Pittsburgh Better Times

A Lifestyle Publication for the Pittsburgh Community

Want to Get Thin So You Can Be Happy?

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Put Happiness First. The Pounds Will Start to Slide Off

By Nancy Bryan, Ph.D.

“I’m so unhappy because I can’t get thin.”

If you believe this, you’re setting yourself up for a tremendous amount of frustration and disappointment. That’s because it simply is not true that being thin will make you, or anybody, happy. From a neurological and biochemical perspective, it would be far more accurate to say “I’m not thin because I’m not happy.” 

Through years of research and personal experience, I have seen that lasting serenity and happiness will curb the desire to overeat, causing pounds to slide off on their own. The real challenge is not to get thin, but to achieve this calm-inducing state.

Doing this may sound daunting, but in fact it boils down to removing the two types of obstacles that stand in the way of achieving this highly desirable state of mind.

The first of these is personal: dissatisfaction is our human nature, courtesy of four million years of evolution.  As Patrick Manning explains in an essay in the little book The Way of Gratitude, “We human beings are hardwired to persistently seek the satisfaction of our needs.…we are strongly disposed to focus our attention on what we lack.”  [Read more…]

Health Tips for Infants and Adults

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Brave little girl receiving injection

By Karen Barnett

Pediatric health care is a medical term used for the process of using medicines or any other medical treatments for curing infants from diseases, but the Pediatric Health Care Association (PHCA) deals not only with the health of infants but also with the health of young adults from 7-11 years and late adults of 11-19 years.

The material health care units not only deals with the physical health of a mother but also with social and mental health in order to work on all the aspects which are necessary for the health of an infants which further leads to health of an adult and then the health of the society which is of a great important.

Before leading towards the physical it is necessary to give a view on mental and social health and on now it affects the life of adults and infants and what is their effect on the society? [Read more…]

Alzheimer’s Disease and Decision Making: Do I Know You?

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pameladwilsonBy Pamela D. Wilson, CSA, MS, BS/BA, CG

The heartbreak associated with losing a loved one to Alzheimer’s disease is indescribable. One day, an adult child holds the hand of a parent; the parent asks, “Do I know you?” and the child’s heart (no matter what age) breaks into thousands of tiny pieces never to be repaired.  A spouse experiencing the same response may feel the sting of rejection or the absence of appreciation after a lifelong marriage of commitment and caring for a husband or wife experiencing memory loss.

How are spouses, adult children, and other family members affected by Alzheimer’s disease when the individual with the diagnoses no longer recognizes his or her own family or believes a son or daughter to be the spouse? Does this lack of recognition seduce family members to hold on more tightly with the hope that one day a loved one may show a glimmer of recollection? Do family members feel disconnected and less committed to continue to visit a loved one who no longer remembers or feels connected to them?  Does this lack of recognition of marriage by a spouse with memory loss raise the option for the healthy spouse to pursue a companion or even another lifelong partner?

I am commonly asked by caregivers of persons with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease if their experiences are unusual. I respond that with a diagnosis of memory loss there is no usual, meaning that each journey is unlike another and that there is no crystal ball to predict the future. This uncertainly is the component that results in stress and anxiety for families because many feel they have no control over the situation and delay making a plan for care. [Read more…]

Helping a Loved One Heal After Heart Surgery

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shutterstock_90369310When someone close to you has any type of surgery, your automatic reaction is to help them in some way. You may send flowers, balloons, cards or other gifts, which are sure-fire ways to cheer up anyone that’s been sick, but sometimes you want to do something more. There is a lot to do when a heart patient comes home from the hospital, so if you want to help with the recovery process, here are some ideas.

Medical ID Bracelets

After surgery, the patient will need to have some kind of medical ID in case of an emergency. Dog tags or a medical card in their wallet will accomplish that, but sometimes they feel bulky or like they are in the way. To avoid this complaint, MedicAlert has come up with a cute bracelet that is perfect for a patient recovering from surgery. Their product catalog includes bracelets for men or women made of sterling silver, 14 carat gold or crystal. There are multiple styles including beaded, chains, charms, leather and pendant, so you are sure to find one that will fit the patient’s style.

