Fun Photos

Sometimes when I've had a rough couple of weeks (like lately), I like to look at photos of the fun things I've been able to do. These photos are an encouraging reminder that while healing can be a slow, stair-step process, it is still happening, praise God! 

Here are a few fun photos from recent months:

 

          selfie with my sisters at my birthday lunch

shopping at the mall with my niece & sister-in-law

enjoying the beach with my mom

I'm thankful for God's many good gifts. 

What are you thankful for today?

Everyone Needs Hope

The last couple of weeks have been really hard for my mom and I. I'm so grateful for all the prayers on our behalf! The truth that God keeps bringing to my mind is this:

Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed. 

-Isaiah 49:23c

When my hope is in circumstances, I'm often disappointed. But when my hope is in my wonderful God, I have confidence and peace. 

I know many of you are going through difficult circumstances. But I know that God has not abandoned you. He is still your hope. I want to share this chapter from my book about Job. I trust it will encourage you and renew your hope in our faithful God. 

Hugs,

-Joanna

                                            Hope

Living with chronic illness is a constant battle against discouragement and despair. For years I kept hoping I’d find some answers, hoping my health would improve, hoping my circumstances would change. Instead, day after day, doctor after doctor, treatment after treatment, I seemed to grow worse. Finally I gave up in resignation. “This is my life. Why bother hoping anymore?” 

Have you experienced a similar hopelessness in your storm? In the midst of Job’s breaking process, he experienced despair and hopelessness. 

If the only home I hope for is the grave, if I spread out my bed in darkness…where then is my hope? Who can see any hope for me? -Job 17:13, 15 

Job had no hope. He was simply waiting for his miserable life to end. Without hope that’s where we are, too. Hope is what motivates us to keep going; it enables us to get out of bed in the morning. Without hope we are just waiting to die. 

When the Bible talks about hope, it doesn’t mean wishing for something to happen. It means having a confident expectation in what we know is true. If we only have “hope” (wishful thinking) in circumstances or people, we will continually be disappointed. But we can always have genuine hope (confidence) in our God.

We can hope in God in the darkness because of what we know is true about Him: 

• God is in control. 

• He is always good. 

• His love surrounds us. 

• He has a plan and purpose for us. 

• He is working out His plan and purpose both now and for eternity. 

 There are many precious truths about God that we can hold onto in the storm. Which ones immediately come to your mind?

Paul wrote about hope in suffering. 

And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us. -Romans 5:2b-5

As Christians we have been given the hope—confident expectation—of one day sharing God’s glory in heaven. We can always rejoice in that hope! However, we can also rejoice in our sufferings. Why? Because suffering is a tool God uses to work a beautiful transformation in our lives. 

When we submit to the Lord in our sufferings, He teaches us perseverance. As we rely on God’s strength to persevere, He builds the character of Christ in us. And when the character of Christ fills our lives, we live in continual hope.

This process teaches us that nothing else, no one else, is truly dependable. Circumstances come and go, people can fail us, our own strength gives out. But God never changes. In suffering we can discover the rock-solid character of God. And when our hope is in God, we’ll never be disappointed.  

This foundation of hope in God rather than earthly things can also give us hope for our storm. Hope comes from remembering what is true.

*God is all-powerful, with Him all things are possible (Matt. 19:26). We have hope that God can change any situation.

*God is faithful. When the LORD chooses not to change our situation, we know He is developing perseverance in us (Jam.1:2-4). We have hope that the Lord can use our circumstances to change us. 

*God is gracious. As He changes us, others will be affected (Phil. 1:12-14). We have hope that even in the midst of our storm, God will bless others through us.

Whatever trials we experience, we can have hope in our unchanging God. The storm won’t last forever. For some, it may continue until the moment they step into eternity and see Jesus face to face. For others, the end of the storm is not so far away…though a new storm may soon appear on the horizon. Because storms come and go and come again, placing our hope in God is vital. Only He never changes.

