Thursday, November 30, 2017

The Basement

Time to start picking out Christmas presents… or as I prefer to call it, “cleaning out the basement.” (Maxine’s Crabby Road)

Chances are this holiday season that you are bound to get a gift you don’t like from someone you care about.  Rather than hide the item away in a closet in your home, could regifting be an appropriate choice. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the word “regift,” it refers to rewrapping a gift one receives, and giving it to someone else.  Here are some ways it can work for you:

1.   Be honest and donate: In the unfortunate case that you get caught, it’s best to stick to the truth. Say something like, “I wasn’t trying to be a lazy gift giver. I received this sweater and it didn’t work for me. It happens to be your size and favorite color and I thought it would look much better on you.
 

I should have been upfront with you.  If you’re stuck with a gift you don’t love, but someone else may be able to use and enjoy, consider giving it to charity. In doing so, you’re not at risk of hurting anyone’s feelings and can still feel good about where the gift is going.

 

2.   Know the gift recipient: If there’s a chance this person is going to ask about the gift they’ve given you, make sure you have it on hand and it’s easily accessible. This prevents an awkward conversation that leads to you telling them that you gave their precious gift away.

 
If you’re giving a gift you aren’t proud to give away, chances are the other person isn’t going to like it either. If the gift is new and something you know someone else would appreciate, feel free to pass it along.

 
3.   Never regift the meaningful;: When someone takes extra time making or finding your gift, it’s polite to acknowledge the effort by holding on to it. Even if you’ll never wear the unsightly earmuffs Aunt Rosie made for you, it’s important to her and implies sentimental value.

Never regift handmade or one-of-a-kind items.  Signed books and monogrammed items are off-limits, too.  Do you have to be told not to regift free promotional items?  Some gifts that are good candidates for regifting include good (unopened!) bottles of wine, new household items and inexpensive jewelry.

 
4.   Only regift new items: Never regift anything that’s been used, damaged or worn. In simple terms, it’s tacky. It also demonstrates bad etiquette. Instead, if you’ve worn or used the gift and decide that it’s not for you; offer it to someone but not as an official “gift.”

 
Just tell them that you originally received it as a gift and decided you didn’t need or want it and propose that they can have it. These types of offerings are always left unwrapped.

5.   Regift and rewrap: If after careful consideration you’ve decided to regift, make it special with new wrapping. After multiple handlings, the old wrapping will likely have a tattered and wrinkled look. Be sure to inspect the gift itself before wrapping, double checking for a name tag or gift card you may have missed.


Even if something is still new and in its original box, there could be a few telltale signs that an item has been regifted. Check for these:  Leftover wrapping paper, tape, signs that the box has been opened, an original card or tag from the giver, a name written on the packaging,  personalization (such as a book with an inscription),  and promotional material (such as a logo on something you received for free).


http://www.regiftable.com/Images/CommonImages/spacer.gif

Listen, regifting is fine as long as there is transparency. You just have to be like, '”This is something I got that I couldn't use, and I thought you might like it.” (Eric Stonestreet)[i]



[i] Sources used:
·        “8 Rules for Regifting Unwanted Gifts – Etiquette” by Jacqueline Curtis

·     “How to Re-Gift Properly (And Politely)” by Diane Gottsman

·        “Re-gift” by Urban Dictionary
·        “Regifting 101” (http://www.regiftable.com/regifting101/)
This post was inspired by a segment on The Today Show.

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Character

  “I love my grey hair and wrinkles. I love the fact that my face has more of an edge and more character than it did when I was in my twenties and thirties. No Botox for me.” (George Clooney)

Though it’s best known for smoothing wrinkles, Botulinum Toxin (BoTox, BTx) is derived from one of the most deadly toxins known to man. It has repeatedly stunned the medical community for its seemingly endless applications. BTx works by temporarily paralyzing muscles.

It is made from neurotoxins in soil, lakes, forests, the intestinal tracts of mammals and fish, the gills and organs of crabs, and other shellfish. BTx is generally considered safe if administered in small amounts by a licensed professional.

Along with its intended use, BTx could cause some unwanted side effects. These can include: mild pain and nausea, numbness, headache. temporary unwanted paralysis of nearby muscles, trouble swallowing, neck weakness, gallbladder dysfunction, double vision, bleeding, blurred vision, decreased eyesight, dry mouth, fatigue, hives, rashes, wheezing, and swelling.

