My Superpower— What is my Microbiome?

© 2016, all rights reserved

Many of us are enamored with super heroes. And we have often imagined what it would be like if we were one. WOW, how cool would that be! 🙂

What all these superheroes (like Superwoman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Spider Man, Yoda and etc.) all have in common are— SUPERPOWERS! What if I were to tell you that we already have super-duper superpowers? OK, I’m telling us, we do!!!

Have you ever heard of a Microbiome? I didn’t until recently. In fact on my post ‘First’ Thought,’ it is listed as #4 of the five things I have been on a quest for, in ‘My Journey to Health.’ So what is this? What is our superpower(s)? What is a Microbiome?

noun
1.
Biology. the totality of microorganisms and their collective genetic material present in or on the human body or in another environment:

The wide diversity of species that make up the microbiome is hard to fathom.

Origin of Microbiome

It was coined in 2001 by Joshua Lederberg, an America molecular biologist, by combining; micro(be)+ biome. A community of microbes or a microbe community.

Definition source: ‘Microbiome’— Dictionary.com

Gut microbiota (formerly called gut flora) is the name given today to the microbe population living in our intestine. Our intestines, our gut? Oooooooh, that does not sound too cool, too sexy, too pleasant, too interesting or much like a superpower to me! Just you wait!! 🙂

I will later in this post share two links to two different articles. I highly recommend that you click on them and read them word for word. The first link is how this study began for me, ‘What My Microbiome Wants for Dinner.’ First, let me share something, what I used to think about this whole digestive system, this incredible machine in our incredible bodies.

I have been interested in human physiology and human anatomy since the 6th grade of elementary school. So much so that I wanted to become a doctor. Just a few years later, I got a lot of experience working in every department of a hospital and every shift, night and day. Though I did not complete college or enter medical school, my interest in the human body has never changed. Through the years, I have on my own, read and read, studied and researched this subject, for which I still have, a great curiosity, interest and passion for. But as incredible as this new discovery now is to me, there were things I just never understood! Take the digestive system for example.

I thought and believed that you swallowed food, it went to the stomach, the stomach acid broke a lot of this down and then dropped its contents into the small intestine where the villi would absorb some of the nutrients and distribute this isotonic (same pressure as all bodily fluids) soup to the rest of the cells in the body. As to whatever was either not broken down in the stomach or absorbed through the villi, I just thought it was just more breaking down through the sausage-like loops of the small intestine, then the large intestine (or colon) and finally, just eliminated out of the body as waste. WOW, was I wrong! WOW did I miss something HUGE; BIG TIME!!!

Not only have I not understood what REALLY goes on in the small intestine and the colon, my Microbiome (my super-duper super powers), but WHAT it wants to eat, WHY and HOW!

If you have ever been on a diet or interested in healthy eating, buzz words like organics and carbohydrates are probably familiar to you? I thought carbohydrates were BAD, at least too many of them? Maybe like me, you have been on a low carbohydrate and low-glycemic diet. WOW, how WRONG this advice given and that we may have followed is! Even if partly right, which parts are NOT? Maybe some of us were meat eaters and others are vegetarians and vegans? But what our super-duper super power Microbiome wants is somewhere in the middle of both! Carbohydrates are NOT bad. Too many SIMPLE carbohydrates is NOT what our Microbiome wants for dinner. It wants and demands and needs COMPLEX carbohydrates (among other things)!

OK, the first link to follow, which got me started on this, was brilliantly, simply and clearly written by a medical doctor, so that I could understand this incredible super-duper super power in all of us called, the Microbiome. So click to follow—

What my Microbiome wants for dinner

To follow is the second link to the next article. I highly recommend reading this too, from start to finish.

illustration by Katherine Diemert

What We Eat or Don’t and How, Enables or Could Disable our Super Powers

Our gut microbiota contains tens of trillions of microorganisms, including at least 1000 different species of known bacteria with more than 3 million genes (150 times more than human genes). Microbiota can, in total, weigh up to 2 kg (about 4 lbs. 6 ½ ounces). One third of our gut microbiota is common to most people, while two-thirds are specific to each one of us. In other words, the microbiota in your intestine is like an individual identity card. It’s like our individual fingerprints. And keep reading and we will begin to understand, our own individual and unique, SUPERPOWER! Superpower(s)? It sounds more like a germ factory! Well, yes, yes it is of sorts and this is what makes it so SUPER!

While each of us has a unique microbiota, it always fulfils the same physiological functions, with direct impact on our health!

Some of OUR Superpower functions are:

•It helps the body to digest certain foods that the stomach and small intestine have not been able to digest.
•It helps with the production of some vitamins (B and K).
•It helps us combat aggressions from other microorganisms, maintaining the wholeness of the intestinal mucosa.
•It plays an important role in the immune system, performing a barrier effect.
•A healthy and balanced gut microbiota is key to ensuring proper digestive functioning.

The human microbiome (and microbiomes in general) may just become my new favorite subject; my new best friend! It is our super-duper superpower or it could just be allowed to become EXTINCT! WOW, what could be worse than having our superpowers in retirement at least and at the worst, no longer alive to champion life, our LIVES? In closing, to all my fellow and chapess superhero friends and family (you), you Jedi masters,

“May the Force be [always] with you!” 🙂

 

Next time: Germs Are Us

Tai Cheng?

© 2016, all rights reserved

 

Well, Hello there, me-my-self-and-i and You, if you’re here? It’s me again. So I say to myself and to you, Waz’ up? I answer, this should be a long one, but your’e up, you’re here, what else have you got going on? OK then, what is this thing called Tai Cheng? I’m glad you asked.

Elderly people slowly moving in unison in some park

I was up late because as usual, I wasn’t sleeping well. Flipping through channels with the TV remote, I stopped on an infomercial. I don’t like these, but there was just something about this particular one that caught my eye. I cannot recall what it was exactly, but it reminded me of something I have seen before. Regis Philbin, an American media personality along with his wife Joy, seemed to be the spokespeople for this program or at least were featured in the commercial. I am not a fan of Regis Philbin, so his credibility being added to this promotional commercial was not what drew me in. No, it was something else, I was reminded of.

I have seen such a thing as the picture above, several times in my life and long ago was my first time. This is like the image which is locked in my memory. But pictures or visual words have meaning. What did such a picture mean to me?

This is what I thought. These were elderly Chinese people in slow motion, moving slowly together as if imitating each other. It sort of looked like a dance, but in slow motion. I had no idea what they were doing or why. Maybe it was some religious ritual? This pretty much describes, what such a scene meant to me— Elderly Chinese People Moving Really Slow and Weirdly

This is unlike me to have defined something like this, when I really did not know, what the hell I was talking about. Call it lack of interest to find out. Call it just that it looked weird to me. Call it just a bunch of elderly Chinese folk. Some religious ritual? That is my internal summary of what I thought it was all about. I suppose, all of our prejudices all start out like this. We tend to associate the word “weird” with anything not understood. We can’t look stupid even to ourselves, so we have to have a reason, for our judgments. Even if those reasons are totally UN-reasonable and irrational? It happens to all of us sometimes. It happened to me.

So, back to the TV. After all these many years, there I was looking at people on TV, moving slowly. Why was I looking at this now? Maybe it was just because, I was awake and locked on this channel by accident? I don’t believe in accidents! This is what I think it was. After all these years, I finally got around to or back to my natural curiosity. Instead of my perfectly PRE-formed idea of what I thought these people were doing, I came to understand that I, had no fricking clue what they were doing, who they were or why they were doing what they were doing! How’s that for naked, raw and blatant honesty?

