Awareness of God

Welcome to our weekly meme hosted by Colleen at Thoughts on Grace. Visit her to read other bloggers’ quiet moments with God. Note: next Saturday we will not have a post on this meme due to the Thanksgiving holidays.

Ups and downs and elderberries

This week was up and down for me with fibro pain and tiredness.  I had to take a heavy duty pain killer for the first time in a long time and was zoned out for a day.  But Friday was  gloriously sunny and I felt so great Roger and I went for a drive in the country to check out a hardware store in a small town north of Springfield.  We met some neat people while we were looking at hand guns and we enjoyed learning more about safety. Back home in town we stopped off at an antique store just for fun and bought some elderberry jam.

It takes 2,000 berries to make a pound, and 20 pounds to make a gallon of juice

Elderberries are a native Missouri plant that grow wild but can be cultivated for their edible flowers and berries.  The are the size of BBs but produce a huge amount of juice.  If you ever get a chance to taste elderberry wine, it is delicious as is just about everything else made from this plant.  Maybe I’ll put one in our yard next spring since we’re interested in gardening.  Then we’ll see who gets the berries first: we or the birds.

Of Korean interest

Inside the Vatican is one of my favorite Catholic publications.  This week I finally got around to reading the most recent issue and found an interview with Thomas Hong-Soon Han, South Korea’s Ambassador to the Holy See.  Regular readers know I am very interested in Japan, Korea, and China, and their history and culture so this article I read with great interest.

Han’s story is not only inspiring from a personal standpoint, his insight into the Catholic Church in Korea is most instructive. I learned that the Church in Korea was founded by Korean lay people, not missionaries. From reading a book by the great Chinese missionary Jesuit, Matthew Ricci, Korean scholars became very interested in the Catholic faith.  They sent one of their own to China to learn and be baptized.  When he returned, he baptized many others and founded the first Catholic community in 1784.  The Church survived without missionary priests until 1836 when the Paris Mission Society sent some.

The Church in Korea always stayed with the oppressed regardless of the type of government, and this has given it an authoritative voice in the culture.  According to Han, it will play an important role in overcoming the grave difficulties between North and South Korea.

Gamgok Parish Church (cathedral), Chungcheongbuk-do, Korea

Han is of my times.  We share similarities in our spiritual formation although we lived half a world apart and in far different circumstances.

He says,  “I spent my elementary school years in the period of the Korean War.  My family fled from the capital, Seoul, to the South.  The first thing my mother did was to take me to the school of the refugees which was in a huge tent.  I recall a lot of difficulties during the war.  After I returned back home to Seoul I spent my boyhood in a parish run by Irish missionaries.  I still vividly remember how my catechist, a German missionary sister, taught me how to pray.  The best moment to pray is when receiving Holy Communion, as the Lord has come into your body.”  He went on to say that the Legion of Mary was the school of formation of the faith for him.  He said of his work for God, “…do not be afraid.  He will be with you.  You are working with Mary for her Son.”

Catholic News Asia recently reported that the Catholic Church in Korea is the fastest growing in Asia with young people on fire for the Lord.  This relatively small country, I think, will some day play an important role in the recovery of the moral compass lost by the West and the communist nations bordering it – if it can staunchly resist the materialistic zeitgeist of our age.

Stories of faith inevitably provide Sabbath Moments for me.

Note: I lifted the cathedral picture from The Marmot’s Hole – Korea…in blog format which I will be visiting more often.

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V. Praised be Jesus Christ!

R. Now and forever!

(Click on the link above to read why I end my posts this way.

Awareness of God

Welcome to our Saturday meme hosted by Colleen at Thoughts on Grace. Visit her to read other Catholic blogger’s moments of resting in the Lord or finding Him in the ordinary.

This week was busy.  Due to problems with a neighbor, we had to get a privacy fence installed along one side of our property.  Fortunately, it only took 3 days.  One to set the posts, one to let the concrete harden, and one to nail the boards. It looks lovely.  Between now and next spring I’ll have time to consider what to plant near it.  For sure it looks like this will be a great opportunity to start kiwi vines in a sunny section.  No problem presents itself without a corresponding opportunity. Meanwhile, I am praying for the neighbor when I otherwise wouldn’t have.  Sometimes God sticks stuff  right under our noses so we can’t miss those He wants us to pray for.

Sunlight through the red, orange, and yellow leaves casts a warm glow over morning and evening.  Just looking out the window at this intangible beauty is calming and peaceful.  Physical light is important and healthy for the body as the light of Christ is important and healthy for the soul. I’ve found that part of my wellness program is getting enough sunlight. On sunny days fibromyalgia pain is much lower than on overcast and rainy days.  Meditation and prayer brings the light of Christ into my soul which starts to wither away without it.  It’s like what Colleen wrote about last week: put God first.  I’ll add, or you’ll get lost in the dark and be in a world of hurt.

