Meaningful Dreams

Several years ago it began to dawn on me that the strange dreams I was having might be significant. 

One of the first dreams I wondered about was a recurring dream where one of my legs was much shorter than the other, causing me to limp around. 

A few months later I went to a chiropractor who specialized in upper cervical. He had me lay flat and then checked my feet. Sure enough one leg was a fraction shorter than the other. He adjusted my C-1 over a period of weeks until it stayed in place. And I didn't have that strange dream anymore.

Later I had a recurring dream of me eating chocolate. This was odd because I'd been allergic to chocolate from age 9, so I would never consciously choose to eat it. 

Not long after I'd been having the dream, my herbalogist told me I needed to be eating a small amount of organic dark chocolate every day (I never told her about this dream). Using Dr. Smith's CBT allergy treatment, I was able to clear the allergy and begin eating chocolate every day. Then the dream stopped.

After these two examples, I paid closer attention to my dreams. And I've learned a lot from them over recent years. 

Sometimes I have horrible "toxic" dreams when I'm detoxing chemicals. 

Sometimes my dreams indicate an area of fear or emotional need.

Sometimes my dreams are outright hilarious! (I wrote about some of them here.) 

And sometimes (as described above) my dreams are my brain's way of telling me something important about my body or my health.

Dreams are strange things, I know. Sometimes it's hard to know what to think about them. Thankfully, God is the best interpreter of dreams. I've learned to ask Him almost every morning when I wake up, "Was that dream meaningful, something I need to pay attention to? If so, please show me." 

God has used my dreams to make significant changes in my life. I don't know what your dreams are like, but I imagine at least some of them contain important messages for you. You can ask God for insight. He knows you better than you know yourself. And He can use those meaningful dreams for your benefit.

Question: Have your dreams ever helped you realize something about your health? Or helped you in other ways?

Not The Only Ones

I know how challenging it is to live with Environmental Illness. For all of you out there who struggle with this illness, my heart goes out to you!

This week though, the Lord graciously reminded me that we are not the only ones who are suffering. 

All over the world, people are hurting. And in some cases, their suffering is much worse than anything we have experienced. 

Specifically I've been thinking about those who are victims of human trafficking. It's hard to believe such evil exists today, but it does. 

Thankfully there are many people who are fighting hard to overcome this evil with good. 

Life Today is a ministry I've appreciated and supported for years. This week on their show you can hear testimonies from some of the amazing people who work with their ministry of Rescue Life. Tuesday's program was especially moving for me. 

Another ministry I recently learned about is Make Way Partners. They help at-risk women and children to prevent them from being trafficked. They also minister to those who have been rescued from slavery. 

I know those of us with E.I. often feel totally limited in our lives, just trying to survive day to day. But we must remember that though we struggle, our lives are not useless. God still has a plan for each of us. He can still display His goodness through us, limited as we are. 

So as you think about others around the world who are suffering, I hope you'll be encouraged that YOU can make a difference for them. 

- You can give--even a few dollars to one of these organizations will help save a life.

- You can pray for these ministries, for the victims, for more people to give, for authorities to justly enforce the laws, etc. 

- You can pass along this information to others who will also give and pray and share these needs with even more people.

Those of us who are familiar with suffering have a compassion many people never experieince. And we can put that compassion into action. No matter how small it seems, what you do DOES make a difference. 

We are not alone in suffering. Let's reach out today and shine a light of goodness into someone else's darkness.

Have a Healthy Winter

Here in Florida, summer lasted longer than usual this year. We're just now getting slightly cooler temps at night. But for many people I know winter is well on its way. 

Here are some tips to help you in preparing for a healthy winter this year. (They're useful any time of year, but especially during winter.)

*Avoid unhealthy foods.

There's a very good article on the Beyond Organic Insider blog about the dangers of sugar, including how it damages your immune system. With the holidays coming, where sugar is often the main course, this is very important information to know!

Winter is also a key time to give extra support to your immune system. The Billings blog is hosting a 50 day Mold Diet Dare to help super-charge your immune system. Definitely worth a look. 

*Monitor your indoor air quality.

As people start using their fireplaces, smoke can be a problem. If you have cracks around doors or windows, aluminum foil tape is a great tool. Just peel off the backing and tape it wherever needed to keep out smells. We have it around both front and back doors. 

(It's also useful for covering up toxins you can't remove, such as the pipes we just had replaced in the bathroom.)

You can find aluminum foil tape online. We usually order it from Foust.

Also try to air out your house often, whenever the weather is clear and dry. Indoor air can quickly become stale in winter. Keep it fresh as much as possible.

*Use foods as medicine.

Organic coconut oil is anti-viral, onions are anti-bacterial, and garlic is anti-fungal (many other foods fit in these categories as well). Besides cooking with these foods, you can use them other ways as well. 

You can rub organic coconut oil on your feet if you're fighting a general viral infection. Or you can rub it on wherever a viral infection has localized - sinuses, throat, stomach, etc. (Just remember that a little coconut oil goes a long way. You probably only need a few drops, unless you have very dry skin. And yes, it makes a good lotion as well.)

Also, simply holding an onion in your hand for anywhere from 5-15 minutes can help your body fight off a bacterial infection. Likewise, holding a few garlic cloves in your hand can help fight off fungal infections. (Many winter infections are fungal, even though they're often treated as viral or bacterial. That's one reason the anti-mold diet mentioned above is so helpful in winter.)  

*Be sure you're getting enough vitamin D.

Many people don't get enough sun exposure during the winter, thus are at risk for vitamin D deficiency. Be intentional about getting sun on your skin and consider supplementing with vitamin D if necessary for your situation. This article has some helpful tips for keeping vitamin D levels up through the winter.

*Keep moving!

Continue exercising and doing lymphatic massage. The natural tendency is to slow down during winter, but the body needs movement to keep the lymph flowing and the immune system functioning well.

*Most of all keep smiling, laugh a lot, be silly, sing every day, have fun, and celebrate the special joys that come with the winter season. =)

What tips do you have for enjoying a healthy winter?

You Know You're An E.I. If...

...you wash your new clothes at least 5 times before wearing them.

...you know the difference between the words "fragrance," "scent," "smell," and "odor." 

...you still have a regular dial-tone phone that actually plugs into the wall. 

...aluminum foil is your best friend.

...your kitchen cupboard contains more vitamins and supplements than dishes.

...you buy baking soda by the trunk-ful.

...you're on a first-name basis with the clerks at the health food store.

...you understand the differences between a naturopath, herbalogist, osteopath, and chiropractor (because you've been to all of them at some point).

...you wear the same shoes for 7 years until they've literally fallen to pieces.

...you "decorate" your walls with shadow puppets. =)

...you know how to celebrate holidays without sugary foods.

..."flexible" is your middle name.

...you're a champion at perseverance and endurance!

...you've learned to see beauty in the wilderness.

What about you? Feel free to add your own statement to this list. And keep on keeping on! =)

"May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word." 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17