I was thinking about how radically my diet has changed over the years. Growing up TV dinners were the new thing and Twinkies and Hostess Cupcakes were standard lunch bag fare. My adorable little Greek grandmother would treat my brother and me with a breakfast of "paporakia" which is the Greek word for little boats. She'd make her cup of coffee with 2 or 3 teaspoons of sugar and lots of heavy cream. Then she would cut the "little boats" from crusty Italian bread, slather them with butter and float them on her coffee before giving this treat to us. Mmmm - I can almost taste them! Sometimes I'm amazed I'm still here and do not doubt for a moment it is only by God's grace.
When I was in my 20's besides going out with the girls several times a week, every Saturday my brother and I (and later my husband completed the trio) would buy a half gallon of ice cream - each - usually Baskin Robbins - Amaretto Cheesecake was my favorite - and gorge ourselves.
As time has passed and I got pregnant and realized the importance of my diet, if for no other reason than to provide the proper nourishment for my babies, I began to gradually improve my diet. Keep in mind that while I never smoked or did drugs and actually took vitamins daily, my understanding of nutrition was woefully lacking.
But God is gracious and as I educated myself, first in order to raise healthy children, and then of course to keep myself and my husband healthy and energetic enough to keep up with those healthy children, I began to look at food differently. I have always been what you might refer to as a "foodie." I love food - love to cook it, bake it, plan meals and serve it. Just love it period. I began to see it as fuel.
My nutritional metamorphosis took me to the carb craze. There was a period of time (in the '80's) when meat, protein and fat were the enemy and pasta and grains and vegetables were king. I was able to eat primarily pasta (and not the whole grain kind either) and vegetables and maintain a healthy weight and stay remarkably healthy. I have always preferred those foods and really didn't much enjoy chicken or burgers or meat. When presented with the choice, I would always choose the pasta dish.
Around the time I turned 40 I noticed that even though I still worked out just as hard, and didn't eat any more, I began putting weight on. Increasing my workout schedule didn't help. I figured it had something to do with hormones and entering the perimenopause phase of life. By this time I had been seriously studying nutrition and natural health and supplements for many years. I realized I had to begin to increase my intake of protein and limit the carbs if I wanted to remain strong, fit and healthy.
Well, I really thought having eggs and lean meat, poultry or fish at every meal was going to be a monumental task. To my great surprise, it was just the opposite! I never realized how delicious eggs were and now prefer them to cereal or a bagel with peanut butter (my old favorite breakfast). I thoroughly enjoy baked chicken and turkey thighs, sardines and wild caught salmon. I can't believe I didn't think I liked those things. Actually I didn't like them. However, by God's grace, He gradually changed my thinking and gave me the desire for these things. I look forward to my meals and enjoy them as much or more than my old way of eating.
I pray Psalm 103:5 this way in thanksgiving to God for not only always knowing best, but also knowing how to get me to see it as well:
Thank You Lord that You satisfy my mouth with good things, not only my necessary food, but the kind of food I desire at my personal age, so my youth is renewed with strength like the eagle's - overcoming and soaring!
And He has - and He can for you too - if you allow Him to.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
He Who Hesitates is Lost
I just read an article reporting that Lyme Disease has become epidemic in our country. While it is found in all 50 states and has even been reported in Europe, most diagnoses are made in the Northeast/New England states.
It has become the fastest growing infectious disease in the United States, infecting more people each year than HIV/AIDS. If Lyme Disease is not caught and treated while in the very earliest stages, it is a devastating disease. It not only causes serious physical damage, but causes mental and emotional anguish as well.
Lyme is not easy to diagnose and many people are misdiagnosed so long that by the time they are properly diagnosed, it is too late. The disease progresses to an advanced stage and can then only be managed as it has already begun causing irreparable damage.
I had a personal experience with this disease several years ago. My dad is an avid golfer. At this time he was in his late 70's and quite active and healthy. My youngest son was graduating from high school. We all slid into the bleachers at the football field on a sweltering late June morning. My dad had a hat on and there were buckets of cold, bottled water being circulated, so he stayed hydrated. Once the ceremony was over he went to one of the enclosures to get out of the sun and heat.
Feeling fine, we all went to my home to begin the graduation celebration. I had trays upon trays of food and guests dropped in continuously for the next five or six hours. My dad ate well and enjoyed the conversation and company. When I called him several days later he said he wasn't feeling very well and thought it was something he ate at the party. Concerned, I asked what his symptoms were. They were bizarre to say the least.
He felt weak during the night and actually had trouble getting out of bed quickly enough to get to the bathroom. Then later in the morning he wanted to go out to buy a paper as he usually did. He told me he "couldn't remember how to get in the car." When pressed to explain more fully, he said it took him about 15 minutes to remember how to get himself into the front seat behind the wheel. Then, once he did, he drove to the deli to get his paper and had the same problem returning home.
