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annik

POSTED: Sat, 04/18/2009 - 3:54pm

What do French women do when they are stressed out?

Please share your wisdom about managing stress.

Viva la Diva

POSTED: Thu, 12/29/2011 - 11:39am Need to share my latest stressor.... First, thank you in advance for all the support that always can be found here. My latest stressor is that I have a LOT of GI problems. I could list the diagnoses, but all that matters is the impact. It is very difficult to eat a full serving without pain and discomfort. I am having trouble NOT eating three meals a day. I really want to, but simply cannot 'stomach' it. I have tried juicing and smoothies and really miss soups. By the time I have eaten about a cup of food I am in pain. I am seeing doctors for all this, but they are not nutritionists. I have gained weight and given up in so many ways. I absolutely love food and feel punished as I cannot enjoy it as I used to. I am out of hope and staying power these past few days...but have a little pich of faith that someday, soon, I hope I can accept these changes. I know that I do not need to eat a large amount of food to survive, but even that amount has been cut almost in half to be bearable. There have been days at a time where I could not eat at all. I need hope and inspiration.

snorklee

POSTED: Sun, 01/22/2012 - 10:29am Gluten intolerance? Hi Viva, recently my daughter was having the same issues. She's 24, and just started her first teaching job. It all happened over the course of the late summer and had gotten progressively worse, until she was in tears most days. She can't get in to see a specialist until February, so we tried eliminating gluten from her diet, because I had read somewhere that gluten intolerance and celiac disease have similar symptoms. The improvement was almost immediate. The nausea lessened, and the fatigue is improving. We're not sure if gluten was all of the problem, because her arthritis is also flaring right now, but often, autoimmune diseases go hand in hand. She will still see the specialist next month, but we think that gluten played a big part in her gastrointestinal distress. I hope that you find the answer to your symptoms. I wish you the best health.

Kimberly

POSTED: Fri, 01/20/2012 - 12:42pm I also wanted to share my story with you..... I have had GI problems for some time. I feel like it was brought on by having gall bladder problems which was not diagnosed for many years. I did have it removed and it relieved some symptoms but I have also been diagnosed with IBS. For me, it is very distressing at times. I don't have severe pain but I do have discomfort and at times I cannot hardly eat at all. At the worst times I survive on small portions of broth and sometimes I can add white rice to it. Many things I have to avoid. I cannot eat a lot of fruits all the time and especially if they are very acidic. Tomatoes are practically off my list although I still indulge every once in a while. I cannot help but plant a few varities every year. My symptoms ease at some points and I can eat more of a variety of things. I also find that exercise, even walking eases my discomfort. I also alternate between episodes in the bathroom experiencing both extremes (I think this is self-explanatory). I am not sure exactly what your ailment is exactly but I have found a particular book and website to be very helpful if IBS type issues are what you are having. Please feel free to share with me or ask me anything that I may be able to help you with. After my diagnosis of IBS my doctor was of little help. He prescribed medicines which did not help and I have been better able to deal with it from the book and website. I think it is something the medical community is still trying to figure out. Otherwise I would like to wish you well and I hope you are feeling better.

Vintage1944

POSTED: Sun, 01/22/2012 - 8:36am Dear Kimberly My heart goes out to you.This must be a very difficult challenge.I agree that medicine is a long way from understanding such things.You must and do advocate for yourself.Please take care.OXO

Kimberly

POSTED: Sun, 01/22/2012 - 9:44am Oh thank you! Most of my days are good so I am thankful for that. I appreciate your concern. :) Kimberly

Celtic Owl

POSTED: Thu, 01/19/2012 - 5:17pm have you considered macrobiotics I have just read your distressing story, and I can offer lots of prayers and the idea of macrobiotics. The Kushi Institute ( In Mass, and in France., at least at one time..)never turns anyone away and has had some interesting miracles, they have some on the website. or Facebook. It is quite different from eating for pleasure, more of eating for life. I went there to learn the Way of Health many years ago and still use the remedies to fight flu, etc. I personally was the only person not struck down with a gastro bug that came through the nursing home. Pain is not a good symptom.

