Me & Mine Magazine: Winter 2012

Winter 2013

How’s Your Heart?

Make Cooking Easy Be Your Child’s

Pack Leader

5 Worst Beauty Mistakes

Meet ... Mani, Sam, Emma, & Amaya What customs from your childhood are you sharing with your children?

What new traditions are you creating?

Growing up in a relatively small town, there wasn’t much to look forward to. However, during the holidays, we would wait for the family to get together on Christmas Eve and walk up and down the lit up streets of Christmas Tree Lane. It was so magical to see the joy of the holiday season reflected in the decorated houses, by the strangers walking past you in their scarves and jackets, and the smiles and eyes of children. The best part was sharing that memory with loved ones, and that is a holiday custom I would like to pass on to my girls.

It’s more than just Christmas Tree Lane. It’s about hope, love, and family. It’s important that my girls know that the holidays are more than just gifts and Christmas cookies—they’re about family!

In 2010, my family started a new holiday tradition. Each member of the family customized his/her own personal ornament to reflect the happenings of that year as well as their hopes and wishes for the New Year. It is a way to reflect on what we’ve done and learned the past year (since time flies by) and think about what we hope to accomplish the following year. After decorating our ornaments we’d hang them on the tree, and the following year we would take them out and reminisce. It helped the family come together and share memories and hopes for the future. This is a tradition I would like to start with my girls now that they are old enough to participate. Then, years from now, when they open their ornaments from years before they will reflect on how much they’ve grown and changed and they can share that development with the ones closest to them. That’s what traditions are about: sharing old memories and creating new ones!

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4 Protecting Yourself From Heart Disease 6 Adopting a Homeless Dog 8 According to Andrea

22 Make Cooking Easy with Rotisserie Chicken 26 Amy’s Awakening

2 From ME & Mine 29 ME and My Home

12 Being Your Child’s Pack Leader 14 Connected Moms 20 Family Dinner

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on the cover Mani, Sam, Emma, & Amaya Sidhu photographed by Moments to Remember Photography

www.meandminemagazine.com Me and Mine magazine is an LLC and its information, format and designs are protected by copyright laws.

Any reproduction of content, photography or arrangement is not permitted unless written permission is granted by the publisher of the magazine.

Contributing authors and photographers are responsible for content and accuracy in their submissions and Me and Mine Magazine, its founders or members assume no responsibility for errors or omissions.

Me and Mine Magazine, LLC, © Copyright 2013

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Thank you to our contributors!

Brandi Schwartz Design & Photography brandischwartz.com Moments to Remember Photography

by Michelle Chandler mymomentstoremember.com Samantha Prather Photography samanthaprather.com

Jennifer Jaeger Traynham Publisher Rona Desmond Marketing & Advertising Executive Jessica Jaeger Editor

Jessica B Photography jessicabphoto.com Heather Smith Photography heathersmithphoto.com

Happy New Year!!

Our goal in the New Year is to stir up more creative energy while enhancing a little sparkle from the inside out. That’s what shining really is! Whether it’s learning to live your passion, discovering the secrets to a healthy lifestyle, or developing your own sense of style, we plan to continue inspiring you with brilliant, fun, and new ideas that make you sparkle! In 2012, we learned through each publication how you shine…but we want to know more! What brings that special sparkle to your life, how do you shine? Even if shimmer and sequins isn’t your thing, there are endless ways to make your life beautiful.

In this issue, you’ll find inspiration to tap into your own beautiful connections; connections between mothers and their children, through family mealtimes together, and a journey to cultivate a deeper connection to happiness and a healthier life. When we cook and serve a meal, we offer a piece of ourselves. In this issue, we have included wildly good recipes which can be prepared with ease, allowing more time to connect with your loved ones regularly. Remember to practice healthful habits and create lasting positive changes in yourself and your family. We hope with our added sparkle, we will all find our way to a magnificent new year!

Me and Mine

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74.5% of Americans think an unattractive smile can adversely affect a person’s chance for employment and success.

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Protecting Yourself from Heart Disease ardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke) is the number one cause of death and disability in women in the United States. While there are similarities, there are also significant differences between men and women when it comes to heart disease. It is a general belief that women are less likely than men to have heart disease. While women do in general show symptoms of heart disease about 10 years later than men, after menopause the risk is similar to men. Studies have also shown that women are more likely to have atypical symptoms, which may lead to a delayed diagnosis.

Often, labeling symptoms as being “in one’s mind” leads to the prescription of anti-anxiety medications and delaying essential medical care. When women have heart attacks, their outcomes are poorer compared to men with similar types of heart attacks.

“It’s unfortunate that more than 400,000 people in our country will die suddenly this year, many of them from cardiovascular issues,” says Gurbir Dhaliwal, M.D., cardiologist at Sutter Medical Foundation.

“Some of those people may have been able to prevent or reverse their conditions with healthy habits.”

Common Conditions Heart attack, stroke, and heart failure are conditions that fall under the umbrella of cardiovascular disease.

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By Dr. Gurbir Dahliwal, M.D.

as being overweight or having high blood pressure,” says Dr. Dhaliwal.

“That makes it even more important to be aware of heart disease symptoms and to be aggressive when you suspect something may be wrong.” Keep alert for signs of heart disease if any immediate family members have suffered heart problems, especially at a young age.

This includes men under age 55 and women under age 65.

A heart attack occurs after muscle cells die or are injured when blood flow to the heart is suddenly reduced. If a large area of muscle is damaged, it can lead to heart failure.

A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is suddenly and severely reduced.

This is often caused when plaque buildup in a blood vessel breaks off and blocks the flow of blood. Common signs of stroke include vision loss, weakness in a leg or arm, and slurred speech.

Heart failure occurs when the heart is damaged and can no longer pump effectively—often after a heart attack.

The primary symptoms of this condition are fatigue and shortness of breath.

