"You who bring good tidings... lift your voice with a shout... do not be afraid... 'Here is your God!'" (Isa. 40:9)

Finding and Working with Doctors

Posted on November 19th, 2009 in Health News by Jonnie Wright
 What a timely article for all of us with chronic pain. How do we talk to these men and women who have such control over our diagnoses, the tests that need to be run, the necessary medications we need. Communication is vital! 

 Finding and Working with Doctors - What to Look For, What to Do

by Dr. Bruce Campbell, PhD
November 18, 2009

Dr. Bruce Campbell is a recovered ME/CFS patient and former consultant to self-help programs for chronic illness at Stanford Medical School. His nonprofit site (www.cfidsselfhelp.org) offers articles, low-cost online self help courses for ME/CFS, and fibromyalgia patients in moderated discussion group format, with free follow-up programs & support.

One important set of relationships for people with CFS and fibromyalgia is those they have with their doctors and other healthcare professionals.

Given the complexity of chronic illness and the likelihood of having several medical problems, you may assemble a group of providers to help you live better.

read more…

Pursue the Virtue of Contentment

Posted on November 19th, 2009 in Devotional by Jonnie Wright
  I want to share this email from Max Lucado that encourages me to look, not at what I don’t have, but what I do have. My health may not be the best, but I am blessed with a home, good friends, and a companionable cat. What more does life have to offer? May contentment be yours too, my friend.

by Max Lucado

A businessman bought popcorn from an old street vendor each day after lunch. He once arrived to find the peddler closing up his stand at noon. “Is something wrong?” he asked.

A smile wrinkled the seller’s leathery face. “By no means. All is well.”

“Then why are you closing your popcorn stand?”

“So I can go to my house, sit on my porch, and sip tea with my wife.”

The man of commerce objected. “But the day is still young. You can still sell.”

“No need to,” the stand owner replied. “I’ve made enough money for today.”

“Enough? Absurd. You should keep working.”

The spry old man stopped and stared at his well-dressed visitor. “And why should I keep working?”

“To sell more popcorn.”

“And why sell more popcorn?”

“Because the more popcorn you sell, the more money you make. The more money you make, the richer you are. The richer you are, the more popcorn stands you can buy. The more popcorn stands you buy, the more peddlers sell your product, and the richer you become. And when you have enough, you can stop working, sell your popcorn stands, stay home, and sit on the porch with your wife and drink tea.”

The popcorn man smiled. “I can do that today. I guess I have enough.”

Wise was the one who wrote, “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income” (Eccles. 5:10 NIV).

Don’t heed greed.

Greed makes a poor job counselor.

Greed has a growling stomach. Feed it, and you risk more than budget-busting debt. You risk losing purpose. Greed can seduce you out of your sweet spot.

Before you change your job title, examine your perspective toward life. Success is not defined by position or pay scale but by this: doing the most what you do the best.

Parents, give that counsel to your kids. Tell them to do what they love to do so well that someone pays them to do it.

A Love Worth GivingSpouses, urge your mate to choose satisfaction over salary. Better to be married to a happy person who has a thin wallet than a miserable person with a thick one. Besides, “a pretentious, showy life is an empty life; a plain and simple life is a full life” (Prov. 13:7 MSG).

Pursue the virtue of contentment. “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Tim. 6:6 NIV). When choosing or changing jobs, be careful. Consult your design. Consult your Designer. But never consult your greed.

From Cure for the Common Life
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 2006) Max Lucado

Ministry

Posted on November 15th, 2009 in Devotional by Jonnie Wright

Frequently, we who suffer chronic pain cannot “do” a ministry for the church, especially when we can barely do for ourselves. I liked this poem because it opens one’s mind to the vastness of ministry. Ministry is not a job, it is a “being.” 

Ministry Is….

