scales at my place of exercise and I was fed up!  The weight madness had to stop!  At 5' 1" I weighed too much.  Something drastic had to happen and that means a big change of exercise or diet, obviously my current exercise regime was not working.

I have been doing Zumba Dance (a dance aerobics, very fun) for twice a week for 13 months.  I have toned up, however no weight loss.  The weight was slowly creeping up!  I watch what I eat, limited desserts, avoid high fat foods, avoid fried foods, limited calories, eat more veggies, don't eat after 7pm...you know the drill.

I decided to get rid of as much sugar in my diet as I could for 4 weeks just to see what would happen.  Sugar and carbs (carbs do not necessarily taste sweet, but your body breaks down and processes carbs the same way as it does sugar!) are in everything so it is really hard to totally eliminate them.  By reading labels and looking up information on the sugar/carb content of produce you can cut way down on your sugar and carbs and still eat a tasty banquet of delicious foods.

I just 4 weeks I lost 6 pounds.  I was really happy with this!  In 8 weeks I lost 12 pounds!  I have never been hungry and I have never struggled to find something I could eat.  When we went on vacation it included an unlimited buffet for every meal, I could eat until I was stuffed and never overdo my sugar/carb intake.  It was wonderful.

Here is a list of foods I have eaten unlimited, in all combinations at any time of the day or night!

Sharp cheese
Colby Jack cheese
Pepper cheese
Cream Cheese
sour cream
eggs
spinach
artichokes
avocados
apsaragus (good substitute for potatoe or rice when eating out)
cucumbers
radishes
leaf lettuce
pickles
green beans
celery
peppers
black and green olives
tuna
salmon
water chestnuts
lean roast beef
ham
bacon
chicken
turkey
chicken broth
beef broth
lite cool whip
sugar free jello
Silk Almond milk unsweetened
tea
diet coke
water

Once I have achieved my goal - another 10 pounds - I will continue to eat these foods and add almonds, oatmeal and desserts on special occasions.

For recipes go to:  http://hubpages.com/hub/My-Low-Carb-Recipes-For-Weight-Management?done

Yoga IS A Stress Reliever

For over a year now I have participated in a class of Zumba two times a week.  This is great cardio.  Recently I have been in a position to also try yoga.  Yoga is great for stress relief.  I wish I have investigated this earlier.

The hour or longer you spend doing the poses and breathing lowers and calms you from the stresses of the world.  I believe women hold much of their stress in their bellies and this creates the belly fat.  Women have stress from:

• Being a single mother - not enough money, time, child rearing support, etc.
• Grown children - getting pregnant young, getting divorced, health issues
• Job loss - unmarketable age, not keeping up with new  methods
• Spouses with their issues
• Elderly parents

Have you ever noticed that in one morning or afternoon your belly has grown into the size of a 6 month pregnant state?  It is a  hormonal stress survival reaction that occurs in women.  It automatically stores your belly fat.  I don't know how handy this is going to be during a stress related issue as I have not found a use for it yet.

This is where yoga is beneficial, it concentrates on your breathing along with the poses and stretches.  There are no demands on your body or heart rate.  You do the movements as your body allows you.  No one in the room looks the same - that is if you can look around.  I find myself totally into what I am doing and breathing technique.  Breathing and stretching in this manner, I believe, allows oxygen into the blood stream which in turn has the calming effect.


If you would like a preview do some research on YouTube, there a different techniques.  Find a class near by and make sure to let the instructor know you are a beginner.  They usually have extra mats, however for less than $20 you can purchase your own.  Try it in a class setting or do it in the privacy of your own home.

Vitamin D and Calcium for Your Bones

Most women should take calcium supplements.  Did you know if you don't take get enough vitamin D3 the calcium you take does not get absorbed.  Vitamin D3 is the driver of absorbtion.  Vitamin D3 also boosts mood and energy.  So remember to take both!  Also, calcium works best if take at night.

What To Do For A Seizure



This is a great picture demonstrating these types of seizures.  Found at: healthguide.howstuffworks.com

 Seizures, the tonic-clonic (grand-mal) kind - there is nothing you can do except ease them to the floor, if they are not already on the floor and move objects out of their way. Roll them to their side, they may vomit and this will prevent choking. Put something soft under their head if possible. Do not put anything in their mouth, they might choke on it. Speak softly and soothingly. Stay with them until they come out of it.

The falling and thrashing around causes a lot of the injuries to themselves. You might have time to prepare the surroundings if you are familiar with the person and know the signs. Mood change or unusual swearing is a sign and some people who have seizures learn to recognize how they feel before one comes on and can let people around them know what is about to happen.

My daughter (22 years old) for the past 2 years has consistently had 1 tonic-clonic seizure per year typically around November - December time frame. This year she did not have her usual and we thought we were out of the woods. Not so. February 1st I heard a commotion in her son's room. My daughter she was on the floor, seizing. She hit her head on a plastic bin toy box and landed on her 3 year old son who was on the floor coloring.

