July 7, 2012

Today is National Chocolate Day!

July 7th is National Chocolate Day, a good reason to enjoy chocolate!

Chocolate — it’s one of the most popular sweets of all time. But why do we love it so much? Maybe it’s because it tastes so good. Maybe it’s because it makes you feel happy. Maybe it’s because there are so many different types. Oh, who really cares why — we just love it! July 7 is National Chocolate Day, and we’re celebrating a few things we love about chocolate!

Perfect Consistency Chocolate contains fat–that’s no surprise. The cocoa butter in chocolate gives it a rich, creamy consistency that also transmits the cocoa’s flavor perfectly. It also has a melting point that’s just a bit lower than the average human body temperature, which gives you that melt-in-your-mouth feeling every time you pop a piece of chocolate in your mouth.

Feel Good Food The cocoa beans from which chocolate is made are not, themselves, sweet. The Mayans and Aztecs in Central America and Mexico consumed chocolate as a bitter, frothy drink mixed with chilies. Among the more than 300 chemicals contained in chocolate are a number of ingredients that help explain why we crave it.

Chocolate triggers the release of endorphins and serotonin, which make us feel good. And while no proof exists that chocolate is an aphrodisiac, it does contain the chemical phenylethylamine, a mild mood elevator that our brain produces when we feel happy or in love.

Chocolate contains the chemical Theobromine which is what makes it toxic for dogs. Caffeine is also present in chocolate and a toxic component, but in much smaller amounts than Theobromine. Well, chocolate lovers, fear no more! We now can with the delicious goodness that is carob. Carob is a dog-friendly substitute to chocolate with the same great sweet richness that makes chocolate a delight to eat. Made from the pods of a Carob Tree, it is 100% natural and 100% healthy for dogs.

And it’s healthy too! Carob contains as much vitamin B1 as asparagus or strawberries, the same amount of niacin as lima beans, lentils or peas, and more vitamin A than eggplant, asparagus and beets. It’s also high in vitamin B2, calcium, magnesium and iron.

On July 7^th, when treating yourself to some tasty chocolate don’t forget about your canine companion, throw a little Carob his way – you can indulge together. Three Dog Bakery offers a grrreat selection of carob treats, such as our Pooch Smooches, Ulti”Mutt” Spots, and the carob dipped Dino Bone. Stock up today! Your dog will thank you.

Chocolate 101:

Cacao trees grow around the world in tropical areas. They grow pods, which contain about 20 to 40 cacao beans.
The beans are removed from the pods, and then fermented in piles for about one week. This process allows for the beans to dry out and develop their color and flavor.
The beans are then taken to the factory and roasted. Next, they are “hulled” by removing the outside shell from the inside of the bean called the “nib.”
The nibs are then ground into a chocolate liquor. Then, the liquor (it’s not alcoholic) is pressed to remove the fat, called “cocoa butter,” and the residual powder is what is mixed in to create different kinds of chocolate.
Depending on the kind of chocolate (milk, bittersweet, semisweet, etc.) cocoa butter, milk and sugar are added to the chocolate powder.
White chocolate does not contain the chocolate powder that regular chocolate contains. It just contains cocoa butter, milk and sugar.

http://threedogblog.com/news/july-7-is-national-chocolate-day/

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/lifestyle/2011/10/its-national-chocolate-day/

July 5, 2012

El Dorado Co. Sheriff's Investigating Missing Placerville, UC Davis Student Case!

Linnea Lomax, age 19 has been missing since June 26, 2012!

The father of a 19-year-old UC Davis student from Placerville says he hopes that the transfer of her missing persons case from authorities in Sacramento County to the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday will bring new energy to the search.

"It's always a worry, will my daughter get left out because she falls between jurisdictional cracks," said Craig Lomax.

His daughter, Linnea Lomax, went missing on June 26 when she left a Howe Avenue mental health facility after 10 days of inpatient therapy. More than 750 people have helped in the search for the university freshman, who the family said had suffered a breakdown several weeks ago while preparing for final exams.

In a statement released Wednesday morning, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department said that it was turning over the case to the Lomaxes' home jurisdiction because there's no evidence the missing woman was the victim of foul play in Sacramento County.

"The circumstances of this case suggest that Linnea Lomax is, by all accounts, voluntary 'missing' and choosing to stay away from friends and family," the statement said.

The Sheriff's Department said it will continue assisting with the missing persons case as needed, and Lomax said the family is pleased with the attention Sacramento authorities have given the case.