Listening, when you’d rather fix the problem.
Searching for the joy, when it’s easier to say “it’s not fair.”
Helping, when you feel like you’re the one that needs the help.
Telling God, “use me,” when you’d rather ask to be rescued.
Encouraging, even when you don’t understand God’s reasoning.
Hugging when it feels awkward.
Saying, “let’s pray right now,” instead of “I’ll pray for you.”
Serving, when you doubt you have anything left to give.
Comforting, by being the flicker of light in others’ dark caverns.

[author unknown]

“Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

find more good stuff at www.restministries.org

Cinnamon and Honey

Posted on November 14th, 2009 in Uncategorized by Jonnie Wright

I cannot validate these remedies… but since I know God made both cinnamon and honey, it seems to me, with very little expense, I might try some of these methods. Let me know what works for you.

Cinnamon and Honey
Honey is the only food on the planet that will not spoil or rot. It will do what some call turning to sugar. In reality honey is always honey.. However, when left in a cool dark place for a long time it will do what I rather call “crystallizing”.   When this happens I loosen the lid, boil some water, and sit the honey container in the hot water, turn off the heat and let it liquefy. It is then as good as it ever was. Never boil honey or put it in a microwave. To do so will kill the enzymes in the honey.

Cinnamon and Honey
Bet the drug companies won’t like this one getting around.  Facts on Honey and Cinnamon:  It is found that a mixture of honey and Cinnamon cures most diseases. Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Scientists of today also accept honey as a ‘Ram Ban’ (very effective) medicine for all kinds of diseases.  Honey can be used without any side effects for any kind of diseases.

Today’s science says that even though honey is sweet, if taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm diabetic patients.   Weekly World News, a magazine in Canada , in its issue dated 17 January,1995 has given the following list of diseases that can be cured by honey and cinnamon as researched by western scientists:

HEART DISEASES:
Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on bread, instead of jelly and jam, and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack.
 Also, those who have already had an attack, if they do this process daily, they are kept miles away from the next attack. Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heart beat.  In America and Canada , various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as you age, the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and veins.

ARTHRITIS:
Arthritis patients may take daily, morning and night, one cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. If taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured. In a recent research conducted at the Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week, out of the 200 people so treated, practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain, and within a month, mostly all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis started walking without pain.

BLADDER INFECTIONS:
Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder.

CHOLESTEROL:
Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of Cinnamon Powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water, given to a cholesterol patient, was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours.   As mentioned for arthritic patients, if taken three times a day, any chronic cholesterol is cured. According to information received in the said Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.

COLDS:
Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for three days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold, and clear the sinuses.

UPSET STOMACH:
Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also clears stomach ulcers from the root.

GAS:
According to the studies done in India and Japan , it is revealed that if Honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.

IMMUNE SYSTEM:
Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacteria and viral attacks. Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of Honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacterial and viral diseases.

INDIGESTION:
Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals.

INFLUENZA:
A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural ‘ Ingredient’ which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu..

LONGEVITY:
Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old age. Take four spoons of honey, one spoon of cinnamon powder, and three cups of water and boil to make like tea. Drink 1/4 cup, three to four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age. Life spans also increase and even a 100 year old, starts performing the chores of a 20-year-old.

PIMPLES:
Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it next morning with warm water. If done daily for two weeks, it removes pimples from the root.

SKIN INFECTIONS:
Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections.

WEIGHT LOSS:
Daily in the morning one half hour before breakfast on an empty stomach, and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup of water. If taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.

CANCER:
Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder for one month three times a day.

FATIGUE:
Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens, who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts, are more alert and flexible. Dr. Milton, who has done research, says that a half tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3:00 P.M. when the vitality of the body starts to decrease, increases the vitality of the body within a week.

BAD BREATH:
People of South America , first thing in the morning, gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water, so their breath stays fresh throughout the day.

HEARING LOSS:
Daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder, taken in equal parts restores hearing. Remember when we were kids? We had toast with real butter and cinnamon sprinkled on it!

