"Tis the Day to Give Thanks...

...and boy do I ever need to give some thanks this year. 2011 has been, for lack of a better word, AMAZING!! I was sitting in the car yesterday as Ed was loading the trunk with our Costco goodies and it dawned on me that though Mother's Market will be closed today for Thanksgiving, they will not be closed tomorrow for Black Friday and if I was still there guess where I'd be working? When I started working back in 2009 what I had known for all those years as a stay-at-home mom, and taken for granted I might add, vanished. I was a working mom now and although I had sought it out, it was clearly an adjustment for me. Getting ready for Holidays took on a whole 'nother meaning. It was more of vying for a day off than preparing to be with the family. So in March of this year when I was given the opportunity to join the team at Pacific Coast Naturals Brokerage it was truly a blessing in so many ways. But I have to go back further to start at the beginning of 2011 and show where the thanks must begin...

Working those (almost) two years at Mother's was an incredible learning experience. One, which my formal education could not have provided. I was trained by some of the best in the industry and this very much sparked my interest more and more each day to go forward with my passions. At the beginning of 2011 I knew I would make my move. I decided to re-open Wellness Within Nutritional Consulting and give it a real go this time. Working with so many clients at Mother's gave me a great sense of confidence. When I saw person after person getting better because of me, I was enlightened. I felt as though I finally realized my gift in this world and I was compelled to use it. Although, when I saw those who ultimately could not get better, not because of me but in spite of me I was humbled and I learned so much. I knew that people were looking for a different course and I wanted to help them where I could.

I guess I could venture to say that I was getting a little cocky but that was a driving force for me. I decided to help spread the world of health and wellness far and wide and I began my Internet radio show. Non-Toxic Mama's World Broadcast was born and it was a slow and steady success. Before I put the show on hiatus back in April I was garnering about 400 listeners a week. I think that was pretty impressive if I do say so myself. I hope when I fully settle into my current position I can open up the air waves once again because I really did love that show, and for it I give thanks.

So I thought the first three months of the year were pretty good. I was skyrocketing on a ride that was making me more and more excited about my future. By this time Mother's was becoming mundane to me, I was losing my challenge and was feeling a bit antsy as I was hitting a ceiling on my capacity to learn more there. Although I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for the company as a whole, the bureaucracy of it all was making me grow tired and the offer to become a representative for the natural products industry was what I had been looking for for some time. I was actually lining up another gig with another broker when PNC came in with an offer I couldn't refuse. I more than doubled my income at Mother's. I even felt better when they looked to try and counter for me to stay at Mother's but I knew they couldn't match it and I was feeling caged, it was time to move. I will always love Mother's for all that they gave me. Without that job I would have never been in a position to land where I have and for Mother's I give thanks.

Working for Pacific Coast Naturals is awesome. As I sat in the car waiting for Ed to finish and get in yesterday at Costco, I then thought to myself how amazing it was to have a job like I currently do where I make my own schedule and handle things in my own time. As long as I meet my goals and continue moving forward no one hassles me and I love it. For those who know me, you understand that punctuality is not my strong suit, that is no longer ever and issue. I make my schedule and manage my time, and it's wonderful. The chronic stress and worry about being on time somewhere is no longer a burden, and for that I give thanks.

Like I mentioned earlier the new job has greatly increased our income. Being a stay-at-home mom in the beginning was great because we could handle the cost and at the end of the year we could pay off bills with our tax returns and things would work themselves out. As the years went on, we had more and more cost of living increases, then Marcelo was born and we went from a family of three to a family of four, the tax returns just didn't cut it anymore. We had accrued an enormousness amount of debt and my original reason for even going to work at Mother's in 2009 was to begin to pay down the debt before it took us under. It was a slow and steady race, we were doing alright until January 2010 when our home was robbed and they took everything we owned while we were at work. This was a HUGE set back. Because things had been so tough I put insurance on the back burner thinking nothing could ever happen to us and boy was I wrong. So we kept on plugging along, doing our best with what we had. But when this new position came along it couldn't have done so at a better time, we were coming back on top and the extra cash certainly made for an easier lifestyle, we can safely say we no longer have to live outside of our means, I even got to buy my dream car BMW this year and for that I give thanks!

