Circle of Friends

[terrilee317]

as long as it's from a tree....LOL. Doesn't sound appetizing, but neither does fungus. I've heard those mushrooms are wonderful grilled. They're gonna have to prove themselves to me. (shudder)

[LoriJenny]

Probably the best McDougall day I have ever had ended with spaghetti squash topped with home made corn salsa. Yum! And 2 rice cakes. Thanks for all the encouragement I can do this!!

[carollynne]

Lori, you can and you will too. Hey spaghetti squash is great with some spaghetti sauce. I never tried it with a corn salsa. I will have to and soon.
Hey it is raining again,a dn I cannot hardly believe all the rain we are getting now!
I dug up some of my potatoes today, as I like them in the new stage. Plus I was a bit worried they could get to owet under ground with all this rain...
Well I did good today, and I resolve tomorrow to keep my HBP log and remember to eat on this plan too.

[Rosey]

HUGS!!! Just thought I'd check in here since I haven't for a few days. Been keeping pretty busy with babysitting and bugging my hubby and cleaning house.

[terrilee317]

Hi Rosey, Hi Carollynne, Hi Lori,

Way to go Lori. I'd like your recipe for corn chowder please.
So my co-worker's mom had a heart cath yesterday. She has "only a 30% blockage" so didn't need a stent. They told her to "watch her diet" and "exercise". No specifics on the diet. They said that the blockage could increase virtually overnight. I told my co-worker
that her mom needed to nix all the dairy and animal products from her life, along with fats. There was a long hesitation, and then she said "well...we'll work on it. Less carbs for sure". Totally in denial about this. Grrrrrr.

[carollynne]

HI to all, Terrilee, you are so sweet to try to help anyone,esp someone with a stent in the future, but honestly most will just not listen to us. I think it is sometimes that they are in denial, and other times I think it is a cultural thing, that it is just too ingrained in their lives as a social event, etc. I am in the same situation with a few of my friends, who had so much diabetes in their family etc, and they do appear some be very interested and wonder just long my kick will last on the vegan band wagon. At least I am getting healthy, and the only one I can change is myself after all, and I want to share it so much, but really even I send them a link for one my the wonderful lectures I love to watch off www.vsh.org
Most will never get back with me that they watched it, and decided to take it of it to heart... and it is so funny, because, their hearts are so in danger due to diet. Terrilee, you are a very kind and aware person, and it is showing up at times like this. Hey, I also wonder if the stubborn human nature that is so resistance to change. I am the third daughter, of 5 kids, the little sister, and no one wants to listen to me, and really that is ok, at my age, 59, I just know what I know, and am not a liar!
Hey last night after being at a Ford place with my son til about 8 pm, then we zipped over to this cafeteria styl place called Moe's Sw Grill and bought some fajita, burrito, and tacos, and got it all veggies style except for what I brought back for DH. but his tacos were still no diary at all. I loaded up on teh veggies for him too, it was still just way too much grease. they also have tofu. all cubed up and that is tossed on the grill with a lot of something squirted out of a bottle and it was good. I made myself one fajita from all that Eric had from his fajita stuff. I have never seen anyone get so much food for the buck, anywhere else, but perhaps because they also close at 9pm that was why. It was unreal. So not the best end of my day, esp the tortilla chips on top of that. I tend to not weigh myself for a few days till all that leaves me.
Hey one family member of mine, has been plagues by rashes that on creams can get rid of, and she has just eliminated the warming food from her diet, like onions, garlic, beer wine and coffee, but can drink green tea. I had told he in the past (months ago in fact) why not give up diary and just see what may clear up) she is not about to do it, she loves her butter, sour cream, and is on WW and it is all in moderation of course, so I do not bother to say that anymore, I said it enough it is their choice of course. But the doctor's appts have not cleared it up, it comes back, etc. I mean I can remember being a young military wive in housing, and being one of the few breastfeeding moms, and how everyone's else's babies ( they were just so many of us having babies together on a big military base...) and my little ones did not get all the ear infections at all, I kept hearing about finally the kids had to have tubes surgically put in the ears to help with the drainage of all that stuff from the ear infections too. And to watch the poor moms giving their babies this horrid medicine to baby, it was unreal, baby would never want to take it, spit it out etc. I never realized it at the time, but my babies did get the better deal of it. I know the military doctors in our clinic would all beam at me when I would say yes I am still breast feeding. I guess they did not hear that as much. I just knew the lines at our military store on post, the commissary were too long to have to depend on getting the formula on time. Plus I had started off in Korea with first child and did the breast feeding and so wanted to continue with the trend. My mom did, and so it was tradition as well.
sorry about this long story!!
have a great day out there!!

