Coming Back To Life

It's been 7 weeks since I started the Dynamic Neural Retraining System (DNRSystem.com), and what a journey it's been! I've seen a lot of improvements so far. I'm so happy that God is using this program to bring me back to LIFE! =) 

Here are some pictures of the fun things I've been able to do lately:

I visited a couple from my church. It was so great to see them! I spent about ten minutes in their house and didn't have trouble breathing!!! Praise God! 

Yes, this really is me riding a bike! First time in years! =) 

I've been helping my mom clean out and organize the garage. BIG job! I'm sorry I forgot to take the "before" picture, but trust me, this "after" picture is a big improvement from how it looked before. =) 

We found this great park with amazing trees. I especially liked this one. (I didn't climb the whole thing though, just this little part.) =)

Some other things I've done in the last few weeks:

- mom and I have done two puzzles, so fun!

- I stamped cards for two hours! 

- I drove the car around the neighborhood.

- I went shopping at the Christian bookstore! 

- I ate out at a Greek restaurant.

- I went garage-saling (found some good deals too). =)

- I visited some horses at a local stable. (Next step is to actually ride a horse again!) =)

It's so amazing to be able to do more things again! I keep setting goals of new things to try. It's a process, but I'm SO thankful for the DNRS program, and I'm praising God for the healing He is doing in my body! 

I look forward to continued improvement and to living a fuller life than ever before!  

Thanks for rejoicing with me! =)

Time For Change

I'm really enjoying the things I'm learning about the brain. =)

Did you know there are two main ways to increase synaptic connections in the brain?
1) learn new things
2) have new experiences

This is very important if we want to keep our brain changing for the better and avoid the deepening of certain pathways that turn into "ruts".

If you think about it, you'll probably realize that you do a lot of the same things every day. Wake up at the same time, eat the same foods, do the same exercises, etc. If you want to continually promote healthy change in your brain, you can start by changing your routines.

For instance,
- rearrange your furniture from time to time
- drive a different route to work or to the store
- vary your personal care routine (ex: brush teeth before getting a shower, or vice versa)
- wear different color combinations than you usually do
- eat with your non-dominant hand or use a spoon instead of a fork
etc.

These little changes will help your brain be more open to changing in the areas you want to transform - whether that's eating habits, exercises, anxious thoughts, Scripture memory, etc.

Also, "increasing synaptic connections" (which is vital for brain health) is not as hard as it might sound. To learn or experience new things you don't have to go back to college or travel overseas. Start small =)

For instance,
- try new foods
- listen to different music
- read a book or magazine about something you don't know much about (photography, cars, horses, etc.)
- make a new friend
- try new activities as you have opportunity
- stop and really notice your environment...what do you see, smell, hear, taste, touch?

These are small things we can do day by day that will gradually add up to ongoing, healthy change in the brain.

So tell your brain it's time for change! And have fun with it. =)

Irish Soda Bread

I've got food on the brain...probably because I've been gradually losing weight over the last few months. My doctor and I are stumped about the cause, especially since I'm eating a better diet right now than I have in years.

Whatever the cause, I'm trying to eat more and hope that helps. Though, it's challenging to find high-calorie foods I can eat that are healthy. One of my current favorites is this Irish Soda Bread (non-yeast bread). So I thought I'd share the recipe with you. =)

Irish Soda Bread

stir - 2 cups organic whole wheat flour
       1/2 tsp. sea salt
       1 tsp. baking soda

mix -  1 organic egg beaten
          4 Tbl. honey (This is optional but it tastes better with it. =) We use local orange blossom honey.)
          3/4 cup buttermilk or 1 cup sour cream (To make our own "buttermilk" we mix about 2 Tbls fresh lemon juice with 3/4 cup organic raw milk. I think it also works to combine the lemon juice with almond milk.)

add liquid mixture to dry ingredients
blend with hands to work flour in (knead about 5 minutes)
shape into loaf
put in oiled glass pan (You could use a cookie sheet, but I recommend never using anything with a non-stick surface.)
cut 2 parallel slashes on top of loaf
bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes

I like to eat this bread for breakfast with a generous spoonful of coconut oil on top. Yum! =)

Give it a try and enjoy!

Make 'em Laugh!

If you're an old movie buff like me, you probably remember the hilarious scene in "Singing In The Rain" where Donald O'Connor sings "Make 'em Laugh!" while performing all kinds of crazy antics. That's one of my favorite comedy scenes of all time! =)

Then this week I was watching Life Today (with James & Betty Robison), and I saw a comedy routine by Chonda Pierce that had me laughing til I cried! My mom heard my riotous laughter and came to see what was happening. I couldn't even speak, I was laughing so hard!
I know different people enjoy various kinds of humor, but if you need a hefty dose of laughter, I'd encourage you to check out this link:
http://lifetoday.org/video/prosperity-and-joy-6/

Laughter is good for body and soul. It's a gift God has given us. Let's enjoy it today! =)


Question: What is your favorite comedy scene?