Some Interesting symptoms of bipolar disorder images:
Sunrise, Fort Sumter Image by Creativity+ Timothy K Hamilton
I’m not sure how often I will be posting. I have bipolar disorder, and it affects my moods, productivity, and creativity.
Here are some of the symptoms:
I have been in depressed mode for about 5 weeks now, and it seems to be ending. I’m a pain to live with at times, and I’m very grateful for my patient, kind, and supportive wife, Grace.
Fortunately, with education, care, and proper medicines and a good doctor, I now am stable about 9 months out of the year. And the ups and downs are less severe. I request that you not feel sorry for me. . .rather get educated and accept that we are all different and unique.
removed tags 2007-10-21 was #20, then dropped to zero 2007-07
Alcohol Abuse Image by dmuth
We had an accident when getting alcohol. A plastic bag ripped open and a bottle of Smirnoff Orange fell through. At least alcohol abuse never smelled so good!
Check out these community mental health centers images:
South Bronx Mental Health Council, Inc. Community Mental Health Center – 1/27/12 Image by NYS OASAS
Commissioner Arlene Gonzalez-Sanchez visits the South Bronx Mental Health Council, Inc. Community Mental Health Center (1/27/12)
Detention centre staff ‘cracked’ Image by publik16
Immigration Minister, Chris Evans… certainly there may be some obligations on the department in relation to these matters. More than 60 former staff at Australian immigration detention centres have reported long-term mental health problems associated with the stress of the job. There were 62 cases of mental illness among former guards at the Woomera and Baxter detention centres in South Australia.
has rob ford stopped beating his wife? Image by postbear a legitimate question. one wonders why the media here in toronto aren’t asking more about the mayoral candidate’s behaviour considering he’s a racist, homophobe and has frequently had problems controlling his rage and violence.
the list of his transgressions goes on, of course, including hatred of cyclists, his wish to stamp out political protest, attacks on the poor and people living with HIV and AIDS, his own personal and legal problems with drug and alcohol abuse which he conveniently forgets when asked about them and complaints describing his violence against children.
somehow this moron from etobicoke is a candidate for mayor in toronto that some narrow-minded people are supporting. it may simply be a reactionary vote because of the fact that we’ve had a liberal premier in ontario for quite a while and ford, predictably, is a conservative somewhere to the right of darth vader. also predictably, he’s a big fan of mike harris, the worst premier that ontario has ever elected. homophobic christian bigot wendell brereton, who preaches out of regent park and is only passably literate, endorsed ford’s campaign for mayor just as he dropped out of the race himself, presumably to work on his campaign to destroy ward six as a city councillor.
Govt unveils cannabis research centre Image by publik16
Health Minister Nicola Roxon says cannabis is still the most widely-used illicit drug. Ms Roxon says it is worrying that about one in five 18-year-olds have smoked cannabis in the past year. As is the case with nicotine and caffeine, THC in Cannabis, it seems, is to protect the plant from herbivores or pathogens. THC occurs mainly as tetrahydrocannabinol. THC has analgesic effects that, even at low doses, cause a high, thus leading to the fact that medical cannabis can be used to treat pain.
National Geographic Magazine (1948) … My 16-year-old daughter wants to get her driver’s license! ….item 2.. Help! My family makes me explode with anger. — Please give me some advice! (February 10, 2012 / 17 Shevat 5772) … Image by marsmet542
I think we cripple our kids when we hold them back from the reasonable experiences of their peers due to our anxiety. Each step of our children’s independence is difficult for us. It means they are growing up – and away from us. Almost nothing marks that more dramatically than getting a driver’s license and the “freedom” it provides. We have to give them appropriate guidelines (it’s not you we don’t trust, it’s the other guy) and rules, lessons and cautions – and lots of practice. And then we have to let go and recognize that just like everything else, this too is in the Almighty’s hands.
…..item 1)……aish.com….Teenage Driver…Help! My 16-year-old daughter wants to get her driver’s license! Am I being too overprotective?
My daughter just turned 16 and she really wants to get her driver’s license. She is constantly whining about it and complains that we are overprotective. She says that “all the other parents let.” Should be just give in? Is she right?
- Parents of Teenagers
Dear POT,
I think there are at least two separate issues here. One is the oft-repeated expression, “All the other parents let.” If I had a dollar for every time an adolescent said that…It is almost never true and is almost always a tool for manipulation. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be flexible. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t listen to reasonable arguments. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t evaluate the seriousness of the situation (I have changed my mind and given in to many a sleepover request when it turns out that the other parents do in fact “let”.)
The specific issue at stake is driving. I’ve always been in favor of raising the driving age until I heard some recent study results. Apparently in states where the legal driving age is now 18 instead of 16, there are few accidents among 16-year-olds – for obvious reasons. But guess what has increased? That’s right, the number of accidents in the 18-year-old category. There is no question that driving is risky – and traumatic for the parents. But it is a risk the world accepts. It is part of growing up. It is part of creating adults from children.