In my days of despair, God graciously helped me place my hope solely in Him. Eventually, He also gave me hope for my circumstances. Though I was still sick and miserable, I finally had hope that someday I could get well. 

  I’ve learned that no matter what we’re experiencing, we can have hope—confident expectation—based on who God is and what He has promised.

God is our hope even when it seems nothing is left for us but death. In spite of feeling hopeless, Job knew that God was the only one he could hope in. Job believed his trial would only end at his death. Still he declared: Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him (Job 13:15a). 

As the storm rages around you, you may feel like you have nothing left, no hope. But with the LORD, you don’t have to succumb to hopelessness. In those dark moments of despair, when all hope seems gone, let the light of God’s truth shine on you. You may not know what will happen next, but you do know who your God is. He is your hope. 

For you have been my hope, O Sovereign LORD, my confidence since my youth… 

But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more. -Psalm 71:5, 14

(from Seeing God Through The Storm - Empowering Truths From The Book of Job)

Benefits of Butter

For several decades mainstream media promoted the message that margarine was healthier than butter. But finally the truth is being revived! The facts haven't changed, but at last more people are hearing the truth. 

Truth is: margarine is very bad for your health (*that's a whole post in itself, but you can read this detailed article for more info), and butter is very good for your health.

Butter contains many healthy components, including:

- vitamins A, D, E, and K

- important trace minerals like selenium (often more easily absorbed from butter than other sources) and natural iodine 

- the perfect balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids

- butter from grass-fed cows contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which helps protect against cancer

- glycospingolipids, which help protect against infections in the gut

- healthy cholesterol

and more. 

Some of the health benefits of eating butter are:

- protection against heart disease

- protection against cancer

- preventing arthritis and joint stiffness (by ensuring calcium in your body is put into your bones instead of joints or other tissues)

- promotes thyroid health (and a healthy endocrine system)

- protects against asthma

- helps with weight control (No, butter does not make you fat. In fact it can even help with losing weight.)

- keeping a healthy gut

- promotes healthy cellular function

- good for the immune system

and more.

Clearly butter is a wonderful food with many health benefits! However it is important what kind of butter you eat. 

- Regular butter sold in grocery stores is better than margarine. However, it's not the best option since conventional dairy cows are filled with antibiotics, hormones, pesticides, and other harmful chemicals, which end up in the dairy products.

- Organic, grass-fed butter sold in grocery stores is better than non-organic butter, since it should be free of the chemicals listed above. However it's still been processed and pasteurized. 

- Organic, grass-fed, raw butter is free of chemicals and hasn't been pasteurized, thus it's the best kind. You can often find it at a local farmer's market.

I bought some organic, raw butter at our farmer's market and have been enjoying it. My herbalogist says butter is so good for you that you can't eat too much of it. For most people this is probably true. However, for me, I'm only eating a small amount each day (like 1-3 teaspoons), because it seems to make me detox more. If I eat too much then I experience symptoms from the detoxing. Hopefully I'll be able to increase the amount gradually. 

So, if you can find it, give organic, raw butter a try. Just remember to start slow and listen to your body. Then enjoy the wonderful health benefits of this amazing food! 

*Margarine exposed: the quick explanation of why margarine is so bad for you - 

It contains trans fats, free radicals, industrial chemical solvents, bleach, artificial colors and flavors (to mask the awful color and flavor of the hydogenated oils it's made from), preservatives, sterols, and other harmful ingredients. 

These ingredients contribute to problems like heart disease, cancer, hormonal imbalance, infertility, thyroid disfunction, and more. 

More articles about butter:

health benefits of butter

Top 8 health benefits of butter

What's Happened To Us?

I was in Wal-Mart recently to pick up some baking soda and vinegar. Earlier that day I'd been watching a video about the decline of American's health and the dangers of sugar. With those thoughts fresh in my mind, I suddenly saw things I hadn't seen before. 

I saw a lot of severely overweight people. (Not just carrying a few extra pounds, but so overweight that it was clearly unhealthy.)

I saw a couple of too-skinny people who looked malnourished and not healthy at all.

