TexasDebs

Herbal Teas Saving My Life

I would like to share some information with you that might change your life.

As many of you know, I was in a terrible car accident and I suffered many grievous injuries. One of the places that was damaged I just refer to as “my insides”. I lost my spleen and part of my intestines, and I had broken and fractured ribs along with a collapsed lung. I required a tracheotomy, a gastric tube, a catheter for my heart, and a tube for my lung.

I am also diagnosed with incurable liver virus Hepatitis C (so think carefully before you get a tattoo or a piercing, because that’s the best way to get it!)

I had recently been hospitalized with enlarged liver and I had been having a terrible time struggling with digestive problems, but then a licensed dietitian at “Whole Foods” market showed me these teas that have changed my life for the better.

Two different brands of teas: one called “Traditional Medicinals” and one called “Yogi”.

They have many teas for many purposes. Two of my favorites are “Smooth Move” (yea – it’s for what it sounds like it’s for! ;) ) and “Daily Detox.”

When my husband and I had the flu at the first of the year, we used the “Echinacea” and the “Throat Coat.”

When my husband suffers from allergies he uses the “Organic Nettle Leaf.”

They’re about 4$ for a box of 16 - not too expensive when you think about how much you spend on laxatives, antacids, allergy medications, etc., and these things are actually solving the problem, not masking it. They heal your body.

Most of them taste really good, but if you’re scared just make a small pitcher of regular iced tea and mix in half and half these bags with those. (I say “iced” because we’re in this hot Texas summer, and I’m guessing you’d rather have it cold like I do!)

You can even find these at Kroger, but to get the right prescription I recommend that you go and speak to somebody at Whole Foods in the “Whole Body” department. They are very qualified to teach you what you need for whatever ails you.

I do hope this is helpful for someone.

Happy Birthday to My Dear Sweet Husband,

our fellow Fox Blogger

Navkant!!

We don’t have much money this year, but Navkant is so easy to please. As long as he has butter for his bread, sugar for his milk, a pot of rice and a pot of lentils, he’s happy. A cold beer at the end of the day and some video games, and he’s thrilled!

Maybe we’ll go to the park today and sit by the water at sunset. That will be sweet and romantic, and FREE!

Happy Birthday!

Rather interesting story of my first time serving as a delegate.

I was one of those people standing in the long line to vote on March 4, and I saw someone who looked very familiar. I thought he might have been this guy Craig I used to work with, so I stopped him as he buzzed by, and he said "No, my name is John". So I said, "Then why do you look so familiar to me?" and he said "I'm a reporter for Fox26, John Donnelly, maybe that's why?" And I said "Ohhh!!!! I blog with you all the time, I'm TexasDebs!!"

He tried to interview me for the web-cast, but the crew ran out of cable as the volunteers moved our line ALL THE WAY to the other side of the school JUST WHEN he was about to go LIVE!! (Poor John, he was like 'D'OH!') But we had a lovely chat while I was standing in line, and I asked him "What is the 'caucus'?" He explained it to me, and he mentioned "It's kinda for the 'die-hards'".

Well, by a coincidental turn of events, I reluctantly BECAME one of those 'die-hards' and I served as a delegate for my first time, and it turned out to be a wonderful chance for me to learn and grow.

I did stay for the caucus, and when I realized the need for delegates support in my precinct, I volunteered and was nominated and voted in. It was sometimes grueling (like meeting with the Credentials Committee) and sometimes fun, like meeting with the other supporters to prepare handouts and buttons and signs; And the convention was long and tiresome, yet still it was all so exciting to see DEMOCRACY IN ACTION! It's the sort of patriotism and loyalty to this great country that puts a lump in your throat and a tear in your eye.

I do have photos from the convention, but I need to first make sure its ok for me to post them here.

Here's one of me:



GOD BLESS AMERICA!!

