My Introduction to Chiropractic Care

^{Then the Lord said, "My spirit shall not abide in mortals forever, for they are flesh; their days shall be one hundred and twenty years."}

Genesis 6:3 (NRSV)

We met our chiropractor by chance one day at a health fair at which we were both vendors. (That was back when I still thought that with having the best products, those for which I had searched and ultimately found, could translate easily into sales. Any income was meant to support my writing life—a passion from which I have no expectations of making a living.)

We exchanged ideas and each completed the assessment presented by the other. Stewart Family Chiropractic was using space certified technology—developed by NASA for use on the international space station—technology I trusted and for which I already had much respect. (Not only did I use and represent other forms of space certified technology myself, but also, I have fond memories of the time when my father worked on developing the computers for the Apollo rockets…way back when.)

I knew my scan would look good. After all, I was in excellent health, save for a couple of unexplainable random symptoms here and there. So, when the resulting printout showed large red lines beside four vertebrae near the top of my spine, I understood that something was wrong, and was concerned enough to make my first visit to a chiropractor’s office. Now, I’ve had friends over the years that swore by their chiropractors, but I had no occasion to pursue alternative healing methods when my insurance covered all my Western medical care with just a $5.00 co-pay. The rationale was, I believe, much like that I used when shopping at grocery stores over farmer’s markets. The known required no thought or extra time or money, so why bother?

I have learned so much since then.

At the office for an introductory workup, I met an office filled with beautiful, gentle souls who truly desired to serve others in achieving good health. (My desires were the same, but when tied to products or services that could involve any financial benefit to me…a counter-productive voice within my head berated me for attempting to sell something for my own profit.)

Their Christian perspective was out and proud, another aspect that appealed to me now.

Following the workup came an introductory class explaining chiropractic care to a group of potentially new patients. I liked what I heard. Messages such as God created us all to live 120 years in good health resonated with me. As one who subscribes to the axiom “food is medicine,” this rationale worked. After all, God created the Earth and all creatures and, presumably, gave us all the necessary tools to survive and thrive. We’re the ones that make a mess of those gifts.

Stewart Family Chiropractic aims to serve and assist in healing many people, over and above making money. To do this, they participate in a program with Chiropractic Lifecare of America, LLC, which—when patients purchase annual memberships with that company—enables Stewart Family Chiropractic to legally lower their per-visit rates to 3/5ths that charged for regular adjustments. (I gather there’s an industry standard for the area that sets the minimum rate.) Whatever, in my economically-challenged circumstance of being both underemployed and uninsured for chiropractic care, the membership option simply made sense.

I cannot recommend them highly enough. Visit GoStewartHealth.com. Tell them you were referred by me and you can get a free scan for yourself. Check it out!

Entering the New Year: 2017

I have been on a most amazing health journey this past year, one that has magnified for me the beauty of all that has been given to us on God’s green earth, one that has deepened and strengthened my faith, and one that has brought home the realization that I really do have a most amazing family.

In 2012 I was far enough into my discoveries about natural food and healing that I studied for a year with the Institute of Integrative Nutrition (IIN) out of New York City. Throughout that year and beyond, I tried new foods and new ways of eating with an emphasis on fresh, whole, dark and raw. For a time, I was careful to honor the temple of my body and to only feed it real food. I felt marvelous and loved that I could feel my body saying “Thank you” each time I fed it properly. A couple of years later my life was entwined with one who had too long been on the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.) for me to make a convert of her, and hanging out continuously with her for the better part of a year drew me back into some of my old “stinkin’ thinkin’” as it applies to that SAD lifestyle. I rationalized: she’d been eating this way for the better part of eight decades, and was still going strong—although, admittedly, her health was failing—so I’m sure it won’t hurt to eat with her for a time.

Fast forward to 2016 when my own health was deteriorating from within and, in my pigheadedness, I failed to acknowledge the gravity of the change. Over the summer, I even returned to a now-ancient pastime for me, that of indulging in concentrated sugar, by eating those Smarties candies, one little disc at a time, while commuting. Beyond knowing that for me sugar triggers migraine headaches, I remember a few afternoons tooling along the back roads of Middle Tennessee and thinking, “Gee, it’s a good thing I don’t have cancer because sugar feeds cancer and that’s what I’m eating.”

In the fall, I was diagnosed with an ovarian cyst that was larger than most might imagine. I praised and thanked God for having added this side-track to my life journey. Unsure of where it might be leading, I was resolute in my faith that all would be well and would progress according to His plans. Facing the possibility of inpatient surgery and a hospital stay without having insurance coverage for either, I refused to worry. Certainly, I did attempt to delay treatment until such a time when hospitalization insurance could take effect, but when circumstances lead me to treatment sooner, I failed to worry about the cost. Having cancer pushed my sister and her husband into bankruptcy a few years back and I had no intention of going that route. I would pay as I was able, perhaps just a few dollars each month, but still the intent to pay would be unmistakable.

