World Diabetes Day aka cue JOKES ... ??

So I'm doing my early morning google preparing to tweet, pin, FB and so on, and realise it's World Diabetes Day. I suppose I should have known, truth be told, given that I've co-written a book featuring the development of the disease resulting from obesity; not to mention that my OH has Type 2 and that itself was possibly triggered by obesity..... but I didn't, and found out this morning. Not long after that I came across some fairly acrimonious postings on Pinterest, to the effect that anyone suggesting sweets and diabetes were connected should go forth and multiply. Well it's not fair or true to say that eating sweets causes Diabetes (either Type 1 or 2). And as some were accurately highlighting, Type 1 is not 'caused' by any outside factors. And as some others were accurately saying, not all Type 2 is caused by, triggered by, or related to, obesity. BUT - and it's a very big but (and maybe butt) ... eating sweets and other sweet things can be contributory factors to obesity, which in turn is a high risk factor for Type 2 Diabetes. Fact. So why verbally beat up on people referring to Diabetes & sweets? The comments arose out of a diabetes cartoon, which of course couldn't spell out every last if, but, and maybe of how people get it, whether or not their lifestyle has contributed and how much they suffer as a result.....surely comics aren't now to be expected to put caveats into all their scripts? So: prepare to be offended/amused/unaffected in equal measure: Why did the vampire bite the diabetic? Because he had a sweet tooth! Who is the patron saint of diabetics and railway stations? St Pancreas A Diabetic walks into a bakery as asks the guy behind the counter, “Whaddya got that is safe for diabetics?” The Baker says, “Everything. As long as you don’t put it in your mouth.” A police officer pulls over this guy who's been weaving in and out of the lanes. He goes up to the guy's window and says, "Sir, I need you to blow into this breathalyser tube." The man says, "Sorry, officer, I can't do that. I am an asthmatic. If I do that, I'll have a really bad asthma attack." "Okay, fine. I need you to come down to the station to give a blood sample." "I can't do that either. I am a hemophiliac. If I do that, I'll bleed to death." "Well, then, we need a urine sample." "I'm sorry, officer, I can't do that either. I am also a diabetic. If I do that, I'll get really low blood sugar." "All right, then I need you to come out here and walk this white line." "I can't do that, officer." "Why not?" "Because I'm drunk." A woman is terribly overweight, so her doctor puts her on a diet. "I want you to eat regularly for two days, then skip a day, and repeat this procedure for two weeks. The next time I see you, you'll have lost at least five pounds." When the woman returns, she's lost nearly 20 pounds. "Why, that's amazing!" the doctor says. "Did you follow my instructions?" The woman nods. "I'll tell you, though, I thought I was going to drop dead that third day." "From hunger, you mean?" asked the doctor. "No, from skipping." Apologies to those I've *borrowed* these from - DAFNE (Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating) and tudiabetes.org.

Bonzo Dog Dooda...............

Was that a sufficiently stupid post title? Having spent quite a lot of the past four years in company with therapists, I should know better than to feel guilt as it's a pointless emotion, but I feel thoroughly guilty about not keeping this blog up to date. Having recently - well about a fortnight ago, which tells the tale of how bad my procrastinatory tendencies can be - read how important it is to Blog because Google and other search engines pick up on newly-amended posts, I figured cometh the hour to pull the proverbial finger from its orifice. TADA! So much has happened it's pretty nigh impossible to do a thorough update but essentially we've within the past week put GMB to bed AND heard they're actually printing, because the new Elite outlet in Bahrain is having its launch in three weeks or so and want copies there .....(where a few Royal shoulders might rub with Martin & Marion, we hear) There's also a new outlet in Denmark, and the bouncy Mie was here in Spain a couple of weeks back. She proved quite handy in the 'brainstorming' department when we were trying to come up with online marketing ploys for (son of GMB) PBT and the PBT Book. We've wangled mention of Prof Philip Zimbardo, he of Time Perspective Theory fame, in the book because he's written a foreword for PBT. So of course since there's a page about the PBT book in GMB, so Prof Z gets a namecheck too! Amazing how important Google, search engines, and other phrases too deep and meaningful relating to social media, have become! I'll post more as and when. Probably the best way........ Ciao for now Fiona

Not Pining, honest guv....

Seems my keyboard is sneaking up to bite (or is that byte) me on the bum........... was I pining this morning? Well apart from OH and 10yo being in the UK, as of course are my DS1 and DD, ... no I wasn't. I was PINNING LOL !

Dignity and Impudence Explained (at last!)

It would be good to think someone reads these, though clearly I have my doubts. Either way I must plough on because one day I/we/they can look back and see the course of the journey mapped out. In my case I create real 'no through roads' or potholes in the route map because at my advanced *ahem* years (not THAT advanced, you understand - I DO have a 10 year old son!) I've had to grasp the phrase social media by the scruff of the neck, add the words 'marketing' and 'brand awareness' and hope that I can start to do justice to some mix of the lot of 'em!! Hence not blogging as frequently, nor as 'engagingly' (a SM word I've picked up along the way) as I should. I was Pining this morning and watching the dogs - Roger, a cross chihuahua/small fluffy thing; and Zorra (literal translation female fox, because of a facial mark when she was a pup and the mark of Zorro..... but means something more 'street' in Spanish which we didn't learn until she was named) anyway, the size differential and the annoyance R was and has been causing Z since his arrival struck me as something my mother would have dubbed 'Dignity and Impudence'. For whatever reason, this morning I googled it. Lo and behold, there's a painting by Edwin Landsee of that very name. Cairn terrier or something snuggled up alongside a beagle/labrador/something much bigger and grander, in the same kennel. Friends at last! So that's where the phrase came from. Oh, the book? Thanks for asking!!!! Well we know we'll be starting the editing process because our editor Debra, who proofread Pause Button Therapy, has emailed us.... so we've JUST finished PBT and with no breathing space because we then got launched into prepping for media stuff, we are now flung headlong into GMB. Complain? Moi? Not a bit of it. Just saying................

