WHAT TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT IN 2011

It's January 2011, a time for people to get excited about the new year, a new start, and new opportunities. So what's in store for you? ...

We start over with a clean slate making sure we do not repeat the same mistakes. We look forward to a brighter future and a better economy.

First lets look back on what we accomplished in the year of 2010

The precious metals have impressively gained in spite of the bounce in the dollar. Gold topped
over $1400 up 28% this year.  Silver reached $30 up 77% and Copper up 29%

APPLE, the stock, helped the tech sector which has increased 50% this year after more than doubling in 2009.

Exxon reached new highs along with many other stocks. The Market has been a bull since March of the year 2009..

Consumer confidence dips, home prices still dipping. The jobless report show more jobs being created.

What are we to expect with this new Health Plan?  I cannot believe  that  Speaker  of the house, Nancy Pelosi said "we have to pass it to find out the rest of what is in it".

We are waiting for the HS10 food bill to be approved and no one is talking about labeling Genetic Modified foods.  How do we know what we are buying? We have the right to know which foods are genetically modified.

Apartment rentals have increased as many homeowners had to vacate their homes.  Yet I have seen luxury apartment developments rising

Hybrid and Electric cars and scooters are coming into the country and we will be seeing more and more of them on the road during 2011 and increasing by 2012

What to be careful about in 2011


New social engineering scams. Criminals used various schemes to exploit consumer fear (your account has been compromised!); relationships (my passport and wallet were stolen, send money please!) and greed (you’ve won the lottery!) over the past year. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) reports a recent sweepstakes scam that sends consumers emails and letters with fraudulent checks bearing the logos of financial services companies. Expect to see variations of these schemes in the coming year using every channel of communication, including text messages and phone calls.

We were also a victim of a scheme whereby we received a check from a Texas bank with its identical logo along with a letter telling me to cash it and mail a small balance to one of their companies.  We were allowed to keep a percentage.

The check had an 800 number.  When I called, they confirmed the check was good.  Dubiously I looked the bank up on Google, and saw the exact logo, however it did not have an 800 phone number, only a local one. I called the local phone number to confirm the check authenticity.  I was told I was the 20th person that called and to destroy the check.  It was not theirs.

Another friend told me a similar story of a relative who received a $100,000 check with similar instructions.  They called the bank and was told the check was bogus.  However the relative decided to take a chance and deposited it.  Within a short time, the FBI came to his house and arrested him.  He had to pay thousands of dollars to lawyers to get him out of jail.  So please be careful.

Someone looking for employment answered an ad on Craig's list who got hurt financially. It was recently reported on the news.   I have seen that ad myself as I was looking for a job as well. It listed normal qualifications and asked to submit a resume.  Since the ad looked legitimate I submitted mine

Within 24 hours after sending it, I received a reply via email saying "based on my resume I would be perfect for the position"  Since the employer is in another country, I would be receiving checks among my other duties, and deposit them in my own account. After a few days, I should send  checks to the employer's charities  and keep 10% as my commission or wages.

When I read the employer was from another country, I knew right away the ad was bogus.  I heard on the radio, complaints from other people who lost their money believing the ad was legitimate. So watch out for this.  Some times you can tell if its bogus by the poor grammar and misspelled words on the ads.

Another scam that will happen more frequently:  Ladies, never go into crowds with a shoulder bag or purse unless it is securely under your armpit.  I am sure you have heard of many people being pick pocketed. 

On a brighter note, we look forward to a more prosperous year.  The stock market is in rally mode, The dollar is bouncing back, more jobs are being created, and scientists are working diligently looking for ways to cure cancer and other diseases.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my friends, family and loyal readers a very HEALTHY, HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR






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REVERSING DEMENTIA

Loosing a dear friend from Alzheimer's, watching other friends suffer from slight dementia has captured my interest to understand the disease.

Dementia is a big problem and growing every day. Ten percent of 65-year olds, 25 percent of 75-year olds, and 50 percent of 85-year olds will get Alzheimer's disease  at a cost of $60 billion a year to society. Worse, the number of people with Alzheimer's is predicted to triple in the next few decades. It is now the seventh leading cause of death.

From what I understood, genics, drugs and stress had an important role in memory loss and confusion.  Drugs play an important role in how we think, feel, react, and deal with emotions.

When we visit our physicians, the first thing they ask is "How do you feel?" If you answered you had a headache,  he would say "take this pill", if you cannot sleep, "take this pill", If you are tired, "take a pill." If you have anxieties, "take this pill"  and so on. The pharmaceutical companies are thriving.

Do we ever wonder why there are so many car accidents on the road?  How many times do you see direction signals of cars that were not supposed to be on.  Lights on cars during early evenings that were off.  People driving the wrong way and so on.  Approximately 80% of all of them are on medication for one reason or another.  Either too much or too little is the culprit.

Seniors all fear the aging process. Most believe it is genetic. But there is another way to think about brain aging. The brain responds to all the same insults as the rest of the body. Those are; stress, poor diet, toxins ingested or environmental,  lack of exercise or sleep, nutritional deficiencies, underactive thyroid, inflammation,  deficiencies of hormones, vitamins, and omega-3 fats.

From my research I have learned that all we have to do is give the brain a tune-up and we can see miracles says Dr. Mark Hyman, respected medical consultant, New York Times -bestselling author, lecturer, and practicing physician

This is the time when personalized medicine will replace medicine based on diagnosis and disease.

So if you know someone with memory loss, have a good qualified doctor look at all the imbalances that are present and how to fix them. Remember, there will be no one treatment that works for everyone, because everyone is different. But here are some things to think about if you or a loved one are experiencing memory loss or dementia. If all of the above fail, then x-ray, cat scans and other testing should be addressed. If your doctor talks you out of the above, go find another, or call Dr. Hyman. ( I have never met or spoken with him, just researched on Google)

• Pre-diabetes or metabolic syndrome
• Low thyroid function
• Depression
• Deficiencies in B vitamins, especially vitamin B12
• Omega-3 fat deficiencies
• Mercury or other heavy metal toxicity
• Vitamin D deficiency
• High cholesterol
• Unique genes that predispose you to nutritional
   or detoxification problems

Sometimes a subtle change in a persons health could explain reverse dementia. Once you identify the underlying causes of the imbalance, here are a few things that can help your mind get a tune-up:

1. Balance your blood sugar with a whole foods,
    low glycemic diet
2. Exercise daily -- even a 30-minute walk can help
3. Do yoga, deep breathing  exercises        
4. Take a multivitamin and mineral supplement
5. Take an omega-3 fat supplement
6. Take extra vitamin B6, B12, and folate
7. Take vitamin D

As we approach the New Year, we have a lot to look forward to. This is just a start, but it can go a long way to giving your brain the chance to heal and recover if you have memory problems. Even if you aren't suffering from cognitive decline, you should take these steps because they can help you prevent the aging of your brain and obtain lifelong health.

I want to wish our friends and families who celebrate Christmas, A Very Healthy and Joyful Holiday


EMAIL: iris@pushthewheel.com




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DEMENTIA A TRUE FUNNY STORY continued part 2

At the memory center where my friends were having their memory evaluation, they were wiping the tears from their eyes. They were hysterical laughing at their interviewer because the doctor was having a senior moment. "He was about to tell me a story whereby I had to remember it at the end of the session" my friend said. However, pathetically, he forgot the story he was to tell. It was the same one he tells to all his potential patients he screens every day, all day long. "Don't worry", my friend said, "tell me a different one". But the doctor insisted he had to tell that particular story.

"He really took us by surprise", my friend said."Why, I wondered would management allow a doctor with this problem interview and screen potential patients. How could he help a memory deficient patient if he is as well?"

The doctor apologized again and told them he was diagnosed with a certain kind of dementia from sleep apnea. His wife discovered something was wrong when he was driving on the wrong side of the road with traffic coming from the opposite direction. She immediately sent him for tests.

"After explaining his problem we composed ourselves", she said. The doctor told the story he eventually remembered, followed by more questions and answers. The doctor went back to the story he told asking my friend some questions about it.She answered the best she could and thought she did a satisfactory report. However, he said she left out one thing. Therefore, the doctor recommended she go for further testing. "What about my husband?" she asked. "He was the one who came here in the first place? The doc said my husband tested fine. Perhaps in a year or two he can come back for another screening. But right now we are concentrating on you."