Risk Factors and Prevention “Not everyone who experiences heart disease will have classic risk factors—such

When suggesting preventative measures, Dr. Dhaliwal recommends routine blood pressure and cholesterol checks and maintaining a healthy weight to reduce the amount of stress on your heart. Following a healthy diet and exercising regularly can help with your weight. “Following a Mediterranean-style diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables and good fats from nuts, olives, and fish is one of the best things you can do for your heart,” he says. “You should also exercise continuously for 20 to 30 minutes a day. Talk with your doctor about activities that can safely get your cardiovascular system going.”

Gurbir Dhaliwal, M.D., a cardiologist with Sutter Medical Foundation, practices in our Yuba City care center. To request an appointment, visit suttermedicalfoundation.org or call 530-749-3346.

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Adopting a Homeless Dog

By Lynda Piercy

Dog Obedience Instructor/Pawformance Photography by Heather Smith Photography

Looking into adopting a dog from a shelter or rescue organization fills two needs in some people: the need for a wonderful companion and the need to save a life. If you are thinking of adopting a dog, do it with great thought and a bit of research. So often we respond from the heart only to have “adopter’s remorse.” Remember these precious lives have been through quite enough as far as rejection goes, so they do not need another negative encounter with dog ownership.

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ive yourself plenty of time and preparation to bring a dog home from a shelter or rescue organization. Know the energy level and age of the dog that would best suit your home situation. If you do not have the time to raise a puppy, especially one that may have had a rough start in life, consider adopting an adult. Even senior dogs make wonderful pets in their golden years.

When you arrive at a shelter, spend some time with the dog—both one-on-one and with all of your household family members present. If you have another canine in your household, after you meet the dog, see if they will allow the dogs to meet on common ground, perhaps in the parking lot of the facility with the dogs on leashes. Watch for warning signs of posturing or dominance in one or both dogs. Remember, when getting a second or additional dog, you should be getting this dog because you want the additional dog, not just because you think your current dog needs a playmate. You want to make sure the dogs will accept each other.

If there is a behaviorist that has met with the dog at the shelter, ask to see any notes or information regarding an evaluation of the dog. If you choose to adopt through a rescue organization, most of them are breed specific and do a great job matching the dog’s needs to the needs of the home looking for a dog. This can be very helpful in adopting the perfect dog. Rescues are usually very familiar with the breed’s personality and quirks and will not let the dog go to a home that could not make both sides happy.

On the other hand, a shelter usually spends very little time with you, so the match is usually your call.

Check into what type of training classes will be available to you after you get the dog home to help the dog adjust to its new surroundings.

Some of these dogs will have had little or no training, and their lack of training is why they were given up. This does not mean they are not

trainable, but that the past owner did not take the time to bring out the best in the dog. After you have the dog home for a bit, write down behaviors you want to work on before you meet with your trainer to make sure this trainer can provide you with things to work on to help you and your dog correct this behavior. There

is sometimes what we call a “honeymoon� period in adopting a dog from a shelter or rescue. They are usually on their best behavior out of uncertainty for the first few weeks or so and then their true personalities come out.

Make sure you understand this and do not just assume a well-behaved or quiet, submissive dog will remain that way in the weeks ahead.

However, negative behavior will turn around

in the right environment. It is best to treat the dog, no matter how old it really is, as a puppy.

Then you can figure out how much it knows instead of instantly assuming an adult knows everything about how you want him to behave in your home. The dog is going through a new learning process with a new family.

Shelters will usually list dogs as mixes of certain breeds. This is never certain, so do not get stuck on certain traits in the breeds listed and be disappointed should they not be found in the mixed breed you adopted. Adopt the dog for what he is, whether purebred or mix, and bring out the best in the dog while knowing you have just saved a life.

Some of us are led from the heart to save a life, which makes that relationship with our canine companion even more special. If you are interested in adopting a dog, Petfinder.com has many wonderful shelter and rescue dogs listed that are looking for forever homes. Oftentimes it is not just us that save the dog, but the dog that saves us.

Lynda Piercy has been raising and training dogs as well as educating the public on responsible dog ownership for over 20 years. She has accomplished 42 Championships and 237 performance titles on dogs owned and/or bred by her. She is very active with Boston Terrier and Small Breed Rescue. She is a Dog Obedience Instructor at Pawformance Pet Specialties in Yuba City.

Photography by Samantha Prather

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Wearing Foundation on Flakey Skin Foundation needs a smooth surface or it can appear cracked, dry, or dull. Foundation should absorb and disappear into the skin. To keep skin smooth and hydrated, it is essential to exfoliate 1-3 times a week, as well as to tone and moisturize. Use an astringent or toner such as witch hazel, and apply to oily areas of the skin. Then apply eye creams and moisturizers. For extremely dry skin, try oils such as suki or serums. These products tend to have the most active ingredients,

so a general rule of thumb is to apply products from thinnest to thickest formulation. Follow your serum with a moisturizer to seal in moisture and prevent skin from drying out. Note: avoid zinc-based makeup and powders. They have a mattifying effect that draws oils out of skin.

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Blending Your Makeup This issue applies to everything you put on your face. No one looks good with harsh lines on their skin, eyes, or lips, so blend, blend, blend! The right brushes make all the difference.

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Too Light of Concealer If you want to draw attention to something, you shine a light on it.

Right? Lighter makeup brightens and also attracts attention. However, too light of a concealer, which is supposed to soften dark circles, will actually make them even more obvious.

To avoid this, choose warmer, pinker, more flesh-toned concealers. Note: Smudging a bit of peach lipstick into concealer is the perfect antidote for undereye circles. Also, choose a creamy concealer that you can easily blend to match your skin tone.

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Applying Too Much Luminizer Oily, acne-prone skin, BEWARE! Luminizers can make your appear greasy. Use a highlighter only, and do not use over your entire face.

