Happy Birthday!!!

This year, my Grandpa's birthday and Thanksgiving fall on the same day (I always thought he was lucky to have a birthday on a holiday - once in awhile). It would be 90 years ago today he was born in this world. He is an amazing person, who always had a story to share, a deck of cards or dominoes to play, the ability to make ANYTHING grow (oh the questions I would ask now), could build anything, fix anything, hike anywhere, take an ATC up any mountain (with a lot of grandkids hanging on the back) and could always seem to find a way to make me laugh. I still remember watching him turn on his record player doing the hokey pokey about 10 years ago. I thought I had one of the coolest grandpa's around :)

Happy Birthday Grandpa!!!

Easter Eggs

Have you ever heard of Easter Eggs in the DVDs? I was just told about them at my recent staff meeting (yeah we talk about EVERYTHING!). But they are hidden random things you can do during your DVD specials. I was told Pixar has some really funny ones.

Here is a link to one site that let's you know where to find some random things on your Disney DVDs.

Also, with the newest DVD Toy Story 3 out, here is a link to some of the random things and meanings you will find throughout the movie. 

Jake

Let me tell you the latest on our dog Jake....

Jake running back and forth through the irrigation water. (yea that was fun to watch, but not to clean up)

He has definitely been making our life a bit more interesting. I guess this is what happens when you don't have kids around :)

Jake has been very diligent at not letting me forget to take him on our morning walks. He LOVES his walks every morning. He get's excited when he hears me walking around when I first get up. His favorite thing to do when we leave the house is to run next door (by himself) and bark and jump against the tall brick wall, until the horse next door brings shows his head. It looks like they almost talk to one another. After this, Jake let's me put his leash on, and we go explore the local park. I think all the regular walkers at the park, now knows Jake by name. It's been a great way to get to know some of our neighbors. Jake has been the best dog we have had regarding listening and obeying what we say (when he understands of course).

Jake on the look out for the neighborhood cats

We (or I) have been realizing that Jake doesn't do well with grains, or rice. I am learning, that not a lot of dogs do though. Jake just REALLY shows this more than others. I took him off all grains when my parent's were away as an experiment. When we put him back on it, yep - we could tell his body does not digest the food well. I think he likes the cooked meals though :)

He is really funny to watch when he eats. He does NOT like to eat alone. We place his food in a designated "Jake" bowl in our kitchen. If it is on the wood floor, or if no one is around, he will pick up the bowl with his teeth and carry it in the room where others are. Or his other favorite place to eat is my parent's bedroom. I haven't figured that one out yet, as he would take his food in there to eat when my parent's are gone. 

Jake does this odd thing when we have a family dinner together. When we began to pray he starts to just walk really fast around the table. He goes in circles over and over and over. With wood floors, and doggie nails, you can hear this "tap, tap, tap, tap" the entire time. He also appears to stop when we finish praying. Haven't figured that one out either. 

Jake does not like the vacuum. He will start to bark at it, then run to the back door window, (as if pretending to ignore it), and then within seconds run back to the vacuum to bark at it. Then back to the backdoor to ignore it. We go through this, over and over again. - this dog loves to run in circles....

He LOVES to help me in the garden. He get's more exercise as he runs the entire backyard over and over making sure that there are no intruders. He keeps me company outside as I work out there. 

Dogs can definitely show us how to relax and just love the moments of living....

Onegai Shimasu

I like blogs with pictures... this has nothing to do with my post, but is of one of my siblings and I - Halloween 1984

In a self defense class I am taking, before and after working with an opponent we bow and say "Onegai Shimasu" or if we can't remember it "oh my gosh, a mouse" which means "I place myself under your teaching" or "Please assist me"... then I can get thrown on a mat, or throw them down:) 

I have pondered this phrase often. Anytime we interact with anyone or anything, in a sense we could be saying this, as it is a teaching moment. A time to stop and observe what it is that will guide us on our pathways, and help us to become better. Here are some things I have been "learning" or pondering about for the past 6 months:

Yoga and Tai Chi really do have amazing healing powers. I am understanding more as to why this is. How it can help calm the nervous system, help wake up different areas of the body, and help us to become more aware and accepting of the body is just a small part of it. 

How much propaganda is given to us DAILY!!! and how easy it is to believe that it is truth.

Doctor's are not the final authority, and do not have all the answers. It is good to ask questions, and to seek answers, and to not take any medication blindly without understanding what you are putting in your body.

Western medicine is not bad or evil. But it is not the only way, or only answer.

Foods will have an impact on your physical, mental and emotional well being. It is good to be aware of it and how it affects you. How food is cooked or not cooked will also impact these areas. The different ways the food can be prepared (microwave, oven, stove top, solar, BBQ, etc) will determine the different enzymes, energetic of food, and different nutrients you will or will not receive.

Laughter is a great medicine!

As a society, we tend to place way to much trust in the "government" on what they have decided to be "the way" to eat and live. A lot of the RDA (recommended daily allowances) are set very low - to prevent lawsuits. The food pyramid had a lot of influence from those who produced the food. It doesn't make sense how everyone needs to consume the same amount of things when we are all different shapes, sizes, and deficiencies. 

Blood work is not the final say on how we are doing. You can get different results based on which lab you go to, what you had eaten that day, or done, and the advancement techniques of the machinery the lab has. In addition, the government has set very odd ranges of what "normal" is supposed to me for all of us. Many times what is in the "normal" bracket of blood work is actually not normal, and indicates that something is not right and needs to be addressed before it goes out of the normal range. That being said, blood work is still good to get, as we gain a better idea as to what is going on and where to start. 

