Hello, Darlings! How have you been feeling lately? It’s summer here in the San Francisco Bay Area and with that means unpredictable weather (at least this year). This crazy weather often leaves me feeling unsettled or a little confused or sometimes full-on giddy! I just never know what to expect. I live about an hour south of SF and it gets very hot in the summer months. But I also own a cafe near SFO where it is usually cold/gray/foggy. I’m always wondering what to wear and plan for the worst.

Today I want to talk about health! Because we should all do whatever we can to take care of our health, both physical and mental. I’ve found some links I’d like to share with you all and will also share my thoughts on the subjects and hopefully hear what you think or some suggestions/experiences you have or had. That would be rad! (sorry for rhyming.)

Depression: I know, this one’s a doozy! But hey, it hits all of us at some point in our lives and it’s important to discuss it so it doesn’t go unnoticed or untreated. I’m not implying that you need drugs to treat depression, on the contrary! I think it is important to be aware of your moods and feelings and general happiness (or not) in order to see what sets off a depressive phase and what helps.

Not everyone has an absolute daily routine and it is because of this that depression may go unnoticed, even by the person who is depressed, for long periods of time. It is in my experience that someone else will come up to me and simply say, “Is everything okay with you? You see down.” And I’m shocked every time! Ha! But seriously, this is just how depression works sometimes. Other times I’ll just feel the ickies and not wanna do anything I would normally want to do. The following link mentions common symptoms and behaviors exhibited by those with depression.

http://www.aolhealth.com/conditions/depression/symptoms?icid=main|main|dl9|link4|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolhealth.com%2Fconditions%2Fdepression%2Fsymptoms

I think above all though, it is so important to have someone, anyone, to talk to regularly. It could be a friend or relative or co-worker. Just someone with whom you feel completely comfortable confiding in and hopefully they will do so with you as well. Why? Because we don’t always see when something has changed because we’re the same person every day or we do the same things or our schedules are so stretched as it is that we don’t have time to sort of check-in with ourselves. Another person can usually spot signs before we do. No matter what though, you are worth the effort and energy and the love and the comforts that life has to offer. You are human and prone to mistakes, yet we are all gifted with incredible minds to learn and grow with.

Vitamin D Deficiency: My husband is always telling me to get some sun. This is problematic for me because I am a redhead and have very fair skin. To me 15 minutes in the sun seems like 3 hours! And I always burn. Yes, I use sunscreens and even my moisturizer has SPF 30, but I still burn! These things are not fool proof nor are they 100% effective and you can’t just rely on them solely. Yet, I get it! We get Vitamin D from the sun and so many of us are couped up in offices or schools or what have you and just don’t get enough of this wonderful stuff!

What can a lack of vitamin D do to you? Well, for starters it can worsen your asthma symptoms. And not being able to breathe is pretty damned scary! If getting a little sun each day means keeping your asthma in-check, why not do it?! It can also put you at a higher risk for certain cancers, type 1 diabetes and heart disease. Look, I’m no sun worshiper and I don’t tan, but I see the importance in this and shoot…IT’S COMPLETELY FREE! So get some sun already!

This link has more info on the subject: http://www.aolhealth.com/condition-center/asthma/linked-to-vitamin-d-deficiency?icid=main|main|dl9|link5|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolhealth.com%2Fcondition-center%2Fasthma%2Flinked-to-vitamin-d-deficiency

Superfoods: I keep hearing that word “Super-food” and it’s usually associated with whatever trendy or exotic berry that’s suddenly being used and touted as a miracle cure for whatever ails ya. But there is something to this thing. We all know what antioxidants are or at least what they do: fight cancer causing free radicals! So we want to get as many of those antioxidants into our system as possible! But there are other “super-foods” that can give great health benefits and we should try to get some of those, too!

I know, I know, “Great! Another must-eat for my never ending list of must things.” I’m with ya. But the following link offers info and suggestions on what to focus on eating depending on your age range: http://www.aolhealth.com/2010/02/24/superfoods-by-decade/?icid=main|main|dl9|link6|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolhealth.com%2F2010%2F02%2F24%2Fsuperfoods-by-decade%2F

I like this style of health article because it actually addresses the difference in dietary needs as we age. Doy! It’s genius! Just like your skin needs change, so do your dietary needs. Okay, the fact that the above link says I should get more cranberry and pomegranate juices just makes me happy! I mean, I’m just not terribly fond of yogurt, unless it’s frozen!  Ha-ha!  The health benefits are real and honestly, none of the suggestions seem so difficult or too spendy to be out of one’s grasp. With one exception: Wild Salmon?! Really?! I just don’t eat fish, never really have. I’ve tried several types and preparations, but it’s just not for me. I wish the article would have given a few options to get the same nutrients in order to get whatever heath benefit it has. Ugh! It’s not perfect, but I’m guessing that any Omega 3 fatty acid will be great for you regardless of where it was derived from.