Now on to a more serious and phenomenal reason for thanks. As most of you know Marcelo was born with a severe Congenital Heart Defect or CHD. Something none of us expected and something I'd never wish on my worst enemy. It's been a long and frightening road of uncertainty and this was the year that he was poised to be surgically corrected, though I knew it was coming I could not fathom it. A few months ago he had a heart catheterization and it was determined his third and final open heart surgery was eminent. They had a choice between two surgeries and we had to leave it up to those in the know, but just two weeks and one day ago he was in the operating room getting corrected. In spite of the couple of meds he's come home on and will be on for a little while I see my precious baby boy pink for the first time in his life. I walk hand in hand with him when we are out and it's all but faded away in our memory that he, just two short weeks ago, could not walk more than a few feet without getting so tired he'd have to hunch to catch his breath. As much as I balk at conventional medicine I now fully and completely understand that it has it's place and for it I give thanks.

Before his surgery I would tell him over and over again that they were going to fix his heart. It was the best way I knew how to prepare him for what was to come. I'd tell him always that when it was over he could "run and run and jump and jump." I promised him that when he was well he could play with all the kids normally without getting tired. One promise I made to him was fulfilled just last week. There's a hill at Luciano's school that all the kids run up and down after school, and Marcelo as determined as he is would always try to make it up the hill. By the time he'd trek and rest, trek and rest to finally reach the top the other kids would already be back down. I promised him that he'd be able to go up that hill at school. So last week, we had time to waste while we wait for Luciano to come out after school. I told Mar it was time to do the hill. So hand in hand with Daddy, TT and Malena we trekked up that hill, not a huff nor a puff: MY BABY DID IT!! And for that I GIVE THANKS!!

Luciano, I can safely say, has been through way more than any 10 year old should have to emotionally bare and he has shined all the way through. He's doing incredible in school, he's the highest reader in his class and last report card he got all As and a B. He's learning guitar this year and still aspiring to write code for video games. He's witty and sensitive and a very special little boy any mother would love to have, and for him I give thanks!!

Ed and I have spent the better part of the last month together. He's been an amazing help through all that we have been through and over the last year has been great cheering me on as I contemplated many moves. He's my husband, my friend and my tower, for him I give thanks.

My mother, my rock, has always been there for me when I needed her and this year has been no different. She's been a wonderful extension of me when I cannot be there for the kids now that I work. From helping Luciano with his tedious homework to changing endless diapers my mom rocks, and for her I give thank!!

My friend Tiffeny (TT as Mar calls her) has been amazing this past year. Who knew that we'd have our boys just seven days apart in the same hospital and they'd grow to eventually be best friends. I never thought though that she would grow to be mine. I can honestly say that she's been a major part of my successes over the last year because when I ever needed support or to just hear I could do it she was there cheering me on. She also has a special place in her heart for Marcelo, he loves her so much. For her I give thanks.

The Brazitalianos, Heloisa and Gaetano, these are our very special heart family. Their son Luca is just three months younger than Marcelo and has a CHD. Since the inception of our friendship have been a rock for us. Those that can understand what it is we feel to an exact moment with every emotion. Heloisa has always been there for me when I needed her and our late night Facebook chats have gotten me through a lot of low times. For them I give thanks.

My sister Angela, having her by my side even though she's thousands of miles away in Mexico makes all the difference. For the better part of 20 years she has been there for me through thick and thin. For her I give thanks!!

For all those who held a good thought, put Marcelo on a prayer list, did a private prayer, held him up and held us up...from what I have heard that number goes into the thousands, I give thanks.

For all that is in my life, the good and the bad, the interesting and the mundane, the complex and the simple...I GIVE THANKS!!!

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Mar's pre-op EKG

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This is the point at which you hide your children and turn away...

