May you have a Happy New Year!

To those we love and see each day

And other loved ones far away.

To all good friends

whose friendship means so much

And those with whom

we’re sonehow out of touch

I wish you every happiness this Holiday Season 

and throughout the coming year!

It is unblieveable how fast this year has come and gone!   This year has flown by like a dove, swift yet graceful.  

Thank you for your support and encouragement in writting.  Even though we have all been like a hawk, trying to make the most out of every day, let us make time for ourselves, to meditate, catch up, and enjoy life without stress, with lots of laughter, and Love!

 

Yolanda

 The Slow Dance

Have you ever seen a rainbow,

or ride on a merry-go-round?

Or listened to the rain

tapping on the ground?

Have you ever followed 

a hummingbird’s flight?

Or gazed when the sun 

starts fading into night?

You better slow down.

Don't dance so fast.

Time is short. and 

The music won't last.

Do you run through each day

like a chicken without a head?

And when asked to stay,

Do you run away instead?

When the day is done

Do you lie in your bed

With hundreds of thoughts  

pondering through your head?

You'd better slow down

Don't dance so fast.

Time is short.

The music won't last.

Have you ever told your mother

I’ll see you tomorrow?

And in your haste,

Not see her sorrow?

Have you ever lost touch,

Let a good friendship die

Cause you never had time

To call and say,"hi"

You'd better slow down.

Don't dance so fast.

Time is short.

The music won't last.

When you stress yourself out to get somewhere

You miss half the fun of getting there.

When you worry and hurry through your day,

It is like a special gift....Thrown away.

Life should be savoured.

Do take it slower

Hear the music

Before the song is over.

From Lost and Found: Love, a book of love poems

Written by Yolanda Pacheco Garcia

www.victoryp.com

Thanksgiving

I hope you all had a serene yet enjoyable Thanksgiving in the company of your loved ones.  One of the benefits of hosting Thanksgiving is having lots of leftover turkey to eat over the weekend. Here are some great  ideas. Just be sure to use skinless white turkey meat when preparing these recipes, which all serve two.

For Breakfast:
Mexican Turkey Scramble 
Heat 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 2 thinly sliced scallions and cook for 1 minute. Add 1 cup finely diced skinless white turkey meat and 3 tablespoons fresh spicy salsa; cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Add 3 beaten eggs and, stirring constantly, cook until eggs are set. Top each serving with 2 avocado slices and serve with extra salsa, if desired.

For Lunch:
Curried Turkey Salad 
Stir together 1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder, and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger in a medium bowl. Fold in 2 cups cubed skinless white turkey meat, 1 diced celery stalk, 1/2 diced cucumber, 2 tablespoons diced red onion, and 2 tablespoons of a chopped fresh herb, such as parsley or cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over lightly dressed greens.

For Dinner:
Ginger Turkey Stir-Fry 
Stir together 1 tablespoon canola oil, 2 chopped scallions, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 2 teaspoons minced ginger in a medium bowl. Add 2 cups cubed skinless white turkey meat and stir to coat; set aside for 10 minutes. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add turkey mixture and cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add 2 cups small broccoli florets, 1/2 cup halved snow peas, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, and 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce. Cook 2 to 3 minutes more, stirring constantly. Serve hot.

Be Thankful

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.

If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don't know something,

for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times. 

During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations,

because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge,

because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes. 

They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you're tired and weary,

because it means you've made an effort.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things.

A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who

are also thankful for the setbacks.

Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,

and they can become your blessings.

I am thankful for you.

From the book, "Awakening Love" 

Written by Yolanda Pacheco Garcia

www.victoryp.com

Peanut Butter and Humpty Dumpty - Not

How to Choose a Peanut Butter

These days the supermarket shelves are packed with an almost overwhelming range of peanut butters: chunky, super-chunky, creamy, sugar-free, sodium-free, natural, organic. It goes on and on. When it comes to your weight-loss goals, how do you choose the best one? Start by considering that many supermarket peanut butters may contain more added sugar and hydrogenated oil than all-natural peanut butters.

Going Natural
On the South Beach Diet they recommend “natural” peanut butter, either freshly ground in the store or a national brand. Peanut butters labeled “natural” use peanuts and oil (usually peanut oil) as their ingredients, although some do contain a little salt and occasionally a little sugar (look for brands with 1 g of sugar or less). Because the peanut oil rises to the top in these natural products, you will have to stir it in. There are also “no-stir trans-fat-free” natural peanut butters available. These products usually contain palm oil or palm stearin, which is added to keep the contents from separating. There is no need to shop in health-food or specialty-food stores to find natural peanut butter these days. Most supermarkets carry it.