Eye Sight: I cannot stress the importance of regular eye exams and following your eye doctors’ orders enough! I wear glasses and while I wasn’t so keen on the idea at first (although I love the fashion aspect of wearing them, too) the fact that I just plain see better makes it worth any/all trouble involved. I know for a lot of people the thought of needing glasses automatically brings to mind the whole “I don’t wanna get old” notion. UGH! STOP IT! I’ve been wearing glasses full-time since I was 23. It’s not a big deal. They don’t make me look older, just cooler & smarter!

You may not even need glasses or only for driving or reading or something. It’s not a big deal, but avoiding an eye exam is a big deal! You wouldn’t go years on end without seeing a dentist (I hope, but I’m guilty of this one only out of financial necessity), so why put off a simple and sometimes fun eye exam? I truly enjoyed my last exam, too! The doctor was at a Lens Crafters location and was funny and nice and just mega-cool! While my prescription hadn’t changed, I appreciated the check-up and the additional info the doctor gave me about my eyes, specifically. Hey, learning is cool, I don’t care what you say!

When I came across this link however, uhhh…I just don’t know what to think! http://smallbusiness.aol.com/2010/06/30/you-can-look-now-perfectsight-a-mobile-app-for-your-eyes/?icid=main%7cmain%7cdl3%7clink6%7chttp%253A%252F%252Fsmallbusiness.aol.com%252F2010%252F06%252F29%252Fyou-can-look-now-perfectsight-a-mobile-app-for-your-eyes%252F

It does seem a bit silly, but if it’s legit and you have the technology, why the hell not try it out? If it’s only $2 and you can do it yourself (I’m all for DIY projects) in the comfort of your home and it is accurate? Just Do It! And the whole concept of being able to do this in remote areas without access to health care? I’m sold!

Also, this link details other and more serious eye health issues like yellowing, hepitis and thyroid issues: http://www.aolhealth.com/condition-center/eye-care/symptoms

Hand Health: We don’t often even think about our hands, but where would we be without them? Oh sure, you may throw on some lotion or get a manicure now and then, but only for general appearance and not for specific health concerns. Yet the hands can often show signs of illnesses that would otherwise go unchecked. For instance, have you noticed ridges on your nails? Vertical ridges (from cuticle to tip) are common and harmless. But horizontal ridges can be a sign of internal issues or even heavy metal poisoning!

Other hand health issues include tingling, numbness, cold hands, pain, cysts, aging spots, prominent veins and more! If you’re experiencing any out of the ordinary symptoms in/on your hands, be sure to have them checked out by a doctor sooner rather than later. The following link goes into great detail about hand health: http://www.aolhealth.com/2010/06/21/what-your-hands-say-about-you/?icid=main|main|dl3|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolhealth.com%2F2010%2F06%2F21%2Fwhat-your-hands-say-about-you%2F

Feet: Oh c’mon, can’t talk about hands and not mention feet! Feet are super important, too! And can I just say that most people are terrible when it comes to identifying foot health issues. How many of us have worn bad shoes or ignored a foot problem only to grow ashamed of the fact that it’s getting worse yet still don’t see a doctor? The feet do so very much for us and it is crucial to your overall health to take care of them!

We all take our feet for granted, but you don’t have to! It’s important to pay attention to your feet and give them a once-over every day (say, when you get out of the shower) so you can identify any sudden changes that may be signs of a looming health issue. From the average Athlete’s Foot to nail fungus and arthritis, there are so many things your feet can tell you about your health. This link covers all of that and more: http://www.aolhealth.com/condition-center/arthritis/foot-pain

Urine Health: The following link discusses urine health and common symptoms found in urine to more serious illnesses (sorry, I could not get the link to load, please let me know if you have the same issue): http://www.aolhealth.com/condition-center/bladder-conditions/urine-and-your-health

One thing you may find missing from my Health link list is anything to do with weight. Look, we are inundated with diet and weight loss stuff constantly! And it’s all COMPLETE AND UTTER BULLSHIT! I believe in HAES (Health At Every Size). The basics of HAES are as follows (from this site: http://www.haescommunity.org):

Please be kind to yourself and your body! You are so very worth it!

