Kelli Foster is a staff writer and editor for The Kitchn, which more than twenty million people visit each month, and the author of The Probiotic Kitchen and Buddha Bowls. A graduate of the French Culinary Institute, Kelli lives in New York City.

Probiotics have been part of my life for a long time. Like many people, I am a huge fan of sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, yogurt, kombucha, and many other fermented foods and beverages.

I'm also a fan of Kelli's other cookbook, Buddha Bowls which you can read more about in this blogpost about bowl meals trending.

The Probiotic Kitchen

The recipes in Kelli's newest cookbook, The Probiotic Kitchen, will help you to incorporate more probiotics into the meals you eat daily.

Kelli's Tangy Deviled Eggs are amazing! I made them for Christmas, but I put a little twist on them. I soaked the eggs in pickled beet juice. The intention was to make the eggs a deep red, but I underestimated how long I would need to soak them. Next time I made these, I will soak my boiled eggs in beet brine for a full day to get a deep red color.

The yogurt was even more delicious to me than using mayonnaise in the deviled eggs. I loved the addition of a little splash of sauerkraut juice in my yolk mixture to add probiotics and flavor.

You can watch this interview episode on Youtube:

A delicious cookbook you'll want on your shelf

I also enjoyed Kelli's smashed chickpea salad sandwiches, a quick and easy lunch. I'm still exploring many of the recipes from Kelli's stash on Kitchn. For example, she has this amazing Meal Prep to help you get 2020 started off healthily. The post has every last detail planned out for you.

With all of the probiotic foods available in stores today, you don't have to make your own at home. However, they're not all difficult. I started making kombucha back in 2003 and my kids grew up drinking it. I started making my own kimchi in 2015 and I love it. It's so delicious!

The Probiotic Kitchen makes probiotic cooking easier and tastier than it's ever been before. As they do with vitamins and minerals, doctors recommend naturally occurring probiotics in real food over artificial supplements. In earlier books on the subject, almost all of the probiotic foods were fermented things like pickles, kimchi, kombucha, and the like.

Recent discoveries have greatly expanded the range of foods that are now known to be rich in probiotics. These include cheeses, green peas, and even chocolate, among many others. Foster's enticing and reliable book covers fermented foods, to be sure, but also adds loads of recipes for more familiar and more versatile ingredients—more than 100 recipes in all, each one as delectable as the next.

Show Notes

What are probiotics, and what do they do for us?

Kids and Allowance: To Give or Not To Give

Do you give your child an allowance? How about your childhood, did you receive an allowance? Or maybe you're in the "no allowance" camp?

No matter where you are on the issue of allowance, I'm sure you will agree that teaching children about managing finances is an essential part of parenting. And now it's easier than ever with so much help at our fingertips.

So today, on A Healthy Bite, we get some fantastic tips from a financial advisor who has written a book with so many ways to teach our children about finances.

Beyond Piggy Banks and Lemonade Stands

Liz Frazier is the author of Beyond Piggy Banks and Lemonade Stands. Liz is a certified financial planner specializing in financial planning for families and working professionals. Her goal is to alleviate the anxiety that surrounds finances and provide painless and straightforward advice for all of life's stages and changes.

Playing with Money

I wanted to share details about an idea that I presented to Liz in this episode (around minute 13:00).  Snack Shop was my idea to teach my children how to count money and limit the number of snacks they asked for, but it turned into much more.

Snack Shop

I set this up with my first four children when they were between the ages of 6 and 12. Here's how it worked.

* First, I took a poster board and made a sign for my new "Snack Shop" and placed it prominently in our laundry room above a shelf stocked with snacks. Just like what you'd see in a grocery store.

* Each week, while shopping, I would buy various snacks that the children would enjoy. I placed these snacks on the shelves with prices written on a little dot sticker. My goal was to price everything in a range that they could "afford" to buy a couple of things every day for seven days. With the pricing, they could purchase several small items or one bigger snack, like a bar.

