#was a heart thing now its gerd now its potentially back to a heart thing

[savage-rhi]

Magenta 😟

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #401

“my love is just waiting to turn your tears to roses”

Do you typically do your makeup the same each time? Or do you like to change it up often? IF I wear makeup, it's essentially always the same. Who is the last person you were in a room with just the two of you? What were you doing? Yesterday with Mom. We were trying to find the best deal on Eco Earth, a substrate we're getting for Venus. What was the last really good book you read, and what was it about? If we're talking REALLY good book, then The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. In short summary, it's a dystopian future novel where women are now basically just objects used only for repopulation, even having their names stripped from them. They follow very strict rules as society has returned to horrible misogyny. As a woman, the "oh my god, this is possible" aspect of it is terrifying, and it causes such a sense of disgust and urge to ensure women rights always continue to be fought for. Do you feel safe in your country? For the most part, I'd say. I guess. There are places I'd feel safer, though. How many meals do you eat a day? Three. Have you ever performed a solo dance in front of a crowd? No, but I was supposed to my senior year in high school; the seniors at my dance studio were always welcome to do a solo in celebration. Mine was a modern dance to "Coma White" by Marilyn Manson, wanting to tell a story about depression and how being medicated could feel, but I eventually decided like halfway through learning the choreography that I was just too nervous to do a solo. Have you ever sung a solo? No. When you go to McDonalds, what drink do you usually get? Coke. Have you ever had to call and complain about a product you bought? No. Do you own a designer purse? Definitely not. I'm not wasting that much money on something like that. What’s the weirdest rumor you’ve ever heard about yourself? Apparently, Jason and I had a baby in high school even though I was obviously never pregnant. To my knowledge, it was started by his ex. Who is now a good friend of mine lmaooo. Life is funny. What was your favorite Saturday morning cartoon growing up? Pokemon, of course. Would you ever have an affair? Nope. Would you ever have a one night stand? Nope. Where you present at any major historical events (e.g. 9/11)? No. What are your opinions on marijuana legalization? Legalize it, but treat it similarly to alcohol in that driving under the influence is illegal and punishable, and I believe you should be of a certain age. How about abortion? I am pro-choice. I was pro-life most of my own life, but now I am very firm about a mother being able to choose if she wants to endure a pregnancy or not. Like, that is a MASSIVE life event that almost inevitably changes - and sometimes traumatizes - people. I do believe a fetus is its own body and not part of the mother's, but rather in the mother's, but the belief that a woman decides what she wants in her body is her choice, too. I'm not very fond of people treating abortion as a simple, regular form of birth control, like it's nothing but an "lol whoops," but I still believe it is ultimately her decision, and she should always be free of judgment for doing what is best for her. Do you wear skirts or dresses more often? Neither. I wouldn't dare wear a skirt more so, though. What do you think about tipping at restaurants? There should always be an expected minimum, imo, unless the person was truly, sincerely, genuinely fucking awful. Waiters do not have an easy job, fight me about it, and they're just trying to survive while putting on a happy, jovial face, all the while dealing with hungry people who can be such assholes. I believe the actual tip should relate to actual service, but again, give them something. Would you ever get back together with any of your exes? One, absolutely. The other would take a shitload of consideration and proper communication on his part. Do you have a preferred coffee brand? No, because I don't like coffee. Do you usually befriend your coworkers, or do you prefer to keep work separate from your personal life? IF I had a job, I'd like to build a friendship with those I have to engage with almost every day. What is something you frequently forget? Dates, ages, names, what I was about to do five seconds before I forgot... Pretty much everything. My memory is frightfully poor. Is there any drama currently going on with your family? No. When you take a nap, do you nap in bed or on the couch? In my bed. Were you raised by both of your parents? If not, then who raised you? Both; my parents split when I was somewhere around 17, though, but I'd say there wasn't much more "raising" to do at that age. Have you ever stolen anything? If so, why? No. Have you ever plagiarized someone else's work? Hell no. What's your most-used mode of transportation? My mom's car. Have you ever taught someone else a useful skill? Not to my recollection. Does seeing everyone else's 'perfect lives' posted on social media ever bring you down or affect how you feel about yourself? It actually does, honestly. Not ALWAYS, but if I'm being honest, it does most of the time. I've contemplated deleting Facebook for that reason, but with is also comes things that make me happy, and I think I'd feel even more isolated without it. What is your favorite Hostess/Little Debbie snack? This is SO impossible for me to answer. I loooove Hostess and Little Debbie treats. I want to say honeybuns, but I also love those chocolate cupcakes with the white swirls on top, as well as Twinkies. Very few exist that I don't like. Do you/your family buy loafs from the bakery or bagged on the shelf? We just buy bagged bread. What’s the best news you’ve gotten lately? My APAP mask is definitively WORKING!!!!! :') Mom got an app that connects to the machine via Bluetooth that monitors the effectiveness of the mask, evaluating many factors of your sleep, and it's detecting a definite decrease in disruptive behaviors or something like that. It is so, SO encouraging to know that. ^And, the worst? Hm. Oh, probably some news on something serious a good friend is going through, but I don't feel it's my right to disclose what. It's just a very worrying and potentially dangerous issue that I wish I could help her with. Would you rather receive (or give) flowers, chocolates or jewelry? I'd appreciate any, but my fat ass is drawn to the chocolate, ha ha. What *I* would give would vary depending on what the person liked. How do you feel about coconut? Smells lovely, but is otherwise gross. ^ Ever cracked one open? No, but omg I've always wanted to, haha. What’s the best thing about being your gender? I guess the fact it's more "normal" and "accepted" to show our emotions. Fuck that generalization, though. I don't give a shit what your gender is, you experiencing emotions is NORMAL and welcomed to be expressed. ^ And the worst thing? The ability to be raped and impregnated by it. Do you do your part to save the earth? I don't do nearly enough. :/ We recycle, but that's about it. Well, none of us DARE to litter either, but I still don't feel like it's as much as the earth deserves from its denizens. Who do you think should have their portrait on a bill? I don't know or care. Why did you last feel exhausted? Yesterday was my niece's birthday, and I spent essentially ALL day playing with her and her brother. I have a very limited battery when it comes to kids, and I was running on empty for hours. My anxiety was SO high and I really needed a break from them, but they're too young to really understand that Aunt Britt can only socially run for so long before I'm completely burnt out, and TRUST ME, I was there for sure. I didn't want them to think they did something wrong, you know? I just had to keep going. I slept like a baby last night though for sure, haha. Have you ever used emotional blackmail to get your own way? Wow, no. Has anybody ever used emotional blackmail on you? No. Who did you last worry about and why? Sara for health reasons. Are you currently looking for a new place to live? Not actively, but Mom and I definitely want to move. We feel very out-of-place here in the suburbs. Which would you prefer as a view; mountains or the sea? Mountains. Do you have a mouse for your laptop? (Assuming you have a laptop) Yes. I canNOT play games with a trackpad. Do you apologize a lot? Extremely excessively. When you get married what do you think you’ll put most of your focus and money into? Do you mean like, for the wedding? In that case, probably the venue. Being a photography buff, I want a place I think is really pretty to have pictures taken. What’s something you complain about frequently? My legs hurting, my weight, and being hot. Do you have anything planned for the summer? Nope, and that's fine with me. I'd rather stay inside away from the heat. Who usually makes dinner in your household? My ma. Do you have a blog? Just on Tumblr. Does anyone in your family snore loudly? My mother does because of gerd, and at least when my father still lived with us, he snored super loud, too. Do you want to fix anything with anyone? Yeah, a few people. What shows do you watch? Right now, only Meerkat Manor: Rise of the Dynasty. Whenever The Edge of Sleep comes out, I will 110% be watching that, too, because Mark is a key actor in it. :') Plus the concept seems super cool. Have you ever broken someone’s heart? I don't know. Who was the last person you had a conversation with on the phone? Me mum. Does the song you’re currently listening to remind you of anyone specific? No, given it has like... one lyric, haha. Do you own any TV show soundtracks? No. Last thing you did that made you feel like an adult? I mean I guess sign myself in at the doctor's. What’s your favorite picture of your mom? Dad? Oh my god, there's a candid one I got of Mom laughing when she was posing as my subject for a photography assignment, and I cherish it with ALL my heart. I want to share it with essentially the whole world, but yeah, I'm not gonna put my mom's picture here. As for my dad, I like this one I took of us at Red Lobster for his birthday a year or two back. Last TV show series you finished? Fullmetal Alchemist with Sara. Favorite flavor of cream cheese? Regular. What US state would you like to visit? Alaska. Last meal you made yourself? I put a chicken pesto thing in the microwave earlier for dinner.