Using the Wrong Brow Color Avoid brows that are too dark by brushing in pencil work and applying loose translucent powder. On the other hand, brows that are too light can make one look sickly or like they have a more rounded face shape. At least shadow in brown for depth, so your brows will frame your face.

Tips For Success ❍ Keep skin flawless by exfoliating at least once a week with a gentle chemical/acidic exfoliant. ❍ Dress things up with a bold lip rouge. ❍ Thicken lash line with a gel liner. ❍G et the must-have shade of taupe eye shadow this season.

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❍A void the matte look. Switch to a cream or gel blush for a flushed and healthy-looking complexion.

What’s in my Makeup Bag? • MAC Fix + Spray. Use after you have created your total look. It helps makeup last!

• CeraVe skin care line with Hyalurnic acid. It helps repair and restore your protective skin barrier.

• Benefit Highbeam highlighter. Used in moderation, it can create the perfect fall/winter glow. Apply it on your browbone, bridge of your nose, inner corners of your eyes, and your top lip ridge or Cupid’s bow.

• Cle’ De’ Beau concealer. It is the best concealer ever made— it does not crease or budge!

• A red lip rouge/gloss and liner.

• Femme Coutour “Get Rosie” lip and cheek stain from Sally’s. Take control of your application by applying it to your fingers, emulsifying in your palm, and then patting onto your cheek bones. It will give your skin the perfect kiss of color.

Andrea Johnson is a makeup artist and hair stylist at Carnes and Company in Yuba City. You can follow her tips and trends on Facebook, Beauty by Andrea http:// www.facebook.com/#!/ BeautyByAndreaJohnson?fref=ts

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Sleep quality and oxygen:

By Dr. Tom Gibson DDS Dr. Nancy Haley Appelblatt MD, FACS, FAASM

How is your child doing?

e live in a great community, and most of us wouldn’t want to live anywhere else (well, Tahiti could be worth a try). Our area is a great one in which to live and raise our families, but we know there are many pollutants and toxins that surround us. Things and people in our world literally change on a daily basis. The preservatives and additives in the food we eat, as well as in our water, have changed over time.

Your internal and external environments both impact your health. We really don’t know what is in the air that we breathe or the processed foods that we eat. We are constantly surrounded by manufactured and chemically-treated items, even using them to drink from and cook food with.

So, how do you know if your child is getting enough oxygen during sleep? Are they getting the high-quality sleep that they need to be healthy and thrive? Here are some potential clues:

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Is your child a loud snorer?

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Does your child snore 50% or more of the time?

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Do they talk in their sleep or sleepwalk?

We also live with natural things in our environment that may hurt us. House dust, mold, and other allergens may cause both acute and chronic illness in susceptible people.

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Is it difficult for your child to wake up in the morning?

These environmental factors also impact our children.

The number of children that have been diagnosed with allergies and asthma has increased 100% in the last twenty years. Far more children are using inhalers and taking medication for allergies than ever before. Many people also have chronic problems. How often do you see someone you know suffering with their allergies or sinuses or asthma?

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When these types of problems affect us, or even worse, our children, our airways may get inflamed, narrowed, and plugged up. In kids the tonsils and adenoids can get enlarged, and the tissues in the nose may swell. This makes it hard to breathe in a normal and adequate way. Unfortunately for many, these are constant problems.

Approximately 15% of children have problems that are always present and may constitute partial blockage of their airways.

Airway obstruction can cause sleep-related breathing disorders (SDBD), or even obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in kids. It has been said that the most critical hours in a child’s life are the hours that they spend sleeping. The oxygen that enters their body during hours of high quality sleep is critical for growth and development, especially to the neural tissues in a child’s brain.

If children have an impairment that affects the delivery of oxygen to their lungs, then less oxygen is available to be delivered to all the other organs in their bodies, especially their brain.

Hypoxia (not enough oxygen in the blood) can have a major impact on the developing brain. It can be caused by upper airway obstruction, which may lead to a sleep-related breathing disturbance. In a child, the impact can be huge. However, the

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impact of airway blockage can be subtle and difficult to pin down. Often parents are told that the child will grow out of the symptoms they’re experiencing, such as snoring or infections.

But even if they do, what damage has been done to their developing system?

■ A re

they often grumpy or are they having behavioral problems?

Are they having difficulty focusing at school?

■ D o

they get tired or “run out of gas” before they really should during the day?

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Do they have dark circles or “shiners” under their eyes?

■ I s

it easier for them to breathe through their nose or is their mouth open most of the time?

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Can they eat and breathe at the same time?

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Does the child have chronic bedwetting issues?

■ A re

they noticeably behind in their physical growth and development compared to peers?

■ A re

they heavier than they should be and don’t get enough exercise?

■ D o

they seem to always be hungry, and crave sweets and carbohydrates?

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Do sleep problems run in your family?

These questions are basic and can be valuable in evaluating a child’s quality of sleep, including proper oxygenation during their sleep. Snoring is not normal, and can be an indicator of a potential problem. Studies have shown that children who snore habitually have an I.Q. that is 8 points lower than children who do not snore. Children who snore are also 3 times more likely to develop ADD/ADHD problems. One out of every six children is diagnosed with some level of ADD or ADHD. The incidence of this diagnosis has risen sharply in recent years—right along with the increase in allergy and asthma.

It is not unusual for issues with children’s airways to be overlooked. If your child suffers from allergies and takes medications, are they effective? Does the allergy treatment truly help the problems? If it doesn’t seem like your child’s allergy treatment is really doing much, they may not have allergy at all, or they may have airway blockage that worsens the problem.

You should always feel free to take questions regarding your children’s health to your healthcare providers. You deserve to be listened to. We may not have all of the answers, but we should help you find answers and take your concerns seriously.

It is our mission to help your children grow, thrive, and be the best that they can be.