* At the beginning of the week, I would give each child a certain amount of money for the snack shop. Let's say $5.00. The cash was in all denominations from pennies to one-dollar bills, so they could learn to count it to make sure that I gave them the proper amount. (And sometimes I tried giving them too little to teach them to count the money accurately.)

* Every day at a specific time, I'd announce "Snack Shop!" and they'd come running with their money. Each item had a price; for example, trail mix would be fifty-seven cents, and a pack of gum would be thirty-two cents. The child would choose the items they wished to enjoy that day and count out how much to "pay" me for their snack. They would sometimes have the right change, other times they'd get change back. I required them to do the counting completely and taught them as we played along.

* The money would go into the snack shop jar, which I would later use to purchase more snacks and replenish their snack shop funds. If the child were trying to save up for something, perhaps they would choose not to spend money at the snack shop until they saved up enough money to make the purchase. It was an option to skip "snack shop" and opt to keep the money for their own purposes.

Learning about Money and Building Memories

I have such good memories of our "Snack Shop" as the kids would all gather around me, and we'd have so much fun. They were always excited and came running when I would announce "Snack Shop!"

"Snack Shop" was my way of teaching my children how to manage a fixed income! This type of play taught my children how to budget because they wanted to have a little snack every day,

Opioids are a growing epidemic in the United States. According to a study, the annual mortality rate for children and adolescents due to opioids rose 268% in the last twenty years. Additionally, only 16% of parents have talked to their teens about prescription pain medication abuse.

What does it mean to be addicted or to have an addiction? Why do some people become addicted more easily than others?

What is Substance Use Disorder

These are some of the questions Dr. Laura Happe answers for us on this episode of A Healthy BIte. We are discussing her book, "If You Give an Ox an Oxy" and substance use disorder.

Substance use disorder, is a disease that affects a person's brain and behavior and leads to an inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug or medication. Substances such as alcohol, marijuana and nicotine also are considered drugs. When you're addicted, you may continue using the drug despite the harm it causes.

Drug addiction can start with experimental use of a recreational drug in social situations, and, for some people, the drug use becomes more frequent. For others, particularly with opioids, drug addiction begins with exposure to prescribed medications, or receiving medications from a friend or relative who has been prescribed the medication.

The risk of addiction and how fast you become addicted varies by drug. Some drugs, such as opioid painkillers, have a higher risk and cause addiction more quickly than others.

As time passes, you may need larger doses of the drug to get high. Soon you may need the drug just to feel good. As your drug use increases, you may find that it's increasingly difficult to go without the drug. Attempts to stop drug use may cause intense cravings and make you feel physically ill (withdrawal symptoms).

You may need help from your doctor, family, friends, support groups or an organized treatment program to overcome your drug addiction and stay drug-free. ~ Mayo Clinic

If You Give an Ox an Oxy

PharmD and mother of two Dr. Laura Happe is trying to change that statistic with a book for adolescents and parents to talk about prescription medication use.

Dr. Happe's book follows the style of the classic children's book series "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie."

"If You Give an Ox an Oxy" is an engaging picture book that educates kids about the dangers of opioid use and gives parents the tools to start meaningful discussions about this national crisis.

As I mention in the podcast episode, touchy subjects like this one are the ones I prefer to avoid. After reading this book with my youngest child, I realized it wasn't as uncomfortable as I imagined. My daughter asked a few questions, then moved on with her day. It felt good knowing that she now was equipped with information that I might have otherwise avoided talking about.

In the book If You Give an Ox an Oxy, readers follow Ox as he begins by taking just a few opioids for an injury until a few turns into a lot, and a lot turns into an addiction. The book teaches children an invaluable lesson.

On a mission to combat drug abuse

As a pharmacist, researcher, and educator, Dr. Happe has dedicated herself to helping people make better decisions when it comes to pharmaceutical use.

What you eat could cause or prevent chronic inflammation

Chronic inflammation is a significant health risk and can wreak havoc on your body, contributing to several major diseases. Those who experience chronic illness understand the importance of reducing inflammation. With the Instant Pot Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook, preventing and reducing inflammation doesn't have to be a challenge.