Today has been a rough emotional day to say the least. I've shed very little tears but I feel as though my mood and ability to deal with things is limited. I recall I went through this stage before his last surgery when he was 9 months old. So as the title implies if you are only here to read the updates about Marcelo's progress you might not quite get why I am saying what I say. If you, in fact, care to stay during the whole rant, feel free. My hopes of today's blog would be simply catharsis.

So I'm angry, let's not beat around the bush here. In less than 6 days I am going to watch my precious little baby be carried down a long hallway by strangers and I, ma'dam control, will have to give up total control. When I sit on the couch as he watches tv in his favorite little spot, bent over the padded leather coffee table hands propping up his head via his cheeks, I think to myself how on earth can this be fair? Then I reassure my self that life is certainly not fair and it angers me more.

I think over the past (almost) four years I have given up the constant beating myself up and blame game of what I did to cause my baby to suffer but it has been replaced, I believe, with a deeper sense of wonder. Like why does this occur at all? I have never said, "why us?" For that would be silly, of course MANY MANY people in the world suffer, some far more than Marcelo. I have questioned so many other things that there are too many to list but those of you who know, just know.

A deep sense of - this is going to all come out ok and he will be "normal" - seems to maintain the biggest portion of my thoughts, it's that little nagging pestilent villain that leads my thoughts into the abyss and this is also something I can't stop doing. As if my mind wanders at the sound of a certain song or smell without my knowing and then the thoughts pop in unwarranted to make me INSANE!!!

A little while ago I cut his hair. His bangs were getting so long he could barely see. I had to layer the back a little too. When it gets too long in the back it mats easy into tiny dreadlocks and he cries when I have to comb them out, especially if Daddy forgets to put conditioner in when he bathes him. Plus being in a hospital bed will likely do a number on the back so hopefully with the layers he won't have so many dreads to remove later. While I was cleaning up the hair, I without thinking, gathered all the pieces I could and put them into a plastic bag and saved them away in a drawer. It's moments like that which get to me. When I find myself doing irrational but totally rational things at the same time then the butterflies start swarming and I can't shake the bad. I know, I know I can't think that way but it's emotions which have the best of me, forcing me to hoard and nest and all those things the Mama squirrel is meant to do.

At this point we are finishing day 6 of total lock-down quarantine, Luciano has been home from school, I've greatly limited my workload doing as much as I can from home and Edgard is the only one still out among the general population at work. For the past 3 weeks I've cooked basically every breakfast, lunch, and dinner and we've had no weekends out of this home. By now we are all a little bit (or a lot really) feeling the cabin fever. The boys fight non-stop. Marcelo screaming and Luciano teasing him to the point of screaming, each finding unique things to tattle on the other. Quite tiring as I'm sure you can fathom. However, necessary for no one can say that Rana Manzi doesn't give her all when a germ free environment is essential. I guess I can say I'm proud of myself that it has been completely chemical free (yay bonus for non-toxic Mama)!!

And so I can come to an end if this blog for tonight relishing in the thought that my words were not as bitter and angry as I thought when I began. For that I am grateful. As we enter into this month of Thankful thoughts I encourage you to hug your children and family tonight and be thankful, really thankful for what you have. I know I am!!!

Ten Days of Attrition

As I sit here tonight on the eve of the Halloween that won't be this year I watch Marcelo play his new Wii game just like his big brother and I weep. It's a silent cry, one where I cannot show my worry, a heavy heart for which I once again realize that at this very moment and for the next 10 days the only thing that will dominate my thoughts is the unknown. It will be the third time in my life where I will feel completely without control and completely at the mercy of others who hold the life of my son literally in their hands. On November 9, 2011 Marcelo is going into his third open heart surgery and will be once again taken from my arms in order to save his life. Now that statement seems a tad dramatic, one which an outsider might think is a bit selfish, and they would have every right to think so. Now don't get me wrong, I am entirely grateful for medical science being able to save his life, I am eternally grateful for the surgeon who chose that career to make my son a normal little boy, but I wholeheartedly don't want to let him go. As I sit here and stare at the back of his head as he plays I hear the wondrous sounds coming from his mouth and I think about all that he will go through and how he has no idea that we are going to hurt him in order to make him better. Oh if I could only take his pain away. If only I could go into surgery in his place, but I know that cannot happen.

