I hated the yucky orange stuff!
When I was pregnant with my daughter, I remember guzzling down this gross orange flat soda tasting drink so that I could get tested for gestational diabetes. Pffft. Like I'd EVER have that. I wasn't fat, I was pregnant and I wasn't even that big.
I was quite ignorant of my body back then, and I learned quickly how little I knew about food and health, and most importantly, diabetes.
As you probably suspect, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and the last 5 months of my pregnancy I had to stick my fingers five times a day to take samples of my blood. I visited a nutritionist to figure out how to manage my diet, and though I did quite well, I admit I cried a lot. ALL of my cravings had to go unanswered--equal to the withdrawals you get from quitting smoking--and with the addition of raging, crazy pregnant hormones.
What a nightmare, I thought. I made it all the way to delivery and as soon as my daughter came out...I ordered pizza an hour later. Phew...my ordeal was over.
Only...it wasn't. Because I was gestationally diabetic, I will now be at a higher risk for Type 2 Diabetes, which means I can't go back to the way I used to eat--not if I care about my health. Go ahead and have that junk food, Allure...but you'll only increase your risk. Yikes! I swear I hear that every time I find myself in the drive thru and I can practically see the risk-o-meter go up a notch after every piece of pizza.
I thought changing the way I ate would the end of the world. Look at all the things I can't eat anymore--and I LOVE to eat.
I realized I was looking at my life's situation all wrong. There are so many people out there, struggling to keep Diabetes from consuming them, and I'm lamenting about not being able to eat pizza whenever I want?
I truly believe this country suffers from food ignorance. We have no idea what we put in our mouths, we just eat what tastes best. Not everyone of course, but a HUGE chunk of people. I was included in that group until I decided to change.
Of course I love cheeseburgers and pizza. I've eaten them so much, I've trained myself to crave them. Now I'm working on training myself to crave good foods. I'm not saying I have to swear off everything (though one day I really do want to get to a point where I saw "ewww greasy pizza"--not there yet) but moderation is key. We don't treat ourselves occasionally, we turn treats into a daily staple.
Why did this post turn into a food rant? Good question. Let me show you some stats.
From CDC and Wikipedia:
A number of lifestyle factors are known to be important to the development of type 2 diabetes. In one study, those who had high levels of physical activity, a healthy diet, did not smoke, and consumed alcohol in moderation had an 82% lower rate of diabetes. When a normal weight was included, the rate was 89% lower. In this study, a healthy diet was defined as one high in fiber, with a high polyunsaturated to saturated fat ratio, and a lower mean glycemic index. Obesity has been found to contribute to approximately 55% of cases of type 2 diabetes, and decreasing consumption of saturated fats and trans fatty acids while replacing them with unsaturated fats may decrease the risk. The increased rate of childhood obesity between the 1960s and 2000s is believed to have led to the increase in type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents.
Like heart disease, for those who have inherited the issue, lifetime maintenance is VERY important. Peer pressure, lack of nutritional options, and frustration can cause diabetes patients to push their boundaries. I think if we were all a little more aware of diabetes and how to eat healthier, we could get one step closer to minimizing the "spread". One big step is having caloric counts/sugar counts on menus in every restaurant.
Go ahead, ask to look at the nutrition information on a menu at a popular chain restaurant. Some still don't have a breakdown menu available, but for the ones that do...remember...on average at 1500-2000 calorie diet is considered good. The truth might scare the crap out of you.
Now...there are several more issues with Diabetes than just diet, but for me, diet is the one thing I've learned about and can speak about. I don't have diabetes, and I don't feel comfortable doing a write-up on all the different symptoms, emotional affects, etc. Please, PLEASE read up on diabetes and consider donating to the following charity for research:
Diabetes Action <~~~~~Donation Link
Action for Healthy Kids <~~~~Donation Link
Giveaways:
Allure Van Sanz EBook (Your choice of Noble Releases)
Author Lisa Beth Darling’s EBook Dream Weaver
Author Fiona McGier’s print copy of Secret Love
All you need to do to enter is leave a comment. Donations are not required, though appreciated.
St. Jude's Winners: (Please contact me at allurevansanz@aol.com so I can set you up with your goodies.)
Allure Van Sanz T-shirt - J.A. Beard
Indie YA author Amanda Brice giving away her YA EBook CODENAME: DANCER - Valerie Mann
Children’s Author Margaret Rose giving away a free, autographed copy of her children’s book First Spring. - Maeve
Heart Health Winners:
Allure Van Sanz T-shirt - blackroze
Erotic Romance Author Brindle Chase EBook Trading Up - Haven
Erotic Romance Author Brindle Chase EBook The Grass is Always Greener - Dean Y
Again, thank you all for coming and showing your support. Please considering Tweeting the link, sharing on facebook, and sending out to your loops and friends through email. Help spread the awareness, and hey...free stuff!
Monday, May 9, 2011
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Six Sentence Sunday #3 for me!
If You're interested in reading more than just bits and pieces of this scene, look to the Sample Sunday post below this one. Otherwise, here's the continuation of Shy's (a.k.a. Ice's) introduction.
“He’ll show up, Ice,” Clyps said, trying to convince her over the phone. “The police haven’t cracked his pattern but I have. Father John picks the girls from three different streets: Third, Main, and Sixth.”
“And that means what?” She looked over her shoulder, noticing a couple of the hookers shifting closer to her. “Damn, this could get ugly. If they’re enhanced--I’m fucked.”
