I swiped this chart off Food Babe's blog    http://foodbabe.com/2012/09/28/do-your-favorite-snack-brands-contain-gmos/


I suggest fresh fruits and vegetables BUT I know we all like something to snack on occasionally, so why not be sure its good for us! And we are showing our support for those companies who are doing the right thing! Earning a living, while selling a product that is good for the environnment and good for us!

I made the abosulte BEST smoothie just now. I bought fresh figs at the store. They were on sale, so I figured I would try them. Eating them au naturale was pretty bland, so I decided to experiment. I peeled 7 figs and added them to 1/2 cup coconut milk, a banana and threw them in a blender. WOW! Who needs milkshakes? Make mine a fig smoothie! Figs are full of phyto-nutrients and anti-oxidents. They spoil fast so I suggest peeling and freezing them.

 

xo  Inge

I went to Costco today and found some unrefined, organic coconut oil. They had a huge container of it for $17. That does sound like alot but it was 54 oz., compared to Sprouts brand 16 oz for $8. I stir fried some veggies in my wok, using 2 tblsps of the oil. Yum! I sprinkled my special anti-oxident (tumeric, garlic powder, black pepper) spice blend over them as well.

I scooped some out and put them in one of my empty skin care bottles. I will use that coconut oil for my face moisturizer. Oh and you don't have to keep it in the refrigerator.  You can learn more about the benefits of virgin coconut oil here: http://www.naturodoc.com/library/nutrition/coconut_oil.htm

I posted earlier about my 'monkey brain' and how it loves to control my thoughts. I am working on it and I do good until someone pisses me off, then its back again to angry thoughts. I know I can't find the 'peace' I am striving for if I walk around with angry thoughts all the time. I am also a believer of the 'law of attraction' philosophy. I have seen it in action, so I understand that I am the creator of my own universe. If I worry about things then I will attract the very things I worry most about, like lack of money. If I am angry about something, I will attract angry people or negative situations. If I am happy, I will attract happy people. Like attracts like. We all know people who lives their lives in constant drama. I don't want to live that way.

Here is a summary of my recent encounter with someone who I feel wronged me, to create a clearer picture. I worked a small party last weekend (3 days ago and I am still stewing over it), and the manager came around to 'correct' my mistakes 5 times in one hour. He nit-picked me to no end, and he was so bad the guests who witnessed his behavior told him -twice- to leave me alone, and that I was doing a great job until he came around. By the end of the night I was a wreck. I should have told him to get lost, since I already decided I wouldn't work for that company again. After the party I found out that he bothered two other employees as well, so being a jerk is his normal behavior. What I did do was call his boss the next day to tell him my side of the story - ok, complain about his behavior but all I got was the company voicemail. I didn't explain why I was calling, only that I wanted to talk to him about the party. Needless to say I never got a call back, so I found myself stewing about that.

I was going to call this morning and leave a detailed message, when I caught myself - do I want to be right? Or do I want to have peace? I know that I will never work for that company again so whats the point of geting myself worked up? It was an occasional, part time gig and paid a measley $50. My peace of mind is worth alot more than that!
 

My conclusion is this: I cannot control how others treat me. I can only control my own behavior. Everything is about energy. And like attracts like. If I am upset, angry, worried, or fearful, I will attract someone that matches my energy. I have to admit, I am concerned about the mounting medical bills, even though I tell patients I visit not to think about their bills and focus on getting well, I tend to do the samething. Its easier said than done sometimes.

 

So, I decided to let that experience go. Do I really care what he or anyone else thinks of me?  No. Although those thoughts still try to sneak back. I look at and tell myself "oh, its you again. That happened 3 days ago and its time to move on." The next time I am faced with a negative situation, I want to figure out how I attracted it, and work on stopping those negative thoughts. I want to live in the now, the present moment because that's all we really have.

 

Dogs understand that very well. I want to learn from my dogs and just chill out - be happy! More tail wagging, less growling.

 

Derrick Brooks and Johan Santana autographed Jerseys!

I have medical bills up the ya-zoo, so I am selling these brand new, Men's size medium authentic jerseys for the bargain price of $99 each, including shipping - inside the US. They each come with authentic certificate. If you want one or both please email me or better yet you can pay with Paypal. Just select my email address as recipient. ingebirds@yahoo.com

The black baseball jersey is Johan Santana, the guy who pitched a no-hitter, and the red and white #55 football jersey is Derrick Brooks from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Did I mention they are autographed by the players?

xo Inge

I was going to listen to my usual meditation videos on youtube this afternoon when I noticed on the sidebar a name I haven't seen for awhile. his name is Jon Kabat-Zinn.  He is a speaker and author. In a nutshell, he speaks about living in the moment or as he calls mindfulness. This video was done at UCSD in 2008, and he was addressing medical students. So instead of my usual meditation, I decided to listen to him.

He asked the question, "How many of you are really in the shower, when you are taking a shower? Are you in a meeting? Are you having a discussion with someone who isn't there?" I felt he was talking to me, because I do this all the time, and I don't have to be in the shower, I can be washing the dishes, or driving my car. I figured it was my OCD thoughts, but maybe its what eastern philosophy calls, my 'monkey brain'. Maybe it has nothing to with OCD.

He stressed the idea that we really need to be presnt because the present moment is all we really have.He asked these resident doctors how many were present with their patients, but that can be with anyone. Even me. How often am I present with my pets, my husband, a friend? There are so many things to distract us these days. I can spend endless hours on my laptop searching for information that I can share with others, especially when I am passionate about something like Prop 37.

My personality is either all in or all out. I can't do something half baked. This is a good thing but it can take away from the other parts of me that need to be nurtured - like meditating or day dreaming or playing with my pets. I can be consumed by a passion and I don't think that's healthy for me. Finding this video and getting me to think about this is exactly what the doctor ordered. In order for me to do all the things I want to do, I need to spend time nurturing myself. I understood that quite well while I was going through treatment for cancer, but when I got well, I seem to have forgotten that - again.

How many hours do I spend listening to the same old news stories each day? I admit it, I am a news junkie. Do they have a 12 Step program for that? 

My scan came back clear and I am thrilled, but knowing that, its so easy to join that rat race and for what a piece of cheese? I don't eat that anymore, I'm vegan. I want to take time for myself. I want to live in the present moment. I know muti-tasking is not what its cracked up to be. I have to stop snooping the internet when someone has taken the time to talk to me, because isn't that what this boils down to? Time. There are only so many hours we are given and then its over. How do we want to spend the time we have? How do I want to spend the time I have?


I should know this, I am reminded almost daily when I am in the infusion center at the hospital.  I am glad I bumped into this video. I will look for Zinns books at the library. I used to read alot and I want to get back to that. I think it will help me in the long run be a better advocate or what some might call agitator. I will be on my toes ready to answer any questions that the opposition may throw at me. If I am running in different directions, not fully focused I will get burned out. Been there, done that and I didn't like the result.

I changed my eating habits for the better and now i think its time to change my thinking habits. I want to spen less time in my head and more time in my body. I have six senses. I want to spend time with all of them.

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