"For the Sacramento County department, Linnea is one of a huge number of missing persons cases," said Lomax. "The caseload is ridiculous. El Dorado County has a lot smaller number. We might get more attention than we would have. We have a smaller community. There's a sense that this is one of our girls."

Please help in finding Linnea Lomax and pray for her safe return!

Linnea went missing from a business in Sacramento, CA early afternoon on June 26th. Linnea Lomax, 19, was last seen at approximately 1:00 p.m. in the 800 block of Howe Avenue. She is considered to be at-risk due to her disappearance being inconsistent with her normal behavior patterns.

Lomax is a white female, 5’2” tall and weighing approximately 100 pounds. She has long, blonde hair and blue eyes, and was last seen wearing a dark blue hooded sweatshirt and green pants.

Anyone who sees her is asked to call a hotline at (916) 905-HELP!

For more information and details please read the press release at the link below:

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/07/05/4610522/el-dorado-sheriffs-office-takes.html

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/07/05/4610522/el-dorado-sheriffs-office-takes.html#storylink=cpy

July 4, 2012

Fun Facts, History & Trivia about the 4th of July!

Here are some Independence Day fun facts, history and trivia.

On July the 4th, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress. Thereafter, the 13 colonies embarked on the road to freedom as a sovereign nation. This most American of holidays is traditionally celebrated with parades, fireworks and backyard barbecues across the country. As you send out your July 4th party invitations, take a minute to think about how much you really know about what we are celebrating.

4th of July History & Trivia -Did You Know…

The major objection to being ruled by Britain was taxation without representation. The colonists had no say in the decisions of English Parliament.
In May, 1776, after nearly a year of trying to resolve their differences with England, the colonies sent delegates to the Second Continental Congress. Finally, in June, admitting that their efforts were hopeless; a committee was formed to compose the formal Declaration of Independence. Headed by Thomas Jefferson, the committee also included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Philip Livingston and Roger Sherman. On June 28, 1776, Thomas Jefferson presented the first draft of the declaration to Congress.
Betsy Ross, according to legend, sewed the first American flag in May or June 1776, as commissioned by the Congressional Committee.
Independence Day was first celebrated in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776.

The Liberty Bell sounded from the tower of Independence Hall on July 8, 1776, summoning citizens to gather for the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence by Colonel John Nixon.
June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress, looking to promote national pride and unity, adopted the national flag. “Resolved: that the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.”
The word ‘patriotism’ comes from the Latin patria, which means ‘homeland’ or ‘fatherland.’
The first public Fourth of July event at the White House occurred in 1804.
Before cars ruled the roadway, the Fourth of July was traditionally the most miserable day of the year for horses, tormented by all the noise and by the boys and girls who threw firecrackers at them.
The first Independence Day celebration west of the Mississippi occurred at Independence Creek and was celebrated by Lewis and Clark in 1805.
On June 24, 1826, Thomas Jefferson sent a letter to Roger C. Weightman, declining an invitation to come to Washington, D.C., to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It was the last letter that Jefferson, who was gravely ill, ever wrote.
Both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on Independence Day, July 4, 1826.
The 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence did not sign at the same time, nor did they sign on July 4, 1776. The official event occurred on August 2, 1776, when 50 men signed it.
The names of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were withheld from the public for more than six months to protect the signers. If independence had not been achieved, the treasonable act of the signers would have, by law, resulted in their deaths.
Thomas McKean was the last to sign in January, 1777.
The origin of Uncle Sam probably began in 1812, when Samuel Wilson was a meat packer who provided meat to the US Army. The meat shipments were stamped with the initials, U.S. Someone joked that the initials stood for “Uncle Sam”. This joke eventually led to the idea of Uncle Sam symbolizing the United States government.
In 1941, Congress declared 4th of July a federal legal holiday. It is one of the few federal holidays that have not been moved to the nearest Friday or Monday.

Read more on the Declaration of Independence.

Independence Day Trivia & Facts – An Inspired America:

Thirty places nationwide with “liberty” in their name. Liberty, Missouri (26,232) boasts the highest population of the 30 at 26,232. Iowa has more of these places than any other state at four: Libertyville, New Liberty, North Liberty and West Liberty.
Eleven places have “independence” in their name. The most populous of these is Independence, Missouri, with 113,288 residents.
Five places adopted the name “freedom.” Freedom, California, with 6,000 residents, has the largest population among these.
There is one place named “patriot” — Patriot, Indiana, with a population of 202.
And what could be more fitting than spending the day in a place called “America”? There are five such places in the country, with the most populous being American Fork, Utah, with 21,941 residents. Check out American Fact Finder.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

-The Declaration of Independence 4 of July, 1776.

http://www.purpletrail.com/partytrail/featured_fourth_of_july/4th_of_july_history_trivia_and_facts

June 30, 2012

Advocating for Sgt Bowe Bergdahl, US Army - POW!