Head back to headquarters, where other awesome authors await: http://sixsunday.blogspot.com/
“He’ll show up, Ice,” Clyps said, trying to convince her over the phone. “The police haven’t cracked his pattern but I have. Father John picks the girls from three different streets: Third, Main, and Sixth.”
“And that means what?” She looked over her shoulder, noticing a couple of the hookers shifting closer to her. “Damn, this could get ugly. If they’re enhanced--I’m fucked.”
Head back to headquarters, where other awesome authors await: http://sixsunday.blogspot.com/
Sample Sunday--Murder Creek
Here's the first chapter from my Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance Murder Creek available at Amazon and B&N for only 0.99. Links are on the right below the list of donating authors. I hope you enjoy.
No doubt about it, the whores on the corner were forming a lynching party.
In two minutes, they’d call in their homicidal gang-banger pimps and Shyin Long’s half-Finnish, half-Asian ass would be turned into bullet pulp. Or quite possibly burnt rump roast.
Breathing her last breath in this place would ruin the epic end she’d always envisioned for herself, like dying in a hail of bullets after being chased to the ends of some exotic island with smelly flowers.
Here, the air stunk of delusions and cheap perfume wrapped around mildew and sewage. And she wasn’t surrounded by worthy enemies, but tall buildings that smothered the intersection like irate bookies owed money by the single street lamp.
The whole area promised death, each alley a murderer’s pathway and a victim’s labyrinth. Mulched up newspaper and fast food wrappers fertilized the pavement, rolled up to give the illusion of ripples from either rain water or a healthy stream of urine. Not exactly a clean landing pad for her corpse if she were killed out here.
“Hey, uhm. Just, waitin’ for a ride and all. Not stayin’,” Shyin mumbled, doing her best to sound non-threatening.
The prostitutes, of course, were taking her excuse and distance, as a sign of weakness, filling the air with the stench of doom.
Great.
Shy surveyed the scene, trying to look casual while calculating a good place to dive for cover.
The ‘workin’ gals’ hung off the curb, whispering to one another, probably deciding the pecking order of who would smack her first. Against her better judgment, Shy turned from them to whisper into her cell.
“My feet are killing me, my nose is frozen, and I stick out like a yellow sprinkle in a batch of chocolate.”
The laugh on the other end of the line made her want to reach through the phone and strangle her back-up man.
“I’m serious, Clyps. This guy better show because the natives are already E-Baying my jacket.”
Clyps cleared his throat like he was trying to bring himself under control. He failed hard, and she absently wondered what he’d look like missing a few teeth. Not that she had much of a “before” to compare the “after” with. The Agency didn’t allow face-to-face meetings between operatives and their handlers.
“He’ll show up, Ice.” He tried to convince her over the phone. “The police haven’t cracked his pattern but I have. Father John picks the girls from three different streets: Third, Main, and Sixth.”
“And that means what?” She looked over her shoulder, noticing a couple of the hookers shifting closer to her. “Damn. This could get ugly. If they’re enhanced, I’m fucked.”
“If they were enhanced, you’d already be fucked.”
No arguing with that logic.
“Still, getting out of here before their boyfriends or pimps show up would be hot.”
Shy stretched her shoulders and pulled the trench tighter around her back knowing the movement would show the outline of a pair of .22s complete with silencers. Another quick glance over her shoulder and she saw the prostitutes retreating.
Yippy, the message had been sent without taking a bolt of fire to the face or any other number of unpleasant enhancement possibilities.
The chance she’d run into someone with unmapped power was slim since The Agency kept a pretty good map of who could do what in the area. But no system was infallible, including The Agency’s, giving her the opportunity to earn money tracking rogue Enhancers and blocking their march down the road of world domination.
And truthfully, she enjoyed being a roadblock. Getting paid to erase idiots, who would spend their kids’ college funds trying to cheat at life, brought her snippets of warm, fuzzy happiness.
Today, like most other days, she’d get her skippy-fix hunting down another Enhanced psycho who believed his stolen powers gave him the right to victimize.
The target: A fake preacher who had a penchant for burning young prostitutes from the inside out. She’d teach him the same lesson she taught his predecessors: Murder Creek had a secret to protect, and no one walked away after threatening it.
“Okay so Third, Main, and Sixth. He’s already hit all those streets, and yet here I stand on Third Street working on turning my street name into a description.”
“This ‘Serial’ was imported from New England where he killed six girls in six major cities, probably to throw off the locals which, in the Creek, he doesn’t have to worry about as much.”
“What’s the pattern? How do you know it’s the same guy?”
“The streets are the pattern.”
“Uh huh.” This made sense, she was sure of it. She just needed Clyps to get to the Scooby Doo reveal. “Skip to the part that has me snorting icicles.”
“He always waited three weeks after the third murder. It’s time. He’ll be coming back to Third. Trust me.”
She didn’t.
“‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son’…”
“Did I blink and you found Christ?”
“It’s a passage from the Bible, Ice. A popular one.”
“Yeah that’s great. What the fuck does it have to do with this contract?” Shy turned to face the street, leaning her back against the brick wall of an ‘industry that was’.
“Main Street used to be called First Street back in the 19th century.”
She frowned and thought back to the street names: Third, First, Sixth. “Three one six.”
“John 3:16. It’s the popular passage I quoted.”
He sounded proud of himself.
