Fingernails: Nothing Fake Stays Great Forever

Applying a clear coat of nail polish on my fingernails definitely helps them to stay stronger and grow longer. Manicures look beautiful but not for long. The time and money seem wasteful as my fingernails quickly chip or break. I thought I had the perfect solution when applying acrylic gels. Each coat placed on is made out of acrylic but there is no filling and the application does not take extra time. My nails would not chip or tear for up to 4 weeks. Wow!

After about 6 months of doing this (so 4-5 applications), my nails got so weak and brittle and ugly. Bobbye said to me, ” Your fingers look like they hurt.” And they did. I had to keep my nails really short with clear polish until they grew completely out.

Moral of the story: nothing fake stays great forever. All the enhancers from breast implants to hair extensions have their troubles. As we get older, our bodies get tired of fighting the natural law of gravity. My body seems to respond to the earth calling every part of me to hang down to the ground Some parts of me willingly obey. Unless I remain proactive to fight the forces that be, I am done!

I don’t want to work for my body, I want my body to work for me. A stronger, tighter and flexible outer shell helps your endurance, stamina and strength. Make time and take time to care for the inside and outside of you. Expensive enhancements still need your help.

You Have to ASK

Dr. Oz had a television segment on the fastest growing cancer in women which happens to be thyroid cancer. It was a very interesting program and he mentioned
that the increase could possibly be related to the increased exposure of radiation through standard health exams like dental x-rays and mammograms.

Dr. Oz addressed the use of the dental apron placed on the patient during xrays. The lead apron is applied for your protection against unnecessary radiation exposure. However, if the apron is not placed up to your neck, your thyroid will not be protected. Dr. Oz showed the audience “a small flap” that can be lifted up to cover your neck. In addition, there is something called a “thyroid guard” for use during mammograms.

The person who sent me this email commented on her experience after watching the Dr. Oz show and she said, “By coincidence, I had my yearly mammogram yesterday.
I felt a little silly, but I asked about the neck guard and sure enough, the technician had one in a drawer. I asked why it wasn’t routinely used. The answer was, ‘I don’t know, they have to ask.’”

I (Tonilee) have my Bachelors of Science Degree in Nursing and I have worked on many different units for almost 20 years. There have been many changes in health care during the years but the primary change has to do with the added responsibility ultimately placed on the patient…or YOU! We are our own best advocates. We need to be well informed and we need to ask questions. We have to remember that for some of the health care employees, they are “just doing their job.” Sadly, some days, those employees are doing the minimum requirement. We all have bad days, sad days and life issues that can distract the best employee from doing their best every day. We do our best to take care of our families but do not forget to take care of YOU too!

Belly Fat

Around 10 years ago, a friend said to me that she had to stop eating chocolate because she noticed she was getting “thick” in the middle. Years later, another friend said to me that she had to stop eating white starches because she was losing her waistline. Last night, my husband (who is a physician) told me that central obesity is a strong contributing factor to heart disease. I asked him to define “central obesity” and he said, “The thickness at your stomach causing people to lose their waistline.”

It is amazing to me that women have the ability to intuitively know these things. We are amazing!

A quick elementary synopsis is that chocolate and white starches like corn, white rice, pasta, potatoes, chips get stored when in excess as belly fat. Especially in the older ages, many of us do not have the energy level to balance out what we eat with what we actively work off.  As a result, we gain weight in our midline which leads to an increase risk of heart disease.

Personally, I thought I was getting away with a lot when the style dropped my pants waistline to the hips. Your hip bones do not gain weight so your pant size can remain the same for a long time even if the weight increases at the belly. I have heard that be referred to as “a muffin top.” That says it all but having no stomach accountability to my pants makes me feel thinner. After hearing this for the third time and growing older myself in the last ten years, I realized that I need to consider my heart health regardless of my pant size remaining the same.