I think we cripple our kids when we hold them back from the reasonable experiences of their peers due to our anxiety. Each step of our children’s independence is difficult for us. It means they are growing up – and away from us. Almost nothing marks that more dramatically than getting a driver’s license and the “freedom” it provides. We have to give them appropriate guidelines (it’s not you we don’t trust, it’s the other guy) and rules, lessons and cautions – and lots of practice. And then we have to let go and recognize that just like everything else, this too is in the Almighty’s hands.
- Emuna
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Dear Emuna,
My husband and I have a very good marriage. We can talk about anything and we enjoy each other’s company. Our parenting styles are even in sync. There is only one issue that can sometimes be a source of conflict. My husband is outgoing and gregarious. He loves a big party and a “happening” scene. I am more introverted. I don’t enjoy the noise and commotion of a big gathering. And I especially don’t enjoy the social expectations. I like conversations with a small group of friends. Sometimes I feel like I am holding him back from having fun and that there’s something wrong with me. Doesn’t everyone love a good party?
- Loner
Dear Party Animal – Not,
Only one issue? You are one lucky lady. The Almighty made all different types of people with different character traits. Some are extroverted and some are introverted. Neither quality is morally superior to the other. They are just different aspects of who we are. And we can not be who we aren’t. You and your husband were probably attracted to each other because you each wanted a little of what you lacked, a little of what your partner has. So enjoy it. If your husband had wanted a party girl, he would have married one.
You can each engage in separate activities on occasion where the desires of your natures clash. And, like all other areas of marriage, you may also be required to compromise. You may have to accompany him to some large social gatherings. He may stay home with you and a small group of friends, or maybe just you! You can both learn and grow from each other and from your separate and different experiences. The key is not to judge each other – or yourself. Like I said, neither quality is superior (although sometimes society places more value on the extrovert). This is the way the Almighty made you – and He doesn’t make mistakes.
- Emuna
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Dear Emuna,
We are constantly opening our home to guests. And both my husband and I love it. I don’t mind the effort because I enjoy the experience. Sometimes our guests are friends and sometimes they are strangers. I don’t expect them to help me cook or set the table of even bring a gift (although I happen to think it’s good character and says something about their mother if they don’t). But there is one thing that bothers me.
My husband always clears the table (with my children’s help) and sometimes the guests just sit there while he does. He doesn’t complain but it really bothers me. Any tips on dealing with this?
- (Mostly) Happy Hostess
Dear Hostess,
If your husband’s example doesn’t spur them to get up and clear, it’s hard to imagine anything will, other than perhaps a direct request. It requires a particular obtuseness and self-centeredness to sit idly by, not lifting a finger, as your host clears the table. That is an ingrained bad character trait that you are most likely not going to change. If you want to continue to have guests, you need to make peace with it. I do confess that if the guests are outright rude, this may be their first – and only – invitation. I personally do expect participation in the conversation when people come for a meal (otherwise I feel like a waitress for “party of two at the end of the table”) but maybe some of them are actually more introverted like the writer in question #2 and I am judging unfavorably! You need to be solely a giver – with no expectations of anything in return. It’s the only way to do any type of kindness. And I guess it is just possible that if they watch often enough, you will slowly make an impact – perhaps on their choice of mate anyway.
- Emuna
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…..item 2)… aish.com … HOME CURRENT ISSUES Q&A FOR TEENS …
Q&A for Teens: Bach & the Shouting Match
Help! My family makes me explode with anger.
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img code photo … Bach & the Shouting Match .. Q&A for Teens
I’m tired of my family. They’re always fighting and shouting at each other, especially at me. They’re always criticizing me, yelling at me for any stupid thing and making a big deal out of nothing, until they get the best of me and I shout at them in return, no matter how hard I try not to. What bothers me most is that when they finally make me explode, they always tell me: "Why do you yell at your family?" and they make me feel really bad. They’re the ones that make me explode. They don’t get that I try really hard to keep calm, but with their shouts, insults, and attitude it’s almost impossible. Please give me some advice!
What’s your favorite piece of classical music? (No, “Oops!…I Did It Again” does not qualify as classical music—and neither does “Born in the USA” or even “Sweet Child O’Mine!”) The classical pieces I love best are the Brandenburg Concertos by Johann Sebastian Bach. If you’ve never heard them, do yourself a favor and listen to them (especially No. 5). They’re absolutely divine! (And I bet many of you agree.)
Would you believe they were rejected by the Governor of Brandenburg? Bach composed the pieces and sent them to said governor, querying whether he would like to hire Bach to create music for him on an ongoing basis. In a “Don’t call us, we’ll call you” move, Bach never heard back from the governor. Good thing he kept a copy of the Brandenburg Concertos! The full score was left, unused, in the governor’s library until his death in 1734, when it was sold for what today would be !
My point is this: many great things aren’t recognized, ever, for their greatness. And many great things are only recognized much, much later. Your family might unfairly criticize you. They might yell at you when yelling isn’t called for. Your job is to do the right thing, no matter whether you receive approval from those around you or not.