There I was, knowing full well that this program I was watching, with Regis and his wife Joy in it, was all about trying to sell me something. I don’t usually buy stuff from TV promotions. I wasn’t interested in buying anything then! But I finally was at the place in my mind that instead of holding on to my make-believe, I wanted to really find out what they were doing and WHY.

Those weird slow-moving people were practicing Tai Chi. Maybe the only two things I got right in my precious and previous opinions of what this was about, were that the people I remember doing this were indeed elderly (which I was not then). And they were most likely (most likely not definitely) Chinese. The age thing is obvious, they were elderly. The characteristic of the people are Asian. But Tai Chi is, Chinese in its origin. Upon further research, I came to understand that it is a martial art. It is Chinese and both it and Kung Fu, are associated in that both descended from Qigong, another Chinese martial art. A martial art? OK, you have my attention.

Then I discovered that Tai Chi is similar to American boxing. Boxing? Tai Chi? OK, now I’m really curios. But what about the slow-moving, almost suspended animation or slow motion, slo-mo’, dance-like stuff? It’s not very fast. Boxing does not ever seem slow. But OK, I’ll bite. I’m in a humble state of open-mindedness. Teach me.

So this whole infomercial was about Tai Chi? Sort of. It was based on Tai Chi, by a practitioner of it, whose last name happened to be, Cheng. Dr. Cheng, to be exact. Who’s he?

“Dr. Mark Cheng, is a martial arts master and doctor specializing in modern sports science, with more than 20 years of experience teaching Tai Chi. Over that time, Dr. Cheng developed his breakthrough method—a common-sense approach to physical training that makes it easy for even beginning students, to master the basic moves of Tai Chi. To create Tai Cheng, Dr. Cheng combined classical Tai Chi techniques, ancient Qi Gong practices, and 21st-century sports science. Whether you are looking to increase balance and agility, rehab and strengthen your body after a joint or muscle injury, or simply to get started on the path to better fitness, Tai Cheng is designed to be easy and an effective solution.”

source: About Dr. Cheng http://www.taicheng.com

Oh, OK, so it’s for old people after all? But wait a minute, I am old or at least I’m older. 🙂  What about my current level of fitness? Fitness on a scale of 1-10 would make me what, about a negative fifteen (-15)? 🙂 And just when I got excited about Tai Chi being a martial art, like boxing and closely related to Kung Fu. So much for my visions of becoming Bruce Lee-like or some Jedi martial arts master? Oh, I get it, it’s about improving balance and coordination, something us older people can use, especially if we start falling a lot or are prone to falling? But I don’t have, among my many current problems, a problem with falling. But wait, is this, could it possible be, a complete physical fitness program? I went and asked my former trainer to get his take on this and to see if I could order the Tai Cheng program through him. Through him? Yes, the Tai Cheng program is through Beachbody, which markets a whole line of fitness programs and supplements, diet stuff and stuff like that. But I’m not interested in, “stuff” like that, just maybe, the Tai Cheng program.

So, I went to see Collin, my former ex military, (veteran) trainer that has his own gym. We talked about the Tai Cheng program. He has a couple of clients that are using it. He relayed their reasons, for taking it and it was pretty much, for ‘balance and coordination.’ OK, it seems like I was going full circle. It’s for old people who may have poor fitness health and the need to not lose their balance, trip over stuff and fall? Collin and I talked, for some time and we dug deeper into this. He drew from his perspective, from purely a fitness point of view. A lot of people go to his gym because, they are looking for fast results, like loosing weight and building muscle, for whatever might be their reasons. Maybe they want quick results to fit into a tux or dress or a bikini swimsuit for summer? There seems to be a bunch of new members late winter/early spring that disappear, when the outside weather becomes warm again. Just sayN’. 🙂

I brought into our discussion, my perspective knowing something about martial arts. When I was a child, I loved dance. I took classes (tap and ballet). Loved, Loved, Loved it! Then, other boys found out about it. They teased me, made fun of me and called me a sissy. I quit dance. I traded my love of dance for manliness and respect? Whatever, but remember, I was just a kid. The experience stayed with me. I had to take wrestling in school. It was mandatory. It was OK, but I was really good at it. I was somewhat a pacifist, so I was never into fighting. Maybe the dancer in me stayed with me? One day, I saw a man doing these strange movements. It looked like dance. He was a grown man. I was curious. I watched him and waited until he was finished and then approached him. I asked him what he was doing? As it turned out, he was a black belt in Kung Fu which he taught in a school.

Belts in martial arts were pretty much a 20th century thing outside of China. First judo, then karate and thirdly, Kung Fu so, by the 1970’s most martial arts in the United States had a ‘belt’ system. It seemed to help students move more quickly through the different levels and degrees of mastering the skills.

The black belt Kung Fu Guy (that was his first name) and I became friends. I would show up when he practiced alone and he would teach me. Interestingly, he never asked me to join his dojo. Through the years after we went our separate ways (he graduated from college and moved out-of-state), I have never joined a school or a dojo and have never taken classes, except for a few classes in Aikido about 10 years ago. I dd purchase and still have a gi (traditional uniform for practicing martial arts). So, I have never earned any belt except (to borrow from the fictional character in the ‘Karate Kid series of movies, Mr. Miyagi), those I purchased from J.C. Penny’s, to keep my pants up. 🙂

I was not into fighting. I did not want anyone to know I was learning martial arts because, sooner or later, someone would want to challenge me. I was not afraid, I just did not want to fight. So, I never trained in any school. Call me cheap or blessed, I would find other skilled martial artists that befriended me and would work with me one on one.

I have never used or misused what I’ve learned over the years except three times. Any confrontation I’ve ever had were generally resolved by my wrestling memory until all were calm and the situation was peacefully resolved. But those three times?

One time, I had done something that had made my mother mad. I started to walk off, but apparently, she was not done talking to me. She reached out with my back turned away from her and she just tried to get my attention and accidentally I felt her fingernails on my back. I spun around so fast and the next moment, my mother was laying on the floor face up, staring incredulously at me. I did not hurt her, but the speed and the place in which she found herself and that I had put her in, was quite frankly, a shock to both of us. It was a simple reaction to her nails in my back and muscle memory. Doing something so long and so often, repeating it over and over again, develops muscle memory.

The second time I used this muscle memory, was against the true purpose of true martial arts, which is for defense. Someone I still know well (no names) challenged me, made fun of me and martial arts. He thought it was all just a joke. He whom was larger, bigger and stronger than I would not accept my explanations and definitions and would not stop provoking me. I gave in. I told him to tightly hold a four-inch telephone book over his chest area and to get into his most stable and balanced stance. I told him that with one punch from just 6” away from the center of that book he was holding over his chest that I would greatly move him backwards. He did not believe me. One punch and I knocked him onto his rear after moving him around three feet. Impressive? Not to me! I remember it to this day primarily because, of what this training can do and that I had allowed myself to be provoked and to have abused what it is intended for, self-defense!