We are getting a kick out of the neighbor boy who is around 9-10 years old.  He is an outgoing, enterprising young man.  When we cleared the honeysuckle from the back fence, it exposed a lot of rocks – the Ozarks gifts of the ground.  He asked if he could have some and we said yes.  The next day he was knocking on our front door offering to sell us some beautiful rocks – the ones we gave him permission to take!  I thought it was hilarious.  He is a polite boy and very intelligent with an outgoing nature.  It’s always a Sabbath moment to see today’s children growing into decent people – a good antidote to the selfish and self-centered youth that dominate the news.  The Lord is raising wheat among the weeds.  We must all pray for the wheat to stay strong and not be choked out by the weeds.

Want to subscribe to posts by email? Visit the third box in the sidebar.

V. Praised be Jesus Christ!

R. Now and forever. Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

OK, don’t go ewwww! at the idea of cabbage in anything.  My husband only used to eat cabbage under the guise of sauerkraut, but this recipe converted him and your family might like it, too.

Fall and winter are good times to haul out those soup recipes that warm the innards.  I found a recipe for hot and sour cabbage soup on the internet and changed it quite a bit to suit my gluten free needs and the tastes of my husband.  It was a great success so I’m sharing it here.

This recipe doesn’t qualify for meatless Fridays, but all you have to do is leave out the ground pork and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and you’ll be good to go. If you’re good at the technique of adding eggs to soup Chinese style, it will be a perfect Friday feast.

Ingredients for 6 servings

• 60 oz. of chicken broth
• 1 lb. cooked and crumbled ground pork
• 1 small head of green cabbage, cored and shredded
• 2 large stems of bok choy, chopped
• 8 oz. of sliced, fresh mushrooms
• a couple of green onions chopped
• ½ tsp. minced garlic
• 1/3 cu. apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
• 1 ½ tsp. sesame oil
• ¼ cu. gluten free soy sauce
• 1/3 tsp. cayenne pepper
• either 1 tsp. ground fresh ginger root or ½ tsp. ground ginger (you can put in a dash of Chinese five spice if you like, also, which I do)
• If you want the soup to have more bite, add an ounce or two of Szechwan sauce or a few shakes of Tabasco sauce.

My personal tips for making this soup

Because of my various neurological issues, I bought a good sized Salad Shooter which makes shredding the cabbage really easy.  Busy moms or arthritis and fibromyalgia patients, if you have to do a lot a shredding or slicing, this kitchen helper is great for keeping your hands and arms from wearing out or getting sore.

To keep the amount of fat down, I cook the pork sausage and drain off the fat before adding it to the broth.  I like to simmer the soup after bringing it to a boil long enough to make the cabbage fairly transparent.  This could take a couple of hours.

Leftovers?  Yum.  Economical? Yes.  Ground pork costs less than ground beef in our area, and cabbage is also inexpensive.  I use organic chicken broth and cut it with 2 cups of distilled water to bring the cost down, too.

Want to subscribe to posts by email? Visit the third box in the sidebar.

V. Praised be Jesus Christ!

R. Now and forever. Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

Here’s another health related post based on my personal experience.

A friend who works out at the therapy pool when I do told me about Ionic-Fizz Magnesium Plus.  Coincidentally, my Natural Health Doctor had mentioned that people with fibromyalgia are known to be seriously deficient in magnesium. Because I had severe muscle pain for over two months from slicing a roast, he suggested I get a magnesium supplement.

Off I went to the health food store and found this product.  It says on the label it’s good for bone and cardiovascular support and is great for leg cramps.  Hmmm… I thought.  If it stops leg cramps, what would it do for my incessant muscle cramps in my back – the kind of cramps every fibro sufferer has to deal with.

Here’s what happened since I began taking this supplement in February.  The arm pain lessened in a few days and was gone in a few weeks.  The muscle cramps disappeared. I still have burning muscle pain but I can now get through Sunday Mass without squirming and twisting to resolve cramps in my back and around my ribs.

Not knowing all of what magnesium could do, I began noticing another very welcome effect.  I’m a sugar addict.  One of those people who can’t open a box of candy without eating the whole thing.  It runs in the family for generations and has resulted in diabetes in some of my relatives.  Taking this product brought my sugar cravings to an abrupt halt.

Addictions are a result of faulty brain chemistry.  I know this intellectually, but handling it correctly is quite another thing.  Magnesium brings about a proper chemical balance in the brain and helps control blood sugar levels.  This is really important for people suffering from fibromyalgia because most of us are insulin resistant and have blood sugar problems.  My sugar cravings have disappeared and I am finally starting to lose weight.

Pure Essence Labs makes this product.  Here’s what they say about magnesium:

Magnesium is the world’s most overlooked nutrient. Without it, calcium cannot be efficiently deposited to bone tissues. When calcium does not reach the bones, it can form arterial plaque, bone spurs, kidney stones, etc. It can also cause calcification of brain cells, thus undermining mental function.