The head investigator came into the office introducing himself, to further explain to my friends her probable condition. He sat down at the doctors desk and explained the program. There is a good program sponsored by the drug companies to research and treat patients who are at the beginning stages of dementia. The drug companies pay for all the ex rays, cat scans, meds, everything. But my friend would have to make the commitment to follow through. He said it is not certain that she does have the beginning stages until all the tests are completed. However my friend might be a  good candidate to be accepted for the ex rays and more testing. If they found for sure, she does have dementia, then she would be admitted into a free drug trial program. She was assured that the drug given would not make her memory worse.However it most likely it will not reverse. The drug will stop further damage

"What can I say. I was devastated" my friend cried. The drive home was very quiet. She was thinking about all the times she failed to identify people's names, places, movies, etc. She always joked with friends about how she was such a quick thinker when she smoked years ago. When she quit decisions were difficult. Although people, friends, peers told her they thought she was bright, deep down she said she did not think so of herself. Just like the doctor pleading with us and reassuring us he was smart, he was a doctor, he went to school, he had books on his shelves. It is not about being stupid or smart and the doctor should have known that.

When she arrived home, I helped her research the clinic to the best of my knowledge, the drug company and the doctor. He is board certified and has written many papers.

Fear crept up on my friend that day. Fear of what will become of her and our friends who have memory problems as well. The good thing is that we have thus far seen good results with the drugs people are taking with the exception of our dear friend who passed away this year.

"I was sorry I laughed at the doctor," my friend said. "I should have shown more compassion. It was a learning lesson for me that day. People should never laugh at such a person, nor a person who stutters, a lame person who falls, anyone else who is having a difficult time. We reflect back to comedians on the stage imitating those people and making the audience laugh."I hope I wont be laughed at if........."


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DEMENTIA A TRUE FUNNY STORY

One day my friend and her husband heard a radio commercial about free testing for dementia in their town. Since we both recently lost a dear friend who suffered from Alzheimer's and having other friends with similar problems, they wanted to know more about it.

Most seniors think about the subject because as we age our memory decreases. Some people might have slight problems with long or short term memory. We all laugh about it though as part of the aging process and we tell each other not to worry about it because it happens to all of us.

When seniors in Florida hear something is free, they line up at the door. So did my friend's husband. He made the appointment because he occasionally forgets names as we all do at times.

After giving some information over the phone to the clinic he was asked to have his wife accompany him for further questioning regarding his health. Thinking that odd, since they were not administering drugs, his wife went with him anyway.

While waiting for the doctor, she asked if she could take the free test too. God for bid she should miss something free.  The office did not think there would be enough time for the both of them since she did not have an appointment.  However they did squeeze her in with her husband after waiting for awhile. The waiting room surprisingly was filled with young adults as well as elderly seniors.

Questions were asked such as; what day was it that day, what town did she live in, simple stuff that was answered without thinking. Then she told her to remember three things. Apple, Table and Pencil. "No problem" she thought.  The interviewer made her copy a couple of triangles with pencil and paper which my friend said did well.

They chated for awhile and returned to the three things she asked her to remember. It's such a simple question she thought, but could only remember the Table.

Meeting her husband back in the waiting room he asked how she did. My friend was a little concerned when she told him she did not do too well because she could not remember those two other simple items. "Don't worry about that, it's no big deal." her husband lovingly said.

One of the doctors came into the waiting room introducing himself shaking their hands. He was a big broad man with white balding hair and a very red face. She figured it was too cold that week in December to get a sun burn on the beach, therefore he must have been a drinker. He was a very nice and friendly man, making them feel ar ease.

The doctor escorted them to his small office. They all sat down and he proceeded to take notes asking how she was with names. She told him she was terrible with that as it gets very embarrassing when introducing people especially those who are close

As the doctor was asking questions and taking notes, it appeared he was repeating the same questions over and over. When reminding him he had already asked those, he replied, "Oh yes, that's right, where were we, let's see?" He apologized and said he will now give her another test by telling her a story that she would have to remember later. But there was a long pause of silence as he was shaking his head. It appeared he forgot what the story was about.

Bewildered, the couple looked at each other not knowing what was going on. At first they thought the doctor was playing a joke on them.  The doctor was embarrassed again. He made such a fuss about not remembering the story.

My friend started to console him and suggested he tell a different one. He apologized again, with his face getting redder, "listen, I am not stupid, I have medical books on the shelves of my office, I went to college" At that point he was resting his head on the desk saying "please do not tell them in the front that I have a memory problem because they will fire me"

"What is this a joke?" she laughed, wiping the tears from her eyes. Her husband and my friend were hysterical. "Where is the candid camera?"she thought, as her eyes glanced around the office."Are they making a movie for Larry David?" Her story reminded me of the funny scene with Tim Conway and Harvey Korman from the Carol Burnett show "The Dentist" Watch the video below.




to be continued next week........

S510 BILL AND WHY THE CONTROVERSY

There is extreme controversy over this S510 bill by advocates for and against. My son, however is very concerned and is up to speed on it. He has requested me to put this on my website for awhile now.  Not understanding this whole bill, I put it on the back burner.  Helping to stop this bill on my part with my little blog would not make a dent even if I agreed with him and blasted my website every day to oppose it. He does however keep me on my toes to research further

Finally, I sat down to review this bill. I shortened it for quick reading. To read the full bill go to  http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=s111-510

This is what I gathered.  Simply Federal Government wants to regulate the inspections and control of how and where we get our foods. Seems reasonable. If the Secretary has reason to believe food is unsafe they have the right to inspect and collect records, data, fees, etc.

The bill wants to protect us against hazards from foods in processing plants and instituting preventing controls to preserve our health.  The Cen­ters for Dis­ease Con­trol and Pre­ven­tion es­ti­mate that food born dis­eases cause ap­prox­i­mate­ly 76 mil­lion ill­ness­es each year in­clud­ing ap­prox­i­mate­ly 325,000 hos­pi­tal­iza­tions, and 5,000 deaths in the US. These num­bers are stag­ger­ing.

Sen­a­tor Tom Harkin mentioned about re­cent food out­breaks linked to spinach, pep­pers, peanut prod­ucts, and cook­ie dough dra­ma­tized two things. First our cur­rent reg­u­la­to­ry sys­tem does not ad­e­quate­ly pro­tect Amer­i­cans from widespread food born ill­ness­es, and sec­ond the dan­gers as­so­ci­at­ed with food born out­breaks are pro­found.

Sen­a­tor Kay Hagan said "We're talk­ing about peo­ple's livli­hood. One false re­call could put a fam­i­ly out of busi­ness" But small farm­ers say they are not a part of the prob­lem and do not share the same safe­ty con­cerns as larg­er farms. This is what most small food businesses are fearing. Op­po­nents of the bill are con­cerned about the ef­fects new reg­u­la­tions would have on small farm­ers

The amend­ments would ex­empt small pro­duc­ers that sell pri­mar­i­ly di­rect­ly to con­sumers, ho­tels, and restau­rants from new reg­u­la­tions. ‘(A) IN GENERAL- In the event of an active investigation of a foodborne illness outbreak that is directly linked to a qualified facility subject to an exemption under this subsection the secretary may withdrew the exemption. Further the exempted facility (small business) must have adequate labels on their food packages showing name of business, address and here the food was manufactured. If they exceed their gross receipts to 500,000 the exempt is withdrawn

Sen­a­tor Pat Roberts says,"If we give any agen­cy in the fed­er­al gov­ern­ment new au­thor­i­ty ob­vi­ous­ly they are going to try to use it, and we could some­times get into a prob­lem and sim­ply shut down any small fa­cil­i­ty or pro­duc­er re­gard­less of the prod­uct." Crit­ics are con­cerned the FDA will not be able to ef­fec­tive­ly reg­u­late such a broad spec­trum of farms.The cost of hiring more employees to regulate this bill will increase our deficit. Didn't we hear Obama say he will cut expenses?

San­dra Eskin, the di­rec­tor of the Pew Char­i­ta­ble Trusts’ Food Safe­ty Cam­paign, said a reg­u­la­to­ry up­date is long over­due. The last time that the FDA’s law re­lat­ed to food was changed in any ma­te­ri­al way was 1938. Over the course of the fol­low­ing decades, we’ve seen our food sup­ply ex­pand and change marked­ly but the law has not kept up.

 Bottom line, those that oppose feel the government is taking too much control over our foods.  They are still sensitive about genetic modified foods that the government has endorsed and the fact we have little control to choose which foods are or not GM.  No labeling is mandatory which makes it difficult for us to choose whether to consume it or not.  I think they should have at least put labeling for GM foods in the bill.  What do you think?

Then there is the conspiracy theory  Some feel the government plants bad things for us only to invent new laws to regulate where we have little control.

 http://www.infowars.com/senate-bill-s510- Read this and you will surely go mad

It is similar to what India faced with imposition of the salt tax during British rule, only S 510 extends control over all food in the US, violating the fundamental human right to food.