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About the authors: Dr. Tom Gibson DDS is a general dentist practicing general and cosmetic dentistry with offices in Yuba City and Colusa, and his website is www.tomgibsondds.com.

Dr. Nancy Haley Appelblatt MD, FACS, FAASM is a dual board certified physician specializing in otolaryngology (ENT), and pediatric and adult sleep medicine. She practices with Sacramento ENT and their website is www.sacent.com.

Their goal in working together is to raise awareness in our area of the critical value of quality sleep in childhood development, and to help children in our area who have sleep disorders get the help that they need to become healthy, thriving members of our community.

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Being Your Child’s

by Meghan Hamilton

Pack Leader

Photography by Moments To Remember Photography

e have all heard the term “pack leader.” To some of us this term brings up thoughts of wild dogs or wolves, and to others it reminds us of a very popular television personality, Cesar Millan, also known as “the Dog Whisperer.”

According to Millan, “a pack leader is by definition strong, stable and consistent.”

These traits are also very valuable in a parent, are they not?

Think about the following questions for a moment and be honest with yourself: • Who in your family dictates your daily schedule?

• Is your daily schedule consistent?

• Is there frequent and/or ongoing change occurring in your child’s life?

• Do you let your child see you get frustrated with them or with others?

These questions, when answered honestly, quickly reveal how strong, stable, and consistent you are as a pack leader for your children.

First let’s take a look at STRENGTH. This is a quality that most of us, including myself, could make some improvements in. We have all been there, had that day when everything in the house seems to be making noise.

Finally, you just cannot take it anymore and you snap at the next person who walks into the room. Or maybe it’s that you are driving around town with your children in the car, someone pulls out in front of you, and you demonstrate some serious road-rage. Sound familiar? Strength, while mostly intangible, manifests itself largely in the form of patience and self-control. By modeling both patience and self-control for your children in stressful situations, you teach them what it means to be strong—strong of mind and of character.

When your children see that mommy stays cool the next time they write on the wall or that mommy doesn’t yell at the rude driver in the parking lot, they too will start demonstrating a sense of strength in their daily lives.

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How about STABILITY? Stability comes from things in your life that you CAN control.

Are your children in a stable environment in which they can thrive? For example, do you have a clean and organized house? Do your children have access to trusted friends and family members they can call on should the need arise? Do you have open lines of communication with your children? Do you have a wellness plan for your family?

Or are your children concerned for your health? All of these items you, as a parent, have control over. No matter what else is going on in your life (i.e. stress, divorce, death in the family, etc.), if you are providing stability for your children, they too will learn and grow to be a stable child, adult, and eventually a stable parent to their own children.

Finally, let’s consider CONSISTENCY. If you are not consistent as a parent, you will never be your child’s pack leader. Consistency comes largely from your daily schedule, family expectations, and follow-through. Children need structure. They need to know what is expected of them. By adhering to a daily schedule and implementing routines throughout your day you will not only make your child aware of your expectations, but will be giving them the consistency in their life that they so greatly crave. Following through on promises and previously-made arrangements has a great impact on your child’s ability to trust you. If you do not consistently make “good” on promises made to your children, they will begin to lose faith in you. To be your child’s pack leader, consistent trust must be present. Your child must believe in the decisions and choices you make for the family.

Being consistent throughout your day, week, month, and year will build an amazing sense of trust between you and your child and help you naturally maintain position as their pack leader.

While all of us strive to be the best parents to our children, we inevitably lose our way at some point. If and when you feel as though you have lost your way, just ask yourself, “Am I being STRONG, STABLE and CONSISTENT?” When our children are not responding to us as we wish, it is usually because we need to make some adjustments in one of these areas. A quick self-assessment will reveal where we may be lacking and help us to correct our course. It is important to keep in mind that as parents we may not always FEEL strong, stable and consistent, but we are still capable of demonstrating these qualities to our children. Make the choice to be a pack leader for your family. As your children enter adulthood, they will draw on memories of your leadership for comfort and guidance as they make their way through life, eventually becoming pack leaders in their own lives, and to their own families, children, and loved ones.

Meghan Hamilton is a co-owner and founder of Fusion Schools (https://www.FusionKids.com) and the author of the Fusion Early Learning Curriculum (https://www.PreschoolCurriculum Online.com.) Meghan’s passion lies in educating young children in ways that excite and intrigue the learner, opening them up to a wider array of educational experiences. Meghan currently lives in Yuba City with her husband and business partner, Tom, and their two children, Jack and Emma.

Contributor photo by Victor Bruce

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CONNECTED

MOMS Photography by Moments to Remember Photography

Being a mother is quite possibly the most complex journey a woman can embark upon, yet the connection between a mother and child is by far the greatest love of all.

We believe it takes a special woman to create an open, trusting connection with her child.

This special relationship allows her son or daughter to grow into an extraordinary person!

Strong affection, understanding, compromise, laughter, and a sense that we are all in this together are, overall, the magical ingredients for these inspiring mothers. Here they each share their secrets on how they create beautiful relationships and lifelong connections with their children.

Nikki Cagle-Nakamura

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Ultimately, what our children want is for us to listen to them. Just listen like no one else on the planet would, without necessarily jumping right in and trying to fix their problems for them. Listen in a way that lets them know there is nowhere you would rather be and no one you would rather be with. Just being heard by a loving mom is the strength my children need to find their way.

I believe the pressure we put on ourselves can actually be lifted—we don’t always have to have the perfect answer or magical remedy. Deep down, knowing we believe in them is what makes our children feel safe.

continued on page 16

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Becky Gomes My own mother has always been an inspirational and loving parent who continues to make me a better person and mother. She has taught me to have empathy for my three daughters, and to understand that sometimes there will be mixed feelings and layers of emotions between us.