As we enter the year 2017, I am again striving to eat and live consciously and healthfully, and I am feeling better than I have in years. Indeed, shedding that cyst caused me to drop 30 pounds overnight. Literally. Even my gynecological oncologist, with his decades of experience, was impressed—coming to see me the next morning to report that the cyst had grown to 28 pounds and that they had drawn off a full 3 liters of fluid. 

God treated me with loving care. Although I had a vertical incision measuring over a foot in length, I experienced no real pain. I would admit to acute discomfort and accept ibuprophen, but I was through with morphine and opiates. Thirty years earlier I experienced more than my fair share of abdominal surgeries, all for “female troubles,” and had learned just how huge a difference having a skilled surgeon means to one’s recovery process and the pain that can accompany it. The more movement within the abdominal cavity, the more pain I could expect afterwards. With such a sizeable growth, the surgery could not be completed laparoscopically and I was prepared for a level of pain which I was no eager to experience. The lack of pain was just another of God’s many gifts—and I thank Zee.[1]

Entering 2017 I feel better than I have felt in years. I can move and breathe with ease. My God is so good.

Blessings,

Cynthia

02 January 2017

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[1] At this time in history, when American society is coming to recognize the existence of more than two genders and writers around the globe are including their preferred pronouns as part of their signature blocks, I must acknowledge that my omniscient Savior cannot be limited in gender. As such, rather than using the gendered pronouns Him or Her, I choose Zee, a genderless alternative pronoun, to designate my Savior.

Why My Progress is Slow

^{I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.}

John 15:5 (NRSV)

This blog, Faithful in Health, has been little more than the germ of an idea for far too long now. Although, I wish that statement would be followed by the assertion, “But now, I’m ready to roll!” it is not—for the reasons below.

In trying to answer a simple and straightforward question asked via social media by a friend this morning—which company do I use when sourcing certain key natural ingredients—I found myself writing a lengthy reply…only to have it vanish right before I was ready to post it, of course.

I write slowly as a matter of course for several reasons. 

1.     I like to have a bit of knowledge before I speak. This sounds easy enough, but when applied to something as time-consuming as maintaining a blog, one can get bogged down very quickly.

2.        To have that background knowledge, I must first conduct the necessary research. 

Sounds simple enough, right? If the premise of this blog is a blend of two areas of interest—faith (in God) and health (natural, holistic)—how difficult can the writing be? Ha, if you only knew the lengths to which some of us on the planet over-think anything before opening our mouths to share our opinions as ones that could possibly be valid.

Case in point, over the past several years I’ve transitioned from one willing (and eager) to eat the Standard American Diet on a regular basis—basically, to use much-processed foods to fuel this body from one task to the next—to one far more discerning, who better understands the power of real, whole foods to fuel this body for the moment and for the long term.

A few epiphanies along the way, generally followed by flurries of intense learning / research, have solidified this outlook. Then, just about when I feel enthusiastic enough to share my knowledge something happens to derail the process. 

3.    One tenet of my writing is that it is sincere, honest, even bald. Since I desire to know the Whys behind just about any topic worthy of discussion, you will NOT find clickbait on this site. (At least not written by me. I expect it to be the basis of peripheral advertisements which are necessary, and are not necessarily evil. Blogging is not free.)

As such, readers will find questions embedded within discourse, likely revealing the vast quantity of knowledge yet-to-be-gained by this inadequate, ever-inquiring mind.
 

3a. Ever notice the plethora of numbers-based titles around you? “Six reasons why…,” “Ten methods of…,” and “21 uses for…” crowd advertisements, pop-up windows, and marginalia. Ever since I “discovered” blogging, oh, about eight years ago (in late 2008, early 2009, I’ve been inundated with advice urging me to write such titles. They create curiosity and practically promise quick learning opportunities; however, they do not delve into the deeper reasons, the Whys—the meat of any topic. (Ha! I just noticed that, how meat is embedded into our cultural lexicon as being the important part of any meal. It needn’t be, I’ve learned. But, that’s another topic for another day.)

3b. Even those without clickbait, I’m talking about the good, informative, well-written blogs—there are several out there that I have found, many I have yet to find—are written, generally, for readers in a rush (see item #4, below). As such, each provides information on a very specific, focused topic. Since such focus leaves out much important information, links are provided to take readers to related information…and one gets as endlessly lost as with the clickbait-type articles.

Such titles are, in my opinion, often flags for click-bait. These non-substantive articles lure readers into what may turn into hours of pursuing one topic after another, endlessly lured on—until the phone rings or one glances at the clock, only to rue the time now lost.

