The Blind Girl

This is PCOS related, but it's definitely something to remember....

There was once a blind girl who hated herself for no other reason except that she was blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She said that if she could only see the world, she would marry her boyfriend.

One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her and then she could see everything, including her boyfriend. Her boyfriend asked her, "Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?" The girl was shocked when she saw that her boyfriend was blind. Not wanting to be burdened by a 'blind' person, she refused to marry him.

Her loving, devoted and understanding boyfriend walked away in tears. His heart obviously broken.

The girl who had been so fortunate to have the world opened up to her, continued enjoying it; day in and day out.... trying to never miss a single pleasure life had to offer.

One day she received a letter from her ex-boyfriend stating simply.......

"I sincerely hope you enjoy your life. Your happiness was all that ever mattered to me. I am so happy that you are enjoying life as I always hoped you could. I would like to ask one parting favor of you my dear ... Just take care of my eyes."

This, as sad as it may seem, is how the human brain changes when our status changes. Only a few remember what life was like before and who's always been there even in the most painful situations.

Life Is A Gift

Today before you think of saying an unkind word - Think of someone who can't speak.

Before you complain about the taste of your food - Think of someone who has nothing to eat.

Before you complain about your husband or wife - Think of someone who's crying out to God for a companion.

Today before you complain about life - Think of someone who went too early to heaven.

Before you complain about your children - Think of someone who desires children but they're barren.

Before you argue about your dirty house, someone didn't clean or sweep -
Think of the people who are living in the streets.

Before whining about the distance you drive - Think of someone who walks the same distance.

And when you are tired and complain about your job - Think of the unemployed, the disabled and those who wished they had your job.

But before you think of pointing the finger or condemning another - Remember that not one of us are without sin and we all answer to one maker.

And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down - Put a smile on your face and thank God you're alive and still around.

Counting Calories

Along the same lines as the 100 Calorie Packs I wrote about previously, I'm always looking for quick and easy ways to keep track of the calories I eat each day. I found a great site that does the calorie counting for you! It's called My Fitness Pal.

This site offers a free calorie counter that is so simple and easy to use! And the best part is, it learns from you! We often eat the same foods over and over again, and this program remembers what you've eaten most often in the past, and makes it easy for you to add those foods to your log. The more often you track your meals, the easier it becomes!

My Fitness Pal works with any diet, whether it's Atkins, Weight Watchers, South Beach and others. They also offer messages boards that provide motivation and help 24/7. And the best part is, it's FREE!

So if you're looking for a quick and easy calorie counter, check out MyFitnessPal.com.

100 Calorie Packs

Have you seen these? I think these are an extremely smart marketing idea. I'm one of those people that has a hard time stopping at just one handful out of the bag of chips, or a couple cookies out of the box. With these 100 calorie packs, it's so much easier to stop after 100 calories! You've finished the bag, and you're done. Check out all the manufactures who offer 100 calorie packs:

Balance Bar
Hostess
Oberto
Pepperidge Farms
Jell-O Pudding
Orville Redenbacher's Popcorn
Chex
Jolly Time
Pop Secret
Frito Lay Brands
Keebler
Pringles
Goldfish
Klondike
Thomas'
Hershey's
Nabisco
Vitalicious

Yosemite Chicken Stew and Dumplings

Skinless chicken is the basis of this delicious stew; cornmeal dumplings are made with low-fat milk.

INGREDIENTS
Stew

1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken meat, cut into 1" cubes
1/2 cup onion, coarsely chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste
1 pinch ground cloves
1 bay leaf
3 cups water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 package frozen peas

Dumplings

1 cup yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup sifted whole wheat flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup low-fat (1%) milk
1 tablespoon olive oil

DIRECTIONS
Stew
1. Place chicken, onion, carrot, celery, salt, pepper, cloves, bay leaf, and water in a large saucepan. Heat to boiling; cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook about 1/2 hour or until chicken is tender.
2. Remove chicken and vegetables from broth. Strain broth.
3. Skim fat from broth; measure and, if necessary, add water to make 3 cups liquid.
4. Mix cornstarch with 1 cup cooled broth by shaking vigorously in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. 5. Pour into saucepan with remaining broth; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil and is thickened.
6. Add basil, peas, and reserved vegetables to sauce; stir to combine.
7. Add chicken and heat slowly to boiling while preparing cornmeal dumplings.

Dumplings
1. Sift together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl.
2. Mix together milk and oil. Add milk mixture all at once to dry ingredients; stir just enough to moisten flour and evenly distribute liquid. Dough will be soft.
3. Drop full tablespoons of dough on top of braised meat or stew. Cover tightly; heat to boiling. Reduce heat (do not lift cover) to simmering and steam about 20 minutes.
Serves: 6

NUTRITION INFO (per 1.25-cups stew & 2-dumpling serving)
Calories: 299.9
Fat: 4.5 g
Carbohydrates: 41.3 g
Protein: 23.6 g

Calmness. . .

I am posting this on my blog to share with you all because it definitely works, and we could all use a little more calmness in our lives. By following simple advice heard on the Dr. Phil show, you too can find inner peace.

Dr. Phil proclaimed, "The way to achieve inner peace is to finish all the things you have started and have never finished."

So, I looked around my house to see all the things I started and hadn't finished, and before leaving the house this morning, I finished off a bottle of Merlot, a bottle of White Zinfandel, a bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream, a bottle of Kahlua, a package of Oreo's, the remainder of my old Prozac prescription, the rest of the cheesecake, some Doritos and a box of chocolates.

You have no idea how freaking good I feel.

Please pass this on to those whom you think might be in need of inner peace.

Healthy Dessert

I've been looking for a healthy dessert to take to a meeting on Saturday and I'm in the mood for something with apples... So I found this recipe for Apple Crisp! Sounds delicious!

This apple crisp is sweet and simple to prepare, but uses very little added sugar.



3 medium baking apples, cored, sliced thin
1 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp flour

Topping:
1 cup quick oats
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp heart-healthy margarine




Mix first four ingredients and place into 9-inch (square or round) baking dish.

In small bowl, mix Topping ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle topping over apple the apples.

Bake at 325 degrees F until apples are soft and topping is golden brown (about 30 minutes).

10 Fatigue Fighters

All of us battle with fatigue at times, but those with PCOS seem to have an even harder time getting the energy to do what they know they need to do.

Here is a great article about fighting fatigue that I found at LHJ.com. You can read the whole article by clicking on the link at the bottom.

A Well-Rounded You

When you're feeling run-down and exhausted, try one of these methods for an energy -- or attitude -- boost.

You know you haven't run a marathon, climbed a mountain, or even done much more than slog through a giant stack of paperwork -- so why do you feel exhausted at the end of every day? That's the tricky thing about stress: it can make you feel mentally and physically exhausted. If you're so pooped you can't socialize, enjoy hobbies, or participate in activities that make you happy, it's time to reassess. Find the fatigue fighter that leaves you feeling relaxed, refreshed, and invigorated.

1. Exercise. It may seem counterintuitive -- you're so tired you can barely drag yourself home at the end of the day, so why would running a few miles help? The fact is, exercise is one of the best ways to combat fatigue. More movement, not less, boosts energy levels. And you can exercise without leaving the comfort of your own home. To read more, click here.