“Well aren’t you clever? And if he decides to move on to another passage? Maybe John 8:12?”
Shy grinned hearing the frantic tapping of his fingers and decided to give his search engine a rest. “I am the light of the world, whoever follows me—will have the light of life.”
Clyps cleared his throat. “I thought you didn’t know the Bible.”
She shrugged at the phone. “I don’t. That was on a Christmas card the orphanage sent me years ago.”
“And you remember it? That’s a damned fine memory you’ve got.”
Shy didn’t bother to respond. In truth, she’d read the card every year at Christmas when hormones made her long for family. The card sat safely locked away in a bank vault where no one but she knew it existed. If anyone found out the assassin known as ‘Ice’ had a soft spot around December, she’d never hear the end of it.
She wrapped her arms around her chest, huddling in the large black leather trench that matched her thigh-high four-inch stiletto heels. “Tell me again why I can’t be tucked away in a warm car wearing something that doesn’t scream ‘80s stripper?” The ensemble did nothing for her future frostbite.
“The only people with cars on Third Street are pimps, drug dealers, and cops. He wouldn’t show if he saw one.”
“Maybe he won’t show anyway with my Wonder Bread ass out here.” Shy pinioned the phone between her ear and shoulder, rubbing her hands up and down her arms again.
“It’s a nice Wonder Bread ass. I’d show,” he mumbled.
“What was that?”
“Said, stick to the back and he won’t notice you.”
She let him get away with the lie. “I’m never that lucky, Clyps. Just hang on the phone and tell me a story or something interesting.”
After fifteen minutes of him talking about his super computer and his father’s newest job complaints, Shy damned near fell asleep.
Luckily, a man dressed in priest garb strolled up to the corner, rescuing her from a third snooze-worthy story. Shy personally thanked Jesus. “Here’s our boy, I think.”
“Good, now get in the shadows and watch from a dis—”
“Your part’s done here, darlin. Call you when it’s done,” she whispered, ending the call.
The shiny front of the phone became the perfect mirror to watch the scene behind her, but she had to hold her breath to hear the conversation.
“It’s never too late for the Lord, child. Come with me, we’ll talk, fill your stomach with food and I’ll pay you for a full night.”
“Oooo child! Take it!” One of the older prostitutes urged the youngest. “Ain’t no man gonna pay ya that much for nothing!”
The girl looked nervous when she took the arm of Father John, probably expecting to burst into flames for her sinner lifestyle. Shy rolled her eyes. She hated the real preachers of the world, so a fake one was double the asshole in her opinion.
When the mark and his target walked across the street, Shy reached into her pocket to grab a set of sticky rubber pads. She pressed them to the bottoms of her heels to absorb any noise her steps might make. No need to spoil the moment by announcing the fact she tailed them. The bastard would probably run the second her stiletto hit the pavement.
A chase scene in these shoes would literally kill her.
“Where ya think yer goin’? Ya ain’t gonna spoil tha’ one’s free ride, hunny, I dun care what ya carryin’ in tha’ coat of yers!”
The older hooker grabbed Shy by the arm, yanking her back to the curb and leaving her with two options: She could shoot the bitch and be on her way, risking the job, or she could give the whore a quick, but less-satisfying, lesson.
Before the elder prostitute could rant another word, Shy wrapped her fingers around the hoe’s neck, squeezing her Adam’s apple. Adam’s apple? Oh hell, penis! She’d definitely be scarred for life, but she had no time to stretch her brain around the tranny madness.
“Okay. Let’s stand here while you play your old bitch card and we wrestle a little bit, maybe a few hair pulls and face smacks, until I get bored and turn off your inside light. While we’re tussling, that sick fuck has time to start cutting on the young hoe who just left with him. Then he’s going to do all sorts of unholy things to her body while she’s dying. About that time, I’ll catch up to him with your blood still dripping down my bra-top. I’ll put a bullet in his brain pan and still get paid while your little friend chokes her last breath. It’s probably for the best anyway. A life of whoring is a life just waiting to die, isn’t it?”
The older she-male blinked, instantly dropping her—his hand from Shy’s arm. “Don’t—don’t let him kill ’er. I tol’ her she’d be alrigh’.”
“I do my job. Your friend isn’t my fuckin’ problem.” She released her death grip and turned.
“Tha’s some cold bitch righ’ there!” The whore lamented behind her as Shy jogged across the road.
Yeah, that was the rumor.
Thank you for reading.
No doubt about it, the whores on the corner were forming a lynching party.
In two minutes, they’d call in their homicidal gang-banger pimps and Shyin Long’s half-Finnish, half-Asian ass would be turned into bullet pulp. Or quite possibly burnt rump roast.
Breathing her last breath in this place would ruin the epic end she’d always envisioned for herself, like dying in a hail of bullets after being chased to the ends of some exotic island with smelly flowers.
Here, the air stunk of delusions and cheap perfume wrapped around mildew and sewage. And she wasn’t surrounded by worthy enemies, but tall buildings that smothered the intersection like irate bookies owed money by the single street lamp.
The whole area promised death, each alley a murderer’s pathway and a victim’s labyrinth. Mulched up newspaper and fast food wrappers fertilized the pavement, rolled up to give the illusion of ripples from either rain water or a healthy stream of urine. Not exactly a clean landing pad for her corpse if she were killed out here.
“Hey, uhm. Just, waitin’ for a ride and all. Not stayin’,” Shyin mumbled, doing her best to sound non-threatening.
