PTSD and Vitamin Suppliments.

Image via Wikipedia

I’ve been a believer in supplements for over 30 years. I’ve had some issues though. My struggle has been with stress. PTSD has dominated my life from the age of 16 on. Progressively it got worse and worse, but recently I’ve had a breakthrough that has been remarkable.

I recently heard that Double X vitamins are the finest quality organically grown, phytonutrient-rich, multi-vitamin on the market. Phytonutrients are the natural nutrients found in plants. They offer broad antioxidant protection and provide many other heath benefits.

I’ve been taking these for about 2 weeks now. For the first week, I was a little confused because my energy level was not up to par. Then for the past few days I’ve had a steady supply of energy.

Yesterday, I felt great. I knew I would have extra activities that I would need an extra boost of energy for, so I complimented my supplements with an XS energy drink.  4900% DV (daily value) of B12 went into my body. Then something unusual and scary happened. I went downstairs to get into my truck and saw that it had been broken into! Normally this would have thrown me for a loop. The tears would have started flowing and it would have ruined my day. But not yesterday! I think I hit on something, finally that can beat the PTSD thing! I DIDN’T EVEN MISS A BEAT! Did it upset me? Yes. But I didn’t go into a total freak out! That’s what’s amazing.

I can not accurately tell you that these are the answers to PTSD nor would I suggest that they are. I can only tell you that this iw what I personally experienced and these are the products that I am using. Anyone who struggles with PTSD knows how vulnerable you feel under stress. Yesterday I felt like Super Woman! To me this is enough credence to begin some further investigation. I just got so excited I wanted to share.

Words… what is our responsibility?

Image via Wikipedia

In my quiet time this morning I was contemplating what our responsibility is towards others in what we say, do, and write about.  As writers we can choose to write about anything and everything under the sun. But how many of us truly look at the possible ramifications of what it is we choose to write about? We can choose to write about meaningless thoughts that come to mind. We can write about destruction, we can put someone or some group down, exposing thoughts or feelings we might have toward them. We can choose to write about current events or gossip. We can write books to assist people in empowering themselves, or we can choose to write about positive, inspiring things that fill people with hope and life.

So what are the ramifications of the written word? Or for that matter of words in general?

Have you ever been in a situation where someone lied about something you did or blamed you for something you did not do? What about in a situation where someone said something to you that caused you to doubt yourself? Have you read a scary novel and experienced fear afterward? Or for that matter read about an earthquake or war? Have you ever had someone sincerely compliment you or help you do something that gave you a sense that they really cared for you? How does it make you feel to read about someone with impossible circumstances overcoming all odds?

So, do we have a responsibility for what we say? On paper or out of our mouths? I think we do. Personally, I want to be one of those people who feed others good, life-giving words. I want to be responsible for positive change in a person’s life. I’m more concerned with helping people out of the hole they are stuck in than with being popular, because let me tell you, you will have a bigger audience with putting the destruction and gossip out there. But what kind of audience to you really want to draw?

I believe that to walk in truly healthy lives we need to consider how we are treating others, and how that affects their health as well as creating a well-rounded health in our own lives. Yes, we all have our own free will. We all have freedom of speech, but that does not negate our responsibility to be good stewards of those words. One day we will all answer for what we do or do not do. I choose life. What about you?

A really wonderful book that helped me understand the importance of honoring others is  Culture of Honor: Sustaining a Supernatural Environment

“The pen is mightier than the sword” is a metonymic adage coined by English author Edward Bulwer-Lytton in 1839 for his play Richelieu   

Wikipedia

For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.

Matthew 12:37

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.

Proverbs 18:21

Culture of Honor: Sustaining a Supernatural Environment

Related articles

• “Wise Warriors” (chaplainofpop.wordpress.com)

Eagles Fly Without Band Aids

Image via Wikipedia

So many things in today’s world are based upon a philosophy  that hides, covers up or places a “band-aid”  on a problem.

Look at how many people are on medication today to treat “Symptoms” they are having. And then the medications give them side effects that they need more medication to treat the symptoms of the  side  effects. Ultimately this kind of behavior leads to death.