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So your family criticizes, yells, and hurls insults. I’m sorry for you that you have to deal with the unpleasantness of antagonism. I feel for you because of the pain that must cause you. However, their bad behavior and your reaction to their behavior should be two different entities. I know how hard it is to stand strong in the face of disapproval, but, like Bach, your job in your family circle (your job as a person in this world) is to try your own personal hardest to do what you believe is right, no matter what those around you are doing, and no matter whether you receive accolades from them or emotional rotten tomatoes.
When I talk with children of any age (from age 10 to age 70) who are not getting the approval and positive attention from their parents and other family members that they crave, I try to empower them with the following idea: YOU are the one talking to me, ergo YOU are the one noticing the incorrectness of your family’s behavior, and YOU are the one seeking a better way. Therefore, YOU can absolutely be the one to turn the family dynamic around.
It doesn’t matter that you’re the child and the instigators are the parents; anyone can change the negative cycle of criticism and fighting to a peaceful cycle of giving, sharing, and caring. All it takes is one strong person to have enough self-awareness to pull himself or herself out of the mélange of antagonism, keep his or her head above water, stay calm, and say, respectfully and lovingly, “This is really hurting my feelings. Let’s all be kinder to one another. Can we please talk, instead of yelling?”
It only takes one strong, courageous person with a vision of serenity and peace to change a family dynamic.
The first time you say that, expect the others to yell some expletives, make fun of you, tell you you’re the most unkind of all of them, tell you your “better than thou” attitude is really annoying, or all of the above. But if you consistently stay calm and loving and respectful and refuse to be pulled into the swirling angry maelstrom of emotions, your calming presence can eventually bring the tension levels down and can quiet the inflammatory responses.
It only takes one strong, courageous person with a vision of serenity and peace to change a family dynamic. I’ve seen it happen many times.
I have a good idea: get a copy of Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos. When you feel stressed out and frazzled and horribly angry at your family, go to a calm place and listen to that music. Take many deep breaths. Get yourself centered and calm. Then focus on your goal. Your goal is to do the right thing, no matter what anyone around you is pushing you towards. Think about the fact that this uplifting music was totally rejected, and what an incorrect assessment of the music that was. Realize that your family can make mistakes. They can yell and insult and criticize, but it doesn’t have to push your buttons because you can choose to be better than that. Get yourself calm so you can have a calm discussion with them instead of a shouting match.
I have a favorite quote from Victor Frankl, the founder of a branch of psychology called Logotherapy, and a concentration camp survivor: “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” In that space between stimulus and response lies our humanity. In that space between stimulus and response lies our personal spiritual journey that God put us here on Earth for.
You can be the one in your family to change the tune.
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Having a new lease on life with my slimVegan body,and feeling good ,with tons of energy I continued to abstain from eating any kind of animal even though many Korean people love their barbecued beef but in much smaller portions compared to Americans.
However near the end of the 4th year of my 100 percent strict Vegan Cleansing Diet I felt that my energy should be much stronger than it was, and as usual I listened to my body and paid close attention to it.
I was living and working in Soul Korea at the time during the early 90s and I was burning a lot of calories at the time enjoying my new life by vigorously ice skating every evening at Lotte World Ice rink and on week ends mountain climbing and hiking with my friend Mr Park.
I will never forget my Friend Mr. Park and his gracious family for introducing me to many fine Traditional Korean foods to enjoy.
Even though we are the same age and had almost the same diet I noticed that Mr. Parks Stamina and endurance,climbing mountains was better than mine and his dieting was just only a little bit different than mine when we would eat out together . Back then I was working as an Animator Supervisor in Cartoon film production for Television,and having been trained to observe people and their movements and habits I made mental notes of every thing Mr. Park was eating doing ,and saying. I did not have enough time and money to make a double blind test study on 2 or 3 large groups of people so I just studied Mr. Park instead.
We where eating a Korean style of Macrobiotic plant based raw foods and some cooked and some high enzyme raw fermented foods as well like Miso Soups, Kim chi, sour vegetables with herbal Green teas and some times a bit of Korean Rice Wine. Included with our meals was boiled brown rice with different legumes Tofu, sesame sauce and seed, asian pickles, with fruit plates as a snack. Some times I would share a Korean Vegetarian style fried pancake with Mr. Park.And sometimes Mr. Park would surprise me, and place an Acid forming Egg on his Bi Bem Bap!! Thats a popular Korean Style bowl of rice and vegetables. On occasion but not often enough I would sprout and grow wheat grass in my hotel room.
What I notice Mr. Park doing that was different from me was his love for Raw Honey , Bee Pollen and fresh Raw Korean Red and White Ginseng Root mixed together. Honey and Bee Pollen was animal so it was off my list.
And another thing that Mr. Park would do was sometimes on occasion he would add a bit of Fish to his vegetables or a bit of beef or pork. I would never touch the last 2 but I know especially pork is very popular in most Asian countries. Other than that we where on the same diet that lasted for at least 2 years before I finished my job with the Walt Disney Company and flew back to California USA for a check up with my Natural path Doctor ND and Nutritionalist.