The third time? I was sitting in the passenger side of a large panel truck. The driver and I were not getting along. I was trying to tune him out. That pissed him off. Out of the corner of my hand, I noticed his right hand coming towards me. I perceived this as a threatening move. Almost instantly, I had jumped up out of my seat, spun around and landed over on top of the dashboard of his side between the windshield and the steering wheel. My arms were wrapped around his. He was a very large and powerful man. What began like lightning, ended with something more like wrestling, just to keep him from hurting me and HIM. Do I dare say that all he said he was trying to do was to reach over, open my door and force me out of his truck? Oh, right, I just did, but that is what he said he was trying to do. But to me, it was not a normal movement and defensively, I instantly responded to what was perceived as a threatening and offensive move. My point? Muscle memory! Muscle memory is the same thing used when playing a piano or some other instrument. Something practiced for so long, repeated over and over again, builds muscle memory and your hands and muscles just seem to have minds of their own.

So, this slow-motion, Tai Chi inspired, Tai Cheng program will over time, develop muscle memory and eventually, my body will just respond at what ever speed is required. But remember dance? Dance was really the reason I started practicing martial arts in the first place. It reminded me of DANCE, Yay dance!

So, after further discussion, Collin (my trainer) and I from his fitness perspective and mine from martial arts and dance, came to the following conclusion. The only difference between what he does and the potential of Tai Cheng is, the time it takes to see the results! Everything he does for his clients can be also achieved through Tai Cheng, only it would take longer. The only thing missing perhaps would be the benefit of raising the heartbeat for an extended period of time for aerobic exercise (breathing, oxygenating the blood) and cardiovascular (heart strengthening).

But “take longer?” What does that sound like? Going slowly, gently; modifying, so that a negative fifteen (-15) on the fitness Richter scale 🙂 may get the benefits without hurting myself, pushing too hard and etc., like I did when I worked out at the gym with a professional trainer, over a year ago. And there was something else.

My wife needs a fitness buddy. I’m OK with being independent, but I love my wife. She has limited mobility because of spinal stenosis, in her lower back. She loves to swim. Me? If I had to choose between a clear, cool, beautiful, but chlorinated pool of water or a muddy water hole, I’d choose the mud hole, every time! I’ll be glad to make you a mud pie too. 🙂

Well, slow and gentle with the ability to modify, according to each person’s ability, mobility and level of fitness, sounds pretty good to me. Slow? Slow dancing? I love slow dancing with my wife! So, this is something we can do together. And it only takes a half an hour a day. It’s a 90 day program. Pop in the DVD’s, simple and nice and easy. Besides, I could make copies for her to take with her and continue, while she is visiting one grandchild that lives in Japan. My wife will be gone for six weeks. Grandson’s daddy (my wife’s son) is 100% American born and raised. He moved to Japan several years ago and married his 100% Japanese wife. Did I mention that Chris, husband to Sakiko and father to Kai, was also into martial arts? Well, he has been for much of his life. He has trained in Japan under the tutelage of a female master in the martial art called, Aikido. Point number one, in the male dominant society of Japan, you really have to be really great, just to have their respect. To be a female and a master at Aikido, you have to be really, really, Great! Steven Segal became a master of Aikido, so you can see some of the techniques in his movies (albeit, exaggerated).

It could be interesting when Tai Chi (Tai Cheng) meets Aikido. Tai Chi is Chinese. Aikido is Japanese. And to put it mildly, these two countries are often rivals. Some don’t like each other very much. Some believe the Chinese stole much from the Japanese. Some believe the Japanese stole from the Chinese. I hope my wife will continue this Americanized Chinese program while she is in Japan for 6 weeks and her son will not dissuade her or interfere by injecting his Japanese training.

So, I ordered the Tai Cheng Program. It costs about $53. It has a 90 day 100% money back guarantee, less shipping and handling. It is an accredited business with the BBC (Better Business Bureau). It is a 90 program of 30 minutes per day. Here’s a picture of what was received.

Tai Cheng base kit

https://www.taicheng.com

I’ll let you know how it works in due time.

 

Next time:  My Superpower— What is my Microbiome?

Special Announcement

© 2016, all rights reserved

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!

FDA Approved & FTC Compliance

In writing this blog, I should have declared this at the beginning, but to be clear, EVERYTHING I post and all the content on this blog, ‘My Journey to Health’ has been approved by the FDA (Food & Drug Administration)? And EVERYTHING written, all the links etc. are ALL in compliance with the FTC (Federal Trade Commission). Really? Yes! And what follows is this approval and this compliance. First the FDA.

Yes, nothing, NOTHING I write or offer here; no content or anything shared in this blog including every page and every post, should EVER be construed as being approved by the FDA! Why? Because of two reasons:

1. All of my content has, “not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.” My content “is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.” See the Approved NOT by the FDA image. So in this sense, since it is NOT, by the FDA, it is approved, by me. 🙂
2. As it is doubtful that the FDA will EVER approve (which means NEVER approve) of anything natural or from Mother Nature, from God or any alternative to pharmacological (BIG DRUG) companies, the FDA does NOT meet my standard approval or MFO approval. MFO? Yep, My Freaking Opinion! Yep, this is my blog, my journal, ‘My Journey to Health;’ my opinion and what is working for me or does not work for me. You have my approval to read and try for yourself,  ANYTHING that I make available here. I make NO CLAIMS about ANYTHING or any products and services shared here or the links I provide. You can however, have your own approval and make your own YFO (Your Freaking Opinion). 🙂

By the way, ANYTHING that is approved by the FDA has “not been evaluated by me.” What the FDA considers to be “intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.” has neither been evaluated or approved by me!

Now, as to my blog being in compliance with the FTC (Federal Trade Commission)? What follows is proof of my compliance as the creator, author and otherwise owner of this FREE blog through WordPress.com.

First: This blog, ‘My Journey to Health,’ is FREE. I make no money from it or have ANY INTENTIONS of making money from it. I derive no monies, gifts, freebies or anything from anyone by sharing links to other sites that may or may not offer products and services to purchase, rent or barter for. Their information is theirs and they are responsible for it, NOT ME!What? Is this really necessary to share this here? Yes! Beginning December 1, 2009, the FTC requires bloggers to disclose whenever there could be hidden interests or unspoken biases related to recommendations. I have done this.  Got nothing for sale here! Any ads you might see, wordpress.com put them there. They are paid or get something from the advertisers for placing them here, NOT ME!

Second, the less obvious: Per the FTC rules, if I interview someone and they grab the bill for lunch, I would need to disclose this. Ditto if I use an Amazon link that gets me 8 cents instead of an Amazon link that gets me 0 cents. If someone gives me a comfy t-shirt with a logo and I wear it in a photo here, same deal. If someone gives me some gadget or cool device with their logo on it, I’m supposed to disclose this. IF, someone really got the ‘hots’ for me because of something here and we were to hook up, I’d have to disclose that, not to mention hide it from my wife. I don’t think so!!!! NOT HappN’!! Disclaimers all over the place. This all sound crazy? Yes! And this would be tedious for me and even more tedious for you and all readers here. But rules is rules. To cover my ass and preserve your reading experience, please assume that, for every link and product I use and/or mention, the following all hold true (click any images below for a larger view):

       
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No Hook-ups here! No FREE gadgets here! No stock options, monetary compensation whatsoever, bit coin, and etc. or future employment offers here!

 

Please feel free to use the text and images on this page with proper attribution. There is no reason why each blogger should have to reinvent the wheel. Of course, for my purposes, I did put the NOT or around the images. 🙂

Otherwise: (use & see: Illustrations courtesy of Louis Gray and Jeannine Schafer)

http://blog.louisgray.com/  https://twitter.com/neenerbot

 

Next time: Tai Cheng

 

Progress Report 1

© 2016, all rights reserved

Today is actually the 10th day since beginning My Journey to Health. That’s not a week or seven days. I started this two days ago, on the eighth day. Like the musical scale or the song Do Re Me from ‘The Sound of Music,’ the eighth note on the scale is the same as the first only higher, it is an octave, a new beginning. But Eight is not a week or seven days either. And it still was not completed yesterday, the ninth day. What’s going on?