[LoriJenny]

Today was my Day 2 of strict compliance. I am feeling good. At one point during the day I began to feel shakey, so I had some plums and bean tacos and relaxed for a bit, I soon felt better. Other than that tho, I was pleased with the day.

My food was: Oatmeal, plum, apple, rice cakes, 3 bean chili, tacos with corn tortillas, beans and the corn salsa, more plums, and applesauce. Look...no nuts!! I used to eat way to many nuts!

Terrilee...did you want the corn salsa recipe? It's really simple and I love it so much:

2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 jalepeno pepper, diced
1 bunch of cilantro (I put mine through the food processor)
1 Can of corn, (or 1 ear of corn cut off the cob)
mix all those together, then sprinkle with the juice of 1 lime.

Carollynne, I love to hear about all your adventures! You have had some really interesting times. I also breast fed my babies, but it seemed like in my circle of friends, everyone did...so I was never unusual for doing so. I do think it's the very best thing for the babies health!

I think it really is a true phenomenon that most people will not change their way of eating...they would really rather keep eating what they want and taking statin drugs and getting stents etc. It is difficult to change, and like you said, so much of our culture revolves around food. I think it's so smart what you all are doing and just being a great example...i hope to join you in that!!

Day 3...Here I come!!

[terrilee317]

Go Lori! You'll soon have day 3 under your belt!!! Thanks for the recipe. Will make it this weekend. Actually made a TerriLee version of it a couple of weeks ago pretty much. Fred made the BEST bean chowder for supper last night. I never enjoyed taking leftovers to work as much as I do now. And my bod seems to be adjusting, I'm not nearly as gassy anymore. Yesterday I had a BIG bowl of oatmeal with a banana, a refried beans and salsa burrito for lunch with this flat wrap stuff I found that's really good. For supper the bean chowder with an orange for dessert. Still hungry at bedtime so had some shredded wheat. I'm loving it! I met with a friend who has a history of heart disease in her family last night and she asked, so I told her. I also emailed my coworker the links to this site and the names of many other doctors so she can do some research for her mom if she wants to. Tonight will be a challenge. A friend invited us out to eat fish at a special restaurant in another town. I initially said no thanks and told her why. Well, Fred said he wants to go. So....I know nothing about this place, but hopefully I can get a baked potato and a salad. This will be my most difficult challenge.
It's Day 31 for me. Have a great day!

[terrilee317]

Forgot to mention this. I haven't seen this friend in about 2 months 'cause she's from Iowa and doesn't get up here that often. She kept looking at me and looking at me. We are both NORWEX consultants, and she asked me if I was using the lifting serum on my face and I said yes. She asked me how long I've been using it and I said 6 months. "no....then that's not it" she said. She said something was different about me, she couldn't put her finger on it, but she said I looked healthy (and I have a sinus infection) and almost have a "glow" about me. I said I don't suppose it has anything to do with my new way of eating with the vegan lifestyle..and her eyes got kinda wide. Then she [b]really[b]wanted to hear more.

[carollynne]