GLOBESITY.... says it all.

Apparently coined in 2002, I just today (August 12 2012) discovered a new, simple and totally self-explanatory word. GLOBESITY. Global obesity... I doubt it needs further discussion because if you're reading this you probably have some interest in weight/weight loss etc., so here's the link and, as they say, 'nuff said! http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/obesity/en/

Weight Loss in Five Words

It's so simple really. Hunger. If you're not hungry for fuel for your body - ie if it's your stomach that's hungry and not your head - then eat. Understand hunger and you're 20% there. Fullness. How long since you stopped eating because you knew you were full rather than because your plate was empty? Eat too quickly and you'll lose touch with the feeling your body gives you when it's truly satisfied. 20% nearer..... Want. Need. These two go together: do you NEED that packed of potato chips or do you just WANT it? Is that glass (or second glass) of wine, or beer, or whatever, going to help you in your weight loss goal? Do you WANT it or NEED it? Get clear what those two words mean. That's another 40% understood. MOTIVATION. Possibly the most important? What would help you decide to lose weight? The doctor telling you you'll get surgery for amputation because your obesity-related diabetes has given you circulation problems and a whole lot more? The fact you'll end up needing someone to help you with toilet matters because you can't do it yourself? The fact your kids can't play with you (or more accurately you can't play with your kids? If someone laid down a million tax free for you if you were 35lb lighter this time next year, would you do it? OK>>>> Decide your motivation and you're 100% there. saludos Fiona

20lb and losing.....

Guess what? Someone who prefers to remain nameless but has had *ahem* a bit of a weight struggle for maybe 10 years, has just passed the 20lb lost mark... and guess how? By eating three reasonable meals a day. Increasing activity level. Drinking more water. Rarely eating if not truly (stomach) hungry. Major reduction in snacking. (maybe not totally cut out but FACTORS less! and............ bought themself a dress to celebrate the smallest dress size for a number of years. No, not a size zero but that's just the point. It's good being where she is, so why not buy herself a pressie? Just as GMB suggests! saludos Fiona

Diabetes on the rise in Ireland

So Diabetes is on the rise in Ireland. http://www.irishhealth.com/ diabetes epidemic. Not making light of it, because diabetes is now blighting the lives of millions of people and growing. Intentionally chosen word because obesity is implicated in a high percentage of new cases, by and large of Type 2 Diabetes and it's about time some simple methods were used rather than running committees, focus groups, etc... ...... like a book given to everyone who visits a Diabetes Nurse or Diabetes Clinic, for example.

Now online for pre-order!!

Just found that The Gastric Mind Band is appearing on Waterstone's and WHSmiths when you google...... not yet on the official Hay House UK site as far as I can see. As for the GMB follower who's just bought herself a size 16 'weight loss present' ? Well she's looking good, feeling good and STILL eating three meals a day!!!

In the UK at the moment and just about every front cover seems to feature some anorexic or extremely overweight person. Isn't it about time people learned the four words for weight management success? Hunger Fullness Want Need simples! saludos Fiona

The Gastric Mind Band on Amazon

Go Hay House! Brilliant news - the new, updated, totally awesome-looking new 'The Gastric Mind Band' has appeared in listings on Amazon. For pre-order at this stage but well worth a look for anyone who's struggled with figuring a sustainable method of shifting excess weight and KEEPING IT SHIFTED! Can't wait to be counting down the days to publication....................

Reversing (some) Diabetes?

Reversing some diabetes shouldn't require surgery: learning the four words hunger, full, want and need might help. tinyurl.com/7j2wqux

— GmBBook (@GmBBook) July 7, 2012

Wonder Weight Loss Drink

As I've said before. Water! 
Ok you may not need to drink unlimited litres a day - googling, it's actually almost impossible to find ONE figure appropriate to all people in all circumstances, but I'm making my own judgement that somewhere upwards of a litre and a half and less than four litres is in the right sort of range. 

Of course if you're six stone and live in a moist part of the world, have a sedentary lifestyle and drink several cups of tea, coffee, orange juice, or whatever, plus munching fruit, the figure will be at or below the lower end of the range and conversely if you're 22 stone, a weight lifting fan and have an active job in a hot country, well..................   you get the picture!

Watching sales figures!

It intrigues me the pattern of sales for this book.... it's clearly aimed at people who want/need to shed some excess fat, (doesn't look good written like that, admit it; but it's an accurate expression)  so you'd expect there to be a 'New Year Resolution' peak but it's not that simple.  July's going well at the moment - is that a final summer fling from people who've realised they're going on their summer hols imminently?  There's also usually a spring spike - maybe the more forward-thinking among us having the same thoughts!
I love the new cover designed by Hay House for their edition, due January.  Should be in their quarterly bookshop flyer in ?maybe September? ready for orders prior to publication. 
Oh, and ps.....   9kg shed myself.  Just by following our own advice!

Never let it be said I don't keep this blog up to date....  maybe not every day, nor every week, but at least once a year it's got current news.   Oh the shame............   please don't look at the last posting date.  However now, today, cometh the hour to give it wellie.  Blog in earnest.  (if he doesn't take exception!)
Our other book, Pause Button Therapy, is due out in just about 12 weeks and Hay House have given us the all systems go to start posting, tweeting, pinning, facebooking, blogging and all the other social media verbs you can mention. 
Oh, Gastric Mind Band?   That's due out January 2013.  Revised and updated manuscript handed in last weekend. 
So you'll be seeing/hearing a lot more from me! 
Saludos
Fiona