When my lab blood work came back I was SHOCKED and surprised to discover the following results?
Even though I felt a 100 times better in the past after losing all my excess weight , I still did not feel at my optimum in energy levels.
My blood count looked good except for the following result:
I had Anemia with a low red cel blood count .
I was deficient in Vitamin B 12
And I was low in my Essential Omega 3 Fatty Acids
My Doctor gave me a Vitamin B -12 shot that I did not like because I have a thing about being poked with needles . My Doctor subscribed Sublingual B -12 liquid under my tongue and subscribed Iron supplements and told me to start eating fish for my essential Omega 3 fatty Acids.
I found out later that I was not alone , and that other people experienced the same thing.
Did you ever see the Movie or Video called “ Super Charge Me “ directed and acted by Jenna Norwood?
Well after only 30 days of strict raw vegan dieting and remember mine was almost 4 years straight, her Doctor after looking at her blood lab results informed Jenna that her red blood cell count was lower and borderline Anemic.
She called David Wolf who is an Expert Nutritionalist and Food Researcher about her findings.
David , advised her to take more green vegetable juices ,especially Parsley,Dandelion,and Spinach. And to eat more dark red cherries , and more dark red berries of every kind that is rich in the mineral iron. David is right of course as all the above mentioned foods ,will supply the body with dietary organic Iron to correct the Anemia. At the time I did not have David with me to consult with, and so I had to figure things out a lot on my own over the years ,and research a lot about how to best keep my vitamin B -12 at normal range and my Omega 3 Fatty Acids optimized.
Even if a person eats enough foods rich in Iron like , Beef, Fish, Poultry,and for Vegetarians ,Beans,and all kinds of fruits including dry fruits, and green leafy vegetables like Spinach things can still go wrong if you sway away from NATURE and nibble on that man made processed glue thats advertised in print and media.
Seliac Disease or condition,plus Gluten Intolerance, or people that are allergic to Gluten grains , like Wheat ,Rye,and Barley will have a hard time absorbing the mineral Iron even if they think they are on a good diet. Grains normally along with a few root vegetables like potatoes are very starchy foods and offer less bio available nutrition to the body as compared to vegetables growing above the ground.( Go for a lot of Dark Greens rich in Iron)
Crones Disease or condition, which is a chronic inflammatory auto immune disorder that affects the small intestine and other parts of the intestinal tract can cause Iron deficiency leading to Anemia as well.
Even parasitic infections can cause iron deficient anemia as some invading parasites are capable of feeding off of your blood supply.
Parasites live in all meats of every kind so my recommendation is to cook the meats well, and to eat the wild game meats as condiments and not as the main course at any meal.
It takes a lot longer to properly chew any meat until it becomes liquid in your mouth , and on top of this it even gets more challenging for us to digest the meat proteins in comparison to plant based proteins. The meat takes longer than any other food group out there for time of digestion, and transit time through your body,and if this isn’t enough, all meats are very Acid Forming inside our body and if eaten in excess could cause an imbalance with our intestinal friendly flora bacteria living in our gut, that would compromise our immune system .And I could say a whole lot more why we should not eat so much meat ,and I have to save it for another article because ,there would not be enough space left on this page to do so. So trust me on this , a lot can go wrong with eating to much land meat in our diet, including sea food that is farm raised.
Wild fish in moderation agreed with me ,such as Salmon, Mackerel, Sardines and Herring.
I personally do not eat any Beef or Pork and very rarely any poultry with their eggs.( And if I did it would be open free range and organic , chickens or ducks running around some villagers back yard living a free life like nature intended . I purchase my wild sea food from my local Sea GypsyVillage.
People living in the 5 Blue Zones noted for longevity live on a Plant Based Whole Food Diet that includes a little bit of wild free range protein as a condiment only. With their primarily vegetarian plant based meals with much of their diet RAW they eat small meals spaced out.
The founder of the Blue Zones ,Mr Dan Buettner with his Expert team of Scientists supported by the National Geographic Society Magazine, in 2004 made a discovery that in my opinion should, and must wake up every person living in our modern day society, to take notice and to act upon and learn about LIFE from the people living in the Blue Zones around the world.
The 5 Blue Zone locations around the world now famous for peoples Longevity ,Good Health, and Happiness are the islands of Okinawa Japan,the island of Sardinia Italy, Nicoya Peninsula Costa Rica,Loma Linda (Seventh Day Adventists), California USA, and the island of Ikaria, Greece.
I find it interesting that the 3 Blues zones that have a lot in common that contribute to the peoples longevity in Okinawa Japan, Sardinia Italy, and Lorma Linda California,are as follows.
The Family is priority and has great purpose in their lives.
Non Smokers, as Centenarians (People who live to be one hundred years or older)from the studies do not typically smoke.
A Plant Based Diet for life is primarily their choice for consumption of plants from nature.
Constant every day moderate physical activity with rest periods.
A strong sense of community and purpose ,with all people engaged in social activity.
Legumes or Beans are commonly consumed.