I saw huge displays of soda. 

I saw the man in line in front of me buy 5 frozen pizzas and a package of cupcakes. 

And I thought to myself, what has happened to our country? 

When did we exchange real food for "manufactured" food?

When did people stop caring about how they treat their bodies?

When did insanity replace common sense?

It makes me sad to see the epidemic of health problems in our country today. But frankly, it's not surprising. The "standard American diet" is probably the worst there is. It's destroying people every day.

So many people have believed the lies of advertising companies, promoting thousands of products that no one should ever put in their body. In many cases, no one was there to tell them the truth. And now we're seeing the "harvest" of a generation of people raised on man-made food instead of what God created. 

When will it stop?

My mom was raised on a farm. She ate farm fresh veggies, fresh raw milk products, and freshly prepared meats. She is still probably the healthiest person in our family. 

I was raised overseas, so most of what I ate was home-cooked. We only ate a few packaged, convenience foods. We only had sodas on certain occasions. 

But kids today eat almost entirely processed foods, and they're swimming in sodas, fake "juices," super-sweet coffees, energy drinks, and more. 

Who's going to stand up for their heath? Who's going to confront the lies of big companies with the truth of how God created His world to run?

The TRUTH:

- margarine is not healthier than butter (in fact margarine is very unhealthy!)

- low-fat is not healthier for you

- high fructose corn syrup should never be ingested

- soda is poison, and diet soda is even worse poison

- sugar is destructive

- potato chips are not a vegetable

- pesticides are harmful to humans

...the list goes on an on.

The bottom line is that man cannot "improve" what God made. 

Those who believe the lie that they can eat whatever they want and not have health problems, will be greatly disappointed when they experience the "fruit" of such a lifestyle. 

And just to be clear, I'm not blaming people here. I realize most people don't know better. They're ignorant. But unfortunately, ignorance will not protect them. Satan is out to steal, kill, and destroy. He's worked hard to put a system in place that is slowly stealing health and destroying lives every day.   

Who will stand up to speak the truth once again?

I'm just one person. I can't change the whole food industry. I can't turn back time and teach the last generation how to eat real food. But if by me sharing the truth, even one person takes it seriously and protects their health, then I'll keep on declaring it as long as I can!

You're only one person. But you can teach your children to eat real food. You can tell at least one other person the truth about food today. You can make a difference. 

I pray you will, so that together we can see lives changed and health transformed. 

Addressing Causes of Inflammation

Last week I shared some lifestyle changes to help reduce inflammation in general. Now let's address how to treat some of the specific causes of inflammation that I shared at the beginning of this series of posts.

- Cause: Parasites/Candida/Viruses/Bacteria 

There are some supplements that may be helpful in fighting these different infections, such as olive leaf extract, garlic, pau'dArco, etc. However, the most effective treatment we've found is Dr. Smith's CBT method. I tried just about everything else, especially for parasites and candida, but only the CBT method was truly effective for me. You can check Dr. Smith's website for a doctor who has been trained in CBT in your area, or send me an email and maybe I can help.

I think in some cases essential oils can help fight these infections, but my own use with them has been limited because of the smell factor. If you find someone who's knowledgeable about them, you can learn about their many benefits.

Also, taking a good probiotic is essential to building up your immune system so it will be better able to fight these infections.

- Cause: Toxins  

I recommend everyone makes use of ongoing detox therapies, such as lymphatic massage, detox baths, deep breathing, etc. With the amount of toxins we're exposed to these days, we need to continually help our bodies to detoxify. 

If you need help with detoxing a specific toxin such as mercury, lead, cadmium, etc. I always recommend my herbalogist. She's very knowledgeable about natural ways to heal specific issues in the body. 

Remember that detoxing is a process, and sometimes an unpleasant one. But it's definitely worth is. The more toxins you get out of your body, the better it will function and the more energy it will have for healing. 

Grounding - 

I also wanted to mention that another good tool for reducing inflammation is grounding. (Basically it's standing barefoot on the earth, the ground). I've mentioned grounding before for its other health benefits, but I was happily surprised to learn that it's also great for reducing inflammation! 