Woman in India objecting to government foods


Monsanto says it has no interest in the bill and would not benefit from it, but Monsanto’s Michael Taylor who gave us rBGH and unregulated genetically modified (GM) organisms, appears to have designed it and is waiting as an appointed Food Czar to the FDA (a position unapproved by Congress) to administer the agency it would create — without judicial review — if it passes. S 510 would give Monsanto unlimited power over all US seed, food supplements, food and farming.?

This bill has been passed in the Senate. The bill now goes on to be voted on in the House. Keep in mind that debate may be taking place on a companion bill in the House, rather than on this particular bill. Dec 2, 2010 6:43AM]

Last Action: Nov 30, 2010: Passed Senate with an amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 73 - 25. Record Vote Number: 257.





Now that you have the scoop. what is your reaction to this?

ARE WE REHEATING OUR LEFTOVERS WITH PLASTIC WRAP?

This weekend there are many leftovers from Thanksgiving dinners all over America. Many wrap them with plastic wrap, reheating them in microwaves. Many dinners have been prepared days prior to the holiday dinner and reheated with plastic wrap for the dinner as well.

Years ago after finishing my main course at a lovely dinner party, I felt a strange feeling in my stomach. Someone asked for seconds, so I went into the kitchen to help the hostess and to ask what ingredients were put into the dish. To my horror, I watched her take the melted cling wrap dish out of the microwave. When asked if she cooked with it all the time, she replied yes. Her husband had suffered from leukemia  for years and eventually passed away.

I have personally witnessed other people cooking with saran wrap for years. Once someone told me she cooked a turkey in a plastic bag, another said she used cling wrap to make her turkey. Their husbands either had leukemia for years or other types of cancer. If other members in those families were not diagnosed with cancer, their health was poorer in other ways.

Should we believe plastic wrap or cooking in plastic bags, dishes etc are the culprit? Perhaps or perhaps not.. Maybe other factors come in to play. But because of the controversy, are we all so smart to deny those unsafe cooking methods?

Dr. Rolf Halden, a professor in the Department of Environmental Health Services at the school's Center for Water and Health addressed his concerns over dioxins.Regarding cooking with plastics, Halden said that whenever you heat something it increases the likelihood that chemicals could be pulled out. He recommends using heat-resistant glass or ceramics for microwave cooking, just to be safe

Dr. Edward Fujimoto is the Manager of the Wellness and Lifestyle Medicine Department at Castle Medical Center in Hawaii. He said that in Japan, there has been a complete change in the way foods are packaged so that plastic is avoided. They use more glass, for example.

Let us not forget that most plastic wrap comes from China. Do we trust cooking with their plastic?

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/d/dioxins.htm.

We have all heard the controversy from both sides. One is the plastic companies, the others are scientists and chemists. Each are believable. The FDA is still looking into this and their final result will take about another 20 years. Even a 7th grader did an experiment which proved plastic wrap is toxic.

http://www.ecocycle.org/TimesFall2002/studentstudies.cfm

To summarize, yes, harmful chemicals can migrate into food cooked in plastic containers or covered with cling wrap. The level of danger apparently is unknown, unstudied and unreported.

Will these chemicals hurt or kill you? It seems no one knows for sure, but certainly some people are more susceptible than others when it comes to chemical exposures.Why accumulate unnecessary toxins in your body?

If you have other products, glass, corning, etc why not use them just to be safe. My motto has always been " When in doubt, do without."

The same holds true for prescription drugs, foods, liquids, etc. We have to be smart and careful for ourselves and our children.

THE TURKEY TRYPTOPHAN MYTH, AND WHY SOME OF US GET DROWSEY AFTER BIG MEALS

Status: Scientific controversy

Thanksgiving is approaching, which means the "turkey makes you tired because it has high levels of tryptophan" urban legend shall once again be heard at tables throughout America.

Baylor College of Medicine dietitian Rebecca Reeves debunks this legend in an interview with the Houston Chronicle: in reality, you'd need to eat an entire 40-pound turkey to get enough tryptophan to make a difference.

But her explanation of why people actually get tired after Thanksgiving dinner raises more questions such as, why do people take a nap on the couch?

Remembering my mother heading straight to the couch to lie down after a big dinner, I thought was very rude. Our guests were still there watching her nap. Now I realize her sensitive body crashed from sweets and carbs.   In my previous blog of 9/12/10, I wrote about "WHY MY SON'S BODY CRASHED AFTER ROSH HASHANAH DINNER".  He had the same food sensitivity as my mother. However, he did not go to sleep on the couch.  He just got tired suffering from headaches.

When people increase their carbohydrates, it increases their blood sugar, causing the production of sleep-promoting melatonin in the brain. Perhaps this could lead to sleepiness for some people.

Just think about it. Sweet potatoes with marshmallows, stuffing, cranberry sauce, noodle pudding and whatever else people enjoy eating at a Thanksgiving table.  And let's not forget the wonderful desserts.

So what the heck.  Let's all enjoy our scrumptious Thanksgiving dinner and worry about crashing later.  There is nothing like celebrating with family and friends enjoying one another during this happy feast.

If you have an interesting Thanksgiving day, please share with us on my website.  http://www.pushthewheel.com/

I WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY AND HEALTHY THANKSGIVING

HOW TO FIND THE CODES FOR GM AND CONVENTIONAL FOOD

Be careful of what you eat - many foods in the supermarkets today are genetically modified.Whether genetically modified (GM) foods are safe or harmful is still controversial as explained in my last issue.

If you are concerned about eating genetic modified foods, buy food labeled 100% organic. The US and Canadian governments do not allow manufacturers to label something 100% organic if that food has been genetically modified or been fed genetically modified feed. However, you may find that organic food is more expensive and different in appearance from conventional products. Also, just because something says "organic" on it does not mean that it does not contain GMs. In fact, it can still contain up to 30% GMs, so be sure the labels say 100% organic.

This applies to eggs, as well. Eggs labeled "free-range", "natural", or "cage-free" are not necessarily GE-free; look for eggs to be 100% organic.  In my supermarket there are no 100% organic labeled eggs.  I am sure Whole Foods has it but it is difficult to travel there when I am rushed.

When shopping at my local supermarkets, I have not found foods labeled 100% organic,  I would love your comments telling which stores you have seen that have 100% organic labeling  I did not have the time to go to Whole Foods to see if they have it.  I am sure they do.

Recognize fruit and vegetable label numbers. So far I have not seen anything having numbers on them.  I think I will put pressure on the supermarket stores demanding they start coding.

If it is a 4-digit number, the food is conventionally produced.

If it is a 5-digit number beginning with an 8, it is GM. However, do not trust that GE  (Genetic Engineered)foods will have a PLU identifying it as such, because PLU labeling is optional.

If it is a 5-digit number beginning with a 9, it is organic.

HAPPY HUNTING! And, don't forget to comment on this website if you found GM labeling, and 100% organic.  It would be great to know which stores have those labeled. 

WHY SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED ABOUT GM FOODS

 Be careful of what you eat - many foods in the supermarkets today are genetically modified.Whether genetically modified (GM) foods are safe or harmful is still controversial. Most foods we eat may contain ingredients derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs)--everything from baby formula and food to our dairy to even our meat. If you live in Europe, avoiding GM foods is easier since laws require labeling. However in the US and Canada food manufacturers are not required to label if their food is genetically modified or not.

The most intelligent comment from my last blog came from Dave S.  I will try to answer his questions briefly

The first question was "what is GM foods and what are not GMO foods?"  Please refer to this link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_food

ADVANTAGES OF GM FOODS

Resists herbicides,pesticides and diseased plants
Cold and drought tolerence, protecting our food supply
Avoids malnutrition in many countries
Reduces costs of pharmaeuticals

DISADVANTAGES AND CRITICISMS  OF GM FOODS

Environmental activists, religious organizations, public interest groups, professional associations and other scientists and government officials have all raised concerns about GM foods, and criticized agribusiness for pursuing profit without concern for potential hazards, and the government for failing to exercise adequate regulatory oversight. It seems that everyone has a strong opinion about GM foods. Even the Vatican19 and the Prince of Wales20 have expressed their opinions. Most concerns about GM foods fall into three categories: environmental hazards, human health risks, and economic concerns.

