Last month my doctor assessed that my liver was only functioning at about 73%. That explains some things, such as being more sensitive to chemicals and foods, fatigue, etc. So I've been working on helping my liver recover with essential oils, an herbal liquid product, and other things.
Then one of my friends told me about some health videos that were helpful. I just watched this one about the liver and thought it was very informative. It is about 45 minutes I think, but you can watch it in segments if necessary. I think there's a lot of helpful information in it.
My one comment to add is that I don't think vegetarian is the best thing for everyone. Each person is different and for some people vegetarian is not the healthiest option. Of course I always recommend eating natural/organic meats if you do eat meat, not the conventional, toxic meats.
Anyway, I hope this is helpful. There are many other videos by this lady as well. So far I've only seen this one, but I look forward to watching more as she seems to be a good resource for health information.
So many people I've talked with recently have shared stories of the awful things they've been through with their health challenges... - severely painful medical procedures - doctors telling them they're fine, or that it's all in their head and putting them on anti-depressants - other people telling them sickness is result of sin in their lives ...on an on. It's so sad to me.
But sometimes as people share their stories with me, after the horrible stuff comes the part when they finally found answers, when a doctor actually helped them, when root causes were discovered and when health was recovered!
I love hearing these "happy endings" after such horrible experiences. Although really they aren't "endings," they are new beginnings.
That's what my story is like now, full of hope and new beginnings as my body continues to heal. But for many years I only lived in the horrible part. I didn't know if my story would ever have a "happy" turn again.
So for those of you feeling stuck in the awful places right now, please take heart! It is possible that one day you'll see the end of that level of suffering and experience a new beginning of better health.
And for those of you who are recovering, please keep sharing your stories! Keep giving others hope. Keep sharing about what has helped you. Keep reaching out with compassion and kindness to those who are still where you once were.
We need each other. May we all continue working together to see more and more people live through the horrible parts of their story to a happy, new beginning!
The last seven months have been an interesting journey for me, as I've moved more than 15 times. I thank God that He has always provided places for me to stay. I have been so blessed by the kindness and hospitality of others, and I've prayed God would make me a blessing at each place too.
Along the way God has continued to teach me many things. I'm so thankful that He never wastes anything. There is always a good purpose in the difficult things He allows. He still amazes me and often surprises me. =)
Anyway, all that to say that I've noticed some things about keeping a healthy home in recent months that most people never think of. So I thought I'd mention them here and perhaps this will be a helpful reminder for someone. =)
Things most people never think of...
1) Check under your kitchen and bathroom sinks at least once a week to make sure there's no water leaking anywhere.
This is what happened at our house that led to mold. We had a very tiny leak that wasn't noticeable from the outside, but underneath the sink mold started growing. A similar thing happened while I was staying at a friend's house recently. I noticed some water on the floor and traced it to a leaky pipe under the sink. Good thing we caught that one right away.
Checking regularly doesn't take long and is so vital in case you do get a leak at some point.
2) Clean your dryer at least once a month.
Again, most people never think of this, but especially if your washer/dryer are in a garage, so much lint, dust, dirt, etc. can build up. It's not hard to clean it. You can use a wet paper towel or cloth to wipe out the inside of the dryer, all around the place where the lint filter goes, and the inside part of the door. You may be surprised just how dirty it is. Cleaning regularly is good for the machines and for the clothes.
3) Dust fans and vent covers regularly.
Some things that people forget to dust are ceiling fans and floor fans, as well as vent covers where the air comes out and the intake vent for air/heat. A lot of dust can build up on these things. Since they are circulating air, if you don't dust regularly you'll be circulating dust along with the air.
These things aren't hard to do, they're just stuff we don't usually think of.
Please feel free to add to this list in the comments if anything else comes to mind. =)
*gives the lungs, abdomen, diaphragm, etc. a workout (if you sing with correct form, not just from your throat)
*stimulates circulation
*improves posture and mental alertness
*can improve sleep
Wow, that's pretty impressive!