Over 80% of Americans fail to get even the minimum daily requirement for magnesium. Less than one in 20 get the amount that progressive nutritionists suggest. Magnesium deficiency can lead to osteoporosis, insomnia, cardiovascular problems, migraines, muscle cramps (especially cramps in the legs at night), constipation, poor mental function, lack of energy, high blood sugar levels and countless other problems.

This is what they say about why getting minerals in this fizzy form works better:

The smallest, simplest, purest forms of minerals are “ions.” Calcium and magnesium can be absorbed into the blood in this pure, ionic form through a process of passive diffusion. They can also be bound to amino acids in the stomach, and then absorbed through an active transport system in the first few inches of the small intestine.

Minerals that are bound to amino acids are called “chelates.” Because these minerals are reasonably well absorbed, many nutrition companies try to make chelates in industrial processes. However, commercial chelation processes are not nearly as efficient as the chelation that occurs in the stomach. So, many of the minerals that are sold as chelates are nothing more than mineral salts that are extremely difficult to digest.

Naturally, the harder these salts are to digest, the harder they are to absorb. Since digestion loses power as we age, the older we grow, the less valuable such minerals become. And, even if we could digest them well, the body chemical used to digest them is the hydrochloric acid made in the stomach. Since this is the same digestive juice used to digest protein, the more of it we use to break down minerals, the less efficient our protein digestion will be.

This means that the best mineral supplements are those that are in their free, ionic form. Because they require no digestion, they can be immediately absorbed through passive diffusion, or joined to amino acids in the stomach, and then absorbed via the active transport mechanism. Pure mineral ions are the only minerals that can absorbed in both these ways.

Here’s a partial list of conditions that could indicate a magnesium deficiency and be helped by taking this product:

ADD/ADHD

Alzheimer’s

Angina

Anxiety Disorders

Arrhythmia

Arthritis – Rheumatoid, Osteoarthritis

Asthma

Autism

Auto Immune Disorders – ALL Types

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Congestive Heart Disease

Depression

Diabetes – Type I & II

Eating disorders – Bulimia, Anorexia

Fibromyalgia

Gut disorders – Ulcers, Crohn’s Disease, Colitis, Food Allergy

Heart Disease – Arteriosclerosis, High Cholesterol, High Triglycerides

High Blood Pressure

Hypoglycemia

Insomnia

Kidney Stones

Lou Gehrig’s Disease

Migraines – ALL Types

Multiple Sclerosis

Muscle Cramps

Muscle Weakness, Fatigue

Obesity – Especially Associated with High Carbohydrate Diets

Osteoporosis (just adding magnesium reversed
bone loss)

Parkinson’s Disease

PMS – Including Menstrual Pain and
Irregularities

Raynaud’s

Stroke

Syndrome X – Insulin Resistance

Thyroid Disorders (low magnesium reduces T-4)

Many people with fibromyalgia or other chronic pain issues suffer from quite a few of the above problems.  Magnesium in sufficient amounts taken by this method may be a partial answer for many to start feeling better.

Wellness is a way of life and while we likely won’t ever feel like we did at age 20, taking a natural healing approach can help us improve our quality of life and our mental outlook. God meant for our bodies to be in balance and our bodies constantly strive for it.

My doctor and I are always looking at new and developing approaches to correct the systemic issues I face.  Progress over the past year has been slow, steady, and significant. I hope that readers will find clues for their own solutions in my posts.

The most important thing I’ve learned is to keep looking for ways to address health issues using natural methods that keep stress on the body down.  From personal experience I can also say that a healthy body is an asset to a healthy spiritual life.

One of my happiest childhood memories is running around with my brothers and sisters, barefoot in the grass. Mom and Dad didn’t like us to be outside without our shoes but something about kids and bare feet just go together. Today the science of health and wellness shows that walking barefoot in the grass can be a simple and cheap way of feeling better.

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted on a health topic because in my coping with fibromyalgia I’ve hit something of a plateau and didn’t have much additional to write concerning wellness. However, the subject of the benefit of negative ions has caught my eye recently and I want to share with readers how they can contribute to our sense of well being no matter what our health issues are.

I’m not a scientist so I’ll try to keep this simple.  If you want more info on studies that have been done, The Benefits of Negative Ions is a good place to start.  These paragraphs caught my eye:

Metabolism, which is the process of acquiring nutrients from the blood and excreting waste out of the body, is extremely important to the human cells. The more Negatively Charged Electric Ions there are in the blood, the more efficient the cell’s metabolism process.

On the contrary, the more Positively Charged Ions there are in the blood, the slower and less efficient the cell’s metabolism. This causes the body’s cells to become weak and the body will tend to get sick more easily and aged faster….