Unintended harm to other organisms
Reduced effectiveness of pesticides
Gene transfer to non-target species
Allergenicity such as people allergic to peanuts
Unknown effects on human health because of added chemicles in foods
No labelling of GM foods if desired not to purchase
Economic concerns very costy to produce

For more detail information on this topic, please go to
http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview.php

Genetically-modified foods have the potential to solve many of the world's hunger and malnutrition problems, and to help protect and preserve the environment by increasing yield and reducing reliance upon chemical pesticides and herbicides. Yet there are many challenges ahead for governments, especially in the areas of safety testing, regulation, international policy and food labeling. Many people feel that genetic engineering is the inevitable wave of the future and that we cannot afford to ignore a technology that has such enormous potential benefits. However, we must proceed with caution to avoid causing unintended harm to human health and the environment as a result of our enthusiasm for this powerful technology.

LET US DEMAND GM LABELING ON ALL OUR FOOD AND FOOD PRODUCTS

WHY SHOULD WE STOP CONSUMING THIS HEALTHY FOOD

My health guru cousin Audrey told me not to eat any soy products unless it is fermented, and if so, not to indulge often.  Some ofher reasons went over my head. Thus, I decided to do some research given to me by a dear friend.  It was hair raising and almost unbelievable.

Dr Marcolo did extensive research on soy, finding it extremely toxic unless fermented. Soy contains a number of problematic components that can wreak havoc with your health, such as:

Goitrogens – Goitrogens, found in all unfermented soy whether it's organic or not, are substances that block the synthesis of thyroid hormones and interfere with iodine metabolism, thereby interfering with your thyroid function.   Could this be why my thyroid is not functioning well?  My doctor keeps changing my meds to regulate it.  I make the best sauce for my fish that contain soy

It is also important to understand that while fermented soy is healthier for you, it is not wise to consume it in large quantities because it is still loaded with phytoestrogens, like isoflavones, which can cause detrimental feminizing effects.

Some of the more recent research shows that many of the health problems do not even occur in those who consume these GM foods. Some of the most devastating harm may occur in the second and third generations!

He  recently interviewed GMO expert Jeffrey Smith about the latest findings by Russian scientists, who discovered that GM soy effectively sterilized the third generation of hamsters..

One group of hamsters was fed a normal diet without any soy whatsoever, a second group was fed non-GMO soy, a third ate GM soy, and a fourth group ate an even higher amount of GM soy than the third.

Using the same GM soy produced in the US, the hamsters and their offspring were fed their respective diets over a period of two years, during which time the researchers evaluated three generations of hamsters.

Shockingly, the second-generation of GM soy-fed hamsters had a five-fold higher infant mortality rate, compared to the 5 percent normal death rate that was happening in the controls.

Worse yet, nearly all of the third generation hamsters were sterile! Only one single third-generation female hamster gave birth to 16 pups, and of those, one fifth died.

Another bizarre side effect found in the GM soy-fed groups was an unusually high prevalence of an otherwise extremely rare phenomenon – hair growing inside the animals' mouths.

But soy is not the only GM food to beware of.
Soy oil
Soy ice cream
Soy yogurt
Soy "meat" (meatless products made of TVP)
Soy lecithin
Infant Soy Formula – Perhaps the Most Dangerous Soy Products of All

Many children are allergic to conventional formula, and these parents can easily be convinced that soy formula is the solution.

Sadly, soy formula is FAR worse than conventional formula, in large part due to its excessive levels of phytoestrogens. The estrogens in soy can irreversibly harm your baby's sexual development and reproductive health. Infants fed soy formula receive a level of estrogen equivalent to five birth control pills every day!

Infants fed soy formula have up to 20,000 times the amount of estrogen in circulation as those fed conventional formulas!

In addition, soy formula has up to 80 times higher manganese than is found in human breast milk, which can lead to brain damage in infants, and altered behaviors in adolescence.

So please, do not ever feed your baby soy formula, and warn others who are pregnant or who you know are considering using formula over breastfeeding.

The next best alternative to breast milk is to make a healthy homemade infant formula.

Thank you Teddi, for your research

NO COOKING IN THE KITCHEN

My Vegan cousin Audrey has a sign on her refrigerator that says "COOKING IS POISON"  She never eats anything from animals or fish.

Audrey has the most beautiful circular kitchen in her lovely home. Instead of the usual toaster, broiler, and canisters on the counter, she has vials, droppers, scale, and small jars.

On my last visit to her home, I watched with amazement her preparing lunch and dinner in her million dollar looking kitchen. It took a couple of hours mixing several berries, seeds, nuts, fruit and several other items too numerous to mention. She prepared her smoothie in her elaborate blender insisting it made her full all day. She snacks on almonds, that were washed and soaked for days.

Whole Foods is her source for shopping most foods. She carefully selects her organic fruits and veggies.  She places them on a  $150 wood square block like a trivit..  Audrey says it energizes the food on it. She also has  a large magnet under her bottle of purified water to give that energy as well.

Audrey is a health food guru among her peers.  She devotes her entire life reading, attending lectures and preaching about healthy eating.  Although too overwhelming for me to digest all the information given to me, she does not get insulted if I change the subject. Truthfully, I must say, at times I am slowly starting to listen.  I take it very gradually and try to eat with substitute foods.  I am trying Stevia, the safe sugar substitute. "Never consume any soy products" she warned. I was flabbergasted at the horror of soy.  I will tell you what my friend researched in my next issue.

At first, listening to my fanatic cousin, I thought she was crazy. But I realized she made a lot of sense in the foods we eat. She explained milk is harmful after infancy. "How can we live without milk? I love milk and cookies before bed time" But why does my stomach slightly feel weird, and my mouth has a sour taste every time I drink it?

While watching her prepare her smoothie, she gave me a taste of coconut milk, almond milk, and another kind of milk. I loved the almond milk. It was a little creamy and sweet. Great for my coffee. So I am now weaning myself gradually away from milk and  am purchasing almond milk at Whole Foods.. It tastes better anyway. I wont be a vegan any time soon, but I will gradually become more aware of some of the poisons in food and look for an alternative.

The advice my cousin gives makes a lot of sense. However at my age, it is too difficult to change my eating habits.  Audrey says, "take it one day at a time.  A little knowledge is better than none"

MY EULOGY FOR MARILYN J. BERMAN

EULOGY FOR MY DEAR FRIEND MARILYN

About 37 years ago, I met Marilyn in the model of Fairhaven, a new development at that time.

It seemed we both contracted for the same lot. She thought there was going to be an argument. However looking into her beautiful blue eyes, we just chose another lot around the corner from her.

We became good friends when we moved into Birchwood Bungalow Colony waiting for our new houses to be built. Because we lived in close quarters, we became family, sharing car pools to school, vacationing and having holiday dinners together. It was thrilling watching Jenine, Stacey and Rodger grow up to become beautiful and productive people. Marilyn was always proud of her children and her children were always very caring and loving to her.

We had history together and sometimes we laughed at ourselves when we  reminisced the silly things we did.. Like the time we went to the mall, riding the escalators gabbing, going up, and going down, then going up and down again still chatting away. Like the blind leading the blind

Marilyn was determined to further her education and graduated college while her children were young. She loved her studies and discussed many of her classes with me. One special story she shared with me was from her classroom assignments . It was about a misdiagnosed autistic boy named Tibbs. I found it an excellent learning experience for anyone who read that book. I was extremely thankful to her for sharing.

During the years of our friendship, Marilyn often said to me that she hoped we remain good friends until we grew old and spend the rest of our time together in a nursing home. At that time we were in our thirties. I humored her while never giving my aging a thought. Unlike me, she always knew she would someday wind up in a nursing home.

Marilyn had a vision for her future. Perhaps watching her mother with the same illness and later her brother, she was so sure it would happen to her. And, when it did, she was so helpless with no cure in sight.

My friend Marilyn was very fortunate to live long enough to see her grown children and knowing her grandchildren. What is so great is that her grandchildren had the pleasure of knowing their wonderful grandmother. They gave her lots of Nachas and pleasure. She was very proud of all of them. Marilyn had comfort knowing that all her children had loving spouses and was proud of Itsik, Eli, and Rachael.

Most important, how lucky Marilyn was to have such a wonderful, loving and caring husband, especially to the end of her life.

Marilyn I will miss our laughs, your phone calls and your friendship. You will always be in my heart.

Rest in peace my dear friend.

HOW TO TAKE A SIMPLE TEST TO FIND OUT WHAT YOU'RE ALLERGIC TO

In my last issue I explained how the foods we eat affect our mind and bodies. It is extremely difficult for me and many others to start eliminating some of our foods, the ones we love so much. Many ignore their ill symptoms after they ate, others listen to their bodies and look for answers as to what they had that made them feel ill. They start thinking about what to eliminate from their diets

As promised I will pass on a simple test I learned from Dr Michael Schacter. After paying him hundreds of dollars testing my son for food allergies, he told me to go across the street to his health food store and buy his book Food, Mind and Mood. It was in his book that I learned how to test for foods that cause weakness to your body and your immune system that cause allergies. Too bad he did not tell me about it before I paid him all that money.