From my own experience and observations starting over 35 years ago when I first visited Thailand, I was overwhelmed with curiosity as to why all the Thais that I observed where thin ,lean and in good shape. And I can remember at that time that I was self conscious of my own body being very overweight from consuming the processed Standard American Diet (SAD). Back then not previously having the experience of traveling overseas ,it really hit me because I thought that it was a normal thing in society to have a certain population segment to be overweight or even obese as I was just a young man looking for adventure in a new country.
The Thai people back then primarily ate a traditional Thai diet of Rice, Noodles,lots of Vegetables, Fruits and seafood that would delighted any persons taste buds. But what really got my tasted buds jumping around like Mexican Jumping beans on a hot stove, where the hot Thai Chili Peppers that every Foreign Tourist will experience sooner or later as Thais will serve it HOT unless you order it otherwise. (Always keep a big glass of cold ice water near by)
I also noticed in my travels to up country in Thailand even today that life is really simple and the Thai people continue to eat the traditional fare of Greens with Rice and fresh fruits with the usual spicy hot dishes that they are famous for especially in the North East of the country.On my last visit to the up country in Thailand’s North East I witnessed interesting bits of edible protein ,very popular with the villagers,such as Beatles,Grasshoppers,Ants,Lizards and Frogs.
I gave a pass on the first four, but I did try the Frog Soup and it was tasty and not bad at all.Remember that these people are still eating from nature, with their Fruits and lots of Vegetable Greens and less processed food from out of a box. My Thai wife name Am continues to practice her traditional Thai North East diet today but does get distracted now and then, and falls prey to temptation from processed fast foods , only because we now live on a tourist island with lots of out side influences, but that is another story.
Today after my first trip 35 years ago to Thailand I definitely see and notice a negative change of health in some of the Thai People in general in comparison of 3 decades ago ,that also affects other developing countries that I have travelled to as well. In Bangkok and Phuket I see much more Obesity and over weight problems in general in comparison to the past, and when I talk with western trained Thai Md’s ,they all agree with me, for this point of view. At one time , I read a report a few years back that Thailand was the country along time ago with the lowest rates of Cancer for any country , anywhere in the world ! Now today this disease is going up along with Diabetes and other chronic ailments as well. Last reported the Thai government wanted to crack down on all processed foods that contain Hydrogenated Fats to protect their people from Diabetes ,that I learned from in a radio announcement.
What I have learned from all of this is very simple. You may be surprised but Yes I later updated and adopted a diet from the 5 Blue Zones and tailored them to suite my own life style,to learn from the information and to implement what works for me .I guarantee that in time you will see and feel a positive difference in your own life and well being as well, with time and effort on your part. I know this because I have been practicing a type of my own tailored Blue Zone life style, by shear fate ,and good fortune, and discovered on my own, that a Blue Zone diet and life style, really does work!
From 1979 through 1990 living in Los Angeles California ,a close friend of mine influenced my eating habits and life style to help me to make a profound positive change to my unhealthy living and obesity. My friend was a Seventh Day Adventist follower ,and I still remember the day that we spent together on her older brothers family farm that grew and sold the very popular Apple Pears to the Asian market place.
Other positive influences that helped me where the teachings of Asian Macrobiotics, Mediterranean Diets, the Thai Cuisine with all its wonderful herbs and spices ,and the Raw California Cuisine diet , along with Anne Wigmores Wheat Grass movement .All of these Plant Based programs helped me to make a healthier change that required many steps for me to implement ,and to finally take back my health. Believe me I know that it was not so easy to do this,with all the every day food temptations out there,such as the advertising, the peer pressures, the sounds , visuals, smells and addictions of processed foods .It was literally overwhelming to me, for a long time during those days. But with good planning ,persistence, and acquired knowledge I eventually beat the odds that where stacked against me and you can too.
The 5 Basic Blue Zone Diet Models at a Glance:
Island of Okinawa Japan Diet:
Their diet is heavy on grains of all kinds , with fish and vegetables,but light on land meat and dairy products. The Okinawans consume fermented foods such as Tofu,Miso Soup,and Seaweeds. They eat many different herbs and greens including Bitter Mellon.
Many small servings of Green and Yellow vegetables,including Sweet Potatoes,with a small amount of fish less than half a serving at one sitting per day maybe 2 or 3 times per week.
The Okinawans consume more than the general population of Japan in the way of Soy including fermented Soy such as Miso Soup, and other legumes plus sprouts green onions and Green Tea ,and Mugwort Tea beverages including a strong distilled Rice Wine called Awamori.
Pork may be consumed, but very rarely would eggs or any dairy or the last two could be completely omitted from their diet.
They also enjoy Mushrooms such as Shiitake ,Turmeric Root , Peppers and Fennel.
This diet looks and sounds like the Macrobiotic diet along with my Seventh Day Adventist program, that I followed more than 30 years ago to lose all my excess weight .I can say that it does work. An important note is the Okinawans never overeat at one sitting, compared to many other cultures.To recap ,the Plant Based diet is very heavy on Leafy Greens ,Assortment of other vegetables and fruits, and whole grains, with some fish, fermented soy, green tea , and a natural Rice Wine in moderation. Okinawa Japan has more Centenarians of people living over one hundred years of age, per capita than any other country in the world today.