The benefits of negative ions:

• Strengthen the functions of autonomic nerves
• Reinforces collagen (tissues that are resilient and tension-related)
• Improves the permeability of the cell’s prototype plasma membranes (improves metabolism)
• Strengthens the body’s immune system

A number of companies are marketing negative ion products but you don’t need to spend money to get the amount of negative ions you need.  Adjusting your lifestyle to include more of the outdoors will make a difference.  Here are some easy ways to do it:

You know how great it feels to sniff the air after a thunderstorm?  The air is filled with negative ions.  Dust and pollen particles have been washed away and the air is really fresh.  Step out the door or sit on a covered porch during a rainstorm and you’ll feel refreshed.  If there’s no lightening, be like a kid and go play in the rain.

Take a walk on a nature trail or get near a waterfall.  Sit on a beach or swim in a lake, ocean or natural stream.  The earth itself is loaded with negative ions and direct body contact with it transfers those ions into our bodies.

Go barefoot in the grass in your yard for 15 minutes to a half hour every day. While you’re at it, expose your skin to the sun to take in the amount of vitamin D you need.

Take a long shower and breathe in the steam. We take in negative ions through skin contact and breathing.  Even elderly people or those confined to wheelchairs can use bath benches or chairs to enjoy a long shower.

One of the more important benefits of exposure to enough negative ions is the effect of reducing depression. Chronic pain patients have big problems with depression, immune disorders, blood sugar balance, and other systemic problems.

Since I have decided to spend at least 40 minutes a day in the yard, I am making sure that some of that time I spend barefoot.  Even if it is hot and humid, walking barefoot in the grass in the shade – or even sitting barefoot in the grass is something I can do.  In southern Missouri I can do this three seasons out of the year.

God’s creation is His gift to us to live in.  I didn’t realize how much better I could feel by spending more time in it.

Want to subscribe to posts by email? Visit the third box in the sidebar.

V. Praised be Jesus Christ!

R. Now and forever. Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

Awareness of God

Welcome to another Sabbath Moments brought to you by Colleen at Thoughts on Grace. Sabbath Moments are times we rest with God, or recognize Him in the wholly ordinary.  Visit Colleen to read other bloggers’ Sabbath Moments.

This week I spent time with the Lord resting in bed.  My fibromyalgia pain and fatigue seem to be relentless lately, so I take up my rosary or meditate on a Bible story.

My uncle passed away this week.  Please pray for the repose of his soul.  His death was on my mind this morning as I thought about why we are sad when someone we love passes away.

We are so anchored to this world by our bodies and the physical presence of others, that when someone is no longer with us, we miss their “being there”.  Even when we know they are happy to be moving on to their final reward and are free from the suffering of this world, we seem to need to hang on to them somehow. The emptiness we feel seems like it can never be filled.

It is consoling to know that if we are faithful to our Baptismal vows we will see one another again in a perfect way.  With Jesus as the center of our lives we can pick ourselves up and move along toward Him while looking forward to our eventual reunion with loved ones in heaven.

As I’ve dealt with the passing of both parents and now a treasured uncle in the past year and a half, I find myself ever more grateful for the Holy Eucharist.  Christ is always with us and will never leave us.  His physical presence is something we will never lose.  Our departed are with Him and we are with Him.  He is the link and center of all that has been, is, and ever will be.  So for my uncle,

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.

And let perpetual light shine upon him.  May his soul and all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace.  Amen.

Awareness of God

Today we join Colleen at Thoughts on Grace to share quiet moments we had with the Lord, or those when we experienced Him in the ordinary.

1.  The snow comes down every few days and the temperature has been 0° or slightly higher until yesterday when the sun came out and we got a little warmer.  For the past two weeks I’ve skipped working out because my fibromyalgia reacts badly to the chill. Instead, on the days I would have roused myself to go to the therapy pool, I stayed under the warm covers and meditated on matters of Faith and the Virgin Mary.

2.  My fibro pain has gone higher with the lack of exercise and yesterday while I was grocery shopping and trying to get prescriptions filled at the pharmacy I could barely contain my irritation. Doctor’s office said I didn’t have to come in, they’d call the prescription in.  OK, so far so good.

Got to the pharmacy.  Somebody with a bunch of kids had a problem not having their insurance in order.  Stand in line and wait for 20 minutes while they argue it out with the clerk.

Finally it’s my turn.  Only two out of three prescriptions were there.  Called the doctor’s office.  “Well you have to come in or we can’t give it to you.” But just two days ago they said I didn’t need to come in and that they would phone the prescriptions in.  They also said that if the doc wanted to see me, they’d call. I got no call.  Body-wide pain levels rising.

Now I have to drag my sorry behind from Walmart to home where I wait a couple of hours and then drag it to the doctor’s office where I get to take 15 minutes to fill out an electronic patient form with questions they already have answered in their system, and then wait and wait and wait. I was gritting my teeth and telling myself to hold on – choking back my feelings of wanting to give somebody a piece of my mind for having inconvenienced me.

Pain levels were accelerating while I’m trying to get a grip on myself.  The later in the day the higher the pain levels anyway. Plus, the prescription I needed was for my sleep meds.  Without them I can’t turn my brain off to sleep.  It’s one of the nasty facets of fibro I’ve tried to overcome without success. 

