DIA DE LA MUJER- SOLO UNO?

Es curioso que se haya escogido un día del año para festejar a la mujer. No creen ustedes que todos los días del año deberían ser “día de la mujer?”

Las mujeres, no ofendiendo de ninguna manera a los varones, somos las que impulsamos la vida; las que tenemos el privilegio y bendición de llevar la vida misma dentro de nuestros cuerpos hasta el sublime momento del alumbramiento; somos las guerreras invencibles que trabajamos dentro y fuera de la casa; la parte sensible y espiritual de la pareja; las madres que profesan un amor incondicional a los hijos que criamos, educamos  y alentamos; amigas y hermanas que apoyamos con verdadero entusiasmo.

Ciertamente que han vivido infinidad de mujeres célebres o famosas a través de los tiempos, de las cuales no voy a escribir hoy.

Quiero escribir de las mujeres de todos los días, de las que nadie conoce y a las cuales nadie  les ha dedicado el monumento que merecen:

Quiero decir que admiro profundamente a mi queridísima amiga y hermana del alma, Maryglory. Ella ha  estado confinada a una silla de ruedas por más de veinte años, víctima de una enfermedad autoinmune. Sin embargo, en su rostro iluminado y en su corazón hay siempre una sonrisa que nos embarga, nos alienta y nos hace querer quejarnos menos de nuestros simples problemas. Maryglory siempre nos recibe de buen humor y jamás ha permitido que la enfermedad que la limita físicamente, la limite emocional, espiritual o anímicamente.

Quiero hablar de mis abuelitas, ambas mujeres de lucha que tuvieron, a principios del siglo pasado, que trabajar en una sociedad donde las mujeres “finas” no trabajaban, para mantener y educar solas a sus hijos. María González, mi abuela paterna, tuvo 7 hijos; Lupita Rangel, mi abuela materna tuvo 5. Ambas viudas decididas, ambas con fortaleza inquebrantable, con espíritu indomable, armadas  únicamente con el amor por sus hijos.

Quiero hablar de mi otra heroína, Amelita Villagrán Rangel, quien después de regresar a México, trás haber vivido en un internado por toda su infancia, y sin hablar una palabra de Español, trabajó como Operadora de la Ericcson hasta que se casó con un hombre impetuoso, estruendoso, impaciente, de infinita energía volcánica, de  arrebatos que quitaban el aliento. Amelita, estóica y amorosamente, supo convivir con su esposo, en una forma dulce, elegante, prudente, fina, discreta, fuerte y siempre siendo la mejor esposa que un hombre pudiera desear.

Y por último, a la mujer que vende dulces en la esquina de la Ave. Hipódromo y Blvd. Agua Caliente, la que siempre saluda con una sonrisa, cantando feliz y nos hace reflexionar acerca de nuestros problemas, al decir: “Para que quejarnos? Que bonito es el trabajo, verdad?” Esta  pobre mujer, que trabaja incansablemente hasta altas horas de la noche, aún en los días muy fríos, cuando todos estamos dentro de nuestras casas calientitas, ella trabaja siempre sonriendo y feliz. Esta mujer pobre mujer, es ciertamente la  más rica que conozco.

Y me van a decir que a estas mujeres, se les  dedica, magnánimante, un  solo día del  año?

WOMEN’S DAY? JUST ONE?/DIA DE LA MUJER? SOLO UNO?

Truly, doesn’t it sound ludicrous to you that women have one day in the whole year that is considered “women’s” day?

No offense to men( there are and have been many brilliant ones), but us women are the creative impulse of the world. Perhaps there aren’t as many women scientists, philosophers, financial wizards, artists, writers, as there are men, BUT, women have the privilege and blessing of being the carriers of the future. Not until a few years ago did women have the opportunity to study and have a career, besides homemakers.

Women are, by far, the strongest. We are invincible warriors who work inside and outside the home; we love our children unconditionally; we are both sensitive and spiritual; we are there and here for our family and friends; when we decide to do somethings, we do it! We live for others first and foremost: parents, spouse, children…

One day? Why one? Every day is women’s day!