4.      To include reasoning requires length, yet readers haven’t time (or inclination) for length.

This is my ever-circular conundrum: the desire to be concise without forfeiting substance. In the early 21^st Century society appears driven by a 140-character mentality. We want knowledge quickly. Yet, we also want knowledge upon which we can rely. To know which sources to trust requires the background knowledge of what drives each source. That background knowledge is more than a 140-character storehouse of information.

5.      Reasoning requires research. 

Research, done as I wish to have it done, requires an investment of time, energy, thought, and finances. If I’m to present an authoritative opinion on any topic, I need to have a. found the information, b. taken thorough notes, including resource citations, c. purchased the ingredients for each recipe—which includes trying similar ingredients from multiple sources and trying each of these, d. followed recipes, made the products and tried them, e. again, making copious notes, f. identified or developed my favored recipe(s)—noting specifics of brands/types of ingredients used, and g. reached a point from which I felt comfortable writing authoritatively on the topic.

6.      Case-in-point: my friend’s question. She asked about my source for Essential Oils. I shared the name of the company. She asked for contact information and I went in search of that referral link I have…somewhere, that would garner her a discount on her first purchase and award me a credit for future use. In the process…

In the process of searching (Yes, it would help to have a better filing system; note to self duly created.), In the process of searching I stumbled across a blog that included all that I would wish to include. The author has done the research, tested her recipes on family (to whom she gives credit), and thoughtful, thorough posts about the topic. Thank you, thank you Ms. Rebecca of the blog A Beautiful Ruckus <dot> com!

Her 2014 post comparing Essential Oils offered by five different companies, found here, is excellent! Well written and thoughtfully presented, it includes not only information I had already found but also so much more. It reminded me of why I have been slow to write and why, if friends are going to continue to ask me for resources, I need to educate myself—sooner rather than later.

The best result of that experience was being able to give my friend good information. Secondly, it goaded me into writing this…and thinking about all those projects I have been meaning to do but which I’ve allowed myself to postpone. Finally, it gave me the push I needed to follow through with just one of those threads I’ve been meaning to chase. (Stay tuned for adventures in home crafted shampooing!)

I firmly believe that the Lord placed us on this earth with the tools necessary to survive and thrive. Having been raised in the “living better through chemistry” years, though, I’ve bought into much misinformation (some deliberate), along with many others. Raised by an organic gardener as well as a scientist, with an emphasis on social justice and less on church sermons than church community, this inquiring mind has come to trust more deeply in Him than ever before, and to appreciate the diversity of resources with which He provided all living creatures. 

Blessings,

Cynthia

29 November 2016

Battling Insect Pests—Sweet-Eating Ants

¹⁹See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions,and over all the power of the enemy;  
and nothing will hurt you.

Luke 10:19  (NRSV)

I grew up in a drafty old New England farmhouse. The kitchen was situated at the back of the house, adjacent to the back porch—whose swinging door was quite serviceable, but did not seal like most doors today. The breadbox sat on a little side table Formica-topped, once a children’s table, I believe), and every summer the table legs were set into empty cans—tuna cans were used most often. Then, a bit of water in each can, and voilà! Instant moats excluded ants from getting into the baked goods for the season. In that house we periodically battled sweet-eating ants and big, black carpenter ants. The favorite solution for an active pile of ants (generally found just outside the back stairs, where cracks decorated the turning platform[1]) was boiling water. One whistling tea kettle—and swarms were exterminated in an instant.

The farmhouse in which I now reside has ants—little, sweet-eating ants—entering from both the garage and the front porch. The counters offer no locations for moats. When they first appeared, in the late winter, marching up towards the hearth, I found my store of ant bait stations and ant bait. True to the box’s instructions, the bait lured a steady river of ants for about a day…and then the stream dwindled and stopped. Now, though, I’m thinking these ants are either immune to the baits or…what, I do not know. Yes, they love the bait stations—not enough to swarm them, but enough to maintain a fairly steady, trickling stream of customers.

Lord, help me. How to eradicate the last of these pests without resorting to poisonous pesticides? The recent AARP Bulletin recommends spraying vinegar along baseboards[2] to deter ants without resorting to toxic chemicals. I filled a spray bottle with distilled white vinegar yesterday evening. Now, the house smells like salad dressing…and the ants have not been deterred.

I wonder about the mint wasp spray I have somewhere out in the garage. Wasp bodies are somewhat similar to those of ants. Might it prove toxic to them as well?

I’m open to suggestions at this point. How do you manage ants in your home?

Thanking readers in advance for great suggestions, I bid you adieu.

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[1] The “turning platform” was a slowly breaking-up cement area behind the house, adjacent to the garage. Today it would be called a “driveway.”

[2] “Bugged by Bugs?” Deals, Discounts, Etc. column, AARP Bulletin, 2016 June, p. 14