What about behavior issues and addictions? Society has chosen to give labels and place the blame on past hurts. And this has resulted in what? Broken people. Completely broken, chewed up, depressed people who feel no worth at all. They are given the band-aid of a label. Then told it’s okay to blame someone else. Then they are told they can’t be held responsible for their own actions. They never get to a place of feeling like they are worth anything because now they carry a label. They are never allowed take ownership of their own lives or accountability for their own actions.  So they believe the lie that they are worthless.

Where does it stop? Answer… at the root!

The ONLY way to stop this insanity is to start confronting the truth that everything we do, say, think, eat and believe has consequences either good or bad. And until we start making changes from the root, confronting the problem face on and getting rid of the excuses… well, there is no future of hope.

I had someone say to me once that I should just begin to accept people for who they are instead of always expecting them to change. I thought about that for a long time and then I realized that if we don’t offer change, we don’t offer hope!

People are suffering out there. BUT THERE IS HOPE. HOPE that absolutely requires change. I’m not ashamed to offer that, because I am able to see where it will take people. Unconditional love does not mean watching from the sidelines as someone destroys themselves.  In fact, there is NO love in that at all. That is like knowing someone is going to walk off a cliff and refusing to warn them about the ledge. Instead we need to set the example and lead people with an example of uncompromising integrity that steers them away from that ledge

When you better your life and get to the root of things, you get set free. Admitting to the things you did wrong and setting and example for others to do the same is an example of integrity. Sometimes it’s a lonely path to start on. But with time you will find other eagles to fly with. Then somewhere down the line people start to see the truth and make the necessary changes in their lives. Eventually looking back with thanksgiving toward you for that initial example.

Deep down, I think all people are born knowing the truth about what it is that is causing the problems. I just wish there were more people shining light on the answers. Maybe then it wouldn’t be so hard to make changes.

8 Days & Nothing Short Of A Miracle!

Image via Wikipedia

My husband has had problems with diabetes and high blood pressure all of his adult life. At one point for about a 2 year period his blood pressure was running at (I kid you not) 256/171. Yeah you read it right. And his fasting blood sugar was always over 200.

He tends to be a picky eater so we didn’t put him on this program right away. I wanted him to try the food first so I used my FREE week of food to get him used to eating 6 times per day, to see if he would eat it. He loved it so we placed an order for him.

Recently the lowest blood pressure has been 153/101 and 195 for the fasting blood sugar.

Well 8 days ago we started him on Take Shape For Life. Within 4 days his numbers hit normal ranges! On the 5th day he had to cut his blood sugar medications by 1/3. On the 6th day he had to cut the blood sugar medications out completely! Today is day 8 and his sugar is reading normal both fasting and 2 hours after a meal consistently WITH NO MEDICATION!

Although he is still on the medication for the blood pressure, it has been slowly getting in the lower range of normal and I expect that it won’t be long before he is completely off of that as well!

I can not tell you how truly grateful we are to have found Take Shape For Life. You saved my husband’s life and we are forever grateful!

Related articles

• Why Does My Blood Sugar Level Spike After I Exercise? (brighthub.com)
• What are good blood sugar counts (wiki.answers.com)
• High Blood Pressure Is Affecting More Young Women; Here’s How To Keep Your Vitals In Check (blisstree.com)

How Healthy Are You? An Assessment

Image via Wikipedia

This quiz is very eye-opening. Sometimes we think we are healthier than we really are. Even though we may be healthy in some areas of our lives, most people have 1 or more area that really sets them back. This assessment will allow you to better analyze your current situation and help you determine the areas that you need to work on to create optimal health for yourself.

Pass this along to others. Don’t be shy about it. Let’s all step in together to make America healthy!

Click here to take the assessment.

Click here to submit a client profile and have a health coach contact you

Is Childhood Obesity An Epidemic?

Image via Wikipedia

If you think about where we came from in America, I think you will see that there is a reason for the problem of childhood obesity rising. Let me point out a few things as to why.