Benefits of Peanut Butter
In addition to being a great source of protein, peanut butter is rich in monounsaturated fat, the B vitamin folate, and resveratrol (the phytochemical also found in red wine). These nutrients are important for cardiovascular health.

Snack on It
You can enjoy up to 2 tablespoons a day of peanut butter as your nut allowance on all Phases of the South Beach Diet. But it’s especially good as a satisfying mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack. Enjoy it with celery, jicama, or fennel, or in a lettuce roll-up. It’s great with all-fruit jam on whole-grain crackers, or spread it on apple, pear, or banana slices.

Humpty Dumpty - Not

Like two young kids,

we laughed and played

We were like one

happy couple portrayed.

And then finally, 

I heard the truth.

I couldn't believe

you'd be so uncouth.

The daggar went deep

breaking my heart 

Our dreams were shattered

my  hopes fell apart.

But I will pick up the pieces

and put them together again

 unlike Humpty Dumpty

I will make a new friend!

from "Awakening Love" by Yolanda P Garcia

-- www.victoryp.com

Halloween and the Diabetic

With Halloween only a little over a week away I thought 
I should share this story with you.  It is written by a DR.

When I was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 9, I was 
devastated when Halloween came around. Before then it was 
the only time of year that I ever ate candy (I wasn't a 
big candy person). That year I still dressed in costume 
and went from house to house with my brother to get him 
more candy, but I got to keep the pennies and dimes the 
old ladies would give us. 

As I went to our neighbor's house to trick-or-treat I
discovered they had gone out and specifically bought 
some sugar-free candy just for me. Diabetes was still 
new to my family and we had no idea that sugar-free candy 
was even available. It was the greatest feeling to be able 
to enjoy Halloween and trick-or-treating like in the past. 

Today, kids with diabetes can enjoy candy on Halloween 
just the same. I recently went to pick myself up some 
sugar-free candy and I just can't believe the variety 
of candy specifically for diabetics... for Halloween. 

Halloween is just as fun as it ever was and I was glad. 
We all know what a little treat can do for your spirits. 

But be warned... too much sugar-free candy can have a 
laxative effect so go easy on the stuff. 

                     Diabetic Recipe

               Jack-O-Lantern Pizza Crisps

                   (makes 6 servings)

6 10-inch (15 cm) fat-free flour tortillas
refrigerated butter-flavored cooking spray
6 tablespoons (30 g) grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon (5 ml) crushed dried Italian herbs

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, Gas Mark 4).

2. Using a jack-o-lantern shaped Halloween cookie cutter, 
cut the tortillas into pumpkin shapes. Lay cutouts slight-
ly apart on 2 large baking sheets. 

3. Spray each jack-o-lantern with cooking spray. Combine 
Parmesan cheese and herbs; sprinkle evenly onto each 
cutout. 

4. Bake for 15 minutes, until crisp and golden, switching 
the pan positions after 8 minutes. Transfer to a cooling 
rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Per serving: 162 calories (11% calories from fat), 
             6 g protein, 2 g total fat (1.2 g saturated 
             fat), 1 g dietary fiber, 5 mg cholesterol, 
             528 mg sodium 

Diabetic exchanges: 2 carbohydrate (bread/starch) 

What to Eat for a Healthy Heart

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Health Information Center recognizes October as National Cholesterol Education Month, which means there’s no better time than now to learn more about heart-disease prevention. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in men and women in the United States — but steps can be taken to reverse this dangerous trend, starting with eating heart-healthy foods, exercising, and partnering with your doctor for early detection. The good news is that if you’re following the South Beach Diet, you’re already well on your way to lowering your risk of heart disease.

"The good news is that due to recent advances in understanding, detecting, and treating heart disease, I believe we have reached a point where the great majority of heart attacks and strokes can be prevented," explains Dr. Arthur Agatston, leading preventive cardiologist and author of The South Beach Heart Health Revolutionand The South Beach Diet Supercharged. "One of the most important things you can do to prevent heart disease is to practice heart-healthy eating," he says. "By enjoying the wide range of nutrient-dense, fiber-rich foods that we emphasize on the South Beach Diet, you take a big step toward reducing your risk of heart attack and stroke."

Here are Dr. Agatston’s basic guidelines for heart-healthy eating:

• Eat good carbohydrates. Good carbs include high-fiber, nutrient-dense fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.
• Eat good fats. Choose good fats from extra-virgin olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, flaxseed oil, walnut oil, avocados, nuts, and fish. Omega-3 (fish oil) supplements are also fine.
• Eat lean protein. The best sources include skinless white-meat poultry, fish and shellfish, lean cuts of meat, and soy-based options such as tofu, as well as legumes, eggs, low-fat dairy foods, nuts, and seeds.