I guess everyone can think of amazing women throughout history who have made a difference. I’d like to write about every day women whom I admire and are my heroines.

For instance, my dearest friend Maryglory, who has been confined to a wheelchair for more than twenty years because of an autoinmune disease, yet, she manages to have a smile on her face and heart for everyone, all the time. never complaints and is always cheerie.

Both my grandmothers: María Alejandrina González Estrada and Guadalupe Rangel, who reared all their children (María had 7 and Lupita had 5), by themselves, struggling to make ends meet, in the time when “refined’ women did not work.

My mother, who by three years of age had to be put into a boarding school because her mother had to work and couldn’t take care of her. She was there  for seven years of her young life and when she returned to Mexico City couldn’t speak a word of Spanish. She married a man (my father) who was explosive, impulsive, outrageous, loud, while she was refined, prudent, sweet, gracious, constrained; she heroically withstood all of her husband’s eccentricities stoically, to say the least.

The woman who sells candy at the intersection of Blvd. Agua Caliente, Blvd. Salinas and the racetrack. Even though  her means are very limited, she exudes joy, is always humming or singing, smiling and never complaints. On the contrary, whenever I have the opportunity of talking to her she says: “Isn’t life beautiful?” “Why complaint? We have work and health, what more can we ask for?” “Look at the gift I received!” and she shows me a pair of warm boots. She may be poor financially, but she is the richest woman I know.

and my daughter..who is an appreciative, grateful, kind and hard-working twenty-six year old young woman; she is responsible and mature; she loves life and gives of herself constantly to others. She has been my greatest teacher.

These are women whom I proudly admire. They are not famous nor celebrities. They are or have been invincible warriors armed only with love for themselves, their family, their friends and humankind.

Every day is their day!

Life is BEAUTIFUL, If We Let It!

Have you seen the sun today? My God! It’s shining with all its force! The sky is light blue and there isn’t a cloud in sight. I read the temperature will be  a very cozy 84 F!

A spectacular view of Isla Todos Santos, in La Paz, Baja California Sur. Photo taken by my daughter.

Life could not be better or more beautiful. Wake up, go out somewhere in nature and make this  the best day of your life. Think of it as a new beginning, an opportunity for YOU to shine!

As for myself, I could go to the ocean, drive to Ensenada or simply enjoy a walk with my dogs and then paint, paint, paint. I’m in an artist mode you know, and in the process of finishing my aquatic Buddha.

My Aquatic Buddha in process, very much NOT finished!

One thing for sure I’ll do, is I’ll be grateful all day long for such an extraordinary day and another opportunity at living it!

Ya viste el sol esta mañana? Dios Mío! Brilla con toda la fuerza de su esplendor! El cielo se ve azul y no hay ni una nube amenazadora en el horizonte.

Levántate temprano, disfruta de un día espectacular y otra oportunidad que la vida te brinda de brillar TU  tal como el sol lo hace!

Yo? Podría darme un paseo por la playa, manejar hacia Ensenada y gozar de la vista, o podría simplemente llevar a mis perritos a caminar y después ponerme a pinta y pintar y pintar, ya que estoy en mi etapa de artista. en proceso de terminar mi primer Buda acuático.

Una cosa si se, y es que viviré este día como un nuevo principio, en un estado constante de agradecimiento por otro día extraordinario y la oportunidad de vivirlo!

About Books

Mr. Kay’s students are enthusiastically reading and recommending the books they read to each other. Mr. Kay is brilliantly writing about the Recommended Books and how he read to his own children when they were little  ’till the time they were young adults. This has made me remember my childhood and how my mother would also read to me every single night, thus turning me into a little book worm.

My mother used to read mostly from El Libro de Oro de Los Niños (the Golden Book of Children), and from the myriad of its  stories, biographies, fables, poems, Bible stories and Greek mythology. Greek mythology was by far the most exciting and the one I enjoyed and looked forward to listening the most.

Up to this day I am in love with Greek mythology. My drawings have been inspired by it and I continue to enjoy all the films about it, as bad as they may be!