June 30th marks the end of three years captivity for Sgt Bowe Bergdahl, US Army!

Today is the first day of The Week of Action and Prayer to remember Bowe as we count down to the anniversary of his 3rd year of captivity in just 6 days.

We have a request for those who are praying for Bowe and his family. Please pray that those who are working extra hard this week to get the word out about Bowe, as well as those who are contacting government, would have courage and boldness in their work. Give them the right words to say and open the ears and hearts of those who are hearing those words. Please pray that through the work of those across the nation who support Bowe, thousands more will come to actively join us all in the effort that is being undertaken to bring him home. And, as always, please pray that blessings would be poured out on Bowe and his family and that their reunion would not be delayed a minute more. And for those who don't do much praying, please take time to visualize these things as real.

Along with our prayers this week, there are many things happening around the country for Bowe. (We'll keep everyone posted as the week progresses.) The primary goals this week are 1) to contact those in government to remind them that Bowe's rescue must remain a top level priority. Let's push hard this week to call, write and email so that our Members of Congress and others in government would receive a flood of contacts form Bowe's Supporters. 2) we want to raise awareness about Bowe's situation. Get the word out, tell his story- so many have yet to hear it. Help to guide these people who are just learning about him so they will know how to translate their awareness into action. 3) Pray. Prayer is the fuel to our fire. It is the thing that will move the ordinary into realm of extraordinary. Prayer is what transforms that which is limited by our human abilities into that which is infinite with possibilities.

Please continue to invite others to join us this week to remember Bowe. Please pass this post along to your friends. We're also including some links below to some very useful info.

Are You ready? So let's do what we all do best this week- come together as a force to be reckoned with and show the world that we are standing strong for Bowe.

USEFUL LINKS:
JOIN the Week of Action & Prayer and INVITE your friends (remember that this an "anywhere you are" event so it's easy for nearly everyone to be part of): https://www.facebook.com/events/161867847243827/

INFO about how to Contact you elected officials: http://supportbowe.org/contact-elected-officials/

A DOWNLOADABLE BROCHURE you can use to get the word out:

http://supportbowe.org/bowe_bergdahl_brochure/

MAKE YOUR OWN SIGN with this template to show your support:

http://supportbowe.org/bowe-support-sign/

GREAT IDEAS- What others are doing to raise awareness about Bowe: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.302700829818923.74928.186446128111061&type=3

HELP to get Bowe's name into the Twitter feed (this is where we've had a lot of luck getting the attention of celebrities, politicians and the media- it's amazing who'll actually reply personally to a tweet that they receive about Bowe): https://www.facebook.com/photo.php fbid=281340658621607&set=a.196725307083143.51330.186446128111061&type=3

June 27, 2012

PTSD/TRAUMA IN THE AFTERMATH OF ABUSE

Recovering from NPD abuse, or any form of domestic violence.

When recovering from NPD abuse, or any form of domestic violence, what many therapists miss is the fact that PTSD is a very debilitating symptom that accompanies the aftermath. Unfortunately, many misdiagnose our symptoms for bi-polar and sometimes even borderline personality disorder, amongst other things. This is detrimental and harmful to our recovery, as while some other mental illnesses may accompany the injury we've suffered - or may have existed prior to the relationship - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is REAL and there are various treatments available to help with symptoms.

It is important to find a skilled therapist that understands NPD abuse, as well as one who is skilled in PTSD and/or C-PTSD as an UNskilled therapist can actually do MORE damage.

I am not the trained professional, but my "title" as Narc Raider Educator finds me in a position of always wanting to live up to my name; therefore, I am humble enough to know that I cannot be a master of anything other than allowing members to vent, and maybe helping in putting some of this in perspective since I've walked the walk - SO since I am not planning a thesis on PTSD but I believe I've gotten myself under control...I shall provide a few links that will help members better understand what they're up against to the best of my ability. Please do share, discuss and ask questions as if I don't have the answer or can't find it - I remain hopeful that those who have walked this walk might be able to share some of their experiences in an effort to help those recently injured make some sense of all of it.

Ultimately the decison in terms of treatment rests with the victim; however, without knowledge it is difficult to take a front row seat in your recovery. At best, a therapist as a facilitator in your recovery is there to listen and help you find your own answers - they don't hold any magic key other than a script for some meds that will help take the edge off if that is the route you elect to go. The responsibility lies on the victim to advocate in their own best interests. The only way to do that is to be armed with a general knowledge so that one can make informed decisons about their treatment plan.

