Keep Your Cool

You may already be thinking about the fall, but the summer isn’t over yet. We can probably expect a few more weeks of scorching heat, so here’s what you need to know. The CDC reports that there are nearly 400 heat-related deaths in the United States every year. It can be hard to beat the heat, but here are a few tips to help you keep your cool:

·    If you must work outside, try to do so during the early morning when it is coolest

·    Take frequent rest and water breaks in a cool area, drinking enough water so you never become thirsty (about 8 ounces or 1 cup every 15-20 minutes)

·    Wear light-colored, loose-fitting, breathable clothing such as cotton and avoid non-breathing synthetic clothing

·    Avoid alcohol and drinks that have large amounts of caffeine or sugar

Although we should all take precautions to stay cool during the summer, certain people are particularly susceptible to heat-related illnesses: infants and children less than 4 years old, adults over 65 years old, anyone who is overweight, anyone with a chronic disease such as high blood pressure or diabetes, and people taking certain medications (check with your doctor or pharmacist).  

 The two major types of heat-related illness are heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat exhaustion occurs when the body has lost significant amounts of water and salt through excessive sweating.

Some warning signs you might see include:

·         Heavy sweating

·         Extreme weakness or fatigue

·         Dizziness

·         Confusion

·         Nausea

·         Headache

·         Either paleness or flushing

·         Muscle cramps

·         Fast, shallow breathing

·         Elevated body temperature

If you should see this happening to someone, you should move them to a cool area, bring them plenty of cool water to drink, and encourage them to take a cool shower or bath.

Heat stroke is much more serious. It happens when the normal sweating mechanism fails and the body can no longer keep itself cool. When this occurs, body temperature becomes dangerously high within 10 to 15 minutes. Some warning signs you might see include:

·         Hot, dry skin or profuse sweating

·         Chills

·         Throbbing headache

·         Nausea

·         A rapid pulse

·         A very high body temperature (above 103°f)

·         Dizziness

·         Confusion

·         Slurred speech

·         Hallucinations

·         Unconsciousness

If you should see this happening to someone, you should immediately call 911 and get help. You need to move the person to a cooler area and cool them rapidly using whatever means you can. If you’re out in the yard, you can spray them with cool water from a garden hose. If you move inside, you can immerse them in a tub of cool water. If possible, you should monitor their body temperature and continue cooling efforts until their temperature drops below 101-102°F or until emergency medical personnel arrive. Do not give the person fluids to drink unless directed to do so by emergency medical personnel.

Your mission is to use this information to care for our church family, your own neighborhood, and the surrounding community. Know the warning signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and share this information with others. Keep an eye on your neighbors, especially those who spend a lot of time gardening or mowing their lawn. Encourage children to drink lots of water and to take frequent breaks when they play outside. This is especially important if you are responsible for organizing or coaching any outdoor sports teams. Athletes and coaches are both susceptible to the heat and should take proper precautions to ensure everyone’s safety and health. Never leave children or pets alone in the car, even with the windows cracked, because temperatures can increase by 20°F in as little as 10 minutes. If any service workers come to your home (landscapers, roofers, pest control workers, etc), show them your hospitality. Offer them a cool drink and an opportunity to come inside when they take their breaks. Have compassion on the homeless, who often suffer in the extreme heat without any refuge or relief. Consider keeping a case of bottled water in your car so you can provide them with something to drink.

For more information, visit the CDC's web page of Frequently Asked Questions about extreme heat.

And may the peace of the Lord be always with you.

The Clean Eating Challenge: Thursday

I've challenged myself to go cold turkey on my beloved junk food and eat 100% clean for seven days straight. Well, maybe 95% clean... but I think that's close enough for a beginner. Here's what I ate today.

Breakfast
1/2 cup Quaker Old Fashioned Oats
2 tablespoons coarsely ground flaxseed
2 tablespoons wheat germ
1 teaspoon honey
3 dashes ground cinnamon
1/2 cup fresh, local blueberries

Spinach omelette (1 whole egg, 1 egg white)

Coffee with organic half-and-half and sweetened with 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Morning Snack
1 red delicious apple
Small handful unsalted almonds

**Today's workout was supposed to be Yoga X, but I've rearranged my week so that I can rest on Saturday when I'm traveling to visit my parents. I was going to do Kenpo X, but I don't really like Kenpo. So I did the Plyometrics workout instead and LOVED it. I never used to be able to make it all the way through the full hours. Now I not only completed the whole workout, but I ROCKED it. Go me!**

