Book Friday: The Chunky, Dumpy, Spunky Monkey

 Fat-shaming hurts

EBOOK and PAPERBACK and HARDCOVER

I wrote this book for children who happened to inherit a chunky body type, or just happen to be a bit chubby. No matter the reason, teasing, and bullying don't help and hurts the same.

My novels, novelettes, audiobooks, and children's books

https://www.authorerikamszabo.com

Spring Is In The Air

 Spring cleaning time

Picture credit

Being born on the first day of Spring, I have found the "spring cleaning bug" lives inside me year-round.  Any time the sun peaks out after a few days of cold and gloom, I feel the urge to make my house sparkle.  Unfortunately, I do not seem to be as efficient as Snow White.  I usually find myself in the situation of Cinderella (pic 2) with more to do the longer I am at it. My grandfather used to call me Cinderella so I feel like I was destined to be like her.

Picture credit

When I first got my own apartment, everything had a place it belonged and I made sure it was where it should be every day.  I cleaned floors on my hands and knees, dusted and wiped down everything except windows...I still can't clean them.  Dishes were washed, wiped, and put away as soon as a meal was finished.  My daughter was raised in this environment, and when she started to rebel by not taking care of toys, I bagged them up and threatened to give them away.  

Somehow, life took over, and dishes drained overnight while I enjoyed family time. Then came moves to different states which resulted in boxes of items with no place to fit.  As I waited to find their perfect location, another move took place and the pile of unemptied boxes multiplied. Becoming an over-the-road truck driver just amplified the storage issues.  My daughter's passing added more boxes of treasures to deal with. 

But, for the last year and a half, I have been stuck at home and no longer had the legitimate excuse of no time. So, I decided to start unpacking. I finished emptying one room and everything in it had a home...Unfortunately, another death resulted in more "boxes of treasures" that needed to be emptied, and the one room was now refilled with them.

Another day the sun came out and I began again.  This time my completion was delayed by the decision to remodel two rooms.  Everything got piled wherever it fit so the work could be done.  Slowly I got order back to those two rooms and the one I had originally emptied.  New china cabinets for Christmas gave my knickknacks a home and replacement shelves organized the rest.  

The next room on the list got started...but...(I am sure you know there is a reason I could not finish) I found my bookcases had collapsed and I would need new shelves to put everything on. And what will I do with the stuff I don't want anymore but is still in good condition? It has to go someplace.

So, now I have the shelves

...just waiting on the liners and I can get started again.  Will I ever finish?  Unless all the woodland animals come to help me, I doubt it.  To be honest, when you have too much time on your hands, it is hard to accomplish anything.

How do you all fare with the spring cleaning bug?  Do you finish?

Written by Cindy J. Smith

Author of poetry and children's books

https://cindysvoices.blogspot.com/

Re-blogged: Nightmares and Witching Hour

 Are you persistently waking up at night at the same time?

Please note:

Although this article contains some medical facts, it’s mostly my own observation of patients and talking to patients throughout my nursing career.

Can’t sleep 6-8 hours straight without waking up?

If you’re persistently waking up at night at the same time, it might be because your body and mind are trying to tell you something. Our bodies and minds work like an amazing computer system. The body is “resetting” the physical body, and the mind is organizing the previous day’s events, thoughts, and feelings. We need a restful sleep to help our body, but sometimes our sleep is interrupted.

Waking up 10 Pm – midnight:

Waking up at this time of the night might be due to stress and anxious thoughts throughout the day that hasn’t been resolved before going to sleep. You might be feeling pressured at your job, in your family life, or you have a lot on your “to-do” list and having a hard time keeping up.

Try:

Take a warm bath before bed, watch, or read a relaxing story, or listen to calming music. Think about the positive things you’ve accomplished. Next, put the unresolved issues and to-do list in your mind to a mental file “to be solved another day”.

Waking up midnight – 1 Am:

This is when your mind is dealing with anger issues and the pent-up, unresolved anger tends to wake you up at this time of the night. Anger might manifest itself as a bad dream or nightmare.

Try:

Before bed try to stretch, do some light yoga exercises, and think about what made you angry throughout the day. Remember, some things you cannot change, follow the philosophy of a dog. If you can’t change it, don’t waste time being angry about it. Piss on it, kick some dirt on it, and move on.