[ladyfawkes]

CW: Brief mention vomiting, stomach issues People can have genuine allergies to spices as well. If something like common black pepper can be enough of an irritant to make literally anybody sneeze if they get a particle or two in their nose, then it shouldn't be a stretch to imagine the idea that other hotter spices can potentially do even more damage. Just because you can watch idiots consume ghost peppers on internet videos doesn't mean that everybody has the same level of tolerance, same body chemistry, or the same immune system. Spice CAN and does trigger immune responses, and some of them are NASTY. In college, I learned the hard way that I can't eat horseradish. I ordered a rueben sandwich that apparently had horseradish on it at the local deli. I took a few bites and soon after my throat started getting itchy bumps and then very quickly swelling up and coming close to cutting off my airway. It was neither the fault of the place of business nor mine -- at the time I myself didn't even know I had this allergy. I somehow managed to stumble into the bathroom and by sheer desperation was fortunately able to make myself barf it all back up. About 20 minutes later and after taking copious amounts of my rescue inhaler, I was able to walk away. I was very lucky. I know that using my own self as personal examples is only anecdotal but I can promise you that I'm not alone. Besides allergic reactions, there's also people (such as myself) when sometimes I can eat spice and sometimes I can't. It's part health and part age; I know quite a few people who used to eat very spicy foods on the regular and can't now. But people just won't accept that these people's doctors have TOLD them to stop eating these things if they want to stop experiencing constant pain/nausea/etc. Almost nobody bitches about when they tell you they have to switch up their dietary needs because of heart health or bloodsugar/diabetes. Yet if it's for your stomach, for some reason, far more people tend to dismiss/scoff/etc. GERD is ALSO a disease -- it's in the acronym, ffs. Anyway, now that I'm over 40, I have to be extremely careful because of my GERD and hiatal hernia. If my hernia's out of place, it pushes open that little tiny esophageal muscle above my stomach. And the stomach acid's just not going to cooperate when that happens...and it's gonna leak out whenever I try to eat something. It's not like I can control its positioning either; I don't know exactly where the hernia is in my abdomen. Usually I can only feel it when it's leaking stomach acid. I basically just have to wait until the hernia settles itself back down....and then wait another few days (or a week or two, depending) for the burned area in my esophagus to heal itself. Point being.....If you're gonna think behind my back that I'm a wimp/spiceless wonder, go ahead. But it's definitely not up to you to decide if I should or shouldn't have certain things based on your own personal experience/tolerance of it. It's definitely not up to you to "test" if I'm telling the truth or not or "just being picky". Even if I were just being particular, who cares??? It doesn't effect your life AT ALL.