The first serious book I read was given to me by my paternal grandmother; she was also a book worm and  a teacher. Now that I am learning about the 6th grader’s books, it seems even more astonishing to me that  the first book I read was Nostradamus, by Miguel Zévaco (a Spanish novelist).

It was made up of four volumes and each one had about 300 pages of very small fonts. In those days I didn’t need glasses. I remember reading the very first page and being deeply impacted by its content: Nostradamus’ mother was being burned alive for being a witch! So I could not put the book down, then I couldn’t put volume number 2 down, then volume number 3 and finally volume number 4.

And so my serious reading career began when I was 10 years old and in 6th grade.

I cherish the days when my mother read to me, for she was a very good reader. Her intonation, punctuation and volume were perfect. It was evident that she was enjoying whatever she read just as much as I was. She read to me when I was a baby, keeping me interested with the sounds she made. I think one of my favorite stories was The Gingerbread Man, and it turned out to be  my daughter Monica Alexandra’s all time favorite. I think I might have read it 500 times, changing the story as I went along to keep me interested.

“How do babies learn vocabulary? They learn from hearing a flood of words from their parents through positive conversations and a daily variety of read-alouds. As the read-aloud guru, Jim Trelease, states so simply, “if the child has never heard the word, the child will never say the word; and if you have neither heard it nor said it, it’s pretty tough to read it and to write it.”

This is the reason that the more one reads to one’s children, the more vocabulary they will learn and know how to use.

“The first building block of future reading ability is learning to understand and speak language. Babies learn phonemic awareness (the ability to perceive individual sounds in the stream of speech) in the first eight to ten months. By eighteen months, they may already understands an average of fifty words. After age two babies acquire vocabulary at an awesome rate (about 8 to 10 words a day). By age six a child understands about 13,000 words.”

Reading is an unequal experience. Films cannot compete with it. For in reading one develops the most fantastic thing we posses: our imagination!

I congratulate Mr. Kay for instilling in his students the love of reading. I know that when they are my age they will still remember him with appreciation and gratitude for taking them along this most wonderful and fantastic  of voyages: the reading journey.

Los Diez Mejores Alimentos Anti-Inflamatorios

(Nota: the english version was published before this one, please go to previous blog)

Para una persona que ha vivido los últimos cinco años en compañía de la condición llamada fibromialgia, la vida es una constante búsqueda de formas para vivir en paz con los síntomas de esta condición, o aún mejor, buscando la forma de desprenderla  de nuestro cuerpo y desintegrar el dolor.

Siendo una ávida vegetariana, y estando en contra de la matanza de cualquier ser sintiente, comer salmón fue una difícil decisión a la cual llegué provocada por mi deseo de vivir mi vida con óptima salud, pues una vida insalubre no puede ser feliz ni plena.

Por esta razón decidí incluir salmón salvaje en mi dieta, de vez en cuando…quizás; y también incluir todos los alimentos que a continuación enumero por sus propiedades anti-inflamatorias:

1. ALGAS MARINAS- Se puede tomar en cápsulas, para las personas que no les guste el sabor de estas hierbas del mar.

2. CURCUMA- Es uno de los condimentos más utilizados en la comida Hindú. También hay cápsulas de cúrcuma.

3.SALMON SALVAJE

4. HONGOS SHIITAKE- Simplemente deliciosos, so-fritos ligeramente en un as gotas de aceite de oliva.

5.TE VERDE- Tomarlo como agua de uso todo el día

6. PAPAYA-Deliciosa con unas gotas de limón y si desean endulzarla, espolvorearle Stevia.

7.ARANDANOS-Un licuado de arándanos, fresas, frambuesas y zarzamoras con leche de almendra, unos cubos de hielo  y stevia es maravilloso!

8.ACEITE DE OLIVA EXTRA VIRGEN

9.BROCOLI- Crudo o ligeramente al vapor es la mejor forma de comerlo.