That really frightened me because it was obviously more than a stomach bug - it was affecting him mentally. He went to his doctor but because he did not explain his symptoms clearly to the doctor (and the doctor did not ask the right questions - see the previous post!), he diagnosed him with a bladder infection and put him on an antibiotic that caused severe side-effects and of course did not do anything about the cause of the problem.
As God would have it, he had an appointment several days later with his dermatologist to check on a past skin cancer. When the doctor began examining him he noticed the tell-tale bullseye rash on the back of his thigh! My dad, of course, never saw it and when he was with me he had long pants on, not shorts, as he did when he went golfing.
That doctor immediately prescribed the correct antibiotic and my dad was fortunate enough to catch it in this early stage. If he'd had this appointment a few days later, the rash may have already disappeared and he may have gone months until a proper diagnosis was made. I shudder to think what could've resulted. If his symptoms were so dramatic at this stage - I don't want to know what could've happened had he waited.
So, my message to you is this: take precautions to protect yourself from tics, check yourself when you have been outdoors, and investigate any unusual symptoms - regardless of how bizarre they may seem - and do not hesitate!!
It has become the fastest growing infectious disease in the United States, infecting more people each year than HIV/AIDS. If Lyme Disease is not caught and treated while in the very earliest stages, it is a devastating disease. It not only causes serious physical damage, but causes mental and emotional anguish as well.
Lyme is not easy to diagnose and many people are misdiagnosed so long that by the time they are properly diagnosed, it is too late. The disease progresses to an advanced stage and can then only be managed as it has already begun causing irreparable damage.
I had a personal experience with this disease several years ago. My dad is an avid golfer. At this time he was in his late 70's and quite active and healthy. My youngest son was graduating from high school. We all slid into the bleachers at the football field on a sweltering late June morning. My dad had a hat on and there were buckets of cold, bottled water being circulated, so he stayed hydrated. Once the ceremony was over he went to one of the enclosures to get out of the sun and heat.
Feeling fine, we all went to my home to begin the graduation celebration. I had trays upon trays of food and guests dropped in continuously for the next five or six hours. My dad ate well and enjoyed the conversation and company. When I called him several days later he said he wasn't feeling very well and thought it was something he ate at the party. Concerned, I asked what his symptoms were. They were bizarre to say the least.
He felt weak during the night and actually had trouble getting out of bed quickly enough to get to the bathroom. Then later in the morning he wanted to go out to buy a paper as he usually did. He told me he "couldn't remember how to get in the car." When pressed to explain more fully, he said it took him about 15 minutes to remember how to get himself into the front seat behind the wheel. Then, once he did, he drove to the deli to get his paper and had the same problem returning home.
That really frightened me because it was obviously more than a stomach bug - it was affecting him mentally. He went to his doctor but because he did not explain his symptoms clearly to the doctor (and the doctor did not ask the right questions - see the previous post!), he diagnosed him with a bladder infection and put him on an antibiotic that caused severe side-effects and of course did not do anything about the cause of the problem.
As God would have it, he had an appointment several days later with his dermatologist to check on a past skin cancer. When the doctor began examining him he noticed the tell-tale bullseye rash on the back of his thigh! My dad, of course, never saw it and when he was with me he had long pants on, not shorts, as he did when he went golfing.
That doctor immediately prescribed the correct antibiotic and my dad was fortunate enough to catch it in this early stage. If he'd had this appointment a few days later, the rash may have already disappeared and he may have gone months until a proper diagnosis was made. I shudder to think what could've resulted. If his symptoms were so dramatic at this stage - I don't want to know what could've happened had he waited.
So, my message to you is this: take precautions to protect yourself from tics, check yourself when you have been outdoors, and investigate any unusual symptoms - regardless of how bizarre they may seem - and do not hesitate!!
Monday, January 12, 2009
Basic Communication
Recently, it has been brought home to me, once again, just how important it is to ask the right questions. Sometimes it seems we focus solely on getting the information, and formulating the solution. But how easily we can be misled by the results if we neglect to ask the right questions.
Asking effective questions is actually an art that we can develop and forms the basis for truly effective communication. Tony Robbins, the motivational expert, says that thinking is actually a process of asking and answering questions. Think about that. It's true! You are constantly asking yourself questions and answering them. The quality of your questions, determines the quality of the answers.
Jesus was a master at this skill.
He asked the woman at the well - "Where is your husband?" (John 4:16);
He asked His disciples, "Who do you say I am?" (Luke 9:20); and
"Who is the faithful and wise servant?" (Matthew 24:45);
He asked the crowd, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" (Mark 3:33);
He asked His disciples, "Who touched My clothes?" (Mark 5:30); and
"Whose portrait is on this coin?" (Matthew 22:21; and
He asked the Pharisees, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?" (Luke 5:21).