To keep things simple, I think it best to break this down into a few discussion threads keeping in mind that in the early stages, it is hard to focus and concentrate. I acknowledge I am long winded at times, so I will try to keep it short and digestible. With that in mind, here is a link which describes symptoms of PTSD in a very simple fashion. You can access that link HERE. (*Note: there is no religious agenda at Narc Raiders and while I realize that this particular link did have a religious affiliation, I am simply endorsing the list - should you desire to explore that site further it will be at your own discretion, the link was simply provided as a means of providing members a simple to digest thumbnail sketch of PTSD) I will be sure to include other sources of information, but if you can identify some of these symptoms, it might be possible you are suffering some from of trauma, and might wish to investigate the subject further. Remember, the key to healing is learning enough about NPD to own that you do not deserve to own any blame in what has happened to you, or feel shame, but if we're going to get obsessed about anything, it should not be every detail of NPD but rather, obsess about healing from debilitating after effects. Recovery IS possible...

Source: http://narcraiders.ning.com/forum/topics/ptsd-trauma

12 Steps To PTSD, by Randy J. Hartman, Ph.D

THE TWELVE STEPS TO THE FORMATION OF A PTSD

The formation of a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) starts with the event developing. The event(s) can be positive or negative in content. The event may start out initially as a traumatic occurrence, but this is not an absolute requirement. The event may start out as pleasant, but conclude as traumatic.

First we need to understand what constitutes trauma. The definition of “trauma” that I offer is; When an event occurs that causes us physical and emotional pain that goes beyond our control. The events can be initiated by our environment, people and us.

In these traumatic events we receive pain from two sources. Physical pain is the most obvious source. This occurs from an impact to our physical self and results in bruising, bleeding, cuts, fracture sand tears to our body parts. The emotional pain can also be horrific pain. This comes to our emotions from being told negative information, being threatened, demeaning and derogatory words to describe us lead us to believe we are a bad person. As a result of this pain our memory implants this information as well as our Skelton-muscular system becomes imprinted with memory. All of the body’s resources are affected.

There are buttons that become pushed because of things that are imprinted in our visual, auditory and old factory sensors. The senses stimulate the fight or flight response. Perhaps just the smell of an order or the sounds of something happening or maybe the sight of something can be the catalyses for negative reaction by the client that may send them into an uncontrollable panic attack.

The trauma may be real or imagined, the pain/symptoms the individual is experiencing is very real to them. For that fact we must respect their “Model of the World”. The client alone owns their reality, otherwise known as their “Model of the World”. If we attempt to deny them their reality then strong walls of resistance will develop and impede any attempt at a meaningful intervention.

Until proven wrong, I contend that people who have had a lobotomy or lost use of their frontal cortex and have no capacity for emotions are incapable of experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in its true form per the DSM Four, TR. To add an additional thought, I also assert that those individual who are Antisocial Personality Disorders are also impervious to the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Per the DSM Four, TR, page 647, the Antisocial Personality Disorder (301.7) states the following; that the client frequently lack empathy and tend to be callous, cynical, and contemptuous of the feelings, rights, and sufferings of others. The description continues to go on to suggest that this client operates at a level devoid of human feelings.

There are two problematic areas in dealing with PTSD as a clinical hypnotherapist. First, is that the majority of people suffering with PTSD is being treated with medications for anxiety, sleep loss and nightmares/terrors. My experience has taught me that a good many PTSD patients do not want to stop or wean-off the psychotropic drugs. The pleasant feelings that the drugs creates is a depressed “buzz” that is legal and insurance companies pay for it.

Secondly, there is the issue mainly clinicians in the field avoid talking about; secondary gains. Patients will use their PTSD diagnosis to elicit sympathy and pity. There can also be a nice cash reward in the form of a permanent disability check every month amounting to hundreds, if not a thousand plus dollars. Unfortunately our society does not offer any real incentives for a person to improve or be cured. It takes a highly motivated person to seek and complete treatment.

Clinical hypnotherapy has proven itself in treating patients with “flashbacks” and intrusive repetitive thoughts. The NLP application of the Swish pattern and fast phobia cure has been very successful. Reframing of the crisis events is also extremely helpful. The mainstay of treatment for PTSD is still “talk therapy”, otherwise known as cognitive behavioral therapy. This has also been referred to as exposure therapy. The more a patient is repetitively exposed to the crisis; the impact of the crisis diminishes.