I inspire my daughters to discover who they are while giving them a vision of compassion and respect through my relationship with my own mother. I share the human side of myself to comfort my daughters and create a beautiful intimacy we can always treasure.

Karrine Marefos A harmonious relationship requires treating our children with the same love, respect, and openness we want in return. I try to create a no-judgment zone where my children feel safe and empowered to be honest, and know they are loved and accepted no matter what they share.

I always offer essential encouragement through a loving presence, with steadfast support. Encouraging and supporting my children to be happy creates a beautiful unity among us and magically makes me happier, too!

Lisa Siller Giving my daughter the security of knowing I will always support her.

From the beginning, whatever she needed, I was there; we have a sacred code with defined boundaries which continues to connect us much deeper as she grows into a beautiful young woman. There is a delicate balance between being a mom and being a friend. Let them learn safely, without depriving them of learning important life lessons, and knowing those moments when they need help the most and when to let them bloom on their own.

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Gathering at theFamily Table

by Rona Desmond

amily mealtime isn’t just about the menu. In addition to bringing everyone together for a wrap-up of the day’s activities, being together for a few family meals creates ritual and routine which your families come to expect and look forward to.

A family meal doesn’t need to be an elaborate affair. In the hustle and bustle we live in today, it’s even more important we gather our chicks to regroup, refuel, and connect to each other, even if only for a half an hour. In some families, it may be a Norman Rockwell affair with linens, multiple pieces of silverware, and proper table manners. For others, it’s take-out on paper plates in front of the television. In most families, it’s most likely somewhere in between. But whatever your setting looks like, our research shows the experts agree: The more often your family can eat dinner together, the better your family connects.

For all parents—working, stay-at-home, divorced, single—who crave more quality time with their children, the ritual of family dinner, sitting down together at the end of the day to slow down and listen, to really connect with one other, is a marvelous benefit.

In today’s busy society, the question often is: How do you actually make it happen? How do you get the entire family around the table, with some type of food on the table, and all at the same time?

There are some well-organized souls among us who make meal planning seem easy. But when you look closer, you’ll most often discover that there’s an underlying strategy behind this relaxed approach—the household meals dance to a routine.

Sunday’s a big dinner, and Tuesday gets the leftovers. Monday is burger night, and Wednesday is spaghetti, year in and year out. Thursday’s the day for a new casserole, and pizza on Friday. On Saturday night, it’s sandwich night!

Create a routine around your menu planning. Be wildly adventurous, try new meals; just don’t let your enthusiasm for the glossy pages of your magazines dazzle you into doing so more than twice a month.

Cooking tried-and-true recipes speeds dinner preparation and streamlines menu planning.

To do it, look for prompts in your family schedule. At-home days with more free time can handle a fancy feast, or can signal for soup and sandwiches and give the chef the night off. Late evening practice or meetings are the perfect time to plan for take-out. Make the routine yours, and it will serve you perfectly!

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Rideout Cancer Center Is Expanding

More Leading Edge Treatment Options and Patient-Centered Care for Our Region When cancer strikes close to home, close to home is where you want to be — close to the comfort of family and friends, in more familiar surroundings with an atmosphere of emotional support and healing. But you also want to be sure you’re getting the most comprehensive, most advanced treatment. At the Rideout Cancer Center, our patients find both — world class care and one-to-one compassion. We have UC Davis physicians on staff, who join our outstanding group of nurses and technicians to provide comprehensive, state-or-the-art cancer care — under one roof — close to home.

The expansion will add 16,461 square feet of new construction and will enable us to add: • 11 additional Transfusion Bays, for a total of 25 • 6 additional Exam Rooms for a total of 14 • 1 additional Linear Accelerator for a total of 2 • 1 new PET CT Scanner • 1 new Ultrasound • New Reception & Waiting area and office space • A remodel of the existing Pharmacy Expansion completed, Dec. 2012

Rideout Cancer Center

In Parnership with UC Davis Health System

618 5th Street, Marysville 530 749-4400

www.RideoutCancerCenter.org www.facebook.com/FremontRideout

w i t h a Ro t is s e r ie Ch i c k e n

By Sharman Kobayashi, Susan Patane, & Rona Desmond

Families are busier than ever these days. It can be really tempting to just go out to eat rather than cook a meal at home when you’re trying to get kids from school to soccer practice, music lessons, or tutoring sessions. But with a little planning and organization, you can still make quick, economical, and nutritious meals at home.

he rotisserie chicken that you can pick up at just about every grocery store is one of the busy cook’s best friends, saving you hours of time in the kitchen. If you’re looking for ways to stretch your meals, there are dozens of ways to feed your family using your ready-cooked rotisserie chicken as the base of your meal.

Tips: • I f you’re using leftover chicken in a hot dish, you won’t want to cook it again; instead, add it to the dish close to the last minute of cooking, just so it has time to warm through.

• I f you know you’re going to be really pressed for time, shred your chicken ahead of time and refrigerate it.

• Don’t throw out the bones, as you can always use them to make your own chicken stock, which you can then refrigerate in a jar for another delicious recipe.

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Asian Chicken Salad Ingredients Salad One head of lettuce, chopped (or a bag or two of your favorite ready-toeat salad blend) 1/2 cup chopped green onions 2-4 cups chicken 1/3 cup chopped cilantro (you can omit this if you don’t like cilantro) 1 cup chopped honey roasted almonds or peanuts 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds Variations

*Instead of the nuts, substitute an equal amount of plain croutons, crispy chow mein noodles, deep-fried wonton skins, or anything that will provide a bit of crunch. Toast the sesame seeds ahead of time – cook then in a small, dry saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until they brown slightly and have a toasty fragrance. They will keep in a tightly sealed container for at least a couple of weeks. *You can add any of the following: a can of mandarin orange sections, well drained; one fresh pear, cored and diced; or a crisp apple, cored and thinly sliced. You can also substitute a small head of cabbage or Napa cabbage for the lettuce.

