Field Trip to Saguaro National Park

So today over 100 first graders and a few parents and teachers ventured out into the Saguaro National Park.  Believe it or not, it was really fun and very, very interesting. (The rangers were sometimes more entertaining than the scenery.)

So, since I am "Back in the Saddle Again" I wrote an article about it. I haven't written for Examiner in about a year or two, so this is a serious step in the right direction. Check it out and be sure to leave a comment.

(I have to point out that Son is the photographer on all of the photos included in the article and slideshow!)

Take a Trip to Saguaro National Park: a Tucson frugal family fun adventure

Back In The Saddle Again

Today I was daydreaming about my perfect job. I would be able to spend time reading and reviewing new books. I would write in my blog and include they hysterical things that happen during the day instead of being lazy and just posting them to Facebook. I would be able to work on my ebooks and have at least one published by the end of May.

In an ideal world, right . . .

Then I realized. This is my life. I do get to spend time reading new books and reviewing them. ( I currently have 5 loaded onto the Nook that I need to read and review.) I can write for the blog and keep it up to date. I can even spend time writing the books!!!

It has completely changed my perspective. At my fingertips I have the tools to make all of this happen. Now, I just need to get things moving in the right direction.

So to keep myself motivated, I am posting the picture I have on my desk for a source of inspiration. This is a small house on Coronado Island. When I was young and naive I made a promise to B that  after publishing my first book, we would buy a tiny little house on the island and retire. We'll see how that turns out but for now, I am back in the saddle again.

Fresh Start: God's Invitation to a Great Life by Doug Fields

It doesn’t matter how old you are, how long you have been a Christian, or where you are in your life, Fresh Start: God's Invitation to a Great Life applies to you. This God-centered approach to making a change works in so many different situations. He always comes back to the idea that God loves you and His plans are always a lot better that we realize.

Everyone likes the idea of a fresh start when things aren’t going as expected and I am no different. In fact, that was part of my interest in the book. I was pleasantly surprised to read a book that held truths with practical applications that was coated in his sense of humor. While you want to take the topic and yourself seriously, be brings out a laugh in the most unexpected way

As I read, it was a lot like having a conversation with a friend that you really trust. He doesn’t mind keeping the mood light at times but when it comes to asking you tough questions, he goes for it. Instead of feeling put out by the difficult topics and self-reflection, the way he presented everything made me feel comfortable with the introspection. Wait till he talks about pride. You can’t help but see yourself on the pages, despite your best efforts. It made me think.

Anyone would benefit from this book. I think that if you are lacking in direction and you can’t figure out where to start, this book is a great resource. It unveils things you may not have considered before. The best part of the direction and advice is that fact that he supports everything in the Word.

** A complementary copy of this book was provided to me by Booksneeze.

Metanx and Diabetic Neuropathy

For as long as I can remember my Grandma struggled with diabetes. As a child I didn’t realize all of the ways that this affected her life, but as I got older it became more apparent. Problems with her feet were one of the things that I remember. She always has on socks that couldn’t be too tight around her ankles. She walked so carefully and was at times unsteady as she put her foot to the ground.

A recent webinar shed more light on what she was struggling with and put a reason behind many of the things that I saw. The technical term is diabetic neuropathy and it is a chronic complication for many patients. When it starts out it isn’t necessarily a pain. The symptom is more a numbness and with lack of feeling comes the problem of being unsure when you put to the ground or even stepping on things that you can’t feel. It is these things that later cause all types of diabetics. I was surprised to hear the large number of people who end up as amputees because of this.

One of the biggest problems it seems is that patients aren’t mentioning the problem. They may not realize that it is a major concern or the change may be so gradual that they don’t think it merits bringing up. When things get worse and the symptom moves onto a painful feeling, there is a real problem. Also, doctors aren’t necessarily asking patients about this or checking their feet each and every time they come in for an appointment.

Aside from having their feet checked regularly diabetics now have an option to help manage the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy. Metanx, a medical food regulated by the FDA, doesn’t just mask the issue. It works to address the underlying condition. When you aren’t suffering with numbness and eventually pain your quality of life is higher and you are able to prevent the common problems that many diabetics have.

If someone that you know is in the midst of struggling with diabetes, there are two important things to take away from this.

· Take your shoes off at every visit and talk to your doctor about any sensory loss or numbness that you feel.

· If you are already feeling these things, consider asking about Metanx and find out how it can help.

Image by mensatic at morgueFile.com

Effective Treatment of Depression

I for one see the ads on television and assume that there are all types of options for patients suffering from depression. It seems like there are several different medications to take and even some additives that can make treatment more effective. What you don’t see are the studies showing that the treatment of depression is by far an uphill battle.

The first time someone walks into a doctor’s office looking for treatment for depression, the chances are only one in three that the situation will resolve. The next option is changing medications and supplements, searching for something that works. Again, the results aren’t impressive.

However, there is something that the body needs that can help with the depression and the way the body deals with serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. L-methylfolate makes more neurotransmitters, giving the body a better chance at changing the overall mood and dealing with the symptoms of depression. It comes in the form of Deplin. Patients have the chance to feel better sooner and get their lives back on track.

If you know someone that is or has struggled with depression in the past, you can see how it affects every aspect of their lives. They may have a hard time at home, at work, and even in their interactions with other people. Instead of giving patients hope, treatments in the past have been ineffective. However, with Deplin and L-methylfolate they have an opportunity to thrive once more.

In my own experience it is tough to see a friend struggle though depression and not be able to find the right medications. If something doesn’t work it is on to something else. All the while, this person still isn’t feeling better. Then, with a new medication new side effects arise. Another change is on the way. Instead of juggling through different medications it would be nice to have a go to prescription that works well and something additional, like Deplin, that would be able to fix things quickly.