Waking up 1 Am – 3 Am:

The feeling of hate is keeping you up around this time of the night that related mostly to self-hatred. You might hate your aging or sick body, weaknesses of your personality, or situations you got yourself into.

Try:

Have a good talk with yourself and point out what you like about your body and personality. Embrace the positive things and make fun of the negative ones. Yeah, my boobs have been taken over by gravity and moving to the south, but with the help of a push-up bra, they can still look perky. Remember, just because people put on a cheerful mask, every single person is dealing with problems that life throws at us, even with occasional self-doubt and self-loathing. You’re not alone. Accept yourself, the whole package, and don’t pick on little things that are only temporary.    

Forgive others who hurt you. Remember, when you keep a grudge alive, you carry the much-hated person with you 24/7 in your mind. Drop them like a hot potato and move on.

Continue reading...

https://www.authorerikamszabo.com/my-thinking-board/nightmares-and-witching-hour

Dangerous Herb-Medication Interactions, Part 2

Is it always safe to use herbal supplements?

The use of herbs for disease prevention and healing has a long history - dating back thousands of years and medicines extracted from botanicals include reserpine, morphine, penicillin, as well as anti-cancer drugs.
Herbal supplements can be purchased over-the-counter (OTC) and may be labeled "all-natural" and are sold in many different forms - dried leaves for teas, powdered, as capsules or tablets, or in solution.
But does "all-natural" mean they are always safe?
Absolutely not! Although herbal supplements may be from plant or herb sources, the active ingredients are potent chemicals. Because of this, herbal supplements can have drug interactions, interactions with other herbs, or with food and alcohol.
Herbal interactions with prescription medications or other chemicals can:

• interfere with how the drug may be broken down in the body
• enhance side effects of prescription medications
• block the intended therapeutic effect of a drug

Read Part 1 here:
https://asmallgangofauthors.blogspot.com/2021/03/dangerous-herb-medication-interactions.html

FEVERFEW
Feverfew is a member of the daisy family. Feverfew is often used as an herbal remedy to prevent migraine headaches and associated nausea and vomiting; however, the evidence is not conclusive.
Alarmingly, feverfew may increase the risk of bleeding, especially in people with blood-clotting disorders or using blood thinners to help prevent clots, for example:

• aspirin
• warfarin
• heparin
• Plavix (clopidogrel)
• Pradaxa (dabigatran)
• Xarelto (rivaroxaban)
• low molecular weight heparins like enoxaparin or dalteparin.

 
GINGER
A commonly used flavoring agent, food product, and herbal supplement.
Ginger has been used in the treatment and prevention of motion sickness, vertigo, to increase appetite, to reduce stomach acidity, and to reduce severe nausea and vomiting in pregnancy.
Drug interactions with ginger are not well documented; however, it is known to:

• Inhibit thromboxane synthetase, which can prolong bleeding time and may cause interactions with anticoagulants like warfarin, aspirin, or other blood thinners.

 
GINSENG
Ginseng has been used in Asian countries for its therapeutic effects for centuries. Today, ginseng use is reported to improve the body's resistance to stress and increase vitality, among other uses.
There are many different origins of ginseng, and many types of drug interactions.

• Long-term use of American ginseng may decrease the effectiveness of warfarin, a blood thinner, and increase the risk for a blood clot. In general, ginseng or ginseng-containing herbal tea should not be used with anticoagulants. Ask your doctor about this interaction.
• Ginseng may also affect blood pressure treatments and diabetic medications like insulin or oral hypoglycemics.

GREEN TEA
Green tea is a popular drink that originated in China and has been promoted for stomach disorders, to lower cholesterol, as an anti-cancer antioxidant, as a stimulant, and to lessen belly fat, among other uses.

• Dried green tea leaves contain vitamin K, which can increase blood clotting. Large amounts of vitamin K may interfere with the activity of some blood thinners.

 
GARLIC
A commonly used flavoring agent, food product, and herbal supplement. There are many conditions garlic has been promoted for - to reduce cholesterol and triglycerides, to prevent cancer, to lower blood sugar levels, and to reduce menstrual pain, among other uses. There are over 180 drug interactions with garlic, but most are reported as minor.