Here goes: Sit at the table with your partner and place your hand on the table. Have him place his hand over yours tightly. You try to get out of his grip as he tries to resist your strength. The idea is to know your strength before the next step. The book says afterwards to fast for a few days. We would probably be dead by then. So I suggest you fast for 24 hours. Then take a piece of food, one which you suspect you might be allergic to. Place it under your tongue. You do not have to eat it, as the food under your tongue goes into your blood stream anyway. Now place your hand on the table, having your partner place his hand over yours. Try to resist him. If you are weaker than the first time, that food is probably your culprit. If not try again the following week with another food, like bread, cheese, etc. Jut one food at a time
 
Years after my teenage son's asthma was arrested, I started to have lower back pain all the time. Heating pads became my best friend. Refusing to take drugs, I was bed ridden for days, unable to raise my pillow or get out of bed to turn off the TV. We had to purchase an electric queen size bed and a remote control TV which at that time was unpopular. When my lower back recovered, I was able to carry on with my household duties until the next attack.

One day, I accompanied my husband to see one of his clients to sign a contract. He owned a famous store on Canal street. The client told me he was heavy into drugs until he had hepatitis . His health guru friends nursed him back to health months before most hepatitis patients recovered. He became a health nut and drug free.

When he saw me in pain, he advised me to quit eating all the foods I was accustomed to. When he mentioned root, and foods I never heard of, I said 'forget it" Thus, he said, " just eliminate one food and I promise you will feel better. You see, the atmosphere stinks, the water we drink is not good, especially the foods we eat. So naturally our bodies are breaking down because we cannot resist all the toxins getting into us"

"What did I have to loose?" I said to myself. I could still eat many of my favorite foods, so I just eliminated meat. After three months the pain in my lower back went away. My friends said it would have gone away anyway, so I cheated. After having meat two nights in a row, I felt a light tinge in my lower back. It was not bad, just a warning. That was over twenty five years ago, and I never had a back ache again. Oh, yes, I can now have steak, or hamburgers but only once a month. Some times I will cheat and have it twice. My back is very forgiving. I will never push it though. My philosophy is, If I am good to my back, my back will be good to me.We made a deal and we are sticking to it

HOW THE FOODS YOU EAT AFFECT THE WAY YOU FEEL

For most of my life I have been eating foods that made me feel better.  I had no idea that those very same foods played havoc on my body later on.

My interest in food sensitivity started with my son who was an asthmatic in his early years.  Back in the early 60's most doctors did not believe nor want to believe in allergists.  But when my son begged to God to help him breath, I took him to the emergency room where they medicated him for relief.

Putting pressure on our Pediatrician to get my son to an allergist was the smartest thing we did. It was there he was tested for food sensitivity and was not allowed to eat the many pleasures that children love.  Ice cream, pizza, milk, diary products, tomatoes, oranges, and chocolate

When I sent him to sleep a way camp, I notified the camp director of his restrictions.  They could not figure out what to feed my son for lunch.  I told them they would have to get him cold cuts. 

Prior to his restrictions of those foods, he was always very irritable.  I could not understand why he was that way.  When he continued on his restricted diet, his asthma went away or was arrested as they say.  He turned to be a happy well adjusted child. Until we moved a few years later....

As soon as our furniture arrived in our new home, he started wheezing.  New to the community and not knowing anyone, I chose the nearest allergist.  I wanted to prevent another attack.  To my dismay, this guy did not believe in tests claiming that it is not the same thing as when food is digested. He said to my son, "you can eat what ever you like from now on." I was so upset, while my son was rejoicing.

Gradually he became irritable again, with massive head aches occurring often.  His asthma was still arrested, however I feared the worst that it might come back.  It was very difficult for us to live with him as he was now a very unmanageable teenager.

One day, driving in my car, listening to WOR, Carlton Fredericks, world renowned nutritionist, was speaking about a case he had.  I will never forget the scenario.  A mother called up on the air saying that her son was diagnosed as  schizophrenic. "Bring the boy to my office before you do anything.  Take his lunch and his favorite drink so I can evaluate him.  I bet it has to do with something he ate" The mother thinking it might be a waste of time and foolishness, went along with it.

On visiting with Dr Fredericks, the young boy seemed very normal and well behaved.  The Doctor was sitting at his desk while the mother and son was opposite him.  Questions were asked and a conversation began.  The boy was very well mannered and answered all the questions put to him.  The Doctor. instructed him and the mother to start eating their sandwich and Coke as it was lunch time.

They continued to chat getting the family history.  With approximately a half an hour after they finished their lunch,  the boy became cranky and wanted to go home.  "It is not time yet, we still have some more work to do" the doctor said.  The boy became very irritable and within minutes he started to have a tantrum kicking and swinging.

Dr. Carlton Fredericks said, "you see what is happening, do you see this, your son is not a schizophrenic, he is severely allergic to the coke.  Discontinue that and he will be a normal child again"

After listening, I tried to get an appointment with him for my son. I was referred to Dr. Michael Schachter MD.  who studied with Fredericks.  I knew what my son was allergic to, however because my son was a teenager, he had to see for himself  and obtain another doctor's opinion.  He was definitely in agreement about how foods affect him. He told my son to continue with his previous restricted diet.

Reflecting back when my son was an infant, he was always irritable with colic.  Then eczema broke out on his face when he was one years old. At the age of two he developed Hay Fever. Asthma followed after age three. This whole process was  food sensitivity.  The doctors never told me about this until  Dr Schacther  and  one of our allergists mentioned it to me when asthma set in. It was a shame all this could have been avoided.

In my next issue I will tell you about how to test your food sensitivity by yourself painlessly with the help of your spouse, partner or friend.

Today my son is an adult and understands how bad certain foods affect him. He continues to learn about food sensitivity and how some of the other foods contain poison which most of us unknowingly are feeding our children

Please watch this very short video especially if you are a parent

WHAT ARE THE BAD FOODS OUR CHILDREN ARE EATING

WHY MY SON'S BODY CRASHED AFTER ROSH HASHANAH DINNER

The day after our Rosh Hashanah dinner, the start of the Jewish New Year, my son asked me what ingredients were in my delicious noodle pudding because he was suffering from drowsiness and had extreme migraine headaches. "Do not take this personal " he said " I ate a lot of it and  just need to know what was in it that  made me feel that way."

Responding quickly, I told him his body was crashing from all the sugar he ate the night before. I pointed out to him the following foods he might have ate contained large amounts of sugar. The salad oil, challah bread, noodle pudding, a little honey in the brisket, soda, and of course the chocolate desserts.

After my conversation with my son, I went on the Internet to check if my answer to him was correct. I wanted to reasure myself  I used the right words for him to understand what has happened.  Along with my research was the information I put in this blog for all those who are going to cook for Yom Kippur and for all others who need to know this information for future cooking for their families

Many of us have low tolerance to certain foods. In his case he has low tolerance to sugars and other foods as well. It was a rude awakening for him as he is a very handsome, intellgent, and strong individual who is finally opening his eyes to what certain foods can do to him. Although he was very aware for years, now it is the sugar thing that invaded his low tolerance. We all take our tolerances for granted as we enjoy eating our favorite foods and desserts overlooking the consequences later.

When I was a little girl, I remember my mother lying on the couch after dinner while a whole house full of relatives watched her.  She just could not keep her eyes open after she ate dinner. Thinking she was just rude, I was unaware of her low tolerance to sugar.

Eating sugar shoots our blood sugar levels up and triggers a spike in the hormone insulin, which is needed to prep our cells to absorb the sugar. If there are no other nutrients to sustain our blood sugar level, it crashes as quickly as it rises, and we crave another hit. This is how sugar addiction begins

Excess sugar consumption also upsets the balance of intestinal flora in your digestive tract and can cause symptoms of intestinal distress such as bloating, cramping, and gas digestion. Other symptoms of sugar sensitivity are headaches, insomnia, aggression, panic attacks, irritability, mood swings, and depression. Too much sugar can deplete levels of serotonin, the neurotransmitter whose deficiency is linked to depression. What’s worse, low levels of serotonin actually trigger more sugar cravings.

Long-term sugar intolerance leads to type 2 diabetes and other complications like obesity and inflammation. Drinking more than one soda a day raises your risk of serious weight gain by 80%.

