Hello again!
Our sermon at church today was about how to avoid burnout and was entitled "Solomon's Anti-Burnout Seminar" (see http://www.fellowshipoffaith.net/ to listen in entirety). Our lead pastor Greg Scott said the way to avoid burnout is to have balance. This I struggle with. I tend to "hyper-focus"--those of you fellow ADDers out there will identify with me on that one, I'm sure. I sometimes feel like I especially am out of balance when it comes to my health and wellness these days--it feels like that's all I think about, and my family feels like that's all I talk about!
SO, I have to admit that sometimes I have to take a time-out--when it begins to make me so crazy that I'm stressing over it, I realize that that is counterproductive, and I have to be a little less healthy for a couple days 'til I'm feeling more...well, balanced, again.
And I've got to admit that when I heard Eccles. 1:18 this morning, "For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief", I thought, "Sometimes that's exactly how I feel about all this knowledge I've gained about health and wellness. My friend Cindy in Nashville puts it this way--"ignorance is bliss!". On my good days, I feel that knowledge is power, and I would never go back to the unhealthy state I was in--that's it all been worth it. BUT...I do have days when I say "ignorance is bliss!". Oh for the days when I ate regular pizza and ice cream and didn't know that was what was making me feel so crappy!
The other thing I want to talk about tonight is the old adage "everything in moderation". If I could have done this from birth--antibiotics in moderation (or not at all!), simple carbs in moderation, coffee! in moderation, etc., boy, I'd be sitting pretty right now. But that's not how it worked out, and now I'm "paying the piper", and will be for many years before I get my body back in balance. THEN I can do everything in moderation. Well, not EVERYTHING--I hope to forever leave refined sugars and flours, caffeine and unhealthy fats behind except for the very occasional "infraction" on birthdays and holidays. It'll be nice to have those infractions without having to worry if my Epi-pen is expired!
So for those people who live by that adage and think I'm crazy for being so careful about what I take in, I hope this helps you understand my perspective a little bit more.
Coming up soon...H1N1--preparing your body for it and getting over it quick; and "What's Wrong With Wheat?"
'til then,
blessing and prayers!
shari
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Testimony about how my holistic healing journey began
Thought I should start my blog by repeating the testimony I gave at my church, Fellowship of Faith in Rio Grande, OH, on Aug. 9 of this year. Here it is:
Good morning! Lat week after hearing Pastor G's sermon on physical integrity, I talked with him about how I felt God has called me to tell others about my own journey. This is my testimony. If you get what you need nutritionally through the foods and supplements that YOUR body most needs, remove the offending foods from your daily diet, and detoxify, the food addictions go away. The cravings either GREATLY decrease or are simply no longer there. Muscle strength improves and weight is lost, EVEN WITHOUT EXERCISE. It's a miracle and wonderful to experience! I can't afford organic food very often YET, but I've still made awesome progress. YAY GOD!
My story is: Three years ago I had: 1. environmental and food allergies--and was on two allergy medications and shots; 2. I had frequent sinus infections and ear infections (I have chronic middle ear disease that is now in remission) and was on round after round of antibiotics; 3. I had frequent headaches and sore throats (which I took over-the-counter medications for); 4. I had muscle aches and felt feverish often (and also used otc meds. for these); 5. had acid reflux (took a prescription med. for ); 6. had skin rashes and broke out in hives often (was given steroid shots for these); 7. had even yuckier things like ringworm and toe funguses (more prescripts.--and these were very harsh on my stomach); 8. severe PMS (PMDD), depression, mood swings which aren't totally gone but are MUCH much better (Yay God!!--more PEACE in our home!); 9. AND constant cravings for sweets and starches and simple carbs. (When we moved to Nashville I thought I'd died and gone to food-addict heaven--Krispy Kreme and Cracker Barrel were right next door to each other, with Starbucks right down the road!). I also struggled with constant stomach problems (imagine that!), and my doctor thought I had irritable bowel syndrome at one time.
That's just part of it, but you get the idea--I was NOT healthy, and I weighed at least 30 more pounds than I do now--15 lbs. of which I had packed on in just a few weeks time, after starting a second antidepressant in addition to the fairly high dose of the first one I was already on.
Our church in Nashville was having a speaker on nutrition, so I went, although I tried every way in the world to get out of going. God made sure I was there and then He gave me the guts to go see her a few days later for a nutritional evaluation. This was a life-altering, eye-opening time for me--getting the help I needed from someone trained in the field of nutrition and holistic healing has affected every aspect of my life in a powerful, positive way, and has convinced me that what we DO and DO NOT put in our bodies is vital to living the abundant life Christ promises us. I have learned so much these past three years, and knowledge is crucial to success in conquering the addicitons in our lives. As the Bible tells us in Hosea 4:6, MY PEOPLE ARE DESTROYED FOR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE (niv).
I am now off all 10 medications (Yay God!) and do not have to take OTC meds.either. I DO take many supplements, but only with a professional's oversight and input. Our bodies simply do not get what they need now from our food, NO MATTER how healthy we eat--thus the need for supplements. The supplements alone did not fix all that was wrong with me, though. I had to make different choices in the food and beverages I was taking in (no more "two pots of coffee" days!), and I HAD to detoxify. It all had to work together to heal my body, which in turn affected my emotions, my thought processes and my actions. This, then, ultimately affected my relationships for the better (YAY GOD!!!!!!!). The Lord has revealed to me over these past three years that if we are unhealthy physically (if our bodies are lacking the nutrients they need), then that affects us neurologically. We in turn CAN'T stop the addictive behaviors or control other things like anger no matter how many times or how hard we try.