• Garlic has been reported to moderately affect blood clotting and blood sugar levels and may affect people who take blood-thinning agents like aspirin, warfarin, or clopidogrel (Plavix).
• Use of garlic supplements with HIV protease inhibitors (PI) may decrease the PI blood levels.
• There are other possible garlic interactions, so be sure to review all possible drug interactions with garlic and speak with your healthcare provider.

GOLDENSEAL
A flowering herb that grows in the northeast United States. Common uses for goldenseal include skin infections, cold and flu symptoms, and to treat diarrhea, but the evidence is weak for these uses.

• Serious interactions may occur with certain antipsychotic drugs - using pimozide or thioridazine with goldenseal is not recommended, as antipsychotic blood levels may rise leading to an irregular heart rhythm.
• Goldenseal may affect liver enzymes that can alter blood levels of certain drugs; always have your pharmacist run a drug interaction screen on all of your medicines, OTC drugs, or herbs.

GINKGO BILOBA
The use of ginkgo extract dates back centuries in traditional Chinese medicine.
Ginkgo interacts with over 260 drugs; have a pharmacist check for interactions before use.
Ginkgo has been used for treating anxiety, dementia, circulation problems in the legs, premenstrual syndrome, certain vision problems, dizziness), or some movement disorders. Research has shown that Ginkgo Biloba is not likely to be effective in treating heart disease.

• Ginkgo may decrease the antiviral effects of drugs used in HIV, such as efavirenz.
• Avoid ginkgo in patients who take seizure medications and blood thinners.

Part 3 is coming in April

Written by Erika M Szabo

https://online.fliphtml5.com/cmebw/yrgf/

So, You Think You Know The Longest and Weirdest Words?

Longest and weirdest words

Next time you need a password no one else will check you could try one of these:

1) Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis

It’s a ‘contrived’ word – for an unpleasant lung disease usually known as silicosis. (The Oxford Dictionaries define it as "an artificial long word said to mean a lung disease caused by inhaling very fine ash and sand dust" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis

2) Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia

The fear of long words…. Yes, really. (Also known as Sesquipedalophobia – which is hardly a short word.) Healthline

3) Pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism 

The longest uncontrived word (It’s an inherited thyroid disorder.) Wikipedia

Science and medicine have more than their fair share of weighty words.

4) Floccinaucinihilipilification 

The longest unchallenged nontechnical word that not all directories recognize, that including Merriam-Webster. According to alternative sources, floccinaucinihilipilification is the act or habit of describing or regarding something as unimportant, of having no value or being worthless. Oftentimes, it is used in a humorous way or on quiz shows.

5) If you can’t decide what to eat in a restaurant, you could always ask for Lopadotemachoselachogaleokranioleipsanodrimhypotrimmatosilphiokarabomelitokatakechymenokichlepikossyphophattoperisteralektryonoptekephalliokigklopeleiolagoiosiraiobaphetraganopterygon

(English translation of  λοπαδο¬τεμαχο¬σελαχο¬γαλεο¬κρανιο¬λειψανο¬δριμ¬υπο¬τριμματο¬σιλφιο-καραβο¬μελιτο¬κατακεχυ¬μενο¬κιχλ¬επι¬κοσσυφο¬φαττο¬περιστερ¬αλεκτρυον¬οπτο¬κεφαλλιο¬κιγκλο-πελειο¬λαγῳο¬σιραιο¬βαφη¬τραγανο¬πτερύγων)

It's a fictional recipe used by Aristophanes, comprising 16 ingredients including several fish (including rotting shark’s head, meat from various birds and wine. Wikipedia

And finally, if you have 3 hours or so to spare – check out the pronunciation of the chemical name of titin, the largest know protein…it’s 189819 characters.

Next time you go to the pub quiz/online quiz or word game think of the words below.

A word with three lots of double letters

Bookkeeper – has three sets of double letters – O, then K, then E. Also bookkeeping

Unusual words  - try to sneak these into conversation.

Expergefactor – is anything that wakes you up. An alarm clock, a cockerel crowing, the neighbours returning from a night out at 4am…

Zwodder – a drowsy and stupid state of body and mind. If you come back from that late night/early morning after a night of ale-passion (used in the old way to mean suffering not the modern way of lustful) you may suffer zerostomia (dry mouth) and possibly even obdormition (having fallen asleep on your arm). You may feel lucifugous too (‘fleeing the light’), after all the jactating you did in bed. No – it doesn’t mean something rude….

Sesquipedalianism – the tendency to use long words…. I have this.