Okinawans know how to live right, for proven Longevity.
Island of Sardinia Italy Diet:
Sardinia is located in the Mediterranean off the coast of Italy and is reported to have the longest living Men in the world today. Sardinians enjoy high fiber whole grain sour breads that contain probiotic live bacteria that support their intestinal health. Their Cheeses are grass fed from sheep that would supply Omega 3 fatty acids, that would not be found from live stock that is grain or corn fed that we find in the USA and other countries around the world.
Sardinia is famous for their rich dark wines , organic and unique to their island ,referred to as the black wine boasting the highest anti oxidants of any known wine today.The fermentation process is longer than most other wines explaining the high anti oxidant protection. The important thing to remember is that they drink their wine with their meals and not separately.
The islanders enjoy seafood of squid,tuna,lobster,and sardines in moderation. They also enjoy lots of Leafy Greens ,Beans ,and an assortment of different vegetables, with tomatoes, and herbs such as Mint,Myrtle,Basil,Oregano,and of course the King of Herbs Garlic.
Nuts are enjoyed often. The Mediterranean Diet is well documented for good health and longevity, not to mention how delicious many of the recipes are as well.
Loma Linda California USA Diet:
The Seventh Day Adventists of Loma Linda California enjoy exceptional health and longevity that is part of their living standards with their faith and strong community support. The people of Loma Linda are primarily Vegetarian and enjoy a Plant Based whole food diet rich in various Fruits and Vegetables. Their diet is rich in nuts and beans. And they may eat meat very little and sparingly. The interesting part is what they do not eat. They will not eat pork, shellfish,drink no alcohol, and smoke no tobacco. They avoid coffee ,tea, and all soft drink beverages containing caffeine. We can all learn something good from the healthy life style and diet of Loma Linda California.
Nicoya Peninsula Costa Rica:
It seems to me that the diet of Nicoya is more fatty than the other 4 Blue Zones but other than that , other factors could play in their good fortune of Longevity,such as being the closest of the Blue Zones ,to our earths equator and having fresh air and vitamin D tropical sunshine all year round. They enjoy Rice,Fried Plantain,Onions,and meat of chicken or beef.Also Eggs ,Beans, and Cabbage or Lettuce salad sprinkled with Lemon Juice or Salt.
Squash,Corn ,Rice ,Beans, and Leafy Greens are all very high in fiber and they eat lightly and enjoy their community and out door gardens and social community life.
Island of Ikaria Greece Diet:
A wonderful Mediterranean diet of Leafy Greens ,Grapes,Figs,Pumpkin and Squashes with herbs of Fennel,Oregano and St. Johns Wort to just name a few. Olive Oil is big on the island that is used on many of their meals that would include wild mushrooms,Bean Soups,Chestnuts ,Almonds, Apples, Pears,all eaten in season and locally produced from gardens on the island.
Locally made Organic Red Wine is enjoyed with meals with Whole grains and potatoes in moderation .The islanders of Ikaria Greece enjoy a big assortment of whole food vegetables and fruits.Fish from the sea is prominent in their diet taken on occasion.
Raw Goat milk yogurt with raw honey is part of their diet as well.
I find it interesting that 2 out of the 5 Blue Zones are Mediterranean Diets.
To recap the 5 Blue Zone Diets: They are all Primarily Vegetarian and Whole Food,Plant Based in Nature.Their diet consists of complex carbohydrates directly from NATURE and not the simple carbohydrates found in processed foods so prevalent in our modern day society. Their foods are in season and locally grown Organically and they eat nutrient dense calories that are very high in fiber,and rich with natures anti oxidants. With food like this their top soil would have to be properly amended organically and their crops would be well diversified. A lot of them have their own garden plots and therefore they are connected with NATURE. Dark Leafy Greens and Fruits are eaten by all 5 Blue Zones locations.
And many of them incorporate some kind of fermented probiotic natural food into their diet plan as well. Their diets are richer in the minerals Magnesium and essential Omega 3 Fatty Acids plus trace minerals and vitamins that are officiant in a modern fast food society that we know of today.
The people of the 5 Blue Zones truly are living Earth Friendly as nature intended.
“Would the Breakfast with Barry Gourmet & Raw Photo qualify as a Blue Zone Breakfast?”
The Blue Zone Diet plan for longevity is just part of the picture ,although a very important one.
Dan Buettner with his team of researchers discovered 9 more important factors to complete the picture for the secret of Longevity as follows.
1- Make natural movements with your body every day . Examples are gardening,walking, swimming in nature,bicycling,dancing,having social fun playing , hiking, and stretching.
2- Having a Purpose in Life. Enjoying the work that you do. Optimistic about your daily activities.
3- Not working to hard , slowing down , and taking things in stride.
4- Not eating to much at one sitting. Eating only enough to be satisfied but not to full.