For those who were smart enough to realize what sugar did to their mind and bodies, they've turned to artificial sweeteners, Sweet n Low, Equal, Splenda and  all the rest were proven to be toxic. Some authorities say that Splenda has more in common with DDT than with food. Years ago Weight Watchers told me to take one teaspoon of sugar rather than sugar substitutes in coffee or tea.

In my research I learned of Stevia which is a herb used for over 400 years in South America and in Japan for twenty years with no side affects.The FDA has approved its use as a food supplement, but not as a food additive due to a lack of studies. Stevia can be used for anything you might use sugar in, including baking. It is naturally low in carbohydrates. You can buy Stevia at most health food stores and over the web. My friend said she recently purchased it in a local super market. Remember all sugar substitutes are toxic. Only Stevia so far has less. Studies are not finished yet.

While reading about what sugar does to us, I realized my own health issues. I have gained an enormous amount of weight during the years because I loved eating candy, especially containing chocolate . I started eating  it when I quite smoking 15 years ago. The candy was my crutch. Through the years and especially now that I am older, I found myself extremely tired all the time, requiring naps. I attributed it to getting older. Now I understand why my energy level is so low. From now on I will try to eliminate or at least minimize my intake. Thank you,  my dear son for arousing my attention on overdosing sugar.

I wish you all a very happy and healthy New Year and an easy fast


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FAVORITISM AND SIBLING RIVALRY

Why do some siblings part ways with each other in adulthood? Why do some take each other to court using up most of their inheritance for legal fees?

Unfortunately there are a few friends of mine and some relatives who are distant from their siblings.  Some have not spoken to each other in 25 years. As an only child, I would cherish a sibling. Knowing the families of  my friends and relatives,  I came to the realization that their parents, not knowingly, were at fault in causing the friction .

Children are born innocent and have a will to love. They need the love, attention and nurturing equal to their siblings. Parents know this and have always planned on being fair and loving with all their children, equally giving them the same attention and love their children deserve.

What they did not realize was life experiences that come up every day. A parent with a disabled child for example gives more attention to him, than the healthy sibling. Although the disabled child got more attention and affection, he is still jealous of his healthy sibling. The healthy child hurts more. He lacked the love, affection and attention because the sick child needed his parents more. You would think that the healthy child understood this. In his young mind, he felt unloved, and lacked the attention. His self esteem deepens as well as his resentment to his sibling.

Children, sometimes see and hear differently. For example. When a parent is angry and yells at a child, the child does not realize he is doing anything wrong. His mind thinks that the scolding is because he is unloved.

Many years ago I took a valuable study course about how to deal with a difficult child. The program was called "PARENT STEP MODIFICATION" One of the major things I remembered from the program before scolding my child was to say " I LOVE YOU" first. I know it sounds silly, but it works. They hear those words and then they understood that even though mother or dad was scolding them, they were still loved. This is very important because it adds to their self esteem. When a child gets scolded often because of discipline problems, his self image gets worse as he becomes a teen and into adulthood.

Parental differential treatment is the degree to which parents treat each child in the family differently. Studies have found that most parents report that they have to be a different parent to each of their children (Dunn and Plomin 1990; McGuire 2002). For instance, parents often indicate that one child needs more attention compared to the siblings. This does not necessarily mean that one child is being favored over the others. Parents who love their children equally may treat them differently to help each child develop properly. Favoritism is a specific type of differential treatment; it occurs when one child receives more positive treatment (e.g., more affection or more toys) compared to his or her siblings. However this is confusing to a child way into his adulthood. The child sees differential treatment as favoritism

Studies of families in the United States and Great Britain have shown that parental differential treatment is linked to children's temperament characteristics. For instance, emotional children tend to receive more attention from their parents compared to their calmer siblings. Parents also respond to each child's age, sex, and, sometimes, position in the family (that is, birth order). For example, parents do not expect the same degree of obedience from a one-year-old child and her three-year old brother. It is considered standard for parents to react to children's unique personalities and different developmental levels.

Parental differential treatment is also associated with children's behavior problems, at least in Western societies. Children who receive more parental discipline and less parental warmth relative to their sibling have more adjustment problems compared to children in other family environments. It cannot be assumed that parental differential treatment always causes children's adjustment problems, because children who are disruptive often elicit negative parental behavior. Researchers have examined families over time; findings from these studies suggest that both the parents and the children contribute to this family dynamic (Reiss et al. 2000).

When you have children with no health issues, it is easier to concentrate on being a fair parent.
What about happy childhoods however later when a parent dies, one sibling is left more than the other? A parent may rationalize thinking one child needs more than the successful sibling.  or one child takes more care of a parent than the other.  Another problem, one child is the trustee,the other siblings are not.

So what do these adult siblings do now? How can they ever reconcile?  How can their hurt be erased. Too many years have gone by but never too late to heal.

Do the parents bring the siblings together and apologize for their unfairness?
Do they explain there was no manual on how to deal with problems of raising children?
Does the handicap sibling apologize for taking the attention away from his sibling?
Should the healthy child apologize to the handicap child for his selfishness of wanting more attention?

What suggestions can you offer to help those who are still hurting

How can siblings stop fighting?

There are many people who would love to hear your comments
Please feel free to comment below

OUR LABOR DAY WEEKEND NIGHTMARE

It was the labor day weekend we will never forget. Early in the morning we packed our car with all our camping equipment and headed to Lake George for our yearly camping trip with our young sons and our collie, Chipper. We did not plan ahead as usual because one of our sons had a cold and we did not think he would be well enough to make the trip until the last minute

When we arrived at the marina we learned all the large boats were taken.  Based on the amount of equipment we took, we had to make two trips to the campsite. But first we had to  take our rented motor  boat to the ranger station to pick our favorite campsite on Glen Island. Our preference had to be level because of our small children and not too far from the mariner. Unfortunately the rangers said all the campsites on Glen Island were full. The only safe camp site available was on Long Island, a much deeper and wider part of the lake. Reluctantly, we took it and ventured out with our map in hand to proceed to find it.

Once there, we unloaded our boat taking out our tent and food, which we purchased in Grand Union supermarket in Bolton Landing near our marina. My husband pitched our tent on the platform provided, while I set up my kitchen. I always liked to be organized and know where everything was. I looked for wood, to build a counter top for my portable gas barbecue, and work area. Being the modern camper, I made sure we had our portable toilet although a clean out house was provided, a gas stove and lantern. We took plenty of rope to tie our food up in the tree to prevent raccoons from taking it. I enjoyed playing house and setting up my hollywood kitchen.   The campsite provided a picnic table, fireplace.and a dock.

While playing house, my husband went back to the marina to bring the rest of our camping equipment which included a large screen tent around the picnic table provided. I enjoyed exploring our new campsite and meeting the surrounding campers by walking on a man made path through the woods.

Our campsite was lovely and safe. It felt like we were on a private island with no visual campers around.  Unfortunately  it was too far away from the Marina and Glen Island. Previously we always made it a point to reserve a safe campsite on our favorite  island which was Glen Island. months in advance.  Making friends with other campers on the island was fun, however we each went our own separate way with our families.
The weather was delightful. The lake looked like glass with hardly any waves. Swimming in clean water was a delight for me as I detested chlorine pools. I loved our rubber boat taking short excursions around our campsite. Every day, we took our rented boat back to the marina for a day of fun in town. There were so many theme parks and restaurants. Some times we would come home late in the dark, using our flash lights to see where we were going. It was frightening to me, but we always arrived safely at the camp site.  We usually hung a marker like an old sheet on one of the trees to identify where we were..

The long weekend was always too short, as it was time to go home. We brought some things back to our car the day before to lighten the boat for the second trip. However, we should have made two more trips, but decided to chance taking the remaining equipment and clothes with us for our final trip back to the car.

The last day started out beautiful, however as the day progressed the wind was picking up.   We heard the boat knocking against the dock from the wind. Fearing the worst, we decided to bolt quickly. I told my older son to put on his life jacket as we entered the boat. I was in the process of zipping up my 4 year old with his life jacket as the boat charged ahead.  My husband saw the white caps getting bigger as the wind progressed.  He feared the worst thinking it was not such a good idea to continue on the widest part of the lake.  He started to turn the boat around heading back to shore. Within a few minutes we were in water. All our equipment, my purse, everything was floating in the water. I felt I was dreaming and wanted someone to wake me up. Holding on to my younger son, I can still hear his young voice crying "Mommy, Mommy"

The boat turned  upside down and became very slippery as I could not hold on. Yelling for my older son who was about 7 years old, "where are you?" he excitedly said he was riding on Chipper's back who was swimming in the water. He did not understand nor was he fearful of what to expect. He thought he was on a great adventure having the time of his life.

