My Weeds Are Killing Me!

This spring I planted a new vegetable garden that included some flowers and medicinal plants. Thankfully, it’s been going really well in spite of a cool and dry spring. Each day, I would walk around the garden to “check” on its progress. Up until….

After I had weeded.

A recent vacation left my garden unattended. While the electric fence did its job keeping the animals out, the weeds were a different story….or a nightmare.

Coming home meant having to “find” my plants in amongst the grasses and weeds. There were red tomatoes that were buried under foliage, flowers that needed to be deadheaded, and peppers that needed picking.

As I was working with my pick ax and shovel digging out the weeds, I was reminded of the importance of daily tending to not just my garden, but my body as well.

Taking a look at the body each day is so important. That check in for self-evaluation is key.

Tending the body like a garden is a powerful metaphor that emphasizes the importance of taking care of one's physical and mental well-being. Just as a garden requires regular attention, nurturing, and maintenance to thrive, our bodies also need proper care to flourish and lead a healthy life. There are several key reasons why this analogy holds significance:

Nurturing Growth

Just as plants need the right nutrients and conditions to grow, our bodies require a balanced diet, regular exercise, and adequate rest to develop and function optimally. By tending to our bodies with proper nutrition and physical activity, we promote growth and development.

Weeding Out Negativity

In a garden, weeds can hinder the growth of plants by competing for resources. Similarly, negative habits and influences in our lives can hamper our well-being. Tending to our bodies involves identifying and eliminating harmful habits, stressors, and negative thought patterns that can affect our health.

Preventing Illness

Regular maintenance and care in a garden can prevent the spread of diseases and pests. In the context of our bodies, a healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced diet, exercise, and good hygiene can boost the immune system and reduce the risk of various illnesses.

Cultivating Mindfulness

Tending a garden often requires a sense of mindfulness and being present in the moment. Likewise, paying attention to our bodies and being mindful of our physical sensations, emotions, and mental state can lead to better self-awareness and overall well-being.

Promoting Mental Health

Just as a garden can be a place of relaxation and stress relief, taking care of our bodies can positively impact our mental health. Regular exercise, meditation, and self-care activities can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, promoting a healthier mindset.

Sustainable Longevity

Well-maintained gardens can thrive for years, and by caring for our bodies, we increase the likelihood of living a longer, healthier life. By adopting healthy habits and making conscious choices about our lifestyle, we can support a sustainable and fulfilling life.

Fostering a Positive Cycle

When a garden is well-tended, it rewards the gardener with a bountiful harvest. Similarly, when we take care of our bodies, we often experience increased energy, productivity, and an overall sense of well-being, creating a positive cycle of self-improvement.

By adopting a proactive and mindful approach to our physical and mental health, we can cultivate a happier, healthier, and more fulfilling life.

Listen to a 3-minute meditation about tending your garden here.

Garden or Machine

We don’t know what we don’t know. It’s easy to assume that folks should do the right thing, but it’s not always so easy. We are a product of our upbringing and follow what we have been taught. For some, that’s as far as it goes. For others, it seems to be a progression of learning and changing. I hope that you fall into the second category. Staying stagnant in this changing society of research and new information may cripple your life in more ways than one.

Here in the west, we view the human body as a machine. As a matter of fact, my late husband often referred to me as a machine. What he meant though was that I was able to keep going and accomplish a lot in a day's time. I am, by far, no machine. 

This body, the machine, does malfunction from time to time. Too much stress, not enough exercise, unhealthy relationships and poor nutritional choices eventually have consequences on our machine. So what do we do? We make an appointment with the doctor, explain our problem. We leave with a prescription of some sort and an appointment for a follow up. When our body starts to deteriorate or become diseased, more medications or surgery is recommended to keep the machine moving. Parts are replaced with new parts or worn out parts are removed. This is what we know. This is what we have experienced. This is what we do.

