Grocery Store Titles

  How often have you stood in line waiting to pay and just glance at the titles of the stories lining the aisle from all types of written media?  It does catch your attention. Somehow I even find myself taking a second look.  How to feel younger in 10 days, how to lose 20 pounds in a month, how to find your soul mate, How to improve your mood, how to boost your self esteem, and the list goes on and on.  I also know that when I start to talk to a patient about some of these interventions that we all try to use in helping our cancer patients, we see the blank stare go across their face and a numbness that exemplifies what they think at the present time and it surely isn't about how to lose weight, etc.  I try to stress that basic lifestyle hints and helps covers the continuum, from cancer to heart disease to diabetes.  Good health habits are a lifetime commitment! Does that mean you won't see me with my theater buttered popcorn, the answer is no, and what about an occasional glass of wine, count me in?  I am saying be informed and make good choices.  Recently my daughter was talking to me about the stress she is experiencing right now and our fixit was always a chocolate sauce I would make special for on ice cream.  It wasn't all the time but in times of stress it would appear. I got off the phone with her and felt heart burdened and not knowing how to help.  I called her back to hear that she was eating her ice cream and we both laughed.  So all I can really tell you is that exercise helps, eating moderately and healthy helps, sleeping properly helps, and keeping a healthy weight and getting out with others and remembering that each day is a gift and enjoy what is in your life and put the other stuff in a compartment till you find how to deal with it. I don't mean avoid it, I mean take it in