Earlier I mentioned something strange about Halloween. While it's true that little ghosts and goblins all over the place will go out tomorrow night and get treats and laugh and play but we will be here at home trying to stay well enough to have surgery. What a bummer. I have to give major props and state how proud I am for having a son like Luciano who of free will gave up his Halloween to ensure his brother's health. I can say one thing, healthy hearts notwithstanding, I have certainly been blessed with two amazing little boys. For that I am also eternally grateful.

So there you have it, an opening back into the blogosphere for me, I am going to make an attempt to update this blog while we are on this chapter of our heart journey. They say writing is cathartic, and I suppose that to be true. So please feel free to check back often. For those of you who have been on this journey with us for the last (almost) 4 years I thank you, and for those just beginning I welcome you!!




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New Year's Day 2011

A new day has dawned...maybe the best cliche ever uttered!

So 2011 has finally arrived. As I lay here catching up on old tivo'd shows I have been thinking about what protocol is for New Year's Day. Some of us are nostalgic and thinking about all that came with 2010. Some of us are progressive and thinking about how we can build on last year to make this year the best ever. Some of us are thinking about how to best achieve our Resolutions for at least more than 5 days.

I didn't make a solid "resolution" this year because let's face it they aren't made to keep, rather to boost us into a new year of getting older with the best intentions. I do however have an amazing feeling about what's to come in 2011 and I feel extraordinary about the prospects. Some have complained that 2010 was a terrible year; political instability, financial issues or job loss. There are truly some people out there in a rough spot.

I guess could look back on 2010 and admit that it may not have been the best year yet, we weren't 20 days into 2010 when my home was invaded by thieves who stole practically every piece of anything monetary that was of worth to me and my family. It cost us a small fortune to rebuild but it came with wonderful lessons. It taught me that homeowners insurance is essential. It taught me that they can steal all of your possessions but they can't steal your self; the tears and shattered glass can be cleaned up but the fact that we remained safe was what was of importance.

I suppose I could look back on 2010, which was my first solid year of working outside the home and think of how much I didn't really want to go in every work day and spend 8 hours of my life away from my children to make money that went out as fast as it came in to pay for the ridiculous bills I incurred all the years I did not work. However, it taught me lesson of autonomy, that not even my children can know me if I don't know myself. It taught me countless amounts knowledge about health and wellness and has helped me to launch myself into the career of my dreams.

Overall 2010 for me was a pleasant year. Marcelo's heart managed to stay really strong and aside from a long lasting cough he's had a really healthy year. Luciano is growing up so fast and doing exceptionally well in school being in the top of his class. Ed still has a job unlike a certain portion of the population and continues to be my rock, supporting me through all my crazy ideas. And me? Well, I'm still chugging along, looking forward to the amazingness coming my way in 2011. So I will continue to build on what I have been sewing and my wish for each of you...may 2011 be everything you dream of!!

For those of you diligently trudging through your New Year's Resolution in the hopes of losing those 15lbs. you put on last year, those who are looking to change their lifestyle to a more healthy one or if you just want to know which supplements would be best for your situation, my company Wellness Within Nutritional Consulting is offering a great New Year's Deal:

For $75 you will receive a face-to-face Skype or telephone consultation with me for 1hr. Half off the regular price. Just go to my website http://www.love2bewell.com and click on the contact page. Hit the Paypal button on the bottom right and you'll be on your way to a healthier you in 2011.

Always remember...Healthy Home, Healthy Body, Healthy Life!!

Cheers,
Rana D. Manzi, CNC HHP
ranamanzi@love2bewell.com
714.624.8804

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If a bee falls in the forest and no one is around to see it, does it make a sound?