that is so cool beans Lerrilee!! and I think that is one of the bennies of this WOE, everything about vegans will start to glow. minds, body and faces!!
I know I will need get new slacks, pants, jeans etc, I have lost that much all over, and 3 dress pants that I used to rely on for good wear/ DAR mtg, and all have matching somethings, are sz 18, 16 w and a plain L, and then are all so baggy in the legs, that even I, the cheapest skate of all times, and super put myself last type, will have to drag myself out there and find some new clothes. I am thrilled by this turn of events. Never thgt Id see this happen to me. I just bought these last pants, last spring no doubt, there are in great perfect shape, and I might have worn them like 3 times maybe. I have given away to the Good will and www.freecycle.org ppl, a tons of stuff already. I will have some fun doing this believe me!!
Hey, today I watched a cooking lesson on U-Tube for cooking quinoa, and it was so easy and simple too. I did not use the chili peppers, that I grew that were so mild, called salsa peppers. Son says they are not hot at all, I cut one, and tried a tiny bit on my tongue, and my mouth burned for an hr and a half! so I used some mushrooms, orange pepper, a splash of wine, and some fennel seeds, that I crushed up a bit. and at the very end, before I ate some of it added the cilantro and a diced up tom! it is very good. Here is the link if you want to see it. I just omitted the oil, I used water to sautee the veggies in the beginning. Quinoa is not hard to cook, up once to remember to soak them. So I skipped the oil, and the almonds too. truly there is no reason to use any oil;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiS1KFBa ... re=related

[Christine in Cali]

Hi Everyone......I have a question about my 12 year old Niece? Lately she is being so abusive to my sister and it's just eating my sister up inside. It also hurts to see my sister so upset and I mean inconsolable upset. Claire my niece takes every opportunity to hurt her verbally and emotionally.

Claire is a smart beautiful girl, but for some reason thinks her Mom is a rug to walk on. She does get her way and everything she asks for she gets and my sister and BIL in their attempts to bond with Claire takes her shopping or out to eat
( all she wants to eat is junk I might add ), and then Claire turns around and plays her Mom off her Dad....I am so beside myself. I don't know how to help my sister and I am very upset with my niece, but I don't think it is my place to say anything........Any ideas on what I should or shouldn't do.

My sister has provided for her family wholly for the past 3 years, and she is thinking she is a bad Mother for not being there with her instead of working. It's so hard to see her crying. I am worried for her.

I know this is off the MCD diet topic, but maybe others have gone through this and have some advice.

Thanks

[terrilee317]

Maybe you can speak gently and tactfully to your niece that she is not acting very grown up. Take it to the Lord in prayer and try to be a positive influence as best you can. If you overhear your niece being abusive, you migh quietly say "that wasn't appreciated". Maybe she'll eventually get the hint. I don't know what else to offer.

[carollynne]

Christine, if I can offer an insight to your dilemma, I think that at 12 years old, the niece is being manipulative and wants to keep getting her own way. sounds like she needs some firm boundaries, and consequences. But it also sounds like she won't be getting them either. Parents have to remember they are in control, not the child. I worked with troubled teens for 7 yrs and also raised 3 sons. She will grow up oneday, and is only doing what all kids do, try to get their own way. God willing, that is, and that is a given. Sorry if this sounds harsh. A 12 yr old is after all only expected to be a 12 yr old in the developmental stages of her life growth.
I am up in the middle of the night for some odd reason, and decided to check in here. Or I might have had too much of my greens yesterday.
night again!

[Christine in Cali]

Thank you CL and TL for your thoughts on the matter.

I have decided to just send love to my niece and pray that she will find some peace inside her from all the anger she may be feeling. She is a bundle of hormones at this stage and is not her true authentic self. I am going to visualize her being the loving young woman that she is.

I just watched the Secret on Netflix and I feel great things coming our way....woo woo Positive Attitude and a Grateful Heart can move Mountains.

[jld]

Maybe try to see things from your niece's point of view? Maybe talk to her and really listen to what she has to say? I'm sure you are hurting for your sister, but your niece has her own view of their relationship.

I have a 16 year old daughter, and a 12 year old son, and I really think any problems we have from time to time (minor, usually quickly resolved by an apology from me and openness on both sides to see where the other is coming from) are more my fault than theirs. I am the adult, the one with the power in the relationship. I have a greater ability to right our course than they do. They are, in many ways, helpless, and vulnerable to how I choose to use my authority. It is a great responsibility to be a parent.

The only way I know of to really resolve conflict is to try to understand both or all sides of a situation and then to help each side to communicate their feelings and see how they might be willing to compromise. No one is going to get it all their own way.

A great book to read on parenting is Kids Are Worth It! by Barbara Coloroso.

Well, these are just my thoughts based on my own experiences. Good luck to your sister and her daughter.