I’m No Jedi Health Master yet, but my light saber color change is a work in progress

On Saturday 4/26 my lower back on my right side was very painful. I’m sure the extra weight I’m carrying does not help or the extra pressure it adds to my knees and legs in general. All in due time, in due time. ButI wondered if my pelvis was out of alignment. I laid on a carpet and pad in our piano room. I stretched out my legs and asked someone if either my legs were longer than the other. “Yes,” was the response I received. Pelvis misalignment? Very Suspicious. I called our former Chiropractor who had recently sold his practice. I had already met Justine who had purchased his practice, but could not find her card and could not recall her last name. Mike (former doctor) said the number was still the same and he gave me her full name. I told him my thoughts and he rightly said, he could/would not diagnose without an examination. We spoke for quite a while and I told him what had been going on with me and what I had been taking/doing recently. He asked about my smoking. He told me any benefits I had been receiving up to this point were negligible compared to what they could be. “You, have got to quit smoking!” I knew what he said was true. It is on my list. I or anyone has to do whatever they are able to do. I had been pretty overwhelmed. Little sleep and back pain and drinking more water were my immediate priorities. I’ll get to the smoking when I get to it

I literally could not sleep Saturday night, all night long! My lower back just hurt like hell. About 5:00 am Sunday, I laid on the floor and did some stretches. It did seem to help. I still could not sleep. Later in the day I spoke with my sister about what had been going on with me. We talked about smoking. The two hardest things, for me, is to make up my mind to stop and to not allow my ‘triggers’ to get me started again. Oh, had I or anyone never tired or to never try smoking! You can’t miss something if you’ve never had it! And you will never have to go through, what you’ll go through to stop and never go back! But, I am not one of those people. I am a smoker that has stopped several times and I was still smoking. That’s stressful right there just thinking about it. I was already stressed from not sleeping because my back hurt. Because my back was hurting, I could not sleep, sleep enough or get enough restful sleep. Woke up with usual headache. Later in the day I talked to my sister. It was possible that my overall feeling of feeling better when the biggest change to my health so far was due to drinking more water. Besides becoming more hydrated and my skin becoming softer, perhaps the additional water was also helping me flush out more toxins from my body. The result of this was maybe a cause for improvement? We also talked about my previously diagnosed elevated blood pressure.

Around 6 pm I had my last cigarette of the day. It seemed pretty easier. One factor was that I just did not want to get up and go buy more. I had no measurable ill effects or withdrawal systems the rest of the evening. I went to sleep early. This was most likely due to the fact that I had not slept at all previously and only got in maybe 1 ½ hours today. I slept off and on.

I still woke up Monday with a headache, but I could breathe better and was not coughing so much from not having smoked tobacco. Got and kept an appointment with our Chiropractor around 1:15 pm. My suspicion was right. My pelvis was out of alignment. The muscles in my lower back on the right side were inflamed and causing me pain, trying to compensate for the misalignment. My Dr. gently corrected this. Almost immediately I had relief. A follow-up appointment was set for the following Monday. I felt no pain in my back all day.

The last time I quit smoking I slept all day. This was probably due to my body de-toxing because, I was tired all day and perhaps with some intention on my part. I can’t be engaged in smoking if I was sleep. This time, I was up all day. I had energy and did not feel the need to sleep. I don’t know why, but maybe, I was just in a celebratory mood because, my BACK DIDN’T HURT! I was hoping to go to sleep at a regular time and was almost giddy, anticipating waking up the next morning without back pain. I did one more thing today, before I went to sleep.

I had checked my blood pressure earlier in the day and my wife did it for me as well. So had my Chiropractor. Each time is was basically, 140 over 90. Normal for me for years has been a classic 120 over 80. So, even though I’ve been saying I could feel if my blood pressure was high, apparently not 140 over 90. I did some research on blood pressure monitoring equipment. The one we have at home is like the one doctors use only it has the stethoscope built-in so I can take my blood pressure myself. I am out of practice. My wife may not always be around. I recognize the need to check my blood pressure more frequently. So I found something that is medically accurate, simple to use and with an app, it can be used with my cell phone. I am considering purchasing this. I may write about this in the future if I do and about how it may work for me.

Before I went to bed Monday night, I did one more thing. I put extra pillows under my head thinking maybe the increased elevation might help or stop the headaches I had been waking with every morning for some time?

On Tuesday morning, I awoke with NO BACK PAIN and NO HEADACHE, for the first time in I can’t remember the last time. I felt more refreshed. There was a HUGE grin on my face, one coming from my soul and my body was as if saying, THANK YOU!!

Tried to write and finish this post. Was distracted. I wondered if it was because I wasn’t smoking. I had gone through before, one of the last times I quite. The act of writing writing, stopping, thinking, writing again and etc. seemed to be psychologically associate with writing. Stupid reason, but then I didn’t believe I could write and I ended up smoking again. The last time, I had quit for at least six months. I was well over the physical and mental crux of tobacco, but I COULD WRITE. This time, I was having similar issues. Later in the day I was having cravings. I got up and out of the house to just do something to take my mind of it. I went shopping. Then I did it. On the way to the store, I stopped and bought a pack. I lit up. It literally made me feel like crap, not to mention the guilt for starting up again. And you know something about guilt? It often promotes doing more of what made you feel guilty in the first place. Had a few more. Stopped again around 6pm. Later went to sleep.

Woke up this morning on 4/27. Again, no back ache and no headache for the second time in a row. Attributed this to having had my pelvis adjusted and sleeping more elevated. Smoking and higher blood pressure related to it and other symptoms still out to the jury to determine causes. But I did notice the return of congestion (smoker’s cough). My wife noticed it too. And speaking of my wife, I did not try to hide from her about my smoking. I was honest with her. At least I did not have to feel guilty about not telling her. Oh, I’m going to do this! And it will be the last time. I don’t know if I need the ‘patch’ (nicotine pads) gum or try those smokeless water cigarettes again? Yes, again as I’ve tried them all before. ‘Cold turkey,’ is what has usually worked for me in the past. But this time? I don’t know. Whatever and whenever and however!

The last thing, if not (should have been) the first thing, as to change on My Journey to Health is my attitude. I am more positive; more hopeful. Yes, more sleep can contribute to this as can not having a sore back which contributes to more sleep and more energy. If not depressed, you or I will physically feel better. Being more chipper and more cheerful is helpful.

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine:…”

Proverbs 17:22a The Bible King James Version (KJV)

I have returned somewhat to my natural state of silliness and my wife can attest to this. I mean, anyone that pats the area of their liver and talks calmly and nicely to it and then makes up on the spot a song and starts singing to it? Well, was this the beginning of ‘Liver Cyst the Musical’? All I know if my said she couldn’t get the little ditty out of her head. 🙂

And then there is prayer and specifically, prayer for me on my behalf. Who knows how many people are praying for me or at least thinking positively in my direction? Who knows if those positive thoughts and especially the prayers have not contributed to all or most of my current good results? All I know is that I do believe I am a tripartite being. I have a body, soul (mind) and a spirit. My Journey to Health includes all of these. And I also know—

“…The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man [person— male or female] availeth much.”