These are some of the health conditions that BTx can help:

1.   Abnormal heartbeat:  This could be used to prevent abnormal heartbeat patterns after open-heart surgery (called postoperative atrial fibrillation). use.

2.   Chronic migraines: In 1992, a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon named Dr. William Binder observed that when he gave people BTx for wrinkles, they reported fewer headaches. Today people who receive BTx for migraine prevention get thirty-one injections in different spots on their head and neck, and the effects can last around three months.

3.   Cleft lip scars in babies: Every year, about 2,650 babies are born with a cleft palate and 4,440 are born with a cleft lip. Many undergo surgery. Some doctors will inject the infants’ scars with BTx in order to hold the muscles still, and allow it to heal. This can greatly improve the appearance of the scars.

4.   Crossed-eyes: One of the first BTx approvals was for a disorder that affects about four percent of Americans: strabismus, where the eyes do not line up in the same direction.

5.   Depression: Though many experts are still skeptical, early trials suggest BTx may alleviate symptoms in people with depression. This is based on what’s called the facial feedback hypothesis, which holds that a person’s facial expressions can influence their mood.

One small 2014 study of seventy-four people with major depressive disorder found that fifty-two percent of people who received BTx reported a drop in symptoms six weeks later, compared with fifteen percent of the people given a placebo.

6.   Excessive underarm sweating:  When doctors noticed that their patients being treated for facial spasms were sweating less, scientists began studying whether BTx could be a successful therapy for people with a condition called severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis. BTx was approved for the treatment in 2004. Some people also use BTx  to treat overly sweaty hands and feet.

7.   Manage acne: Tiny amounts of BTx injected very superficially help reduce oil production, reduce breakouts, and you can still have facial expressions." The most effective and common area for using BTx to curb oil production, is the forehead.

8.   Overactive bladder : Studies show that about seventy percent of women treated with BTx reported about three leaks a day, compared with the average of five leaks a day at the start of the study. Sometimes, BTx can shut down the bladder too much, and people may need to use a catheter, she says.

9.   Severe neck spasms :  Even before BTx was approved for frown lines between the eyebrows in 2002, Approval for the drug in 2000 for its use in treating a disorder called Cervical Dystonia. It is characterized by abnormal head position and severe neck pain.

10.       Severely cold hands : At the Cold Hand Clinic at the University of Chicago, doctors use BTx  off-label to treat people with very cold hands. BTx is injected into a person’s hand in order to relax muscles that surround constricted blood vessels, the course of poor circulation.

When the vessels relax and enlarge, blood flows through the hand and into the fingertips, providing symptom relief. Doctors say the treatment can last up to three months.

“Botox not only helps with wrinkles, it actually makes you feel more relaxed as frowning causes tension.” (Patricia Cornwell)[i]



[i] Sources used:

·        “11 Surprising Uses for Botox” by Alexandra Sifferlin

·        “11 Things Botox Can Do—Other Than Relax Wrinkles” by Stephanie Saltzmanstephsaltzman and Allure Staff

·        “BTx” (https://www.allacronyms.com/aa-suggest/BTX/Botulinum_toxin_type_A)

·        “Botox: How Does Botox Work?” by Hannah Nichols

·        “Botulinum Toxin” from Wikipedia

 




 
 
 

 

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

The Temple

Don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who comes from God and dwells inside of you? You do not own yourself.” (1 Corinthians 6:19, VOICE)

 Since I was a young Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) boy, all I wanted was to be “normal” like everyone else appeared to be.  As a Bipolar man in my early fifties, I know that my bluntness does not allow me to blend in easily with the crowd.  I have my opinions that I have problem letting everyone know.

I am resolved that I will forever be the unique creation my Heavenly Father has made me out to be. When it comes to eating, we all need to be as normal as possible in our relationship with food. (I'm still unsure as to what is "normal" on this topic.) Here are several points to remember when it comes to eating:


1.   Normal eaters don’t plan their food in advance: They eat when they’re hungry, or when dinner time rolls around. They don’t think about food in between those times. They don’t worry about what you’re going to eat for dinner for hours before they get home from work. They don’t spend time creating elaborate meal plans.

 

2.   Normal eaters don’t think they’re doing anything wrong when they eat the bad stuff: Normal eaters don’t attach moral value to what they’re eating. They don’t think the whole world is going to judge them for eating junk food in public, or sneaking it in the middle of the night.