If you follow these guidelines, you can put together delicious, satisfying, and healthy meals and snacks — and take the first step toward a healthier life.

Farewell Aching Heart

              Written by Yolanda Pacheco Garcia

Long sleepless nights, this is my doom

tossing and turning, alone in my room.

I'm a prisoner of thoughts stirring around

flying like a dove, and then falling down.

Wishing and wondering, where art thou my love?

Burning up in passion, needing air from above

A new journey I must impart

for rest is what I need, for this lonely heart

The tempest of my solitude unsettles me now

deplenishing  emotions that must lie still somehow.  

Forever I will sleep, forever and a day

And once and for all this pain will go away.

From the book LOST AND FOUND: LOVE, a book of love poems

Get your copy at      www.victoryp.com   

Stress Free Life

The stress test was normal, It had shown excellent exercise capacity. The doctor felt very frustrated. We were working with the best technology available, yet it wasn't good enough to detect a heart attack that was only weeks away.

Today, we do have other noninvasive tests that are much better at predicting the likelihood of a future heart attack. A normal stress test does not mean there aren't any potentially lethal soft plaques growing inside the lining of your coronary arteries that could rupture and cause a heart attack at any time. All it means is that the blood flow to your heart was fine on the day you took the test. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean that the blood flow will still be fine tomorrow.

The problem is that many patients destined for heart problems don't get the benefit of our most accurate tests (including presidents of the United States). Many seemingly perfectly healthy people are "suddenly" getting heart attacks because their arteries are not perfectly healthy and they don't know it. With the proper noninvasive tests, these diseased arteries would have been identified, and the heart attacks wouldn't have happened.

It is of upmost importance to keep stress levels down, eat healthy, exercise, and laugh a lot.

God grant me the 

Serenity

to accept the things I cannot change

Courage

to change the things I can and

Wisdom

to know the difference.


www.victoryp.com

Prevent Stress Eating

How to Prevent Stress Eating

Many people respond to stress by turning to their favorite comfort foods, oftentimes making unhealthy food choices. You already know that certain tempting foods (processed chips and other fried fare, sugary pastries, candy, and so on) can easily derail your weight-loss goals. An easy solution? Learn what your food triggers are ahead of time so you’ll be prepared before stress eating kicks in. Here are four easy ways to stop stress eating in its tracks:

1. Stick with our healthy eating plan. If you follow a healthy regime you'll be less likely to have cravings and, as a result, you'll be less likely to make a wrong turn when you encounter stress.  Healthy snacks are encouraged, so you won't feel hungry or deprived.
2. Don’t use food as a go-to activity. Find something else to do besides reaching for food when you have downtime. Keep the daily crossword puzzle nearby, knock off some chores, cleanout your closet,  distract yourself by calling or e-mailing your friends or family.
3. Stock your kitchen. Make sure you've got a supply of crunchy vegetables like celery sticks, green and red bell-pepper strips, and cauliflower and broccoli florets on hand, cut up and stashed in resealable bags in your refrigerator veggie drawer. Feel the urge to dip? Try hummus. Or enjoy your veggies with some spreadable low-fat cheese. Also, stock your cupboards and desk drawers with nonperishable  foods like nuts  and high-fiber, whole-grain crackers and cereals.
4. Work out. Exercise is not only a great way to stay fit and manage your weight, it's also a good way to keep your mind off food during stressful times. If going to the gym isn't your thing, take a brisk walk around the neighborhood.

        5. Read.   Pick up a good book (LOST AND FOUND: LOVE, a book of love poems -www.victoryp.com) or go to your 

             friends blog site "Poetry for the Soul"  and catch up reading past blogs!

      'DRUTHERS'

If I had my 'druthers' 

And if I had a pen

I'd start out to be a poet

And re-live my life again.

But that would be a cop-out

An excuse for avoiding life.

To play at changing what has been

Is like playing with a knife !

You may cut a dashing figure 

Or even 'slice' a dream or two.

But chances are far better

It will bring no joy to you.

My love was teaching children

numbers one through ten

the basic three-R’s, science

and reading, The Little Red Hen.

I loved to see their aha moment,

light up so bright as well,

with looks of dissappointment

at the ring of the recess bell.

Teaching was my sugar and spice,

now writing has taken its place

although teaching was quite nice

being a poet put smiles on my face

So keep on with the "As it is"

And to add a touch of spice ...

I Just pretend to be a poet 

And let the reader pay the price!  

From the Book "Awakening Love"

Written by Yolanda Pacheco Garcia

www.victoryp.com