On the contrary, in the East, the human body is thought to be more like a garden. Have you ever had a garden? Do you just throw some seeds on the ground and hope for the best? I hope not! A garden has to be planned. The soil is prepared and the seeds properly planted. The garden is then tended to by removing weeds, cultivating the ground so the plants will grow. Watering and sunshine are also a valuable part for the plants to thrive. At the end of the season, the gardener is able to reap a bounty of tasty vegetables that brings a joy and satisfaction. In the same way, if we were to garden our bodies, we will be able to benefit from the rich rewards.

Shouldn’t we then look at our bodies in the same way as the gardener? Rather than waiting until something breaks, perhaps we should consider tending to our body like the gardener. Getting the necessary balance in our lives by having nurturing relationships, work that we enjoy, a spiritual practice, and moving our bodies each day will give us a frame to build on. Tending to our bodies each day, much like the gardener, will allow us to know ourselves better than anyone else. Cultivating growth, weeding of stress, giving valuable nutrients will allow the body’s immune system to be on guard and fight off diseases.

What will you do differently today to cultivate a healthy life experience for your and your family? A health coach may be able to help you get started. This is a person who is a bridge between you and the medical system. Someone who can help you reach your health goals by actively listening and engagingly supporting what you want to achieve.

Health bite: Choose to grow your garden

Bodytalk

Children are wonderful and so very smart! When they are hungry, they eat. When they are sleepy, they sleep. They truly listen to what their body tells them. Children are also pretty keen in knowing what they want to eat and ask for it. We adults often try to persuade our children to eat or do things they don't necessarily want to do because we think we know what they want or what is best. That's not to say, that children don't get it wrong. It could be the child is asking for candy or sugar because that's addicting, and what their body really needs is water. But for the most part, children listen to their bodies and know what it's saying. Adults on the other hand, well, that's another story.

We, as adults, often "go with the flow," "follow the crowd," or say "it's the in thing." How many times do we stop to really listen to what our body is trying to tell us?  Often we are so busy, we just don't hear and feel what is happening to us. There are so many distractions that take our minds away from how we feel that we simply loose touch with ourselves. For instance, have you ever eaten something that your body just didn't like? How did you know? Did you get a stomach ache or didn't feel very well? Likely, your body was telling you that isn't good for you. Sometimes it is subtle and there's only a small discomfort. Other times, our bodies really reject what we have given it. How about sleep? Do you go to bed or take a nap when you are tired, or do you just stop by the nearest Starbucks or 7-11 for some coffee? Sleep is so important in staying healthy, but the average person doesn't get enough sleep.

Over the last year, in particular, I have really made an effort greatly reduce simple sugars in my diet. Over Christmas there were a lot of goodies in our office. One snack that really got my attention were some candied pecans. I love nuts...just about any kind, so these were tempting. I've had them in the past and really enjoyed them. I took a handful and devoured them in a matter of a minute or two. Feeling pretty happy, I went back to work. About 30 minutes later, my stomach began to hurt, and I didn't feel so well. Any other time, I would have said, "Well, that's weird," and thought no more about it. Because I'm trying to listen to what my body is telling me, I thought back about the nuts with the sugary coating on it. My body was telling me it wasn't happy with my choice and it's not good for me. Needless to say, I didn't have any more. Ordinarily, I would have had another handful later that day, and so on. In the past, I would have just ignored what my body was telling me because my tongue and brain were in charge...especially if it was sugar! Since giving up the sugar foods, my body does not them when I give into temptation and lets me know pretty quickly! Please understand, my brain LOVES sugar and tells me to eat more, but when I do, my body tells me I messed up! It takes discipline to say no to certain foods.  Maybe it's sugar for you, or gluten, or caffeine. Whatever your body is telling you, take note and listen. Our bodies know what is best for us and each person needs different foods at different times in life. Tastes change over times and that's okay. We are individuals with individual needs. 

Health-bite: Your body is talking to you....are you listening?

