DEFTINITIONS

 AMNESIA

     A condition that enables a woman who has gone through labor to have sex again.

CONFIDENCE

     The feeling you have before you understand the situation.

DIPLOMAT

     A person who tells you to go to Hell in such a way that you look forward to the trip.

EYEDROPPER

A clumsy ophthalmologist

 FLABBYGASTED

     Appalled over how much weight you have gained.

INTOXICATION

     Euphoria at getting a tax refund which lasts until you realize it was your money to begin with.

POLYGON
  A dead parrot.

STERILIZE

     What you do to your first baby's pacifier by boiling it and your last baby's pacifier by blowing on it.

                                                                        

I reviewed this book over a year ago in our (now defunct) magazine Life-Style.  Since it has been on the best seller list for months now, I thought it was worth repeating here.

WHEAT BELLY

William Davis, MD

A gluten-free diet, once prescribed only for sufferers of celiac disease, is now the new darling of celebrities and doctors alike.

Dr. William Davis, a cardiologist, has put thousands of his patients on a wheat-free diet and has concluded that it is not fat, nor sugar, nor a sedentary lifestyle that has caused the burgeoning obesity epidemic - it is wheat.

The sturdy grain which used to provide our daily bread has been genetically altered to give processed food manufacturers the highest yield at the lowest cost.  This has changed this once wholesome grain into a nutritionally bankrupt ingredient that causes blood sugar to spike faster than eating pure sugar, and has addictive qualities that cause hunger, overeating and fatigue.

Dr. Davis claims that not only will a diet divested of wheat cause weight loss, particularly in the abdomen (hence the title of the book), it is also associated with other significant benefits, including:

• Alleviation of metabolic syndrome and Type 2 diabetes.
• Recovery from intestinal problems, such as ulcerative colitis and celiac disease.
• An improvement in cholesterol and LDL counts.
• Improvement in bone density and reversal of osteopenia.
• Helping skin conditions from psoriasis to oral ulcers and hair loss.
• A reduction in inflammation and rheumatoid arthritis pain.

While this all seemed too good to be true, I was intrigued enough to give a wheat (and gluten) free diet a chance.  While I didn't have significant weight loss since I had little weight to lose, I did notice many small things that changed for the better.  I am sleeping more soundly than before.  I seem to be solving crossword and other problems more easily.  My hair appears to be getting thicker and my skin is less dry.  These are small differences, but enough to make me continue with this regimen.  It is easier than I thought it would be.

I recommend Wheat Belly for anyone who suspects that wheat might be causing a problem for them.  It's an interesting read and a fascinating look into how a simple diet change can affect how you feel.

A LITTLE SNAP ON THE WRIST

       Do you sometimes (or often) say disparaging things about yourself, to yourself? 

       You know, you whack your shoulder against the door frame as you walk through it and say, "What a klutz".

        You pass a mirror and think, "Lookin' a little haggy today".

         A common word in a crossword puzzle that you should know just won't come to you and your response is "Better resign from Mensa, dummy".

        We all say such things to ourselves from time to time.  If someone said it to us we'd be highly offended, but we don't seem to mind insulting ourselves.  It sounds harmless, but our brain - that literal little guy that takes it all as gospel - doesn't process it as harmless.  If it's repeated often enough our brain perceives it to be true.  Like a little robot, it doesn't get sarcasm.

       So how do we train ourselves to stop this self- belittlement?  I read an article somewhere (can't remember where.  "Way to go mental midget").  See, it's a hard habit to break.  Anyway, the writer of the article suggested wearing a rubber band around your wrist and snapping it every time you have such thoughts.  Self-applied behavior modification.  

       If you're someone who doesn't talk down to themselves, wow!  Good for you.  For the rest of us, this might be a great experiment.  If it works on self-deprecation there is no limit to the possibilities.  Stop smoking.  Swear off donuts.  Don't buy that dress you can't afford.   It opens up a whole other world!