 
While they generally make healthful choices that feel good to their body. They’re not sent into a frenzy when they do eventually have a bite of dessert, or the occasional side order of fries. It’s not a problem.

 

3.   Normal eaters eat when they’re hungry, and stop when they’re full: Eating like a normal person means making decisions about food based on your body’s natural biological wisdom (rather than external cues that imprison you). Your body knows exactly how much food you need to maintain a weight that’s healthy for you.

 

“Create healthy habits not restrictions.” (NataliesHealth.com)

 

4.   Normal eaters have a life in between meals: In addition to not doing food planning, they don’t fantasize about food, dieting, and weight loss all day long. They think about celebrating all the facets of their life. God knows them, and loves them as they are.

 

5.   Normal eaters practice a variety of coping mechanisms, and don’t turn to food to get them through the discomforts: This is the single most important thing to understand about normal eaters. Normal eaters trust that if they let themselves eat what they wanted. They’re able to cope with life’s triggers using non-food-related comforts. This never works.

 

“You don’t cure food addiction by removing all comfort foods. You do it by learning how to comfort yourself.” (LauraHoussain.com) [i]



[i] Adapted from: 5 Ways to Eat Like a ‘Normal’ Person (That Dieters Just Don’t Get) by Isabel Foxen Duke

 




 
 
 

Monday, November 27, 2017

A Two-Year-Old

Fibromyalgia [is] like having a two-year-old throw a tantrum inside my body, and it never takes a nap, ever!” (Anonymous)

Fibromyalgia (FM) affects more than five million people in the US. Women (ages twenty to fifty) are affected about twice as often as men. It was first defined in 1990. FM is from New Latin, fibro-, meaning "fibrous tissues", Greek μυώ myo-, "muscle", and Greek άλγος algos, "pain"; thus the term literally means "muscle and fibrous connective tissue pain."

FM pain is different than what may be experienced from a headache or sprained ankle. It is a specific kind of pain that’s chronic, widespread, and often accompanied by tenderness.

Chronicmeans that the pain lasts a long time (at least three months or longer). “Widespread” means that it is felt in both the upper and lower parts of the body. “Tenderness” means that even a small amount of pressure can cause a lot of pain.

Other symptoms include fatigue to a degree that normal activities are affected, sleep problems, troubles with memory,  restless legs syndrome, bowel or bladder problems, numbness and tingling, sensitivity to noise, lights or temperature, depression, anxiety, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Some potential causes include of FM are allergies to chemicals or foods, viruses, hormonal problems, poor digestion, candidacies, spinal misalignments, stress, or neurotransmitter deficiency. The Fibromyalgia Diet consists of eating the following foods that may help heal this illness:

 

·        Antioxidants (such as vitamins A, C, E): Fruits, vegetables and herbs are good sources of these potent disease fighters.

·        Clean lean protein: These help muscles and tissues maintain energy and proper function.

·        Fermented foods and cultured dairy: Probiotic foods (such as yogurt, Kefir, or sauerkraut) help prevent candidacies ( a root cause of FM).

·        Green vegetables: These provide essential minerals (such as magnesium) for optimal health and well-being.

·        Omega-3 fats: These healthy omega-3 fats reduce inflammation and can reduce pain associated with FM.

Here are the best supplements and natural remedies for FM (in this order):

1.   Magnesium (500 mg daily): FM has been linked to a mineral deficiency. It also helps relax the nerves and muscles.

2.   Fish Oil (1,000mg daily): The anti-inflammatory properties of fish oil will help reduce pain.

3.   Vitamin D3 (5,000IU daily): Vitamin D deficiency can exacerbate autoimmune conditions.

4.   D-Ribose (5g 3x daily): It helps alleviate the symptoms of FM by improving cellular energy.

5.   Rhodiola and Ashwagandha (500-1000 mg daily): Adaptogenic herbs help improve metabolic function and reduce stress.

 Avoid these items that can make FM worse:

·        Any potential food allergen: Try to determine what foods you are allergic to and eliminate those from your diet.  An elimination diet is a very effective way to determine food intolerances.  Common allergens: gluten, shellfish, dairy, and peanuts.

·        Excess alcohol and caffeine: Can cause mineral deficiencies and dehydration.

·        Gluten: Can cause autoimmune issues, is pro-inflammatory and can make fibromyalgia worse.

