Category: ¡Hola, Comadres!

¡Hola, Guapa!, Edición No. 7: Change, English, Healthy Body, Healthy Comadres

Self-Acceptance

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Can We Talk About Self Acceptance? Look, we know the majority of us Latinas are overweight. And we know that being overweight and/or obese puts us at higher risk of prediabetes and diabetes. What you may not know is that it also puts us at risk for heart disease and even some cancers. Not to mention self-judgement, self-loathing and yo-yo dieting.

But how much good has it done for us to hate ourselves and go on stupid diets that don’t work? NADA.

¡YA! Enough. At De Las Mías we want you to do something different. It’s time to cambiar el chip. We want you to strive for living a healthier and more joyful life. By making small, healthy changes over time, we are sure you will be happier, healthier and much better off. And rather than beating yourself up and taking extreme measures that don’t work, we encourage you to take this approach and look at your health as a journey.

And believe us, it is a journey. Paso a paso, we will get to our destination:

Una vida más saludable that affirms our authentic selves.

So if you’re just joining us or if you’re already well on your way to a healthier, happier life, we challenge you to incorporate a novel concept into your journey…this novel concept is called Self-Acceptance.

Self- Acceptance 

Self-Acceptance means that you embrace yourself as you are now, without any judgements or criticism. Accept the good with the not so good; the good, the bad and the ugly como el Clint Eastwood.

Not so easy, for us criticonas, right? And if you are a perfectionist, may la virgencita have mercy on you, because self-acceptance is a very hard concept for those of us who criticize too much.

La neta, the truth is, that many of us are just not that kind to ourselves. How many times have you called yourself “tonta”? Be honest. How many times have you heard that little voice inside your head call you dumb, mensa, awkward, clumsy or fat? We are used to living in this good girl, bad girl world. Are you being good when you eat a salad and bad when you eat a donut? Can we just stop that please? Can we separate what we do from who we are?

Accept Yourself as You Are 

We want to challenge you to accept yourself as you are, without judgement, insults or dirty looks in the mirror. No exceptions.  

Here’s an old dicho from Pedro Infante, Mexican film icon and singer, that you may have heard. It was part of a song he sang to impress the ladies: “Soy quien soy y no me parezco a nadie.” It’s a bit like Popeye’s “I yam what I yam.” It means you are you and you aren’t like anyone else. And when you say that, “Soy quien soy,” you claim your uniqueness and your self-acceptance. ¡Eres, única! Embrace it and yourself as you are now, ¡Y ya!

Psychologists and human behavior experts, such as Dr. Pillay from Harvard University Medical School, are discovering the importance of self-acceptance as a foundation to general well-being and good mental health. New research is starting to prove that in order to make healthy changes, it is important that you start with the good foundation of self-acceptance.

Self-Acceptance Doesn’t Mean You Can’t Change

There is an important distinction that I want to make here. Practicing self-acceptance does not mean that you don’t want to change something or make improvements in how you live your life. But self-acceptance is a healthy foundation from which you can grow and change.  

To embark on your odyssey to self-acceptance, I’m offering some tips from positive psychology that you can take on your journey. Try this:

Learn to separate what you do from what you are. Those of you who are moms know this best. When you’re hijita does something bad, it doesn’t mean she’s bad. Making a mistake doesn’t make her a mistake. You just need to help her do better next time. Channel your own best mom and give yourself a break.  

Use Self-Acceptance to Get Yourself Out of Denial.

This is an important point for those of us who have a problem with overeating or eating to satisfy emotional hunger. In an earlier blog, I shared with you a trick that I learned to assess if I was emotionally hungry or physically hungry and I want to share it with you again. If I feel hungry and reach for a healthy snack like a handful of almonds, a yogurt or a pepino con chilito, and I feel satisfied, I know that I was physically hungry. If after my healthy snack, I still feel hungry, it’s a good bet that I am eating to feed an emotional hunger. When you make this discovery, just take it in without judgement. This is good information, a data point. Once you accept that you eat for emotional reasons, you can look for ways to change that habit. If you never accept this as something you do, you will keep repeating it. Self-acceptance is fueled by self-awareness. Awareness is always a good place to start.

Practice Mindfulness

You hear a lot about mindfulness these days. You can use mindfulness in all areas of your life. Basically, mindfulness is paying attention. It is becoming aware of yourself. It is paying attention to what you eat, how you listen, how you don’t listen, and how present you are in your own life.  

One mindfulness practice is to take a few minutes and just be with yourself. Simply observe how you feel and how your body feels, without judgement. Practice this kind of presence of mind and body without self-criticism or put downs. With time, you will start to feel a stronger connection to yourself.   

There is mounting evidence that self-acceptance can lead us to self-care, stronger self-esteem and better health. And at De Las Mías we are all about THAT!

Can you commit to self-care and showing yourself some Amor Propio?   

It can start with you doing nice things for yourself, like getting a massage, eating healthy food, drinking more water, going for a walk, meditating, asserting yourself, speaking up,  saying no when you mean no, and yes when you mean yes.

There are hundreds of ways to show ourselves acceptance and self-love and I want to challenge you to start practicing Amor Propio.

ana-oaxsaca

A Personal Story of Self-Love: Amor Propio

I want to share a personal part of my story with the hope that it may speak to you: I was born fat. I weighed 12 pounds 6 ounces when I was born in El Hospital Del Socorro in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. I grew up fat until I got amoebas. Then, I was skinny for about a month until my mom and tías figured it out. They put on some kind of tratamiento and I got fat again. In school, because I was fat and tall, my friends used to call me Giant. My cousins called me Gorda; the ones who liked me called me Gordis. My mom, who thought being thin was next to godliness, had me on a diet until I was 18.  She was an early adopter of the Atkins Diet, and she had an eating disorder. Her favorite piece of advice was, “Ya no comas pan.” (Don’t eat bread, already.)

Whatever was going on there, let’s just say that bread was not my enemy. With the help of a well-intentioned mother, I grew up with a messed up body image and a list of forbidden foods. Even at 17 years old, weighing 140 pounds and a 5’7” frame, I still felt fat. I still thought that chocolate, tortillas, tamales, and bread were out to get me. At one point, I had a sign on the refrigerator that said, “Oreo cookies are the road to hell.”

It wasn’t until I hit my late 30s and found a therapist that I began to understand that what I needed more than Thin Within, Weight Watchers, Atkins, South Beach, Low Carb, No Carb, Slimfast or even Overeaters Anonymous, was Self-Love. ¡Amor Propio!  That is what I needed and that is what I got, but it only took me 40 years.

So I’m hoping that my combination of disordered eating, messed up body image and a first class education in health education will help you avoid all those trampas and come out of it less beat up than I did.  

So, as you read this, I just want you to pretend that I am your maestra, your madrina, or your loving tía who loves you just the way you are. And this is your homework:

Make a list of things you can do for yourself that show you some Amor Propio.

¡Andale! Share your list with me at ana@delasmias.com and I will send you a surprise!

Just to get you started here’s my list. The things I do for love – self-love that is!

  1. Me compro flores. Each week, I buy myself flowers. En el Safeway, they cost about 6 or 7 bucks. Carnations last the longest and they smell good and come in all colors.
  2. In the summer, I grow my own dahlias, hydrangeas, roses and zinnias. Se siente bien suave, to put fresh flowers, that you grew yourself, into a pretty vase.  
  3. I ride my bici every chance I get. I love myself on my bike, girl! I ride, rain or shine. No rain shower keeps me from my bici. And when I ride, I give that little girl, the one that used to be called Gorda a run for her money. I sing to myself while I ride. I really do. It’s super fun. (This little light of mine…)
  4. I tell my legs how much I love them! I got some pretty bitchin legs. I’ll tell you what! Riding 5 to 7 miles a day on a bike will do that to a Super Mujer.
  5. I eat vegetables, Sisters! Show your body some serious love by eating fruits and veggies. Learn how to make yourself a Jugo Verde and love yourself before you start your day.
  6. I drink a boat load of water. Yeah, such a simple act of self-love. Take a page from our Creative Director, Shannon, and by yourself a beautiful water bottle and fill it with Amor Propio infused H2O. Make it count = 6 glasses.
  7. No como comida chatarra. I don’t put junk food in my body…unless I’m on a road trip (Fanta and Cheetos!) But that is so rare, Poquito Porque Es Bendito!  
  8. I look for people who laugh at my jokes. I call my seester every day and we make each other laugh. Miriam makes me laugh and Sati just cracks me up. Liz, being from Nogales, gets me like no one else does.
  9. I make myself reach out! Sometimes I’m so busy pretending that I’m la mera mera fregona that I can take it in the chin like the machita that I am, and I go it alone. It don’t work. Call your comadre and tell her what’s going on in that heart of yours. Make sure she’s a kindred spirit so you don’t get hurt.
  10. I treasure my sleep and don’t deprive my body of its magic.

So what do you do for self-love?

Make a list. Share it with me at ana@delasmias.com and I’ll send you a cariñito!

Sources:

Pillay, Srini, MD. Greater self-acceptance improves emotional well-being. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/greater-self-acceptance-improves-emotional-well-201605169546

University of Hertfordshire. “Self-acceptance could be the key to a happier life, yet it’s the happy habit many people practice the least.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 7 March 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140307111016.htm>.