It's also possible that singing specific sounds can help certain functions in the body. I found the following information on one website that was very interesting. It said:
*Singing the
short-a sound, as in "ahh," for 2-3 minutes will help banish the blues. It
forces oxygen into the blood, which signals the brain to release
mood-lifting endorphins.
*To boost
alertness, make the long-e sound, as in "emit." It stimulates the pineal
gland, which controls the body's biological clock.
*Singing the
short-e sound, as in "echo" stimulates the thyroid gland, which secretes
hormones that control the speed which digestion and other bodily
processes occur.
*Making the long-o sound as in "ocean" stimulates the pancreas, which regulates blood sugar.
*To strengthen
immunity, sing the double-o sound, as in "tool." This activates the
spleen, which regulates the production of infection fighting white blood
cells.
Other research recommends group singing for better health.
"All types of
singing have positive psychological effects. The act of singing releases
endorphins, the brain's 'feel good' chemicals. Singing in front of a
crowd...naturally builds confidence, which has broad and long-lasting
effects on general well-being. But of all types of singing, it's choral
singing that seems to have the most dramatic effects on people's lives."
I haven't sung in a choir since high school. But I do very much enjoy
the group singing at church when I'm able to go. When I was in junior
high, once a month we had what we called a "Singspiration." On a Sunday
night we'd get together and just sing for about an hour. Anyone could
request a song from the hynmal or praise-book. It was wonderful! Those
are still some of my favorite memories.
I think it's important to note that what we sing is key (pun intended). =) Sometimes
I catch myself singing a song with words that are not something I need
to be repeating to myself. A lot of catchy tunes have untrue or
negative words. So remember to sing words that are true, encouraging,
and uplifting. Most people remember words that they sing much more easily than words they read or hear. So find some music you enjoy with the life-giving words that you want to have playing in your mind, and keep on singing!
To get you started, here's one of my favorite songs. =)
You've probably heard that garlic is good for you, but most people don't take the time to truly gain from the benefits of garlic. Perhaps because it has such a strong flavor and no one wants "garlic breath." Or perhaps because it's easier to sprinkle garlic salt on food than to buy fresh garlic, peel it, and chop it (or press it).
But garlic is one of those simple things that has major health benefits. So with this post I hope to inspire you to go out and buy some garlic and start using it faithfully! =)
Here are just a few of the many benefits of garlic -
For starters, garlic has antifungal, antiviral, antibiotic, and antioxidant properties.
Garlic boosts the immune system.
Garlic is good for heart health, preventing plaque from forming in arteries and promoting proper blood flow.
Garlic helps normalize cholesterol and blood pressure.
Garlic is good for the bones and the thyroid.
Garlic helps protect against cancers.
Garlic helps reduce inflammation.
Wow! Are you impressed yet? =)
The trick with garlic is in how it's used. Here are Dr. Mercola's comments on the best use:
"Garlic must be fresh to give you optimal health benefits though. The fresh clove must be crushed or chopped in order to stimulate the release of an enzyme called alliinase, which in turn catalyzes the formation of allicin. Allicin in turn rapidly breaks down to form a number of different organosulfur compounds. So to "activate" garlic's medicinal properties, compress a fresh clove with a spoon prior to swallowing it, or put it through your juicer to add to your vegetable juice. A single medium size clove or two is usually sufficient, and is well-tolerated by most people. The active ingredient, allicin, is destroyed within one hour of smashing the garlic, so garlic pills are virtually worthless. You also won't reap all the health benefits garlic has to offer if you use jarred, powdered or dried versions."
from: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/09/23/garlic-health-benefits.aspx
So yes, you can use garlic in cooking, but to gain the most benefits from it, it's better to consume it raw. I've done this before, and while it's not pleasant to swallow a chopped garlic clove, it's a pretty simple way to improve health. Or you can always add it to juicing as Dr. Mercola mentioned. (An exception would be if your digestive system doesn't handle raw garlic well, in which case just eat it cooked.)