·        Processed foods or foods with additives: These foods contain chemicals that will make your condition worse.

·        Sugar : Increases pain and inflammation.

Helichrysum oil has been shown to decrease muscle pain, improve circulation and support healing of nerve tissue which makes it an effective natural treatment for FM. Lavender oil is also excellent to reduce the emotional stress associated with FM and making a homemade muscle rub can help reduce pain.

Changing daily habits to improve FM symptoms include reducing stress, exercise, and chiropractic care (to reduce muscle tension). Many people with FM have gone through emotional trauma, and counseling can greatly improve recovery.  Also, scheduling relaxing activities can increase healing.

 Fibromyalgia is like a tree. It branches out like nerves throughout the entire body. Now set those branches on fire. That is what it feels like to have fibromyalgia.” (Voicesofffibromyalgia.org)[i]




[i] Sources used:
·        “Fibromyalgia” from Wikipedia
·        “Top 5 Natural Fibromyalgia Treatments” by Dr. Josh Axe
·        What is Fibromyalgia?” (https://www.lyrica.com/frequently-asked-questions?source=google&HBX_PK=s_fibromyalgia&o=25229704|193636897|0&skwid=43700016220045181#what-fibromyalgia)

Inspired by a Fibromyalgia medicine commercial

 




 
 

 


 

Sunday, November 26, 2017

Chasing after God

“A woman's heart should be so close to God that a man should have to chase Him to find her.”  (C.S. Lewis)

To get close to our Heavenly Father, we must experience all of Him. His presence must be evident in our lives. There will be changes in our attitudes as well as the way we experience our world. We must know deep inside our person: that God is real. The Almighty promises He will come to us if we will seek Him.

 

For our Heavenly Father to be in our lives, we must be willing to turn away from the things that are not of Him. Sin separates us from God. Often what’s pleasing to the world is upsetting to God. If we want to find The Almighty, we must be willing to see the entire world from His point of view. If we do this, we can start chipping away at the things that separate us from His love.

 

Searching for closeness with your Heavenly Father is like shopping for a valuable pearl (for someone you cherish). Matthew 13:45-46 (VOICE) puts it this way: “Or the Kingdom of Heaven is like a jeweler on the lookout for the finest pearls.  When he found a pearl more beautiful and valuable than any jewel he had ever seen, the jeweler sold all he had and bought that pearl, his pearl of great price.”

 

How does someone move beyond level thee (close) on the spiritual growth ladder? There are actions that God has told us to do to strengthen our faith, and experience closeness with Him.  They include…

 

1.   Full surrender to Jesus

 
This involves making the Bible your last word on everything; willingness to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading; and sacrificing your daily events to Him.

“Honor Christ and let Him be the Lord of your life. Always be ready to give an answer when someone asks you about your hope.” (1 Peter 3:15, CEV)

“Let God have your life. He can do more with it than you can.” (Dwight L. Moody)

 

2.   Focus on serving others

 
This involves an eagerness to witness to others; faithfulness in serving the needy; and a motivation to disciple others.

 
“What you have heard me teach publicly you should teach to others. Share these teachings with people you can trust. Then they will be able to teach others these same things.” (2 Timothy 2:2, ERV)

 

“Salvation is free, but discipleship will cost you your life.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

 

3.   Forget about spiritual stagnancy

 

This involves not investing little time in your faith; less connected to a body of believers, and become too busy with non-spiritual pursuits.

 

“Then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord  your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. “ (Deuteronomy 8:14, RSVCE)

 

“Security breeds stagnation.”  (Andy Warhol)


 My relationship with God is my number one focus. I know that if I take care of that, God will take care of everything elseMy relationship with God is my number one focus. I know that if I take care of that, God will take care of everything else.” (Anonymous)[i]




[i] Inspired by the sermon “Stepping Up: Beyond Close” (installment three, final) Sunday, November 19, 2017 Pastor Dave Jansen CenterPoint Gahanna Church Gahanna, OH. Additional source used: “Getting Closer to God” (http://www.jesusforsinners.com/getting-closer-to-god)
·         Exploring the Christian faith
·        Growing as you follow Jesus
·        Close to living a spirit-lead life
·        Jesus-Centered is the way all life decisions are made
 
 







 

 

 

 


 

 

Everything

  “Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.” (Saint Augustine) It shouldn’t be surprising th...