Dressing 2 tbsp sugar 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1/4 cup salad oil 1 tbsp Asian sesame oil (made of toasted sesame seeds and much more fragrant than regular sesame oil) 3 tbsp vinegar Directions Shake all the ingredients together until the sugar is dissolved. It will keep for weeks if tightly sealed and refrigerated.

If your dressing is already made, all you need to do is assemble your salad in a big bowl, toss, and serve with some fresh rolls for a light, tasty dinner!

Time-saving Tips *Instead of making the dressing from scratch, always have a bottle of seasoned rice vinegar in your pantry. When you need to make salad dressing, just mix 1/4 cup of the seasoned rice vinegar with 1/4 cup salad oil, 1 tbsp pepper, and 1 tbsp sesame oil.

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The Whole Enchilada Chicken Soup Ingredients 3 cups fat-free chicken broth 1 1/4 cups finely chopped celery 1/2 cup diced sweet yellow onion 3 cups green enchilada sauce One 15-oz. can pure pumpkin 2-3 cups shredded chicken 1 cup frozen white (or yellow) corn Optional: dash hot sauce, or more to taste Optional toppings: shredded fat-free cheddar cheese, crushed baked tortilla chips, sour cream, diced avocado, minced cilantro, sliced pitted olives Directions In a large pot, bring broth to a low boil on the stove.

Add celery and onion, and simmer for about 5 minutes, until slightly tender.

Stir in enchilada sauce and pumpkin. Once soup returns to a low boil, add chicken and corn and mix well. Cook for an additional 3 - 5 minutes, until soup is heated throughout. Add a dash of hot sauce if you like.

A nice way to serve this is to put your optional toppings in small bowls and let each person customize their own bowl of soup.

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Yellow Curry Chicken Ingredients Whole Rotisserie Chicken 3/4 cup white onion, diced 1 cup sliced carrots rounds 1 pkg. fresh green beans 1 jar yellow curry paste 1 16oz can new potatoes

Directions In a skillet, sautĂŠ sliced onion and carrot rounds in a little vegetable oil until tender.

Stir in some Thai yellow curry paste (available at Asian markets or in the Asian foods section of supermarket; Thai and True makes an especially bright and fresh version).

Thin curry to a saucy consistency with canned unsweetened coconut milk and low-sodium chicken broth. Add one can of new potatoes and trimmed green beans, cook until beans are tender.

Add chunks of chicken and continue to cook curry mixture until chicken is just heated through.

Serve over cooked jasmine rice. Enjoy!

Go-to Chicken Salad Sandwich Tear chicken into pieces and mix with a large dollop of mayo and a diced green onion. Season with a couple shakes of Lawreys, a pinch of pepper and a shake of Worcestershire sauce. Combine all ingredients until evenly coated. Perfect on sourdough bread, or serve open faced on a thinly sliced baguette as an appetizer.

Add sliced red grapes, a handful of walnuts, and diced celery for a sweet brunch salad.

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Amy’s

By Amy Hendrix

Over the last year, my life has been undergoing incredible changes. The part that I am most excited to share is the shift in my diet. I owe it all to a chance encounter with a lovely author and wellness warrior, Kris Carr. I met Kris at a conference and I immediately fell in love with her energy, her spirit, and her humor. Oh, and did I mention that she lives with a rare, non-treatable, stage IV cancer? Kris became her own health advocate when she was diagnosed because the options for treating her cancer were limited. She dove into the world of nutrition and holistic medicine and then took all the best information and published into her book Crazy Sexy Diet. It’s one of my all-time favorites and I would definitely recommend it.

In CSD, Kris breaks down wellness into understandable nuggets that are easy to incorporate into daily life. She has so many great pieces, and I’d love to do it all, but honestly, my life, like so many others, is already overflowing with family and work commitments. I know better than to overwhelm myself by trying it all at once.

In chatting with Kris, she recommended that I start by adding in green juice to my daily routine. She said I didn’t actually have to deprive myself of anything; it was all about just adding something good. So I did, and the funny thing is that by adding the goodness, I dropped a whole lot of bad habits along the way without really trying. I no longer craved diet soda or coffee like I used to; instead, I craved green juice.

Information is power and freedom…

The more I learned about wellness, the more curious I became about other ways I could incorporate change. I started channeling my inner nerd by reading tons of books and watching documentaries on food. The more I learned about how toxic and unhealthy so many things are that we put into our bodies every single day, the more compelled I was to make even bigger changes. I started eating less meat and dairy and eventually gave it up all together. I kicked the caffeine habit for several months, and fell off the wagon recently.

However, I know that in doing it once, I can do it again. I also know I am not perfect at it, but I am a heck of a lot better than I was a year ago.

I’m changing my life by drinking the juice and

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replacing eating animals with eating plants. I am just getting started on this journey. I wish I had started sooner, but I wasn’t ready to be a student back then.

Baby steps…

What I have learned is that big changes can be super hard, but smaller ones are more manageable. Don’t go crazy with your New Year’s resolutions. Just start small. Start with a little green juice or a green smoothie a few days a week, and then when you’re ready, consider eating less meat and dairy or reducing your alcohol or caffeine intake. Go for moderation, not perfection. If you can’t give it up, just cut back.

Use a 3:1 ratio for your vegetables and fruit…

When you juice fruit, choose low glycemic options such as Granny Smith apples. The higher the sugar content of the fruit, the more potential for digestion discomfort, so sweeten with fruit, but don’t go overboard with it.

My favorite recipe: 1-2 cucumbers 3-4 kale stalks 3-4 romaine leaves 3-4 celery stalks 1-2 broccoli stems (I cut off the florets and steam them for dinner or use them in stir fry) 1-2 Granny Smith apples 1 lemon (peeled) Just because it’s green doesn’t mean it’s gross.

Many vegetables are actually sweet.