"Lunch" (Post-Workout)
10 ounces organic skim milk
4 tablespoons chocolate soy protein powder

Afternoon Snack (which I had to share with the man cub)
10 ounces plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons all natural peanut butter
1 crumbled up cinnamon graham cracker (not technically clean, but all I had... at least it doesn't have any high fructose corn syrup)

Dinner
2 cups spinach and spring mix greens
4 oz. marinated chicken
     Marinade:
     2 teaspoons olive oil
     1 teaspoon lime juice
     Generous dashes of ground cumin
1/2 cup reduced sodium black beans
1/2 cup reduced sodium chickpeas
2 tablespoons chunky salsa

Evening Snack
?????

Summary

The timing of my meals was thrown off today by having John at home. I had to wait until his nap time to do my workout, which was fine, and didn't feel like eating a full meal afterward. So I had the protein shake for "lunch" right after my workout. I intended to eat the salad for my "afternoon snack" and then make something using the summer squash I have sitting in the fridge. But I got side tracked with play time out in the yard, so I opted for a quicker snack (the yogurt). I ate the salad for dinner because the chicken was already marinating.

I haven't figured out what to eat for an evening snack yet, but I'm hungry and have not eaten nearly enough calories today to support how hard I worked out. To be perfectly honest, I would kill for a giant bag of popcorn right about now. Some salty, buttery deliciousness. But that much salt this late in the day would make me puff up like a balloon overnight. And I don't think we have any popcorn in the house anyway. What to do!! I'll figure something out.

FYI - I broke down and ate some of John's turkey sausage links, two pieces of whole wheat toast with a super thin layer of locally made strawberry preserves, and some decaf coffee with a half tablespoon of maple syrup and two tablespoons of organic half-and-half. Again, technically not clean... but I'm hungry!

Final Nutritional Breakdown: 1,984 calories (48% carbohydrates, 25% protein, 27% fats)

And may the peace of the Lord be always with you.

The Clean Eating Challenge: Wednesday

I've challenged myself to go cold turkey on my beloved junk food and eat 100% clean for seven days straight. Well, maybe 95% clean... but I think that's close enough for a beginner. Here's what I ate today.

Breakfast
1/2 cup Quaker Old Fashioned Oats
2 tablespoons coarsely ground flaxseed
2 tablespoons wheat germ
1 teaspoon honey
3 dashes ground cinnamon
1/2 cup fresh, local blueberries

Spinach omelette (1 whole egg, 1 egg white)

Coffee with organic half-and-half and sweetened with 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Morning Snack
1 red delicious apple
Small handful unsalted almonds

Lunch
2 cups spinach and spring mix greens
5 oz. marinated shrimp
     Marinade:
     2 teaspoons olive oil
     1 teaspoon lime juice
     Generous dashes of ground cumin
1/2 cup reduced sodium black beans
1/2 cup reduced sodium chickpeas
2 tablespoons chunky salsa

**Today's workout was the P90X Shoulders and Arms workout. It suddenly occurs to me that I was supposed to do the Ab Ripper X workout, too. Oops!**

Afternoon Snack (Post-Workout)
10 ounces organic skim milk
3 tablespoons chocolate soy protein powder
1 medium banana

Dinner
1/4 cup tricolor rotini (technically not clean because it wasn't whole wheat... whatever)
1/2 a medium zucchini sliced
10 kalamata olivs
4 ounces shrimp sauteed in garlic
1/2 tablespoon olive oil

Evening Snack
4 tablespoons plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon natural peanut butter

Nutritional Breakdown: 1,861 calories (48% carbohydrates, 21% protein, 31% fats)

Summary

I discovered a few things today. First, coffee with maple syrup is better tasting than coffee with honey. Second, a tablespoon of honey has 16-17 grams of sugar but a tablespoon of maple syrup has 12 grams of sugar. Third, I need to find a way to eat (or maybe buy?) only the egg whites. I hate throwing away the yolks. It just feels so wasteful. Fourth, I need to be a little more conservative with the olive oil. Fifth, it seems like I'm constantly eating all day but I'm actually consuming fewer calories than I normally do... without going hungry or feeling unsatisfied. I'm still eating too much fat, but at least it's almost all healthy fats (ie, almonds, peanut butter, olive oil, flaxseeds). So that makes it a little better. And lastly, cumin-marinated shrimp and salsa make a delicious salad topping!