Words without vowels:

By

Crypt

Fly

Flyby

Glycyl

Gypsy

Hymns

Hmm

Lynx

Myrrh

Myth

My

Nymphs

Nymphly (another usage of nymph-like)

Psst (contained in OED)

Pygmy

Rhythms

Shh

Shy

Shyly

Scry

Shy

Sky

Sync

Try

Trysts

Wry/Wryly

Xyst (a long and open portico in a gymnasium (Greek)

Without y as a substitute vowel-

(These are of Welsh Origin – so don’t count as strictly English words). Welsh uses ‘w’ as a vowel sound

Crwth (a celtic stringed instrument)

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/crwth

Cwtch (a shed, cuddle or hiding place)

And for a word with ONLY vowels, you could try Euouae – a musical term from medieval times.

Uncopyrightable is an isogram. That is a word that has no repeated letters. Another is Subdermatoglyphic 

If you would like some more weird words check out this link https://www.grammarly.com/blog/14-of-the-longest-words-in-english/

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/cootch

https://wordfinder.yourdictionary.com/blog/21-english-words-without-vowels/

https://www.thefreedictionary.com/words-without-vowels.htm

https://blog.collinsdictionary.com/language-lovers/the-longest-word-in-the-collins-english-dictionary/

Post by

A.L Butcher

https://libraryoferana.wordpress.com/

Who is the Killer? Did you Guess Right?

 Who will be arrested for killing Mrs. O'Brian?

If you didn't yet, click to read the WhoDunIt story:

https://asmallgangofauthors.blogspot.com/2021/03/a-whodunit-mystery-guess-who-killer-is.html

The conclusion of the story:

As the officers handcuffed Gerard, the janitor, Detective Chance scanned the anxious women sitting on the floral-printed sofa. They nervously glanced at the detective who paced in front of them. Flora, a middle-aged, plump caregiver, Mrs. Banks, the manager of the apartment complex, a tall, bony woman with a pointy nose and dark hair combed into a tight bun, and Tricia O’ Brian, the old lady’s drug addict niece.

“Today I hit two birds with one stone,” the detective scratched his chin, towering over Flora.

The caregiver turned pasty white. “Not me! She did it!” she screamed pointing at Mrs. Banks. “She goes into the apartments when nobody is home.” Flora accused.

“Her alibi checks out,” the detective said. “She was seen on the security cameras at the casino’s parking lot at eight, beating up her husband, and they were arrested shortly after. They were not released until 3 AM.”

“Then it was the niece!” Flora accused. “Those damned drug addicts would do anything for money.”

“I wouldn’t, I couldn’t!” Tricia protested. “I loved my aunt.”

The detective looked into Flora’s eyes. “Flora Sweet, I’m arresting you for murdering Mrs. O’Brian. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney, and to have an attorney present during any questioning.”

“But how?” Mrs. Banks asked. “We entered the apartment together.”

“It was the second time,” the detective turned to Mrs. Banks. “She visited Mrs. O’Brian the night before, shortly after the old lady called her. She ransacked the apartment looking for the lottery ticket, and when she couldn’t find it, she panicked. I didn’t have any proof until I heard what Flora told you a few minutes ago when she leaned closer to you and whispered, ‘Oh, my! Who could be so cruel to smother a sweet old lady to death?’. I never told anyone that Mrs. O’Brian was smothered. Only the killer knew that.”

We hope you've enjoyed our WhoDunIt mystery. The winners of the audiobooks will be notified via email.

 

by Alan Zacher and Erika M Szabo

Request a complimentary audiobook

A WhoDunIt Mystery - Guess Who The Killer Is

WhoDunIt, a fun contest for mystery lovers

 

by Alan Zacher and Erika M Szabo

Read the story, guess who the killer is, enter the contest at the end of the post.

If you guess correctly, you win an audiobook.

On a rainy Thursday morning, Mrs. O’ Brian was found dead in her one-bedroom apartment in the inner-city of St. Louis by her caretaker and the apartment complex manager. According to their statements, Mrs. O’Brian didn’t come to the door as usual when Flora, her caretaker knocked. Worried, she asked the manager to open the door, and they’ve found the old lady in the kitchen, dead, and the apartment ransacked.