¡Hola, Sabrosa!, Edición No. 7: Change, English, Healthy Body, Healthy Mexican Food

Meatless Monday

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Meatless Monday – A Fun Way to Start Eating More Veggies

One of my healthy living goals for the new year is to cut down on meat, and eat more more fruits and vegetables.  

A fun way to do this is to start a Meatless Monday tradition. So we agreed that we could try new recipes, and start the week off with a slightly healthier approach. Also, in these times of climate change, I am constantly worried about our poor little planet! Eating less meat is good for our bodies and good for the planet – a win-win!  

I was remembering my life in Nogales and how we had Meatless Mondays at my Nana’s house “across the line,” on the Mexican side of border. And then I realized that it wasn’t just Meatless Monday, but also Meatless Tuesday and Meatless Wednesday. And then, wait! Hold on. We pretty much went meatless every day except for maybe Carne Asada Sunday!  

The reason wasn’t that we were trying to save the planet, or lower our cholesterol. The reason was that my Nana and my aunts and uncles who lived in that old adobe house on the hill, didn’t have the money to buy meat for a giant family.

We ate frijoles de la olla, frijoles refritos, sopa de frijoles, enfrijoladas, burritos de frijoles, frijoles con chorizo, tostadas with you guessed it, frijoles, and even a special trick I learned: Cave out a bolillo roll and fill it with frijoles and queso fresco! YUM! This all paired really well with my Nana’s killer salsa de chile verde. And ¿sabes qué? I never once felt deprived. I felt loved and satisfied and nurtured.

When we were on the Mexican side of the border, we were poor and we had a super healthy diet. We never ate large portions because there weren’t that many portions to go around. But we never went hungry either, so we were lucky.

You’ve heard it here before and we will say it again: the traditional Mexican diet is a SUPER healthy diet! Our Mexican diet was pretty much dominated by protein from beans, eggs and queso fresco, and bolstered by corn, which is the grain of the gods. (No fooling.) Sure, we ate meat with our meals, but they weren’t dominated by large portions of it. If we had meat, it was in very moderate to small amounts, and mostly for taste.

But here we are now, trying to adopt a healthier way of living. And all we Mexicans have to do is look back to the way of our Nanas and Tatas!

In doing research about Meatless Mondays, I found out that Meatless Monday started as a movement by our colegas at the Public Health School at Johns Hopkins University, back in 2003. Through research, they discovered that Monday was the ideal day to try to recover from the overindulgence of weekends. (Overeating, disrupted sleep patterns and possibly even drinking too much.)  

Some of this research showed that people were motivated by making a small but significant change at the start of the work week. That is where the idea of Meatless Monday came from. As more and more people adopted the idea of not eating meat on Mondays, they became healthier, poco a poco, over time. Here is more evidence that small changes over time are the ones that last. It wasn’t a drastic thing, but just one day a week. The idea is that we could become just a little healthier if we took this small step. We would become healthier and the planet would benefit too.  

 

So Meatless Monday took off and other countries and organizations started getting on board. Australia tried it. Paul McCartney promoted it. Even beef-consuming Argentina got into the act in 2017 by declaring Vegan Mondays!

If you want to learn more about the history of Meatless Mondays, see the Wikipedia article. It has a fascinating amount of information that will surely inspire you to try it!

So at De Las Mías we want to encourage you to give Meatless Monday a try. Here’s another way to eat more veggies and fruits for your health and help Mother Earth carry the load.

Here are some of the benefits of Meatless Mondays:

  • Lower your cholesterol and therefore, your risk of heart attack and stroke.
  • Help you get to a healthier weight.
  • Help lower your risk of high blood pressure.
  • Increase your intake of fiber and its health benefits.
  • Take a little stress off the planet (plant-based foods take less energy).
  • Use less water to grow food (plant-based foods take less water than animal-based food).
  • Plant-based foods pollute less than cows.  

Try some meatless dishes from De Las Mías:

And we’re curious…

  • What’s your favorite meatless dish?  
  • How would your family feel about starting a Meatless Monday tradition at your house? Would they be on board?
  • What is the biggest barrier to going meatless on Mondays?

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meatless_Monday

https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2017/10/19/argentinas-vegan-mondays

¡Hola, Sabrosa!, Edición No. 6: Healthy Eating, Edición No. 8: Healthy Habits, English, Healthy Mexican Food

The Taquito Diet™

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The Taquito Diet

At De Las Mías we don’t normally use the word – ‘diet.’ Diets have gotten to be trite and boring, and we don’t like them very much. We know that if you go on a diet, the chances of you succeeding are slim. (No pun intended.)  

Therefore, De Las Mías is not a diet club. We are a healthy lifestyle community. And we are here to help you take steps to be your healthiest self! We focus on the pleasure of eating and cooking good food. We don’t believe in deprivation, as evidenced by our “Poquito de Todo” philosophy. But because we are a healthy lifestyle community and we want to meet your needs, we do pay attention and many of you want to lose weight and want to get healthier and stronger.  

We’re with you! We support you on  your healthy lifestyle journey, but we don’t want you to go on a diet.

Proud Latinas

As you get to know De Las Mías better, you also know that we are proud of being Latinas, and we love nuestra comida. You will find De Las Mías recipes that are Mexican, New Mexican, and Southwestern. We are proud Latinas, Mexicanas and Chicanas and we want you to be proud too! We come from a rich Indo-Hispano tradition and we have a passion for our indigenous roots and foods!

As we grow and add more recipes and ideas on how to live healthier and more joyful lives, we want to add more ways that you can connect with your roots through your enjoyment of delicious, healthy food. And since most Latinas are both indigenous and Spanish, we want to fold in our love for the Mediterranean way of eating and enjoying food. So we are providing you with two ‘undiets’: The Mediterranean (Un)Diet and The Taquito (Un)Diet!

The Taquito (Un)Diet!

I am so proud of being Mexican! We are blessed with one of the most diverse, healthy and delicious foods in the world! Our Indigenous mothers and Spanish fathers, through many trials and tribulations combined to make us and our food, Mestizas! And what a beautiful combination that ended up to be. If you feel like geeking out on the origin of the taco, check out the Smithsonian: Where did the Taco Come From?

Take the humble taco, a portable bundle of deliciousness and health! It’s the perfect package of whole grains, lean protein, vegetables and even sometimes fruit!

You’ve heard of the grapefruit diet, the celery diet, the paleo diet, the Atkins diet, the blah-blah-blah diet! Now let me tell you about the Taquito Diet™, Baby! It’s a modular, delicious, nutritious and soul feeding pathway to health! You saw it here first!

Here is the skinny on the Taquito Diet:

1. You can make a healthy taco!

2. You can lose weight and enjoy your soul food while eating tacos.

3. You can mix and match, get creative and have fun while achieving a healthy lifestyle for you and your familia!

The taco could change your life! ¡Creélo! Believe, Comdres!

Here’s how it works:

1. Start with 3 corn tortillas.

We’re all about eating more whole grains and these thousand year old tortillas are a great low calorie, whole-grain, flavor-packed vehicle for all things deliciosa!

2. Make a sassy sofrito.

One of the very first things that my mother taught me about cooking is to always start with a sofrito. She said that my food would always be delicious if I started whatever I was doing with this magic concoction. It seems like every family has their own version of sofrito. My sister always adds a little fresh garlic, carrots and celery. My Ecuadoran consuegra calls it “Refrito,” and hers includes garlic, onion and achiote.

In our family, it meant simply frying up green chile, onion and tomato in a bit of olive oil before adding your meat, your eggs, or your frijoles de la olla. In Spain, sofrito almost always involves garlic and red pepper. So, the takeaway here is that almost all Spanish, Mexican and Latin American cooks use some kind of sofrito.

Hint: this is one place to add a veggie serving to your day.

3. Add a delicious meat or veggie heart!

A roasted chicken is an easy, simple way to fill your taquitos. Sometimes if we haven’t had a chance to cook dinner, I will stop by the market and get one of those rotisserie chickens that are already roasted. I remove the skin and chop it up for taquitos. I always start with the simple green chile, onion and tomato sofrito my mom taught me to make.

Carne asada is always a class taco choice. Or for the vegetarians in your life a delicious spicy cauliflower.

 

4. Top it off with soul-affirming salsa. ¡Qué viva el chilito!

Salsa is in our blood. Our indigenous ancestors were making salsas before the Spaniards landed. ¿Sabes qué? Mexican salsas originated with the Aztecs. And apparently, the Incas and Mayans were no slackers when it came up to making these tasty concoctions. (Ají, any one?) The base of a good salsa is, el chilito! You cannot have a good salsa without chiles, but the next most common ingredient is el tomate — the tomato.

Salsa, of course, has evolved and many other healthy ingredients were added such as cilantro, parsley, epazote and other spices, and lest we forget, the heroic avocado! Today, there are hundreds of different kinds of salsas. We love fruit salsas, like mango, peach and jicama salsa. Salsas can be raw or cooked. My own favorites are raw salsas, like Pico de Gallo with jalapeños or a good Hatch green chile, or even the humble Anaheim! But one thing is for sure, and that is that salsas are healthy foods that you can use in great abundance and feel good about it. Get your veggies here, Comadres!