Did you know that your diet could be one of the leading causes of chronic inflammation? Particularly if it is one that includes highly processed foods full of sugar or the wrong kinds of fats.

Eat this not that

Eating a variety of whole foods that are known to reduce chronic inflammation while at the same time, avoiding inflammatory foods can make a significant difference in your health.

The Instant Pot® can be used to create anti-inflammatory meals that are quick, easy, and, most importantly, delicious! With 175 recipes and photographs throughout, this book is perfect for anyone wanting to put their Instant Pot® to good use.

In addition, it is ideal for anyone following an anti-inflammatory diet.

When healthy and convenient collide

Maryea's recipes are developed to be incredibly healthy and using the instant pot, they're also convenient. I have had my instant pot since July 2016 and I still use it on a weekly basis. Having a cookbook full of healthy recipes to try has contributed to it's use!

Newbies and experts alike will appreciate how this easy-to-follow cookbook brings you step-by-step instructions with simple recipes anyone can follow.

The I Love My Instant Pot Anti-Inflammatory Diet Recipe Book shows you how to make whole-food dishes from breakfast to dinner and from snacks to dessert.

Discover how easy it is to follow an anti-inflammatory diet using everyone's favorite cooking appliance. Instant Pot Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook makes creating healthy recipes in your Instant Pot more accessible than ever!

Delicious Recipes that help tame inflammation

Some of my favorite tasty recipes from this cookbook are:

Asian Chopped Kale Salad (my favorite - pictured above)

Lemony Salmon and Asparagus

Broccoli Sesame Bites

Sweet potato hummus

Raspberry Steel Cut Oatmeal Bars

Coconut Curry Sweet Potato Soup (big fan of this one)

Orange Ginger Salmon

Vegan Asian Noodle Bowls

If you are a big fan of cookbooks, i.e. cookbook addiction, you will enjoy the Tasty Bite Cookbook Club - it's completely online. To baby step your way to better health, opt to receive future posts from this site delivered to your inbox, so you won't miss a thing.

Show Notes and Questions We Discuss

We hear people talking about inflammation frequently. What is it exactly? Is all inflammation bad or is there some good inflammation that happens in the body?

What are some of the benefits of following an anti-inflammatory diet? Is this just for people with chronic illness, or can everyone benefit from avoiding inflammatory foods?

Tell us about foods that increase inflammation.

What about foods to fight inflammation?

Why an instant pot? What's so great about using one?

Why would someone with a chronic illness benefit from using an instant pot?

You included some desserts in your Instant Pot Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook, what are you using to sweeten these?

Read more about the I Love My Instant Pot Anti-Inflammatory Recipes.

Meet the author

Maryea Flaherty is the blogger behind Happy Healthy Mama, a healthy lifestyle blog that inspires others to live their healthiest life. She's been blogging since 2010 and her work has been featured on Self, BuzzFeed, Greatist, Foodgawker, Tastespotting, Finding Vegan, and in Low Sugar Living magazine.

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Growing up, people frequently asked how my sister and I could be so different. That is something that I often wondered myself until I spent years unraveling my childhood scripts with Dr. J.

Childhood scripts are also known as Life Scripts and are subconscious creations of our childhood. Eric Berne developed the theory of life scripts in the 60s. For the most part, we are unaware that we are writing them or that they even exist.

"A Life Script is a set of childhood decisions made unconsciously by a person in response to parental messages about self, others, and the world. These decisions are influenced by the child's perception and interpretation of what's happening around him."

If you've ever wondered how two children can grow up in the same house, with the same parents, and end up as opposites, now you know!

The key to understanding all of this is that kids may get the same message, yet each interprets that message differently. That is because these childhood scripts are more about interpretation than the actual message.

Parental messages are only one way we acquire childhood scripts

Here's a message my dad gave us, "do it right or don't do it at all."

Our interpretations:

Me: Try harder; execute everything flawlessly; otherwise, I'm a failure.

My sister: Don't bother, it's a waste of time.