Find the Connection

No doubt you have likely heard the phrase "oral systemic link" shot around in literature and on news shows, but what does it mean? The medical and dental community for years had separate thoughts about what the other practiced, and so was divided in assisting people in their health quests. Not so any longer.

What research has been suggesting over the past decade is that the health of the mouth tells us much about the health of the whole body. No longer should we treat each separately. Finding ways to bring health to one, can bring health to the other. Gingival inflammation (gingivitis) is often the first onset of diabetes. It is marked by bleeding and swelling gums, although it slips through the radar of the general population because most people don't clean in between their teeth. You see, this is where the disease starts. The tissue is more fragile and susceptible to disease in between the teeth. It's likely to have more bacteria stuck there because it can hide and not get dislodged with daily activity (eating, drinking, and talking.). The oral cavity can show disease within a few months, but it takes decades for it to show up in our bodies. Take notice to how your gums look. Ask your dental professional how your oral health is at your check ups. Talk to your hygienist, ask questions, and take their advice.

Even though diabetes is a serious disease, heart disease is another issue that has been linked to the oral cavity. Autopsies have shown bacteria that is normally found in the mouth in the heart, causing infections. Endocarditis is a serious and fatal infection. Inflammation in the gums happens because too many bacteria have made a home round the teeth. This initiates an immune response in which blood vessels open to allow white blood cells to start killing the bacteria. Just as easily as the white blood cells can work through to fight the bacteria, the bacteria also have access to enter the blood stream and flow to the heart. Thus, if the bacteria is able to stick around a little while, an infection can occur around the heart.

Pregnancy can be a factor in inflammation and gingivitis. Countless studies have linked oral infections, like severe gingivitis and active periodontal disease, for premature births. An autopsy performed on an infant that was still born revealed oral bacteria in the amnionic fluid causing infection and ultimately death. The mother had untreated periodontal disease.

Taking care of the gums and teeth is more than just brushing, which the only means in which most folks do. Diet places a part as well. Sugar is an inflammatory factor and the main source of food for bacteria. When you consume simple sugars, the bacteria begin to feast and then excrete acids that breakdown tooth enamel and cause the gums to become red. A high carbohydrate diet will leave behind more plaque that hardens into tartar, which is contributing factor to oral disease.

Using something to clean in between the teeth is actually more important than brushing. Why? Remember what I said about the tissue being more fragile in between? Bacteria want to make a home. A place to raise a family and build a community. You give them that opportunity when you don't clean in between the teeth. It's stuck there. It's not going anywhere. It's safe from chewing forces and getting swished around. As a matter of fact, it just has to sit and wait for food to come toward it in the saliva. It grabs what it wants to eat and lives on.

Do you get the picture? This is the oral-systemic link. Seek professional oral hygiene care regularly, and practice good oral hygiene at home. What you do at home makes the biggest impact!

Health-bite: practice excellent oral hygiene care for a healthy body

What the health?

The life span of the average person in the United States has significantly increased over that last century. Medical research and medications have made it possible to treat disease and provide longer lives for the sick and elderly. Diagnosis, treatment, and medical coverage have allowed patients to extend their lives, but at what cost?

Long life, does not necessarily mean quality life. Living to the age of 90 or above seems wonderful, unless the last 20 years were at the nursing home with the inability to communicate due to a stroke. No one dreams to be placed in a nursing home. As a matter of fact, we all want to avoid them anyway possible. Even visiting someone in there can be depressing.

Being independent is freedom and brings a certain quality of living we all hope to achieve. So let's talk about having a long health span. If we can achieve both a long life span and health span, then that would be golden. Unfortunately, odds are not in our favor with the current dietary recommendations. With a heavy emphasis on breads and grains, the waists bands will continue to expand along with the diagnosis of disease.  Consuming processed and pre-packaged foods is definitely contributing to this epidemic. To lengthen our health span, requires more work in the kitchen and more planning in meal preparation, but the payoff is well worth the effort!