Homicide Detective Chance was assigned to the case. According to the coroner’s report, Mrs. O'Brian died sometime between eight and midnight the night before. The cause of death was asphyxiation as the result of someone holding a soft, thick material to her face until she stopped breathing. Although she had some bruising on her arms as if she tried to fight off the attacker, the coroner didn’t find any evidence under her fingernails. 

By Friday, Detective Chance found out that Mrs. O’ Brian had lived there for many years, had a moderate income, and she was a lady of routine. She rose every morning at six AM. After bathing and dressing, she ate her breakfast of a bowl of cereal while she watched the morning local news on the small TV that sat on top of the kitchen table. On Mondays and Thursdays from eight AM until noon, Flora, her caregiver, came to help her with cleaning, laundry, and cooking. On Tuesday mornings, Mrs. O’Brian ordered a taxi and went to buy groceries at a small family-owned store, the Kroger’s, five blocks south of her apartment building.

Detective Chance visited the store and finding the owner asked if he knows Mr. O’Brian. “Of course, she’s been shopping here every week for years. A loyal customer, she was just here Tuesday. I hope she knows that she had won the jackpot,” the owner of the store told the detective, smiling. But his expression turned sad when the detective told him that she was murdered. “Oh, I’m so sorry!” he cried out. “She was such a sweet person.”

“How did you know she won the lottery?” the detective inquired.

I know because every week she’s been buying one ticket and always playing the same numbers, her birthday and of her late husband’s birthday. She told me many times that if she would ever win the lottery, she would have an animal sanctuary built and gather all the old, unwanted animals. Life is so unfair!” he cried out. “Just when her dream comes true, she dies.” 

After gathering all the information, he could, the detective didn’t have any proof, only suspicion. He asked the most likely suspects to gather in the modestly furnished living-room of Mrs. O’Brian’s apartment, hoping he could flush out the murderer.

Two women arrived first. They sat on the floral-printed sofa, nervously glancing at the detective who stood by the window deep in thoughts, and the police officers standing by the door. Flora, a middle-aged, plump caregiver, Mrs. Banks, the manager of the apartment complex, a tall, bony woman with a pointy nose and dark hair combed into a tight bun.

Flora leaned closer to Mrs. Banks and whispered, “Oh, my! Who could be so cruel to smother a sweet old lady to death? I’m going to miss her.” She sniffed and wiped her eyes with a tissue.

“Terrible!” Mrs. Banks nodded. “Just terrible. Who could have done it?”

“I never trusted this shifty-eyed janitor,” Flora whispered.

“I never had any problems with him, but you never know… We don’t really know people.”

As if talking about the devil, Gerard Ochs, the disheveled-looking janitor of the apartment complex in stained overall walked in and sat on the sofa close to Mrs. Banks. “There is a leak in apartment C,” he said to the manager. “I shut off the water; I’ll fix it later when we’re done here.”

Mrs. Banks nodded and looked up as Tricia O’ Brian, a twenty-three-year-old known drug addict niece of Mrs. O’ Brian walked in. She sat down and clasped her hands trying to hide the tremors of her fingers.

Scanning the nervously fidgeting bunch, Detective Chance began talking, “The coroner’s report of Mrs. O’ Brian states that she had been murdered. Everyone in this room had access to her apartment. According to her phone records, on late Wednesday night, she called every one of you, most likely to tell you that she won the lottery jackpot. Therefore, you all had a motive to kill her and steal the winning ticket!”

He towered over the niece, Tricia O’ Brian, “You are a drug addict, you have no job, and I suspect, you’re always in need of money.”

“But I… I didn’t get her message until…” she stuttered. “Until you told me this morning when you found me at my boyfriend’s apartment. You see, we had a party last night and… I didn’t hear the phone…” 

The detective gave her a pitying look, turned, and stared at Mrs. Banks. “Your husband has gambling debts and the loan sharks are threatening him. You live in the complex and you have a key to this apartment.”

“It wasn’t me!” Mrs. Bank shouted. “I drove to the casino shortly after eight, dragged my no-good husband out of there by the ear, and we had a huge fight in the parking lot. The police were called, and they took us to the police station. We didn’t get home until four in the morning.”

The detective took a step toward the caregiver. The middle-aged woman squirmed when the detective looked into her eyes. “Flora, let’s talk about that morning when you and Mrs. Banks found Mrs. O’Brian slumped over at the kitchen table, dead.”