This interpretation is just one small example of how childhood scripts can dictate how you behave in your adult life. The messages can be much more crippling than the example given here.

Don't despair; these childhood scripts do not have to be a permanent part of your existence. They do not have to be a reality. Although, when these scripts run through your mind, they feel very real. You can challenge these scripts, and eventually, change them.

Rewriting Childhood Scripts

Jennifer Noel Taylor is here to explain how you can separate yourself from these scripts and see them as an observer rather than trying to talk yourself out of the scripts.

As you witness your childhood scripts, you will become more objective about them. Jennifer mentions using shopping to deal with her emotions. In her example, she "catches" herself on Amazon, looking for another pair of shoes to add to the thirty in her closet.

In this example, Jennifer shows us how she observes herself in these scripts:

You're not pretty enough

You don't deserve love

Jennifer explains how she nurtures herself using positive self-talk and how she deals with thoughts of those experiences that led her to these beliefs. She has learned to rewrite these scripts.

Understand and Rewrite Your Childhood Scripts

Understanding your childhood scripts empowers you to change them. Once you recognize these scenarios (or as I call them replaying records), you can unravel, interpret differently, and even rewrite or consciously choose a separate course of action and get a different outcome.

Identify the emotion

Unravel the feeling starting from the last time you felt it, to as far back as you can remember until you arrive at the first time you felt this way.

Recognize the life script

Rewrite the script as an adult, base your new writing on what you know now, as an adult.

Practice the new script every time the emotion presents itself.

All of this is easier said than done, of course! Seeking professional help to support you in unraveling your childhood scripts so that you can make meaningful changes is a smart decision. While it may take courage, the results are worth the risk of being momentarily uncomfortable.

Jennifer Noel Taylor

This was Jennifer's second time on A Healthy Bite Podcast, listen to her first episode, How to Stop Struggling with Money and Live Your Purpose, we discussed her book Spiritual and Broke.

Jennifer Noel Taylor, an energy healing practitioner, self-help motivator, and the CEO of Quantum-Touch, Inc. She has dedicated her life work to helping people discover the healing power of their love.

Jennifer Cohen Harper’s book about mindfulness needs to be part of your family bedtime routine! As parents, we want our children to sleep well because we know they will feel better and be healthier. When they sleep better we sleep better. Children can experience difficulty falling asleep for a number of reasons. Restlessness, over-stimulation, worry,...

The epidemic of obese and overweight children in the US

In the United States, around 18.5% of children ages 2-19 are considered obese. One in three children in the US is deemed to be overweight.

Children with a body mass index-for age percentile higher than 95% are "affected by obesity" and "overweight" if the BMI-for-age percentile is more than 85% but less than 95%. Your pediatrician can measure your child's weight in terms of percentile, or you can use this chart to determine it for yourself.

Genetics may play a role in obesity; however, genes account for less than 5% of cases of childhood obesity. 2

Children learn by modeling parents' and peers' preferences, intake, and willingness to try new foods. Availability of, and repeated exposure to, healthy foods is key to developing preferences and can overcome the dislike of foods. 3

Overweight and obese children are at a higher risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, sleep apnea, and even cancer at a younger age. 4 Obesity also affects a child's mental health. Children who are obese may experience lower self-esteem.

The three E's of addressing overweight and obesity in children are Environment, Exercise, and Eating.

Reduce screen time and make physical activity a priority. Consider an extracurricular activity such as dance or martial arts, that requires a child to move their body more to address the environment and exercise.

The more complicated aspect of overweight and obese children is what they eat.

In this episode of A Healthy Bite, I am chatting with Adita Lang, who is on a mission to inspire families to live life with their true potential in the forefront.

Adita is the author of Super Powers, A Busy Woman's Guide to Health and Happiness, and the book we are discussing today: Super Powers of the Family Kitchen. Find out more about Adita's programs on her website.

Adita has a recipe section on her site that can be helpful for parents who are looking for healthier options.

Growing an Adult from Scratch - Kids Snacks that rock!