kit

POSTED: Wed, 01/18/2012 - 11:31pm So sorry to hear Viva... I have heard this for some time from my daughter-in-law who just had gallbladder surgery. Doc told her the surgery still might not solve all her problems because her symptoms were atypical. Yes tests showed she had a huge gallstone which was removed successfully. She still has some pain and bloating after practically any meal. She's waiting to see a GI doc because surgeon thinks she may have irritable bowel syndrome. She eats small meals through out the day to help. Also possibly gluten intolerance, so trying to cut this. I will say a prayer that you get your answer/relief soon and that you can eat what you desire soon. Please have faith,try not to get down on yourself,put the scale in the highest closet. We are here for you anytime,just ask!!xo

Marilyn

POSTED: Thu, 12/29/2011 - 12:45pm 3 meals You do not have to eat 3 meals a day. Could you work out the nutrients you need and divide it into much smaller meals and eat when you can. I have a friend who does this as she cannot eat big meals, she has little meals whenever she feels like it. But healthy nutrious meals not quick snacks. A little fish with a few vegetables, a small portion of soup, mashed potatoes with some nice cheese, beautifully scrambled eggs, anything that you like but small pieces as often as you can manage. I may have completely missed the point if so I'm sorry. Could your doctor refer you to a nutritionist for advice? Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you. Take care, my friend.xxxxx

Viva la Diva

POSTED: Sat, 06/04/2011 - 4:07pm WANDERLUST RETURNS! I am tickled to see that I have not changed in this regard. Just last night I was thinking of packing my bags and running away for a week. Too much care taking of my men! Instead I kept it local, but I did see the obvious void in my life that I have had since I stopped my weekly random ventures. I see I need to incorporate sans men! weekly again! ROAD TRIP!

Viva la Diva

POSTED: Mon, 06/20/2011 - 8:11pm I ended up taking a day off I ended up taking a day off and running.....er driving as long as as I needed with my fave music playing and the phone off. Then my friend and I spent the day together a couple of days later. I am still always planning trips in my mind. Actually waiting for the blasted house to sell and wondering which direction I will head first. Thinking of Old Montreal to check out a restaurant we heard about. To be honest, we have also been sitting by the pool and pretending we are at a resort. VERY nice. Jean, we will certainly have to spend time getting to Marilyn's vistas soon.

Vintage1944

POSTED: Sun, 06/05/2011 - 1:45pm Point that car north and head to Ottawa!!!OXO

Marilyn

POSTED: Sun, 06/05/2011 - 6:17am Not far You don't have to go far to have a random venture. I have various little trips. A theatre trip, a visit to a beautiful garden, a jaunt to an exhibition, even just a car drive to town for a wander and a coffee with a friend. Also I am lucky that I have the house to myself 3 days a week from 9.00am to 17.30pm so can do as I please all day after the house work. It is essential to my well being and stress levels especially now with OH's PD. From 14 June we are having a couple of nights away in Harrogate doing nothing!! This time last year as OH's condition was confirmed I was tempted to fly the coop I must admit but the thoughts of the damage it would cause made me stop and think. There are ways around everything and with the support of friends at home and here I can escape from reality whenever I need to. Imagine yourself in my English garden with a glass of Pimms in one hand with the scent of the roses (you will need a sweater!!!), the rustle of the breeze through the beech hedge, the trickle of the water in the tiny fountain, with gentle music drifting out of the window. See you have escaped. Take care and get time for yourself, life is all too short. xx

Vintage1944

POSTED: Sun, 06/05/2011 - 1:46pm I am so there!! How I wish I really could be there.OXO

