To follow this mom’s weight-loss
journey from the beginning, just click on "Weight Loss" on the
"Categories" list at right and scroll down.

Jean Fain, a writer, psychotherapist and instructor at Harvard Medical School, has created a terrific, short You Tube video discussing mindful eating — and staring a Twinkie! She makes some very good points. Check it out here.

Speaking of mindful (or not) eating… The other day, I just HAD to have pizza for lunch. Wanted it. Craved it. Ended up having three pieces, while reading a magazine, and shoving it in. I enjoyed it thoroughly, but I can’t say I really ate it mindfully. Perhaps if I had been paying more attention, just one piece of pizza (with a salad — what a concept!) would have made me feel satisfied.

I’ll keep that in mind for next time.

Bipolar disorder in kids (also called manic-depressive illness) is a relatively new concept, says author Irene S. Levine in an excellent article, "What’s Happening to My Son?" in the current issue of Readers Digest. As recently as a decade ago, she says, many experts thought the
disorder was found only in
adults. But in the past few years, more and more kids are being
diagnosed.

Experts are finding that many adults with bipolar disorder first had symptoms as children. And this really caught my attention: Levine says an estimate in a Harvard
Medical School newsletter said that about 1 in 200 youngsters is
affected, though this is controversial, she notes. Some say the number is too high
and that too many kids are being medicated for mood swings. Check out this important story and share your thoughts here.

P.S. The piece also includes links to a list of symptoms and info on where to find help.