"Feed your kids nutrient dense foods and they will reap the benefits of amazing growth and development!" Food for your kids needs to be packed with nutrients, protein, and quality fats. Nutrients for growth and development, and fat and protein to stabilize blood sugars and maintain mental alertness and focus. Here are some fun treats that "hide" some of the best parts - Your kids will find them tasty and you will find them powerful!

Show notes and questions we discuss on this episode

How can parents go about being their family's food coach?

What do you find is the most common misconception or misunderstanding when it comes to nutrition facts and packaging claims?

Explain dairy as a food group concerning how it metabolizes.

You have a chapter on creating a Family Food Plan that is not like a traditional diet; you call it a Live-It. Can you explain the concept and then the process.

Let's talk about kids and emotional eating - what are some guidelines for parents.

Adita Yrizarry-Lang is a nutritional guru, mind-body coach, an advocate for healthy living and author who has devoted more than 30 years to the wellness industry. She has been featured in Shape and Fitness magazines and has had fitness products for sale through TJ Maxx and Marshalls.

Adita holds a degree in holistic nutrition, is a Lv3 holistic lifestyle coach through the Chek Institute, and has been accredited by several health organizations. She has trained thousands of fitness professionals worldwide and often speaks at schools, Fortune 500 companies, and private organizations on the benefits of quality foods, longevity, and amazing health.

If you can take the time to rate and review A Healthy Bite, it will help other parents see the podcast. Our mission is to empower families to live their healthiest life, mentally and physically. Leaving a review, comment, or sharing helps us reach our goals.

Jennifer Cohen Harper's book about mindfulness needs to be part of your family bedtime routine! As parents, we want our children to sleep well because we know they will feel better and be healthier. When they sleep better we sleep better. Children can experience difficulty falling asleep for a number of reasons. Restlessness, over-stimulation, worry, fear, separation anxiety, and other factors can contribute to keeping a child awake.

One way to help them sleep better is to teach your child to practice mindfulness. Many parents practice mindfulness and experience the benefits.

In this podcast episode, we are talking about how mindfulness can help children sleep better and a sweet little book that will help children practice before bedtime.

Practicing Gratitude

Jennifer Cohen Harper is an educator, public speaker, mother, and founder of NYC’s Little Flower Yoga, and author of the new children’s book, Thank You Body, Thank You Heart.

As a leader in the yoga and mindfulness world for 14 years, Jennifer has been inspiring and teaching children, their caregivers, and teachers how these powerful practices improve our mental and physical well-being.

As a mother of two young daughters, she understands the importance of children achieving peaceful rest, so they will be equipped to face their over-stimulating and pressure-filled world. Her latest project, Thank You Body, Thank You Heart, is the perfect nighttime practice to calm and connect with our bodies in a meaningful way.

There are many things that will shape a child’s relationship with their own body,” says Cohen Harper. “Many of them are outside of our control, but the more we can do to create a healthy identity early on, the more resilient our kids will be when faced with wildly competing messages about their worth.

One consideration is that often, as our kids get older, they relate more and more to their bodies based on the way it looks. Actually, I find the world already relates to my young daughters based on how they look!

If we can remember to help kids orient to their body in terms of function and feeling, we can help them become more embodied people, with better self-awareness, and an increased ability to understand and meet their own needs.

Watch this podcast episode so you can see the adorable illustrations.

Show Notes and Questions

In what way can we teach kids that their unique body, mind, and heart have a role in bringing peace to the world around them?

How can we help our children to have a healthy relationship with their bodies?

Your book is almost like a meditation guide to encourage our children to be grateful for everything the body is capable of, is that your intention, do some of these ideas come from your yoga practice?

Along with your book, do you have any other suggestions for young children who may experience some night time anxiety or trouble sleeping?

You seem to balance it all so well motherhood entrepreneurship, staying physically fit with yoga, how do you do it?