"When you're grounded there's a transfer of free electrons from the Earth into your body. And these free electrons are probably the most potent antioxidants known to man. These antioxidants are responsible for the clinical observations from grounding experiments, such as beneficial changes in heart rate, decreased skin resistance, and decreased levels of inflammation." -Dr. Mercola (from this article)

Here's a longer article about grounding. If you can, try to spend at least 10-15 minutes a day outside grounding. If that's not possible, then maybe consider trying some "earthing" products, which you can use indoors. (I haven't tried them yet, but a few of my friends have.) Grounding is such an incredible tool for healing, and it's simple and pain-free! =) 

Well that wraps up this series on inflammation. Do you have any questions? Or any other tips on how to reduce inflammation? Please share with us in the comments. 

How To Reduce Inflammation Naturally

There are several "anti-inflammatory" drugs (aspirin, NSAID's, statin's or steriods) used today for inflammation, but they only address symptoms. They don't help the body to heal the root causes of the inflammation. These medications can also cause many serious problems in the body. In general, avoid these drugs (I understand emergency uses, just always be cautious). 

There are several ways to reduce inflammation naturally. This post will discuss important lifestyle changes, which hopefully you've already been making. Next week I'll focus on combating specific causes of inflammation.

Lifestyle changes that will help reduce inflammation:

- Eat healthy!

I know you hear it often, but what you eat really does determine the state of your health. Most importantly, say no to sugar! By "sugar" I mean refined, white sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and other added sugars in all those packaged and processed foods.

(Healthy sweet substances, in moderation, include fruit, honey, and high quality maple syrup. You may need to avoid even these healthy foods for a time depending on the severity of your situation. But in general these are good additions to a healthy diet.)

Another inflammatory food is white flour. This converts to sugar in the body quickly after eating it, so it's very similar to eating sugar. Also, today's white flour has all kinds of problems, including being stripped of nutrients, contaminated with pesticides, often bleached, etc. Here's an excellent article that explains the problems with white flour today. 

While some people feel better by going completely gluten-free, I think many people can find healthy organic, whole grains that are ok for their body. But regular white flour products are definitely not a good thing for anyone's health. 

Sugar and white flour are some of the worst inflammatory foods. The good news is that many other foods help fight inflammation, including vegetables, fruits, olive oil, various spices, etc. 

What you eat is a very important lifestyle choice that will either slowly drag down your health, or consistently build it up. So, if you haven't yet, take stock of your everyday diet and look for ways you can cut out inflammatory foods and add in healthy foods. 

- Exercise regularly.

I know, this is another thing you hear all the time. That's because it's so important! Your body was designed to MOVE. Lack of regular movement results in many different health issues. 

I think the main thing is to find what kind of exercise works for you, then plan time for it in your schedule, get some accountability, and switch it up from time to time so you don't get bored. 

- Get proper sleep.

This is so important! Healthy and adequate sleep is absolutely vital to good health. I wrote a whole post about ways to improve your sleep here. Again, evaluate what factors hinder good sleep and look for even one way you can improve it.

- Relax!

Everyone is so stressed today, and stress is a major cause of inflammation. So we have to be intentional about finding ways to relax. 

Try doing regular stretches and deep breathing. These help improve circulation, help oxygenate and relax the body, and help the body release the accumulated tension caused by stress. 

Also, relaxation exercises can be very helpful. Once a day, close your eyes and picture yourself on a quiet beach, with a cool breeze, and fresh, salty air. Breathe deeply and feel your whole body relax. (Or if you prefer, picture a cool mountaintop with a beautiful vista...whatever scene helps you relax.) 

Taking moments here and there throughout the day to stop and acknowledge things you're grateful for, is another good way to step off the stress treadmill and help you relax.

Along with these lifestyle changes, certain supplements may help you to deal with inflammation temporarily. Vit. D, Vit. C, quercetin, herbs like ginger, and certain essential oils may help. Getting your omega-6 to omega-3 fat ratio balanced is also important. (Butter contains the correct ratio of 1:1, so it's good for this.)