Gonna go full white girl here for a moment

If I ask if a food is spicy at all, and you reply “No, not at all! You can barely feel it!” then that is a contradiction. It is spicy. It may not be very spicy, or even moderately spicy, but it’s still spicy. Please just tell me that straight-out.

I know there’s a good chance you’re mocking me in your head when I say that I cannot��handle spices at all, and that even the mildest of sauces, that you insist are barely there, are going to hurt, because I’m mocking me too. I know I’ve got a child’s palate when it comes to spicy food. I know it’s almost laughable, how badly I react to even table pepper in more than the most minuscule of doses.

But if I ask “is this spicy,” and you answer “not at all,” and then proceed to tell me that it’s mild, then I will still consider it too spicy.

If I ask “is this spicy at all” and you say “no” while knowing that it is, just a tiny bit, because you can’t imagine anyone reacting, then please don’t be offended when I take one bite and then throw it out, because I asked for a reason.

It’s a dumb thing to talk about, but… yeah. Just do your cannot-handle-spices friends a favor and be honest when they ask. Mild is still a level of spice.

(This goes doubly for strangers, because if they have a digestive problem like, IDK, ulcers or something, then spicy food can irritate the stomach lining further and cause extreme pain. Some people claim that capsaicin can be used to treat ulcers, but you know… just play it safe, yeah?)

[lenixsocial]

I’m Fine.

Earlier today a friend who I hadn’t talked to in awhile asked how I was doing and out of some knee-jerk retail employee reaction that’s been ingrained in me for 16 years I came back immediately with “I’m fine”.

Now I get that everyone says it, and it’s beyond common to hear it when asked the question in public even if you aren’t fine and especially if you are working retail or in customer service where you face people every day. You are forced to say it because if you don’t say it or say you aren’t well or anything of the sort well...societal pressures being what they are people will give you this look like there are lobsters crawling out of your nose. They will also think you are Patient Zero and will treat you accordingly, standing further back, and judgmentally glaring at you.

Still, it doesn’t explain why I still say it even now, three years removed from retail and customer service. I still say it, every time I’m asked. It comes out before I even know it’s on it’s way out of my face hole.

My friend John said something akin to “well, judging by your Facebook profile I’m going to say you’re not fine but...” and he’s right. I’m really not. I’m about the furthest thing from fine.

I spend a good majority of every day alone (except for two days and the time my wife isn’t at work). I mean yes, there’s our cat but he isn’t known as a great conversationalist. He’s cute, great to have staring contests with, and to take naps with. I’m alone otherwise. Sure there’s TV - YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, CBS All Access, and Apps from half a dozen cable channels and the channels themselves. I’m tired of TV. I’m tired of the same old thing. The rut is getting to me and it’s only one facet of a complex lattice that forms why I’m most certainly not fine.

I’m not fine because of the drugs and lest you think I’m an addled addict try again. The drugs in question here are blood pressure meds. In ever increasing dosages. Different types, different mechanisms of action, different side effects, different reactions and interactions the doctors didn’t bargain for. Some of them are so bad that I go away and withdrawal from even doing things I enjoy to cope with the strange feelings. Others like the drug I was taking up until a few days ago have me thinking I’m going to end up in a hospital again as the feelings it gives me are akin to having a heart attack - chest pressure, arm pain, muscle stiffness, and muscle twitches. Now, don’t be concerned because all those are either common or less common side effects but one of them — just one of them: muscle stiffness was enough to raise concern from one doctor to pull me off of it and within two days, I felt tons better. His suspicion was an allergic reaction to one of the compounds in it. I’m just happy he overrode my cardiologist and told me to stop taking it.

I’m not fine because I’m constantly teased about my weight. I’m actually overweight yes, but there’s more to unpack here. With the rate at which people with my disease lose body mass, the “bumper” of excess weight is actually not a terrible thing as my body could sustain itself off of its reserves if I ever begin to spiral. On the obverse being obese is not healthy and I get that. Another part of the issue here is the biweekly infusions I get increase metabolism and increase hunger about ten fold. I’m eating sometimes after my infusion and I honestly don’t even realize it. I’m stuffing my face and I just can’t ever seem to satiate my desire for more food. All of this gives me the worlds most visible ugly pot belly. Well, loss of core muscles, side muscles, back muscles and pectoral muscles from muscle wasting have certainly not helped either as it pushes my stomach forward making it look even larger. My dad and brother razzed me a few days ago and I played along and I was seconds from blowing up. I was having a drug reaction with severe chest pain, dealing with a dead car battery, and putting up with them poking at my gut and calling me fat. Yeah. Trifecta of stress.

Which leads me to I’m not fine because of stress and anxiety attacks. Crippling anxiety attacks. They get so damn bad that I can’t distinguish between cardiac issues and anxiety. And most of the time if I’m on a new drug it might be all three: a legitimate cardiac issue, a medication issue, or an anxiety attack and I just have no idea what to do so I sit quietly. Sometimes for hours with ocean noises playing off of YouTube. Something to focus on that isn’t pain and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t and when it doesn’t I take naps. Related to the attacks are fear response shocks. In a normal person walking up behind someone and scaring them is fun. Jump cuts are great. To me, anything like that causes my neck muscles to seize, a headache to start, and nerve pain to shoot down both arms. Sometimes the severity lasts hours, sometimes it lasts days. This then also informs a general anxiety about new situations, doctors, airport travel, legal counsel anything. My blood pressure is usually sky high even with the meds when I’m seeing a new doctor and my fear has been at an all time high since I was admitted in the ER last February and spent a week in the hospital.