Juicing removes the fiber, so the vitamins, enzymes and minerals enter your blood stream

in a very short time, resulting in a super energy boost. Also, because there’s no fiber, it’s easily digestible, and you won’t experience bloating or heaviness that you might if you ate all of the vegetables instead of juicing them.

Preventative medicine…

I have noticed that since I started juicing, I haven’t been sick. Living in an area that’s high in agriculture, I have suffered with allergies, asthma, and sinus issues for my entire life, but since I have started juicing, I’ve been healthy.

The funny thing is that I have never had a doctor suggest juice to me. They just get out their prescription pad, load me up with antibiotics, and send me on my way. It’s great to know now that I have more control over preventing illness by incorporating something so simple and enjoyable.

I’ve also noticed that I’m happier when I’m juicing, which might sound odd, but it’s totally true. A friend of mine also mentioned he’s experienced significantly less anxiety and depression since he’s started juicing, too. We can all use a little more happiness.

Green juice is liquid nutrition, so juicing can actually help slow the aging process. It reduces inflammation, cleanses the body, regulates the bowels, and can even help peel off extra pounds.

Find a friend to come along on the juicing journey…

Juicing is easier and more fun when you share the liquid love with friends. I truly believe in the health benefits to juicing, so I am doing my best to encourage my friends to become juice lovers as well. Sometimes it helps to have others who are into it too, just so you don’t feel like such a weirdo drinking something that looks like pond water. I’m occasionally confronted by someone who thinks drinking green juice is some radical thing or the latest fad diet, which of course it’s not.

Bottled juice is not the same…

Juice sold in stores looks like it could be healthy, and often the labels say it is, but what they don’t tell you is that pasteurizing the juice and adding in sugar and preservatives actually negates any health benefits. If you don’t have time to make your own juice, you could try a juice bar, but make sure

It’s best to drink juice on an empty stomach.

Mixing liquids and solids slows digestion. Enjoy juice 30-45 minutes before eating solid food.

Why juice, why not just eat it?

It would be nearly impossible to consume all of the vegetables at one sitting. With juice, you get all the nutrients without stuffing yourself.

There are 3 types of juicers: Centrifugal (what I use), masticating, and twin gear. They all have different benefits to them.

Centrifugal juicers are easy to use, quick to clean, and less expensive. Masticating juicers extract more juice, but they do so at slower speeds, so they can feel slow compared to the centrifugal. Twin gear juicers also take longer to make juice, and are more difficult to clean because they have more parts to scrub. Ultimately, the best juicer is the one you’ll use. Get the best juicer you can afford. Make sure it fits your lifestyle. If it’s too much of a pain to clean, then you may not use it.

Green juice will not cause your blood sugar to spike compared to fruit juices and juices that are heavy in carrots, beets, or apples.

Balance pushing yourself out of your comfort zone with being gentle on yourself. Do better, feel better, and stretch yourself beyond limitations.

that they are using actual vegetables and fruit and not adding in a bunch of sugar. Be aware of what you’re consuming when you buy juice as opposed to making it yourself.

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Don’t deny yourself life’s pleasures…

A Lil’ Pop

The Country Florist

Perfect Lil Pop to any occasion! It’s a sweet, delightful treat indeed, even cuter than a cupcake!

Amanda Handy has turned her wildly popular cake pops into an indulging sensation.

From decorated balls to more ambitious shapes and characters for any theme, these cute little cakes on a stick are irresistible! Indulge in these adorable creations, because a lil’ pop is the perfect alternative to cake at any party or event.

Chocolate, flowers, home décor, and jewelry. The Country Florist knows exactly what women want.Why wait for a special holiday to indulge in your favorite things? Visit Kevin DeHoff and fall in love with the store that truly offers something for everyone. You’ll be amazed by the beautiful gifts that belong in your home…just because you deserve it!

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Ever wanted to learn to ride horses or let your child experience horses? Indulge them in a safe, positive and fun atmosphere at Butte Star Ranch, where there are great

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Poole’s Jewelers We all need a little sparkle in our life! And at Poole’s Jewelers, you’ll find something that will make you say “WOW!” It’s always fun to be surprised by

your loved one with jewelry, but it’s also fun to buy a little something for yourself too!

Troll beads, earrings, a necklace, Hearts on Fire, and so much more...it’s all here to choose from. Quit dreaming about a new piece of jewelry; make it reality.

1258 Stabler Lane, Suite 140, Yuba City

dedicated to assisting you in creating a more successful and balanced lifestyle.

Family Physicians At Family Physicians, we’re here to help you achieve the confidence and a sense of well-being that starts with a bright YOU! We recognize the importance of appearance as part of overall wellness, so we offer cosmetic procedures including Botox, Juvederm, and other filler treatments, so you can complement your total wellness with a smooth, wrinkle-free, and more youthful complexion. Our office offers a complimentary consultation to evaluate skin care needs and design a customized treatment plan. All services are performed in our facility by our staff professional, Kim Ruccione, R.N. www.familyphysiciansinc.com Spa Therapy Wellness Center Take time for yourself. Spa Therapy Wellness Center offers the gold standard of therapeutic care, providing the most result-oriented, state-ofthe-art treatments, services, and products available. They practice internal to external body care to enhance and treat your total body wellness.

Visit them online to find the perfect spa package and prepare for complete enjoyment and relaxation in the most peaceful environment. Spa Therapy Wellness Center is

www.yubacityspa.net 530.751.5166 Hair by Melissa Poma We love Melissa Poma’s philosophy: “Be your own celebrity!”

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Advertisement

and my home

By Jennifer Jaeger Traynham

Photography by Moments To Remember Photography

An energy efficient home should be a huge priority among homeowners. Not only is being energy efficient advantageous to our environment, but it also has great economical benefits.

Nichoel Farris works in the energy profession, and she has created an energy efficient home for her family in Yuba City.