James 5:16b The Bible KJV

So, Thank You, whoever you are and Thank You God! There are perhaps many ways, paths or roads to health or healing. Like seeing a baby for the very first time, I don’t care what time it was born, how much it weighs or how long the little tike is, I just want to see and hold the baby!!! 🙂

On My Journey to Health, I don’t care HOW it happens, I just want it to happen and by an y way or ways possible, I will be thankful and grateful to God!

Well, this is about it in a nutshell for me the past ten-day on My Journey to Health.. Now, to complete this post, I’ll end it with a day by day progress report.

Day by Day

4/16 Sat. Slept on an off all day long no energy. Started drinking more water. Slept with heating pad for back.

4/17 Sun. First day of waking up without back pain. More energy for the first time in a long time. Able to concentrate better. 2nd Day of drinking more water.

4/18 Mon. Felt fine until after dinner. Bad indigestion probably from rancid or at least old oil from restaurant fryer 2nd day using heating pad and slept better. 3rd day of drinking more water. 1st Day of ‘Basis.’ No measurable effects, but good energy probably from having had more sleep.

4/19 Tues. Felt fine with no back ache. Noticed skin not as dry from added water. Area where liver cyst still hurt. Digestion seems much improved. 2nd day taking ‘Basis.’ Tai Cheng order arrived today. Set aside.

4/20 Wed. Felt fine went and cooked for about 150 people. Had a BLAST! First time in a professional kitchen in years. Loved it. Worked well with others and not cranky. From 2-8:30pm on my feet all this time with only a couple of breaks. I knew my already sore back was getting more sore. By the time I got home I could not move. Could not sleep. 3rd day of taking ‘Basis.’

4/21 Thurs. Back hurt from day before. Took ibuprofen and used heat pad and pain reliever strips like Salonpas® only ours,  was from Japan and probably more of an original formula. Stayed in bed, slept off and on. By evening I was fine. 4th day of taking ‘Basis.’. Still nothing to write about. Woke up at 12:30 am stayed awake.

4/22 Fri. 5th day of ‘Basis.’ Rubbed my side, softly talking to my liver; singing to it , calling this the beginning of ‘Liver Cyst the Musical. Finally had enough concentration to finish a beautifully written article by a Medical Doctor about the Microbiome (digestive system) and read it aloud to my wife.

4/23 Sat. 6th day of ‘Basis.’ Early morning no pain from liver area. Put lemon and turmeric in my water, before having first cup of coffee. Made a simple breakfast of a crumpet, a fried egg with a little cheese, some sea salt and roasted paprika all cooked in coconut oil. Had a small bowl of raw almonds, walnuts and sunflower seeds with a little maple syrup, cinnamon (supposed to be good for my liver) and a little Greek yogurt. I ate this purposely to lay on top of my protein and simple carbohydrate (crumpet) and give my Microbiome something it wanted to eat? 🙂 More about the Microbiome another time.

4/24 Sun. 7th day of ‘Basis.’ Slept OK. Back still hurt. Did some stretches and this seemed to help. First full day without nicotine. Good energy. No cravings. 24 hours and I seemed to be doing fine.

4/25 Mon. 8th day of Basis. Dr. Appointment. Pelvis adjusted. YAY — NO PAIN!!! Just just a little sore. Should dimension over time. Follow-up visit with Dr. scheduled for next Monday Felt pretty good all day. Good energy. No need to sleep to detoxify from nicotine withdrawal. Pretty positive. Feel pretty good. Good mood and attitude. Slept in bed all night for the first time in a long time. Bed partner wife, very HAPPY about that. It felt good to sleep in our bed.

4/26 Tuesday 9th day of ‘Basis.’ Woke up second day in a row without back pain or a headache. Had slept twice now with my head more elevated. Blood pressure may have been lowered too by lack of nicotine. Higher blood pressure still a suspect with those previous headaches though. Even though I slept in bed all night, I did not sleep through the night. Nothing bothering me. I dunno’ maybe my body was just in shock because it was not used to feeling so good and I was feeling so good? 🙂 No need to sleep. Energy OK, but could not seem to concentrate on finishing this blog post. Not smoking suspected for this. Oh, NO, NOT AGAIN? Distracted. Nicotine cravings? At this point? Probably not, but if just in my, it was raising it’s ugly head again. Got up and went shopping. Trying to keep my mind off it. It won. I lost. I smoked. It made me almost instantly feel like crap again. Could feel blood pressure rise. Lower corner of left side of mouth and left corner of left eye seemed affected. Slight numbness returned to both of these area and left eye not blinking properly as it had been before. Before, I usually attributed this to lack of sleep and a remnant leftover of Bells Pasly several years ago. But smoking? Felt guilty about smoking again. Decided not to feel guilty. Then felt guilty about not feeling guilty. I should feel guilty? But I felt guilty. Made me smoke more. Had a few more. Cut myself off by 6 pm. Could write some in this blog. Slept OK

4/27 Tuesday 10th day of ‘Basis.’ Woke up at 6:30. Slept well again. No back pain. No headache. Some congestion from smoking again. My wife noticed it to. Continued new thing. Coffee is my treat, but only after a big glass of water. Still smoking. I’m working it out. Maybe just a few a day this time and wean myself off of them? I know the damn things are sneaky. If not careful, to exact revenge, my body will be demanding even more poison per day then I had before. My Journey to Health is not an overnight thing. I’m grateful for what I’ve got. Might as well enjoy the journey!

 

Next time: Special Announcement

Water, Water Wet My Whistle

Water, water, water everywhere and not a drop would I drink.

© 2016, all rights reserved

I might have mentioned in a previous post Yester that I don’t like to drink water. I don’t like the taste of water. Yes, I mentioned this, but to be clear, it’s not all water, just a lot of it. Yes, over a year ago I was drinking plenty. Then I quit. Sure, I know we all have to have it, but I was getting mine mostly, by way of a dark brown caffeinated beverage, otherwise know as, coffee. 

Though our winter was mild compared to many of the near past, it has been long, too long. It is now almost towards the end of April and last night, it was 31º F. At the time I began this post it was around 7:30 A.M., eastern standard time and it was 34ºF. Is the time early or late? Actually, I was up all night. I’ll leave that, for a future post. But normally in the winter, my skin gets pretty dry, hands and elbows mostly. I’ve tried everything I could think of, creams, oils, beeswax and etc. to little or no avail. One day, now just a little over a week ago, I noticed my hands. They looked old. The skin was thin like a single pat of butter had been scraped over both sides of all the slices of a loaf of bread. They were so dry in fact, they were itchy. Scratch, scratch is what I did, almost breaking the skin where blood could have easily appeared. Thankfully, the itching ceased and I did not see blood. But at that moment I realized, I was not just dehydrated, I was SEVERELY DEHYDRATED!!! 

Oh God of water, please help me was my silent mournful cry. It is now the seventh day since those words that shocked me, “I’m dying,” formed in my mind and left my lips and was heard by my ears which circled back to where they began, inside my mind. It’s been now, seven days since I broke my silent depression and reached out for help. It’s been 7 days since I started to drink more water and of all the things along My Journey to Health so far, water has given me more benefits almost immediately and continues to benefit me. In reaching out for help, I spoke with my sister. She not only suggested that I should NOT have the treat of my precious, desired and wanted first cup of coffee until— I drank a big glass of water, she sent me a wonderful message by way of the Facebook Messenger APP to a link to a Facebook page. Can you guess what it was about? 🙂

Water, water, water, everywhere and YES, I try not to spill a drop.