So add anxiety to irritation and you have one very growly lady, because I know from the outset I have to drag myself back to Walmart and wait and wait and wait all over again while my whole body becomes one huge mass of flame. Then when I finally get home I have to fix dinner.  Throw a little accelerant on the fire here.

Trying to get myself under control, I had taken the book “Kindness” by Father Lovasik to the doctor’s office with me to read while waiting.  When I got to the section, “Strive to suffer graciously” it was as if the good priest had sat me down and held up a mirror to my face.  He writes:

One of the most attractive features of holiness is to combine suffering with gentleness. [OK, tiger lady, get a grip.] This demands that suffering be almost wholly influenced by supernatural grace…. [Yep, I sure need that grace right about now before I turn into a gargoyle.]

Gargoyle

Kind suffering will make you look at what others feel rather than at what you have to bear. You will see your own crosses on other people’s shoulders, and consequently you will be all the more kind to them.  The saints were silent in suffering, because they knew that what they suffered was itself a suffering to those who loved them. [Yes, just because I'm in a lot of pain and inconvenienced to the nth degree here, why should I inflict my bad mood on everyone around me?  This is my problem, not theirs.  It is unjust to inflict it on them.  Smile and be nice.]

Make an effort to hide your pains and sorrows.  But, while you do so, let them also urge you to be kind and cheerful to those around you. The very darkness within you should create a sunshine around you.  In this way, the spirit of Jesus will take possession of your soul. [If there's anything I need at the moment, it's the spirit of Jesus.  OK, time to calm down and let all this anger go.  You can't change anything anyway.  Just hang in there.  You can get through it.  In the eternal scheme of things this is nothing.]

And so, the super grouch went back to Walmart smiling at the good people there, got her meds, went home, fixed dinner still smiling, and thanked God for the pain meds and sleep meds that helped her get ready for a new day. And hubby was also very happy that his real wife came home and not some monster out of the black lagoon. A little 100 proof spiced rum topped the day off just fine.

If it hadn’t been for Father Lovasik’s book, I would have left a lot of unhappy people in the wake of my frustration, so I consider a lot of yesterday a Sabbath Moment.

Want to subscribe to posts by email? Visit the third box in the sidebar.

V.  Praised be Jesus Christ!

R.  Now and forever.  Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

Awareness of God

Welcome to Sabbath Moments, hosted by Colleen at Thoughts on Grace. If you’d like to join us, create a post linking to her, visit Colleen and link to your post.  Be sure to leave a comment, too.  Or you can just visit everyone and enjoy the moments when we experienced God in a special way in our lives.

This week I wrote my first article for Suite 101, a first person account of the goal setting skills I used to improve my quality of life, living with fibromyalgia (Goal Setting Success Made Simple). When I finished it I was struck by how much God has blessed me to be a stubborn and determined person, to have placed special people in my life to help me, and everything He has taught me in the past seven years.

He’s been hard at work for me even when I didn’t notice, but now I see, in retrospect, all of His graces and am so thankful.  My next challenge is how, in writing for secular consumption, I can bring God into the equation – we really can’t do anything without Him. Battling the New Age hocus pocus – not selling out to the zeitgeist – while speaking in a language people will receive is going to take a lot of prayer. Please remember me in yours as I pursue this avenue of evangelization and, I hope, supplemental income.

Want to subscribe to posts by email? Visit the third box in the sidebar.

V.  Praised be Jesus Christ!

R.  Now and forever.  Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

Rays of God's Blessings - A Moment of Delight, Photography by Yun, http://www.yunphoto.net/en/

An interesting thing happened on the way to improved quality of life for me in 2010.  Not only did God bless me with an excellent Natural Health doctor who has guided me toward a clearer mind (goodbye fibrofog), He helped me develop my writing voice and skills through blogging.

The best surprises are always from the Lord! It’s only in retrospect that I see what regular blogging has done for me.

• I’ve found wonderful blogs by Catholic/Christian bloggers that have given me opportunities for interaction on faith and Catholic living.

• My spiritual life has improved.  I see what God is doing for others as they risk sharing His miracles in their daily living.

• I’ve made valued friends I’d love to meet in person and have a good chin wag with.  Maybe someday that will happen.  If not, that’s OK.  We can continue to encourage each other via comments and show our caring that way.

• The big surprise: writing has become a wellness skill for me. It means a lot that what I’d hoped to do when I started this blog – help others in some way – is happening and I feel good about that.

Where will writing take me?  I’m not sure, but I hope to be able to bring in a little income to supplement our Social Security. Here’s where you wonderful readers can help me.

Lend Me a Hand – A Corporal Work of Mercy

I’ve joined Suite101 and am learning ways to promote my work to others who can benefit.  This past week I posted a first person article on simple goal setting skills anyone can use, but it’s especially geared to people who may be tempted to discouragement because they suffer from disabilities such as fibromyalgia, arthritis, and other afflictions where quality of life is easily compromised.