Here are some of our favorite salsas:

5. Serve with a side of roasted veggies or raja de chile verde.

And just for safe measure another serving a veggies. 😉

Here are 4 Taquito Diet Recipes in our app to start you on your journey to a better taco!

  1.  Tacos de Camaron
  2.  Tacos de Atun
  3.  Pork Taquitos
  4.  Lazy Sari Avocado taquitos

All of that for just about 500 calories! No fooling. ¡Buen provecho, Guapas!

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Check out the De Las Mias app. It’s free and ready for download in the Google Play Store.  Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @delasmiaslife.

¡Hola, Guapa!, ¡Hola, Sabrosa!, Edición No. 6: Healthy Eating, English, Healthy Comadres, Healthy Family

Healthy Eating Wisdom: Eat Like Your Abuelos

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  Looking for Healthy Eating Wisdom?  Your Abuelos Might Have the Answer

Have you noticed how many diseases are related to what we eat? High blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, cancer. And if you’re trying to come up with a healthy eating plan, it is very confusing. Eat this. Don‘t eat that. Every time you turn around, there is another diet that you have to follow.  It’s enough to make us un poco loca.
 
But lucky for us, there’s some encouraging news. Researchers are finding out some things that many of us already know. Our grandparents and great-grandparents had a healthier lifestyle than we do, and that’s a fact.

Healthy Eating Wisdom from My Grandfather Take my Papa Pepe for instance, my dad’s father, who immigrated from Spain. Wiry little dude walked everywhere! If he weighed 135 pounds, he weighed too much. Swore that the onion he chomped on and the copious amount of garlic that my abuela cooked with kept him young and nimble even when the arthritis caught up with him in his 70s. We have an old cane of his that has a black mark on the inside of the curve of the cane, and that was from jumping on the bus. He used to run up to the bus and hook his cane around the door handle and hoist himself up the bus steps without missing a beat. Three Meals a Day I remember he bragged about his eating habits. “I eat breakfast, I eat lunch, I eat dinner. ¡Y, Ya! The big meal in those days, and still today in Spain and Latin America, was lunch. And that was paired up with a nice nap. La hora de la comida, which is what we called it at home, started with soup, then a second dish mostly consisting of a small portion chicken, fish or meat and veggies. Dessert was usually a cup of flan or fruit, or even 2-3 galletitas, usually Marías. Small portions but with a lot of variety. The soups were basic and traditional like cocido, which is made up of lots of veggies and very little meat. This was my Papa Pepe’s favorite. But there were also the caldillos. Ours were usually made with chopped fresh tomato, garlic, onion and green chile with small bits of lean beef and cubed potatoes. Meat was expensive then, so the meat portions were always small. A chuleta (pork chop) was thin cut and no bigger than the palm of your hand. The side dishes were veggies such as calabacitas, green beans, or a cucumber salad. ¡Un pan! (One piece of bread) Dinner was lighter than lunch. Some leftovers from lunch perhaps, or a lentil stew with carrots and onions, or even a simple bowl of frijoles de la olla. Sometimes we had chorizo con papas, scrambled up with some eggs. This was a bit heavier, but again, the portions were small, so we could enjoy it without excess. ¡Chiquito pero sabroso! (Small but tasty. ) You can eat a great variety of foods when you eat small portions. “¡Es provete, no traguete!” is one of my favorite dichos related to eating. (It translates to: it’s a taste, not a gorge.) So even a traditional chorizo, which has more fat than a regular cut of lean meat, in small amounts, is delicious. Todo en moderación. (Everything in moderation.) Papá Pepe was anti-chuchulucos. Now there’s a word for your dictionary! CHUCHULUCOS. (Mostly refers to the sweet stuff, like candy, churros, pies, pan dulce, cakes, etc.) He never touched the stuff.   So my abuelo ate three meals with no snacks in between; never ate sugar, except maybe in his café con leche, walked everywhere he could, and worked from sun up to sun down. Lived to be 90. But life has changed. Now we supersize our meals. We use food as a stress management tool and snack for entertainment purposes. The crunchier, the fattier, the more addicting, the more we like it. We sit in our cars, sit in front of our desks, plop down in front of some kind of screen for hours every day and weigh much more than our grandparents did. One of the most interesting lectures I ever attended as a health educator was years ago from Dr. David Hayes Bautista, a Professor of Medicine and Director of the Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture at the School of Medicine at UCLA.  He cautioned that “Assimilation could be hazardous to our health,” and it was all about how Mexican immigrants were healthier when they got here than when they had lived here for a few years. Current research from UCLA also shows that as Mexican immigrants spend more time in this country, their health physical and mental health deteriorates. The basic traditional Mexican diet consists of corn tortillas, beans, fresh vegetables like tomato, avocado, chiles and onions, and some fruit. Traditional Mexican life included walking as a means of transportation and working hard.   Once we gave up walking as a mode of transportation, changed our traditional lifestyles from working on farms and ranches or even subsistent farming like growing our own food and tending to our orchards, gardens and chickens, we also started eating larger portions and more processed foods with lots more fat, sodium and sugar. Modern North American life has not been kind to our health. Along with eating more processed and fast foods, came the convenience and affordability of cars. These changes make our lives easier but also carry unintended consequences. (Para cada solución hay un problema.) We eat more poorly and are less active than our grandparents, and our poor bodies just started slowing down and wearing out. It’s not rocket science, Comadres. But there you have it. There’s an old dicho that you might have heard: “Lo que no mata engorda.” The equivalent of – “If it  doesn’t kill you, it will make you fatter.” Now, a more appropriate dicho for our times  may be, “Lo que te engorda, te puede matar,” – “That which makes you fat may kill you.” Unfortunately, I speak from experience. I just found out that I have prediabetes again. I had been diagnosed with prediabetes many years ago and that is when I started biking every day and cutting back on carbs and fat. I lost the magical 5%-7% of my body weight, and the prediabetes went away. It worked for me for over 10 years. Recently, I gained some weight, and sure enough, I am back in the prediabetes range. Now let me tell you that I haven’t changed my mind about having diabetes. I do not want diabetes, and I am going to do what I can to prevent or delay it.   So, I am going to channel Papá Pepe and start going back to a more traditional way of eating. I’m cutting back on portion sizes and do more walking.   I always thought that I did plenty of exercise. I ride my bike every day, come rain or shine, but I also confess that I’ve been riding to a French Café. So, I’m bailing on the croissant and switching to whole grain toast. When my Viejo takes our giant dog for a walk in the morning, I’m getting up and going with them even if it means going in my PJ’s. (I’m in Portland right now and people shop in their pajamas here, so I’m cool.) I’m using our De Las Mías Healthy Lifestyle Checklist and calling my Comadre, best friend and sister, test kitchen chef, extra-ordinaire, and Silver Sneaker maniac to report in.    No more CHUCHULUCOS for me and that means, not eating those sour ginger candies I get at the corner store! BUMMER! Okay, well maybe just a few on the week end! ¡Poquitos porque son benditos! I’m going to practice what I preach and let you know how it goes. In 6 months, if I lose 5%-7% of my weight, I should be under the Pre-diabetes range again.   For now, I’m going to take it easy, be kind to myself, love my body, treat it well, and make it last. I’m signing off now to take my bici to Petite Provence, to eat my whole grain toast with an egg for protein and to enjoy the fall colors. ¡Hasta la vista!   Sources: Gordon, Dan. Life in America: Hazardous to immigrants’ health? December 01, 2014  Pérez-Escamilla. Acculturation, nutrition, and health disparities in Latinos. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2011;93(suppl):1163S–7S. 2011 American Society for Nutrition  

¡Hola, Guapa!, Edición No. 6: Healthy Eating, English, Healthy Body, Healthy Comadres

Latinas, Cancer and Healthy Lifestyles

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Latinas, Cancer and Healthy Lifestyles: What Every Latina Needs to Know

Lately, we’ve been talking about what researchers call the Latino Health Paradox. The mystery of Latino longevity that shows that, a pesar de todo, in spite of all the odds, such as low education, low income, and low access to health care, Latinos still live longer than anyone else in the U.S., and Latinas live longer than anyone else!

That is good news, Comadres!

But even though we live longer than most people in the U.S., we are not protected from obesity, heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. We hear a lot about diabetes in our community, but not that much about cancer, and cancer is a doozy.

Latinas and Cancer is a complex topic, but it’s one we think is important for you and your comunidad to understand. (Hint: Prevention and early detection!)

Latinas and Cancer

According to the American Cancer Society 2018-2020 report, Latinos and Latinas are less likely to be diagnosed with cancer than non-Latino whites overall, but cancer is the leading cause of death among Latinos. (Go figure!)

There are several reasons for this confusing fact. One reason may be that incidence of cancer is just lower among Latinos, which would be very good news, indeed. But another reason might be that Latinos get diagnosed in later stages of cancer when it is too late to cure it. And that is tragic news, Comadres, because many cancers are curable if we catch them early enough.

Another blow to the cancer dilemma among Latinos is that many of us don’t have access to health care. Some simply don’t have the resources to treat cancer when it happens. Many states have cancer early detection programs that are often free or low cost. In some states, there may even be low cost treatment options, but being low income and not having health care is still a huge challenge and one that we need to address. (a discussion for another day).