Lemon & Water

• Drinking lemon water first thing in the morning on an empty stomach will help flush out the toxins. I COULD USE THAT!

•Water with lemon helps fight infections of the respiratory tract, sore throats and inflammation of the tonsils. This is due to the Anti-inflammatory properties of lemon. My TONSILS ARE LONG GONE, BUT COULD USE THIS OTHER STUFF, ESPECIALLY SINCE I’M STILL SMOKING!

• Warm water with lemon helps digestion as lemon contains citric acid. It interacts with other enzymes and acids which easily stimulates gastric juice and digestion. YES PLEASE, I’VE BEEN HAVING DIGESTIVE ISSUES!

• Lemon helps protect our bodies against immune system deficiencies as it is rich in Vitamin C.  OKEY-DOKEY!

• Lemon contains a great source of Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Citric acid, and Phosphorous. OKEY-DOKEY!

• The liver produces more enzymes from water with lemon than from any other food. YES PLEASE, I’VE BEEN HAVING LIVER ISSUES!

• Water with lemon cleanses the liver. Lemon juice stimulates the liver to release toxins. YES PLEASE, I’VE BEEN HAVING LIVER ISSUES!

• Water with lemon helps with weight loss. Lemons contain pectin fiber which helps suppress hunger cravings. YES, I NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT AND HELPING TO KEEP THE HUNGAR-REES AT BAY, WOULD BE AWESOME!

• Drinking lemon water helps with maintaining the pH levels in the body. OK, I’M SURE I’VE BEEN WAY, WAY TOO ACIDIC ON THE pH SCALE.

• Lemons act as a powerful antibacterial as they contain pectin fibers which are beneficial to the colon. YES PLEASE, I’VE BEEN HAVING DIGESTIVE ISSUES!

I am confident that there are many other benefits to water, lemon and water and lemon together. All of the above seem to be good advice and I do very much appreciate my sister for linking me to this information. I cannot speak with experience to this point if any are working for me. Perhaps it is too soon to tell? Maybe I’m not drinking enough, (YET)? And perhaps there are things working internally that I’m just not aware of? But as my sister suggested, to treat myself with my first morning cup of ‘Joe,’ I am first, drinking water. It’s is now been 7 days since I started drinking more water and of the things I’ve been trying on My Journey to Health thus far, including more water in my daily life has done more for me than any other single thing! I’ll write more about this and any benefits and changes I’ve noticed the past seven days in my next post, my first week of progress on, My Journey to Health.

The water I’ve been drinking is chilled and filtered from our refrigerator. No designer water or expensive water, just inexpensive water. It’s making a big difference with me. And I am drinking less coffee and not as late in the evening anymore as I’ve done for many years. I’ve not had any weird dreams or any dreams, for that matter, the last seven days!

But for now and in closing here, my skin is getting softer. No more itchy skin. I do not know if water has contributed any or part of the fact that the last seven days, I have had more energy than during the last couple of months, but I have! Beyond this, all I can add is, I am starting to feel better, not 100% and 100% of the time, but better. And I am thankful, grateful and HAPPIER about this!

Water, water, water everywhere, Come—  come and help me, to the mend

Drink up my Dear, come, come, Come— come and make ME, your friend

Next time: Progress Report #1

Basis

© 2016, all rights reserved

 ‘Basis’? Well basically, this seems like a basic place to start and it is in fact, the name of a product.

My first thought was a direct result from having seen a link. I was on my Facebook page. Normally, I do not pay any attention to all the advertisements bombarding my timeline and interfering with my ‘free’ social media experience. 🙂 But there was just something about one that caught my eye. I clicked the link and landed on a certain page of the website, FastCoExist.com (link to follow later). Is this just another supplement company? Not exactly!

I have tried vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, herbs and etc. or in general, supplements, on and off for years with little or no success. These can be found almost everywhere from online blogs, websites and social media platforms, local grocery stores, from natural or holistic doctors’ offices and centers and there is a good chance that someone you know is trying to make money selling them to you through network marketing. Well, the page from FastCoExist.com informed me about the company, Elysium Health. So what was different to me about Elysium Health?

Elysium Health begins with (currently) six Nobel Peace Prize recipients or Laureates. Then, it lists a virtual ‘Who’s Who’ of  Scientific and Medical pioneers. Then there are industry leaders. I’ve never seen a company begun with such credibility, integrity and such a number of so many great minds. AND the numbers of advisers from the scientific and medical community, KEEP GROWING!

They are NOT a pharmacological company, nor intend to be. They are NOT just another Nutraceutical company (nutritional supplements), nor intend to be. They are NOT seeking FDA approval. They just present the data, A LOT of DATA (scientific/medical peer-to-peer research). They only make one product, ‘Basis.’ It can only be purchased from Elysium Health and only online through their website. ‘Basis‘ was researched in Cambridge (MA), developed in New York City and created in Silicon Valley. They make NO claims except for the following:

“Basis by Elysium is a daily health product designed to optimize and support your most critical metabolic systems.”*

On the box it lists four areas that their product is researched and designed for to accomplish:

DNA Repair • Cellular detoxification  • Energy production • Protein function*

Hmmm, maybe this could help me? Looks like stuff I could use?

Basis by Elysium Health is very concerned about quality control, purity of ingredients used, freshness (control of lot number and date of manufacturing etc.), rigorous third-party testing to ensure the delivery of more of what is promised in the ingredients used. Basis is vegetarian, non GMO, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, and contains no artificial colors or flavors. Basis is created in the United States in adherence with the FDA’s Good Manufacturing Practices.

Basis by Elysium Health contains two (2) primary ingredients:

1. Nicotinamide Riboside – (NR) The most direct precursor to NAD+. It is the most readily usable and effective building block for creating more NAD+ inside the cell. NAD+ plays a crucial role in regulating core metabolic functions including cell function, inflammation, DNA repair and energy production. NAD+ supplies decline naturally with age, thus reducing a cell’s ability to function optimally and potentially impacting baseline health.
2. Pterostilbene – (PT) A powerful antioxidant created by plants to protect against internal and external stresses, such as disease and the sun. It is closely related to resveratrol, a compound found in grapes and red wine, but more bioavailable, or easier, for the body to incorporate. Research has shown that pterostilbene, like NAD+, stimulates enzymes called sirtuins. They regulate critical cellular processes, from aging to circadian clocks to energy production and inflammatory response.

What is NAD+?

“NAD is one of the most compelling bits of chemistry related to aging. Its presence in the body is directly correlated with the passage of time.”

Fast Community 2015

“Passage of time?” Is this another ‘long life pill,’ another fountain of youth formula? Perhaps if I have better health, maybe I just might feel like living longer? By the way, the link above is exactly where I first read about the work of Elysium Health, what NAD+ is and about their product, Basis.

Even though they provide the data and have no intention of gaining FDA approval and make no outlandish claims, they still comply with the FDA and federal law—

*“These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. This product is intended for healthy adults, 18 years of age or older. Do not take this product if you are pregnant or nursing.”

Just a thought. The FDA is NOT qualified to produce anything that could diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease! They just regulate who may or may not be qualified to do any of those things. But if there ever was such a company qualified, I would think Elysium Health would be, but they are not seeking any such approval or verification from the FDA!

But WAIT a minute! Wait! “…intended for healthy adults, 18 years of age and older?” But I’m NOT healthy, I’m certainly NOT 18, NOT pregnant and NOT nursing! But what about me? Can’t I try this?

