Endless Chocolates? Test Me!!!

How much conscious control do we really have? Could you imagine a bowl of your favorite soup that kept replenishing itself? How about an endless supply of your favorite chocolates... Right at your finger tips!

I am a firm believer in setting good examples for our children, especially when it comes to food.  But my calling to healthier food choices and habits did not come without some major influences.  My daughter Kirsten (now seven) has Prader-Willi Syndrome.  Change in food choices and eating habits was a necessity!

In my world, measuring food quantities with great accuracy is important, but how many of us are using "best judgement" when it comes to portion sizes? Check out the studies conducted by Dr. Brian Wansink, author of the book "Mindless Eating".  Some of his insightful experiments remind me of the old "Candid Camera" show.  

 

There is no escaping it.  Food is everywhere!  It's in our kitchens, in our favorite TV programs, in everything we read... It's in our thoughts and at almost every event we attend, including church (how I miss sticking around for pot luck dinners).

For the benefit of our children, we must set a good example.  They are watching everything we do, and our bad habits will be their bad habits to build upon. If we are cheating with a hidden stash of chocolates, you can bet they have noticed us reaching for them, chewing on them or they can smell them on our breath.  If we are stopping for our favorite flavored coffee drink every day, they are probably on to us and craving a chocolate shake.  If we are going heavy on the burgers and fries, while cutting back on vegetables, you can bet they are upset at the healthy amount of broccoli on their plate.

My daughter Kirsten (7 years old) is not allowed to have many 

sweets or unhealthy snacks because she has Prader-Willi Syndrome 

and weight control is, and will always be, a major struggle. Yet she 

sees everyone else indulging. How do you explain that to a seven year 

old who looks forward to church, just so she can take part in communion. 

Every potential morsel of food... A distracting focus.

Be sure to check out the video above and you can find more of Dr. Wansink's videos on YouTube at the "MindlessEating" channel. These videos are not only entertaining, but a good source of inspiration as well. 

If you are looking to make a change in you're eating habits and/or are concerned about your families nutrition, please visit my website listed below.

Terry Guinn, A Healthier You Too

Treat your family to the quality products they deserve.  Shaklee products are always safe, always work, and are always green. If you would like more information about Shaklee products, please contact me, Terry Guinn, Shaklee Independent Distributor, through my website at  www.ahealthieryoutoo.com or if you would like to checkout the products for yourself, go to my Shaklee page at  www.ahealthieryoutoo.myshaklee.com 

Shakleebaby & Shakleekids

A Passing Grade for Better Health

Doctors don't have all the answers and if it takes a village to raise a child, does it also take a team of specialists to become a part of that village, to raise a child with Prader-Willi Syndrome?

Another three months have gone by and that means its time for another visit to the endocrinologist. That also means its time to work on my notes and questions, in preparation for the appointment.  Our doctors rely on blood tests, X-rays, studies, consultations with other doctors... And a parents impute.  If we fail to provide the right information, in a way that the doctors can comprehend and use this information, we may not receive a passing grade which is improved health for our children.

Twas the night before our appointment and all through the house,

everyone else was sleeping including my spouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

because the children's excitement was to much to bear.

 I at my computer typing away,

preparing my notes for the following day.

For the endo would certainly be rushing about,

no time to stop and let questions come out.

Its Kirsten's health that I'm working on here,

so I'll do what it takes... I need a beer!

This is when I get excited, because I get to see just how successful we have been with Kirsten, now seven, who has Prader-Willi Syndrome.  It has been a real struggle to manage her diet and get the right balance of medicines.  Just like in the cartoons when someone plugs a leak in a dam, we feel like we have control and then another leak develops.  We plug that one and the initial leak burst again.  Our biggest struggle has been with weight and high cholesterol. We have managed to gain control of her weight this year and her cholesterol levels have come down some (as of 8/19).

We see many doctors in our quest to manage Kirsten's health, but it is the endocrinologist that I find most valuable.  Even though his bedside manner leaves a lot to be desired, he is very knowledgable and I find I can work with him as long as I come prepared. These quarterly visits, for me, have become somewhat of a quest for approval, and perhaps a challenge to earn that approval. I have always tried to do what is right, and what is best for Kirsten, but until the last couple visits, there was never any good news.  Of course one could say that if you are overcoming obstacles, even with new obstacles emerging, you are headed in the right direction.

Tomorrow promises to be enlightening and with all that I have learned this year alone, I am prepared to take Kirsten to her endocrinologist appointment... To see how I'm doing!

Another thing that I am doing to earn a passing grade in Kirsten's health, is providing her with Shakleekids Increditives multivitamin/multimineral dietary supplement. I want her to achieve her maximum potential, so I want products that I can trust to help her get there.