[Read more…]

The Triumphant Nature of Love

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Jim Geary

By Jim Geary

In 1978 I made the agonizing decision to separate from my lover of six years. Matt and I had met when we were 20. He was my first love. Matt was finishing his degree in drama at the University of Maryland and I was doing antiwar work for Catholic Peace Fellowship in Washington, D.C. As our relationship progressed we learned that we had attended the same school in first grade and that his younger brother and my cousins were close friends. Matt and I felt we were destined to be together.

In 1973 we entered a Holy Union at the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Community Church, a church that primarily ministers to gay and lesbian identified people. Relocating to San Francisco in 1974, I worked as a nursing assistant with oncology patients. In our six years together we dealt with the continuing disapproval from his parents; our gravitation towards Eastern thought (we were both raised Catholic); vegetarianism; opening our relationship to occasionally connect with others; coping with the loss of 900 Bay Area residents who had followed Jim Jones to Guyana; and the assassinations of San Franciscan Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk –our first openly elected gay supervisor.

Leaving Matt after six years together was painful. I still loved him but our sexual and emotional connection had waned. We worked with a therapist for a while but we continued to hurt one another with our words. I hadn’t realized that you could still be in love with someone but feel that it was for your mutual highest good to part ways.

I channeled my grief into working with Shanti Project. Shanti trained volunteers to provide emotional support to people with life-threatening illnesses and to those experiencing grief. In October 1981 I formed the first AIDS support group. During this time, fear of AIDS was at hysterical proportions. No one knew how the illness was transmitted. Families were abandoning their children, roommates were asking their HIV positive roommates to move, domestic partnerships were breaking up and funeral homes were refusing to care for the deceased. In these early days of the pandemic, life expectancy for those diagnosed varied between six weeks to several years. Death of neighbors and friends became a daily occurrence.

[Read more…]

I Said I Will

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By Jerry Wollaston

The story actually begins in the late 1950’s. Two kids finding each other in the fifth grade in small town Oklahoma. Quickly discovering we were somehow very special to each other and getting married at the age of twenty.

The years we had together, the good times and the bad, were just a prelude to the final fight we would face.

On December 3, 2008 I had just finished feeding my cattle. I called home to see if Susan needed anything from town before I came home. She had left for a visit with her doctor just before I went to feed. When my wife of thirty-eight years answered the phone I immediately knew something was wrong.

“What did the doctor have to say?”

“He said he thinks I have cancer.”

For the next seven months we fought the fight of our lives. On June 19, 2009 we were told the fight had been won. My wife had beaten the monster – she was cancer free. Her pain, however, was relentless. Another month of battling the constant pain resulted in a request for a PET scan. Two days after the PET scan I received a call from my wife’s oncologist.

“Your wife has two weeks to live.”

[Read more…]

Healthy, Low-Cal, Vitamin Enriched Cocktails

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By now, most people are aware of the dangers of high fructose corn syrup and the benefits of vitamin C, but what else should you be mindful of as you’re preparing drink menus for your upcoming summer soirees?  From a full alphabet of vitamins to beneficial minerals, the cocktails below are enriched with antioxidants, enzymes, nutrients and, most importantly, taste wonderful!  In addition to an abundance of vitamins and minerals, each cocktail has less than 150 calories making them perfect for treating yourself without worrying about your bikini body!

ALL OF THE COCKTAILS BELOW INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING NUTRIENTS:

VITAMIN C: An essential nutrient that strengthens the immune system.
VITAMINS B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12: These vitamins increases the rate of metabolism, maintains healthy skin and muscle tone, promotes cell growth, and enhances immune and nervous system functions.
ESSENTIAL MINERALS: calcium, manganese, iron, selenium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc.
CAFFEINE: Renowned for its ability to stimulate both the brain and the circulatory system.
TAURINE: Believed to detoxify and replenish the body’s system from conditions brought on by high stress and physical activity.
RIBOSE: Renowned for its ability to stimulate both the brain and the circulatory system, ribose increases new synthesis of nucleotides in heart and skeletal muscle lost from exercise.
GLUCURONOLACTONE: A naturally occurring detoxifying agent that is an important structural component of nearly all connective tissues.
INOSITOL: A naturally produced enzyme that aids the digestive process by breaking down fats and reducing blood cholesterol.
PANAX GINSENG EXTRACT: An anti-aging antioxidant derived from Chinese ginseng that promotes energy, improves circulation, boosts the immune system, and revitalizes the body.
POTASSIUM CITRATE: Regulates acidity in the urinary system.