As we .were trying to hold on to the boat, the waves were turning into larger white caps, pushing our hands off the boat, I have never seen the lake look mean and nasty. The clouds in the sky turned dark gray.  My husband and I looked at each other with disbelief that this was happening to us. I said, "this is not our end yet. We have our whole lives to live"

Where were all the other campers we wondered? It seemed everyone cleared out of the lake earlier. "Who was going to rescue us? Usually the rangers come by with their boats to check on the campers. Where were they? What was to become of us,"  we feared.

Finally, it seemed like an eternity, a man came by with his boat to help rescue us.  He was on the other side of the lake and witnessed what happened.  However he said he would not take our dog Chipper. While in the water and at the mercy of this man, we were bargaining that we would not get onto his boat unless he promised to take Chipper. He agreed, promising he would go back for him after he rescued us.

He took us to a nearby campsite and gathered whatever he could find floating in the water. He brought back our duffel bag full of clothes. One side was all wet but the  other was dry. We changed our wet clothes into dry ones, still shivering from the cold. My husband went back with the man with the boat to get Chipper. I thought for sure he drowned because we could never get Chipper in the water to teach him how to swim.. My husband helped Chipper into the boat and we were all a happy family again.

All our other equipment, tents, stoves, etc all gone. Our money, my gold watch which was supposed to be at the repair shop and never got around to do it was all lost. The insurance company would not honor our claim because the loss happened in a boat.

A man came by to offer us money to get home. He took out a wad of bills, asking if we needed $100. $200. etc. My husband said $50 would be fine. The man gave us his card, a name I will never forget. Skyos was our hero. He took us back to our Marina. Still shivering, we went to a nearby Italian restaurant for dinner and the long drive home. We quickly sent him the money he loaned us with a thank you note.  We never did figure out what caused the capsize except perhaps the plug from the boat might have loosened up.

The moral of this story is never underestimate the lake. river, ocean etc.  No matter how calm and friendly,  it could be your worst nightmare.

EULOGY FOR AN OLD FRIEND

It was the summer of year 1954 at Camp Na Sho Pa. in Bloomingburg NY. When I was 15 years old, I dormed in Alderbrook, an old farm house for CIT's (Counselor in Training). The dorm had about four rooms consisting of three girls in a room.

Little children ages two to four years old were on the second floor with four counselors. Among the little tots, was a two year old ill with Asthma. How her mother sent this child to sleep a way camp was puzzling to us. The camp mother who did not bargain for this job was with the baby most of the time. We did not have too much contact with the children in the dorm as we had teenage activities that took us away from them.

It was a day that changed my perspective of human nature and a day to be tested.  It was also a day when I first met my husband although we were strangers until a few years later.. We acquainted ourselves with our new camp friends on the first day. There was a dissatisfaction among some of the girls because one of them had a deformity, one of which was never seen before by any of us. Some of the girls refused to share their dorm with her. Some threatened to call their parents to take them home.

At first I, too, was uncomfortable, but found it fascinating watching that beautiful faced teenager applying lipstick on her lips, using her hands attached to her arms. Having no forearms, Lenore was a Thalidomide baby. When her mother was pregnant, her doctor prescribed the miracle cure for “morning sickness." The drug was also used  as a sedative to help patients sleep.  Unfortunately many doctors all over the world prescribed this drug to pregnant women.leaving many babies deformed. The drug was banned for many years until recently making it useful as a powerful cancer fighter.

Lenore warmed up to us quickly. She wasted little time being friendly.  We decided to invite her to share our room. She became one of us doing everything we did.  I could not get over how she polished her toenails perfectly. Besides being intelligent, Lenore had good typing skills, along with a cheerful and witty personality. Her good looks reminded us of Doris Day.  Whenever she walked into a room with her smiley face, the whole room lit up. Her handicap did not restrict her in anything we did as far as I can remember. She was one of us and was a lot of fun

Lenore had a lot of self confidence despite her handicap.  She wore beautiful rings on all  her fingers.  Around her wrists she wore beautiful bracelets.  Lenore was lucky, as other babies had  only one or two fingers along with deformed feet.

Through the years we separated like many of our camp friends. We all had different paths in our future. About ten years ago, Lenore found me in Florida as I had recently moved to an adult community. We got together with our husbands on several occasions and kept in touch. Lenore worked at the Bethesda Memorial hospital in Boynton Beach, Fl. in the records department. She was a dear friend and  an asset to me when my mother passed away there.

Lenore and I caught up almost fifty years of our lives with our experiences and hardships. Although handicapped, she took care of her older sister who became a drug addict, eventually placing her in a nursing home and later taking care of her burial. She took care of her aging parents until she found good  nursing homes for them and eventually handled their burials as well. How ironic, as I remember her family all too well when they came up to camp on visiting day. Her parents were very attractive,  looking like movie stars. Her older sister was prettier than her parents. I could tell then  by the way they treated her, that Lenore was a disappointment to them.  However they loved her dearly, and in the end, Lenore was the strongest of all and survived everyone..

Due to the economy and their retirement, they were forced to sell their house which was not too far from us. They moved  about three hours away.. She missed her old friends in Boynton Beach, however found a life for herself  and her husband Don,  making new friends and volunteering in a school teaching English as a second language.

Every year Lenore always called me on my birthday and I  wished her a happy birthday as well.  Her  birthday was a day after mine. This year, since I did not hear from her, I sent her a Birthday Greeting on Face Book.  When I did not see a response from her I went into her profile page to see comments of other well wishers.

Face Book is a wonderful web site. It brings old friends and families together after years  of being apart. I heard of an adopted child finding her mother on Face book, or the other way around. But who would think I would find an old friend on Face book deceased without being told first.  She passed away about 20 days prior to her birthday.   It was shocking and devastating.

Lenore, you will be missed.

For those who have never seen a Thalidomide baby

THE MOST ECONOMICAL AND FUN SUMMER VACATION FOR FAMILIES

In the late 60's a relative suggested we take our small children camping for a wonderful inexpensive adventure and experience. He suggested Lake George, Bolton Landing, where the water was so clean you could drink from it. As a matter of fact, anyone caught using soap in the water would get a big fine. Dogs were allowed on the lake until recently for which they are now banned.

We followed his instructions on renting camping equipment, sleeping bags, etc and where to rent a boat. After the first time, we purchased our own sleeping bags and equipment. A motor boat was needed to get to the camp site  We found a nice mariner where all kinds of boats were available to rent. Motor boats, sail boats, as well as row boats with outboard motors. The mariner had showers and free parking for their customers. I still remember the showers we took at the mariner. We had to insert a coin to start the shower. When the water stopped running we had to take our soapy bodies out of the shower to fetch another coin from our clothes which were laid out on a nearby chair.

At the mariner, we were given a map to the ranger station on Glen Island where we had to register. It was a very interesting site. The ranger station was in the middle of the lake. There was a country store where campers could buy anything from eggs to pots and camping equipment. Rest rooms, telephone booths, and boat docks surrounded the commissary. It was another world to me as I looked at the Appalachian mountains, the beautiful scenery of the trees and little nooks and crannies of different islands on the lake.

Campers were everywhere, however we hardly saw them unless they were out on their boats. The campsites were very private. They were all on different islands, each with their own charm and view. We were given a site that was about an acre or less. The campsite had a platform to pitch a tent, an immaculate well equipped out house, a fireplace, picnic table, and a dock for boats. The campsites were all shady with no mosquitoes or annoying bugs.

Campers were not near us unless we walked through the woods on a man made trail. If we saw campers they were far away from the trail. Most of the neighbors were friendly and respected each others privacy. Occasionally we would acquaint each other by sitting at our campfire or theirs with our children roasting marshmallows, drinking wine, or sharing coffee and cake together.

Every day was glorious. We took our boat and explored the lake. Visiting the little islands and coves were breathtaking. We purchased little rubber boats and explored the coves. The children loved swimming as well. I enjoyed sitting in the little boat sunbathing and watching the kids enjoy themselves.

Every labor day we returned to Glen Island for years to enjoy our camping summer life. We were only allowed to stay on one campsite no more than  four days. After that we would go back to the ranger station to pick another campsite. When our boys were older, we rented speed boats and took them water skiing every day.

Being out in nature all day and evening was exhilerating.  I loved the smell of the tall pine trees, sitting by the campfire with a cup of coffee in my hand, listening to music from our portable radio and staring onto the beautiful lake.

