fruitful steps

Future posts from me can be found on:

http://fruitfulsteps.wordpress.com/

Thank you for following!

Don't Get Old!

It seems almost every day in the clinic someone recites to me that familiar line, "Don't get old!" I usually respond that there are two choices: grow old, or die young!

I understand. People say that because their bodies aren't working the way they used to.

They're in pain, or they are prevented from doing some of the things they love to do. Sometimes they are referring to other events taking place in their lives, like losing their friends to death, or having to take care of an ailing spouse instead of enjoying retirement.

We weren't meant to grow old and deteriorate. The Bible teaches we were made to live in fellowship with God, but man chose to leave that fellowship. He chose to disobey the One who made him. Man's disobedience put a stain on the entire world, and cursed creation to be prone to decay and deterioration. No one can escape this cycle while here on earth. We all feel it.

Yet God made a provision for us. He sent His son, Jesus Christ, to erase the stain of disobedience and decay. Jesus died to pay for our disobedience, and is preparing a place for us in heaven where we can live forever without worry of "getting old." He said, "I am the resurreciton and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?" Powerful words, words of hope, and a future.

The deterioration and pain we experience in this world is a reminder that we are not yet in our permanent home, with God, as we were created to be. If this world were perfect, would we long for the next? If we never experienced pain, and if we didn't get old, would we ever want to leave? Pain now serves purpose. It makes us long for home. It makes sweet the promise of seeing our Savior at the end of this life. It erases the fear of dying, and renews our faith in what life was meant to be. I believe we can live with hope. Hope of our eternal home, which overshadows the physical and emotional pain of this life.

This fact is well expressed in a poem I came across by Dora Johnson.

Enjoy:

You tell me I'm getting old, I tell you not so;
The "house" I live in is worn out--and, that, of course, I know,
It's been in use a long, long while, it's weathered many a gale;
I'm really not surprised you think it's getting somewhat frail.
The color's changing on the roof, the window's getting dim,
The wall's a bit transparent, and looking rather trim.
The fountain's not so steady as once it used to be.
My house is getting shaky, but my house isn't me!
My few short years can't make me old--I feel I'm in my youth;
Eternity lies just ahead, a life of joy and truth,
I'm going to live forever there; life will go on--it's grand!
You tell me I'm getting old? You just don't understand!
The dweller in my little house is bright and young and gay--
Just starting out on a life to last throughout eternal day.
You only see the outside, which is all that most folks see.
You tell me I'm getting old? You've mixed my house with me!

Environment of Inflammation

I keep talking about an ENVIRONMENT OF INFLAMMATION within our bodies. What am I talking about? Why is it so important?

An ENVIRONMENT OF INFLAMMATION is a state in which the body is making and releasing harmful chemicals into the bloodstream that circulate, cause damage, and sometimes target certain tissues in the body. The inflammation is usually set off by something entering our bodies that we cannot tolerate. It could be an allergen, or a food that we are sensitive to.

When we are allergic, we tend to have dramatic reactions, such as visible swelling, hives, or even shortness of breath. Sensitivities are not so dramatic. They are sneaky little fellows that creep around under the radar for months to years before they are discovered. They wear down our organs, and can cause damage to almost any tissue in the body. They ruin our veins, and nerves. They cause autoimmune diseases, pain and fatigue.

It is for this reason that more attention than ever is now being paid to the things we eat, breathe or put in/on our bodies.

GFree Chocolate Cherry Brownies

This is a recipe from my friend Peggy Alberda:

Gluten Free Chocolate Cherry Brownies

Ingredients:
1 ½ c. Chocolate Chips
2 c. Organic Garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (1 15 oz can)
4 Organic eggs
1/3 cup Organic sugar & 1/3 cup agave nectar (or ¾ -1 cup sugar)
1 tsp. vanilla & 1 tsp. Almond ext.
½ tsp baking powder
Topping,
1/3 c. chocolate chips
1/3 c. Chopped tart dried red cherries
1/3 c. chopped walnuts
Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a small bowl melt carob chips in microwave for 2 minutes.
In blender or food processor, combine beans and eggs, till smooth.
Add sugar, baking powder, and chocolate, vanilla and almond ext.
Process until smooth.
Pour batter into a 9” or 8X8” greased non-stick pan, sprinkle with topping,
press into
Batter slightly.
Bake for 25- 45 minutes depending on pan size. Test with wooden pick.
I bake mine in a 10” tart pan with removable bottom, bake for 25 min.
After cooled remove sides

Gluten Free Baking Flour

Here is a recipe I have begun using for Gluten Free Baking Flour:

2c Brown Rice Flour
2/3c Potato Starch
1/3 c Tapioc Flour
1t Xanthum Gum

Mix all together. Store in an airtight container until use.