He never failed to ask the penetrating question that cut through all the fluff and pierced directly to the heart of the matter. As a biblical health coach, I have learned to ask my clients clear, focused, open-ended questions that require an honest, thoughtful response. I am learning to do the same thing with the questions and answers I engage in within myself. If I want a higher quality response, I have to train myself to ask a higher quality question.
How often do we find ourselves circling issues? Not wanting to offend someone, or make them uncomfortable, we go 'round and 'round, never coming close to dealing with the real issue. What a waste of time! In the name of being polite, inoffensive and "politically correct" we skirt the meat and potatoes and deal instead with non-essentials. Especially if you are like me and do not like conflict and confrontation, this can be a real pitfall.
In health, it can mean the difference between life and death, between healing and sickness. I can relate this to something that happened to my father. He felt ill during the night and called the doctor the next morning. Upon seeing the doctor he explained that "he had trouble going to the bathroom during the night." The doctor understood that to mean he had a bladder infection and prescribed an antibiotic. Unfortunately, what my dad actually meant (but did not explain) was that he couldn't get out of bed quickly enough because he felt weak and drained and almost didn't get to the bathroom on time. As a result, he was not being treated for the actual cause of the problem; the antibiotic caused side-effects that took months to reverse; and until he was properly diagnosed, the root of the problem remained.
As a parent I have learned to take the unpopular stand and speak the truth in love, even when it means my children will not "like" me very much for a time. When they present something they would like to do, asking the kind of pointed questions that bring to light all the facts, makes it possible to make the right decision.
I can actually tell when I am asking myself weak, ineffective questions. How? My answers are self-serving, lazy and unfocused. It shows unmistakably in my attitudes and follows in my actions.
So, let's make a conscious effort to formulate really effective, focused and specific questions - whether we are speaking to someone else or within ourselves. It's the first and most important step to really communicating in a way that makes a difference!
Asking effective questions is actually an art that we can develop and forms the basis for truly effective communication. Tony Robbins, the motivational expert, says that thinking is actually a process of asking and answering questions. Think about that. It's true! You are constantly asking yourself questions and answering them. The quality of your questions, determines the quality of the answers.
Jesus was a master at this skill.
He asked the woman at the well - "Where is your husband?" (John 4:16);
He asked His disciples, "Who do you say I am?" (Luke 9:20); and
"Who is the faithful and wise servant?" (Matthew 24:45);
He asked the crowd, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" (Mark 3:33);
He asked His disciples, "Who touched My clothes?" (Mark 5:30); and
"Whose portrait is on this coin?" (Matthew 22:21; and
He asked the Pharisees, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?" (Luke 5:21).
He never failed to ask the penetrating question that cut through all the fluff and pierced directly to the heart of the matter. As a biblical health coach, I have learned to ask my clients clear, focused, open-ended questions that require an honest, thoughtful response. I am learning to do the same thing with the questions and answers I engage in within myself. If I want a higher quality response, I have to train myself to ask a higher quality question.
How often do we find ourselves circling issues? Not wanting to offend someone, or make them uncomfortable, we go 'round and 'round, never coming close to dealing with the real issue. What a waste of time! In the name of being polite, inoffensive and "politically correct" we skirt the meat and potatoes and deal instead with non-essentials. Especially if you are like me and do not like conflict and confrontation, this can be a real pitfall.
In health, it can mean the difference between life and death, between healing and sickness. I can relate this to something that happened to my father. He felt ill during the night and called the doctor the next morning. Upon seeing the doctor he explained that "he had trouble going to the bathroom during the night." The doctor understood that to mean he had a bladder infection and prescribed an antibiotic. Unfortunately, what my dad actually meant (but did not explain) was that he couldn't get out of bed quickly enough because he felt weak and drained and almost didn't get to the bathroom on time. As a result, he was not being treated for the actual cause of the problem; the antibiotic caused side-effects that took months to reverse; and until he was properly diagnosed, the root of the problem remained.
As a parent I have learned to take the unpopular stand and speak the truth in love, even when it means my children will not "like" me very much for a time. When they present something they would like to do, asking the kind of pointed questions that bring to light all the facts, makes it possible to make the right decision.
I can actually tell when I am asking myself weak, ineffective questions. How? My answers are self-serving, lazy and unfocused. It shows unmistakably in my attitudes and follows in my actions.
So, let's make a conscious effort to formulate really effective, focused and specific questions - whether we are speaking to someone else or within ourselves. It's the first and most important step to really communicating in a way that makes a difference!
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