The Texas Democratic Party hereby adopts the following Statement of Principles as the foundation for Party activities at all levels:

A. Beliefs

We believe that the Democratic Party, with its great diversity, its flexibility of organization, its historic adaptability to fruitful change, and its instinctive responsiveness to human needs and aspirations, can provide the leadership required in these challenging times. We further believe:

1. That we must join together with a renewed faith in our country, in our state, and in our Party to provide our people with responsive, responsible government;

2. That government functions best when it is closest to the people;

3. That our government is and should be of laws and not of favoritism or of arbitrary caprice, and therefore we condemn any resolution of conflicts, save through legal processes;

4. That the Texas Democratic Party stands for law and order, for total and unceasing war against crime, for strengthening law enforcement agencies, and for justice under law;

5. That all citizens, no matter what their religion or race or how humble or exalted their origin or station, have the duty to participate fully at every level of government and are entitled to an equal voice and to equal treatment at its hands;

6. That all Democrats are bound to defend, to protect, and to honor our nation, our state, and our Party, and that when they are right, it is our privilege to sustain them, but when they err, it is our duty to correct them; and

7. That, as Democrats, we are proud and upright citizens of the United States, that we are determined not only to serve our country, but also to stand shoulder to shoulder with citizens of other states in providing meaningful, responsible, and constructive leadership for our great nation.

B. Declarations

To achieve these principles, we hereby make these declarations and adopt the following Rules to govern Party activities at all levels:

1. No test of membership in, nor oaths of loyalty to, the Texas Democratic Party shall be required or used if it has the effect of requiring prospective or current members of the Democratic Party to acquiesce in, condone, or support discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, sexual orientation, age, color, creed, national origin, religion, ethnic identity, economic status or disability.

2. The Democratic Party at all levels shall support the broadest possible voter registration and participation without discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, age, color, creed, national origin, religion, ethnic identity, economic status or disability.

3. It shall be the duty of the State Chair and Party Officers at all levels to take affirmative steps to encourage young people, women and minorities to seek selection as Delegates to Party Conventions and as members of Party Committees so that they shall be represented in reasonable relationship to their presence in the state.

4. Every person who accepts a Party office at any level (including the position of Convention Delegate and Alternate) must agree to support all of the Party’s nominees or shall be removed.

5. Public meetings at all levels of the Texas Democratic Party shall be open to all members of the Party, regardless of race, sex, age, color, creed, national origin, religion, ethnic identity, economic status, philosophical persuasion or disability.

6. The time and place of all meetings of the Texas Democratic Party at all levels shall be publicized fully and in such manner as to assure timely notice to all interested persons. Such meetings shall be held in places accessible to all Party members and large enough to accommodate all interested persons.

7. The Texas Democratic Party shall publicize fully and in such manner as to assure notice to all interested parties a complete description of the legal and practical qualifications and procedures for selecting Democratic Party Officers and Representatives at all levels. Publication of these procedures shall be done timely and in such a fashion that all prospective and current members of the Democratic Party and all prospective candidates or applicants will be fully and adequately informed of the pertinent procedures in time to participate in each selection procedure at each level of the Democratic Party organization and to compete for any elected or appointed position.

Junior’s Wheel Chair

I’d like you all to meet my friend, Mr. Junior Quinn.

Mr. Quinn is 53 years old and he has worked as an independent contractor selling the Houston Chronicle to passing motorists for the past 17 years, and he really needs a new chair.

I first met Junior a couple of years ago at his usual work-post at Dairy Ashford and Memorial. I had noticed that he was always there every single workday, M-F, 7am- 7pm, rain or shine, hot or cold -and that he never missed work. When I stopped to buy a Chronicle from him, I asked him if he worked for commission. He explained to me that they have to buy their own newspapers to sell, and that they often lose money, so I decided to start getting my Chronicles from him. I could see how hard he was working, and I just wanted to give my business to him.

I got to chatting with him one hot summer day during the heat wave when I stopped by to check on him and bring him some cold water, and just see how he was holding up. (It was 100 degrees & 100% humidity, & high noon!) He said, “Oh I don’t mind the heat, it’s the cold I don’t like!” Hehe. There’s a Texan for ya!

I have a great deal of respect for Mr. Quinn. He is a reliable, hard-working contributor to society. He inspires me because he focuses on what he can do, not on what he can’t. When I see him working so hard every day, I see a guy who views his challenges as merely minor setbacks or slight inconveniences rather than as disabilities.