Meet the author

Jennifer Cohen Harper, MA, E-RCYT, is an educator, author, public speaker, and mother, who works to support all children and teens in the development of strong inner resources through the tools of yoga and mindfulness. Her goal is to help kids, and those who care for them, thrive in the world regardless of circumstances and navigate the many challenges they face with a sense of personal power and self-awareness.

Little Flower Yoga was founded in 2006 by Jennifer Cohen Harper, after her successful use of yoga and mindfulness at Harlem Children’s Zone in NYC had led to requests by other students, teachers, and administrators for programs of their own.

As the Founder and CEO (Chief Everything Officer) of LFY, Jennifer brings embodied mindfulness programming and education to schools and community organizations nationwide, serving students, families, educators, and mental health providers.

There are so many reasons to study foreign languages at every age. With all the tools we have available to aid us, there's no excuse not to learn a second (or even a third) language. Foreign languages are one of the most important parts of our homeschooling experience.

In fact, I even downloaded Duolingo on my mom's phone so she could keep her mind fresh learning another language! Learning to speak a second language is so rewarding, especially when you have the opportunity to put all that effort into use.

That is why I was thrilled to speak with Stefanie Naumann, the granddaughter of Tadeusz Haska.  Her grandfather spoke nine languages! He was born in 1919 in Mikołajki, Poland, and was orphaned at the young age of thirteen.

Education was so important to him, that he and his younger brother continued going to school while living alone. They were able to pay their way by tutoring other students.

Unfortunately, a bomb dropped on the university he attended and he had to put his education on pause. However, his knowledge of languages helped him survive World War II. He persevered and miraculously survived in many situations.

Languages saved his life on multiple occasions, as told in his memoir.

Haska's granddaughter, Stefanie Naumann, co-authored the book How Languages Saved Me: A Polish Story of Survival. It is her grandfather's biography that he was unable to finish at the time of his passing at age 93. Stefanie was able to finish the book using video interviews, letters, and other documents made during Haska's lifetime.

How Languages Saved Me: A Polish Story of Survival earned 1st place in the 2019 Royal Dragonfly book awards in the autobiography and historical nonfiction categories. Not at all surprising since his story is astonishing and inspirational.

When I was arrested, my whole world crumbled. I knew that leaders of political parties had been arrested, and never heard from again. My only chance at survival was to find a way to escape from the jail.

Tadeusz "Tad" Haska survived World War II on the run, narrowly evading the Nazis every step of the way. After the war, he daringly escaped jail by the Soviet Secret Police, fled to Sweden, and launched an elaborate plan to smuggle his wife in a coffin on an all-male naval ship.

Languages Saved His Life

Through reading the book, we are able to observe how Mr. Haska's knowledge of nine languages helped him survive in the face of unspeakable adversity.

Interestingly, his ninth language was English and was the language in which he earned his Ph.D. in Linguistics at the University of California, Berkeley.

He taught and served as chairman, in the Polish Department at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA for 35 years. His work was featured on the TV program The Big Picture. (source) See footage on Stefanie Naumman's website.

My children also wanted to read this book and were inspired to continue their pursuit of learning other languages. We have studied Spanish, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, German and Russian languages over the years we have homeschooled. I'd love to know what languages you know or which ones you study, so make sure to mention them in the comments below.

Stefanie Naumann is an award-winning author and Professor of Management in the Eberhardt School of Business at the University of the Pacific, where she has taught for 20 years. She earned her Ph.D. from Louisiana State University and has published over 30 journal articles.

She is a 20+ year member of the Academy of Management, a lifetime member of the Polish American Genealogical Society of America. Stefanie has earned awards for her research, teaching, and service. Her book, How Languages Saved Me: A Polish Story of Survival, is an award-winning finalist in American Book Fest's 2019 Best Book Awards.

Show Notes

So tell me how you came to decide that you would share his story?

Your grandfather knew nine languages, can you list them for us?

There are so many reasons to study foreign languages at every age. With all the tools we have available to aid us, there's no excuse not to learn a second (or even a third) language. Foreign languages are one of the most important parts of our homeschooling experience.