We have prepared an overview on Latinas and Cancer.   Here are some Healthy Lifestyle steps to take to protect yourself.

Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is lower among Latinas than non-Latinas in the U.S., but breast cancer is still the leading cause of death among Latinas.  

The reason why: breast cancer in Latinas is often found in the advanced stages when it is harder to cure. Latinas don’t get mammograms at the same rate as non-Latina whites. Some of our comadres can’t afford it, but some of them just don’t get mammograms. They’re busy or they’re embarrassed or they just don’t want to deal with it, but they don’t go and that does not end well.

Early detection of breast cancer saves lives.

What to do:

  • If you are 40 to 44, the American Cancer Society recommends that you start talking to your doctor about mammograms.
  • If you are between the ages of 45 and 54, the American Cancer Society recommends a yearly mammogram.
  • If you are over the age of 55, the American Cancer Society recommends a mammogram every two years.
  • All women need to learn how to do self examine our breasts. Your health care provider can teach you how. Just ask!
  • If you don’t have insurance, there are breast cancer early detection programs in all states that can help you. Some programs may even have free or low cost treatment options.
  • If you care about your comadres, moms, sisters, friends and madrinas, share this information with them. Offer to go with them to their mammograms. Go get coffee and dessert afterwards!

Colorectal Cancer

Although colorectal cancer among Latinos is lower than among Non-Latino Whites, colorectal cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer among Latinas and Latinos. Colorectal cancer is the 3rd leading cause of cancer deaths among Latinos.

Colorectal cancer is a very treatable cancer, if caught early.

Latinos and Latinas are squeamish when it comes to colorectal cancer screening. (¡Nos da asco!) Latinos undergo colorectal screening less than any other group.  And the result of not getting screened is a tragedy that does not have to happen.

What to do:

  • The only way to catch colorectal cancer early is to make yourself go through the yukky tests! There are several tests that are commonly used to find colorectal cancer. None of them are fun or pleasant and many of us are just too embarrassed or grossed out to do them.  
  • There are 2 stool tests that are commonly used. They detect blood in the stool.  You may know them as the FIT, which stands for fecal immunochemical test, or the FOBT, which stands for fecal occult blood test. (Basically it involves putting some poop on a card and sending it in for analysis. So, yes, fuchi, but effective, and it could save your life.)
  • The other common test is the colonoscopy, which involves a tripa up your rear end.  That’s where the colon is. This falls into the category of ¡Ni modo! Grin and bear it. They give you a sedative to make you more comfortable and to help you forget it ever happened. Some people don’t feel a thing. ¿What do you say we just get over the vergüenza and do the test, Comadres?  
  • Talk to your doctor about which colorectal cancer screening test is best for you, and preserve your long life!

Cervical Cancer

According to the American Cancer Society, the cervical cancer rate among Latinas is 40% higher than among non-Latina white women. Although cervical cancer rates have gone down over the last few years, it is still too high for us, Comadres!

Cervical cancer is caused by certain kinds of viruses, called HPVs (the human papillomavirus). Sometimes the virus goes away on its own. But over time if HPV doesn’t go away, it can cause cervical cancer.

What to do:

  • The main way to prevent HPV is to get the HPV vaccine. The CDC recommends that all children, boys and girls, get the vaccine between the ages of 13-17 so they can be protected for the rest of their lives.
  • Recently, the HPV vaccine was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for people up to the age of 45. Check with your doctor and find out if  you can get vaccinated.
  • If you have HPV, the way to catch it before it becomes cancer is to have cervical cancer screening. It starts with a pap test and you may need an HPV test as well.  
  • Smoking puts us at risk of persistent HPV infections and cervical cancers. So if you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you smoke, quit.

Stomach Cancer

Stomach cancer is higher among Latinas than non-Latina white women. Scientists don’t have a full understanding of stomach cancer yet, but they have linked some stomach cancers to exposure to bacterial infections of the stomach.  Some of these infections can be found and treated. More studies are needed to learn more about why Latinos and Latinas are at higher risk of stomach cancers.

What to do:

  • If you have had stomach bacterial infections, talk to your doctor about what you can do to protect yourself from stomach cancer.
  • If you smoke, quit. If you don’t smoke, don’t start. (Seeing a theme here?)
  • Cut down on drinking alcohol. It is recommended that women drink only one alcoholic drink a day.
  • Avoid foods that are preserved with salt and limit your intake of smoked or charred foods.
  • Cut down on processed meats, like bologna, chorizo, and ham
  • Eat plenty of fruits and non-starchy vegetables like onions, garlic and leeks. There are studies that show these  kinds of fruits and veggies can protect against stomach cancer.
  • Follow good hygiene practices such as washing your hands after you go to the bathroom, washing fruits and veggies before you eat them, and being careful with how you store your food

Gallbladder Cancer

Gallbladder cancer is higher among Latinas than among non-Latina whites. It is also higher among Latinas than in Latinos. More research is needed on gallbladder cancer and why it is so high among Latinas.

Possible connections are being overweight, being on hormone replacement therapy, and/or if you have had gallstones.

What to do:

  • Cut back on your risk for gallbladder cancer by getting to a healthier weight.  
  • If you are overweight, start eating a healthier diet and get more active.
  • Join De Las Mías and follow our healthy living plan!
  • If you are on hormone replacement therapy, talk to your doctor about this risk.

Latinas, Cancer and Healthy Lifestyles 

We wanted to give you a snapshot of Latinas and cancer, so you can start thinking about it and take action! There’s good news about Latinas and Cancer and it has to do with Healthy Lifestyle.  

Here’s the Good News:

  • The American Cancer Society states that 42% of all cancer cases can be prevented, mainly by not smoking, eating healthfully and being physically active.
  • Other cancers like breast, colon, and cervical cancer can be cured if you catch them early enough.
  • Review this article with your familias. Take these specific steps and protect yourself and your hijas, comadres, tías, moms, and madrinas.
  • If you are lucky enough to be able to sign up for health insurance, do it now. ¡Vale la pena!

For a deeper dive into Latinos and cancer, read the American Cancer Society report: Cancer and Facts & Figures.

The take-away, Comadres, is this: All roads lead to following a healthy lifestyle program like De Las Mías.  

Take back your power and hold on to the Latina Health Paradox! Get your cancer screenings and live to tell the tale! Take charge of your health and your life. You’re driving, Comadre!

Let us know one thing you are doing today to change the cancer story for Latinas!

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Check out the De Las Mias app. It’s free and ready for download in the Google Play Store. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @delasmiaslife.

 

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Sources:

American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts and Figures for Hispanics/Latinos. 2018-2020. Atlanta, American Cancer Society, Inc. 2018.

https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/cancer-facts-and-figures-for-hispanics-and-latinos/cancer-facts-and-figures-for-hispanics-and-latinos-2018-2020.pdf

https://www.fredhutch.org/en/events/cancer-in-our-communities/hispanic-americans-and-cancer.html

¡Hola, Guapa!, Edición No. 6: Healthy Eating, English, Healthy Body, Healthy Comadres

The Mysterious Case of a Long Latino Life

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The Mystery of the Long Lives of Latinos

¿Sabías que? Latinos live longer than other groups in the U.S. And Latinas live longer than almost anyone? (Yes, I am talking about you, Comadre!)

According to the Population Reference Bureau, a non-profit organization that specializes in demographics, Latinos outlive non-Latino whites by 3 years on average.  

Long Live Latinos!

In 2014, life expectancy at birth for the U.S. Hispanic population was 81.8 years, compared with 78.8 years for the U.S. non-Hispanic white population. If you are a Latina, you are expected to live to be over 83 years of age, compared to 81 years of age for a non-Hispanic white women.

¡Imagínate! In spite of Latinos having lower income and less education than other groups in this country, we still live longer! (Strong Stuff!)

It’s a Mystery

Scientists sometimes call this life expectancy mystery the “Latino Health Paradox.”

Here are some of the clues that researchers think may solve the mysterious case of Latino longevity:

One reason that scientists think Latinos may live longer is that we don’t smoke as much as our white and black brothers and sisters. Latinas tend to smoke less than other groups and we tend to quit earlier. Since lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer deaths in this country, and we’re not smoking as much as others, we’re not dying of lung cancer at the same rate. That’s good news!

What to do: If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you smoke, quit.

Another reason that Latinos might live longer is that many of us are immigrants, and immigrants come into this country with better health, better eating habits and more physically active than the folks who already live here. It is only after we spend a lifetime in the States that we start losing our grip on our good health and longevity. 

What to do: ¡Eat like your Abuelos! Go back to your traditional foods. ¡Qué vivan los healthy tacos! Y ¡Qué viva la ‘Mediterranean diet!’ 

Follow the De Las Mías 9 Steps to Healthy Living. Use the De Las Mías app to get healthy and stay on track. Check out our healthy lifestyle checklist in the app! It works, but only if you use it!

A third reason why we might be so tough and resilient has to do with our familias and our comunidad. Dr. Ortega, a researcher at UCLA Center for Latino Health, tells us that our mental health takes a turn for the worse as we lose our family and community connections. This is especially true for our teenagers as they become more Americanized. Hanging on to our cultura, our values, our families and our community makes us stronger and can help our children be more resilient.