And may the peace of the Lord be always with you.

The Clean Eating Challenge: Tuesday

I've challenged myself to go cold turkey on my beloved junk food and eat 100% clean for seven days straight. Well, maybe 95% clean... but I think that's close enough for a beginner. Here's what I ate today.

Breakfast
1/2 cup Quaker Old Fashioned Oats
2 tablespoons coarsely ground flaxseed
2 tablespoons wheat germ
1 teaspoon honey
3 dashes ground cinnamon

Spinach egg white omelette (3 egg whites)

Coffee with organic half-and-half and sweetened with a 1/2 teaspoon honey

Morning Snack
1 red delicious apple

**Today's workout was a 4 mile run instead of the P90X Cardio X workout.**

"Lunch" (Post-Workout)
1 cup organic skim milk
3 tablespoons chocolate soy protein powder
1 cup frozen strawberries

Afternoon "Snack"
2 cups spinach and spring mix greens
5 oz. cooked shrimp
1/4 cup local grape tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped local cucumber
10 Kalamata olives
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and vinegar dressing

Dinner
4 oz. slow cooker BBQ chicken
     Sauce:
     1 cup ketchup
     1/3 cup packed brown sugar
     1/2 cup honey
     1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
     2 tablespoons ground mustard
     2 tablespoons paprika
     1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2/3 cup steamed green beans
1 serving baked sweet potato fries
1/2 banana (I had to bribe John to eat his green beans but he didn't need a whole banana)

Evening Snack
Clean Cookie Dough Greek Yogurt (recipe here)

Nutritional Breakdown: 2021 calories (46% carbohydrates, 26% protein, 28% fats)

Summary
Today I did well, but also kind of crappy. I made the mistake of not eating enough water this morning before my workout. I took Piper for a 2 mile run and then went back out for another 2 miles right after. I started to really feel the heat and had to really slow down. Then I started feeling light headed and got the beginnings of some chills (which you'll learn in next month's health ministry newsletter as a symptom of HEAT EXHAUSTION). Muy malo! So I walked a lot of the last mile, came home to hop in a cool shower, and felt totally wiped out for the rest of the day. I ended up eating my shake for lunch because I was so tired and had the salad for an afternoon "snack." My energy level did bounce back a little bit later in the afternoon. I managed to wash all the linens on our bed and two loads of dishes.

On a side note, cookie dough Greek yogurt is awesome! Thanks for the recipe, Melanie Mitro. I didn't have any mini chocolate chips, though. I had a whole Hersey bar leftover from when we made s'mores on the fourth. But I didn't trust myself to only eat a little bit of it. So I crumbled up some cinnamon graham crackers instead. I like the crunchy texture. I'll have to add mini chocolate chips to my pantry staple list.

And may the peace of the Lord be always with you.

The Clean Eating Challenge: Monday

I've challenged myself to go cold turkey on my beloved junk food and eat 100% clean for seven days straight. Well, maybe 95% clean... but I think that's close enough for a beginner. Here's what I ate today.

Breakfast
1/2 cup Quaker Old Fashioned Oats
2 tablespoons coarsely ground flaxseed
2 tablespoons wheat germ
1 teaspoon honey
3 dashes ground cinnamon
1/2 cup fresh, local blueberries

Spinach omelette (1 whole egg and 1 egg white)

Coffee with organic half-and-half and sweetened with a 1/2 teaspoon honey

Morning Snack
1 red delicious apple
Small handful of unsalted almonds

Lunch
Spinach and spring mix greens
5 oz. cooked shrimp
1/4 cup grape tomatoes
10 Kalamata olives
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and vinegar dressing

**Today's workout was P90X's Core Synergistics. I decided to start my 90 days over to sync up with my clean eating challenge.**

Afternoon (Post-workout) Snack
1 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
1/2 organic skim milk
1 teaspoon honey
1 cup frozen black cherries
3 tablespoons chocolate soy protein powder

Dinner
4 oz. slow cooker BBQ chicken
     Sauce:
     1 cup ketchup
     1/3 cup packed brown sugar
     1/2 cup honey
     1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
     2 tablespoons ground mustard
     2 tablespoons paprika
     1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2/3 cup steamed green beans

Evening Snack
1 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 cup fresh, local blueberries

Nutritional Breakdown: 1,775 calories (43% carbohydrates, 31% protein, 26% fats)

Summary
I lost count of how many times I refilled my water bottle, but I think I've had about 80 ounces of water to drink today. Overall, I felt pretty dang great all day. I started the day feeling like complete crap because my allergies were acting up. John and I spent most of yesterday afternoon running around the back yard (literally... have I mentioned how much this kiddo likes to RUN?). I should have taken some Claritin or something last night, but I forgot. But once I'd eaten breakfast and got my morning started, I had a ton of energy and got a lot of stuff done around the house. We'll see how I do with the rest of the week, but I'm really loving this so far.