“As I told you then,” Flora said wringing her fingers on her lap. “I kept knocking and pushing the doorbell, but she didn’t answer. I got worried, and I went to wake up Mrs. Banks to let me in with her master key.”

The detective shook his head and leaned closer to Flora. “But that’s not what happened. You have a key to the building and a key to your clients’ apartment. I know; I checked with the two other residents here that you are taking care of. You let yourself in. What happened after that?”

Flora’s eyes widened. “No! I never had a key to Mrs. O’Brian’s apartment. She was paranoid about that, she never gave me a key. I swear!” Detective Chance gave her a sharp look, and then he turned to face the janitor.

The detective now faced Gerard Ochs, the janitor. “You have been stealing jewelry from these residents for years,” he accused. “You’ve been careful, you take only one piece of jewelry at a time.”

The janitor drew a sharp breath. “How do… how do you know?”

“Because you’re stupid enough to use the pawnbroker only a block away from the apartment complex.” The detective motioned to one of the uniformed officers standing by the door. “Arrest him and take him to the station.”

Flora jumped up. “Murderer!” she shrieked.

“I didn't do it!” Gerard screamed as the officers handcuffed him. “I'm a thief but I'm no killer!”

“What happened to the lottery ticket, detective?” came Tricia's shaky voice. “I'm her only relative, and I could really use the money right now.”

“Mrs. O’Brian gave the ticket to her lawyer and named him the executor of her new will to have the animal sanctuary built. She took care of everything the afternoon before she was murdered.”

Detective Chance had all the information he needed to arrest the murderer.

The conclusion of the story and the killer will be revealed Sunday, the 14th of March

Click on the link to find out who the killer was

https://asmallgangofauthors.blogspot.com/2021/03/who-is-killer-did-you-guess-right.html

The contest is over, but we still have a few complimentary audiobooks. If you like to listen to audiobooks, request a complimentary copy below

Beware of the Fluffy Beast

 Ferocious animals

Image credit: Rebekka D. from Pixabay

In many private houses, it’s common to find the warning about a ferocious dog ready to rip your limbs apart if you try to intrude uninvited. We all know about the cats’ territoriality and their vicious habit of aiming straight at the opponents’ eyes.

Yet, there’s a big misconception about what apparently can look like the quintessential loveliness hidden within a cloud of fluffy fur.

I am talking about Bunnies.

Even the nickname inspires nothing but tenderness, and when we saw pictures of those adorable little critters, the first thing that comes to our minds is just… AWWW!

Well, let me introduce you to the world of the most devious creature nature has ever created. Rabbits are natural prey, so you would expect them to run and hide when threatened. You would never expect them to punch, bite and run against whatever they might consider a threat. This, of course, regardless of whether the threat is real or is just in their imagination.

Yes, Rabbits are big drama queens and have a vivid imagination. I am wondering whether they are a sort of animal representation of Don Quixote.

Another impressive thing about rabbits is the wide range of personalities they have. We all know that dogs are generally very loyal, cats are independent and territorial. Rabbits can indeed be adorable and company seekers, lone souls, independent and stubborn, diffident, troublemakers, and much more. Something, though very common, is their strict territoriality. What is theirs cannot be yours too. They are not of the sharing kind, and when you step over their boundaries, be reassured they will let you know one way or another.

I had a few rabbits in my life, and I loved them all. Once I got to understand their needs, we became quite soon best friends. The latest one, Carolina, is one of a kind. She came to us as a rescue rabbit, and for the first four years, all she could accept from us was our presence (barely) and the food offered. Thinking of having her closer than two meters was unthinkable. Yet, during that period, she’d been studying us, taking notes, and pondering whether to trust us or not. It was then from one day to another that she allowed me to come closer and pet her. From that day on, our interactions had been more friendly, but there’s still a shade behind her eyes. “You know I started to trust you, don’t make me regret that!”

Written by P. J. Mann

https://pjmannauthor.com/

Dangerous Herb-Medication Interactions, Part 1

Is it safe to use herbal supplements?

The use of herbs for disease prevention and healing has a long history - dating back thousands of years and medicines extracted from botanicals include reserpine, morphine, penicillin, as well as anti-cancer drugs.

Herbal supplements can be purchased over-the-counter (OTC) and may be labeled "all-natural" and are sold in many different forms - dried leaves for teas, powdered, as capsules or tablets, or in solution.