The prostitutes, of course, were taking her excuse and distance, as a sign of weakness, filling the air with the stench of doom.
Great.
Shy surveyed the scene, trying to look casual while calculating a good place to dive for cover.
The ‘workin’ gals’ hung off the curb, whispering to one another, probably deciding the pecking order of who would smack her first. Against her better judgment, Shy turned from them to whisper into her cell.
“My feet are killing me, my nose is frozen, and I stick out like a yellow sprinkle in a batch of chocolate.”
The laugh on the other end of the line made her want to reach through the phone and strangle her back-up man.
“I’m serious, Clyps. This guy better show because the natives are already E-Baying my jacket.”
Clyps cleared his throat like he was trying to bring himself under control. He failed hard, and she absently wondered what he’d look like missing a few teeth. Not that she had much of a “before” to compare the “after” with. The Agency didn’t allow face-to-face meetings between operatives and their handlers.
“He’ll show up, Ice.” He tried to convince her over the phone. “The police haven’t cracked his pattern but I have. Father John picks the girls from three different streets: Third, Main, and Sixth.”
“And that means what?” She looked over her shoulder, noticing a couple of the hookers shifting closer to her. “Damn. This could get ugly. If they’re enhanced, I’m fucked.”
“If they were enhanced, you’d already be fucked.”
No arguing with that logic.
“Still, getting out of here before their boyfriends or pimps show up would be hot.”
Shy stretched her shoulders and pulled the trench tighter around her back knowing the movement would show the outline of a pair of .22s complete with silencers. Another quick glance over her shoulder and she saw the prostitutes retreating.
Yippy, the message had been sent without taking a bolt of fire to the face or any other number of unpleasant enhancement possibilities.
The chance she’d run into someone with unmapped power was slim since The Agency kept a pretty good map of who could do what in the area. But no system was infallible, including The Agency’s, giving her the opportunity to earn money tracking rogue Enhancers and blocking their march down the road of world domination.
And truthfully, she enjoyed being a roadblock. Getting paid to erase idiots, who would spend their kids’ college funds trying to cheat at life, brought her snippets of warm, fuzzy happiness.
Today, like most other days, she’d get her skippy-fix hunting down another Enhanced psycho who believed his stolen powers gave him the right to victimize.
The target: A fake preacher who had a penchant for burning young prostitutes from the inside out. She’d teach him the same lesson she taught his predecessors: Murder Creek had a secret to protect, and no one walked away after threatening it.
“Okay so Third, Main, and Sixth. He’s already hit all those streets, and yet here I stand on Third Street working on turning my street name into a description.”
“This ‘Serial’ was imported from New England where he killed six girls in six major cities, probably to throw off the locals which, in the Creek, he doesn’t have to worry about as much.”
“What’s the pattern? How do you know it’s the same guy?”
“The streets are the pattern.”
“Uh huh.” This made sense, she was sure of it. She just needed Clyps to get to the Scooby Doo reveal. “Skip to the part that has me snorting icicles.”
“He always waited three weeks after the third murder. It’s time. He’ll be coming back to Third. Trust me.”
She didn’t.
“‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son’…”
“Did I blink and you found Christ?”
“It’s a passage from the Bible, Ice. A popular one.”
“Yeah that’s great. What the fuck does it have to do with this contract?” Shy turned to face the street, leaning her back against the brick wall of an ‘industry that was’.
“Main Street used to be called First Street back in the 19th century.”
She frowned and thought back to the street names: Third, First, Sixth. “Three one six.”
“John 3:16. It’s the popular passage I quoted.”
He sounded proud of himself.
“Well aren’t you clever? And if he decides to move on to another passage? Maybe John 8:12?”
Shy grinned hearing the frantic tapping of his fingers and decided to give his search engine a rest. “I am the light of the world, whoever follows me—will have the light of life.”
Clyps cleared his throat. “I thought you didn’t know the Bible.”
She shrugged at the phone. “I don’t. That was on a Christmas card the orphanage sent me years ago.”
“And you remember it? That’s a damned fine memory you’ve got.”
Shy didn’t bother to respond. In truth, she’d read the card every year at Christmas when hormones made her long for family. The card sat safely locked away in a bank vault where no one but she knew it existed. If anyone found out the assassin known as ‘Ice’ had a soft spot around December, she’d never hear the end of it.
She wrapped her arms around her chest, huddling in the large black leather trench that matched her thigh-high four-inch stiletto heels. “Tell me again why I can’t be tucked away in a warm car wearing something that doesn’t scream ‘80s stripper?” The ensemble did nothing for her future frostbite.
“The only people with cars on Third Street are pimps, drug dealers, and cops. He wouldn’t show if he saw one.”
“Maybe he won’t show anyway with my Wonder Bread ass out here.” Shy pinioned the phone between her ear and shoulder, rubbing her hands up and down her arms again.
“It’s a nice Wonder Bread ass. I’d show,” he mumbled.
“What was that?”
“Said, stick to the back and he won’t notice you.”
She let him get away with the lie. “I’m never that lucky, Clyps. Just hang on the phone and tell me a story or something interesting.”
After fifteen minutes of him talking about his super computer and his father’s newest job complaints, Shy damned near fell asleep.
Luckily, a man dressed in priest garb strolled up to the corner, rescuing her from a third snooze-worthy story. Shy personally thanked Jesus. “Here’s our boy, I think.”