I’m not fine because I see people giving me the stink eye. Yes. I park in the handicap spot. Yes I have a cane. Yes I also have a motorized wheelchair. I can walk but not very far, but apparently if you have a wheelchair and you are seen walking to it and sitting in it (for instance I park it outside of restrooms because it’s a pain in the ass to maneuver it into a stall) people will give you the dirtiest looks. People will see you in your chair and also think you need to be saved. This happens a lot. Usually in a crowded retail store. I’m agnostic. I don’t care if you want to pray for me...that’s great. I’m fine with that. I feel it’s not my right to judge someone else’s choices or religion or absence of religion. But making a spectacle of it IN PUBLIC? No. And blocking my path with your cart? Double no.

I’m not fine because my wife isn’t fine. She takes care of me and I love her to death but she also gets the dark side of me when I’m at my lowest and most miserable and she has begun to develop anxiety attacks herself so crippling she has trouble breathing. It’s not easy being a caretaker and she does it quite well but it isn’t what she bargained for or expected and she has plenty of things on her plate as it is.

I’m not fine because every friend I had made stopped coming around and those that have stuck around or want to do something I have to explain my condition to so that it doesn’t look like I’m standing them up when my body decides now would be a great time to have more pain. It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had to cancel last minute because of it.

I’m not fine because of irritable bowel syndrome and GERD. Both of which I have and cause about 75-80% of my daily hell. The pain gets so severe at times I just want to scream and even knowing what foods do what to me doesn’t help anymore. Sometimes...most of the time my stomach or guts just hurt. Bending over hurts, leaning to the side hurts, anything where I have to move against my stomach, really.

I’m not fine because I’m now getting constant pain in my left hand which makes playing guitar—my one creative outlet incredibly difficult. Actually the frustration of not being able to play standing up, or playing a guitar that weighs more than 4lbs is also likewise a root cause of why I’m not fine.

I appreciate the support from everyone but people will say “call me if you need to talk”. Quite frankly you weren’t told you have an incurable disease that will slowly eat away all your muscles, potentially leave you deaf, and eventually kill you and even if they find a cure they can’t undo any damage incurred by the disease. So if I end up with 80% of my muscles gone, and they fix it, I’ll still be wheelchair bound with a bilateral paralysis in my diaphragm, unable to grow back any muscle mass that’s already died. Like I said: I appreciate the support but all of what I just said is too much for most people to deal with or they weren’t bargaining for all of that.

But now you know.

How am I?

I’m fine.

Because it’d just take too long to fully explain all of the ways I’m really not fine at all.

[pbenzymes]

3 Things That Will Change Your Life In 2020

At the top of my New Year’s Resolution list for 2020 is one thing that will change everything in my life. I want to digest better in 2020!  I’m sure that sounds odd to some, but there are over 100 million (*1) people in America who would gladly welcome healthier digestion in 2020.  Those are just the ambulatory care visits.  The real number of Americans who have digestive related symptoms is closer to 80%.  That includes anyone with heartburn, acid-reflux aka GERD, gas, bloating, diarrhea, or constipation.

We’re about to re-discover the significance between the mind, brain, and mouth because our short term and long term health and wellness depends on our state of mind; as does everything else in our lives, and so, life and death begins in the mind.

The thought, sight, smell, and memory of food moves our brain to signal the production of saliva to co -labor with the rest of the mouth to physically and biochemically break down food for the purpose of extracting and preparing the nutrients within our food for digestion and absorption. 

‘Primary-Eating’ is when eating is the main activity. On average, Americans only spend a little over an hour a day engaged in ‘primary eating. 

Now, the production, quality, and flow of saliva and its contents are easily influenced by our state of mind prior to, and during our meal.  Because saliva’s role in breaking down our food is so important to our well-being, it’s vital that we maintain the proper mindset. 

When we take our time and chew our food, proper saliva is released into the mouth, stimulating a greater sensation of taste, and a more pleasurable , and memorable experience.

Saliva production is something that has been studied for many decades, and most researchers, scientists, and doctors support the evidence that, “Psychological variables (*2) like anxiety, stress and depression have a significant effect on reducing salivary flow rate…as well diminishing the quality, potency, and efficacy of saliva.  

When the saliva flow rate and quality are significantly decreased, so is our ability to properly pre-digest our food with our mouth; and by default the rest of digestive process is compromised.

Secondary-Eating’ is eating ‘primarily’ focused on something else. On average an additional 24 minutes a day is spent ‘secondary-eating’ while primarily focused on eating while working, driving, watching t.v., feeding the kids, meal-prepping, laundry, etc.

   Americans, compared to the rest of the world, i.e., France, Denmark, and Italy spent almost double (100%) more time eating than Americans; while Germany, China, and Korea allocated more than 50% more time engaged in ‘primary-eating’ than Americans.

In today’s ‘On-the-Go’ culture, taking the time to efficiently chew our food while mixing it with saliva until it’s a certain consistency must seem arduous and counter productive to our long list of daily responsibilities. Eating is productive in and of itself, and it’s not the time to multi-task. It’s the time to refuel, rest, and predigest.

That’s right! I said the ‘R’ word…Rest!

I’m not talking about taking a nap. I’m talking about giving ourselves a mental-time-out so we can prepare our mind before, during, and after we eat.  Instead, eating is something we do in between the business of life while diverting our attention on anything else beside ourself. Perhaps it would be helpful to view meal time as an adult ‘time-out’; a time of celebration and thankfulness meant in the healthiest and most considerate of ways to honor our temples; a time for self-care and attention, and NOT what’s next on the ‘To-Do’ list.

What Do you Believe?

Do you believe that a positive belief system/self identity can benefit your short and long term health, relationships, and most importantly, your happiness and future?

Do you believe food has the power to provide our bodies with the energy needed to sustain life?  