First of all, back in the day…  before World War II, children worked from the time they walked. Families thought the more children the better because that is the way the farms ran, business ran, and America ran! I’m not voting as whether or not this was “right” or “wrong,” I’m just saying it is the way things were!

Then came the war. Women went to the workplace and men to war. Older children were left to mind the younger ones. Still working. And games and toys and playtime all took place outside! Radio was the hottest thing out there, and the family would gather ’round it every evening for some quality family time.

Automobiles were introduced, and walking places was no longer the norm.

Then the depression hit. Whoever could work… did. Whatever food was available was eaten. Playtime was still outdoors.

Then came TV! Well, with it came time sitting in front of it! Some of this was quality time and some not so much. But as the number of shows increased, so did the sitting time in front of it.

Then came women’s liberation. With that came a lot less cooking time in the kitchen. Enter convenient, pre-packaged foods! Still, there was playtime outside. But have a child do anything other than play and watch TV was unheard of at this point. Suddenly, children became more of a burden than a blessing.

Then with the baby boomer generation came the latch-key generation, and shortly after it was no longer safe to allow children outside unsupervised! More and more processed foods became available, and more and more illnesses along with them. Diabetes, ADD, ADHD, Cancers, Heart disease and more.

And then there came Pong! The first video game was introduced! And we all know where that led to!

I don’t know if my timeline is right, but hopefully, you get the picture. We went from active kids who had very healthy eating habits to inactive kids with processed foods. What were we thinking would be the results of this?

So is childhood obesity an epidemic? I would say yes, and we’d better do something about it quick!

I have something that can help!

Related articles

• Pediatricians confront the childhood obesity epidemic (medicalxpress.com)
• Childhood obesity: The only way to end it is to keep attacking the problem on all possible fronts. (slate.com)
• Childhood obesity rates in the United States and around the world (GRAPHS). (slate.com)
• Combating Environmental factors contributing to Childhood Obesity (environmentalhealthtoday.wordpress.com)
• Parents, schools unintentionally contribute to childhood obesity (news.bioscholar.com)

10 Quirky Tips To Help With Weight Loss

Image via Wikipedia

1. Eat on a BLUE plate and with a BLUE place mat.  Color is powerful. Blue suppresses appetite. Red and yellow increase appetite.

2. Drinking ice water instead of room temperature water actually burns 9.4 more calories per glass!  If you are consuming a healthy 8-8oz glasses a day that adds up to 74 calories per day and a whopping 7.7 pounds per week!

3. Sit on an exercise ball instead of a desk chair while at your computer. The isometric movements you make if you sit there for minutes or even hours a day will work your core and quickly slim your waistline!

4. Drink a glass of water 5 minutes before eating a meal. It will cause you to eat far less plus it helps with your daily water intake.

5. Breakfast. Eat a substantial one. 400-600 healthy calories. That means lean meat, eggs (or preferably egg whites) and vegetables. Not high fat or high sugar foods. This will sustain your energy level throughout the day and you won’t be as likely to do a lot of unhealthy snacking.

6. Eat 6 times a day. Small low glycemic meals. This stabilizes your blood sugar and insulin levels causing you to have no hunger and no cravings, sleep better and have tons of energy.

7. Instead of coffee in the afternoon eat a combination of low fat meat and low glycemic vegetables. This will give you an energy boost like no other. You can rock your world and get many “brownie” points with the boss by implementing this strategy because everyone else will be going through their afternoon slump and you will be actually getting things done!

8. Walk to a different floor at work using the stairs to use the bathroom 3-4 times a day. You would be surprised at the amount of calories you can burn in a week by doing this. Also, you get to see people you don’t normally see. It’s a win-win.

9. Park further away from the building. You will notice your energy level increase within a few days if you do this.

10. Get online before going out. Find out what the menu is and plan ahead or even call ahead to eat the way you need to when you get there. You will find this to enable you to be stronger and not make emotional eating choices or be influenced by your peers and what they are ordering.