5- Eating lots of various vegetables but not to much meat.Eating often socially together.
6- Having the occasional glass of natural organic Red Wine or some home made Rice Wine that supplies high antioxidants and cultures.
7- Belonging to a community,or having a social network.
8- Sharing personal Beliefs or Spirituality.
9- Making Family a priority .(Strong Family connections through out)
Barrys Health and Weight Loss Tip:
The reason that I chose the 5 Blue Zones to study as a relevant topic for health and weight loss is very simple. The people of Okinawa Japan,Sardinia Italy, Ikaria Greece, Linda Loma California,and Nicoya Peninsula Costa Rica have been living and eating their natural diet for years , decades, and generations long before fad diets became fashionable. I believe lessons can be learned here from these people that truly live well past 100 years of their life ,and they are living testaments of Real Health Happiness and Longevity.
I believe when Dan Buettner wrote his 2 books , entitled “Thrive” finding Happiness the Blue Zones Way and the second book “ And the Blue Zones” lessons for Living Longer from the people who’ve Lived the Longest was his way of sounding the alarm.I believe Dan wanted to help many people living in the modern world to look and think about their own personal diet choices that may not be working so well for health and longevity?
It really dose not matter where you live. You actually do not have to live in a Blue Zone to achieve Happiness and Vibrant Good Health in your life. In fact you can adopt a Blue Zone way of life right where you are living right now today. It can be in steps or stages , like replacing processed packaged goods with real food from nature like fruits and vegetables, and using the internet for recipe ideas as there are thousands of them out there on line.It just takes a little of your time and effort ,and discovery ,to embrace the journey, to better lasting disease free health and desired weight loss and longevity.
“ If it grows out of the ground or on a tree,and occasionally swims wildly out at sea,then I will take 1,and 2 and occasionally 3.”
Barry Gourmet & Raw
Is the island of Phuket Thailand a Blue Zone ?
Phuket island is the largest island in the Kingdom of Thailand located in the south facing the Andaman Sea on the east side of the country. The weather is good all year round with scattered rains during the green season and bright Vitamin D sunshine through out the tourist high season. November to April for six months of the year is the time when the sea is calm and clear with good visibility for swimming and looking at coral marine life,but accommodation pricing is a bit higher at this time of year.But September 27 to the 5th of October offers a very special event on the island. The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is not to be missed. How did it all start? About 150 years ago ,a large community of Chinese Tin Mine workers ,became very ill from some kind of epidemic disease, and many died. Realizing that they forgot to practice their belief of paying homage to their Gods they decided to sent one of their own to China for help .An entourage of a High Chinese religious committee returned to Phuket island to bring back the missing Chinese culture of respect to their nine Empire Gods.They practiced vegetarianism with out any disease fatalities and soon adopted a yearly festival known today as the Phuket Vegetarian Festival.
So since then they have celebrated every year the Vegetarian Festival on Phuket island with the possessions starting at all the prominent Chinese Temples in Phuket Town.
The commitments of the Phuket people are as follows for this Festival.
1- Cleanliness of the body during the Vegetarian Festival.
2- Wear white during the Festival includes shirt and trousers.
3-Behave proper physically and mentally with out any conflicts.
4-Clean kitchen utensils not to used by others who do not participate in the Festival.
5- Avoid eating any meat of any kind.
6-Avoid having Sex.
7-Avoid any Alcohol
8-People in morning should not participate in the Festival, it is discouraged.
9-Pregnant women and menstruating women should not attend ceremonies.
Yes the Chinese Thais can be very superstitious in their beliefs,but this sense of community is what keeps their culture alive and well, and I have to admit that I do see a lot of very old people walking around at this time of year.
The nice thing is at any time of the year here on Phuket island it is not hard to find a VeganVegetarian Restaurant that even serves brown rice with lots of leafy greens and other treats. Some of their plant based dishes are world famous like the spicy Papaya Salad (Som Dum) Suki Yaki which is a sort of do it your self heated vegetables in water with your choice of fish and land meats with salads on the side.Then there is a dish called “Can-om Jeen” which is noodles with your choice of different curry sauces and served with a big plate of different vegetables for you to choose from.
Every where you can see in certain sections of the island loads of Plant Garden Nurseries that sell organically grown edibles and ornamentals. One time I saw an elderly Phuket Man siting at a park bench with his bicycle looking at the monkeys playing in a tropical marine mangrove.I stopped to greet him. You know the feeling when you see a person and it just seems right to be sociable ,even if that person is a perfect stranger. His name was Mr. Lee and he could not speak any English so I spoke to him in my best pigeon Thai language and it turned out that he was 72 years old and looking very fit and lean despite his weathered face. We both rode our mountain bikes to my place for Tea and Fruit, and then all around the southern end of the island. I was so impressed with Mr. Lees endurance climbing the hills and his easy and happy disposition with everything in his life.
When you look closer at the Thai Traditional Diet ingredients ,it is not hard to see why many of the Thai people can be so healthy and look so good in their advanced years if they stay on such a diet.