Their research and the data show that after the age of 20, the amount of NAD+ in our cells begin to dramatically decrease over time. Nowadays, many young people are already in pretty good health and are focused on health. They work out. They are engaged in physical activity. Gyms are full of young people, even if it is irregularly and just to get that quick six-pack of abs (ripped and showy abdominal muscles) fit into a tux, a wedding gown, and etc. or to look good in a bikini swimsuit for the summer. 🙂 The point is, younger people are today, more focused on health and fitness. They normally have and by nature have, sufficient quantity of NAD+ and are the primary group to maintain these levels from 18+ and up. It is after all, a lot easier to maintain existing good health, then it is to try to reclaim it or regain it like I am! So, what about me?

The data and research in this field of NAD+ has exploded in the last 15-20 years. More is learned every day! They know that NAD+ exists and is essential to every living cell in our bodies. And they know it decreases as we age. But Basis by Elysium Health is such a new product, there just isn’t that much data on people like me (older and in poor health) that could benefit from it. The data and the research is also there that diet and exercise CANNOT produce NAD+ which age has decreased. But they know and I trust that if my levels of NAD+ increase, I might, I just might improve the quality of my health! Even the co-founder takes it and he is older than me, but he makes no claims and basically states he is already in relative good health. But I decided to try Basis.anway. I found nothing that indicated I could not take it.

Trying this product is suggested for four months and I may not experience any noticeable results for 4-16 weeks. I decided to order 1 container of a thirty-day supply. I could sign up for a monthly subscription, bi-annual or for an entire year. There is some savings the longer your subscription is. But for me, I wanted to get started right away. I chose to order 1 at $60. I did not want to wait for free shipping so I paid an extra $22 to have it sent in two days. I received it as promised and when it was promised. Tomorrow I will call them to start a regular monthly subscription at $50 with free shipping. I just wanted to get started ASAP and continue for at least the recommended four months. I know that if I receive the benefits I am hoping for, I will continue using Basis for the duration of my life or unless they or someone else discovers something even better. Six-hundred dollars ($600) a year to maintain good health seems pretty reasonable to me. Then with a healthy diet, the right physical activity for me and plenty of fresh air and water seems to be pretty simple to me. And it sounds to me like that if my levels of NAD+ are where they are supposed to be, I may not have to spend money on supplements and gyms and equipment and etc. And what if with Basis and increased NAD+ I experience:

more energy • better sleep rhythm and restful sleep • DNA repair (maybe my cysts will get lost or gone) • better cognition • stronger immune system • better digestion • better removal of toxins ingested from the air, by my skin, and from what I drink or eat • better skin • feel better • look better • be healthy

I have been on Basis now, for 5 days. Nothing to report. I will be the first to let myself know what I know and if and when I know it. 🙂

Then, I’ll share it!

see BASIS at Elysium Health

I know, it looks more like a jar of some nice hand cream. 🙂

Next Time: Water, Water Wet My Whistle

Yester

© 2016, all rights reserved

My Yester’ Road

Before this begins, here is a caveat. You may or may not care about me or have no time or interest in reading my back story below. If this is the your choice, you may scroll all the way to the bottom of this post to the link to the next post. This blog, each page and each post is my journey to Health,’ my journal, my progress; my results or the consequences of my choices. These things may or may not work for me. They may or may not work for you. But I share them for myself and for you that it may help us each and together share, on this journey to health.

Yester, which is my short word for yesterday, I was on the road to better health. I cannot call it yesterday, because it wasn’t. About a year ago (in 2015), seems so  far away. But I had stopped smoking. My first whole day withdrawing from nicotine was spent sleeping. I suppose part of the reason I slept so much besides that I must have needed it was, if I was asleep, I wouldn’t have to deal with cravings from withdrawal. But, after the first day, I was home free. It really was not to difficult physically for me. The hardest thing was making up my mind to stop. Everyone is different, but no matter how long you’ve had the habit or how much one smokes, it is a habit and the body and the will go through changes in ridding it.

Besides this first day of a lot of sleep, I really had not been sleeping well for quite some time. Whatever amount of sleep a certain body needs, it will sooner or later try and catch up. For me, this usually meant not getting enough sleep, sleeping on and off all day and night, sleeping in different places trying to get comfortable, being consistently tired, having little energy and sooner or later cranky or most of the time.

Coffee was my water and poor pick-me-up choice. Instead of picking me up, it would often just keep me up. Now in my sixties, I can’t drink it all night long anymore and go to sleep easily without ill-effects. Now, if I drink it late and still fall asleep, I usually wake up from really wired and strange dreams. I don’t often dream. I figure if my body does not know the difference between what is real and what is a dream, how in the hell can I get needed restful sleep, if in my head, my body thinks I’m running around all night? So, you can think whatever you want and believe what ever you want about dreams, but for me, I don’t often dream. Lately with late coffee, I have been dreaming and often. In those weird dreams, I finally just wake myself up when I say to myself, “Well this isn’t making any sense!” Then I’m back awake again and still tired. NO MORE LATE NIGHT COFFEE FOR ME! No, I wasn’t drinking enough water. If truth be told (and here it is), I don’t like the taste of water. Adding some fresh lemon juice (or my first choice of lime) does help, but I just don’t like drinking water. It is sad really because, we all need it and it is so beneficial; has so many benefits.

Poor health can bring you down mentally. Yes, I was depressed. Not feeling well makes you tired. Not having enough energy makes you depressed. Mind-body; body-mind affect each other. It was a vicious cycle.

I was overweight. I am not generally an eater of comfort food for the sake of ‘misery loves company. I was older yes. I was not lazy. I was not an over eater. Most of the time I wouldn’t eat three meals a day. I would forget meals. Often, when I would have rather been doing something else, I had to eat something, just to stop the annoying feeling and sound of my grumbling stomach. I was more sedimentary than perhaps at any other time in my life. I certainly was not getting enough oxygen because, of smoking and lack of exercise or physical activity.

My skin was drying out – hands, bottom of my feet and my elbows. Oils, creams and even beeswax would help, but what can you do for skin that’s dried from the inside out and seems thinner like a pat of butter scraped over both sides of a whole loaf of sliced bread? I dunno’ drink more water? But I don’t like the taste of water! WHINER!

I went to a gym and started working with a trainer. It was great! I lost weight, built muscle, had more muscle tone, I was sleeping better and getting more restful sleep. I started drinking a lot more water and to my surprise, I was not forcing myself, I actually wanted to drink water! And it was even starting to taste good to me! My skin was becoming more soft and supple. I wasn’t dehydrated like I was and had been, for a very long time. Water sure was far greater than all the other lotions I had ever tried, to get rid of my dry skin and elbows. I drank less coffee. I really like coffee and every time I have ever tried to wean myself off of it completely or at least for awhile, every time, I would get a headache (until I had a cup). But after a short time of going to the gym, I was drinking maybe 2-3 cups a day instead of say, 2-3 pots (8-10 cups per pot), morning, afternoon and night. Seriously, I drank this amount and more.

My energy levels started going through the roof. I felt like an 18 year old again. And my attitude about myself and life in general? It was GREAT! There was just one problem, I still had a 60+ year old body and mental experiences and practices of the same number of years.