Most of the above ingredients are available from multiple companies, and can be found in the Gluten Free section of your grocery store. I like Bob's Red Mill http://www.bobsredmill.com/
products, which cn be purchased at most groceries, or purchased online.

Xanthum gum is an expensive product, and as you can see, it is used in small quantities, so you may want to purchse it from a bulk foods department where you can buy just a little at a time. If you live in the Fort Wayne area, you can purchase it at the Three Rivers Natural Grocery http://www.3riversfood.coop/. It's on Sherman Avenue a few blocks south of the zoo.
If you live out of the Fort Wayne area, try your local health food shop.

A Glutton for Gluten

Recently I was attending a class at my church, when lady mentioned that she had just found out she is gluten intolerant. Another lady piped up right away, "me too." Then someone mentioned that her husband is gluten free, and I chimed in that my daughter is too. In a room of about 20 people, 4 people had someone in their household who is gluten intolerant. Why is gluten such a big deal lately? Everyone is advertising their "gluten free" products: Corn Chex, Rice Krispies, and specialized products.

We are becoming more and more aware of how many people simply cannot tolerate gluten, an element of grains such as wheat, rye, and barley. Thus, most of our bread and pasta products are full of gluten, and cannot be tolerated by a growing percentage of our population.

Reasons:

1)--GMOs--Genetically Modified Organisms http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_organism

Grain, and other foods have been genetically altered from their natural forms. This makes them difficult to digest, and confusing to our cells. We are not albe to glean the same nutrition from foods modified by GMOs verses foods in their natural state. MOST of our food supply in America contains GMOs, including our grains.

2)--Overload! We put wheat in EVERYTHING!! We are gluttons for gluten! Our bodies cannot take the overload of any one food, especially foods that have been altered from their natural forms!

3)--It could be that gluten intolerance has been present for a long time, but the symptoms can be so varied that we are just now identifying the connections.

Common symptoms:

Belly Pain

Diarrhea

Gas and bloating

over time, malnutrition

Less Common Symptoms:

Vague Muscular Pain, such as in Fibromyalgia

Inflammatory Diseases such as Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Thyroid Disorders, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Heart Disease, and many more

If you read my post titled "Our Diabetes Story" you will read about my daughter who miraculously has been healed from Type I Diabetes. We think now that an intolerance to gluten may have been the trigger that set off the Diabetes. Since becoming gluten-free Katy states she is feeling better than she has in a long time.

I have a friend who had stopped mensruating. Upon finding she was gluten intolerant and becoming gluten free, she has resumed her monthly cycle.

It is amazing to me how eating the wrong foods can affect the body in so many varied ways. It's all tied in to the idea of an ENVIRONMENT OF INFLAMMATION (see post).

Sunshine!

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy!

Or anywhere else for that matter! Research the last few years has been proving that Vitamin D, produced in our bodies by sunshine, is an excellent help to our immune system. But the benefits of sunshine don’t stop there! Sunshine is also directly related to how much melatonin and serotonin are present in our brains. Melatonin affects our sleep, and serotonin affects our mood, so lack of both makes us tired and grumpy! The amount of sunshine a person is exposed to during a given day is directly related to a feeling of well-being because of its influence on serotonin levels. Serotonin also helps to decrease inflammation in the brain so we think more clearly, and well, we do everything more clearly!
Sunshine carried a bad wrap for many years as people overexposed themselves and caused skin cancers to soar. Now we are realizing we need some sun to be healthy. :)

Everything in moderation, friends!

"Home" a poem

This has nothing to do with my site,
but I took on a challenge to write about home, and I wrote my first poem!

“Home”