Do you believe that better quality nutrition, i.e., healthier food can provide our bodies with resources that are more bio-available than other sources i.e., fast food?

Do you show up for work everyday? 

Many of my friends, family, and associates would agree to some extent that our identity, ‘who we believe we are’ and ‘who we say we are’ determines much of ‘what we are’ and ‘how we are’ in life.  This is something that I didn’t grasp until late in life, and I’m very thankful I get it, accept it, personally-defined it, and implemented this “1 Million Carat Emerald of Truth” because it’s changing my life for the better.  

Identity can be the silver bullet to a significant, fulfilling, and prosperous life, or a disabling life altering shot that is potentially fatal. Of course the quality of food that we use to fuel our bodies is of the utmost importance, but more importantly are the thoughts we are feeding our bodies while we’re eating. 

   When it comes to working for someone else, we show up for our jobs daily; especially when we don’t feel like it.  How about in 2020 we show up for ourselves? This year is about performance.

Earlier, I touched on saliva production, but what is saliva? Saliva is a complex fluid that is 99.5% water(*5), and the .0.5% contains mucous, anti-microbial compounds, electrolytes, and enzymes.

The water and mucous contained in our saliva lubricates the food, and helps us to physically break down the food while we’re chewing, churning, and mixing the food to the desired consistency of a smooth, watered down pancake batter.

The enzymes initiate the digestive process taking place in the mouth because they are catalysts; they increase the rate of specific biochemical reactions, and they do this by incorporating a water molecule from our saliva across the bond of the chewed food to shorten them; this action is called hydrolysis.

Lingual enzymes like Lysozyme, lactoperoxidase Lactoferrin[6], Immunoglobulin A[6]  also serve Antimicrobial agents that kill bacteria.         https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9860091

As you can see this are two very important steps.  The latter is protecting our bodies from an antimicrobial assault, and the former is prepping the food bolus for  the stomach.  When we don’t take the time and initiative to thoroughly chew our food with the right state of mind, it places a tremendous burden on the stomach; including the immune system.

The electrolytes in saliva are sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, bicarbonate, phosphate, and Iodine.  These salivary electrolytes play an important role in the anti-microbial functions of saliva .

(*) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003996902002005

There are also Anti-fungal agents in saliva like Histatin-5, Beta-Defensins, and Cathelicidins, that help fight off fungus like Candida Albicans.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29143452  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1797696/  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5745462/

 The Point Is To ‘Unlock’ The Treasure Inside Of The Food. 

Churning, mixing, and pulverizing our food with the intent of unlocking the treasure within can only be achieved with the proper mindset, and that takes desire, dedication, and discipline.  

Who said that the fast-paced-world we live in gets to dictate the terms or our current state of wellbeing, or the future of our health, wellness, and vitality? 

If I was eating too fast as a kid, I was always told, “Slow down! You in a rush? Where’re you going? Or “You’re going to choke to death.” 

We CAN successfully control our environment and slow down, permitting the Mind - Mouth Connection to successfully communicate through the proper channels effectively during the pre-digestive process. 

And we can still perform at a high-level, live our lives, and fight the good fight.

It’s just something that demands our attention, and must be implemented for the sake of our quality of life.  There’s no other way around it.  And parents know better than most how challenging it can be too slow down the family for a meal, but the truth of the matter is that our children’s health and future hinges on teaching them how to successfully eat (*8). 

Keys to Success: Our mind and mouth must be in concert with each other to successfully achieve the task of freeing as many of the nutrients our food has to offer.  Isn’t the point of eating to nourish our bodies?

No Phones or Other Devises Allowed

Step 1:  Breathe: (*7),(*9),(*10) Close your eyes, and be aware of: 

What you’re doing: “I’m slowing down.” 

How you’re doing it: I’m steadily breathing in through my nose (do this until you feel relaxed; don’t rush it) 

Think:  “I’m so thankful that I have this time to nourish and replenish my body (temple).  

There is much research to support the positive affects of slow, deep breathing techniques in order to counter the suppressive affects that the (SNS) has on saliva flow rate and quality.  And by placing ourselves in the correct state of mind ( Parasympathetically ) we actively-support the pre-digestive process. 

Step 2:  Gratitude (*11)  

Bite: Chew your food and mix it with saliva until every morsel is broken down, and a liquid consistency.

Swallow: Still breathing, think. I’m so grateful for this food, and its blessing to my body.

Gratitude should be our heart’s posture during every meal, and teaching our children this is life-shaping to the highest degree.  Gratitude enables us to stay present while we’re slowing life down through breathing.  Remember, this is for the sole purpose of extracting maximum nutrition from our food, unlocking the potential-energy and power that’s inside our food via the Mind- Brain - Mouth Connection.

    Step 3:  Believe (*12), 

Believe that slowing down and taking a time-out for yourself will recharge and energize your mind and body to perform at a higher level.

Go back to Step 1 and Repeat until you’re done eating

The Indian Journal of Psychiatry published an article in Oct.-Dec. of 2009 titled, ‘The Biochemistry of Belief’, and the authors say, “Beliefs are basically the guiding principles in life that provide direction and meaning in life. Beliefs are the preset, organized filters to our perceptions of the world (external and internal). Beliefs are like ‘Internal commands’ to the brain as to how to represent what is happening, when we congruently believe something to be true. In the absence of beliefs or inability to tap into them, people feel disempowered.”

“Go through the motions with an expected outcome in mind.” - A Friend

Sincerely,

Richard Paradise ND

p.s. are you going to show up for work this year? or no call, no show?