Through ongoing research, we are learning that there is a direct link between long-term stress and health. We now know that having social and family support is key to managing stress and that means better mental health, for ourselves and our children.

 

How to preserve our longevity: Hang on to your familias for dear life! Keep on nurturing your familias, vecinos, comadres y compadres as if your health depended on it, because apparently it does!

 

What scientists call the “Latino Health Paradox” is a wonderful mystery that we should embrace and promote in ourselves. Be proud of it, Comadres! We are a resilient, hardworking, healthy people and we need to make the most of this gift.  

Ask yourselves:

  • What can I do to keep this mystery alive and well in myself and my familia?
  • How can I preserve this gift that has been handed down to me by my ancestors?  

And give thanks for the Latino Health Paradox!

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Check out the De Las Mias app. It’s free and ready for download in the Google Play Store.  Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @delasmiaslife.

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Sources:

Scommegna, Paola. New Studies Link U.S. Hispanics’ Longer Life Expectancy to Migration Patterns, Less Smoking. PRB – Population Reference Bureau. September 2017. https://www.prb.org/hispanics-life-expectancy-migration-patterns/

Gordon, Dan. Life in America. Hazardous to Immigrants Health? UCLA Newsroom. 2014. http://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/life-in-america-hazardous-to-immigrants-health

 

 

¡Hola, Sabrosa!, Edición No. 6: Healthy Eating, English, Healthy Mexican Food

Embracing Our Heritage Through the Love of Food

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Our Rich Heritage Embraced Through Food!

At De Las Mías, we embrace our indigenous and  our Spanish roots.There is so much history that shaped our Indo-Hispano heritage, and some of it is not so good. Oppression and colonization caused pain and suffering. And because of that, we would sometimes like to abandon our past and reject the oppressor. There is merit in rejecting oppression and in countering the negative effects of colonization. But to deny or reject our past can also cause us to reject ourselves, and we don’t want that.

We want to embrace the whole messy thing that brought us to this place, and move on.

Our Heritage and Cultural Pride

I am equally proud of being Mexicana, Chicana, Latina as I am to be Española. I love that my Papá Pepe, my Spanish grandfather, left Spain by himself when he was 13 years old to come to ‘Hacer la America.’ And I’m proud that my Nana Concha, with her Yaqui roots, lived and struggled in a small village in the State of Sonora. This is my heritage and I am proud of it. 

I embrace the traditional and healthy Mexican way of eating, as well as the Mediterranean way of eating. The Mexican way of eating is rich in corn, native vegetables, chiles, nopalitos, tomatoes, beans, and chocolate (lots of chocolate!), and the Mediterranean way of eating is rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, fish, olives and olive oil (lots of olive oil!).

The Mediterranean Diet

There is ample research that the ‘Mediterranean Diet’ provides great health benefits. Adopting it as a way of life is an excellent way to prevent chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, cancer and hypertension.

We are working on having a whole array of Mediterranean inspired recipes to send your way, but for now, let’s take a look at what we mean when we say ‘Mediterranean Diet.’

What makes it special?

The Mediterranean Diet is a way of eating that involves traditional foods commonly eaten in the 16 countries that border the Mediterranean Sea. This way of eating involves eating lots of vegetables and fruits, along with a moderate amount of bread, whole grains, potatoes and nuts, and a lesser amount of dairy, eggs, poultry, and fish. There is almost no red meat in the classic ‘Mediterraneans Diet.’ It also involves copious amounts of olive oil, very little butter, and a little red wine.

According to Clark and Farrow, authors of the wonderful and affordable cookbook, Mediterranean, A Taste of the Sun in over 150 Recipes, these are some of the most common foods and spices that are part of a Mediterranean Diet:

  • Vegetables include artichokes, eggplant, fava beans, fennel, mushrooms, okra, onions, peppers, mostly sweet peppers like red and yellow peppers or pimientos, radicchio, radishes, spinach, tomatoes, grape leaves, zucchini, and olives.
  • Fruits characteristic of the ‘Mediterranean Diet’ are dates, figs, melons, peaches and oranges.
  • Dairy includes goat, cow and sheep cheeses, like Manchego! And of course, yogurt.
  • Legumes include garbanzo beans also known as chickpeas, lentils and navy beans.
  • Nuts include almonds, piñon nuts, walnuts and pistachios.
  • Herbs and spices are bountiful in the ‘Mediterranean Diet’ and perhaps that is the reason why it is so tasty and satisfying. Traditional Mediterranean herbs include basil, bay leaves, chives, cilantro dill, mint, parsley, rosemary, sage, tarragon, thyme, cardamom, chiles, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, mace, nutmeg, pepper and saffron!  
  • Fish, poultry and eggs are key proteins in the Mediterranean way of eating, but the small amount of red meat in this way of eating may account for the great benefits to heart health that are attributed to it.
  • The Mediterranean way of eating includes olive oil almost to the exclusion of any other kind of fat. Olive oil is one of the healthiest fats we can consume.

With this great variety of foods and flavors, how can we not enjoy the bounty of the Mediterranean table?

It is not a way of eating it’s a way of living.

A characteristic that many of us in North America forget to mention when we talk about the Mediterranean way of eating is that it is a lifestyle. It is not just about the food but about how you buy it, prepare it and share it with friends and family. The Mediterranean way of eating involves sitting around a table, talking, eating, sharing stories, taking it slowly and not rushing, being more mindful of the experience of good food and good company.  

So, embrace your multicultural heritage and delve into the Mediterranean way of eating, but take your time, cook it with love and attention, set a table, tell some stories and enjoy! ¡Buen Provecho!

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Check out the De Las Mias app It’s free and ready for download in the Google Play Store. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @delasmiaslife.

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Source:

Clark, Jacqueline and Farrow, Joanna. Mediterranean, A Taste of the Sun in over 150 Recipes. Hermes House. 2003.

 

¡Hola, Guapa!, English, Healthy Body, Healthy Comadres

Latinas, The Hub of the Family: Self-Care for the Super Mujer

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Self-Care for the Super Mujer 

As Latinas, we know we are the rock of our familias. We are the classic Super Mujeres who do it all. We are Super Mamás, Super Abuelas, and Super Caregivers of our aging parents, tías and tíos. We are often, if not always, expected to take the high road. We are in charge of our families, and we are proud of it. We embrace it. We knock ourselves out doing it – we can bring home the frijoles, cook em, serve em up, and make sure our children, partners and viejitos are healthy, safe and sound. But what about self-care?  

Latinas have been called the Hub of the Family. And we know that’s true. Research shows that Latinas make most of the health care decisions for the family; we make the major economic decisions, such as how the money is spent, where we shop for clothes and groceries. We decide on schools, discipline, elder care, you name it. Being a Super Mujer and Hub of the Family is a huge package —un paquetón. But think about this for a moment: If we are the hub of the familia, what happens if the hub breaks down? (Hint: When the hub breaks down, nos lleva la tiznada. And I’m being polite here. There is a better word for that in my Chingonario.)

So this article is the beginning of what I hope can be a conversation on self-care. How can we take care of ourselves as we take care of others?

 

 

Here are some things to ponder about self-care as you look at yourself as the hub of the family.

How do you take care of yourself? Self-care is essential when you’re taking care of others. Quick, make a list of 5 self-care activities that you practice.

If you can’t get to 5, make a wish list on 5 more things you can do to start taking better care of yourself. Write it down and post it somewhere. Remember, contemplation is the first step to action!

Here are some basic self-care tips to try:

  1. Your morning ritual. Think of a day when you would feel joyful and relaxed. What does that day look like? How do you start your day? A friend of mine, Roni in Tucson, takes self-care seriously. She always starts her day with a cup of tea in bed with her favorite inspirational reading. She gets up 30 minutes earlier than everyone else and makes a cup of tea and goes back to bed. She listens to soft music, reads a passage or two from her little book and meditates for 5 minutes. She tells me that this morning ritual is essential to start her day on the right foot. What little moments can you carve out for yourself in the morning to start your day off right?
  2. Your physical well-being. Did you know that the majority of us Latinas are not physically active? You might say, “Well if you were in my shoes, you wouldn’t be that physical active either!” And you might be right, but just think about how you can add 20-30 minutes of activity to your day. Can you sneak in a 15 minute walk at work during your break or lunch? Can you start parking a little further away at the grocery store to get in a few extra steps? Think about moving your body as self-care and see at happens next.  
  3. Your vegetables. Eat your veggies, whole grains and fruits. We have a wonderful tool on the De Las Mías App – Our Healthy Living Checklist. If you are not used to taking care of yourself, you probably wouldn’t check everything off the list at first, but can you start with veggies? Can you have a salad for lunch every day? Can you snack on fruit and nuts instead of crunchy stuff with a lot of salt and fat? Start making some headway on your healthy living checklist! ¡Vales la pena! – You’re worth it.
  4. Your bedtime ritual is one of the most important steps you take in self-care. Sleep is sacred for the Super-Mujer, the hub of the family! You have to be rested and ready to start another day!  Some night time rituals to try:
  • Go to bed at the same time every night if you can.
  • Avoid screen time 30 minutes before bed.
  • Avoid caffeine in the evening.
  • A warm bath or shower before going to bed is always nice.
  • Don’t go to bed too hungry or too full.
  • Keep the room cool and dark.
  • If you can’t sleep, don’t toss and turn. Get up and walk around, or read. When you get sleepy again, go back to bed.
  • Are you worried about something?  Write it down and put it in your worry box.  It will be there in the morning when you’re rested and you can tackle it then.