But does "all-natural" mean they are always safe?

Absolutely not! Although herbal supplements may be from plant or herb sources, the active ingredients are potent chemicals. Because of this, herbal supplements can have drug interactions, interactions with other herbs, or with food and alcohol.

Herbal interactions with prescription medications or other chemicals can:

• interfere with how the drug may be broken down in the body
• enhance side effects of prescription medications
• block the intended therapeutic effect of a drug

BLACK COHOSH (Actaea racemosa, formerly Cimicifuga racemosa)

Black cohosh is a shrub-like plant found in North America. Black cohosh is often used for menopausal disorders ("hot flashes"), painful menstruation, uterine spasms, and vaginitis. However, prescription drugs broken down by certain liver enzymes may accumulate in the body and lead to toxicity if used with black cohosh. There is concern that black cohosh might also be toxic to the liver and may enhance liver toxicity with certain medications, such as:

• Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
• Acetaminophen (Tylenol)

May reduce the effectiveness of:

• Amiodarone
• Fexofenadine (Allegra)
• Glyburide, and many statin medications

COENZYME Q10

CoenzymeQ10 is found naturally in the heart, kidney, liver and pancreas, but aging and smoking can deplete these natural stores. CoQ10 is promoted to help heart damage caused by certain cancer medicines and for breast cancer, gum disease, or muscular dystrophy, although robust studies confirming these uses are lacking.

• May decrease the blood-thinning effects of the anticoagulant and increase the risk for a clot.

CRANBERRY

Cranberries are a fruit chock full of vitamin C, and some people drink cranberry juice to help prevent urinary tract infections (UTI). Although data is conflicting, some studies have shown cranberry can reduce recurrent UTIs in pregnant women, the elderly, and hospitalized patients; but it is not helpful to cure a UTI.

• May exert an increased effect on blood thinners (anticoagulants) like warfarin and lead to bruising or bleeding.

CURCUMIN

Curcuma longa

Research suggests that curcumin can help in the management of oxidative and inflammatory conditions, metabolic syndrome, arthritis, anxiety, and hyperlipidemia. It may also help in the management of exercise-induced inflammation and muscle soreness, thus enhancing recovery and subsequent performance of active people.

• May cause decreased levels of many antidepressant and antipsychotic medications
• May increase sulfasalazine (Azulfidine) levels

ECHINACEA

Also known as the American Cone Flower, Black Susan, or Purple Coneflower.

Echinacea has been used to stimulate the immune system and is most commonly used in the treatment of the common cold.

• May affect blood levels of drugs like tizanidine (Zanaflex)
• a muscle relaxant or rasagiline (Azilect) used in Parkinson's disease.
• May slow the metabolism of caffeine in your body, and could lead to side effects like jitteriness, headache, or insomnia.
• Echinacea may also change how the body metabolizes many drugs that go through the liver. These are somewhat complicated interactions that can lead to side effects or reduced effectiveness of your medicine.

EVENING PRIMROSE

Used to treat atopic dermatitis (a type of eczema), rheumatoid arthritis, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), breast pain, menopause symptoms, and other conditions. contains gamma linoleic acid that may slow blood clotting and increase the likelihood of bruising or bleeding.

• May increase blood thinner effects of warfarin (Coumadin)
• May increase the risk for seizures if you take anti-seizure medications or phenothiazine drugs.

To be continued next week...

Written by Erika M Szabo

https://online.fliphtml5.com/cmebw/yrgf/

 

Are Insecure Men Intimidated by Strong Women?

Female youth is prized in our culture

Our patriarchal society demands that women strive to achieve yet maintain a form that resembles a young girl. Our bodies must look young, wrinkle, and blemish-free, a blank slate for a man to claim.

Instead of accepting women as they are, most men and even some women, scrutinize and discard them as never good enough, never young enough, and never beautiful enough. And the more women strive to conform, the more they give up control.

Do strong, opinionated women intimidate weak, insecure men? Yes, I still see it when I talk to some over sixty-ish men, and even younger.

I had this interesting conversation with an old man I know for over 20 years, at the doctor's waiting room, before wearing masks and social distancing. He was watching a young couple arguing for a while and then turned to me. "You know, life was easier when women obeyed their husbands and knew their place."
Me: "Oh? What makes you say that?"
Old man: "Just look at them! It would be easier if the wife just obeyed him and didn't make him angry by arguing with him. A woman's job is to take care of the family. Men needs to be in charge to make decisions. Women are too emotional."
Me: "Really!?"
Old man: "Do you obey your husband?"
Me: "Fat chance!" I laughed. 