The new ABC Family show “Huge” premiered last night at 9/8central.

I haven’t read any reviews yet, nor have I even talked to anyone about this show because I wanted to watch it and let it soak in before talking/reading about it.

I can honestly say that so far (one episode mind you), I love it!
From the official site: Huge, based on author Sasha Paley’s book of the same name from Alloy Entertainment, is being developed by Winnie Holzman (Wicked, My So-Called Life, Once & Again) and daughter Savannah Dooley.
Promising, no? Look, I’m a death fattie now, but as a kid I was a string bean. I always felt weird around “pretty” girls and when I had to go to summer camp (Catholic/Charitable one at that because I was so poor) I loathed the idea of bunking with strangers, outdoors and away from the few comforts that home provided. “Huge” brought  back those memories and feeling from my own childhood.While this show takes place at a fat camp, I was so overwhelmingly pleased to see the main character “Will” played by Nikki Blonsky, stand up for herself and fight the powers that be. When she said, “I think that inside of me there’s an even fatter girl waiting to get out.” and then annouced her goal of gaining weight while at this weight-loss focused camp? Well, I just about lost it! I mean, I squealed a bit and then laughed and then couldn’t stop smiling. I’m not sure how I feel about the counselor character yet because she just seemed to walk around with a sad face. You want to believe she wants to help these fats, but I get a feeling that’s not her true ambition there. Just sayin’.

I love so many of the characters. But the one that really struck me (and it’s no wonder why) was “Ian Schonfeld” played by Ari Stidham. When he’s in the boat under the dock (?) playing guitar? *sigh* too adorable! And then the talk about the Pixies?! I honestly hope that he and “Will” hook up or become partners in crime or something. They’re just so cool!!!

So, I just checked out the official site (link at the bottom) and there’s actually some pretty cool stuff going on. There’s a bus tour promoting the show that will stop in 8 states at various festivals. Sounds cool, but it ain’t stopping anywhere near me, so I search around a bit. What I find is a link for their “Live Huge Wall” where you can upload your photo and post how you’re living “Huge.” You can also click on the mosaic and see other’s pics and see how they’re living “Huge.” I think this is such a cool thing! I will upload my on pic, tomorrow since I am not on my own laptop today.  Ha!

Overall I think that this show is great! I don’t know that it will change anything in our society, but it means a lot to fatties everywhere to see some semblance of their own image on television. I am glad that they used real fats and not smaller people in fat suits. I just hope the weigh loss thing has some lesson or facts and doesn’t just perpetuate stereotypes and myths.

Official page: http://abcfamily.go.com/shows/huge
Bus Tour page: http://abcfamily.go.com/shows/huge/blogs/null-clone/472087
Live Huge Wall: http://abcfamily.go.com/specials/live-huge/wall

 

Reading one of my favorite blogs of all time www.TheRotund.com today Marianne posted about a link that was shared with her and her horror at what this link informed her of. The link: http://www.thehastingscenter.org/Bioethicsforum/Post.aspx?id=4730&blogid=140

Her fabulously written post (and seriously, y’all should just be reading this): http://www.therotund.com/?p=861

How to explain this simply? Well, this Pediatric Urologist basically surgically removes part of little girls’ clits that are larger than average. This is an elective surgery that is performed with the parents permission. The girls are very young (5 or 6 years old) and thus have not fully developed, so who knows if their clits will eventually be larger than average or not. What’s more shocking is this doctor’s follow-up procedures and testing. I’d rather not get into it, but please go to one or both links for a better and fuller description. I’m far too disgusted at the moment to reiterate it here. Ugh! Vile sack of human filth I think that this “doctor” is. I cannot imagine in what situation a parent would think that this is the right thing to do. I feel for these little girls and hope that someone will stop this guy sooner rather than later!