Cuida a tus viejitos. Taking care of elders is not easy, even if you love your viejitos with all your heart. In order to take care of them, you need to take care of yourself. Just pretend you’re on a flight. Give yourself oxygen first.

We found a great article from the Mayo Clinic that gives some good suggestions on how to manage caregiver stress. Try some of these Mayo Clinic suggestions and let us know how it goes:

  • Accept help. Be prepared with a list of ways that others can help you, and let the helper choose what he or she would like to do. For instance, a friend may offer to take the person you care for on a walk a couple of times a week. Or a friend or family member may be able to run an errand, pick up your groceries or cook for you.
  • Focus on what you are able to provide. It’s normal to feel guilty sometimes, but understand that no one is a “perfect” caregiver. Believe that you are doing the best you can and making the best decisions you can at any given time.
  • Set realistic goals. Break large tasks into smaller steps that you can do one at a time. Prioritize, make lists and establish a daily routine. Begin to say no to requests that are draining, such as hosting holiday meals.
  • Seek social support. Make an effort to stay well-connected with family and friends who can offer nonjudgmental emotional support. Set aside time each week for connecting, even if it’s just a walk with a friend.
  • *Get connected. Find out about caregiving resources in your community. Many communities have classes specifically about the disease your loved one is facing. Caregiving services such as transportation, meal delivery or housekeeping may be available.
  • *Join a support group. A support group can provide validation and encouragement, as well as problem-solving strategies for difficult situations. People in support groups understand what you may be going through. A support group can also be a good place to create meaningful friendships.

*An important note on the last two tips: Research shows that when it comes to asking for help in taking care of our viejitos, Latinas and Latinos under-utilize available services. These services are often free and bilingual. We encourage you to reach out to your local churches, social services, such as Catholic Charities, your local AAA, Area Agency on Aging, and/or your community clinics. Find out what’s available! Don’t go it alone, ¡Comadre!  

¡Cuídate, Mujer! It’s not easy being a Super Mujer – Hub of the Family!  

Let us know what you do to take care of yourself. Pass on your wisdom to others so they can find benefit from what you’ve learned.

Sources:

https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/reports/2013/latina-power-shift.html/

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/09/18/how-the-u-s-hispanic-population-is-changing/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/caregiver-stress/art-20044784

Flores, et al. Beyond Familism: Ethics of Care of Latina Caregivers of Elderly Parents with Dementia. Health Care Women Int. 2009

 

 

ESPAÑOL

Latinas, el centro de la familia: Autocuidado para la supermujer

 

Las latinas somos el pilar principal que sostiene a la familia.  Somos la clásica Supermujer que hace todo. Somos supermamás, superabuelas y supercuidadoras de nuestros padres, tías y tíos que están en su tercera edad.

Como madres, siempre se espera que tomemos el buen camino. Nos hacemos cargo de nuestras familias y estamos orgullosas de ello. Nos sacrificamos haciéndolo: compramos, guisamos y servimos los frijoles.  Nos aseguramos de que nuestros hijos, parejas y padres mayores estén sanos y salvos.

A las latinas se les conoce como el centro de la familia. Hay varios estudios científicos que comprueban que las latinas toman la mayoría de las decisiones de atención médica de la familia; tomamos las grandes decisiones económicas, como por ejemplo, cómo se gasta el dinero, dónde se compra la comida y la ropa de la familia. Decidimos cómo educar a nuestros hijos, a qué escuela mandarlos, cómo disciplinarlos y cómo cuidar de nuestros viejitos.

Estamos en el todo de la familia. Ser la mera mera y el Centro de la familia es un paquetón. Pensemos en esto: Si somos el centro de la familia, ¿qué pasa si el centro se descompone? (Pista: Cuando el centro se descompone, nos lleva la tiznada. Y estoy siendo educada, pues hay una palabra que lo describe mejor en mi Chingonario).

Este artículo es el principio de lo que espero sea una conversación sobre cómo cuidarnos a nosotras mismas mientras que cuidamos a los demás: desde la cuna hasta la tumba.

 

Éstas son algunas cosas que debes considerar al verte como el centro de la familia.

 

¿Cómo te cuidas? El autocuidado es fundamental cuando estás cuidando a los demás. A ver, rápidamente, haz una lista de 5 cosas que haces para cuidarte.

Si no llegaste a 5, haz una lista de 5 cosas que deseas  hacer para cuidarte mejor. Escríbelas y pégalas en el refri o en tu espejo, en algún lado donde puedes acordarte que tu propio cuidado es importante. Recuerda: ¡la contemplación es el primer paso hacia la acción!

 Aquí les compartimos algunos consejos básicos de autocuidado:

  1. ¡Tus mañanitas! Piensa en un día en el que te sentirías feliz y relajada. ¿Cómo sería ese día? ¿Cómo empiezas tu día? Una amiga, Roni, que vive en Tucson, siempre empieza su día con una taza de té en cama, leyendo su lectura inspiradora favorita. Se levanta 30 minutos antes que los demás y se hace su taza de té y regresa a la cama.  Escucha música tranquila, lee un párrafo o dos de su librito y medita 5 minutos. Me cuenta que ese ritual matutino es fundamental para que empiece bien su día. ¿Qué pequeños momentos puedes crear en la mañana para sentir que empiezas tu día bien? ¿Cómo sería tu Ritual Matutino?
  2. Tu bienestar físico. ¿Sabías que la mayoría de nosotras las latinas no somos físicamente activas? Podrías decir, “Pues si estuvieras en mis zapatos, ¡tú tampoco serías muy activa!” Y puede que tengas razón, pero piensa cómo le puedes agregar 20-30 minutos de actividad a tu día. ¿Puedes echarte una caminata de 15 minutos durante tu break del trabajo o tu hora de la comida? ¿Puedes empezar a estacionarte un poco más lejos del super para que camines un poquito más? ¿Qué pequeñas medidas puedes tomar para que puedas mover más tu cuerpo?
  3. Tus verduras. Come tus verduras, tus granos integrales y frutas. Tenemos una herramienta increíble en la app de De Las Mías: Nuestra Lista de Vida Sana. Si no te estás cuidando, seguramente al principio, no vas a marcar todo lo que está en la lista, pero ¿qué tal si empiezas con tus verduras? ¿Qué tal si te comes una ensalada a la hora de la comida todos los días? ¿Y si te comes una fruta o nueces de snack en vez de algo crujiente con demasiada sal y grasa? ¡Empieza a avanzar con tu lista de vida sana! ¡Vales la pena!
  4. Tu ritual a la hora de acostarse. ¿Qué tan bien duermes? ¡El sueño es muy importante para la roca de la familia! ¡Tiene que estar descansada y lista para empezar el nuevo día! Estos son algunos rituales de noche que puedes intentar:
  • Si puedes, acuéstate a la misma hora todos los días.
  • Evita estar frente a una pantalla 30 minutos antes de acostarte.
  • Evita la cafeína en la noche.
  • Un baño calientito antes de acostarte siempre es rico.
  • No te acuestes demasiado llena ni con mucha hambre
  • Mantén tu recámara fresca y oscura.
  • Si no puedes dormir, no estés dando vueltas. Párate y camina un poco o lee. Cuando te dé sueño de nuevo, regresa a la cama.
  • ¿Estás preocupada por algo? Escríbelo y ponlo en tu cajita de las preocupaciones. Ahí estará en la mañana cuando estés descansada y lo puedas resolver.

Cuida a tus viejitos. Cuidar de los viejitos no es fácil, aunque los ames con todo tu corazón. Para poder cuidarlos, tienes que cuidarte a ti. Haz de cuenta que estás en un vuelo. Ponte el oxígeno tu primero.

Encontramos un artículo en inglés buenísimo del Mayo Clinic que da muy buenas recomendaciones sobre cómo manejar el estrés como cuidador. Prueba algunas de estas sugerencias y cuéntanos cómo te va:

  • Acepta ayuda. Prepara una lista de maneras en que los demás te pueden ayudar a ti, y deja que el ayudante escoja que le gustaría hacer. Por ejemplo, un amigo puede ofrecer llevar a la persona que cuidas a pasear un par de días a la semana. O una amiga o miembro de la familia puede ayudarte con algún encargo: ir al super o preparar la cena.
  • Enfócate en lo que puedes proveer. Es normal sentirse culpable a veces, pero entiende que nadie es un cuidador “perfecto”. Créetela que estás haciendo lo mejor que puedes y tomando las mejores decisiones que puedes en cada momento.
  • Establece objetivos realistas. Divide las tareas grandes en pasos más pequeños para poder hacerlos uno a la vez. Fija prioridades, haz listas y establece una rutina diaria. Empieza a decir que no cuando alguien te pida que hagas algo que te va agotar, como organizar fiestas de fin de año.
  • Busca apoyo social. Haz un esfuerzo y mantente conectada con la familia y amigos que te puedan dar apoyo emocional sin juzgarte. Aparta tiempo cada semana para conectar con tus amistades, aunque sea una caminata con una amiga.
  • *Conéctate. Busca recursos en tu comunidad sobre cuidado a mayores. Muchas comunidades tienen clases específicamente sobre la enfermedad que tiene tu ser querido. Pueden tener servicios de cuidado disponible como transporte, comidas a domicilio y limpieza.
  • *Únete a un grupo de apoyo. Un grupo de apoyo puede darte validación y apoyo, al igual que estrategias de solución de problemas para enfrentar situaciones difíciles. La gente en los grupos de apoyo entiende por lo que estás pasando. Un grupo de apoyo también puede ser un buen lugar para crear buenas amistades.