A homemade bouquet of pink simplicity roses
Puppies sniffing with little wet noses
Corn husking, boiling, buttering, eating
Family round the table greeting
The mud ‘tween my toes, the baa in the barn
Dew covered foreheads, the afghan yarn
The clothes on the line, Grandma baking
Hoeing, raking, noodle making
Poppies bursting, salvia springing
Putt, putt, Grandpa’s tractor singing
Sleigh bells clang on the kitchen door
Announce Dad’s return from doing the chores
Hummingbirds buzzing flower to flower
Entertaining us evenings, hour by hour
Thunderclouds form in the western sky
We in our lawn chairs, watch till they’re nigh
Cousins just drop in to visit a spell
Scolding wren playing her part so well
Sunshine that warms my head and my heart
Autumn colors, God’s wonderful art
Observing each tiny bee and each bug
Little arms stretched for an afternoon hug
Bushels of love, and chats on the swing
Bluebirds returning to homes every spring
Playing with kittens, hiking the creek
Sunday afternoon with friends at the lake
Tightrope walking on an old log
Lively days catching turtles and frogs
Sorting potatoes from common field rocks
Tall trees shading, and doors without locks
Long drives with ice cream to look at the crops
Fences with blooms from bottoms to tops
Spring peepers calling their song from the hollow
My Bible with pages that beckon me, “follow”
A stroll in the woods, praises ringing
Enjoy God’s creation, even birds singing
Dutchman’s Britches abloom in the woods
Mom showing off her garden goods
Hayrides, four wheelers, John Deere green
Help to set my favorite scenes
Swingin, bangin, screen doors slammin
Apple picking, campfires cracklin
Carving a pumpkin, and climbing a tree
That’s what “home” means to me!

Our Diabetes Story

Our daughter Katy was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes in April 2011. This was huge adjustment to us as we learned how to dose insulin, count carbohydrates, and accept what we were told, which was that she would take insulin injections, or wear an insluin pump for the rest of her life.

No one wants to hear such news, especially about their 15 year old daughter or son. Naturally, we began to learn all we could. On the advice of a friend, I immediately began reading about GLYCEMIC INDEX vales of foods, and changing our diet to foods with higher glycemic index values (more about that another time).

A strong faith in God leads my decisions, therefore a Bible verse from the book of James was on my mind: "Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church, and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up...James 5:13-15."
[I want to clarify that I do not believe that our healing is determined by the ammout of faith we have, or that our failure to receive healing demonstrates lack of faith. I do not believe that prayer is a ticket to whatever we want. Rather, God wants us to come to Him, and to know Him. His will is to glorify His Son, Jesus Christ, and if something in my life, or the life of my family can be used to glorify Christ, we should offer it to Him to use. If He heals us, we are blessed!].

Because of this verse, and believing God can heal, we met with the pastors and elders of our church, and Katy was annointed and prayed over by them. I prayed like Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemene, "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup (diabetes) from me (my daughter); yet not my will, but Yours be done."

My daughter began to improve over the next few months, and I was regularly on the phone with the doctor's office asking to decrease her insulin doses. The office was hesitant to let us decrease her insulin, rather wanting her to eat more to match the insulin they wanted her to take. But, over time it became clear that she no longer needed the insulin, and in October 2011, she was allowed to give up insulin altogether! One doctor said that she was in remission, and another said that it was a miracle!!! ~some of us still believe in miracles~I do!

So the question remained: What set this off? How do we prevent another occurrence like this? There were a few other medical questions unanswered.

Enter Dr. LSalle http://www.angelalasallemd.com/
DR ANGELA LASALLE is a physician practicing in an up-and-coming specialty area: Integrative Medicine. I heard Dr. LaSalle speak on the radio about how food intolerances can trigger or fuel
autoimmune disease. They do so becuse they contribute greatly to an ENVIRONMENT OF INFLAMMATION within the body. When the body is in a state of inflammation, it begins to destroy itself! Wow! the natural thing to do then is to find out what is irritating it, and get rid of it! So where do we start, and what do we eliminate? It is often related to the food we eat. Do we have to give up our favorite foods?

Long story short, we found that Katy does not tolerate GLUTEN. That's a common problem these days, so I will talk about it more in another post. But Katy is now eating gluten free, and is feeling better than ever! I have adjusted to cooking gluten free, and it is not longer stressful. In fact, we are experimenting with all kinds of new recipes, and I will plan to post some on this site.

I am so thankful for all the knowledge we have gained on this subject over the last year, and I cannot help sharing this story with others!

A great quote that sums up our healing experience:
Spread out your petition before God, and then say, "Thy will, not mine, be done." The sweetest lesson I have learned in God's school is to let the Lord choose for me. ~~D.L. Moody

Diabetes Types

There are two types of Diabetes, Type I and Type 2.

Type 2 Diabetes, or Insulin Resistant Diabetes Mellitus, is the Diabetes that is epidemic in America. It is characterized by a pancreas that makes insulin, but the body cannot use the insulin as it needs to because the cells RESIST the insulin (insulin resistance). While a person may be predisposed to Type 2 through his or her family tree, most can prevent it from occurring by managing diet, weight, and by exercising regularly.