“Good, now get in the shadows and watch from a dis—”
“Your part’s done here, darlin. Call you when it’s done,” she whispered, ending the call.
The shiny front of the phone became the perfect mirror to watch the scene behind her, but she had to hold her breath to hear the conversation.
“It’s never too late for the Lord, child. Come with me, we’ll talk, fill your stomach with food and I’ll pay you for a full night.”
“Oooo child! Take it!” One of the older prostitutes urged the youngest. “Ain’t no man gonna pay ya that much for nothing!”
The girl looked nervous when she took the arm of Father John, probably expecting to burst into flames for her sinner lifestyle. Shy rolled her eyes. She hated the real preachers of the world, so a fake one was double the asshole in her opinion.
When the mark and his target walked across the street, Shy reached into her pocket to grab a set of sticky rubber pads. She pressed them to the bottoms of her heels to absorb any noise her steps might make. No need to spoil the moment by announcing the fact she tailed them. The bastard would probably run the second her stiletto hit the pavement.
A chase scene in these shoes would literally kill her.
“Where ya think yer goin’? Ya ain’t gonna spoil tha’ one’s free ride, hunny, I dun care what ya carryin’ in tha’ coat of yers!”
The older hooker grabbed Shy by the arm, yanking her back to the curb and leaving her with two options: She could shoot the bitch and be on her way, risking the job, or she could give the whore a quick, but less-satisfying, lesson.
Before the elder prostitute could rant another word, Shy wrapped her fingers around the hoe’s neck, squeezing her Adam’s apple. Adam’s apple? Oh hell, penis! She’d definitely be scarred for life, but she had no time to stretch her brain around the tranny madness.
“Okay. Let’s stand here while you play your old bitch card and we wrestle a little bit, maybe a few hair pulls and face smacks, until I get bored and turn off your inside light. While we’re tussling, that sick fuck has time to start cutting on the young hoe who just left with him. Then he’s going to do all sorts of unholy things to her body while she’s dying. About that time, I’ll catch up to him with your blood still dripping down my bra-top. I’ll put a bullet in his brain pan and still get paid while your little friend chokes her last breath. It’s probably for the best anyway. A life of whoring is a life just waiting to die, isn’t it?”
The older she-male blinked, instantly dropping her—his hand from Shy’s arm. “Don’t—don’t let him kill ’er. I tol’ her she’d be alrigh’.”
“I do my job. Your friend isn’t my fuckin’ problem.” She released her death grip and turned.
“Tha’s some cold bitch righ’ there!” The whore lamented behind her as Shy jogged across the road.
Yeah, that was the rumor.
Thank you for reading.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Heart Health
When I was thirteen years old, I walked into my house after being called out of school early, and was shocked to see my mother in my kitchen with red, swollen eyes. I had that moment of panic where I wanted someone to tell me what was going on right now! I didn't want them to stall and think of a way to break the news to me.
My uncle Butch died of a heart attack, they'd said. He'd had them before and was on medication to prevent more, and he seemed to be doing well. But I think, like many others before him, he thought medication would be enough. He'd be fine. It proved to be untrue. He was 45.
I kept thinking, if I'd been older, if I'd been able to bully him around and make him take care of himself, I could've saved him. Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one in my family with bad habits. My grandmother, years later, passed away. Her horrible eating habits coupled with her smoking habit took her earlier than we'd all thought. A few years later, my second uncle passed away. A triple bypass bought him some time, but in the end, poor eating, alcohol and smoking took him too young. He was 55.
My grandfather was the last, so far, to be taken.
As I look at my mother--the last of my family on her side--I see all of the mistakes her brothers and parents made reoccurring in her, and I'm determined to eradicate them not just from her life, but from mine.
To change bad habits, you first have to figure out what they are. Of course we all know that smoking and excessive drinking are bad for the heart, but there's a lot of things we do every day (or don't do) that increases our risk of heart disease. I implore all of you to follow the link to discover the best way to proceed with your life in a heart healthy way!
Now what about heart health for children? Here are some facts taken from American Heart Association:
Thousands of infants born each year have congenital cardiovascular defects. Of those who have these defects,
4–10 percent have atrioventricular septal defect.
8–11 percent have coarctation of the aorta.
9–14 percent have tetralogy of Fallot.
10–11 percent have transposition of the great arteries.
14–16 percent have ventricular septal defects.
4–8 percent have hypoplastic left heart syndrome
Other children will develop acquired heart disease. This includes...
Arrhythmias.
Cardiomyopathies.
Kawasaki disease.
Rheumatic fever.
Familial hypercholesterolemia will affect the future of an unknown but probably large number of children.
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) with its myocarditis.
This all means there are children out there whose little hearts can't support them and we need research and better medication, as well as better education for all.
In honor of this, I'm asking you, my friends, peers, and new acquaintances, to donate to these great causes to further research and extend the reaches of heart health education.
American Heart Association
Children's Heart Link
Giveaways:
Allure Van Sanz T-shirt
Erotic Romance Author Brindle Chase EBook Trading Up
Erotic Romance Author Brindle Chase EBook The Grass is Always Greener
In order to qualify for these gifts, we ask only that you leave a comment and consider giving a donation to these wonderful charities. We'd also appreciate a tweet, a facebook status link, an email sent to loved ones...whatever you'd like to do to help us bring awareness here.