That as an aunt, sister, friend, I should not give or buy things that I wouldn't give myself (when I can eat it) or my own kids (when I have them)... sorry nephews and nieces, but no more processes store bought treats from me. 

The Vagus nerve is fascinating to study. It affects the internal organs (heart, intestines, digestion, lungs). This nerve assists as an anti-inflammatory. Stimulating it will help calm these organs down (which will calm you down). You can do this through deep belly breathing, cold showers, or placing ice (in bag) on top of your forehead - nose- mouth. 

Wheat promotes inflammation. Sugar is like throwing gasoline on a fire. 

My dog LOVES the horse next door. 

If we have a strong digestive systems, the other areas of our bodies will be healthier. 

Qi runs through the nervous system. 

Our personalities contribute largely from Qi - deficiencies, excess, balanced :) 

Qi is fun to study :)

The power of thoughts! Change your life - change your mind - As a man thinketh, so he shall become.

The scriptures and personal revelation is what will help us find true answers as to how to live. 

Don't be afraid of sensations or pain. They are a way to communicate. These things are a way to assist us with learning, understanding and seeing.

Inflammation is what will bring on "predisposed" conditions (or genetic) to occur. 

The power of definitions. At one time, I had thought that a feeling I was experiencing was "pain" than someone showed me that it was my body trying to get it working again. All of a sudden it was not pain anymore for me, but a welcome sensation.

There is great power in unity. 

There is great power in prayer. 

You shouldn't drink soda - it will leach calcium from your bones... plus a lot of other things.

There is great power when you can be present. 

There is great power when you forgive.

There is great power in a calm mind.

There is great power in touch. 

Music is literally all around us. Whether or not we can hear the tones is a different thing. 

Vitamin D is more powerful, and effective than the flu vaccine. - it is also a great anti-inflammatory.

Cold foods are not the best for digestion.

Drinking too much liquid at a meal is not good for digestion (impairs digestive enzymes). 

That if we understand the covenants and principles the Lord teaches us through many means (nature, families, interacting with others), and when we work to live them, we would live a better life. 

How powerful traditions are.

The power of "names" and "labels". 

That words can literally hurt us (once again music is all around us... or you could say vibrations...)

Anger (or any emotion) is not bad if it is used wisely, and not to excess. Anger helps push us to do things we need to do, or to get out of a situation. 

Emotions are a way to communicate to us what is going on. 

There is more to families than all that we can understand. I believe that our minds can't even fathom it at this point. 

Life is a journey, be kind to yourself, trust the process the Lord takes you through, and enjoy the adventure!

That we need to take what I say, and others with a grain of salt. Ponder it, perhaps experiment upon it, seek for witnesses, and pray about it, seek truth through scriptures and revelation. The Lord will help you see and understand the truth. 

The Garden... continued

I wrote a blog on my garden update, and then hit a key (I can't remember which one) then it was GONE! So instead of writing it again, here is a short synopsis.

Sunflowers can get REALLY tall!

It may not have been as fruitful as desired, but it was fruitful spiritually. It taught me more about myself then I would have ever imagined.

I understand the scriptures so much more when the Lord talks about "fruit of the trees", and the vineyards, etc.

I discovered that my dog is REALLY good at knowing when cantaloup will be ripe. He would get to them before I could. He would then either hide them somewhere in the backyard, or eat them.... this was not a good experience for him after though...

So the summer garden has come to an end. The squash beetles basically ended everything early. But the new one is about to begin again.

Yea! It's Fall Equinox!!!!

Digestion Series - The Art of Chewing

As I have been dealing quite a lot with digestion problems my whole life, I have taken on a quest to learn and understand all I can about the digestive system. The more you know, the more empowered you become (especially when talking with doctors).

I have learned quite a bit, and have been working to change my eating habits in order to gain better digestion. Changing my ways have been very difficult I have found, as it is so easy for me to go back to my old ways. I have found a prayer before eating for help really helps :)

I have decided to share some of the information I have learned regarding digestion. The first will be "The Art of Chewing"

Digestion begins in the mouth. Here the teeth break down the food we eat to allow our digestive system to function more effectively. Remember there are no teeth in the stomach. If it does not break down in the mouth sufficient enough, it will have a harder time to be processed. Which will become harder for the body to take the nourishment, vitamins, energy, etc. it needs in order to do it's job.

While in the mouth we create a liquid called, saliva. Saliva plays an important role in digestion. Saliva contains enzymes used to break down the starch and fat of the food. If you don't have the proper enzymes in your body, then you have a harder time breaking the food down. So those who are "lactose intolerant" don't produce the enzyme lactose in order to break down the lactase in food. You can take an enzyme pill (Lactaid) to help provide this enzyme.

As the saliva is in our mouth, mixing in with our food, it is also able to tell what food we are bringing into our bodies. It will send a signal down to the stomach, forewarning it. This will then allow it to be prepared as to how to digest it properly. If we eat to fast, the stomach does not have time to prepare, and the food will then need to sit longer (this is not good digestion).

So the next time you eat something, think about these steps, and the wonderful body we are given to allow ourselves to function at our optimum. Remember to chew well and slowly!

Tylenol and Motrin Recall

This was just passed onto me, in case you haven't received this notice. It's a voluntary recall for some Tylenol and Motrin products. It's good to be aware of what we are putting in ourselves as well as our children's bodies. I am learning this the hard way, as I am now seeing more the damage of the medication I was on during my life, has done to me.

http://www.mcneilproductrecall.com