And may the peace of the Lord be always with you.

Operation "Eat A Freaking Carrot" Day 3

Today was both really exciting, and a complete disappointment in the carrot-eating department. Let me explain...

It all started with a ride in the car. While John and I were riding home in the car this afternoon, he asked me repeatedly if he could watch "Kipper the Dog" on Netflix when we get home. I'm a little conflicted on this subject. While I desperately appreciate how Kipper holds John's undivided attention for a solid 45-60 minutes, I am also trying to limit John's daily screen time to an hour or less. He learns a lot of new words from watching shows and movies on Netflix, but I would rather have him running around the yard like the little mini-marathoner he's turning out to be.

So anyway, I jokingly replied that I would let him watch Kipper if he ate some carrots when we got home. I chuckled a little to myself (after all, I am so very funny) and went on my merry way. When we got home, and battled through the assault of excitedly licky dogs at the door, John marched straight into the kitchen and announced that he wanted some carrots.

"I'm sorry, you what?"

Pointing at the refrigerator. "I want some carrots, Mommy. Then I'mma go watch KIPPER!"

"Uhhh.. okay."

To my surprise (and elation), he totally did! He ate one WHOLE baby carrot straight out of the container. I asked him if he wanted another, keeping my fingers and my toes crossed as hard as they would go, but he turned me down. He then skipped (he literally skipped) into the living room, crawled on to the couch with his bear, and asked if he could watch Kipper. He even said, "Please?"

How could I turn that down? I can't start breaking my promises, so I let him watch 30 minutes of Kipper while I finished making dinner. I had high hopes that he would eat more carrots at dinner since he so happily ate the first one, but I was soon to be disappointed. He ate one tiny piece of one and then turned his nose up at the rest. I was too worn out to push him tonight, so I just let him eat the rest of the food on his plate. Oh well.

And may the peace of the Lord be always with you.

Operation "Eat A Freaking Carrot" Day 2

So tonight was our second attempt at carrots. Since I had an entire container of leftover carrots in my refrigerator, it was pretty easy to make dinner. Once again, John seemed pretty excited when I opened the container. I had already let him count out his chicken nuggets (don't judge me, I'm doing the best I can here) as we put them on his plate, so we did the same with the carrots. He counted them out and we clapped our hands when we were done. Then he licked some of the honey-cinnamon-ginger flavor off his fingers and smiled.

"Mmmm, yummy."

"Yeah, yummy carrots. Should we go eat them now?"

"Yeah, let's do that!"

After that, it was pretty much a "Groundhog Day" repetition of last night. The only difference was that at least he would touch the carrots. He mushed a couple pieces and would occasionally lick the honey-cinnamon-ginger flavor off his fingers. He kept asking for the honey again and I kept reminding him that the honey is on the carrots. Just when I was about to give up, I had an idea.

Operation "Eat A Freaking Carrot" Day 1

So the first vegetable we're going to tackle with Operation "Eat A Freaking Carrot" is, of course, carrots! I picked carrots because they have a sweeter flavor that most vegetables, hopefully making them more appealing. I needed to keep it simple, so I bought a bag of fresh baby carrots from the produce section that were packaged in a microwaveable bag. The benefits of fresh produce plus the convenience of microwaving! Perfect.

I let John put the bag in the microwave, close the door, and push the buttons to start the microwave. This was immediately gratifying to him as the microwave lit up, started making noise, and we watched the carrots turn around and around inside. When the microwave beeped at the end of three minutes, John happily announced, "All done!" I took the bag out of the microwave, cut it open with the scissors, and poured the steamed carrots into a bowl so John wouldn't burn his hands.

"Oooo... carrots! Yay!"

"Do you like carrots, John?"

"Yeah, I like carrots."

Then came the fun part, and the part that might be my undoing.