My uncle Butch died of a heart attack, they'd said. He'd had them before and was on medication to prevent more, and he seemed to be doing well. But I think, like many others before him, he thought medication would be enough. He'd be fine. It proved to be untrue. He was 45.
I kept thinking, if I'd been older, if I'd been able to bully him around and make him take care of himself, I could've saved him. Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one in my family with bad habits. My grandmother, years later, passed away. Her horrible eating habits coupled with her smoking habit took her earlier than we'd all thought. A few years later, my second uncle passed away. A triple bypass bought him some time, but in the end, poor eating, alcohol and smoking took him too young. He was 55.
My grandfather was the last, so far, to be taken.
As I look at my mother--the last of my family on her side--I see all of the mistakes her brothers and parents made reoccurring in her, and I'm determined to eradicate them not just from her life, but from mine.
To change bad habits, you first have to figure out what they are. Of course we all know that smoking and excessive drinking are bad for the heart, but there's a lot of things we do every day (or don't do) that increases our risk of heart disease. I implore all of you to follow the link to discover the best way to proceed with your life in a heart healthy way!
Now what about heart health for children? Here are some facts taken from American Heart Association:
Thousands of infants born each year have congenital cardiovascular defects. Of those who have these defects,
4–10 percent have atrioventricular septal defect.
8–11 percent have coarctation of the aorta.
9–14 percent have tetralogy of Fallot.
10–11 percent have transposition of the great arteries.
14–16 percent have ventricular septal defects.
4–8 percent have hypoplastic left heart syndrome
Other children will develop acquired heart disease. This includes...
Arrhythmias.
Cardiomyopathies.
Kawasaki disease.
Rheumatic fever.
Familial hypercholesterolemia will affect the future of an unknown but probably large number of children.
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) with its myocarditis.
This all means there are children out there whose little hearts can't support them and we need research and better medication, as well as better education for all.
In honor of this, I'm asking you, my friends, peers, and new acquaintances, to donate to these great causes to further research and extend the reaches of heart health education.
American Heart Association
Children's Heart Link
Giveaways:
Allure Van Sanz T-shirt
Erotic Romance Author Brindle Chase EBook Trading Up
Erotic Romance Author Brindle Chase EBook The Grass is Always Greener
In order to qualify for these gifts, we ask only that you leave a comment and consider giving a donation to these wonderful charities. We'd also appreciate a tweet, a facebook status link, an email sent to loved ones...whatever you'd like to do to help us bring awareness here.
Friday, May 6, 2011
St. Jude's
I remember the first time I *really* paid attention to St. Jude's. I'd seen the commercials all the time, frowned and thought how sad it is to see kid's suffering, and occasionally, I'd buy something just because the proceeds would go to them. A dollar at a fast food place here and there.
It wasn't until I woke up sometime during the night after stint of pain and depression, with the TV light blaring into my eyes that I really SAW the commercial.
For days I'd had pain and wallowed in self pity thinking, "how am I supposed to live like this...random pain for the rest of my life?" And then...glaring into my eyes was the inspiration I needed. A beautifully bald-headed soldier. So young to be facing--not a lifetime of pain--but a painfully short life-time. I cried. I watched the whole long commercial from start to finish. Hearing how these children fought so hard for just a couple hours worth of playing time. And there I sat, letting my condition take me.
In that moment, I changed my outlook on my condition, and life in general. I have lived over thirty years, and though I've had pain and problems throughout...I've lived. I have a child, I've known love, I've traveled...there's so much I've done and that I'll now do and all because of St. Jude's.
These children...these beautiful, wonderful bundles of love and inspiration, may not get the chances I've had. And they deserve it far more than I. What, then, can I do except to give and give and give until I have nothing else or until the scientists make a brilliant discovery and cure cancer and lymphoma in children?
I'm asking you, my friends, my peers, my new acquaintances. Help the children who need our support in order to survive. Help give them years instead of hours to play.
St. Jude's <~~~~~ DONATE TO ST. JUDE'S HERE
Giveaways:
Allure Van Sanz T-shirt
Indie YA author Amanda Brice giving away her YA EBook CODENAME: DANCER
Children’s Author Margaret Rose giving away a free, autographed copy of her children’s book First Spring.
For your chance to win, simply leave a comment, and please consider a donation to St. Jude's. You can help us get the word out by tweeting, facebook linking, emailing this post to your family, friends, and peers.
From the bottom of my heart, and the hearts of the donating authors...Thank you.
It wasn't until I woke up sometime during the night after stint of pain and depression, with the TV light blaring into my eyes that I really SAW the commercial.
For days I'd had pain and wallowed in self pity thinking, "how am I supposed to live like this...random pain for the rest of my life?" And then...glaring into my eyes was the inspiration I needed. A beautifully bald-headed soldier. So young to be facing--not a lifetime of pain--but a painfully short life-time. I cried. I watched the whole long commercial from start to finish. Hearing how these children fought so hard for just a couple hours worth of playing time. And there I sat, letting my condition take me.
In that moment, I changed my outlook on my condition, and life in general. I have lived over thirty years, and though I've had pain and problems throughout...I've lived. I have a child, I've known love, I've traveled...there's so much I've done and that I'll now do and all because of St. Jude's.
These children...these beautiful, wonderful bundles of love and inspiration, may not get the chances I've had. And they deserve it far more than I. What, then, can I do except to give and give and give until I have nothing else or until the scientists make a brilliant discovery and cure cancer and lymphoma in children?