To add to the fun on Lake George, we took our rented boat to the mariner and hopped into our car for the children's paradise. There was Gas Light Village which consisted of amusement rides, plus many other theme amusement parks for the children. The streets on Lake George were always crowded with families. There were many stores and restaurants for all to enjoy.

Lake George was definitely addictive and it always kept us coming back year after year.

Please come back in a few weeks for a continuation of Lake George and our near tragic experience

Where do you take your family on vacation that you enjoy the most?  Please click on the comment box. Lets share some ideas and events!

THE MOST MEMORABLE THING ABOUT MY DAD

Although my dad passed away 38 years ago, he has always been in my heart and thoughts.  Whether a man resembling my dad came into sight, or a voice from a man who sounded like him, I wished it was my dad and not the stranger.

As I watched my husband carrying our children one at a time  playing piggy back, galloping and making them laugh, I reflected back in time when my dad did the same thing to me when I was little.  Now I see my children playing piggy back with their children.

The endless hours playing Monopoly, scrabble, jig saw puzzles and many more games with my dad, was later repeated when my children  became parents and played with their little ones..

The numerous vacations, playing with me in the water, helping with homework  and giving me quality attention made my dad very special especially the story telling and the good night kisses.

One remarkable thing I remember when I was a little girl was my father standing on his head just to make me laugh because I was ill and did not want to take my medicine.

Some dads pick unique pet names for their children.  My dad used to call me "my little chicken" because I was small and petite. He very rarely called me by my birth name unless he was angry with me.

My dad was always warm and gentle.  People liked him, as he always made them feel special.  I loved him very much because he made me feel special too.

I miss you Dad!


WHAT WAS THE MOST MEMORABLE TIMES YOU HAD WITH YOUR DAD?

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A MOTHER'S DAY STORY HOW WE STOPPED OUR CHILD FROM BEING KIDNAPPED AND YEARS LATER OUR GRANDDAUGHTER

Since today is Mother's Day and we are approaching summer, I would like to share a true experience that happened to me and later to my family..

It was a very hot summer day in Colorado.  We celebrated our little granddaughter, Jessica's 2nd birthday.  Her mommy and daddy made a big deal over their children's birthdays with balloons all over  their living room and up the stairway.  A dozen presents waiting for little Jessica to open as grandma and grandpa looked on.  Gummy is my name which replaced grandma, as it was easy to say when she was a baby and it stuck till this day.

The following day we drove to Water World for a wonderful day of adventure and fun.  We parked our belongings at the little kiddie pool which looked like a lake.  In the pool was a sliding pond going down to another pool .  There were table and chairs for picnicking along one side of the pool,.  It was fenced off, so no children could wonder away.  It looked very conducive for the safety of children, or so I thought.

Leaving the stroller and our things behind, we left the area for some tube fun.  It was the best time of my adult life, feeling like a kid again. I loved sharing the tube with my grandchildren going down the  slides.  After trying out their other rides, we went back to our table and chairs for some lunch.  We stayed there for awhile resting and enjoying watching our little 2 year old play in the water.  The others continued playing with the other rides.

Later, they all returned, to get ready to pack up for home. My daughter in law was busy collecting their belongings and collecting the children from the pool.  She dried off the wetness from our little granddaughter and instructed me to watch her while she was going to find our grandson Justin who was five years old.

When she got Justin out of the water they returned to my table.  I was watching our granddaughter all the time, but my eyes must have been off her when her mother returned to the table. to  dry the little guy off.., My husband asked where our little 2 year old Jessica was.  I could not believe she was missing right in front of us.  My son and husband ran into the kiddie pool and the other side of the big slide but now where was she to be found.  We were getting frantic.  My daughter in law sat down holding my grandson crying, while I demanded everyone scream for help. 

Who cares if we sounded like a low class citizens. I walked out of the gate which was like a maze.  It was difficult to get out as you had to walk around a bit.  Screaming on top of my lungs, "Jessica, Jessica" I ran out of the gate.  A woman heard me yelling and asked me if I was looking for a little blond child.  I said yes, and asked where she was.  The lady told me that a woman and man were walking with her but when they heard my yelling they walked away.  Then another lady followed her to the direction of the refreshment counter  It was in an enclave hidden from the walkway with a rest room adjacent to it.  There was a long line of people waiting to get in the bathroom.  At the refreshment area, I  screamed for my granddaughter and yelled for the police.  "Please help me someone, police, police, help"  But no one came out to say "here is your granddaughter,"

 As we were circling the area, we noticed a woman in her 40's holding her in her arms waiting in line to get into the rest room,  We grabbed Jessica from her arms and stupidly ran back with her to her parents.We knew they were beside themselves and we wanted to stop their pain as soon as possible.  What was so strange, why didn't that lady step out of line to say she found her.  Why wasn't Jessica crying when the stranger was holding her?  Why didn't she put her arms out to us when she saw us?  It was all such a mystery until we returned Jessie to her parents.

A gentleman who was at the next table from us, came over and said " I am sorry to intrude, but I could not help notice the commotion of your missing child,   We are so happy for all of you that you found her.  You are very lucky especially what is going on in Disney World, or Land.. Could not remember." What do you mean", I said."Didn't you read it in the papers?  There was a kidnapping ring that went to Disney world or Disney Land.  They take the children into the bathroom, change their clothes, put color on their hair and drug them so they wont cry. They caught the kidnappers because the mother who gave an exact identification of clothing described the sneakers in great detail.  The kidnappers forgot to change the child's shoes. Thus, the child was found harmlessly but drugged"  Their security system was excellent as they closed the gates making sure no one could enter or leave."

After hearing his story, my son demanded we go back to the ladies room to find that woman.  But she was gone,.  He was so angry, blaming me, his wife, everyone.  I could not blame him.  It was horrible.  My voice was never the same again and eventually I had a  larynectomy  It could have been from screaming and perhaps smoking earlier.

Afterwards we put the pieces together.  My daughter in law said, she noticed a couple sitting  at the table on the other side of us with no children,  She was wondering how come they were there if they had no children,  Busy having fun with her family, she paid no attention at the time.  When we found Jessie, she did not put her hands out to us when she saw us and was not crying.  The fact that the lady did not step forward to hand us our child caused further suspicion They must have grabbed her with the confusion of packing up, and carried her over the fence which was about three or four feet tall.

We looked all over for the security guard, police etc.  But the only people we found were teenagers manning the first aid shack.  They were no help.  I could not believe that Water World in Colorado had no security.  I tried contacting the company but got no response. We were extremely happy we found her and tried to forget about it.
Until we started hearing about missing children.  They were not as lucky as our Jessie.  They were found dead.  Every missing child reminds me of how lucky we were.  I still cry out for all those lost children who suffered before they died. I cried for their parents and family as well.

Perhaps people think I over react when I cry each time I hear the news of a kidnapping. Some do not know my story while others do and understand,  This story must not be in a closet.  It must be told all the time.  Never, never take for granted for one minute that your child will be in the same position you left her.  Perhaps 99% for that moment she will stay close.  But that 1% can be deadly.

On another occasion many years prior when our daughter, Stacy was about two or three, I took her to a department store.  Looking at children clothes for her, she disappeared .She was just beside me.  She wanted out of the stroller and was right by me.  Screaming on top of my lungs, I yelled her name.  She was nowhere in sight.

Our daughter, was afraid of escalators..  Every time I carried her up or down she would cry.  So I knew she did not go downstairs by herself. However, I yelled her name anyway down the escalator as it was riding up. just in case because she was nowhere on my floor. I remember my husband always said to me to refrain from screaming out for your children as it sounds very common.  I did not care how it sound. After screaming several times, for the police, help and so on, I heard my daughter voice coming from down the escalator as it was going up  I didn't care.  I ran down the up escalator to her.  I did not know if I should hit or kiss her.  I chose to hug her tightly.  "How did you get downstairs," I asked.  "Mommy," she said. "A lady took me by my hand to take me to my mommy.  When I saw she was taking me out side, I heard your voice, and broke out of her hand to the escalator. Today my daughter has a three year old and the fear continues...

We are all human and it is difficult to watch with your eyes wide open 100% when you are with your child.  You have to be lucky.  With a blink of an eye, your child disappears and wanders maybe into the wrong hands. But with what is going on these days, it is wise to try getting to that percentage.  Besides little children wandering, there are sick people out there who  stalk and watch their routine.  They wait for that 1% moment to crab them..

A buddy system is always recommended even in teen years. Never take your siblings, children grandchildren  or any child you care for, for granted that they will stay by your side.  Not for a moment!

God Bless

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY
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