As I sat at a stop light this morning waiting to make a left-hand turn I see what I first think is a fallen leaf come flying toward the hood of my truck. I thought that was strange there were no trees nearby and it was not windy and then CLUNK! A tiny little bee hits my hood and walks around in a daze. Poor little thing looked like it half way knocked himself out at impact and he seemed discombobulated with the landing, not quite knowing where he was. I had a few moments before the light changed so I looked closer to see if maybe he had stung someone or something and possibly he was missing his stinger and was dying. We all know bees can only sting once, so it better be a doozy because they don't recover. But his stinger was still intact but he looked to me as if he were dying. By the time the light changed he hung on for dear life as the wind kicked up and I was accelerating. When I arrived to my destination I noticed he was still there and still wandering aimlessly on the hood and it got me thinking. Over the past few years when I randomly see a bee he's either dead or dying and it is concerning.

Bee's are amazing creatures. We need them for all kinds of processes. They first and foremost pollinate our plants. Without them there would be no blooming flowers and the beauty of Earth would become lackluster. In fact, they are so important that without bees we would not survive. They are the one's who pollinate the crops from which our food comes. Albert Einstein once postulated that if bees were to go extinct mankind would have only four years to live. Four years is that all? Now that's a scary thought. Unfortunately, we are seeing such an event of epic proportions happen right before our eyes. The honeybee has been dying at alarming rates where complete collapse of hives has been see for almost five years now. I hate to be an alarmist and I know how important it is to know when Lindsay Lohan's next court date is and who's going to win Dancing with the Stars but I think a more newsworthy story should be this...BEES ARE DYING AND WE DON'T KNOW WHY! But what could be the cause? Some say maybe pesticides, I mean when you spray crops to kill bugs then one could think maybe the bees would die too. It could be from new types of pesticides that attack the nervous system of target bugs but instead are harming the bees. Others point to possibly a virus or fungus that has been invading the hives, then others look to the genetic modification of our food supply. For sake of simplicity here, we take DNA from other plants or animals and inject it into a certain seed crop and a new hybrid plant is born. One where plants become more hardy and insect resistant internally so less pesticides are needed. On the surface this might seem like a great idea, more food with less chemical pesticides, only problem is the pesticide is often put directly into the fiber or DNA of the plant and if the pollen has genetically modified material on it and the bees cannot evolve fast enough to handle it, it could wreck havoc on the population. Developing Frankenfruit might be quite destructive to humans and the bees might be the canary in the coal mine telling us so. I shutter to think. The European Union has now banned the use of Genetically Modified (GMO) crops. Let's hope we're next, though something tells me we will not be that lucky.

Some have even gone so far as to think maybe Electromagnetic Fields from cell phone towers are causing problems with bees. The idea is that when they leave the hive to go in a five mile radius in search of plants to pollinate and gather nectar for the honey they might be getting mixed up on how to get home because of these frequencies thus dying outside of the hive and diminishing populations because of this. Probably the most confusing and disheartening problem with all of this is that scientists just don't know exactly what the cause is. Let's hope they don't find the cause when it is too late.

So if you think about the past couple of years have you seen many bees? As many as you saw as a child? Have you seen many dead bees in your garden or when you're walking about? I have noticed too many dead bees to count. I can recall for the past couple of summers sitting outside of my parents' house while the kids play, dead bees would be a common site. So sad. Now I didn't want this blog to be all about the sadness of losing the bees. Though I do want to make the very important point that something terrible is happening to our beloved bees, whether you are allergic to their sting or don't find the beauty of bees know that without them there will eventually be no you!