"At the thought of food, our body sends signals to our stomach that food is on the way, and the stomach prepares a welcoming party by secreting some gastric juices." "When we take our time to chew our food, proper saliva is released into the mouth, stimulating a greater sensation of taste, and a more pleasurable experience." "3 easy things to do..."

"The awareness that we are part of these ever-changing fields of energy that constantly interact with one another is what gives us the key hitherto elusive, to unlock the immense power within us. And it is our awareness of this awesome truth that changes everything. Then we transform ourselves from passive onlookers to powerful creators. Our beliefs provide the script to write or re-write the code of our reality."  -- The biochemistry of belief -Indian J Psychiatry. 2009 Oct-Dec

References: 

[ifuseethisturnback-blog]

My first blog! Lots of editing to do. But here

A letter to James Dolan Picture this: It is a Friday afternoon. You are in midtown Manhattan stuck in your miserable cubicle perfecting the spreadsheets that your 29 year old boss (You are 34) told you to complete for his presentation to the potential investor next week. He has littered the office with motivational posters about how hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard. This is ironic, because you lack both talent and motivation. A rare breed you are. He starts off every morning meeting with a new quote that he found on google about teamwork. Now, he sits you down, and says “listen up, kid (You are 34) I have spent the last 6 months building this startup from the ground, with nothing but elbow grease and a reasonable loan from my fiancées father. We finally have a chance for a breakthrough here, and I need you to be on your A game with these spreadsheets. As he walks out of your lifeless workspace, he takes the last strawberry candy from the extremely tasteful candy bowl you so elegantly placed in the corner desk. You are on the verge of tears now. This was the last candy and you were saving it for after lunch. Why would he take the last candy? Sure, you put the bowl there for coworkers to munch on and, well, if they come take a strawberry candy they HAVE to talk to you. But this was the LAST candy. You won’t be able to restock until tomorrow when you wake up in your studio alone and walk to Duane Reade with a 50% off coupon and argue with the cashier about the expiration date. You know it’s expired, but pay full price for a bag of candy at Duane Reade? That’s just not in your nature, now is it? Internally, you are about to snap. But just as you reach your breaking point, your phone begins to ring. It’s “Mike from college” calling. Wow, he hasn’t answered your last 6 texts. Do you think he’s just seeing them all now and feels the friendly urge to tell you that he never meant to ignore your “what’s the move tonight” text that you sent 3 times? You answer the phone. Eagerly. Way too eagerly. “Mike? Mike? Is that you MIKE.” The hesitation in his voice speaks volumes. The initial silence is louder than a sonic blast. But you aren’t the type of guy who notices these things. “Hey bud…how you been? Got an extra ticket to the Knicks game tonight. They are playing the Wizards at the garden, and was curious if you wanted to come.” Your face lights up. “Holy shit Mike, I would love to! Is it just us??” “Yeah…I only have 2 tickets, and I haven’t been able to find a single person to take it.” You ignore this implication that you are Mike’s last resort. You have one talent, and that is selective hearing. And damn you are good. “Well count me IN, man! Wanna meet up for drinks before?” “Let’s just meet up at the front gate man.” This sounds great to you. You get sweaty and your lips and fingers swell when you drink. You have a medically diagnosed extremely severe case of GERD anyway, so you were never able to keep up with mike and the fellas. So you finish up your spreadsheets, hand them to your boss (He’s 29) and get ready to go home and put on your childhood Patrick Ewing jersey that still fits because you didn’t make it past 5’7”. Now, its 7:30. You and Mike take your level 200 seats and you can’t help but gawk at the view. “Mike!” you say. “These seats are UNBELIEVEABLE” Of course, you hear Mike, but you somehow don’t notice him rolls his eyes as he unenthusiastically says “Yeah man, they are ok.” You are in awe of the light show, the spectacle that this organization puts on. As they introduce the 5 starting power forwards you can’t help but notice how electric the crowd is. People of all cultures unified as one. It’s a full house in the Garden tonight, as it always is. The raucous crowd lives and dies with every single basket. You howl in agony as Julius Randle misses a wide open layup, and you shriek in ecstasy when he gets his own rebound and is able to tie the game at 20. The game ebbs and flows, and you clutch Mikes arm and beg him to stand up so you have a better chance at catching a flying T-shirt. One wizzes right over your head. “Mike, imagine if you got on my shoulders? We could have totally snagged that one!” You have never BEEN so giddy. Mike must be stressed about the game- it’s been a while since he acknowledge your requests to start a “wave” with him. You understand, it’s a heck of a close game. 4th Quarter and it’s tied at 68 a pop. Can you believe? The boys actually have a chance to win this one! You never want to leave this environment. Thousands of people all unified with you in your despair but unabashed optimism. Now there is only 20 seconds left in the game. The crowd absolutely shakes. It is unlike anything you have ever seen before. Warriors fans weren’t this loud when the team was about to win its 2nd straight title. Marcus Morris shakily dribbles the ball up court as the clock ticks down. 10,9,8. As the air tight defense of the injury riddled Wizards move up to blanket him, he manages to get the ball to the power forward that is playing shooting guard. Bobby Portis backs down his defender, and you instinctively place your hands over Mikes, desperate for emotional support. He almost didn't notice how clammy they were. Almost. 4 seconds left now. With nobody who has ever attempted a 3 in their careers on the court, Portis knows his best option is to get the ball to Mitch Robinson in the paint. He heaves the ball up in desperate hope. 3 seconds left, and as Mitch catches the ball 2 feet from the hoop, you can feel the vibrations on your feet of all the fans seizing at such an unfamiliar situation. 1 second left. Mitch dunks the ball as time expires. THAT’S IT! The Knicks win! Walt Clyde Frazier shouts. The screams reverberate throughout the entire facility. Strangers hug. The Garden is roaring. You clumsily grasp for Mike. The Kicks have won their 4th preseason game 76-75 and Mike tells you that he has plans after the game but can you venom him 120 bucks whenever you get the chance? Thanks. Mike and the narrator may not be real, but the infectious atmosphere of MSG during even a routine and pointless preseason game is. This is, of course a blessing and a curse. All the Knicks woes and misfortunes come down to one common theme. James Dolan. The Clown prince of New York. Jimmy could almost be a sympathetic figure. The only reason he isn’t is because he is a gross, cold hearted, relentlessly aggressive dictator who has imprisoned an entire cities fan base into a pit of shame and mockery. Other than that, you almost feel bad for the guy. You see, there is one commonalty between us and him. It is that the Knicks are all we have. Excluding his prodigious band “JD and the straight shots” the New York Rangers/Liberty and Madison Square Garden as whole. But you get the point perhaps. Dolan is a stubborn pillock, but knows the value of what he owns. The Knicks are a money printing MACHINE, and while their head coaches may change every 18 months, that truth will remain absolute. I won’t speak with 100 percent conviction what makes Jimmy tick. Why he acts the way he does. Why he lashes out so extravagantly and embarrasses himself on an annual basis. But I feel justified in explaining why he won’t sell the team. It is a business that he is in charge of. He has stockholders to answer to, and he is, of course stubborn as a mule. One thing that might make you feel better: He is as miserable as the rest of us. There is only one way the Knicks escape from his clutches. An offer he can’t refuse. While that perhaps not impossible, there HAS to be another way. This is where I speak to Jim directly. Please, for the love of God…just get out of the way. If you can’t give up the team, just give up the reigns. We know every decision the Knicks make go through you. The management is absolutely despicable. They remain because they are loyal to you. This is how dictatorship usually works. Here, the best man for the job won’t stay, just the guys who kisses ass. It is time to face the facts. You are not capable of running the Knicks yourself. You knew that about the Rangers. You gave up the reigns with them, and they are a pretty respectable team historically and recently. Hell, does anybody outside of New York even realize you own the Rangers? You MUST be able to see that this has gone too far. You are in a hole you cannot escape from. The world of basketball sees you as a joke, and more notably a cancer. This is the type of perspective one does not simply change or escape from. If you won’t sell, you have but one way out of this mutually painful partnership: HIDE. Just remove yourself from the spotlight. Give someone else the power. GET OUT OF THE WAY. If it works, go ahead and congratulate yourself. You still own the team. But while you are still the guy at the head of the table…nobody will take us seriously. Please Jim, set us free.