Please don't misunderstand me. I DO believe that the power of the Holy Spirit does have the ability to help us control cravings and anger due to physical problems, but often we don't walk 100% in the Spirit; and I believe God uses our physical struggles to point us toward getting physical healing. He definitely did this with me.
I pray that you'll start this journey with me--if God has brought you to this blog, He has done it for a reason. As you begin your journey, my advice is: DON'T GET OVERWHELMED!! Baby steps! Just try to pick two or three harmful things in your diet and decrease, decrease, decrease! A little more each day! Keep a daily journal if you can so that you can look back a month or six from now and see your progress and be reminded of how far you've come so you'll stay encouraged! PRAY FOR GOD TO LEAD YOU AND BLESS YOUR JOURNEY TOWARD BETTER HEALTH, AND HE WILL! I will pray this for you as well...
shari
Good morning! Lat week after hearing Pastor G's sermon on physical integrity, I talked with him about how I felt God has called me to tell others about my own journey. This is my testimony. If you get what you need nutritionally through the foods and supplements that YOUR body most needs, remove the offending foods from your daily diet, and detoxify, the food addictions go away. The cravings either GREATLY decrease or are simply no longer there. Muscle strength improves and weight is lost, EVEN WITHOUT EXERCISE. It's a miracle and wonderful to experience! I can't afford organic food very often YET, but I've still made awesome progress. YAY GOD!
My story is: Three years ago I had: 1. environmental and food allergies--and was on two allergy medications and shots; 2. I had frequent sinus infections and ear infections (I have chronic middle ear disease that is now in remission) and was on round after round of antibiotics; 3. I had frequent headaches and sore throats (which I took over-the-counter medications for); 4. I had muscle aches and felt feverish often (and also used otc meds. for these); 5. had acid reflux (took a prescription med. for ); 6. had skin rashes and broke out in hives often (was given steroid shots for these); 7. had even yuckier things like ringworm and toe funguses (more prescripts.--and these were very harsh on my stomach); 8. severe PMS (PMDD), depression, mood swings which aren't totally gone but are MUCH much better (Yay God!!--more PEACE in our home!); 9. AND constant cravings for sweets and starches and simple carbs. (When we moved to Nashville I thought I'd died and gone to food-addict heaven--Krispy Kreme and Cracker Barrel were right next door to each other, with Starbucks right down the road!). I also struggled with constant stomach problems (imagine that!), and my doctor thought I had irritable bowel syndrome at one time.
That's just part of it, but you get the idea--I was NOT healthy, and I weighed at least 30 more pounds than I do now--15 lbs. of which I had packed on in just a few weeks time, after starting a second antidepressant in addition to the fairly high dose of the first one I was already on.
Our church in Nashville was having a speaker on nutrition, so I went, although I tried every way in the world to get out of going. God made sure I was there and then He gave me the guts to go see her a few days later for a nutritional evaluation. This was a life-altering, eye-opening time for me--getting the help I needed from someone trained in the field of nutrition and holistic healing has affected every aspect of my life in a powerful, positive way, and has convinced me that what we DO and DO NOT put in our bodies is vital to living the abundant life Christ promises us. I have learned so much these past three years, and knowledge is crucial to success in conquering the addicitons in our lives. As the Bible tells us in Hosea 4:6, MY PEOPLE ARE DESTROYED FOR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE (niv).
I am now off all 10 medications (Yay God!) and do not have to take OTC meds.either. I DO take many supplements, but only with a professional's oversight and input. Our bodies simply do not get what they need now from our food, NO MATTER how healthy we eat--thus the need for supplements. The supplements alone did not fix all that was wrong with me, though. I had to make different choices in the food and beverages I was taking in (no more "two pots of coffee" days!), and I HAD to detoxify. It all had to work together to heal my body, which in turn affected my emotions, my thought processes and my actions. This, then, ultimately affected my relationships for the better (YAY GOD!!!!!!!). The Lord has revealed to me over these past three years that if we are unhealthy physically (if our bodies are lacking the nutrients they need), then that affects us neurologically. We in turn CAN'T stop the addictive behaviors or control other things like anger no matter how many times or how hard we try.
Please don't misunderstand me. I DO believe that the power of the Holy Spirit does have the ability to help us control cravings and anger due to physical problems, but often we don't walk 100% in the Spirit; and I believe God uses our physical struggles to point us toward getting physical healing. He definitely did this with me.
I pray that you'll start this journey with me--if God has brought you to this blog, He has done it for a reason. As you begin your journey, my advice is: DON'T GET OVERWHELMED!! Baby steps! Just try to pick two or three harmful things in your diet and decrease, decrease, decrease! A little more each day! Keep a daily journal if you can so that you can look back a month or six from now and see your progress and be reminded of how far you've come so you'll stay encouraged! PRAY FOR GOD TO LEAD YOU AND BLESS YOUR JOURNEY TOWARD BETTER HEALTH, AND HE WILL! I will pray this for you as well...
shari
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