Junior was born with Muscular Sclerosis and Polio and now has limited mobility, so he relies on his chair to get around. He was able to walk until 1994. He told me a story of how his cousin Norma would come over and help him into his arm and leg braces so he could exercise, but when she wasn’t around, the nursing home would just leave him in the bed all day and his muscles got weak.

Now his chair is his source of independence and freedom, but it is in bad shape. He really needs a new one, but he doesn’t have that kind of money. They’re very expensive.

Quinn lost his good chair in an accident on the job at the Chronicle not too long ago. A car hit him and badly injured him, and damaged the chair so much so that it needed replacing. Unfortunately, the chair they’ve replaced it with doesn’t even compare to the one he had before. It doesn’t meet the needs of such an active person with a full-time outdoor job, not to mention the fact that he takes the bus to and from work every day and the sidewalks are bad- There isn’t even a sidewalk ramp to his post.

I just hope and pray that someone out there can help Junior get the chair he so desperately needs so that he can keep his independence, and be safe on the job. That chair he has right now loses power and has left him stranded. And you can’t push those electric chairs either! I worry he’ll try to make it up the curb and lose power and turn it over into the intersection, or that he’ll be stuck sitting all alone in a dark parking lot all night one night, or even worse break down in the middle of the busy street.

Junior works a full-time job outdoors in busy traffic and in all kinds of weather. Doesn’t he deserve a top of the line chair? Is there somebody out there who can help? Please?

A BAG OF FRITOS

A bag of Fritos…. Doesn’t seem like such a big deal- however, it very much is. A bag of Fritos is a nurturing whole food in which you can find at any common gas station food market or vending machine- often times for only 25 cents. Read the ingredients on the bag and you will see only 3 wholesome ingredients- all of which can be easily identified: corn meal, corn oil, and salt. Fritos are naturally preserved in their own oil and cured with salt, so you can keep them in your back pack or glove compartment for years if necessary. I happen to love the way they taste too.

So if you’re looking for a delicious way to snack until suppertime or a food to keep handy for emergencies, in my opinion Fritos are the way to go.

 PS: For my friends here on the blog: Yes I have missed you all too! And hopefully I will be returning soon. We have been experiencing some excruciating suffering with both my health and with our finances. We welcome and encourage your prayers regarding labor laws here in America, and also for improvements in my health. We thank you for your care and concern and may God bless you all.

See you again real soon!

-TexasDebs

I have a request for a new category on the "Blogs" home page for MyFoxHouston.com, please. I can't seem to find the right place to categorize a lot of my entries.

Do you think we could have a place to blog about things like:

Home - Decorating & renovation, products and stores we like, electronics, arts and crafts, gardening, cooking, shopping, leisure learning
Health - Nutrition, exercise, cooking, vitamins foods and products we like, the gym, walking jogging bicycling and hiking spots, gym shoes/workout clothes, recipes, weight-loss, consumer awareness
Family - Baby, kids and school stuff, pets, toys games and products we like, caring for the elderly, holiday stuff, gift ideas

Maybe you could just combine Home, Health, and Family into one category? Please? I would be so very grateful to you.

MyFoxHouston.com has developed such a wonderful community. I really enjoy blogging here. Thank you so much, and thanks for considering.

TexasDebs

Some Of My Favorite Healthy, Lean, & Quick Foods

This is for you, KensWife! ;)

Boca Burgers

Boca Burgers are delicious, I love them! The only thing wrong with them is they do have artificial flavor in them which I usually try to avoid. 1 minute in the microwave or 5 minutes in the toaster oven right out of the freezer. They come four to a box, about $3.50 at Kroger in the freezer section.

www.bocafoods.com

0.5 Gram of fat, no trans-fat, no animal fat.

0 Cholesterol (vs 65 mg Cholesterol in beef)

13 Grams of Protein

6 Grams Carbs

4 Grams Dietary Fiber

Casbah Falafel

Casbah foods are all-natural. I like the Falafel because you just mix a cup of water with the mix, let it stand for 10 minutes, then shape your patties or balls and fry them for a minute on each side. I fry mine in sunflower oil and it gives it a nice, light flavor. One box makes about 2 dozen patties and costs about $2.00 at Whole Foods or Randall's.