It was after I had written and posted the article that I realized the kind of goal setting I wrote about is a wellness skill. I want to inspire others and give them hope. We can’t truly function well without skills, inspiration and hope.

The Blogger's Tool

What you can do:

• If you have time, read the article. It won’t take long.

• If you know people who can benefit from it, send them a link and encourage them to read it.

• If you can write a blog post about it and link to it from your blog, that would be immensely helpful.

• Tell me what you think about it, and, if you wish, suggest other topics I can pursue that would help others.

We are made of body, mind, and soul/spirit.  I’ve learned that when one is in trouble, the other two also need help.  Wellness applies to all three.  I want to write more for Suite101 that will be both practical and uplifting.

God bless you, dear readers, and thanks for reading my blog.

Want to subscribe to posts by email? Visit the third box in the sidebar.

V.  Praised be Jesus Christ!

R.  Now and forever.  Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

Colleen at Thoughts on Grace hosts this meme every Saturday.  Visit her to see what other bloggers say about their Sabbath Moments, the times when we experience God in a special way.  Join us by sharing your own Sabbath Moments.

This week I read Susan Boyle’s autobiography and reviewed the book here:  Susan Boyle – Her Inspiring Story. When I finished the book, I reflected on how God works in hidden ways in people’s lives, how He has blessed the world with a glorious voice, and how Susan Boyle’s devout Catholic life inspires others. She is a great example to others who suffer from some kind of anxiety disorder, or who have been bullied by their peers.  I thanked God for giving her to the world.

My second Sabbath Moment for the week was coming down with another cold which has gone into my chest.  I had made out a “To Do” list.  Everything on the list requires a lot of small steps to get completed, and I had planned to rev up the engines and get going.  But God has other plans and I gave up to Him all of the things I wanted to do in favor of spending more time with Him since doing anything else would be counterproductive. (Fibromyalgia makes any illness much worse and I’ve had a lot of pain in the long bones of my legs this week in addition to the cold symptoms.  I’m sure it has to do with the body fighting the virus.)

I appreciate having the grace to submit instead of bulling my way forward doing what I want to do.

Want to subscribe to posts by email? Visit the third box in the sidebar.

V.  Praised be Jesus Christ!

R.  Now and forever.  Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

Welcome to Sabbath Moments, a wonderful meme hosted by Colleen at Thoughts on Grace. Visit her to find other bloggers’ Sabbath Moments, the times when we rested in the Lord.

This week I had some beautiful Sabbath Moments when I needed an encounter with beauty to balance out a day of more than average physical labor.  You can share my moments at Escape to Japan.

October 2, Feast of the Guardian Angels

Another thing I pondered this week is the great blessing the Lord has given me through my fibromyalgia.  I have the time to think of Him, to connect with Him, to appreciate what He has done for me and for the world – all because I can no longer run around like a maniac. The enforced stillness leads to deeper and deeper discoveries of Him.

I have always needed time to think.  Now I can indulge with no feelings of guilt but rather a firm knowledge that I am doing His will.

Thursday was a lovely day – sunny; dry, cool breezes; and a trip to the country to pick up raw milk from a dairy farmer friend.  I often don’t realize how much I long for the fields, the cows, sheep, horses and goats until we need to go through the countryside. God went with us as we made our way beneath circling hawks and wispy clouds in a field of blue.  A blessed day.

V.  Praised be Jesus Christ!

R.  Now and forever.  Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

Sunday Snippets is a weekly gathering of Catholic bloggers and readers over at This, That, and The Other Thing where we share our posts we think others might enjoy.  To join us visit RAnn’s blog.  If you are a blogger write a post linking to our hostess, go to her site and enter a link to your post.

This week in honor of Our Lady I posted an interpretation of a rare and beautiful renaissance painting of her.  At Decoding Sacred Art I explain it. Please share this with your friends as this painting should be much better known for its content and artistry.  I love to look at it and pray.

After learning that I am gluten sensitive, I researched and wrote an article on Gluten Sensitivity, Weight Gain, and Fibromyalgia. It’s all part of my journey into wellness that I hope it will help others, too.  The facts are surprising and I’ve included links for those who want to learn more.

This is my book review of a really worthwhile read: Salvation Is From the Jews. It made me appreciate more what God has done for us and helped me understand parts of the Bible better.

In Sabbath Moments I mention times this week where I consciously was with God.  At that post I include some great comments by a wonderful priest, Father Oscar Lukefahr.  You’ll want to read his book, The Privilege of Being Catholic.

Recently I was tested by my Natural Health Doctor for gluten sensitivity by means of a saliva test.  It was called the gliadin Av, SIgA test and revealed a mild intolerance or reactivity to Gliadin, a term I had never heard of before.