In fact, I even downloaded Duolingo on my mom's phone so she could keep her mind fresh learning another language! Learning to speak a second language is so rewarding, especially when you have the opportunity to put all that effort into use.

That is why I was thrilled to speak with Stefanie Naumann, the granddaughter of Tadeusz Haska.  Her grandfather spoke nine languages! He was born in 1919 in Mikołajki, Poland, and was orphaned at the young age of thirteen. Education was so important to him, that he and his younger brother continued going to school while living alone. They were able to pay their way by tutoring other students.

Unfortunately, a bomb dropped on the university he attended and he had to put his education on pause. However, his knowledge of languages helped him survive World War II. He persevered and miraculously survived in many situations.

Languages saved his life on multiple occasions, as told in his memoir.

Haska's granddaughter, Stefanie Naumann, co-authored the book How Languages Saved Me: A Polish Story of Survival. It is her grandfather's biography that he was unable to finish at the time of his passing at age 93. Stefanie was able to finish the book using video interviews, letters, and other documents made during Haska's lifetime.

How Languages Saved Me: A Polish Story of Survival earned 1st place in the 2019 Royal Dragonfly book awards in the autobiography and historical nonfiction categories. Not at all surprising since his story is astonishing and inspirational.

When I was arrested, my whole world crumbled. I knew that leaders of political parties had been arrested, and never heard from again. My only chance at survival was to find a way to escape from the jail.

Tadeusz "Tad" Haska survived World War II on the run, narrowly evading the Nazis every step of the way. After the war, he daringly escaped jail by the Soviet Secret Police, fled to Sweden, and launched an elaborate plan to smuggle his wife in a coffin on an all-male naval ship.

Languages Saved His Life

Through reading the book, we are able to observe how Mr. Haska's knowledge of nine languages helped him survive in the face of unspeakable adversity.

Interestingly, his ninth language was English and was the language in which he earned his Ph.D. in Linguistics at the University of California, Berkeley.

He taught and served as chairman, in the Polish Department at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA for 35 years. His work was featured on the TV program The Big Picture. (source) See footage on Stefanie Naumman's website.

My children also wanted to read this book and were inspired to continue their pursuit of learning other languages. We have studied Spanish, Korean,

Rebecca Huff

clean

15:42

Being Successful in Spite of a Difficult Childhood

https://www.thatorganicmom.com/difficult-childhood-mark-diehl/

Mon, 25 Nov 2019 13:00:00 +0000

https://www.thatorganicmom.com/?p=16929

Those who have a relationship with someone suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), will know how difficult it can make every aspect of life.

Mental Health and Setting Boundaries with Family

Mark Diehl, the author of the memoir Stealing Cinderella: How I Became an International Fugitive for Love, has been there. His mother, who suffered from BPD, often harped on worries not grounded in reality. For example, she was paranoid that his daughter's ice skating lessons might bankrupt his family.

She would act on these fears, recruiting others to help her press Mark for answers. Her constant badgering drove Mark to distraction. At one point, her intrusion caused him to flush his daughter's beloved pet frog down the toilet by accident.

After Mark's mother's behavior became increasingly manipulative, relentless, and abusive, Mark decided the best thing for his own family would be to cut ties.

But it wasn't easy.

Mark shares some painful truths he learned about the process of stepping away from a relationship where boundaries wouldn't work.

In spite of these difficulties, as an adult, Mark is able to have a healthy relationship with his wife and daughter.

Meeting Cinderella

In Mark's memoir novel, Stealing Cinderella, he shares the story of how he meets his wife in South Korea.

While they had little in common to bond them together, Mark found they had a particular shared formative experience. This bonding experience was one of separate and different, though equally neglectful, and damaging childhoods.

Mark's experience was being raised by a mother with Borderline Personality Disorder while at the same time being completely neglected by his father.

Jennifer's childhood scars were "from being viewed and treated by her family as a disappointment from birth, useful only as a bargaining chip in the matchmaking game for her siblings... She grew up like Cinderella. Before she was of marrying age, her parents dressed her like a boy or in her older sister's discarded clothing; only when it came time to present her to prospective husbands did they buy her nice clothes, shoes, and handbags. She was reminded of her inferior status constantly, including through her parents' coercive and punitive behavior."

