If you’re curious and observant you may have noticed some extra activity at Glenbrooke.   This activity involves insects that live among us. Two agencies are doing monitoring and/or trapping here. They are the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District and the Sacramento County Agricultural Commissioner.

Lets start with the lowly mosquito. In the past, mosquitoes were generally associated with malaria. Today malaria is not a significant problem in the United States. But a mosquito borne disease called West Nile virus is. The local mosquito control district places traps under the pedestrian bridges near the acorn park for up to 24 hours. The traps are then removed and the captured mosquitoes checked for West Nile virus which has been found throughout California. Only female mosquitoes drink blood for protein to make eggs.

Other signs of West Nile are dead birds like crows, ravens and magpies As of this writing no cases of human or equine West Nile virus infection have been reported in our area this year. You may recall in June there was ariel spraying for mosquitoes just north of Elk Grove Blvd.

What can you do to help fight West Nile? Get rid of standing water around the home. Buckets, flowerpots, backyard ponds and still waterfall basins with a bit of water in the bottom can be good mosquito breeding grounds. It only takes a week for a mosquito egg to hatch and become an adult mosquito. Keep good screens on your windows. If you’re out after sunset, wear long sleeves and insect repellents like DEET. A factoid: It would take 1,200,000 mosquitoes, each sucking once, to drain the average human of blood.

The second insect program does not impact humans but can attack the foods we eat or export. The state funds a large program to insure the foods we produce and export meet international standards. If not then those fruits may not be exported, hurting the states 36 billion dollar agricultural economy. When returning from Reno you recall a " bug station " near Truckee. Here fruit is examined for insects and destroyed if from out of state. This is an exclusion program.

In our area we have detection programs for a host of insects such as oriental fruit fly, Gypsy moth, Japanese beetle, glassy winged sharpshooters and others. Employees of the county agricultural commissioner have been in Glenbrooke putting insect traps in some of our trees. The traps are left for a few days up to a week then removed and examined for specific insects.

A grape vine moth was trapped here earlier in the year. If the pest insect population is found to be increasing then control measures are taken. Grape vineyards south of us are reporting infections of this pest. You may say, so what? Think back to economics 1A and supply and demand theory. Less supply = more demand = higher prices.

The county is appreciative of our allowing them to trap insects in our trees. Hope that helps explain what's bugging our community.

Once in a while, we have a major, widespread scare about a communicable disease. The whooping cough epidemic has risen to a level of concern.

The number of whooping cough (pertussis) cases reported so far this year is more than four times the number for the same period last year, and the state is on pace to have more cases in 2010 than in any year since 1958.

The disease causes people to cough so violently that it is hard to breathe. It is especially concerning because it’s highly contagious and infants are particularly vulnerable. Of the six deaths in California this year, five were infants under three months old; the sixth was a toddler.

Fortunately, we can protect ourselves, our families and our loved ones. Many of us were immunized during childhood, but neither the vaccine nor the illness provides lifetime immunity. The vaccine wears off by the time a child finishes middle school, so adolescents and adults need boosters.

Infants typically don’t have full immunity until they have had three shots (recommended at 2 months, 4 months and 6 months of age), so we protect them by immunizing the people around them. Most infants with whooping cough get the disease from their parents, so parents, family members and caregivers of infants should be re-vaccinated to provide a cocoon of protection around their babies.

Ask your doctor for the vaccine, or visit your local pharmacy (including those in supermarkets). Shasta County Public Health offers the vaccine for those who are unable to get it elsewhere.

As always, we encourage you to wash your hands frequently and cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. This helps avoid the spread of numerous diseases, including whooping cough.

Questions about this or other health and wellness issues? Please visitwww.shastahhsa.net. Wishing you good health this summer!

Symptoms of whooping cough:

• - Starts with a cough and runny nose for one to two weeks
• - Weeks to months of severe coughing fits that end with a whooping sound when the person tries to catch his or her breath
• - Person may vomit or become blue in the face with the cough
• - Very young infants may not have much cough, but have trouble with breathing and feeding and have a high risk to end up in the hospital

For the complete story,  see HERE.

Editor's note:  Here Linda talks about her breast cancer recovery and her changing her belief to one of strength.    Reprinted  with persmission from the author.