I'm asking you, my friends, my peers, my new acquaintances. Help the children who need our support in order to survive. Help give them years instead of hours to play.
St. Jude's <~~~~~ DONATE TO ST. JUDE'S HERE
Giveaways:
Allure Van Sanz T-shirt
Indie YA author Amanda Brice giving away her YA EBook CODENAME: DANCER
Children’s Author Margaret Rose giving away a free, autographed copy of her children’s book First Spring.
For your chance to win, simply leave a comment, and please consider a donation to St. Jude's. You can help us get the word out by tweeting, facebook linking, emailing this post to your family, friends, and peers.
From the bottom of my heart, and the hearts of the donating authors...Thank you.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Here Comes MAP!
I've been asked why I came up with May Awareness Project, and the answer is easy. I have an affliction or two--as most of us will at some point in our lives--and I decided to turn a negative into a positive. I have Fibromyalgia. I've probably had it my whole life, as widespread pain, stomach issues, and anxiety have followed me as far back as I can recall. I also have Costochondritis, which considering my family history, is a bad thing. More about that Saturday.
I became active after my Fibro diagnosis and ran a blog and Fibro Awareness tea parties and the like every May. After a while, though, I felt as if I were doing everything in life with a singular focus--me. There are so many other things that need equal amounts of attention, and if I could bring awareness to one, maybe I could bring awareness to many.
Thus, with the help of many generous authors and readers and really nice people!...here we are. Project Awareness!
The causes:
6th – St. Jude’s (http://www.stjude.org )
7th – American Heart Association (http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/) and Children’s Heart Link (http://www.childrensheartlink.org/)
9th – Diabetes Action (http://www.diabetesaction.org/site/PageServer?pagename=index) Action for Healthy Kids (http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/)
12th – American Fibromyalgia Syndrome Assoc. (http://www.afsafund.org/)
13th – Autism Research Institute (http://www.autism.com/index_b.asp)
14th – Colon Cancer Alliance (http://www.ccalliance.org/)
16th – American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (http://www.aarda.org/)
18th – Citizen’s United for Research in Epilepsy (http://www.cureepilepsy.org/home.asp)
19th - NYSVARA New York State Volunteer Ambulance and Rescue Association
20th – It Gets Better Project (http://www.itgetsbetter.org/pages/about-it-gets-better-project/) The Trevor Project (http://www.thetrevorproject.org/)
21st – Shelter Our Sisters (http://shelteroursisters.org/ ) Sunrise of Pasco County Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Center (http://www.sunrisepasco.org/donation.html)
23rd – Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy Society (http://www.fshsociety.org/)
25th – The ALS Association (http://www.alsa.org/)
27th – American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (http://www.afsp.org/ )Depression and Suicide To Write Love On Her Arms (http://www.twloha.com/move/)
28th – Breast Cancer Research Foundation (http://www.bcrfcure.org/)
30th – Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (http://www.alzfdn.org/)
31st – Bone Marrow Registration ( http://www.marrow.org/)
The donators:
Amanda Brice
Blog: http://amandabrice.blogspot.com/
Ava March
Blog: http://avamarch.blogspot.com/
Avril Ashton
Website: http://www.avrilashton.weebly.com/
Blog: http://www.avrilashton.blogspot.com/
Brindle Chase
Website: http://www.forlorn-hope.net/
Chelle Cordero
Websit: http://chellecordero.com
Cute and Cuddly Quilts
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cute-and-Cuddly-Quilts/
Dana Taylor
http://www.supernalfriends.com/dana.html
Elaine Cantrell
Website: http://www.elainecantrell.com
Blog: http://www.elainepcantrell.blogspot.com
Em Woods
Web/Blog: http://www.em-woods.com/
Evangeline Collins
Website: http://www.evangelinecollins.com/
Fiona McGier
Website: http://www.fionamcgier.com
J.S. Wayne
Blog: http://jswayne.wordpress.com/
Kally Sten
Website: http://original.kallysten.net/
KevaD
Website: http://www.kevad.net/index.html
Blog: http://dakentner.blogspot.com/
Lee Ann Murphy
Website: http://leeannwriter.weebly.com
Blog: http://leeannsontheimermurphywriterauthor.blogspot.com
Lindsay Klug
Website: http://lindsaysbooks.webs.com/
Blog: http://lindsaysbooks.webs.com/apps/blog/
Lisa Beth Darling
Blog: http://lbdarling.wordpress.com/
Lyra Totten-Naylor
Margaret Rose
Blog: http://margaretrosewrites.blogspot.com/
Margie Church
Website/Blog: www.romancewithsass.com
Megan Hussey
Website: http://goldenmuse.tripod.com/
Nichelle Gregory
Website: http://www.nichellegregory.com/
Blog: http://simplysexystories.blogspot.com/
Patti Shenberger
Website: http://www.pattishenberger.com/
Rachel Firasek
Website: www.rachelfirasek.com
Ruth Seitelman
Website: www.RuthACasie.com
Blog: www.RuthACasie.Blogspot.com.
Sarah Balance
Website: http://www.sarahballance.com/
Blog: http://sarahballance.wordpress.com/
Stephani Hecht
Website: http://www.stephanihecht.com
Blog: http://stephanihechtauthor.blogspot.com
I became active after my Fibro diagnosis and ran a blog and Fibro Awareness tea parties and the like every May. After a while, though, I felt as if I were doing everything in life with a singular focus--me. There are so many other things that need equal amounts of attention, and if I could bring awareness to one, maybe I could bring awareness to many.