10. CAMOTE

The Ten Best Anti-Inflammatory Foods/ Los Diez Mejores Alimentos Anti-Inflamatorios

For a person who has lived the past five years in the company of fibromyalgia life is learning about ways to live with the condition in the best possible way, or, even better, to let the condition “go.”

So, this is why I have decided to incorporate salmon to my ex-vegetarian diet, much to my chagrin. On the one hand, I do not want to be involved in any killing of sentient beings; on the other, my health is the most important thing in my life, for without health, one can’t have a  decent, happy, fulfilling life.

So what is  a fibromyalgian  to do? Eat…..

1. Kelp

• Anti-Inflammatory Agent: Kelp such as kombu contains fucoidan, a type of complex carbohydrate that is anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and anti-oxidative. A few studies on fucoidan in recent years have found promising results in using the brown algae extract to control liver and lung cancer and to promote collagen synthesis. The high fiber content of kelp also helps to induce fullness, slow fat absorption and promote weight loss. But whenever possible, get only organic kelps harvested from unpolluted sea.

  Arch-Enemy: Seaweed snack. Go easy on seaweed snacks as they can be heavily salted and coated with a thick layer of vegetable oil. Check the ingredients list before buying.

2. Turmeric

• Anti-Inflammatory Agent: This Asian spice commonly found in pre-mixed curry powder contains a powerful, non-toxic compound called curcumin. Studies found that turmeric’s anti-inflammatory effects are on a par with potent drugs such as hydrocortisone and Motrin, but yet having none of their side effects.

  Sidekicks: Ginger. This relative of turmeric is also highly prized around the world for its anti-inflammatory benefits, and are used to expel cold and relieve motion sickness and vomiting.

  Arch-Enemy: Sugar. It can hardly be called a spice, but the widespread use of sugar rivals that of any spice and has led to a host of illnesses linked to this additive condiment. A diet high in sugar is decidedly inflammation-promoting and should be controlled.

3. Wild-Caught Salmon

• Anti-Inflammatory Agent: Salmon is an excellent source of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), two potent omega-3 fatty acids that douse inflammation. The benefits of omega-3 have been backed by numerous studies and they range from preventing heart disease and some cancers to reducing symptoms of autoimmune diseases and psychological disorders. Be sure to include some oily fish such as wild Alaskan salmon in your diet twice a week.

  Arch-Enemies: Polyunsaturated vegetable oils. You may be surprised to see polyunsaturated oil (like those from safflower, soybean, corn and sunflower) listed here, but polyunsaturated fats have been found to be unstable and easily damaged by oxygen. High consumption of omega-6 fatty acids, present in higher amount in polyunsaturated oil, have also been linked to inflammatory response in the body, leading to heart disease and cancer. While omega-6 is important to health, the key is to balance your omega-6 and omega-3 intake so that you don’t end up becoming a factory for pro-inflammatory compounds.

4. Shiitake Mushroom (delicious!)

• Anti-Inflammatory Agent: Enjoyed by the Chinese and the Japanese since ancient times, shiitake mushroom is revered for its immune-boosting properties and its mild smoky taste.

  Sidekicks: Maitake, enoki, oyster mushrooms. There is no better way to fight cancer and enhance your health than to feast on a plate of stir-fried medicinal mushrooms. Yummy!

  Arch-Enemy: Deep-fried mushrooms and vegetables. Throwing fresh mushrooms and vegetables into a big pot of boiling oil will not only soak up lots of cancer-causing compounds from the overheated oil, their healing powers will also be greatly diminished by the high temperature.

5. Green Tea

• Anti-Inflammatory Agent: The flavonoids in green tea are potent natural anti-inflammatory compounds that have been shown in numerous studies to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.

  Arch-Enemy: Processed cow’s milk. Non-organic milk carries antibiotics and growth hormone residues that can irritate immune system when they are consumed long-term. Many people, especially those in the East, also cannot digest milk properly, causing distress to the digestive tract.

6. Papaya

• Anti-Inflammatory Agent: Coined by Christopher Columbus as the ‘fruit of the angels’, papaya contains papain, a protein-digesting enzyme. Together with other nutrients such as vitamin C and E, papain helps to reduce inflammation, and improves digestion and healing from burns.