*Una nota importante sobre las dos últimas recomendaciones: la investigación muestra que en el cuidado de los viejitos, las latinas y latinos usan muy poco los servicios de ayuda que existen. Estos servicios generalmente son gratuitos y bilingües. Te recomendamos que contactes a tu iglesia o asistencia social local, como las Caridades Católicas, tu AAA local, Area Agency on Aging, y/o las clínicas de tu comunidad. ¡Busca lo que está disponible! ¡No lo hagas sola Comadre!

¡No es nada fácil ser Supermujer! ¡Cuídate, Mujer!

Cuéntanos qué haces para cuidarte. Comparte tu conocimiento con las demás para que aprovechen de lo que tú has aprendido.

Fuentes:

https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/reports/2013/latina-power-shift.html/

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/09/18/how-the-u-s-hispanic-population-is-changing/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/caregiver-stress/art-20044784

Flores, et al. Beyond Familism: Ethics of Care of Latina Caregivers of Elderly Parents with Dementia. Health Care Women Int. 2009

 

¡Hola, Guapa!, ¡Hola, Sabrosa!, Edición No. 4: Reflection, Spanish

Latinas, el centro de la familia: Autocuidado para la supermujer

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Las latinas somos el pilar principal que sostiene a la familia.  Somos la clásica Supermujer que hace todo. Somos supermamás, superabuelas y supercuidadoras de nuestros padres, tías y tíos que están en su tercera edad.

Como madres, siempre se espera que tomemos el buen camino. Nos hacemos cargo de nuestras familias y estamos orgullosas de ello. Nos sacrificamos haciéndolo: compramos, guisamos y servimos los frijoles.  Nos aseguramos de que nuestros hijos, parejas y padres mayores estén sanos y salvos.

A las latinas se les conoce como el centro de la familia. Hay varios estudios científicos que comprueban que las latinas toman la mayoría de las decisiones de atención médica de la familia; tomamos las grandes decisiones económicas, como por ejemplo, cómo se gasta el dinero, dónde se compra la comida y la ropa de la familia. Decidimos cómo educar a nuestros hijos, a qué escuela mandarlos, cómo disciplinarlos y cómo cuidar de nuestros viejitos.

Estamos en el todo de la familia. Ser la mera mera y el Centro de la familia es un paquetón. Pensemos en esto: Si somos el centro de la familia, ¿qué pasa si el centro se descompone? (Pista: Cuando el centro se descompone, nos lleva la tiznada. Y estoy siendo educada, pues hay una palabra que lo describe mejor en mi Chingonario).

Este artículo es el principio de lo que espero sea una conversación sobre cómo cuidarnos a nosotras mismas mientras que cuidamos a los demás: desde la cuna hasta la tumba.

 

 

Éstas son algunas cosas que debes considerar al verte como el centro de la familia.

  1. ¿Cómo te cuidas? El autocuidado es fundamental cuando estás cuidando a los demás. A ver, rápidamente, haz una lista de 5 cosas que haces para cuidarte.
  2. Si no llegaste a 5, haz una lista de 5 cosas que deseas  hacer para cuidarte mejor. Escríbelas y pégalas en el refri o en tu espejo, en algún lado donde puedes acordarte que tu propio cuidado es importante. Recuerda: ¡la contemplación es el primer paso hacia la acción!
  3. Aquí les compartimos algunos consejos básicos de autocuidado:
    • ¡Tus mañanitas! Piensa en un día en el que te sentirías feliz y relajada. ¿Cómo sería ese día? ¿Cómo empiezas tu día? Una amiga, Roni, que vive en Tucson, siempre empieza su día con una taza de té en cama, leyendo su lectura inspiradora favorita. Se levanta 30 minutos antes que los demás y se hace su taza de té y regresa a la cama.  Escucha música tranquila, lee un párrafo o dos de su librito y medita 5 minutos. Me cuenta que ese ritual matutino es fundamental para que empiece bien su día. ¿Qué pequeños momentos puedes crear en la mañana para sentir que empiezas tu día bien? ¿Cómo sería tu Ritual Matutino?
    • Tu bienestar físico. ¿Sabías que la mayoría de nosotras las latinas no somos físicamente activas? Podrías decir, “Pues si estuvieras en mis zapatos, ¡tú tampoco serías muy activa!” Y puede que tengas razón, pero piensa cómo le puedes agregar 20-30 minutos de actividad a tu día. ¿Puedes echarte una caminata de 15 minutos durante tu break del trabajo o tu hora de la comida? ¿Puedes empezar a estacionarte un poco más lejos del super para que camines un poquito más? ¿Qué pequeñas medidas puedes tomar para que puedas mover más tu cuerpo?
    • Tus verduras. Come tus verduras, tus granos integrales y frutas. Tenemos una herramienta increíble en la app de De Las Mías: Nuestra Lista de Vida Sana. Si no te estás cuidando, seguramente al principio, no vas a marcar todo lo que está en la lista, pero ¿qué tal si empiezas con tus verduras? ¿Qué tal si te comes una ensalada a la hora de la comida todos los días? ¿Y si te comes una fruta o nueces de snack en vez de algo crujiente con demasiada sal y grasa? ¡Empieza a avanzar con tu lista de vida sana! ¡Vales la pena!
    • Tu ritual a la hora de acostarse. ¿Qué tan bien duermes? ¡El sueño es muy importante para la roca de la familia! ¡Tiene que estar descansada y lista para empezar el nuevo día! Estos son algunos rituales de noche que puedes intentar:
      • Si puedes, acuéstate a la misma hora todos los días.
      • Evita estar frente a una pantalla 30 minutos antes de acostarte.
      • Evita la cafeína en la noche.
      • Un baño calientito antes de acostarte siempre es rico.
      • No te acuestes demasiado llena ni con mucha hambre.
      • Mantén tu recámara fresca y oscura.
      • Si no puedes dormir, no estés dando vueltas. Párate y camina un poco o lee. Cuando te dé sueño de nuevo, regresa a la cama.
      • ¿Estás preocupada por algo? Escríbelo y ponlo en tu cajita de las preocupaciones. Ahí estará en la mañana cuando estés descansada y lo puedas resolver.
  1. Cuida a tus viejitos. Cuidar de los viejitos no es fácil, aunque los ames con todo tu corazón. Para poder cuidarlos, tienes que cuidarte a ti. Haz de cuenta que estás en un vuelo. Ponte el oxígeno tu primero.

Encontramos un artículo en inglés buenísimo del Mayo Clinic que da muy buenas recomendaciones sobre cómo manejar el estrés como cuidador. Prueba algunas de estas sugerencias y cuéntanos cómo te va:

  • Acepta ayuda. Prepara una lista de maneras en que los demás te pueden ayudar a ti, y deja que el ayudante escoja que le gustaría hacer. Por ejemplo, un amigo puede ofrecer llevar a la persona que cuidas a pasear un par de días a la semana. O una amiga o miembro de la familia puede ayudarte con algún encargo: ir al super o preparar la cena.
  • Enfócate en lo que puedes proveer. Es normal sentirse culpable a veces, pero entiende que nadie es un cuidador “perfecto”. Créetela que estás haciendo lo mejor que puedes y tomando las mejores decisiones que puedes en cada momento.
  • Establece objetivos realistas. Divide las tareas grandes en pasos más pequeños para poder hacerlos uno a la vez. Fija prioridades, haz listas y establece una rutina diaria. Empieza a decir que no cuando alguien te pida que hagas algo que te va agotar, como organizar fiestas de fin de año.
  • Busca apoyo social. Haz un esfuerzo y mantente conectada con la familia y amigos que te puedan dar apoyo emocional sin juzgarte. Aparta tiempo cada semana para conectar con tus amistades, aunque sea una caminata con una amiga.
  • *Conéctate. Busca recursos en tu comunidad sobre cuidado a mayores. Muchas comunidades tienen clases específicamente sobre la enfermedad que tiene tu ser querido. Pueden tener servicios de cuidado disponible como transporte, comidas a domicilio y limpieza.
  • *Únete a un grupo de apoyo. Un grupo de apoyo puede darte validación y apoyo, al igual que estrategias de solución de problemas para enfrentar situaciones difíciles. La gente en los grupos de apoyo entiende por lo que estás pasando. Un grupo de apoyo también puede ser un buen lugar para crear buenas amistades.