Helpful Survey to participate in

Posted on November 14th, 2009 in Health News by Jonnie Wright

I received this email and thought the survey should get out to the widest audience, so I’m including the address in my blog. It is surveys like this one that pass on the good advice and new techniques that others have found useful. I encourage you to take the survey, and, if nothing else, find another idea to try for yourself.

Dear Jonnie,

As the days get colder, we tend to bundle up and venture outside as little as possible. As the dark nights hang on longer, the feeling that you have been cut off from the world may be associated with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which commonly occurs in the winter and is medically treated.

But have you ever experienced feelings of isolation or aloneness because no one understands what you are going through? And while you may be divorced or widowed, you don’t have to live alone to feel isolated. The house can be full of people, a spouse and teenage children, but if everyone is too busy with their own lives to understand your illness you can still feel like an outsider in your own home.

The Fibromyalgia Network invites you to participate in a survey to help us identify some of your best coping strategies that deal with overcoming these feelings of isolation or being alone with your illness. Members have told us they enjoy sharing their tips and have benefitted from the suggestions of others in these Member surveys. We want to know what you do to keep yourself going. Your helpful input can lead to useful ideas for many other patients. Your suggestions don’t have to be expensive or grand—sometimes it’s the little things that pull us through. We realize not all of the questions will pertain to your situation, but please help us by completing the questionnaire.

Your participation can make a difference
in someone else’s life. Start the survey

As usual, all information contained in this survey is anonymous.

Kindest regards,

Kristin Thorson
Editor, Fibromyalgia Network

Fighting the Flu

Posted on November 10th, 2009 in Health News by Jonnie Wright

I came across this doctor’s website and found helpful articles on a variety of topics. As this year’s flu season ramps up here’s some good advice to help hold those germs at bay.

Fighting the Flu

©Arlene R. Taylor PhD  

http://www.arlenetaylor.org/

“I ache so badly I can hardly move,” Jed moaned.

Julee sniffed. Of all the nerve, she thought to herself. What makes him think he has an edge on feeling miserable? Females have a lower pain threshold so I’m sure I must feel worse than he does! She took a deep breath, which triggered another coughing spell.

 “Stay home from work to avoid exposing others to the virus,” the doctor had warned. “Expect fever, chills, a bad cough, and joint pain. There’s no magic cure! Get plenty of bed rest, drink plenty of fluids, and dig up lots of patience.” Digging up patience was becoming a problem. Fortunately, Julee recalled reading an article by Dr. Joyce Brothers, who had written that males may actually suffer more from being ill with the flu. So instead of making a rather pointed comment, Julee replied, “It’s the pits, isn’t it? Maybe we’ll both feel better tomorrow.” Jed’s response was another groan. Indeed, they were a pitiful pair!  

The flu, also known as influenza, is as predictable as the rain in Spain or the sun in Palm Desert. It will likely be a long time before the flu season becomes a relic of the past. There may be no place on the planet that is completely free of this scourge. Flu viruses move around the world in a pattern that is very similar to that of migrating birds. In fact, wild birds such as ducks, geese, and seagulls may transport the virus from place to place even though the birds themselves do not become sick. The bug surfaces about the same time every winter season, usually in December. It will repeat a similar pattern when the winter season arrives in the southern hemisphere.

read more…

Managing the Mighty Migraine — With Cocoa?

Posted on November 7th, 2009 in Life Issues by Jonnie Wright

Migraine is a biological disease more common than asthma, diabetes or congestive heart failure. More than a bad headache, migraine attacks are characterized by severe, throbbing head pain, usually on one side of the head, that can be disabling. Sometimes people with migraines also experience nausea and sensitivity to light or sound. And migraines can last anywhere from four hours to 72 hours. These attacks affect family, work and people’s social lives — and rob people of quality of life.