I think a good idea would be to let you know the goodness honey bees bring to us. They are an amazing little flying bug, one so important that aside from helping bring fruits and vegetables to your table, they create a perfect food for you to eat as well. Honey is highly nutrient dense. Honey has been used for a millennia as a healing food. It has astringic and antiseptic properties. Bet you didn't know honey could be used to clear up conjunctivitis (pink-eye)? Add a few drops to warm water and it can be used directly in the eye to help clear up the redness and infection. Honey is high in antioxidants and might be able help to reverse free-radical damage in the body. Honey can help aid in calcium absorption and may help prevent osteoporosis. Who knew all this could come from yummy delicious honey? There are many types of honey. Eucalyptus honey, sage honey, wildflower honey, red clover honey, orange blossom honey just to name a few. There are powerful medicinal varieties like Manuka honey which comes from New Zealand. Bees of the same hive will go to the same types of flowers to get the nectar. The melaleuca (or tea) tree is a special tree that is common in New Zealand. The bees in the region go to this tree and make a pungent honey that has amazingly powerful therapeutic properties and it is called Manuka honey. This type of honey is rated for it's strength. 15+ will give you some amazing antibacterial properties. I've seen varieties of up to 25+ strength and these can be quite powerful and extremely expensive. It has been shown in some recent clinical studies to actually be effective against the antibiotic resistant bacteria MRSA. It can be put on wounds to heal them and when taken internally can calm a sore throat and end heartburn and even slow the common cold and cough. Honey is not the only delicious wonder food given to us as a gift from the hive of bees. Royal jelly is another remarkable bee product that yields a wealth of goodness. Royal Jelly is a specialized honey that the bees make expressly for the queen bee, hence the name "royal." Unlike the amber clear color of honey, royal jelly is opaque and milky. Royal jelly is considered an adaptogen. This means that it helps the body adapt to environmental invaders and will help to balance the system when assaults occur. It has been shown that royal jelly can have anti-inflammatory effects on the body, may be helpful in lowering blood pressure and could possibly aid in glucose metabolism for people with type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome. Studies have also shown it to have a protective effect on the liver. All from the tiny bee, imagine that!

Bee pollen is a granular substance that the bees actually collect from the flowers they go out to pollinate each day. Allergy sufferers report great success using bee pollen to help rid themselves of allergy symptoms. The theory of pollen is this: If pollen in the air makes one sneeze and creates a histamine response of runny nose and sneezing to help rid the body of an environmental invader then regular intake of local bee pollen could make your body become used to the pollen in the air so when they are inhaled you can effectively avoid an allergy attack. Cool right? Something so simple can impact a problem that thousands perhaps millions of people suffer with daily

Then there is bee propolis. A thick blackish tar or resin like substance the bees create to protect the hive. It's a door mat, if you will. Bees line the opening of the hive with this resin and when the bees come in from their daily work out in the field they walk on it as they enter the hive and it kills any bacteria that they may have come into contact with outside in the world, thus keeping the hive pristine and perfect. The propolis will also afford such benefits to us. It is a thick wax-like substance with a very powerful odor and super strong flavor. One which is distinct and not super palatable. Be propolis however, has been show to have miraculous healing influence especially due to it's anti-microbial power. It is often used in throat sprays to help calm a sore throat. The resin is used in some chewing gums to protect the mouth from unwanted bacteria. Propolis has an ability to prevent bad bacteria while encouraging healthy bacteria to create a homeostatic environment in the body. In the rain forest of Brazil there are other types of propolis coming from the bees who forage the lush jungle. These are green and red propolis. Green propolis has been show to have anti-inflammatory properties and can perhaps be protective of our neurological system and immune modulating. It is very high in a substance called Artepillin C which has been shown, in some recent Japanese studies, to cause apoptosis of cancer cells and suppression of tumor growth. Red propolis has been shown to possibly help relieve menopausal symptoms and is starting to come out in certain health supplements for menopause and hormone health.

So here's the skinny: Bees are our friends. Bees are dying at alarming rates especially in the US and no one knows why. We need to get the word out. We need people to know that beehive products are so essential to our good health and how important the bees are to all of us. Now whether you like honey or are willing to try some of the beehive products like royal jelly or bee pollen or not, the most important idea we should take away from today's lesson is the notion that bees are an integral part of society and we should do whatever we can to make certain they stay so we can ensure that we stay!

*The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. The information in this blog is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.