Marilyn

POSTED: Mon, 06/06/2011 - 6:56am Moi aussi One day, Jean, one day!! xxx

Vintage1944

POSTED: Mon, 06/06/2011 - 12:03pm Mais oui it will be.oxo

St.TropezChic

POSTED: Tue, 08/11/2009 - 12:46pm Wanderlust Bonjour, Jean et Diva! I am thoroughly enjoying and learning from your conversation. I can appreciate and relate to your strong family ties and how they've influenced your decisions. While I am extremely curious about what's out there, adore world travel, exploration, and meeting new people, no matter how far I roam, I find an indescribable joy in eventually returning to home base. I'm decidedly a "nest-er", and it probably has a lot to do with the fact that I'm a gardener: I've cultivated my little piece of Earth and put down roots. I do live with wanderlust in my soul and the desire to expand my horizons (which I do pursue), but the thought of leaving this home for good would sadden me. I had a friend who could actually fit all of her belongings into her car, and leave at a moment's notice to follow her heart (which she has been known to do). How about you, could you just pack it up in a day, and drive off into the sunset in search of your dreams? :^) Lorraine

Charlotte

POSTED: Mon, 06/21/2010 - 11:00pm Yes, yes, yes! I love Yes, yes, yes! I love travelling, in fact, I am happiest when travelling. When I'm at home, I rarely feel truly "at home" if that makes any sense. I always feel this great longing to be somewhere else, and I have a great love of airports and planes that my friends don't understand. To them, it means discomfort, but to me, it means freedom and expanding my world.

meneia

POSTED: Tue, 10/12/2010 - 3:54pm Love Travel, Hate Airports I love to travel. Until recently, I would pack up my suitcase and move every few months (it was for work, but I chose to do it, it wasn't compulsory). Now I'm more settled but still take frequent trips. I hate airports though, I get really agitated when I'm in them. I'm not a fan of planes either but the airports are worse.

Vintage1944

POSTED: Tue, 10/12/2010 - 8:24pm Back in the day Airports and travel by plane were great adventures.Now they are great pains in various parts of the anatomy.I love to travel,so grit my teeth and pray and go.We need a little Harry Potter action...a little Flue Powder and we are away.

Viva la Diva

POSTED: Wed, 08/12/2009 - 6:05am Wanderlust Glad to have company in this conversation. I used to be able to pack it all up and be ready on a moment's notice. I guess that's the first change I noticed when I moved in here. I immediately ordered the office furniture of my dreams. I never felt like I'd be in one place long enough, to order it previously. Then I claimed a space or two to call my own, and immediately planted my garden, which keeps us nearby! Wanderlust is a great way for me to frame it. While I yearn to see the rest of the world, I want to sleep in my own bed! As I read your post I thought about how great it is to have the internet so we can take what we like from the rest of the world and incorporate it into our homes and lifestyle, w/o ever leaving the comfort of home. Here's a toast to Wanderlust!

Vintage1944

POSTED: Wed, 08/12/2009 - 7:48pm Toast to wanderlust It is great to have you join the conversation,Lorraine.I am beginning to "get"the need for roots.I have been rootless for years.But my reunion with my son and becoming close to my DGC has grounded me.And I am finding it strange;but a lovely,happy strange.For years I moved frequently,and now I am staying put.When you come to Montreal,I will show you the city by touring the neighborhoods I lived in.LOL.VLD,I agree the'Net has opened the world in a whole new way.But I do believe that I will always want to see things I read about but short trips and back to home base fairly quickly.Jean

St.TropezChic

POSTED: Wed, 08/12/2009 - 10:01pm Really looking forward to seeing *your* Montréal. I think I'm due for another pilgrimage, as I'm dreaming about Montréal a lot these days, really vividly, especially Plateau Mont-Royal / rue St. Denis - weird, huh? Like astral travel, lol. Lorraine

Marilyn

POSTED: Thu, 08/13/2009 - 12:58pm Wondering I was wondering if the wanderlust comes from living in such large countries were you can go so far without leaving your home country. The UK is so much smaller and to go far means leaving cultural base. We have lived in the same house for 30 years. When our daughter went to university it was only 2 hours away, of all of her choices the furthest would have been only 5 hours by car. I wander afar in my head but have not travelled out of Europe. I know I am missing such a lot but am afraid I have not the gypsy in my soul that some of you seem to have. Lovingly, Marilyn