Operation "Eat A Freaking Carrot"

First, I'd like to provide a little context for you. John is two. I know a lot of people talk about the "terrible twos," but John really doesn't fit into this category. He's a pretty good kid. Actually, he's a pretty freaking amazing kid. He naps for 90 minutes to two hours every day and still sleeps a solid 11-12 hours every night. He always says "please" and "thank you." He rarely throws tantrums, as in, almost never. He does what he's told, he likes to help, he follows the rules, and he's about 50% potty trained. He doesn't bite. He doesn't hit. He listens well, takes turns, shares, and apologizes (with prompting) when he's done something wrong. Despite my ineptitude as a first-time mom, I've so far managed not to screw him up... which is a miracle all by itself.

One of the hallmark developmental stages for any toddler is what Erikson call's the "autonomy versus shame and doubt" phase. In this critical time of his development, John is learning to do things on his own. He's gaining an understanding of his individual autonomy and confidence in his abilities to go out and explore the world. He's learning to dress himself and undress himself. He's learning to put on his shoes. He's learning to brush his teeth (with a lot of mommy's help and supervision), put away his toys, and make choices. We let him pick out his clothes by giving him two options. "Do you want the robot pajamas or the dinosaurs?" He's learning to use the potty, which is a huge deal for toddlers. If you've never seen a group of toddlers interact before, it's quite amusing. One of them needs to go to the bathroom and all the rest of them have to go "help."

So he's learning all these important skills, which he'll need as he becomes progressively more independent, but he still lives in a world with a lot of limits. Mommy determines when he gets up and when he goes to bed. Mommy decides when we go outside and when we come back in. Mommy decides where we go and what we do and who we see. Even though we give John a few choices and a few opportunities to make decisions for himself, he still lives in a world ruled strictly by Mom and Dad.

Many, if not most, toddlers will react to these limitations by asserting their authority in one way or another. For some, it's the common behavior of responding to all communication with, "No!" For others, it's controlling and manipulating parental behavior by throwing temper tantrums to get what the toddler wants. A friend of a friend's three-year-old willfully poops in his pants when he's frustrated or angry with his parents (yikes!!). Toddlers have very little control over their lives, so they will sometimes try to take control in any way that they can. For John, it's food. This is where Operation "Eat A Freaking Carrot" comes into the story.

Your Life, Your Health

We are beginning a new health ministry at Christ Church. The mission of this ministry is to serve the Body of Christ by promoting the health, wellness, and wholeness of this congregation and the surrounding community. As a living witness to the healing power of God’s grace, this ministry promotes an holistic approach to health in several ways: by facilitating discussions of physical, emotional, and spiritual health issues; by increasing self-knowledge through educational sessions related to health and wellness; by empowering people to take control of their own health; and by fostering a health-conscious community. This ministry is focused on both health and healing, combining the ancient traditions of our Christian community with the knowledge and tools of modern healthcare.

There has been a longstanding, national conversation about the state of our current healthcare system, which primarily focuses on treating specific diseases and not on promoting general health. This approach to health care is fragmented, incomplete, and enormously expensive. The Church, however, is guided by Christ’s message of healing, wholeness, and community. When He sent the first disciples out in pairs, He instructed them to, “cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you’” (Luke 10:9). As Christians, we are called to care for one another but we are also charged with the good stewardship of our own physical health. This health ministry does not seek to replace existing health services, but rather to work with community partners and resources to empower and educate, to advocate for health, and to care for people in need.

I invite you to join this new conversation by sending me your health questions and concerns, and by participating in our upcoming discussions of how we can achieve wholeness of body and spirit together. The direction this ministry takes will be shaped by the needs, interests, and concerns of this congregation.

And may the peace of the Lord be always with you.

A Christ-Centered, Yogic Lifestyle

Rather than give myself a lengthy list of resolutions to attempt to follow, I've decided to recommit myself to more fully living out my rule of life. I've been faithful to certain elements, and have struggled with others. So this year I'm going to continue my efforts at living a Christ-centered, yogic lifestyle. Happy Near Year and namaste!

Love God

Pray daily.

Pray the rosary regularly.

Participate in corporate worship.

Observe the sacraments. In particular, participate in the Eucharist.

Honor the liturgical cycle of the church calendar.

Study the Scriptures.

Love Others

Act always out of love.

Always consider others' feelings before acting or speaking.

Speak gently and do not spread gossip.

Never refuse a request for help.

Love Yourself

Keep a positive attitude.

Maintain healthy relationships with others.

Maintain a healthy environment.

Set priorities and personal limits.

Get adequate rest.

Make healthy food choices.

Exercise regularly.

And may the peace of the Lord be always with you.