Thus, with the help of many generous authors and readers and really nice people!...here we are. Project Awareness!
The causes:
6th – St. Jude’s (http://www.stjude.org )
7th – American Heart Association (http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/) and Children’s Heart Link (http://www.childrensheartlink.org/)
9th – Diabetes Action (http://www.diabetesaction.org/site/PageServer?pagename=index) Action for Healthy Kids (http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/)
12th – American Fibromyalgia Syndrome Assoc. (http://www.afsafund.org/)
13th – Autism Research Institute (http://www.autism.com/index_b.asp)
14th – Colon Cancer Alliance (http://www.ccalliance.org/)
16th – American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (http://www.aarda.org/)
18th – Citizen’s United for Research in Epilepsy (http://www.cureepilepsy.org/home.asp)
19th - NYSVARA New York State Volunteer Ambulance and Rescue Association
20th – It Gets Better Project (http://www.itgetsbetter.org/pages/about-it-gets-better-project/) The Trevor Project (http://www.thetrevorproject.org/)
21st – Shelter Our Sisters (http://shelteroursisters.org/ ) Sunrise of Pasco County Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Center (http://www.sunrisepasco.org/donation.html)
23rd – Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy Society (http://www.fshsociety.org/)
25th – The ALS Association (http://www.alsa.org/)
27th – American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (http://www.afsp.org/ )Depression and Suicide To Write Love On Her Arms (http://www.twloha.com/move/)
28th – Breast Cancer Research Foundation (http://www.bcrfcure.org/)
30th – Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (http://www.alzfdn.org/)
31st – Bone Marrow Registration ( http://www.marrow.org/)
The donators:
Amanda Brice
Blog: http://amandabrice.blogspot.com/
Ava March
Blog: http://avamarch.blogspot.com/
Avril Ashton
Website: http://www.avrilashton.weebly.com/
Blog: http://www.avrilashton.blogspot.com/
Brindle Chase
Website: http://www.forlorn-hope.net/
Chelle Cordero
Websit: http://chellecordero.com
Cute and Cuddly Quilts
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cute-and-Cuddly-Quilts/
Dana Taylor
http://www.supernalfriends.com/dana.html
Elaine Cantrell
Website: http://www.elainecantrell.com
Blog: http://www.elainepcantrell.blogspot.com
Em Woods
Web/Blog: http://www.em-woods.com/
Evangeline Collins
Website: http://www.evangelinecollins.com/
Fiona McGier
Website: http://www.fionamcgier.com
J.S. Wayne
Blog: http://jswayne.wordpress.com/
Kally Sten
Website: http://original.kallysten.net/
KevaD
Website: http://www.kevad.net/index.html
Blog: http://dakentner.blogspot.com/
Lee Ann Murphy
Website: http://leeannwriter.weebly.com
Blog: http://leeannsontheimermurphywriterauthor.blogspot.com
Lindsay Klug
Website: http://lindsaysbooks.webs.com/
Blog: http://lindsaysbooks.webs.com/apps/blog/
Lisa Beth Darling
Blog: http://lbdarling.wordpress.com/
Lyra Totten-Naylor
Margaret Rose
Blog: http://margaretrosewrites.blogspot.com/
Margie Church
Website/Blog: www.romancewithsass.com
Megan Hussey
Website: http://goldenmuse.tripod.com/
Nichelle Gregory
Website: http://www.nichellegregory.com/
Blog: http://simplysexystories.blogspot.com/
Patti Shenberger
Website: http://www.pattishenberger.com/
Rachel Firasek
Website: www.rachelfirasek.com
Ruth Seitelman
Website: www.RuthACasie.com
Blog: www.RuthACasie.Blogspot.com.
Sarah Balance
Website: http://www.sarahballance.com/
Blog: http://sarahballance.wordpress.com/
Stephani Hecht
Website: http://www.stephanihecht.com
Blog: http://stephanihechtauthor.blogspot.com
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Six Sentence Sunday #2
Continued from last weeks introduction of Shyin Long, aka, Ice from Murder Creek.
Shy surveyed the scene, trying to look casual while calculating a good place to dive for cover.
The ‘workin’ gals’ hung off the curb, whispering to one another, probably deciding the pecking order of who would smack her first. Against her better judgment, Shy turned from them to whisper into her cell.
“My feet are killing me, my nose is frozen, and I stick out like a yellow sprinkle in a batch of chocolate.”
The laugh on the other end of the line made her want to reach through the phone and strangle her back-up man.
“I’m serious, Clyps. This guy better show because the natives are already E-Baying my jacket.”
Head back to headquarters, where other awesome authors await: http://sixsunday.blogspot.com/
Shy surveyed the scene, trying to look casual while calculating a good place to dive for cover.
The ‘workin’ gals’ hung off the curb, whispering to one another, probably deciding the pecking order of who would smack her first. Against her better judgment, Shy turned from them to whisper into her cell.
“My feet are killing me, my nose is frozen, and I stick out like a yellow sprinkle in a batch of chocolate.”
The laugh on the other end of the line made her want to reach through the phone and strangle her back-up man.
“I’m serious, Clyps. This guy better show because the natives are already E-Baying my jacket.”
Head back to headquarters, where other awesome authors await: http://sixsunday.blogspot.com/
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