My grandson and I, have seen her go through that experience. I have never seen anyone have a seizure like that. We were both shocked.

I knew I had to clear away any objects around her and roll her to her side. I did not know the visual change of her face would be so dramatic. Her eyes were wide open with the pupils dilated so large you could not see her beautiful blue eyes, her face was so contorted and blue beyond recognition.

Her baby was trying to get me out of the way to see her. I was trying to keep him away from seeing her like that.

This non-breathing episode lasted about 2 minutes, which seemed like 2 hours in slow motion. During that time my son and boyfriend came running in and got the baby out. My son and I kept her on her side, she had brown foam coming out of her mouth, it was soda. She had a been drinking that when it happened. The can was crushed from her hand clenching when she seized. She had a big knot on her forehead where she had landed on the toy box.

As we were waiting for her to come around, my son told me to talk soothing to her. I had a cold cloth and put it on her bump on her forehead. Her eyes began to flutter and her pupils began to get smaller. She started to come around and ask why she was on the floor and we were all around her. She was trying to piece it all together.

It took her some time to put it together. She remembers everything before she went into her son's room, and then it is like time stood still. She does have a big knot on her forehead, it hurts to lift her right arm above her head and her left hip is sore.

During the event she had landed on her son and his little pinkie and finger next to it ended up with a little injury. We band-aided it up. He wasn't too happy that his mom spilled her pop all over the floor and fell on him. He gave her a big kiss and hug and told her it was alright accidents happen.

She is back on medication, cannot drive for 6 months and has an appointment with a neurologist. She had quit taking her medication from the previous episode that occured in November of 2008, thinking that she was all better. She now realizes she must take this the rest of her life.

Seizures are brought on from many things; fatigue, stress, alcohol, drugs, lack of sleep, head injury, fever, flashing lights, these are just a few.

When it happens, get them to the floor, clear objects, lay them on their side to prevent choking (they may vomit), do not put anything in their mouth (this may cause them to choke), put something soft under their head, speak softly to them and stay with them until they come out it. If they go into another, call 911 immediately. When they are seizing they are not breathing. It is the lack of oxygen that is critical. Try to remain calm.

The Benefits of Juice

As many of you already know we have been taking XanGo for 6 years now. We swear by the many health benefits.


Research indicates that naturally occurring xanthones may help:
maintain intestinal health*
support the immune system*
neutralize free radicals*
help support cartilage and joint function*
and promote a healthy seasonal respiratory system*

Our grandson (our greatest proof of the XanGo benefits) and his mother lived with us during his 2nd year of life. Previous to living with us he had a history or ear aches, fevers and colds. During their one year stay with us he did not have any colds, ear aches or coughs. He took an ounce with his orange juice every morning. They were with us for a year and then moved out. We keep them stocked up, so he can take it everyday.

His pediatrician has acknowledged the many benefits of this product and is aware of him patients that consume this wonderful this juice. He highly recommends it. With all the information about overdosing and mixing we feel this is a safer method for prevention and expediting recovery, especially for the young.

We take it for acid reflux (an ounce brings immediate relief), mood, energy, small aches and pains and as a preventative. When we have been around sickies we double dose. We have been on it so long we forget how beneficial it is for us individually. We remember fast if we go a few days without it!

Here is a link for more information. To get your own call the toll free phone number 1.877.469.2646 and my ID # is 3880958. Ask about the no sign up fee if you are not going to be a distributor (you just want some for yourself).

Flu and Cold Prevention

We have seen over the decades the different strains of flu that have come and morphed into other flues. In 1918 thru 1919 the influenza pandemic known as the "Spanish Flu" or "La Grippe" killed somewhere between 20 40 million people. More people died in this single year than the four years of the Black Death Bubonic Plague, 1347 to 1351. This was the H1N1.


In 1957 we had the H2N3 which caused the Asian Flu. In February, this strain of flu had reached Hong Kong by April, and US by June. The death toll in the US was approximately 69,800. Estimates of worldwide deaths range from 1 million to 4 million, with WHO settling on "about 2 million".

In 1968 we had the H3n2 which caused Hong Kong Flu. An estimated one million people died worldwide.

I think it is time for society to back to a time when we wore gloves and hats. Think about it, when you have gloves on you don't itch your eyes, pick your nose, teeth or put them in your mouth. You take off gloves to do this. Wear them to the store and keep them on while in the store. Basically anywhere in public. This protects your hands from infecting yourself with germs.

Handrails, money, carts, light switches, door knobs, copy machines, fax machines, phones...it's everywhere! Even when you get that unexpected cough or sneeze at least you have a glove to blow your germs into.

The was a time it was very fashionable. Maybe it wasn't just a fashion statement, maybe there was a health reason. Recently on the news there was a spot about a company making antibacterial socks and paint, they should make antibacterial gloves. Does this make sense? Besides, gloves are very chic. Let's bring them back.