They have completed a full energy upgrade to their home, planted an organic garden, started a compost pile, and have nine of the cutest chickens that provide their family with organic eggs nearly every day. Nichoel shares a few tips with us on how we can all make a difference and how she transformed her home into a “green house.”

Tell us about your home.

We purchased the home about 8 years ago. It is a midcentury ranch with a slight touch of a craftsman influence. I thought the large yard was gorgeous and the house had really great bones. I knew it would be fun to pull it out of the 70’s and modernize it! My husband was able to do most of the work. We ripped out the dark wood paneling, upgraded the dining room, bathrooms, and kitchen, installed new flooring, textured the walls, and converted a tired utility room into a large butler’s pantry. It was a big project, but fun at the same time.

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When did you decide to make your home energy efficient?

Tell us the reasoning behind your decision.

It all boiled down to comfort, style, and budget. As an energy analyst, the cost of inefficiency in this home was simply too much for me to ignore. The $250 water bills and utility bills tipping $600 spurred us into action. I wanted to be investing that money back into my home, not into a monthly bill. So I decided to put my family on a “carbon diet.”

We completed a deep energy retrofit of our home, installed a rainwater capture system, started composting, planted an organic garden, and just this spring started raising chickens for eggs. But it was also important to change some of our habits, such as buying local whenever possible and just rethinking the way our items were used. I love to collect and display natural oddities, and recently my husband went to a local salvage yard and picked through piles of stuff to find all the necessary materials to build me a chicken coop. He even found a great old train luggage cart I use as a coffee table. It’s amazing what people throw away.

What

did you change?

My priority from the outset was to save money on our monthly bills, but also to marry cutting-edge green technology with natural building techniques, and to locally source our materials.

Weatherization and air sealing laid the groundwork, but to approach our goal of having an uber-efficient home, I designed a two zone smart mechanical system. Out came the two old furnaces, two AC units, and leaky old ducts. Now we have a high-tech system that does (most) the thinking for us. It even has a smart vent, which creates the right amount of air exchanges in the home to maintain a healthy indoor air quality.

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We also swapped out incandescent bulbs for CFL’s or LED’s, upgraded to energy star appliances, increased the attic insulation to R50, replaced the leaky old shake roof with a cool tile roof, installed a remote control vented skylight to prevent our kitchen from heating up like the desert, and converted the swimming pool to salt water, which requires fewer chemicals and less pump time.

On top of all that, our new whole house fan can make a 10 degree difference in the indoor temperature.

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It’s Okayto Get

YourHandsDirty!

In fact, we expect it when you’re working with the GREEN BIN. By placing your yard clippings into the GREEN BIN you’re keeping waste out of the landfill and helping Recology produce rich compost which is used by local residents, farmers and garden enthusiasts to increase nutrients and improve soil quality.

Learn more. Recycle More.

Call 530-743-6933

with all your recycling questions.

Do your part and find out WHAT GOES IN GREEN.

YEP.

Acceptable Items in the Green Bin • Grass clippings • Leaves • Tree and brush prunings (bundle in 3 foot sections) • Weeds • Scrap wood (non-painted or non-treated)

NAH.

Unacceptable Items in the Green Bin • Palm tree or fronds, bamboo or pampas grass • Plywood or particle board • Painted or treated lumber • Sod or dirt • Concrete, rock or asphalt • Food waste • Manure or animal waste • Other household garbage

Find out WHAT GOES WHERE at

WhatBin.com

What are some things we can do to reduce energy usage in our homes?

Moms and families can make a big impact and save money through home energy efficiency and water conservation. A couple of weekends’ weatherizing, switching out old light bulbs to CFL’s, and sealing the attic and ducting will slash up to 30 percent off your energy bill. If you want to go a step further, get audited! I know it sounds scary, but I highly recommend it. If your energy bill seems too high, get a professional energy audit. Be sure it includes a blower-door test and duct test. Prior to our energy upgrade, our ducts had a 75% leakage. That means 75 cents for every dollar I was spending to heat and cool this home was being lost to the outside! The beauty of making changes to improve your home’s energy efficiency is that many of the changes do not involve a dramatic altering or high expense. For example, the impact of changing your water heater temperature or sealing your windows is simple and permanent: set it and forget it.

Is it expensive to do this?

Taking a few simple and inexpensive actions can go a long way. Families spend thousands of dollars each year on heating and cooling their homes, heating their water, and running lights and appliances. Fortunately, many of the cheapest and easiest actions also have big payoffs in utility bills. It’s okay if you are not in a position to install solar panels on your rooftop. The return on investment of a programmable thermostat is actually more impressive.

The improvements we made to our home cut our bills nearly in half. But there are some easy actions you can take that are free or under $100: • Reset your thermostat • Replace 5 Light Bulbs with CFLs •Wash clothes in cold water • Lower water heater temperature to 120 degrees • Seal leaks around doors and windows

• Insulate your water pipes • Change your furnace filter • Eliminate vampire power • Install low-flow shower heads & faucet aerators • Get a home energy audit

If possible, go online and monitor your energy consumption. I think you’d be surprised how much energy your family uses daily.

Is there assistance out there to help us in the right direction?

How about financial assistance?

If your home is leaking energy, it’s leaking money. There are programs and tools out there to help families save on their energy bill and reduce their carbon footprint, some of which are free. Your local utility company has some great incentives and rebates. Right now, there is a new financing program in our area, the CHF Residential Energy Retrofit Program, which allows eligible homeowners to make energy efficiency home improvements with a low interest rate loan.

What ’s next for you?

Our house is now more modern, comfortable, and efficient. But when it comes to a carbon diet, there is always room for improvement. We may not be doing everything right, but at least we are making an effort.

Maybe my next step in the carbon diet is to commit to driving less and walking or riding my bike more. That sounds like a great 2013 resolution!

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