QNexa Should Not Be Your Next Choice

QNexa?  Leave it to Big Brother Pharmaceutical to look out for our best interests - right?  Please tell me you know the answer is wrong!  There are very few instances where the right answer is taking a relatively new drug whose side effects may include some serious heart issues.  The FDA is concerned enough about heart problems from Qnexa that they are considering requiring studies – but the studies could come after the drug hits the market and loads of people begin taking it.  Really? What on earth is the FDA here for?  To let drugs hit the market, see what happens and then make a decision about whether its safe or not?  WOW!


I heard a radio news story about QNexa and how the pharmaceutical companies thought they had a good answer to weight loss.  I'm sure that's exactly what they think.


Perhaps each of us need to take our health into our own hands.  You know in your heart what is best for you and what isn't.  What I hope for each person that is struggling with weight loss is that you find yourself a good support system and discover what the real issue is.  Oftentimes there is an emotional cause as to why many women struggle with their weight, so keep in mind that there is NEVER any shame in seeking professional help in overcoming your hurdles!


That's the end of my sermon for today.  Take care of yourselves and let's be each other's cheerleaders!

The Menopause Journals

Cathy Tiffany, author

I'm 42.  I'm in menopause.  Seriously - full blown, no periods menopause.  The new period thing I dig.  The hot flashes, body changes, sleep altering stuff - I do not.  It's really strange.  I got off the birth control pill three yearsish ago.  As soon as I did, I dropped 5-7 pounds (I'm thin anyway), the nifty wave in my hair disappeared, My sleep went to hell in a hand-basket and my hot flashes went from occasional to crazy.  Oh yeah - and my breasts started leaking milk.  Really?

My next gyno visit bought me a mammogram, an internal and external ultrasound (by a male technician - great.) and blood work $$$.  Anyhoo - as suspected, all was fine, but I am one of not many my age that is in early menopause.

The thinner you are, the younger you are and the faster you go from regular periods –irregular periods – no periods, the worse your hot flashes are.

Isn’t this crazy?  What is the pits is that my gyno office was so worried that they signed me up for all these tests, but once everything was OK, they sent me on my way with no info as to how best to deal with all this crap.  Hmmmm.

My hot flashes went away for a bit but are now back and my body is changing, which is not making me happy.  I’ve been blessed with a high metabolism and don’t have to be too careful with what I eat, but choose to eat healthy.  I now better start watching or I won’t be happy L

So, as an act of sisterly love, if you happen to be facing any of this, I researched info on my own that will help alleviate these symptoms.  As I was reading these symptoms (just now) I am shocked that I see several other things that happened to me that are all associated with menopause!!  Aha – I’m NOT falling apart or crazy!!

Common and not so common symptoms:

• Hot flashes and/or night sweats
• Fatigue
• Cravings for sweets or carbohydrates
• Diminished sexual desire, vaginal dryness
• Irritability, mood swings, depression, and/or anxiety
• Insomnia or restless sleep
• Fuzzy thinking (difficulty concentrating, memory problems)
• Weight gain, especially around the middle
• Stiffness and joint issues
• Irregular periods

Other menopause symptoms include headaches, heart palpitations, thinning hair, dry skin, dry eyes, increased facial hair, urinary dysfunction, and digestive problems.

Common Treatments:

Avoid caffeine/alcohol
• Sleep 7-8 hours per   night
• Intake vitamins B,C,D,E
• Practice breathing   exercises
• Eat a balanced diet
• Exercise regularly
• Stay hydrated

Here is a link that had much more info……http://www.34-menopause-symptoms.com/treatments.htm

Reclaim Your Born Identity- Authenticity Pays Off

As we start the new year, please take a moment and read this. It's a great reminder of the importance of living your life to the fullest and becoming "you" to the fullest. Very often wives and mothers are too good at wearing all the masks described in the following piece, doing for and developing those around them, but never take 5 minutes to explore their own selves. Becoming "You" is such an important thing, because if you aren't "you", who are you?

Reclaim Your Born Identity- Authenticity Pays Off

30 Days of Giving Thanks.....

It's November!  More specifically, November 1, 2011.  For the next 30 days, in the theoretical remembrance of Thanksgiving (pretending the settlers were kind to the Indians), what a fantastic time to remember what we're thankful for!
STOP.  RIGHT. NOW.  T H I N K >>>

What are you thankful for in your life?

Maybe you don't have the car you want, the job you want, or even the mate, whatever.  But, try looking at things this way:  I have a car and working towards one that I really like and can afford.  I can see it.  I'm not happy in my job, but I'll make the best of it while putting my name out there to find what I really want.  I'm thankful I'm employed in this economy.

When you focus on the positive - which is not the same as settling for what you don't like/want - you become a happier person with the right frame of mind to pursue an even better life!  

Let's band together & really kick off these last few months of 2011 with positive energy!  Log on to our Facebook page and join the discussion and share what you are thankful for - anything!  Unless it's gross or way too private,t hen please....yikes.......

Here's to being thankful, happy & successful in life!

What's the Scoop with Poop?

Everybody Poops

Well, now our B.A.B.E Blog has really gone down the toilet.  Haha..get it?  Come on, that's a little bit funny!  Poop.  Happens to be my favorite immature word; I just think it's funny. Happens to not be so funny if you're one of those poor gals that can't "go" very often.  For some reason, poop comes up a lot at my house - not sure what that says about me!?  What I have learned is that most gals don't "go" often enough and that's not a good thing.  Seems to also appear that I go more frequently than any human being alive today...and that's not a bad thing.