www.casbahnaturalfoods.com

5 Grams of Fat, Cooked OR you can use the No Oil Directions.

No Animal Fat, No Trans Fat

0 mg Cholesterol

29 Grams Carbs

3 Grams Dietary Fiber

180 Calories

Health Valley Chili

I use this when I make Frito Pie. I get the one with Soy Protein in it (it's mock-meat) and I actually like it better than the canned chili that I used to use for the recipe. About $2.00 in the "Health Food" section at Kroger.

www.healthvalley.com

1 Gram of Fat, no trans-fat, no animal fat, no saturated fat

0 Cholesterol

31 Grams Carbs

9 Grams Protein

10 Grams Dietary Fiber

150 Calories

Soy Joy Bars

Okey, I'm gonna be honest with you, they're not that good! Ha-ha!! BUT: You can keep them in your glove box forever and they won't melt or go bad. Have them ready for a HUNGER EMERGENCY! These can get you home safely and you won't find yourself eating from the gas station or fast food place. They sort of taste like a muffin, but they have the texture of a chewy cookie. www.soyjoy.com
(I discovered these while doing a demo of them for work.)

.96c Per Bar at Wal-Mart in the Nutrition Bars aisle (near the pharmacy) 3 flavors: Apple, Berry, & Raisin Walnut

Nothing artificial & No hydrogenated oils. Made with whole soy & dried fruit.

6 Grams Fat (2.5 Saturated)

16 Grams Carbs

3 Grams Dietary Fiber

20 mg Cholesterol, though. (They are made with real dairy butter.)

I hope these ideas are helpful for everyone who is trying to watch their weight and eat heart-smart.

About Being Married

I was just thinking about how much I enjoy being married. I had a piece of glass in my heel, and there comes Navi with his mini-flashlight and tweezers! It's just so nice to have another human being always there that cares so much about my well-being.

I married late (I always say I was just waiting for the right man to come along!), but now that I am, I totally understand why it's so nice. There's always someone there for you, whether it be a tiny piece of glass in your heel or a huge obstacle to overcome, you get to go through life's journey with a partner.

I highly recommend it to all of my single friends.

Scary Monsters And They're Real

Forget about vampires, ghosts, witches, and werewolves, I went to this website last night and found the scariest Halloween monsters. It seriously freaked me out.

All day long on the news they were talking about how easy it would be for a predator to snatch a child on Halloween because all they have to do is wait for them to come to their door. The police said that they would be going to registered sex offenders homes to make sure that they were following the rule that says that they must leave their porch light off, must not decorate for Halloween or display anything inviting to a child, and that they are not to open up their door for trick-or-treaters. But what about the sex offenders that have not been convicted yet? Or the ones that have not yet committed the crime?

It creeps me out to think that there are so many that we have to have an entire task force devoted to this type of criminal. I heard about this website on Fox26 where you could just type in your zip-code and see how many are in your neighborhood, their addresses, profiles, and photos. I decided to check it out and see if any live near me. I was shocked and horrified.

I live in a pretty nice neighborhood and there were 18 in my zip code, several very near me, and one on my street. I started reading their offenses and viewing their photos. Frightening. There were pedophiles, aggravated rapists, etc.- just sick, disturbed criminals- and these guys probably shop where I shop and pump gas where I pump gas.

Take a look at the website. It sure made my Halloween scary!

TXDPS - Offender Search Results

Paparazzi Outside My Door

While in my slob-clothes in line at the store this morning I was looking at the pictures on the rag-mags and I was thinking...."Whew! Boy! Good thing the paparazzi aren't waiting outside of my door to get a shot of me! There would be some HORRENDOUS photos of me out there!"

....'Well, we THOUGHT she was normal that one day, but sheesh! Now look at her! SCARY!'

.... Actually today they would have just run away screaming. 'AAAAAAHHHH!!!!'

....They wouldn't have to worry about me punching the camera guy, he'd already have hit the floor after seeing me! Hehehehe!!!!

(I thought you'd get a kick out of that!)

HAPPY WEEKEND, FOLKS! SLOB AROUND IF YOU WANNA!