There is a reason why our bodies tend to get more heartburn as we grow older. Our bodies are trying to talk to us and tell us that we should not be eating “that much of those kinds” of fats and oils which cause heart burn.  Too bad my mouth doesn’t want to hear it.                                              –Tonilee Adamson

 

Life is Too Fast

Life is fast, too fast. Years go by and when we look back, we are not always sure where the time has gone and what took up the most of it? I know I am not alone when I say that I do not think we are consistently purposeful in our plans or actions. I think we tend to react as things come our way, expecting the worse but hoping for better.
We all have dreams. Well, what is the difference between a dream and a goal? A plan. Not many share your inner dreams so only you can formulate your thoughts and desires to initiate a plan. Even if you need help with a plan, only you can take the steps to accomplish it.
I see a lot of people coming to us for help. They know they need more but instead of going forward in direction, they become distracted with whatever is screaming the loudest that day.
Get alone with yourself, a piece of paper and a pen. Write out the direction you want to go in business, at home, with life. Life is fast but it is too short to not go forward with your heart’s desires.
Tonilee Adamson

Our Reckless Words Bite Back

There are times that my stomach aches from thinking of all the inappropriate things I have said throughout the years. Why do such thoughts come back to mind out of the blue? There is nothing I can do about it now especially since I am remembering something so long ago, the thoughts may even be out of context today.
Regardless, I do think that the most difficult aspect has to do with the inability to take back the words. Don’t you just wish that you could physically grab the words like grabbing a balloon from floating away? But the ear hears too quickly and words do not travel on attached strings so I am left with the remembrance.
I wonder if the listener remembers as loudly as the speaker. For me, some words resonate for years while others do not stick at all. I have had people apologize for conversations I do not remember. Obviously, that person felt badly because the intent was probably meant to be interpreted in a hurtful way. In those cases, I know they feel better but I then feel worse. Some things are left better unsaid. Or should I say MOST things just should not be said at all. Kind words turn away anger but foolish words flame sparks into fires. I memorized a proverb years ago that says, “Reckless words pierce like a sword but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Do you agree that more of us need more healing words?

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The East to the West

Traveling from the west coast of San Diego to the east coast of New York City does bring its challenges. There are time changes, climate changes and circumstantial adjustments like taking taxi cabs instead of driving yourself. However, many other things did not change. I heard the same musical artists in the restaurants and I shopped at the same stores and watched the same news stations. People do not change although the way we approach things do have its differences from the east to the west. On the east coast, the people tend to have a more open and less inhibited approach than the west coast where people hold back more and seem more guarded. I was raised on the east coast and moved to southern California went I was 13 years old and yet, I felt at home in New York even though I have lived here for over 30 years. It is amazing that different sections of the United States gather different cultural behaviors and approaches. Home is not necessarily where you live but where you relax enough to be comfortable with yourself. I realized that even though my children were all born and raised in San Diego, I believe that one of my children would feel at home in New York as well. Challenges occur with any kind of change but it is especially nice to go to a different city and still feel like its home.

Be True to You!

Bobbye and I were doing interviews in New York City during a terrible snow storm. We were near Central Park where it received 17 inches of snow in one night. We bundled up and walked over to see it. The temperature was in the 20s and the snowflakes felt like hail as they hit our faces in the blowing wind. The conditions were extremely uncomfortable and we did not have all the necessary clothing to combat the weather. Regardless of the horrible weather conditions, there were still salesmen on the corners trying to sell us a guided tour of the area. They would say, “But our wagon has heated seats and we will give you a blanket.” It was absurd. How many guided tours are actually sold on days like these? The public schools are closed down but these guys are hustling on the corner trying to sell you the delusional thought of a white wonderland with their packaged tour. However, it was still difficult for us to say no. Why? Because he has to make a living and your heart goes out to effort being made. It’s a lose-lose situation. If we say yes, the salesman thinks, “sucker.” If we say no, we think, “poor guy.” But because we live with ourselves, it’s best to be true to you and maybe he will get another job if enough of us say no.

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