  Sidekicks: Pineapple. A tropical fruit worthy of mention, pineapple contains bromelain, an enzyme that aids in the healing of indigestion, sports injury, trauma and other kinds of swelling. Extracts of bromelain have also proven to be as effective as some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and are used in a number ofnatural anti-inflammatory supplements for arthritis.

  Arch-Enemy: Preservative-laden fruits. Dried fruits can contain high levels of chemicals such as sulphur dioxide, a preservative which has been linked to increased respiratory disease. Eat fresh fruits whenever possible, but if you must opt for the dried form, make sure it’s preservative-free.

7. Blueberry

• Anti-Inflammatory Agent: An antioxidant powerhouse, blueberry is high in phytonutrients that confer anti-inflammatory protection against many diseases such as cancer and dementia.

  Sidekicks: Blackberries, cranberries, strawberries and raspberries. These berries are comparable alternatives to blueberries and are equally high in antioxidants. So start feasting on one type of berries each week.

  Arch-Enemy: Berries with pesticides. Insects and fungi love berries as much as we do. So berries are often sprayed with pesticides to ward off diseases and pests. To make matter worse, it is hard to wash away pesticides from berries due to their size. So it is safer to opt for organic or wild crafted version as much as possible.

8. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• Anti-Inflammatory Agent: Virgin olive oil is Mediterranean’s secret to longevity. Its rich supply of polyphenols protects the heart and blood vessels from inflammation. The monounsaturated fats in olive oil are also turned into anti-inflammatory agents by the body that can lower occurrences of asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.

  Sidekicks: Avocado oil. Also known as alligator pear, avocado produces oil that has a fat composition similar to olive oil, containing high heart-beneficial monounsaturated fats. But, it has an even higher smoke point than olive oil, making it the ideal oil for cooking.

  Arch-Enemy: Partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. This commercial oil contains trans-fatty acids that lowers the ‘good’ cholesterol and raises the ‘bad’ ones — a shortcut to contracting cardiovascular disease.

 9. Broccoli

• Anti-Inflammatory Agent: Broccoli is a highly nutritious vegetable that contains anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer phytonutrients such as sulforaphane which helps the body to get rid of potentially carcinogenic compounds.

  Sidekicks: Cauliflower. A close relative to broccoli, this cruciferous vegetable also contain similar goodness as broccoli that aids the body’s detoxification.

  Arch-Enemies: Nightshades vegetables. Tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants and others are classified as nightshade vegetables, which contain high alkaloid — a substance that may affect the joints, nerve-muscle function and digestion in some individuals. If you are suffering from any of these problems, you may want to try cutting down on the consumption of nightshades vegetables.

10. Sweet Potato

• Anti-Inflammatory Agent: Sweet potato is often overshadowed by other exotic vegetables and fruits. But it is also a good source of complex carbohydrate, beta-carotene, manganese, vitamin B6 and C as well as dietary fiber. Working in concert, these nutrients are powerful antioxidants that help to heal inflammation in the body.

  Sidekicks: Spinach. This dark green leafy vegetable is such a rich source of anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative flavonoids and carotenoids that it’s almost impossible to believe. But it’s true. And here’s only a partial list: Vitamin A, B2, B6, C, E, K, calcium, folate, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium and tryptophan. But be sure to buy organic ones whenever possible as it’s also among the foods on which pesticide residues have been most frequently found.

  Arch-Enemies: Processed potatoes. Although potato is a good source of vitamin C and other minerals, potato chips and french fries aren’t. Commercially processed potatoes are usually prepared in overheated polyunsaturated or hydrogenated oils, and are loaded with high amounts of sugar and salt, increasing the risk of heart disease and cancer.

  So here you have it.  Let’s all eat the top ten best anti-inflmmatory foods to help our bodies reach the optimum level of health it is supposed to have.

  As for me, I’ll eat salmon once in a while….. maybe.

   

SPEAKING ABOUT LUNCH…!

NEXT BLOG: Why I had to include salmon in my diet!