Type I Diabetes is an autoimmune disease, quite a different bird. An autoimmune disease is one where a person's own body is destroying itself. In Type I diabetes (formerly known s Juvenile Diabetes), a portion of the person's pancreas that makes insulin is destroyed, and no the person no longer makes his/her own insulin. As a result, blood sugar levels skyrocket, and the person's body begins to starve because cells need insulin to receive their nourishment.

As of my writing this post, The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, JDRF, is funding research on the complex causes of Type I Diabetes, but the official position of most doctors on the subject is that "We don't know" what sets it off. Certain substances in the blood called auto-antibodies are found to be the agents that destroy the area of the pancreas that makes insulin, but no one has nailed down how these autoantibodies get started working. One thing that is known is that once the insulin-secreting cells have been destroyed, The Type I diabetic will have to take artificial insulin for the rest of his/her life. Or will she??? Please read our Diabetes Story.

Move it!

Remember Sargent Carter on Gomer Pyle? He was forever yelling, "Move it! Move it! Move it!"

Well, it turns out, he had the right idea! Physical activity is important for more reasons than we previously realized. We have known for years that exercise builds muscle, helps circulation, lowers cholesterol, lubricates arthritic joints, lowers blood sugar levels, and a host of other benefits...

BUT did you know that when you move, your muscles actually produce chemicals called myokines that are released into your bloodstream to lower inflammation throughout your body? Doesn't this sound better than taking medication?

We were made to move, and we maintain our bodies when we do just that!

Brad Stockert, a fellow physical therapist, put it well in his article on Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Noncommunicable Disease:

"Chronic physical training is known to be associated with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality independent of any change in BMI (body mass index http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/ ) . Physical inactivity is now considered to be a stronger predictor than hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes and obesity for all-cause mortality.

Cross-sectional studies have shown a strong association between the level of physical inactivity and the amount of low-grade chronic inflammation found in young and elderly subjects."

In other words: MOVE IT to lower inflammation, and your chances of chronic disease.

Chronic Disease

The human body is an incredibly complex creation! With all we know about it, we still have only scratched the surface in understanding it! For decades scientists have been researching the causes(es) of chronic inflammatory diseases. The list is long:

Diabetes

High Blood Pressure

Arthritis

Kidney Disease

Heart Disease

Alzheimer's

Dementia

Multiple Sclerosis

Thyroid Disease

Infertility

Lupus

Some cancers

...and on and on...

Now we know that many of these diseases, even most, are caused by an ENVIRONMENT OF INFLAMMATION within the body. A what? What is an environment of inflammation?

This term refers to inflammation within the body that sticks around for many weeks to many years, under the radar. It doesn't initially cause pain, a fever, or other signs, but it slowly eats away at our organs and our health. Like sandpaper rubbing over the dining room table, slowly the damage will reveal itself, but often too late for the damage to be reversed. Research shows that 60% of all deaths world-wide are caused by inflammatory diseases--they are killing us!

So what can be done about inflammation? How can it be prevented and stopped? I plan to outline a number of POSITIVE IDEAS I have learned to fight inflammation. They will center around appropriate exercise, and improved eating habits. (I'm trying not to use the word DIET, as it means "die with a t" to so many people). Some of these ideas have not yet reached the mainstream with physicians or the media, but they are gaining attention. It is said that it takes 10 years for an idea to catch on in health care. I don't know about you, but I don't want to wait another 10 years to begin positive steps that I can take today to better my health! Please read other posts for inflammation fighting ideas.

Dedication

This site is dedicated to my mother, Marlene Goss Volkert, June 23, 1936-July 12, 2011.

Mom was a learner and a teacher every day of her life, and passed much love and knowledge on to others. Everything in her life was an opportunity to learn or to teach. One of her favorite topics was nature. I could never count the hours we spent with mom in the woods or in the fields talking about insects, leaves, wildflowers, and wildlife. Below are a few pictures of Mom, in her typical fashion, pointing out beautiful things that God has made. The little girl in the red sweater is Abby, at age 2.

Welcome

I am creating this blog in order to pass along many things I have learned in 22 years working in the healthcare industry. Good health is a precious thing, and there are so many Positive Ideas we can implement to maintain or improve our health. I don't exercise excessively, nor do I obsess about what I eat. I like ice cream, pizza, and chocolate as much as the rest of you! I do, however, make it a habit to exercise regularly, and I continually add nutritious new ideas to our family menu. We recently had a health crisis in our family (more about that another time), which has caused me to refocus my efforts in the kitchen. In my blog I'll try to discuss issues off the beaten path from everything else you've read, and I hope you will benefit from something I've learned!

Please feel free to ask questions, and If I can't answer, I'll give you an honest, "I don't know."

Here goes...