Where I live there are many Thai Temples in my area and in particular there is one temple that is very well known,respected and famous among the Thai People.This place is home to a senior Thai Buddhist Monk named Lung Pu Supha and his birthday is at 115 years old and he could very well be the oldest man living today in the world.He is so respected and revered by the Thai people for his long life and his good deeds and cultural wisdom for the people.
Even if Phuket Thailand is not a Blue Zone , or where you live is not listed as a Blue Zone the important thing is that we can make personal choices in our life to learn from elders that do live very long and healthy lives .We can learn from them.
“Food appeals to all our sences , taste ,smell, touch, visual,feeling of anticipation, and the sound of hearing ourselves eat”
Barry Gourmet & Raw
Requiem For A Dream Image by tj.blackwell
Designed by architect Edward J.Vickers over a century ago, these stern Gothic towers ring out with silent memories of the thousands who were once interned here. No institution in the the health services of modern day England can quite compare to the scale and breadth of this self-reliant asylum village in its heyday.
The building itself is a truly magnificent example of Vickers Edwards architecture, hewn by Victorian miners from local gritstone quarries. Its soaring walls stand in defiance of the outside world, isolating and insulating the many former wards, blocks and administrative buildings within. I couldn’t help but imagine that there was a certain atmosphere of "Shawshank Redemption" about the place!
FAIRHOPE, LOUISIANA …..item 2..Letters to the editor — Higher education isn’t for everyone — No wonder the herd on Wall Street is so inarticulate (November 3, 2011) … Image by marsmet552
Bouke-White and Caldwell saw the South as feudalistic, as did other critics of the system of sharecropping. The revealing phrase ‘my workers’may be heard in factory and downtown office building as well as at the end of the cotton rows ," wrote Arthur F. Raper and Ira De A. Reid in their 1941 work, Sharecroppers All (v).
…….***** All images are copyrighted by their respective authors ……
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Looking at matters like "low wages, insecurity, and lack of opportunity for self-direction and responsible participation in community affairs," they defined a sharecropper as one who "shares in the risk without sharing in the control," including many non-farm workers (Raper vi).
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…..item 1B)…..Photographing the Representative American:
The title is You Have Seen Their Faces," said Skinny. "How do you like it?"
The name implied just what I had been searching for as I worked.
Faces that would express what we wanted to tell. Not just the
unusual or striking face, but the face that would
speak out the message from the printed page
(Sternsher 117)
Travelling across the American South with writer Erskine Caldwell (Tobacco Road) between 1935 and 1937, Margaret Bourke-White photographed the people of the Depression. Of course she was not the only photographer to document the Great Depression-there were other big names, like Dorothea Lange, Walker Evans, Russell Lee; there were Ben Shahn, Marion Post Wolcott, Arthur Rothstein, and others, as well as countless uncredited Farm Security Administration photographers. Their images remain powerfully with us still.
These images define the Great Depression.
Why are there so many photographs of the depression, and why are they so defining? Who was Margaret Bourke-White? And what is distinctive about the ways in which she photographed the Depression? How did she define "the face that would speak out the message from the printed page," the representative American?
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…..item 2)…. Tallahassee Democrat Newspaper … www.tallahassee.com … Letters to the editor … Higher education isn’t for everyone
Re: "Professor: students are ill-prepared for science" (letter, Nov. 3).
I commend Professor Walter R. Tschinkel for his letter, which gives credence to the sad truth that what passes for education in this country now is but a shadow of its former state. When I graduated from Florida State University in 1963, I felt that I had a passable education, but when compared to that of my parents’ peers it was lacking. Like so much else in our culture, we have thrown billions of dollars into a system that can barely teach youngsters to read, much less think critically or deeper than "like, you know, it kinda sucks."
My education was so much better than what is offered today that I am amazed it even goes by the same name. No wonder the herd on Wall Street is so inarticulate and given to such inane slogans. Until we face facts that not every child is equally intelligent or motivated and direct such students into vocational education and concentrate higher education on those capable few who want and can withstand the rigors of a difficult curriculum, we have to give up dreams of a better America. Imagine, we sent the astronauts to the moon using slide rules. No one today even knows how to use one and would be lost without a computer to solve mathematical problems. Amen, Walter.
Recovery 01 Image by joseph beuys hat
Sometime between 1983 & 1995 I became an alcoholic. The reasons why are many & various & took a long time to recognise, ignore, acknowledge, obfuscate, avoid &, when the money ran out (mine & my neighbour’s), seek treatment. Prior to ‘the seeking of treatment’ I had lived a number of lives in education as teacher, project manager & advisor. Briefly I had plugged a finger in the hole of the collapsing dam by writing & publishing. In all these careers I was successful but my drinking was a triumph.
Check out these co dependent personality disorder images:
Panorama of the bathroom Image by katybeck
In the bathroom, hand lettered questions from the American Psychiatric Association survey of co-dependency and dependent personality disorder.
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If You Fall…
An Exhibition Celebrating Dependent Relationships.