Just don't start taking supplements randomly. Either work with a trusted health provider, or learn how to muscle test these things for yourself. (I'll write more on muscle testing in another post.) 

One more thing to mention is the importance of keeping a healthy insulin level. This is mainly done through diet (no sugar or grains) and exercise. The reason this is so vital is that unhealthy insulin levels cause inflammation and lead to all kinds of health problems. (There's a longer article by Dr. Mercola about insulin and inflammation here.)

I know that's a lot of information. Just break it down and start where you can. Do something today to invest in your health. =) 

Causes of Inflammation

Inflammation is the body's natural response to a perceived threat, like an injury or infection. Inflammation is a necessary function in such situations to help the body heal. However, when inflammation is triggered mistakenly by the immune system or if it becomes chronic, then it's a serious problem.

Chronic inflammation can actually be present in the body for years without noticeable outward symptoms. Then "suddenly" a disease manifests (cancer, heart disease, etc), which is the natural result of years of untreated chronic inflammation. 

Or, some people live with noticeable chronic inflammation in terms of allergies, asthma, autoimmune disease, arthritis, etc. Yet they have no idea what's causing the inflammation or what to do about it.

So here are some causes of inflammation, which I hope will help you in assessing your own situation. 

Causes of Inflammation:  

- Smoking - Most people know the other unhealthy effects of smoking, but they don't realize it also causes serious inflammation in the body. Even if you don't smoke, beware of second hand smoke as well.

- Parasites - These nasty critters can cause all kinds of problems in the body, including inflammation as the immune system tries to fight them. Almost everyone has parasites, yet most people are unaware of it. (I've written posts with more info on parasites here and here.)

- Candida - With the increase in unhealthy foods consumed today, candida overgrowth has also increased. Chronic candida can cause all kinds of symptoms including severe inflammation.

- Viruses/Bacteria - When the immune system is unsuccessful in completely eliminating an infection then it remains in the body causing chronic inflammation. Some types of arthritis can actually be caused by these systemic infections. (The same is true of other chronic infections like Lyme, malaria, etc., which can be sources of inflammation.)

- Inflammatory foods - What you eat either positively or negatively affects inflammation. Foods such as trans-fats, fried foods, sugar, white flour, "junk" food, etc. increase inflammation in the body. (Some foods that help reduce inflammation are fruits, vegetables, olive oil, and certain spices. For a longer list go here.)

- Toxins - Based on my own experiences, I believe that exposure to toxins can cause inflammation in the body, especially if the body has a weak or non-funtioning detoxing system. Toxins and chemicals such as pesticides, flame retardants, formaldehyde, etc. are everywhere around us. These things are foreign to the body, as well as harmful. Thus the body often responds with inflammation to the perceived threat. Also, mycotoxins, or toxins from mold, are very damaging and can be a cause of inflammation. 

- Lack of sleep - The body needs adequate sleep in order to function properly. Lack of sleep weakens the immune system, and leads to all kinds of health problems.

- Stress - Who doesn't feel stressed today? Momentary stress the body is equipped for. But chronic or ongoing stress does untold damage to health - including raising cholesterol, decreasing metabolism, raising insulin, decreasing healthy gut flora, and much more. Outside stressors are unavoidable at times, but our response to stress is vital in how the body handles it. Our thoughts and feelings really do cause physiological changes in the body - either positive or negative. Also, past stress (traumas or just stressful events) can be a cause of inflammation if they haven't been peacefully resolved in our own hearts and minds.

As you can see, a lot of things can cause inflammation, and most of us face more than one of these challenges.

I'm very careful about my health, but lately I've had a lot of painful inflammation (after several months of hardly any). We finally tracked down the source to both a parasite and candida overgrowth. So I'm addressing those root causes. 

Next week I'll share some ways to reduce inflammation naturally.

P.S. Here's a 9 minute video about inflammation basics by Dr. Mercola, if you want to watch it.