Eating garlic isn't the only way you can use it though. You can also hold a raw clove of garlic in your right hand (for about 10 minutes) to help your body fight an infection. I often do this when dealing with infections, sometimes even twice a day. It's simple and helpful.
You can also use garlic as a tool for decontaminating things. You just peel the garlic and set one or more cloves on the object (depending on its size). Leave the garlic for about 15 minutes, then throw it away, and you'll
be amazed how much less toxic or smelly the item will be!
I've used garlic to remove cat urine smell from things (when I was staying with a friend who had a cat).
I've used it to absorb mold/mycotoxins that got on objects. (We've had a lot of those since we got mold in our house last year. Many things we threw away, but some things we were able to save by putting garlic on them, yeah!)
You can use it to detoxify a new mattress or other new furniture (which are usually loaded with chemicals, especially flame retardants).
It's great for absorbing things like smells, mycotoxins, flame retardants, etc. If you're not sure if it'll help with a particular item or smell, give it a try anyway, there's nothing to lose. =)
Well, I hope all this information has amazed you with the wonders of garlic! I hope you'll go buy some (preferably organic) and give it a try. =)
"God designed the human mind with an absolutely breathtaking ability
to change itself. We have a responsibility to use this power of free
will well, to glorify him through the stewardship of our bodies and the
rest of creation. To be made in the image of God, with the creative
power of choice, is not just a nice idea to make you feel good about
yourself, but a serious RESPONSIBILITY, an immense act of love on the
part of a magnificent Creator." -Dr. Caroline Leaf
I've mentioned before how much I appreciate Dr. Caroline Leaf, a brilliant brain scientist and dedicated Christian. She now has a TV show where she covers so many helpful topics such as stress, toxic thinking, handling emotions, etc.
I love listening to her! I always come away with greater awe of God and greater hope for my own situation.
Here's the website where you can select past episodes of the show to watch. I think it's on TV every Wednesday in the USA, and air times are listed on the site for other countries as well. http://drleaf.com/broadcast/
I encourage you to take the time to watch one episode a week if you can. And please pass this great resource along to others!
Hand soap is one of those products that most people don't even think about. But it actually can have a big impact on health. If you think about how many times a day you wash your hands, you'll get an idea of how much toxic exposure that adds up to if you're using a chemical-laden hand soap.
First of all, beware of hand soap that is "antibacterial." That means it has some form of antibiotic in it. With the overuse of antibiotics today, many strains of bacteria are becoming resistant, and using "antibacterial" hand soap contributes to this problem. Not to mention it's yet another toxic chemical your body will have to detox.
Another thing to watch for is hand soap that is made in China! Almost every product made in China contains high levels of toxic chemicals. You definitely don't want to be washing your hands with toxic soap.
For the last several years I used baking soda exclusively for washing my hands. It's worked fine for me, though I realize many people prefer an actual soap. Several months ago I began looking for a natural bar or liquid soap that I could use instead of baking soda. I was shocked at some of the ingredients I found while reading soap labels. Here's just one example, a list of ingredients for a name brand hand soap (I didn't even include them all):
I'm not sure what happened to the soap industry that they can't just make plain soap anymore. It's sad. Thankfully, after much research I finally found two options that are completely natural. One is Olivella fragrance-free bar soap. The other is Fiji Coconut Oil bar soap, fragrance-free. My local health food store carries both brands, or you can find them online.
There are some other natural companies now making soaps with various essential oils. Some of those might be ok for most people. Personally I try to stick with the fewest ingredients possible, which is why I selected the two soaps above.
Keeping hands clean is important for good health. But so is using a non-toxic soap. I hope this info is helpful. Let me know any comments or questions you have, or any suggestions of a non-toxic soap you have found. =)