I got hurt. Maybe it was not my trainer. Maybe it was not anything I had been doing. Maybe I just hurt, a now much older tendon. But I developed tendonitis or tennis elbow. And I don’t even play tennis. 🙂

I was in a lot of pain. I took a lot of ibuprofen and it gave me little relief, but it sure upset my stomach. I quit going to the gym. I went to see my doctor. He recommended a special brace to wear over my forearm and elbow. I purchased 2 different kinds and on two separate occasions, trying to find one that worked for me. Neither helped much.  My doctor was reluctant to give me cortisone shots because of the possibility of greater long-term consequences vs short-term relief. This was fine with me, as I really did not want them anyway. My only other options were time or seeing an orthopedic specialist. What would they do, surgery? I was not interested. So, I was left with time. Time I seemed to have plenty of, as I really wasn’t doing much of anything else. I tried essential oils and other natural creams. Nothing seemed to help. I was resigned to— I guess this is just the way it is? I guess this is just old age setting in and taking its toll from me?

About this same time, I went to the doctor because, I felt my head was going to blow up. My blood pressure was up. He gave me a prescription. I asked him, “Is it possible for me to ever get off of this drug?” He answered it was possible, but not likely. I did some research. Most of these blood pressure reducing drugs decrease the amount of CoQ10. One of the things this natural thing in every body does is,  regulate blood pressure. WOW, I don’t think I want to take this drug if it screws with that. I am, I believe, a person that knows when my blood pressure is up. I can feel it. I wasn’t feeling it. I quit taking the drug. My blood pressure is checked by the nurse and then by my doctor about every three months. Why do I have my blood tested and see my primary practitioner every three months? I was previously diagnosed with multi cystic kidney disease around 1989-90. Diabetes runs in my family. My father’s father (my grandfather) had it. My father had it towards the end of his life. I am borderline diabetic. Not to mention I have had two bouts of hepatitis in my early life (the kind you get from someone that is exposed and from handling food or even a water glass they may have touched). Then there was my bout with Bell’s Palsy a few years back. Where did I get that? Who knows? But thankfully, I have no permanent damage to my nerves, facial muscles or my left (dominant) eye. I just sometimes feel some numbness in the corner of my left eye and left corner of my mouth. Guess when this shows up? When I’m tired which has been a lot lately. Well, anyway, every time I go see my doctor every three months, my blood pressure is normal. I don’t have the heart to tell him, I stopped taking the drug. But I still maintain the prescription and every now and then, I can feel my blood pressure is up and I take a pill. This seems to work for me. I also have a blood pressure cuff and can monitor it myself. There are FREE machines at almost every drug store too.

Meanwhile, everything I had worked for fell apart. Weight came back, again. I started drinking more coffee and less water, again. I was not sleeping well, again. I had no energy, again. I started smoking, again. It sure looked as if I had just given up. Why didn’t I just keep doing what I had been doing which gave me so many good results, only not as robustly as I had been? Why couldn’t I just continue at a more moderate, a slower and less strenuous pace? OK, in a single word, FEAR. Yes, I was afraid I might hurt myself again or worse. Things got worse!

I have a damaged disc in my neck. This is either genetic or caused by some trauma I’ve had in my life. But it has caused me a lot of discomfort and concern over the years. An adjustment by our Chiropractor every six months or at least once a year keeps me doing OK. I have mobility and little to no pain from this, most of the time. You and your physician can say what you want about the evil and the damage that chiropractors can do. I could say the same is true about M.D.’s (medical doctors) too. You just have to find people that can help you or be honest that they cannot. You just need to find people that do not require unlimited costs and unending visits to treat symptoms. You need to find people that look for the cause and HOW to eliminate them, instead of always just treating your symptoms. I would like all these different modalities and specialties, natural and scientific and medical people to all be working for me instead of against me by always being against each other!

On top of everything else, new symptoms developed. I had a numbing and/or sometimes an intense pain on my right side, halfway between my right breast and my navel, near my stomach. I finally went to the doctor. Tests were ordered. He gave me a referral to a liver specialist as the pain I was experiencing was from a liver cyst. I saw the specialist and his staff. He was reluctant to do anything about it at that time. He ordered a follow-up visit in a year to see if it was larger or had multiplied or may interfere with normal liver function. I left with these three other things. Call him if my symptoms became worse. These cysts were most likely something I inherited, something genetic that started showing up whenever and that at some point, he may have to lance or drain the cyst or remove it. I was not too thrilled with any of those options.

I started having digestive issues. I rarely drank alcohol anymore, not even my familiar and occasional once in awhile beverage. Everything I ate seemed to upset my stomach. Antacids and stronger over-the-counter drugs and even Aloe Vera juice were tried with little or no relief.

My lower back hurt or ached most of the time. Yeh, yeh, sore back, tired and depressed about all these things working together against me. WOW, I am me. Me against myself? Yep!

When I get up from when I do sleep, I usually have a headache. Ibuprofen does not help. Water does not not help. Coffee does not. I usually just have to wait around until hopefully, it passes.

All of these things and the uncertainty makes me cranky and yes, I’ve been depressed. If you don’t feel well it can bring you down. When your back hurts, no matter how much sleep you may get, a sore back still makes you feel tired. And all of these things bring you down. I was down. I was depressed. I became socially overwhelmed. I did not want to go anywhere, see anyone or do anything. My standard words to anyone and I do mean anyone was, “I just want to be left alone.” No questions! No confrontations! No conversations!  Just leave me the hell alone! I had even told my poor concerned wife, that if she did not want to be embarrassed if someone showed up here and I just disappeared or took off without saying a word to anyone, “You better damn well tell me they’re coming, so I can leave before they get here!”  Not good! Oh, but not enough or not yet the final straw. How about a four year old sending a dime (10 cents) home with their grandmother for me, so I could get something for my truck so I maybe it would help, so I could come and see him? What what you have felt? I felt nothing! What would you have done in this situation? I did nothing!

I am like many people are, very hesitant to talk to anyone about what is bothering me. I don’t want to bother anyone. I don’t want company in my misery. I don’t want to bring others down. Oh, I could care less what anyone thinks of me, but I do care about bringing people down with my issues.

None of these things had any positive or negative changing effects on me. I was where I was and felt like I was getting worse. I was giving up and decided I did not care anymore. Out from my mind and off the tip of my tongue were these words: “I’m dying!”

My Dark Road

Well, those two words got my attention! I don’t want to die! I’m not afraid of dying, I’m just not ready to die. So what’s my alternative????

Let the Adventure begin!!!!!

 

see next: First Thought

 

First Thought

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New Morning First Thought

Well, after a long dark night of the soul, my soul, I had a first thought early in the morning. If I don’t want to die, what is my alternative then? Live? Yes, I want to live, but live healthy, live well and as long as possible. HOW?

It is a curios thing about the first rays of morning and a first thought. They each lead to more light and more thoughts! What follows are the results of these thoughts and what I have decided to do. It is a simple list of five things currently. In other posts, I will share my WHY(s) for each of these and any progress I may or may not experience with these choices. For now, in the order that I thunk’ em’ 🙂 this is my list and their links if applicable.

1. ‘Basis’ — elysiumhealth.com
2. Drinking more water and with lemon (thanks to my sister for the info)
3. Exercise program— taicheng.com
4. The Gut (digestive sydtem)— What my Microbiome wants for dinner
5. Quit smoking (for once and for all times forever and for NEVER EVER again!)

 Yeh, Yeh, #5 sure sounds like something I’ve said before or all road I’ve been down several times. But maybe this is the last time? 🙂

Next time: Why ‘Basis’ through Elysium Health?