HealthMysteries

 Here we go with my famous seasonal health tips just in time for the summer-like weather we have been seeing for the past several days in the northeast.  So listen up -

• Go easy on your knees.  Gardening is wonderful and so much needs to get done within a set time frame.  Take it slow and easy and use a stool, cushion or bench to save wear and tear on your knees. 

• Get into shape with hand weights.  This is one inexpensive, quick and fun way to firm up your muscles and get your beach bod ready to surf the waves.  Start small and work your way up to ten or more pounds.
• Clear your body and your mind with a bit of yoga or Tai Chi.  If you prefer, meditate for a half hour each day and connect with your spiritual self.  The inner peace and serenity is a gift in itself.
•  Find time for fun.  Whatever that means to you is the way to look at it.  I love to read, play word games on the computer and crochet.  You might like swimming or crosswords.  Find at least a little time each day to do what you love.

You know the feeling of stepping on really hot sand and the bottom of your foot feels like it should have flames shooting out from under it?  That is a gentle massage compared to gout.  Uric acid crystals form inside the joint, usually a big toe, making every breath and movement feel like agony.

Eating lots of seafood is not the cause of an attack but can certainly bring on an attack that was already “cooking” in the toe joint.  The best remedy that I know of for dealing with a full on attack is cherry extract.  You can find it in pill form in health food stores and if you take it for a few days, you may shorten your suffering.

Once you have had it, you may or may not get it again.  It is more likely that it will recur at some point in the future.  Men are more prone to it at an earlier age and women usually don’t get it until after age 50.

Relax, drink lots of water (no alcohol -beer is bad for it) and elevate the foot.  You will be better before you can say, “Baked scallops, please.”

In another month, I will be heading back to the lake to rent my cottage.  It is a little piece of heaven where I can write, swim, fish and just enjoy the wildlife in peace and solitude.  There is nothing so tranquil for me than going up there, even though it is only about twenty minutes away from where I live.  It feels like I am entering another world - the world of vacation.

Whether you have a cottage or just time to get away for a week or two in the summer, you really need the chance to decompress and get a break from all the day-to-day stress of the working world.  One of the things that really helps me to feel better and less stressed is writing. 

Poetry, in particular, is great therapy.  Even the process and art of creating something new gives you a deep sense of satisfaction and achievement.  Give it a try some time.  If that doesn’t work for you, try a round of golf or an afternoon of bass fishing.  Whether you catch anything or not, the enjoyment of being on or near the water is healing and relaxation at its best.

Cystic Fibrosis is a deadly lung disease that affects millions of children and adults every year.  It is genetically determined and great strides have been made in recent years to get a handle on the disease and a cure is sure to follow in the near future.  Using gene replacement therapy medications will obliterate the disease but more money is needed in order to get to the final cure.

Many CF walks and marches are occurring all over the US in the upcoming weeks.  If you have a chance to participate or to give, please do so.  I have good friends who have a beautiful daughter who will be starting school very soon.  She is doing very well even though she has the disease. 

So walk, give and spread the word that a cure is coming with more money and time.  What better use could you have for a twenty dollar bill than to cure a child of a horrible disease? 

Go to www.cff.org to make a donation today.  Thanks very much.

One of the things that I do know well about myself is that I am prone to addictions.  Food, alcohol and even exercise addictions have been part of my psyche for as long as I can remember.  You might think that an exercise addiction is a good thing, but quite honestly, addictive behavior in any form is dysfunctional.  It fosters unhealthy thinking about yourself and a negative or disruptive pattern of behavior.

Being so focused on ensuring you get X-hours of workouts per day or per week, particularly when your expectations are ridiculously aggressive will wear you down mentally, before you raise your arms to perform one series of movements.

So the aim in my life has been to balance one thing against another, like a juggler with all his balls in the air.  It may work for a while, but eventually, I will take my eyes away long enough to drop everything in a big heap on the floor, including myself.

If you are addictive like me, you know exactly what I am talking about.  Take heart, because you are not alone and you are doing just fine.  We all are.  So get those balls back in the air and good luck.

Is there anything more glorious than the sound of the spring birds bursting back to you backyard for another year of warm weather?  This has been a long winter season in the northeast and seeing and hearing the robins, cardinals, spring sparrows and water fowl is so invigorating.

We are fortunate to live close to a small lake and we summer on a lake cottage as well, so the bird life is lovely this time of year.  The other thrill of early winter sounds has to be the spring peepers that are actually little toads that make marshlands come alive with sound around dusk each night.

What a great way to get some exercise - walking by a marsh or lake and enjoying the wildlife.  With spring in full bloom, I am hearing lots of animals including turkeys, deer, raccoons and foxes in the woods, probably looking for love, or mates at least.

So enjoy the return of the birds and animals.  Summer is right around the next corner.

I have not been too much into the whole vegetable gardening thing, but I know several people that live by their gardens almost year round, by doing lots of canning and freezing.  This year will be different.  I have a couple of acres of land that would be ideal for a good sized garden, but it is hard to find the time, as well as the energy, for the weeding, pruning and watering.

I may look into some of the tomato container gardens instead of a full fledged crop.  I love fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and romaine lettuce as the basis for a great salad.  I am lucky to have several fruit trees including some blueberry and raspberry bushes on my property. 

This year will be a good year for gardening and growing beautiful flowers, as I have done in the past.  I have the resolve to stick with a maintenance schedule and the exercise will be good for me, too.  Good luck with your garden this year. 

pix courtesy of Babybee at flickr.com

Many people have difficulty with lactose intolerance and are not aware of it. One way to find out if this is a problem for you, if you are experiencing digestive upset and are not sure of the source, is to try substituting Lactaid or similar soy product in place of milk or skim milk.

If you have lactose intolerance, typically you will have bloating, gas pain, digestive upset and irregularity or diarrhea on a frequent basis.  This can start happening even in the absence of a problem in the past.  Sometimes, the intolerance is mild and you may not have a problem with all dairy products, though more severe cases may have to switch to no dairy to relieve the symptoms.

There are products available as substitutes though you may find the taste to be less satisfying than the cow varieties. You will get used to the flavor difference over time.  Lactaid is actually quite tasty and I find it to be as appetizing as regular milk.

pix courtesy of publicenergy at flickr.com

Poetry is not only a beautiful art form, it is also a form of mental health therapy for many people.  Any good grief counselor will tell you that writing about your feelings helps you to deal with the emotion in a constructive and healthy way, and can actually aid in the healing process when grief or trauma have occurred.

Try it and see for yourself.  I have written many poems that have served the dual purpose of emotional release and creative expression.  Often times, this is my preferred way of coming to terms with difficult events in my life.  For someone with disabilities, this kind of release can be catharctic.

Here is a sample for a few years back that I will share with you.  This one is a Haiku.

GRAND FINALE

Pull each other’s strings

Old magic act done with wires

Saw my heart in half.

 The first quarter of this year has been very challenging for me and my family.  Losing my dad in March was a major blow to all and a day does not go by that I don’t think about him and wish he could still be with us.

Spring is here now and a new wind is blowing in my life.  A cleansing breeze that will help me get myself moving with my writing career.  I have many big dreams and plans are falling into place to get on track for a magnificent result in the future.

Here is to all of us this lovely Easter Sunday.  To new beginnings and new blessings for bright blossoms in all our endeavors.  God bless.