The Wt. Loss Minute By Linda Spangle, RN, MA
Author: 100 Days of Weight Loss
www.WeightLossJoy.com 

In your own mind, which of these are true? I  believe…

The world is flat.
I’m not athletic.
I always gain my weight back.

Certainly most of us have learned by now that the world isn’t
flat. But the other two statements can get stuck in our belief
system.

Once that happens, we unconsciously make sure they’re true. So we
don’t do the activities or behaviors that would oppose the beliefs.

A little fall on the sidewalk

As most of you know, I’m still recovering my breast cancer
diagnosis and surgery in mid-April. My physical healing from the
double mastectomy is pretty much done. But the emotional recovery
is taking WAY longer than I’d anticipated.

I’ve had several meltdowns that felt weak and embarrassing.
(Remember the story about me kicking the stuffed bear?
(http://shakerjardiet.com/index.php?page_id=412)

But overall, I’ve been doing better with my coping, and I’ve been
working on getting STRONG again. In general, I believe I’m a
pretty competent woman, and feeling strong is something I value a
lot. That’s why the fall bothered me so much.

A few weeks ago, as my husband and I were leaving a coffee shop,
I missed a step and tumbled unto the sidewalk. I didn’t get hurt
except for a minor scrape, but instead of getting up quickly, I
crumbled into a heap and lay sobbing on the cement. All I could
think was ‘I’m not strong and I’ll never be strong again!’

Eventually I stopped crying, brushed off my clothes and walked
back to the car. I insisted that I was fine and that we should
complete our planned errands. But that event was one of my worst
moments in my entire life.

How beliefs keep us stuck

Although it was embarrassing, it wasn’t the fall that bothered
me, but my crumbling, crying reaction. Yes, I know that the
emotional recovery from having breast cancer can take a long time.

But normally, I’ve been a person who can bounce back from things
quickly and move on. This time, I couldn’t figure out how to deal
with my unfamiliar beliefs about feeling weak and helpless.

That evening, I thought about those beliefs and decided they were
true only if I continued to hold them in my mind. So I made a
decision to change my thought patterns about not being strong.

Everybody falls sometime

I started by reminding myself that lots of people have times when
they trip and fall. That doesn’t mean they aren’t strong inside.
So I needed to change my recent belief that falling meant I was a
weak person. And I decided I was ready to believe I was strong
again.

The next morning, my husband and I went on a hike in the
mountains near our home. Although the hiking route was a familiar
one, I was nervous that I’d trip on the occasional tree roots or
rocks in the path.

So I made up a self-talk mantra to say to myself during the hike.
I started by saying ‘I am strong’ and repeating that phrase over
and over as I walked. Then I decided to add some words that
helped apply the phrase to other areas of my life.

I am STRONG and solid. (I walk in a way that’s totally solid,
grounded and focused.)

I am STRONG and vibrant.  (I’m healthy and energetic, and I look
great.)

I am STRONG and awesome. (I do great work as a writer, teacher
and coach.)

It was magical! By repeating those simple phrases over and over,
I chose to BELIEVE them, and use them as part of my internal
confidence. I’ve not fallen since that day, and I’m doing better
with my work confidence and personal healing as well.

Beliefs affect the outcomes

I’m not suggesting that we can change all areas of life just by
working on our beliefs. Some things, such as my having breast
cancer, are a reality I simply have to deal with. But the place I
have power is in changing my belief that I’m not strong or that I
can’t handle this period of my life.

When I cultivate a belief that I’m strong, I’ll act in ways that
make it happen. And falling over a missed step won’t change the
fact that I am getting stronger each day, and that my emotional
spirit is continuing to heal.

Were do you need to change a belief? Are you stuck in your
weight-loss efforts because of believing you can’t stay on a diet
plan? Or that you’ll gain it all back? In the next ezine, I’ll
help you explore that question as well as offer a few suggestions
for re-building a belief that’s slipped away.

Note: I apologize for the gap in sending out this ezine. I’ve
been doing well, but not had the emotional energy required for
some of my writing work.

In my last few ezines, I've shared my experiences with my breast
cancer diagnosis, surgery and recovery. You can read them here:
http://shakerjardiet.com/index.php?page_id=317

For now, the ezine will be once a month, but by this fall, I
expect to return to the every other week schedule I’ve done in
the past. Watch for the next ezine around the 1st of September.