The basic scoop with poop is this:  the average person goes about twice a day.  The norm is anywhere from 3 times a day to 3 times every three days, so that puts us at about once a day.  If you eat 3 times a day, but only go poop one time, that means all that food is sitting in your gut, just hanging out.  Dying a slow, smelly, un-digested death.  When your food does not come out the other end on a regular basis, you can feel bloated and uncomfortable.  Want that nice flat tummy? Then you need to be, among other thing, pooping more.  Different colors, smells or consistency is cause for you to re-evaluate what you're eating.  The list is extensive & gross of what to check for, so here is the link and you can peruse while you're "in the library"...haha...we're full of bathroom jokes.....http://altmedicine.about.com/od/gettingdiagnosed/a/stools.htm.

Point is, what goes in, must come out -  and regularly.  For that to happen, make sure you are eating regularly, drinking your water, eating lots of fiber and your greens.  To your health....

Better at 40 Than at 20 | Health, Beauty, Fashion, Love, Careers and more - MORE Magazine

This more about how you feel than you're actual looks. This author, who happens to be 41, feels fabulous! I love my life, I feel like I look better, feel better & know more who I am & what I want.

How about you?

Better at 40 Than at 20 | Health, Beauty, Fashion, Love, Careers and more - MORE Magazine

Jumpin' in the Great Outdoors!

Sometimes, going downstairs or to the gym, indoors, just sucks.  Today was one of those days.  It had rained all morning and the sun was now out with a gentle breeze.  Birds were out & my cats were dying to get out - not to eat the birds; my cats are not allowed to eat my songbirds - house rules.

Jumpin' around in the backyard!

So, I spent 5 minutes & hauled all my portable equipment to my backyard.  I improvised on some exercises by using bands wrapped around a tree trunk, did my jump-ups on my favorite old log - I even have a name for this exercise - Stump Jumps!  I used a Swiss Ball instead of a bench and you can do push-ups anywhere.  It takes very little equipment to get in a good workout in the great outdoors!

I'm sure there are a ton of stats on how your endorphins really respond to fresh air or something and other things that really, I don't care about.  To be honest, it just plain feels good to get outside on a nice day.  The sunshine on your face, smell the smells and hear the sounds.  It's great to get fresh air and I felt really Rocky-like (like Rocky 3 or 4 or whichever one he fought Dolph Lundgren & had to train in a barn) improvising my exercises and equipment.  It was a good day.

Moms, Body Image & Barbie

I'm sitting here eating my buckwheat, flaxseed, chocolate chip pancakes watching the Today Show and listening to the Get Real Barbie Campaign segment.  The general gist of this is that the dimensions of Barbie are not even close to what a real girl could ever, should or would even want to achieve.  But, I am compelled to say that in my Barbie heyday, I owned 32 Barbies, varying brands, but "barbie dolls" nonetheless.  Seriously, every single  day, my sister & I played out all kinds of scenarios; we even had Donny & Marie Osmond dolls!

I have to say though, not one time did I ever think, "Gosh, I wish I looked like Barbie", or "Wow, those boobies would be nice to have", or "What a skinny little waist, I wish I had that".  Barbie has come under fire for years as a figure that causes body image issues in young girls.  Now the folks behind the Get Real Barbie campaign were very careful to say that they are not blaming Barbie for women's body image issues.  I think we could all agree that there are very many issues at work, even perhaps someone's existing brain wiring.

One thing I hardly ever hear anyone talk about, once again, are people's parents, especially the Mom, and what they do or don't talk about with their kids.  I work around women.  I've worked around women for 20 years.  I swear, the vast majority you come in contact with are constantly complaining about the way they look.  "My fat ass", "My double chin", "I gotta get on the treadmill and do something about this fat", "This is gonna end up on my hips" and the list goes on and on and on.  They say these things right in front of their kids - their little girls.  You don't think that has an impact?  Now I'm not saying that Moms who hate their own bodies are the cause of eating disorders, but I have to imagine that it has more of an impact than Barbie?!

The media - t.v. and magazines -  bombard us with images of skinny, well-endowed  girls, beautiful faces and glowing tans.  This is another area where, just like an anti-drug campaign encourages you to talk with your kids...talk with your kids!  Here's a sample, as you see you 7-year-old daughter leafing through the Vogue mag at the doctor's office and you decide to move in for the kill:
"Wow, she's really pretty.  What do you think about her?  You know, I bet she's really pretty in real life, but do you know what happens sometimes?  The magazine actually erases any pimples she might have, makes her tummy a little smaller and gives her a nice tan.  Can you believe that?  Plus, I knew a girl who did this for a living and she had to actually diet a lot to get like that.  She hated it.  She knew it wasn't healthy.  She didn't stay a model for very long; she wanted to enjoy her life.  I bet she got to do some neat things, but she's having so much more fun now.  It's always better to exercise to stay in shape and eat a wide variety of foods.  Crazy stuff".


The goal here is to create a lighthearted dialogue and work in that pretty in a magazine or on t.v. is not real-life pretty and to plant a seed for life-long good choices.  And NEVER walk around talking about how you hate your hips.