[sherristockman]

The Surprising Benefits of Inclined Bed Therapy Dr. Mercola By Dr. Mercola Oftentimes the simplest strategies pay great dividends. Getting sensible sun exposure and grounding to the Earth are two examples. Sleeping on an incline is another. While few have heard of it, and sleeping on a horizontal surface is a well-established norm, raising the head of your bed 6 to 8 inches so that your you’re sleeping on a 5-degree incline may have a number of benefits, including: Improving blood circulation Boosting metabolism Improving glymphatic drainage from the brain Improving immune system function Improving respiratory function Easing symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s, diabetes, glaucoma, migraines, multiple sclerosis, sleep apnea, acid reflux, edema, varicose veins and more The History of Inclined Bed Therapy Inclined bed therapy was developed two decades ago by Andrew K. Fletcher,1 a British mechanical engineer said to have “an avid interest in how things work.”2 He stumbled upon the theory by studying the circulatory system of plants. In trees, gravity pulls the denser sap from the top of the tree downward, which then forces the more diluted sap at the bottom to rise upward. In other words, the interplay between gravity and the varying density of fluids is what causes the sap, which delivers nutrients within the tree, to circulate up and down in a perpetual loop. He wondered if the same mechanism applied to the human body, and experimentation and further research convinced him that it does. In the video above,3 Fletcher performs a simple kitchen demonstration to show how circulation is caused by density changes in fluids. In private correspondence with Nexus Magazine writer Jenny Hawke, Fletcher explained:4 “[C]irculation began long before the heart developed, and this primary circulation continues to assist the heart, providing we take the direction of gravity into account. It works on the principle that blood entering the capillary vessels in the lungs provides the water and carbon dioxide that we evaporate with each breath. The blood therefore must become denser exiting the lungs, then passes through the heart and is injected back into the main artery, effectively adding denser blood to create a pulsatile flow predominantly down towards the kidneys... [T]he blood entering the venous return from the kidneys is always less dense than the arterial blood flowing to the kidneys. This was a Eureka moment of such magnitude it went off the scale for me and instantly gave birth to Inclined Bed Therapy.” Proper Incline Position Similar experimentation was used to determine the ideal incline, which he concluded was about 6 inches, or 5 degrees. In one experiment, varicose veins disappeared after four weeks of sleeping on a 6-inch incline, which he took as a sign that “a positive change in circulation” had been achieved. Interestingly, archeological evidence suggests some Egyptians slept on inclined beds,5 and a Boston Museum curator confirmed that the incline on one of these historical beds was in fact 6 inches. Now, it’s important to note that sleeping on an incline is not the same as sleeping on an adjustable bed that allows you to raise the head while the lower portion remains horizontal. Fletcher stresses the importance of lying straight, but on an incline. You’re not looking to sleep in a sitting position where only your torso is lifted. The alignment of your body is important, as you want your blood to circulate freely throughout your whole body and avoid stress on your hip joint. On his website, InclinedBedTherapy.com, Fletcher lists a number of methods for creating an inclined bed.6 For example, you can build your own wooden bed frame, or use leg risers or full-length foam wedges. Inclined Bed Therapy for Diabetes As you can see by the list above, people who have tried inclined bed therapy have reported improvements in a wide array of health problems. When you consider the importance of blood circulation for the healing and regeneration of your body, this isn’t entirely surprising. In her Nexus Magazine article, Hawke recounts a number of different tests and anecdotal evidence supporting the use of inclined bed therapy for conditions as varied as skin disorders and spinal cord injuries. In a Micronesian study,7 inclined bed therapy was evaluated to see if it might benefit people with diabetes. In conclusion, the researchers stated that: “[S]leeping on an inclined bed seems to help efficacy in reducing blood sugar levels with those who were dedicated in controlling their blood sugar levels. Inclined bed therapy may not be effective alone … [T]o be successful … it is recommended that diabetic individuals need to incorporate sleeping on inclined beds with medication, taking some alternative remedies and changing lifestyles by eating a proper diet and doing enough exercise … Interestingly, all participants listed other problems including: back pain, edema, difficulty sleeping, frequent night urination, snoring, morning light-headedness and pain in joints. All participants claimed to have noticed improvement in all these problems.” Acid Reflux? Consider Raising the Head of Your Bed Acid reflux is another extremely common health problem that may be improved through inclined bed therapy. Another term used for this condition is gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. Two of the most common causes of acid reflux are having insufficient amounts of stomach acid and/or having a hiatal hernia — a