One of the most frustrating traits about migraines is that just about anything can trigger them and the triggers are different for everyone. Common triggers include hormonal changes, stress, bright lights and loud sounds, smoke, sleep patterns, weather changes and certain foods and drinks. It’s hard to pinpoint specifically what will bring on a migraine, and in some instances, it takes a “perfect storm” of various triggers to cause a migraine.

Nutritional Treatments Show PromiseSeveral medications are available to prevent or treat a migraine attack. Like all medications, some are effective, some are not, and some have unpleasant side effects like drowsiness or nausea. The good news is growing research is showing other ways to prevent or treat migraines. Most popular on the list? Cocoa!

A new study presented at the International Headache Society’s 14th International Headache Congress offers evidence that cocoa (specifically Theobroma cacao) may repress inflammatory responses that are associated with the pain in migraines.

These study results are not a license to gobble your way through a bag of Hersheys® Kisses. Processed chocolate doesn’t count because the cocoa content usually isn’t high enough and other unhealthy ingredients come into play. And in those cases, chocolate may trigger a migraine, rather than prevent it. Only pure cocoa has been shown to have positive effects on health. This cocoa also has anti-depressant properties and can cause the brain to release pain-fighting chemicals.

Other nutrients that may help migraines include magnesium, feverfew, vitamin B2 (riboflavin), CoQ10 and butterbur.

Get MovingOne easy, no-cost natural treatment for migraines is exercise. Regular aerobic exercise has been shown to reduce the frequency of headaches, the intensity and the amount of medication needed. It could be due to exercise’s ability to reduce stress, which is often a factor in migraines.

Additional prevention and treatments for migraines include:

  • Muscle relaxation exercises, such as meditation and yoga. Or try to take at least 30 minutes a day doing something you find relaxing, such as reading, listening to music, gardening, or taking a hot bath.
  • Steady amounts of adequate sleep. Don’t skimp on or over-do sleep and keep your sleep schedule consistent.
  • Ice down. If you have an attack, put an ice pack on the back of your neck and apply pressure to painful areas on your head.
  • Massage. Massage offers many snowballing benefits to reduce the frequency of migraines. It relaxes you, which can relieve stress to prevent migraines.  And it can improve the quality of your sleep, which also can help prevent migraines.



For the latest updates on ways to enjoy a more active lifestyle and a healthier you, be sure to make Relìv’s Health & Wellness page your online guide to healthy living.

Contest that makes sense

Posted on November 7th, 2009 in Uncategorized by Jonnie Wright

Just ran across this contest and thought some of you creative folks might like to express your life through art. I only draw stick figures so I won’t enter. But I encourage any of you who are so inclined to do so.  

Contest Information

The Kakkis EveryLife Foundation invites artists to participate in the first annual EveryLife Art Contest.

PURPOSE: To empower artists affected by Rare Diseases to express their unique struggle with a rare disease.

PRIZES: Two Grand Prizes will be awarded in each age group.

Age Groups:   Children 5-11: $100 Visa Gift Card
Teens 12-17: $250 Visa Gift Card
Adults 18+: $500 Visa Gift Card

Each Grand Prize winner will also receive a Flip Video camera. Winners will use the Flip Video to record their story about being an artist affected by a rare disease. The artists’ video stories will be posted on the Kakkis EveryLife Foundations Website.

Awards for Outstanding Art: All contestants with works of outstanding art will receive $25 Visa Gift Card.

ELIGIBILITY: The EveryLife Art Competition is open to all artists affected by a Rare Disease ages 5 and older. Artists may have a Rare or Undiagnosed Disease or may be close friends, family members, or care takers of those with a Rare or Undiagnosed Disease. A Rare Disease is one that affects less than 200,000 people in the United State. For a list of Rare Diseases go to http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html. International entries are accepted. Employees or Board Members of the Kakkis EveryLife Foundation or their immediate family members are not eligible to participate.

read more…

Learning from Children

Posted on November 5th, 2009 in Life Issues by Jonnie Wright
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