As always, thank you to those of you who have written wonderful
notes of encouragement and appreciation of my writing and my
work. I love hearing from you.

Want to comment on this ezine? Click 'Reply' and send me a note.

Know others who've got a minute? Forward this ezine and brighten
their day.

© Linda Spangle, 2010. #0801, Weight Loss for Life, Inc.
5023 W. 120th Ave. #183, Broomfield, CO 80020
Contact: Linda@WeightLossJoy.com
www.weightlossjoy.com

Common questions about over the counter supplements include:

• Do I need Vitamins?
• What kind should I take?
• Are the Safe?Can my prescription drugs interact with my vitamins or herbals?

Have your questions answered by attending this free presentation and learn more about vitamins and herbals. For more information call SCEG at 685-3160

• The goal is to give participants information that will improve and promote independence, daily living and daily activities.   Topics will include:
•  Services and Programs;
• Low Vision Aids;   Various Techniques and Strategies 

For more information, call SCEG685-3160 or Sacramento Society for the Blind at 452-8271916) 452-82716) 452-8271916) 452-8271

The Wt. Loss Minute By Linda Spangle, RN, MA
Author: 100 Days of Weight Loss
www.WeightLossJoy.com

Great idea: Do it right or do it anyway!

Shelly had another bad week. She’s been telling me how much
she really wants to stick with her diet program. But day after
day, something seems to go wrong and she falls off her plan.

Today she said, ‘I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m
either totally perfect with my diet, or I’m in the kitchen
eating everything in sight. I can’t seem to find anything
between these two extremes!’

‘What do you think is getting in your way?’ I asked. Shelly
responded quickly. ‘I’m pretty much an ALL OR NOTHING type
person. In fact, I seem to be a perfectionist about lots of
things in life. And with my diet and exercise program, I keep
waiting for a time when I can lay it all out and do it the RIGHT way.’

A lot of dieters struggle with ‘all or nothing thinking.’
Even if you don’t think it’s affecting you, this type of
perfectionism can routinely block you from reaching your goals.
Most perfectionists tend to follow the same theme—DO IT RIGHT
OR DON’T DO IT AT ALL. But since they never reach the point
where they can do it ‘right,’ perfectionists never start.

When you get hung up on the ‘right’ way to do something, you
lose sight of all the other possibilities. So, in spite of your
good intentions, you keep repeating your same negative patterns.

As a perfectionist, you not only apply this yourself, you also
tend to have tight rules about other people’s behaviors. And
eventually, these rigid expectations about life can make you miserable.

Typical expectations

For almost everything in life, you form a picture of how you
expect things ‘should’ be. Think of this picture as a square,
sort of a mental snapshot of what you expect. There’s nothing
wrong with this; it’s simply the way you view things in life.

For example, if you go into a bank, you expect the money to be
stored in the vault, not carelessly thrown around on the
counters. At a nice restaurant, you anticipate there will be
clean tables, attentive wait staff, and decent food.

But sometimes perfectionism causes people to have tight,
inflexible rules about things. In this case, your mental squares
become very small, causing you to apply rigid expectations to
people or things around you. Unfortunately, when you hold a tight picture frame around a situation or a behavior, you risk being disappointed or upset because real life won’t match your expectations.

Rigid expectations

Think about times you’ve been disappointed with something
you’d hoped for. You anticipate your children will be excited
when they open their holiday gifts, but instead they act hurt
because they didn’t get what they wanted. After you give up an
entire Saturday to run errands for your grandmother, you expect
her to appreciate your efforts. Instead, she complains that you
should have been there last week.

You also might be using a tight expectation square around your
own behavior. Rather than set up a realistic eating plan, you
design one that’s rigid and overly strict. Then, if you eat a
cookie that wasn’t on your plan, you feel so disgusted that you
give up and eat more.

Widen the square

If you consistently find that life doesn’t match your
expectations, you need to widen your square and change the
picture of what you consider acceptable. Apply this to your own
behavior as well as to what you expect from others. Fill in the
square with the new picture, and then ask yourself:

Could it be like THIS (different from my picture) and still be okay?

Imagine all the areas where you could apply this concept.
Suppose your child brings home a disappointing report card. What
if the person in front of you at the grocery express checkout
lane has eleven items instead of ten? How about when you’re
overworked boss snaps at you? Instead of following your rigid
rules about how people ‘should’ behave, could you widen your
square to view these situations differently?