Viva la Diva

POSTED: Fri, 08/14/2009 - 3:35pm Hello Fellow Traveling Souls! I agree, it is wonderful that we can raise children with these lifestyles and values. I have observed that some children in this generation are going to be the real change our world needs. When I see the level of injustice that gets them fired up and how serious some of them are, I am actually filled with renewed hope for our future. I wonder if the yearning to venture to other countries comes from something missing in our lives. We all know the grass is not always greener on the other side. I also do think adventure means growth and learning something new about the world and in the end ourselves. From all of the moving I did, I learned how to get myself grounded pretty quickly. I have a cabinet that I always bring with me and fill it with my personal affects. It sits in my office now. It has a little piece of all my more significant experiences in it. When I was in art school we learned about YAYA boxes. They are a box that is painted in such a way to depict our lives and where we have been on the outside, and our souls are painted on the inside. My box didn't turn out the way I had hoped, and when I saw my white cabinet, I knew it would work. It isn't painted, but I have my favorite things in it. I tried to repurpose this past week, and couldn't. It is the very piece that signifies I am home! I find lately that I feel at home, not so much in the physical sense, but in the spiritual/soulful sense. Does anyone else have something like a YAYA box in their lives?

St.TropezChic

POSTED: Sat, 08/15/2009 - 1:06pm YAYA Box Bonjour, Diva! In our home, we each have a large, hinged 'Memory Box' in which we keep our significant artifacts. I do like the idea of personalizing it as you've described. Your cabinet sounds wonderful, and you've already personalized it with your favorite things. Thanks for sharing these ideas! Lorraine

frenchy

POSTED: Sat, 08/15/2009 - 5:31pm State of mind travel I can't really afford to travel. There are so many places I would love to see. However, I am content in my domain and have created a sort of...not sure how to put it...when I make coffee in the french press and sit out on the back patio I am in a small cafe somewhere in France. When I am in the kitchen making dinner I am in the heart of Italy as that is the design of the house. When I am in the library I am transported to a stately English manor house. I love the conversation about wanderlust and find that a great word for when I take my "idle" travels to wherever it is I want to go.

violette

POSTED: Thu, 01/14/2010 - 4:19pm Yes.....State of Mind Travel! Love the way you phrased this Frenchy. Yes, it is possible to bring the world into our own homes, with this site, and also the travel shows on TV. Does anyone watch "Rick Steves Europe" or "Smart Travels with Rudy Maxa"? These are two of my favorite shows on TV to watch, both are on public television. You can also order their DVD's of their shows on their websites. I especially love Rick Steves. I have one DVD and on it are 6 of his France destination shows. Paris, Provence, Aix, and some others. You feel like you are there! If I won the lottery, I'd travel the rest of my life with my family. It's so much fun to travel, even if it's in our own towns and homes, through cooking,shopping, TV, internet, reading. The rest of the world is never that far away.

Jeanette

POSTED: Mon, 08/17/2009 - 11:35am I am sooo with you Frenchy on I am sooo with you Frenchy on the affordability of travel! I too "travel" throughout my day. I have my vanity set up all fancy with beautiful bottles and creams. I often will do my hair and make-up with French music playing pretending I'm getting ready in my flat in Paris to go out and walk the Seine. Luckily, I've been there once, so I can always go through my pictures to help. :-) Love the idea about the Italian kitchen! Will definitely have to use that one!

emartinrn

POSTED: Mon, 08/17/2009 - 3:59pm Earlier this year we finished Earlier this year we finished remodling the master bedroom and master bath - by no means is it The Ritz but DH really let me go to town with the feminine touches. Like Jeanette, I have my vanity all set up and I painted the room a pale robin's egg blue with cream carpeting. I selected pale blue and gold bedding. Just being in there make me feel like I could be in Paris - if only it were true!!

St.TropezChic

POSTED: Sat, 08/22/2009 - 3:25pm Bonjour, Elizabeth! I really like your elegant colour scheme - very chic and contemporary at the same time. Lorraine

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