condition in which a portion of your stomach passes through an opening in your diaphragm, which can cause complications in your esophagus. It can also lead to GERD, a condition in which acid is coming out of your stomach, where it’s supposed to be. There’s a valve between your stomach and your small intestine called the pyloric valve. When the acid in your stomach refluxes over that valve, it causes symptoms that are very similar to that of acid reflux, heartburn being one of the primary ones. Heartburn is a burning sensation that radiates up from your stomach to your chest and throat. It occurs when food and stomach juices reflux up into your esophagus, which is the tube that leads from your throat to your stomach. It’s typically most bothersome at night, and tends to occur in connection with certain activities, such as eating a heavy meal, bending over or lifting a heavy object, and lying down, especially when laying on your back. While inclined bed therapy will not cure acid reflux, it may reduce the pain associated with lying down. Success Stories Among the success stories included in Hawke’s article is a man who, due to a spinal cord injury, had lost all control over his legs. After incorporating inclined bed therapy with his other treatments, he was eventually able to walk between parallel bars. Other success stories include a young girl with cerebral palsy was also able to stand up for the first time after she’d used inclined bed therapy for eight months, and Terri, a woman with multiple sclerosis, who eventually improved to the point that she no longer needed drug therapy. Hawke writes, “In a 2015 radio interview, Terri reported that her neurologist had recently told her she would have no need for any further appointments as she was better. He had never seen anyone in this situation get better.” Interestingly, inclined bed therapy has even benefited people with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. In the case of the latter, the woman reported “instant relief” after the first night. According to Fletcher, results seem to suggest sleeping on an incline helps boost both metabolism and immune function, which could help explain some of these success stories. Sleeping on an incline also affects intracranial pressure. This was the conclusion of research done by medical anthropologist Sydney Singer. Hawke writes:8 “His research is based on a 10- to 30-degree elevation of the head, not the whole body, and some impressive results were found regarding the effects of inclined sleeping on intracranial pressure, in particular research into sleep positions as a possible cause of migraines. ‘To our amazement, we found that the majority of the migraineurs in our study experienced relief by this simple sleep position change! Many had no new migraines, after being migraine sufferers for 30 or more years! The results were very fast, within a few days. And there were very interesting side effects, too. Our volunteers woke up more alert. Morning sinus congestion was significantly reduced in most people. Some reported that they no longer had certain allergies.’” Potential Brain Benefits According to Singer, sleeping on an incline may also benefit other brain conditions, including ADHD and Alzheimer’s. Indeed, while not mentioned, it’s possible by altering the intracranial pressure you allow for improved glymphatic drainage. It was long believed that the brain was unable to clean itself out, as the lymphatic system does not include the brain. More recent research has proven this to be incorrect, showing the brain actually has its own lymphatic system that gets into your brain by piggybacking on blood vessels. Amyloid-beta deposits and other toxins are cleaned out of your brain nightly during deep sleep. This waste-removal system is now known as the glymphatic system. By pumping cerebral spinal fluid through your brain's tissues, your glymphatic system flushes waste from your brain back into your circulatory system and onto your liver for elimination. Just about anything that hampers the efficient function of your glymphatic system will promote Alzheimer’s, by allowing waste to accumulate in your brain, and it stands to reason that improving this brain detoxification would help prevent Alzheimer’s and other neurological dysfunction as well. Are You Ready to Try Sleeping on an Incline? In addition to sleeping on my back with a pillow to support my neck (opposed to my entire head), as recommended by chiropractor and exercise physiologist Dr. Peter Martone, I also changed my bedframe to one that allowed me to elevate the head of my bed to achieve a 5-degree incline. While I have no health problems that would call for this, I find it helps improve my sleep. When you first start out, you may want to ease into it by raising the head of your bed just 3 inches. Once you’re used to that, raise it to the recommended 6 inches. Going up to 8 inches, which is the maximum recommended elevation, can be tricky, as you’ll start sliding quite a bit. Also, be aware that in some cases you may experience muscle soreness and/or a stiff neck for the first week or two until your body has adjusted to the new position. Fletcher also recommends drinking more water than usual, as the elevation will decrease fluid retention and enhance urination. This also means your body’s waste removal will be enhanced, so more water is needed to help flush out toxins. Overall, I believe inclined bed therapy can be of all-around benefit for your health and is well worth a try.