Take a close look at the expectations you’ve set for yourself.
Suppose you make one tiny slip on your diet. Does that really
mean you have to go off your plan the rest of the day? Rather
than giving up because of ‘all or nothing,’ widen your
expectations to allow for more options.

Work out an eating plan that allows flexibility while still
following your guidelines. Take the same approach with your
exercise program or your efforts to avoid munching in response to stress. By making your pictures more flexible, you’ll have a
better chance of life matching them.

Know others who’ve got a minute? Forward this ezine and brighten their day.

This ezine is currently focusing on the challenges of emotional
eating and other psychological issues. The content is based on
excerpts from my book ‘Life is Hard, Food is Easy: The 5-Step
Plan to Overcome Emotional Eating.’

To read previous issues:
http://shakerjardiet.com/index.php?page_id=317

Reprinted with persmission

© Linda Spangle, 2009. #0928, Weight Loss for Life, Inc.
5023 W. 120th Ave. #183, Broomfield, CO 80020
Contact: Linda@WeightLossJoy.com
www.weightlossjoy.com
303-452-1545 or 1-800-298-3020

Blue Markers: Dead Birds Green Markers: Mosquito Traps

Elk Grove, CA  -- The Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District will begin aerial spraying Tuesday and Wednesday evening in South Sacramento to prevent the West Nile Virus. Area’s within Elder Creek Road to Elk Grove Boulevard and from Franklin Boulevard to Excelsior Road will be treated. The spraying will occur between 8 p.m. to midnight. It is highly recommended to keep families and pets  indoors during the spraying.

The district suggest the following to prevent  West Nile:

• Drain standing water that may produce mosquitoes
• Dawn and dust are times to avoid being outdoors
• Dress appropriately by wearing long sleeves and pants when outside
• Defend yourself by using an effective insect repellent
• Doors and window screen should be in good working condition

For more information please visit www.FIGHTtheBITE.net

The group meets three times a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings at 8:00AM.   Everyone is invited to come out and play, beginners are most welcome;  it is an easy game to pick up and lessons will be provided.

According to the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) it is the fastest growing sport in America.     The Del Webb baby boomer study also cited todays seniors being more likely to play pickleball than shuffleboard and sky dive than play bingo.     It makes sense with smaller courts and four people that  it is less physically  challenging than tennis and easier on the joints.    Both men and women love this  fun way to get exercise.

The sport was invented 45 years ago on Bainbridge Island, Wash. The name comes from the inventor’s dog, Pickles, who would run off with any Wiffle Ball that came his way.

So who is responsible for bringing another wonderful activity to Glenbrooke?  Jim Putt is the leader and is taking the application to the HOA Board to become a GCA recognized group.   Currently they are using tape to mark smaller courts (one tennis court could provide 4 pickleball courts).  Adding Permanent pickle ball striping to the existing tennis courts would create a multiuse facility and increase usage - all good.

For more information about the Glenbrooke Pickleball group call Jim Putt at 670-7851

Fore more information about pickleball click here for USAPA website.

Wow, this is such a great activity we have added another day.   We will be enjoying Walk 'n Talk in the pool on Wednesdays at 7:00PM (so all those working will have a chance to join us) as well as Sundays at 6:00PM.    You can do as much or as little as you are able.     

Last night the temperature was great (when we got out  of the pool) so  we sat around the patio and had a nice visit  until the Lodge closed.

Some people  have physical issues  and just visit and try to move around.  Others  do their own  water aerobics  routine, swim or  just visit.   This is informal, there is no instructor,  no fees  and all are welcome!

If you know someone that doesn't use the computer, please help us pass the word as this is not a formal Association group and therefore will not be listed in the Gazette.

The successful Wellness Day activity last month has spawned the formation of a new group.    The Wellness group will meet  each Wednesday at 11:00AM in the Arbour Lodge.   The purpose is to support each other maintaining or adopting healthy lifestyle changes and to promote good health.   

There is no charge for the group and the subjects of discussion will vary each week depending on the member’s suggestions.   For next Wedneday, June 9th,  bring a soup recipe if you have one. 

 For more information, contact Regina at 714-010.