Gliadins are polypeptides found in wheat, rye, oat, barley, and other grain glutens, and are toxic to the intestinal mucosa in susceptible people.  Polypeptides are chains of amino acids which are the building blocks of proteins. (Now is about the time I wish I had taken chemistry in high school!  Since I didn’t, I have to search a lot to understand important aspects of achieving wellness.)

I learned in my studies that protein is a part of every cell in our bodies, and no other nutrient plays as many different roles in keeping us alive and healthy. We need protein to grow and repair our muscles, bones, skin, tendons, ligaments, hair, eyes and other tissues. Without it, we lack the enzymes and hormones we need for metabolism, digestion and other important processes.

With gluten intolerance we aren’t getting the use of the amino acids present in the grain and we are reacting badly to them, often with a low level inflammation of the intestines.  Why is this important to know?  Any disruption in the gut by inflammation prevents us from absorbing the vitamins and minerals we need to be in balance. Our cells can be starving for proteins and for the enzymes and hormones we need to live and feel healthy.

When I was first diagnosed six years ago with severe fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and other neurological issues my holistic practitioner put me on the Atkins induction program.  It didn’t give me energy nor did it take away the fibro pain, but at some level I felt better and I lost 25 lbs. in three months.  This foray into the high protein/low refined carb way of eating was a revelation.  I never felt like I was starving and it was easy to do.  In retrospect, based on what I know now, I think that because it was  totally gluten free, I felt better.  Part of feeling better was overcoming insulin resistance, which is often a factor in fibromyalgia, and that came from eliminating grain and refined sugar carb intake while increasing fresh vegetables, berries and a variety of nuts.

Gluten Intolerance, Weight Gain, and Fibromyalgia

Some people who suffer from fibromyalgia are downright skinny.  A lot more of us weigh more than we should and have a dickens of a time getting to a normal range.  Is part of our problem gluten intolerance? Over at Gluten Free Fox doctors Vikki and Richard Peterson have written a book called The Gluten Effect that tackles the myth that gluten intolerance is marked by weight loss. (You can find the book in Barb’s Custom Shop under the “wellness” category.) Gluten sensitivity affects 40% of the population while only 1% are celiacs.  They write:

“Contrary to classic medical opinion, gluten intolerance is not associated with weight loss the majority of the time.  In fact, it is simply the opposite. Gluten-sensitive patients are overweight approximately forty percent of the time due to various direct and indirect factors. Because of the misperception that most individuals suffer weight loss when they have gluten sensitivity, a greater number of people go undiagnosed.  This perception needs to change.”

…This is one of the many reasons we wrote our book.  Not only are 95% of those suffering with celiac disease never diagnosed but the percentage of those with gluten sensitivity who continue to suffer undiagnosed is about 99.8%. This must change as too many people are suffering needlessly.

The same doctors write about fibromyalgia in their book:

“Anecdotally, we have witnessed over and over again the resolution of the classic muscle aches and tender points in response to gluten elimination. Adrenal fatigue, poor blood sugar control and hidden infections round out the most frequent causes of this condition that we find. Among our patients who have enjoyed this response, there is no question as to the link between fibromyalgia and gluten sensitivity.”

This tells me that we have unearthed another major piece of the wellness puzzle that sufferers of fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and chronic pain should look at when trying to find their own, individualized approach to health.  The other key pieces that I have explored and found to be significant for me and for others are:

1. the role of thyroid functioning - large percentages of people have underactive thyroids or their cells are unable to use the thyroid their bodies are producing due to
2. iodine deficiency – about 95% of the population suffers from iodine deficiency which prevents cells from operating efficiently and using the thyroid circulating in the blood;
3. vitamin D deficiency – the range of D3 in the blood needs to be 50-65, not 30+ as some labs say is “normal”;
4. Adrenal gland fatigue and other endocrine gland imbalances;
5. Not enough intake of flouride and chlorine-free water;
6. Type of food eaten;
7. Need for probiotics;
   
8. Stress, stress, and stress and not enough intake of vitamins and minerals for our particular needs.

Our doctors are trained to treat symptoms, but some symptoms point to so many possible diseases that a systemic approach is a much better strategy.  We aren’t going to die of fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue, but we can get to feeling better if we can find a good Natural Health Doctor who will help us diagnose the whole body and apply the remedies that work the best for us.

Since starting on the gluten-free diet several weeks ago, I have a slight increase in energy and a slight decrease in pain levels.  It looks like it can take 5-6 months to experience the good effects of this program in full.  For more information go to The Gluten Doctors blogspot.

Comments?

You might enjoy my related posts:

Adrenal fatigue, gluten intolerance, and war on ignorance

A holistic approach to treating depression

A fairly cheap way to feel better – iodine

Guaifenesin vs. iodine in treating fibromyalgia

God really has ways of delighting us unexpectedly.  A couple of years ago I wanted  to put in an asparagus bed, but after reading about the work involved, the time for a bed to mature, and considering my health issues – and Roger’s, too, I gave up on the idea.  (Fibromyalgia and arthritis sufferers just can’t do a lot of digging, bending, and stooping for serious garden work.) A number of times since then I’ve thought about how great it would be to have asparagus out of our own beds and had to say, “Thy will be done.”