Another issue not to be overlooked in the treatment of PTSD is suicide. There are a significant number of suicide gestures and attempts in this population. The patients are not only overwhelmed by their situation, they are also usually under the influence of legal or illegal drugs that cloud their judgment.

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June 26, 2012

10 Things You Can Do to Help Veterans with PTSD

Another lead up to PTSD Awareness Day, June 27.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is one of the signature medical issues for returning combat veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. So, it’s important that the civilian community from employers to educators understand and know how to help those living with PTSD.

Vietnam veterans have been instrumental in pushing for PTSD awareness among the military hierarchy, government officials and civilian communities. For veterans, understanding the symptoms and seeking early treatment is critical for successfully living with the disorder. But, civilians can help too.

10 Ways community members can help:

Understand that anyone can experience trauma, such as accidents, assault, war, or disasters.
Think broadly. When trauma happens, the survivor’s family, friends,coworkers, and community are affected.
Learn about common reactions to trauma and readjustment to life outside a war zone.
Be aware of where get help for trauma survivors, Veterans, and people with PTSD.
Expand your understanding of how PTSD is identified and treated.
Know that treatment for PTSD works.
Ask a Veteran or trauma survivor if talking would help, but do not push if someone is not ready to discuss things.
Realize that stigma is a barrier to getting treatment. Getting people to talk orseek help is not always easy. Your encouragement matters.
Know the facts. More than half of US adults will experience trauma in their lifetime. About 7% of adults will deal with PTSD at some point. For Veteransand male and female sexual assault survivors, the figure is higher.
Connect with self-help resources, apps, and videos about PTSD.

The list is courtesy of the VA National Center for PTSD. You can stay informed about PTSD through the PTSD Monthly Update.

If you feel you have symptoms of PTSD and are looking for help the Veteran's Crisis Line is always open. You are never alone, call 1-800-273-8255 to talk to someone who knows what you are going through and can help you get the treatment you need.

The Crisis Line is available to anyone who needs help 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. There is always an understanding and caring voice on the other end of the phone who will help you with questions, concerns, treatment options and talk as long as you need to.

Please do not hesitate to call at anytime for any reason, you are important to a lot of people and getting help with your PTSD is what your loved ones want for you, you are not alone!

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June 23, 2012

America’s Last Prisoner of War~Sgt. Bowe Robert Bergdahl, US Army

Sgt Bergdahl was captured in Afghanistan on 30 June 2009, He is being held as a POW.

Three years ago, a 23-year-old soldier walked off his base in Afghanistan and into the hands of the Taliban. Now he’s a crucial pawn in negotiations to end the war. Will the Pentagon leave a man behind?

The mother and father sit at the kitchen table in their Idaho farmhouse, watching their son on YouTube plead for his life. The Taliban captured 26-year-old Bowe Bergdahl almost three years ago, on June 30th, 2009, and since that day, his parents, Jani and Bob, have had no contact with him. Like the rest of the world, their lone glimpses of Bowe – the only American prisoner of war left in either Iraq or Afghanistan – have come through a series of propaganda videos, filmed while he's been in captivity.

In the video they're watching now, Bowe doesn't look good. He's emaciated, maybe 30 pounds underweight, his face sunken, his eye sockets like caves. He's wearing a scraggly beard and he's talking funny, with some kind of foreign accent. Jani presses her left hand across her forehead, as if shielding herself from the images onscreen, her eyes filling with tears. Bob, unable to look away, hits play on the MacBook Pro for perhaps the 30th time. Over and over again, he watches as his only son, dressed in a ragged uniform, begs for someone to rescue him.

"Release me, please!" Bowe screams at the camera. "I'm begging you – bring me home!"Private First Class Bowe Bergdahl arrived in Afghanistan at the worst possible moment, just as President Barack Obama had ordered the first troop surge in the spring of 2009. Rather than withdraw from a disastrous and increasingly deadly war started by his predecessor, the new commander in chief had decided to escalate the conflict, tripling the number of troops to 100,000 and employing a counterinsurgency strategy that had yet to demonstrate any measurable success. To many on Obama's staff, who had been studying Lessons in Disaster, a book about America's failure in Vietnam, the catastrophe to come seemed almost preordained. "My God," his deputy national security adviser Tom Donilon said at the time. "What are we getting this guy into?" Over the next three years, 13,000 Americans would be killed or wounded in Afghanistan – more than during the previous eight years of war under George W. Bush.

For more information and the full story behind Sgt. Bergdahl's capture go to this link:

http://supportbowe.org/

To print a brochure for distribution to raise awareness go to this link:

http://supportbowe.org/bowe_bergdahl_brochure/