*Una nota importante sobre las dos últimas recomendaciones: la investigación muestra que en el cuidado de los viejitos, las latinas y latinos usan muy poco los servicios de ayuda que existen. Estos servicios generalmente son gratuitos y bilingües. Te recomendamos que contactes a tu iglesia o asistencia social local, como las Caridades Católicas, tu AAA local, Area Agency on Aging, y/o las clínicas de tu comunidad. ¡Busca lo que está disponible! ¡No lo hagas sola Comadre!

¡No es nada fácil ser Supermujer! ¡Cuídate, Mujer!

Cuéntanos qué haces para cuidarte. Comparte tu conocimiento con las demás para que aprovechen de lo que tú has aprendido.

 

 

Fuentes:

https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/reports/2013/latina-power-shift.html

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/09/18/how-the-u-s-hispanic-population-is-changing/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/caregiver-stress/art-20044784

Flores, et al. Beyond Familism: Ethics of Care of Latina Caregivers of Elderly Parents with Dementia. Health Care Women Int. 2009

¡Hola, Guapa!, Edición No. 5: Stress, Spanish

El estrés, el aguante y los remedios

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Nosotras las Latinas venimos de una tradición indo-hispánica muy rica y diversa. Primeramente incluye el meztisaje y sus choques culturales, pero también su sabiduría y su magia espiritual. Claro que hubo y sigue habiendo adversidad, pero con esta adversidad también viene el conocimiento y el poder. Cargamos con este paquete heredado de nuestras abuelas, tías y madres. Lo traemos en la sangre y en el alma. Se lo pasamos a la siguiente generación en el ADN, y a través de nuestras tradiciones, memorias, historias, cuentos y prácticas.

Es poderoso aprender más sobre los efectos negativos del estrés en nuestras vidas e informarnos sobre la ciencia del estrés crónico. Al aprender sobre como nos puede afectar la salud, también podemos recordar la sabiduría de nuestras abuelas y bisabuelas y cómo ellas  sobrevivieron y salieron adelante a pesar de lo que sufrieron. Por que, Amiga, las Latinas sabemos sufrir. 

Dos conceptos se me vienen a la mente cuando digo la palabra – sufrir... Uno es el aguante y el otro son los remedios.

Aguantar es una de esas palabras que tiene mucho más sentido en español que en inglés. En inglés significa “tolerar”, “soportar”. Pero por generaciones, las latinas hemos estado condicionadas no solo a tolerar, pero a sufrur en silencio. La tolerancia al estilo “Calladita me veo más bonita”. Aguantar va de la mano con el silencio, y con el sacrificarse por los demás. Tú lo has visto en tus tías y abuelas, en tu mamá, esa dignidad estoica que surge del sufrimiento.

Me encantó asistir a la Conferencia #WeAllGrow Latina el año pasado y ver manadas de latinas jóvenes pasar con los letreros que anunciaban “Calladitas No More!” Algunas incluso tomándose selfies con el manifesto: “¡No más Calladitas!”

Las latinas estamos aprendiendo, creciendo y recuperando nuestra salud, nuestro poder y nuestra alegría. Como siempre — y como buenas latinas — hacemos esto, no solo para nosotras, sino también para nuestras familias. Ésta es una muy buena tradición latina que prometemos heredarle a las siguientes generaciones.

Así que el aguante, ese tan típico, de la latina tradicional ya va cambiando poco a poco, y eso me parece bien.  Tiene uno que saber aguantar, pero también tener un HASTA AQUI. (Esto lo dejamos para otra charla.) Pero el otro concepto que se me viene a la mente al explorar este lazo multi-generacional del aguante, es la tradición de los remedios.

Una tradicion tan poderosa como el aguante es la magia y el poder de nuestros remedios tradicionales.

Los remedios traen consigo la magia de la curación, de los milagros, de la fe y la esperanza. Todas traemos esos remedios en nuestro costal.  A recordarlos ahora mismo y a ponerlos en practica. Emprendí una búsqueda de remedios entre las mias, y aquí les comparto algunos de los que encontré en nuestra cajita de herramientas:

1. El Santuario. 

Generalmente asociamos la palabra santuario con una iglesia, como el Santuario de Chimayó en el bello norte de Nuevo México, pero también puedes hacer tu propio pequeño santuario en tu casa o en tu jardín. Aduéñate de un rinconcito en algún lugar de tu casa o jardín. Cuando hagas este lugar especial sagrado, puedes utilizarlo como un altar intencional para ayudarte a manejar el estrés. Tu recámara puede funcionar bien como santuario porque generalmente es el lugar más privado de una casa.

  •      Empieza por nombrarlo como un lugar especial al que puedes ir para tener un momento de tranquilidad. (¿A poco tu abuelita no tenía un altarcito en un rincón?)
  •      Coloca algunos objetos que tengan algún significado para ti. Una foto de tu papa si te inspira fortaleza o una de tu mamá si ésta te inspira fe.
  •      Pon una foto o un bultito de tu santito favorito, o de la Virgencita de Guadalupe, un rosario, o lo que sea que tenga un valor sagrado o un recuerdo positivo.
  •      Escoge una vela que sólo vas a prender cuando estés en el cuarto y colócala en una base segura, que no se queme (¡ya van dos veces que casi quemo la casa!)
  •      Pon unas flores. Un recipiente con agua bendita o un recipiente con agua que hayas bendecido tú.
  •      Pasa un rato en tu santuario todos los días o reconócelo cada vez que pases por dónde está.

Usa este lugar sagrado para liberarte de tu estrés, preocupación o miedo. Practica este remedio y verás que poco a poco irás encontrando un refugio mágico en este rinconcito.

2. Santuario de Visualización Creativa

Otra práctica de santuario que es muy linda y me ha dado mucho consuelo en tiempos difíciles es hacer un ejercicio de relajación profunda y agregarle una visualización creativa. Imagina un lugar especial dentro de tu mente al que puedes ir a sentirte tranquila y en paz. ¿Se te viene a la mente un jardín hermoso? ¿O un lugar especial para ir a ver el atardecer? Tal vez diste un paseo largo por la playa un día y te sentiste relajada y en paz. Tómate unos minutos y crea ese santuario especial en tu mente. Siente paz y refugio ahí y regresa cuando quieras.

3. Un Tecito.   

Las latinas tenemos una larga tradición de tomar tecitos. El té de manzanilla es el más común. ¡Hasta se lo damos a los bebés cuando tienen cólico, o para que se relajen! Tómate un descanso, hazte un tecito, siéntate y tómatelo. Mientras te lo tomas, trata de relajarte y “letigo”.

El té de tila es famoso por ser un té relajante, pero no lo tomes si estás embarazada o tienes algún problema del corazón. Si tienes cualquier condición crónica, siempre es bueno preguntarle a tu doctor si puedes tomar té de tila.

Otro de los favoritos es el té de azar. El té de azar era un clásico que se les daba a las jovencitas cuando se ponían nerviosas antes del gran baile. La vida es un gran baile comadres, así es que hay que fortalecerse.

Cualquier té de hierbas funciona. Hay muy buenos tés en los EE. UU. como el Sleepy Time, que funciona muy bien.

4. La Limpia. 

La limpia tiene diferentes significados para diferentes personas. La mayoría estaría de acuerdo con que una limpia es una depuración. Sería bueno que le preguntaras a tus abuelas o madrinas qué usan ellas para hacer una limpia, o si han hecho alguna en su vida. No todas las latinas practican esta tradición, pero la limpia básica que yo hago es simplemente comprar una buena salvia y quemarla un poco en un recipiente de metal o de cerámica. Es bueno ofrendarla a los cuatro vientos; ponte de cara a cada dirección y deja que el humo pase por arriba de tu cabeza. Después de difuminarla, puedes poner unas cuantas gotas de limón en un vaso con agua y rociar el ambiente con un atomizador. Este es un ritual muy sencillo que te puede relajar después de una discusión o después de que se vaya de tu casa una visita desagradable, o si sientes tensión o nervios a entrar a tu casa y quieres “limpiar el aire”. La cualidad que quieres tratar de lograr es intencionalmente dejar ir la tensión, el estrés y las malas vibras.

5. La veladora.    

Amamos las veladoras, pero tenemos que tener cuidado. ¿Les conté que casi quemo la casa en dos ocasiones? ¡Así es que sobre aviso no hay engaño, comadres! Venden unas veladoras muy lindas. “Te prendo una veladora” siempre significa que prenderás una vela para que se te cumpla un deseo. Así es que utiliza tus veladoras sabiamente. Yo ahora prendo la mía en la chimenea para que no haya falla y el único fuego que arda sea el de mi corazón. Nos encantan las veladoras clásicas de la Virgen de Guadalupe.

6. El Bubble Bath  

Soy latina y ahora abuela, así que les puedo decir que ésta vino de una viejita. ¡Me encanta tomarme un buen bubble bath! ¡Tómense un tiempito para ustedes, comadres! Cómprense unas ricas burbujas, pongan música relajante, un letrero de no molestar en la puerta del baño y ¡relájense! Este remedio es buenísimo para los dolores de espalda o si tiene los pies adoloridos de estar paradas todo el día en el trabajo.

¿Cuáles son algunos de los remedios que han probado y les han funcionado? ¡A compartir!