Both Mark and Jennifer experienced incredibly difficult childhood circumstances.

Jennifer and I had experienced painful abandonment by our families and the sting of our parents' arbitrary, bewildering, and often violent behavior toward us. ~ Relationships, Shared Trauma, and Tough Times

Another complication of their relationship? Their interracial relationship brought about many difficulties, including angry stares and even threats to their lives. Taxis would ignore them, and restaurants refused to serve them. Even their employer forbade them to see one another.

Jennifer risked being attacked by total strangers because of her relationship with Mark. She was in fact, brutally beaten by her parents and locked in her room. These events took place in her early twenties after it was discovered that she was seeing a "foreigner."

As a white man, Mark was viewed with suspicion, which turned into outright hostility whenever he was seen walking or dining with Jennifer. ~ Kirkus Book Review

Mark and Jennifer learned that once in a while, a difficult childhood can crush you just enough to let yourself need your life partner desperately. A mutual need can build great trust and strength.

Mark needed Jennifer's stability and rational mind. She needed his righteous indignation and belief that she deserved to make her own choices.

The book is inspiring, action-packed, romantic, and triumphant ~ a must-read for anyone who struggles with setting boundaries in relationships or who has experienced a troubling childhood.

Spoiler:

Mark and Jennifer are happily married and recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary with a trip back to Hong Kong. Read more about them,

Those who have a relationship with someone suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), will know how difficult it can make every aspect of life. Mental Health and Setting Boundaries with Family Mark Diehl,

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), will know how difficult it can make every aspect of life.

Mental Health and Setting Boundaries with Family

Mark Diehl, the author of the memoir Stealing Cinderella: How I Became an International Fugitive for Love, has been there. His mother, who suffered from BPD, often harped on worries not grounded in reality. For example, she was paranoid that his daughter's ice skating lessons might bankrupt his family.

She would act on these fears, recruiting others to help her press Mark for answers. Her constant badgering drove Mark to distraction. At one point, her intrusion caused him to flush his daughter's beloved pet frog down the toilet by accident.

After Mark's mother's behavior became increasingly manipulative, relentless, and abusive, Mark decided the best thing for his own family would be to cut ties.

But it wasn't easy.

Mark shares some painful truths he learned about the process of stepping away from a relationship where boundaries wouldn't work.

In spite of these difficulties, as an adult, Mark is able to have a healthy relationship with his wife and daughter.

Meeting Cinderella

In Mark's memoir novel, Stealing Cinderella, he shares the story of how he meets his wife in South Korea.

While they had little in common to bond them together, Mark found they had a particular shared formative experience. This bonding experience was one of separate and different, though equally neglectful, and damaging childhoods.

Mark's experience was being raised by a mother with Borderline Personality Disorder while at the same time being completely neglected by his father.

Jennifer's childhood scars were "from being viewed and treated by her family as a disappointment from birth, useful only as a bargaining chip in the matchmaking game for her siblings... She grew up like Cinderella. Before she was of marrying age, her parents dressed her like a boy or in her older sister's discarded clothing; only when it came time to present her to prospective husbands did they buy her nice clothes, shoes, and handbags. She was reminded of her inferior status constantly, including through her parents' coercive and punitive behavior."

Both Mark and Jennifer experienced incredibly difficult childhood circumstances.

Jennifer and I had experienced painful abandonment by our families and the sting of our parents' arbitrary, bewildering, and often violent behavior toward us. ~ Relationships, Shared Trauma, and Tough Times

Another complication of their relationship? Their interracial relationship brought about many difficulties, including angry stares and even threats to their lives. Taxis would ignore them, and restaurants refused to serve them. Even their employer forbade them to see one another.

Jennifer risked being attacked by total strangers because of her relationship with Mark. She was in fact, brutally beaten by her parents and locked in her r...