And the directory for Cornell University with the Dr’s info as well as the Dean’s: http://www.med.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/phf

Yeah, sounds weird to me, too. But it gets weirder!
You see, “Karen” started out at 129 lbs and 5’4″. Um, that’s pretty slim on it’s own.
But see, the headline mentions “Healthy” and so I read on…(link to full article at the end of this post)

She had gained a total of 21 lbs. during a difficult and tragic period in her life. You see, she had never been more than 107 lbs. her entire adult life. Realizing that this wasn’t such a dramatic thing, she notes having “a very small frame.”

Look, I’m not calling shenanigans on this lady, I respect the fact that she didn’t feel healthy and decided to make a change in her life to get back to what she was used to. We all go through things in life that leave us feeling the need to change. I get that completely and have been there a few times myself. What I am calling bullshit on is this article.  I just don’t see how this lady losing 21 lbs is such news! I’ve known plenty of people who have lost 20 or 30 or 40 or 50 pounds. No one wrote an article about them!

And what about 3-5 years later on when most people have not only gained back what they lost, but more?! I don’t know that this would happen to “Karen” but for most of the human population, this is what happens, 98% of the time! I like that she mentions not worrying about a “number on a scale” and not focusing on a specific amount to lose. Rather she chose to simply become more active and get back to eating and cooking the things she loved. That is great! I personally think that more people should cook at home if they are able, because doing so absolutely gives you a better perspective on what you’re putting into your body.

Look, I don’t know why an article was written about this lady. I’m happy for her and wish her the best. I just don’t see how this is “news” or any sort of revelation what so ever. But, wev.

http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/06/14/karen-started-taking-care-of-herself-and-now-shes-a-size-2/?icid=main|main|dl5|link4|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thatsfit.com%2F2010%2F06%2F14%2Fkaren-started-taking-care-of-herself-and-now-shes-a-size-2%2F

http://www.aolhealth.com/2010/06/16/obese-woman-lack-sex-partners-more-likely-to-get-pregnant-accidentally/?icid=main|main|dl3|link4|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolhealth.com%2F2010%2F06%2F16%2Fobese-woman-lack-sex-partners-more-likely-to-get-pregnant-accidentally%2F

Headline:

News Obese Woman Lack Sex Partners; More Likely to Get Pregnant Accidentally

While I appreciate the article’s use of the word fat more than obese, the rest of this article is pure rubbish! The fact that they say things like this, “Maybe women are more tolerant of tubby husbands than men are of tubby wives” says a lot to me. It’s all bullshit! I am a fat woman, not sure what my BMI# is, let’s say it’s 5,000; and I can assure you that I have never been in want of a sex partner in my life! I’m not entirely sure what the point of the study was. I mean, they site many factors like: researchers found that obese women were less likely to ask for birth control services, and thus, four times more likely to accidentally get pregnant. Pregnant fat women and their babies also faced a higher risk of complications and death than normal-weight women.

WTF?! Look, I cannot speak for the citizen of France, but in the US, well, I don’t have statistics, just my own life experiences. Still, my friends and I have never been shy about getting our birth control! And regardless of this I am appalled about the accidental pregnancy thing. I have worked very hard to be a responsible person and have stuck to my guns about not having kids until I’m ready (mentally &  financially). I suppose condoms aren’t a good enough birth control method or are simply ignored in this study? Why only address this issue for obese women? Ugh! It’s maddening!

While I agree that doctors need to get over their own issues (the article says embarrassment, as if?!) and ask the more difficult questions of their patients, what really needs to happen is for doctors to get over their own prejudices about fat people and treat them equally! Because some doctors see someone of my size and honestly ASSUME that I am not having sex. HA! That is a load of laughs! Trust me  guys, I am and I’m loving it!

“This is not a heart attack or a stroke…but it’s an important quality of life factor and a public health problem,” since when is sex equal in it’s “public health problem” label as a friggin’ heart attack?! Should I alert the FDA/CDC anytime I have a sexual drought? I had no idea they cared!

“It seems like a no-brainer,” he said. “If you lose weight, you will feel more attractive and that could improve your sex life.” Too bad there isn’t a permanent or successful weight loss program in existence that won’t shorten my life span or far far worse. UGH! Seriously? Doctors & scientists are saying this shit, guys! It’s ridiculous! Yet somehow this stuff is in the “news” every damned day. I feel plenty attractive NOW! When I was smaller no one told me I should be a model. Now at 300+lbs? Yes, someone said this to me yesterday! I have never felt better in my life! I have energy, I get shit done and I live a fantastic, while humble in it’s luxuries, life!

Just once I’d really love for some truth to get into the “news!”