When instead of a mature woman, a 35-year-old actress is playing the role of the mother of a 30-year-old man in movies, what does it teach young teenagers? It teaches them to judge women by their looks alone. When people comment on older women’s posts on social sites, sadly, most of the comments are about how they look and not about what they stand for or achieve.

Female youth is prized in our culture because it doesn't represent too much of a threat. Insecure men are intimidated by strong, wise, mature women. Women are trained into thinking there is something fundamentally wrong with getting older and are coerced into spending money, energy, and power investing in 'slowing the signs of aging'.

The truth is that as women grow and mature, they gain wisdom and they're more of a force to be reckoned with. They see more, know more, feel more, and they put up with a lot less bullshit.

Just think about what would happen if all the women in the world started loving themselves even more with every year that passed, including each fat roll and wrinkle they gain as they move forward in time. Can you imagine how much more secure and powerful women would become as they grow older?

Written by Erika M Szabo

https://online.fliphtml5.com/cmebw/yrgf/

Saturday Fun: Badass Cats

 Cats are fearless

A friend came to visit with his big bully Rottweiler. He attacked our gentle-natured dog to show her who’s boss when he wasn’t securely tied up on the leash. That day Carl didn’t have time to put the leash on as the dog bolted out of the car knocking him to the ground. I watched in horror as my dog cowered and tried to hide behind my hubby.

Suddenly, we heard a loud meow. I saw my fearless cat, Miau, charging like a bullet toward the approaching Rottweiler. She pounced, let out a furious growl, and sank her needle-sharp claws into the huge dog’s face. The Rottweiler let out a painful cry and tried to shake the cat off his face. Miau wouldn’t let go and kept growling and biting the dog’s nose.

Carl finally caught up with the Rottweiler and clipped the leash on his collar. My hubby tried to peel Miau off the dog’s face, and after a brief struggle, the tiny, growling, and hissing furball pulled her sharp claws out of the dog’s face and let him go.

Hubby put Miau down. The cat puffed her hair, hissed indignantly a few times, and then walked over to our shaking dog and licked her face as if she were saying, “Don’t worry about that thug, buddy. I’ve got your back.”

Posted by Erika M Szabo

https://online.fliphtml5.com/cmebw/yrgf/

All I can Make is Fudge Soup

 I want to make delicious fudge

But all I can make is fudge soup

I love fudge! 

Creamy chocolate peanut butter is my absolute favorite!  I have a recipe that makes it perfect. Not too sweet, not too chocolatey, just the ideal blending of flavors, and so smooth. Maybe you have the same one as I do, it is the recipe from the Hershey's cocoa can, then you add peanut butter with the regular butter.

I am almost 64 years old, so you know I have had this recipe for a very long time. Unfortunately, my success with it is not impressive.  I swear the recipe was created by the devil himself.  It is more touchy than a porcupine in a minefield.  If not for the few times I have created this masterpiece, I would have chucked it and gone on with life.  But, the victories are so delicious!  

Usually, I end up with chocolate peanut butter soup

It tastes ok but somehow a spoon of fudge just doesn't fulfill my cravings.  The cost of ingredients makes tossing it impossible so I have found ways to use this fail besides eating it by the spoonful. As an ice cream topping it is not bad and, if it's really soupy, adding oatmeal turns it into no-bake cookies.  Tasty but not what my tastebuds want.  

Chocolate peanut butter soup is not the only way this fudge defeats me.  I have over-cooked or over-stirred it and created something that resembles freshly turned dirt.

Picture credit: https://www.loveandoliveoil.com/

It is flaky and does not taste good, in my opinion.  I usually end up with soup, but when I create this mess, it does go to the trash.

In all my years of making fudge, my record stands at 4 successes and 100+ failures.  The jealousy in my eyes is evident when a friend boasts about how perfect theirs has turned out.

Do you have a favorite flavor of fudge?  

Can you share your recipe? 

If so, please know my green eyes are looking at you!

Written by Cindy J. Smith

Author of poetry and children's books

https://cindysvoices.blogspot.com/