Change your habits and implement these simple things one at a time. Even if it’s taking one at a time for 10 weeks. After the 12 week you will notice… and so will others. Then pay it forward when they start asking. Let them know what you have been doing. Start a group or network of people doing these things. How popular you will be when they start seeing the results themselves!

Related articles

• Weight Loss Tips for Women Which Have Demonstrated to Be Extremely Effective (e-prescribe.biz)
• Ten Breakfast Tips To Help You Lose Weight (xblivingnaturally.wordpress.com)
• Low-Carb Meal Ideas (brighthub.com)

Now That I Received My New Identity

Image via Wikipedia

So now what? God showed me who I was in His eyes. But when I looked in the mirror, well it didn’t match! What I did have , was a new hope. So I began to work on things.

I weighed an enormous 308 pounds! How did I get here? Years of depression and emotional eating. Several neck, back and joint injuries. Extreme emotional pain that led me into comfort eating. What a mess! How am I ever going to get to the picture God just gave me of who He sees me as? So many things yet to overcome.

The journey began! So, in between that February morning and now, life has been a roller coaster ride to say the least. But finally, just within the past few months my husband and I have seen a light at the end of the tunnel. We are finally planting some roots and feeling like things are on a stable and secure path.

18 months ago I came across a terrific site online that helped me to begin exercising at a very slow but steady pace. It allowed me to count calories and had ways of motivating me to stay on track. I did well with it for a while and managed to take off 45 pounds in 5 months. Then the roller coaster started up again. I was forced into getting a full-time job so that we could make ends meet.

The job I took was very stressful and did not allow a proper break or way of eating that could be healthy. I gained 22 pounds back within the next 8 months! I suffered yet one more injury ( this time at work) and was in chronic pain. I was getting all kinds of horrible treatment from the company I was working for and by the end of my doctors visits found myself out of a job.

Then toward the end of this horrible adventure a MIRACLE happened. I met with some people from the Healing Rooms ministries and they prayed for me. My entire skeletal system was completely healed! No more pain AT ALL! I had been in chronic pain since my first back injury at the age of 12! That was 35 years of pain. NOW COMPLETELY GONE! I knew I had to lose the weight now. Quickly, so that I would not re-injure myself.

So, now let’s go  to six weeks ago. My wonderful sister had been watching some friends of hers lose weight. There was one couple that was making a lot of money in the process too. So, my sister after 8 months or so of watching decided to find out more and give it a try. Well, within 3 days her depression left her, her energy level was flying, and her weight was down by like 8 pounds! Then within 3 weeks she had lost 20 pounds.  People were starting to ask her what it was that she was doing. She became a walking billboard and decided to get into business for herself.

I became her first customer! I mean it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that she was on to something here! So I too became a client and a Health Coach. That couldn’t have come at a better time as I now needed a job. Now 3 weeks later, I have lost 18.2 pounds (today was my 3 week weigh in) . I’ve never felt healthier, had more energy or had an easier time losing weight. I’m on my way to being  healthier financially, physically and mentally through the most exciting and encouraging and supportive program that I have ever experienced.

I no longer have doubts about how I’m going to get there. It’s coming to me. And quickly!

Begining The Journey

Image via Wikipedia

After many requests to follow me on my journey toward optimal health I decided to begin this blog.

I’m not going to go into my past as it is a very depressing one. Instead I’m going to tell you of a journey that began on Feb 1 2008 after many years of depression. I was awakened by a voice telling me that I would be given a gift equal to double of that which I have suffered in my life. You see, I know what I went through better than anyone, so this promise woke me out of an oppressive and very dark sleep.

I’m not going to say things have been easy since then, but they certainly have been interesting.

I began this journey at the weight of 308 pounds. That was my record heaviest. I had pretty much given up on myself.

I’m a lady who believes in Jesus, probably more than anyone else I know. So, that day, I knew He heard my prayers. I knew He loved me and I knew I was in for some change!

Throughout 2008 I was brought through a series of events that spiritually healed me. I became a different (in a good way) person. I found my identity in Christ and was finally able to move forward with my life.