Peach Lightning

2oz Brut Champagne
2oz Sugar-Free Liquid Lightning
1oz Peach Nectar
1 Fresh Peach slice

*70 CALORIES


Tea Collins – a diet-friendly version of the classic Tom Collins

-1oz Gin
-1oz Lemon Juice
-1oz Herbal Mist Lemon Tea
-1 oz Sugar-Free Liquid Lightning
-1oz Club Soda
-Lemon Wedge, Garnish

*85 CALORIES

TIP: When serving a cocktail with a juice or fresh Herbal Mist tea, freeze the mixer and add as a frozen cube to keep your cocktails chilled and flavorful.

 

De-toxic Shock

-1oz UV Vodka
-2oz Herbal Mist White Tea
-4oz Liquid Lightning Sugar Free
-5-7 Frozen Grapes (instead of ice cubes)

*98 CALORIES

TIP: Never underestimate the power of a simple garnish! While they look good on the glass, seasonal fruits are an inexpensive, simple and impressive cocktail ingredient.

 

Skinny Minsk – a diet-friendly version of the classic Moscow Mule (Oprah’s favorite cocktail)

-1oz UV Vodka
-1 oz Herbal Mist White Tea
-1oz Fresh-Squeezed Lime Juice
-1oz Sugar Free Ginger Ale
-2 oz Sugar-Free Liquid Lightning
-1 Lime Slice, Garnish
-1 Spring Mint, Garnish

*82 CALORIES

April Showers Sangria (makes 10 servings)

4 Bottles Herbal Mist White Tea
1 Bottle Chilled White Wine
1 Can Sugar-Free Liquid Lightning
2 Cups Chilled, Sugar Free, White Grape Juice
1 Peach, Sliced
1 Red Apple, Sliced
1 Orange, Sliced
1 Lime, Sliced
1 Lemon, Sliced
2 Kiwis, Sliced
15-20 Blueberries
10  Frozen Green Grapes (instead of ice cubes)

Combine ingredients in a large pitcher and refrigerate for 2 hours.  Be sure fruit is distributed evenly when served.

*133 CALORIES

TIP: Beat the heat by using frozen grapes in your summer sangrias instead of ice that will water down the refreshing beverage as you enjoy it.

A Nightmare Ends In Hope

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By Marilyn Burns

I started my career in mental health over 30 years ago.  I genuinely wanted to help people to feel better.  I have many highlights in my career and the one that I am most proud of was the building and directing of the holistic health center that I opened in 1996.  This was significant for many reasons but most importantly to me, it was a future for my son Christopher.  Chris had hopes of getting a degree in social work and taking over my practice as I moved into semi retirement/retirement.  His hopes were to be a substance abuse counselor.  My oldest son, Jason was going to law school in California and was working for a law firm as a paralegal.  Things were looking up for him; however I knew that Chris would need some help from me due to his many learning disabilities and ADHD.

As I look back on my career, it clearly changed as I changed.  My specialty in mental health is PTSD.  I am very skilled and trained to process trauma and loss.  Little did I know that I was going to expand those skills with my own personal experience?   A very pivotal time in life was on April 24, 2007 when I experienced the loss of my son, Christopher.  After having several surgeries due to a football injury and car accident, Chris found himself addicted to opiates.

[Read more…]

Forward is the Only Direction

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Antoinette de Janasz

By Antoinette de Janasz

My divorce left me in debt, without a car, in a dilapidated apartment, and with two children to raise. Things could only get better, or at least that was my mantra to keep me going!

My children were my first and foremost priority. The divorce was very hard on them, made harder by the mud that was slung at me by their father. Keeping up with our traditions and rituals helped my kids keep a sense of family and gave them some much needed security. Any doubts I had about the divorce were erased when my son told me that I never laughed when I was married to their dad. I made it a point to laugh more after that, even when there was nothing to laugh at.

I tried to keep my financial hardship from them but they were old enough to figure it out. Especially when I had to discourage their friends from snacking at our home because they would eat our week’s food supply in one afternoon! Teenagers are like locusts!

[Read more…]