December is a great month to treat your family to the quality products they deserve.  Shaklee products are always safe, always work, and are always green.   Several promotions available, including the "Free Membership" offer below. If you would like more information about Shaklee products, please contact me, Terry Guinn, through my website at  www.ahealthieryoutoo.com or if you would like to checkout the products for yourself, go to my Shaklee page at www.ahealthieryoutoo.myshaklee.com 

SPECIAL OFFER:

December 1-31, 2010, "Free Membership" 

(a $19.95 value) with an order for $70 worth of products at member prices.

Do You Want Fries With That?

You can only do so much... It has happened again!  I found information I wasn't looking for and as a result, I am starting a new experiment.

There are many things that knowledge and common sense will help me in, in saving time on research.  But then there is the unknown!  Knowledge of policy and common sense tells me that the government would not allow anything unsafe to be sold for consumption.  Ok, read on as soon as you stop laughing.

I can wait...

As I wrote in my last Blog, I was considering and am now conducting an experiment with hamburgers.  Four hamburgers to be exact.  A McDonalds, Wendy's, Burger King and home cooked hamburger.  There are many stories of old McDonalds hamburgers, but I wanted to conduct an experiment to compare many burgers to insure fairness to McDonalds.  This includes a hamburger of my own that should provide a good control specimen.  The experiment can be followed at this link "Terry's Notebook" .

This has been a very interesting experiment for me, but my kids lost interest quickly because of the absence of excitement.  Its kind of like watching grass grow, you have to have a lot of patience.

In my research to find verifiable facts about the ingredients or processing of these burgers, I have discovered many probable myths, exaggerations and all out lies about these hamburgers.  Anything from cows eyes to human flesh to being "from" 100% Beef (the Company), not the cow.   

The search for answers has been a tough road and the journey continues, but I have come across an interesting video that has me curious about the french fries that we order with our burgers.  Check it out at this link FRENCH FRIES???

The potential of my findings, with hamburgers and especially with fries, is that we really really have no idea what we are eating. It is no wonder that so many are suffering from health issues and nutritional deficiencies. Get yourself back on track with some healthy choices.  Broccoli is a good place to start.

If you would like more information about natural nutritional, weight management, beauty and healthy home products from the #1 natural nutrition company in the U.S., please vistit my website at www.ahealthieryoutoo.com

The Weight is Over...

Can it be true? Have I finally achieved a new plateau and weight loss is on the horizon? Could it be that "the weight is over..."? Yeah... right.

I just celebrated my 51st birthday and my family took me out to dinner. We don't go out much anymore, so this was a real treat for all of us. We went to my favorite restaurant so I could get my favorite mexican skillet. My mouth watered with anticipation as the waitress brought out my long awaited special treat. And it was delicious!!! I savored every mouthful as I dug into my meal.

Half way through my meal I noticed a feeling I had not experienced for a long time and never from my favorite meal... I was feeling full! All sorts of thoughts began running through my head as to how such a thing could occur and ruin such a joyful experience. Did I eat to fast? Am I coming down with something? Did I drink to many liquids? IS MY STOMACH SHRINKING??? Could that be it? Could my stomach be shrinking? I had, been eating smaller amounts at meals for the past ten months because I share with my six year old who requires a special diet. That must be it I decided.

As always, anytime I get a thought, idea or question about the bodies chemistry or function... I go to the all mighty Internet to search for answers. I have been doing this for years, but with much more intensity over the past ten months as I have tried to get a better understanding in an effort to help my six year old who has Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). Diet is extremely important for her and with her condition, nutrition has also been a major concern of mine.

In my efforts to find out the feasibility of the stomach shrinking, I was disappointed to find that it is not possible (WebMD is a great resource). What I did find however were some interesting articles that suggested that body chemistry can also affect and trigger feelings of satiety for different reasons. Things I had read about before but these were presented in a different light and I had always looked for information, other than the chemical signals because the chemical process does not work properly in individuals with PWS like my daughter. It makes sense thought, that my body may have been telling me that I had reached my nutritional needs. I have been taking a very potent dose of daily supplements that may have, with some food intake, triggered a chemical process giving me that full feeling.

When you think about it, our body communicates with us in many ways and it is all controlled by chemical processes. Just as we join Toastmasters to improve our oral communication, we must do what it takes to improve the communication process within our bodies. You can, through Toastmasters, reduce and eliminate the verbal clutter in your oral communication to make you a more effective communicator and you can through proper diet, exercise and I can't emphasize enough the importance of proper nutrition... Reduce and eliminate some of the clutter affecting your bodies communication, to reenergize your bodies effectiveness in communication and weight management.

The weight “gain” IS over... But only with proper diet, exercise and nutrition.

For information on a Company with your health and safety in mind, please check out my website at www.ahealthieryoutoo.com. As a Shaklee Independent Distributor, I can introduce you to some wonderful nutritional, beauty, weight and healthy home products (and an opportunity to help others if your interested) from the #1 Natural Nutrition Company in the U.S.

One final note of interest, after successfully gaining control of my daughters weight, as well as my own, for the past nine months... I am excited to report that my six year old has lost five pounds over the past five weeks and I have lost three.