Enjoy Life

It was a lovely spring day the day before Mothers Day and I was going next day to get the flowers to transform my balcony to “Garden of Edith” as I do every year.

I felt exceptionally good, because two days before on my last Dr appointment all test results where normal and my Dr was very pleased and encouraged me to keep doing what I do.

I was sweeping and hamming when suddenly  a very dull pain in the middle of my hart, and I immediately knew that I was having a heart attack. I sat down bewildered waiting for it to go away. Instead, the pain moved on to my left arm and shoulder. I realized this is not going away, and I had better gotten myself to the emergency. I was alone in the house but did not loose consciences.

I was given an EKG and a blood test, repeated in six hours to determine if this was really a heart attack. It was. By evening fluid started to be build-up in my lungs, I had difficulty breathing. An oxygen mask, diuretic administered orally and intravenously restored my breathing in 45 minutes.  It was a frightening experience.

Angioplasty showed 35% of deposits, so no procedure was necessary and after five days I was home.

I joined a four-month  cardio rehabilitation program, very closely monitored the first month. It helped me overcome the fear and denial. It encouraged and supervised the exercise program and after the first month I joint a strength and balance class three times a week.

Today, I am fully recovered back to my routine, and the goal is to restore the level of exercise I used to do before. I am working on it. It was a freightening experience and changed my outlook on life.

My Family

Counting the days for their arrival finally was over. It was sunny and very pleasant day to welcome my grandson and his family. Most importantly the two little girls whom I saw last when Liliana was 2/5 and Norah 3 months old.
Within minutes the house looked like it was hit by a tornado. Luggage all over the place and toys everywhere with two happy giggling little girls playing in the middle of the room. Liliana now 3 years old and Norah 9 months. I called it a delicious mess where the warmth and the sunshine came from the inside the house.
However, this is not all. There was no problem with eating sleeping sharing or toilet training. When Marita put Liliana for her afternoon nap, she asked for a diaper, you do not need a diaper anymore, to which Liliana replied “but this is not my bed”
She just turned three. Will she grow up to be considered and thoughtful towards others? I wouldn’t be surprised at all.

 I am so very proud of this family, they marriage seems rock solid, the way they raise the children, with calm voice, choice consequences and most of all infinite patience and love. There are a constant parent-children communication and Liliana fully understands it. Norah looks at the intensely like somebody who understands what they are talking about and then gives a big smile and happy sounds. Just delightful.

Well, they are gone now. The house is in order and very quiet, and I miss them a lot.

Happy Holiday Greetings

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day and did not over eat, but if you did, go to the gym or take a 30 min walk every day and watch your calories.
Well over eating is not over. The holiday season is upon us and that means food wherever you go, or whomever you visit. You not only have to watch yourself, but your children as well.
Children have the instinctive ability to regulate they food intake
To meet their needs. Do not force your children’s to clean the plate, or bribe them with desert to finish their meal. I did it when my children are where small and boy was I wrong.
Here are some tips I learned since they were small and applied to my grandchildren’s. It may be helpful to you as well.
Never use food for reward, instead reward desired behaviour with praise. Extra attention and privileges.
Do not impose strict food rules to avoid rebellious eating when the child is away from home. Don’t say that one food is good, other is bad. Rather teach them that some food is healthier than other is. Teach them the balance for eating for nourishment and enjoyment. To help this process provide a variety of healthy delicious choice for snakes and meals. After a while if you keep doing it becomes part of a healthy life style. Include fresh or dried fruits and vegetable with low fat dips, low fat cheese, and peanut butter. Whole grain bread or crackers. Yogurt whole fruit ice pops, granola bars.
A healthy breakfast is a good way to start a day and it will greatly improve their performance in school. Don’t underestimate the importance of breakfast. For me it is my most important mealtime.
Include protein and whole grain for energy and nourishment, also encourage drinking water and low fat milk instead of sugary sodas or sport drinks
For high fibber promote whole wheat and multigrain breads, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta.
Include your child in meal planning and do the shopping together if you can. Earlier you start better chance you have to turn all this hard work into a healthy lifestyle.

Healthy Attitude and your chidren

How do you build healthy attitudes?
First you demonstrate an unconditional love for your children which is easy when they are small, not so when they reach the rebellious teen-age stage. You still love them, only is harder to demonstrate. However no matter how old they are they need the support, acceptance and encouragement from the parents.
Help them develop interest and skills that increases they success and pleasure.
Help your children develop good communication skills and encourage them to express they feeling and teach them effective coping skills and make sure that they can come to you and can communicate any problem without fear from you.
Be there for them; be strong, fair and just. Never criticize unless you can make a positive criticism and never belittle.
It is not easy to be a parent but is hard to grow up as well. They are surrounded by peer pressure, which in many cases is not the best. If your children know they can count on you at all time, have no fear communicating no matter what, you have an excellent chance to have well balanced children growing up to be well balanced healthy adults.
The world needs well-balanced adults and that starts with you as a parent.

Nutrition and Exercise for Childrens

Michelle Obama launched the “Let’s Move” campaign and since then a lots of attention has been paid to healthy eating and physical activity for children. How you do that? It starts with you the parent by being a positive role model. The way you shop, cook, eat and do physical activity will be imitated by your children.
Sow them your UNCONDITIONAL love especially if you have an overweight, handicapped or special need child. They need your acceptance, encouragement and support. By focusing on your child positive qualities and talent, showing interest in the skills and pleasure will build them self esteem and the good feeling about themselves.
Do things together, like eating, outdoor sports, walks, bicycle rides. Have family dinners together, talk about your day. Have fun laugh a lot. Build good memories. It will stay with them all they life.

Good family relationship, communication and trust will not be handed to you by some fairy godmother. Sorry to tell you but you have to do the work. It is worth every bit of it because the benefits are great.

HEALTHY LIFE STYLE FOR CHILDREN

I didn’t realized how I neglected this blog by not publishing anything for such a long time. Well I try to rectify that and I promise to be more attentive to it.
Watching my two great granddaughters growing up (unfortunately from far) and seeing how they are growing adopting healthy behaviour and eating habits, it amazes me. When my boys where they age eating were a whole production and so was many other things. Everything was a struggle. We where new emigrants, didn’t spoke the language and had no family support to speak off. But that was long time ago. Bringing up children today it is a whole different ball game.
Parenting is the most important job and also the most rewarding and satisfying experience you can have. Parents have to work 24/7 around the clock to keep they children healthy happy, safe and secure. When they are toddlers they need to be thought and watched to stay away from hot food, stove, electrical outlets harsh chemicals and sharp objects
Right eating habits, playing and sharing, proper bed time and positive attitude, not much TV and more outdoor play, should start as early as possible and they will learn, if you model it to them.
Like I said parenting is a big responsibility, not easy but worth every effort you put into it.