Asparagus beans. Also known as Yardlong Bean, Snake Bean, and Chinese Long Bean. A useful Asian import that is disease and bug resistant.

Wouldn’t you know that God’s plans are always better than ours! This year in mid-April I went to Walmart to get plants for the garden.  Every year we’ve put bush beans into the Earthboxes® and into the ground and I’ve been unhappy with the paucity of the harvest.  No matter where we put them or how we treated them, the beans were just plain puny.  As I collected the various starter veggies this year, I saw something called an “asparagus bean” that the tag said “grows 15″ to 18″ long.”

“Well, what do I have to lose? Same amount of space and over 3x the amount of veggie.  A no brainer,” I thought, and picked up a packet.  It looked like they were similar to pole beans and I had already decided to switch to climbing beans I could train on the chain link fence.

The beans went into the ground just fine and they look happy, having grown five or six inches over the past couple of weeks.  Today I finally got around to reading about asparagus beans and I really had to chuckle.  God gave us some real bonuses with these plants.  Local Harvest says:

Asparagus beans in bloom

Asparagus beans are easily grown, produce heavily, harvest easily, thrive in hot weather, are slightly more resistant to drought than snap beans and are tolerant of a wide range of soils. [Music to my ears!] Grow in the same manner as pole beans or along a trellis, 8″ apart, 1″ deep. [A chain link fence will have to do.] Sow in June [we started early and will see how they work out] and make two or three successive plantings about three weeks apart for a steady supply. HARVEST: Harvest when pods reach 12-15″, before the seeds fill the pods. The mature beans may be threshed or shelled from the pods and cooked in the same fashion as dried beans. Their flavor is like southern peas but with a drier, nutty quality. Young leaves and stems are also edible.[What a deal!] FLAVOR: Sweet and mild resembling the combined flavor of asparagus, mushrooms, and beans. [Hmmm...this should be very interesting!]

So I don’t get my asparagus, but maybe this will be tasty and enjoyable instead.  They cook up just like ordinary green beans and should be a great addition to our eating for wellness.  I have nine plants and if they live up to the description, we’ll have beans coming out our ears.  Thank you, Lord, with joy.

I first mentioned the Nintendo Wii™ in my post:  Holistic Approach to Treating Depression where I wrote about the importance of exercise as part of a wellness program to overcome depression.  The Wii™ was a delightful discovery for me when I was in rehab after having both hips replaced.  Somehow, bowling and softball made regaining my balance and strengthening my legs a lot less onerous, and the occupational therapist I played with was a lot of fun.  Not only was the weather or having to go somewhere (getting in and out of a car was hard) not an issue, the mental lift I got from the exercise made me look forward the sessions.  Since then, I saw that Dr. David Williams [1] wrote about how the Wii™ is being used to help Parkinson’s patients improve balance and coordination.

If we suffer from debilitating conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, Parkinson’s, chronic back or knee pain, a stroke or obesity, our quality of life quickly diminishes.  We can easily lose our range of motion, muscle mass, and will to do even the most basic things like chopping veggies for a healthy dish, dusting the house or loading the laundry into a wash machine.  Getting in and out of a car can be a major project and slowly we find we have cut ourselves off from friends and healthy activities we once enjoyed because it is just too difficult to get out.  Depression sets in and one day we may wake up and ask ourselves, “How in the world did I get here?”

I cannot emphasize enough what Wii™ can do for us by giving us an enjoyable way to get moving, revving up the endorphins in our brains and helping us restore our balance and build muscle mass to help us move our bodies more easily. We can build core body strength, improve fine motor skills, and experience increased energy levels.  It can give us an excuse to invite a friend over for some healthy competition in a golf or bowling game, all without the stress on the body an actual game would cost us.

If you’ve ever wanted an alter-ego, the Wii™ makes it possible.  Using a character of your own creation you can track your wins, losses, and achievements, and it makes goal setting fun.  This is yet another engagement of the brain that helps with healing and improving cognitive functioning.

What I like best is that by playing a game I use the same muscles I need for doing ordinary daily activities, and it makes a good fill-in for the days I can’t make it to the therapy pool.

Probably one of the greatest challenges for a disabled person is to keep a good mental attitude, especially when getting a disease under control seems hopeless.  Playing Wii™ games makes me laugh and laughter lowers pain levels and strengthens the immune system, both of which affect depression levels.  Moving around helps the body throw off toxins that interfere with brain functioning.

If you know someone who could benefit from a Wii™ you will be doing them a great kindness to mention it and even offer to play games with them. How many lonely, depressed people with discouraging illnesses are out there who could be lifted up by playing a game with someone who cares? Who knows – you could be an “angel” in disguise.

[1] February 2010 Alternatives newsletter.  Click on the link at the sidebar for his web site.