For Christmas, I received a book entitled Eating on the Wild Side, by Jo Robinson. In it, she outlines how our current food industry has transformed away from the nutrition once found in foods into food that is more sweet and less nutritious. Consumer demand has forced food scientists to continue to alter foods that people will buy. What we want is sweeter food. With this demand, plants no longer contain the necessary nutrients to fight off disease.

Many of our wild foods are so nutrient dense, it could prevent and even possibly cure cancer.  Still, many of today's food still have the nutrients to fight off disease, but know which one to purchase is key. The other factor is this:  once vegetables and fruits are picked, the nutrient content begins to expire. Picking food at its ripest and then consuming it quickly will allow the body to gain the most nutrients possible to stay healthy and achieve a long health span.  Pay the farmer or pay the doctor!

Health-bite:  the gold metal is achieving health span

Defining Healthy

healthy

How do you define healthy? Not every one views health or healthy in same way. Health is defined as: thegeneralconditionofthebodyormindwithreferencetosoundnessandvigor, soundnessofbodyormind;freedomfromdiseaseorailment.  Is this you?  Are you free of disease or ailments? Is an achy back or sore shoulder health? Not according to this definition. The more I think about this definition, the more I realize I don't know many people at all that are actually healthy.

Being healthy is not the same as living healthy. We are all so different in the way our body works with metabolism and immunity. One person seemingly can eat whatever "junk food" they want to and never gain a pound, while someone else gains with every bite. While there are many genetics that play a part in how we fight disease, it's important to realize our bodies need an adequate amount of certain vitamins and minerals to keep us healthy. Living a healthy lifestyle takes practice. It takes a strong desire and will to accomplish good habits daily to live out those goals. It's also important to lay out a plan for yourself. I love the Fitness Pal app that truly helps you stay on task. It monitors calories, nutrition, and exercise and will help you meet your goals.

So why work so hard to live healthy? There's no guarantee that we will be disease free. Why not just do what we want, enjoy what we want for as long as we can? Our western culture is very use to things done quickly...and why wait? We have fast food, diet pills, and ready made foods. If you have a problem, don't worry, there's a pill for that. Just keep doing what you want to do. Besides, everyone's going to die one day, right? Yes, that is right. One day we will die. So how do you want to live in the meantime? Not everyone will die quickly. As a matter of fact, most suffer prior to death. Many suffer as they try to hold on to life. Everyday choices bring everyday results. Over time, a healthy lifestyle can be achieved. So how do you define health? Is it giving up sodas? Maybe it's not eating fast food.

We allow our addictive brains to steer us wrong. It's so much easier to give into cravings instead of fighting them off, and the food industry is not on our side when it comes to living healthy. Packed full of ingredients no one can pronounce, full of fat, sugar and salt. Our bodies crave those foods that stimulate our brains making us feel good....at least for a little while. I encourage you to make a step. Step out of your comfort zone and go out beyond your boarders. Make a promise to yourself to stick to your goals to live a healthy lifestyle. You won't be sorry.

health-bite: choose a lifestyle worth living

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is made by crushing apples and allowing them to sit in wooden barrels until it matures. During the process of fermentation, the vinegar develop enzymes and minerals that can help aid our health. The "mother" is the necessary ingredient in apple cider vinegar (ACV) that promotes health. Most ACV that are found in commercial supermarkets have been processed by filtration and over-heating, whereby the "mother" has been removed. The "mother" can be identified by its web-like appearance that floats around in the bottle of the ACV. The cost of the natural apple cider is more expensive than that found in the grocery stores. You will find in the natural ciders a lot of "webbing" and is darker when compared to the filtered ciders. This "webbing" is the beneficial part of the cider.

Here's what ACV has to offer: mineral and trace elements like potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, chlorine, sodium, sulfur, copper, iron, silicon, and fluorine. It can help with regulating cholesterol and blood pressure because of the pectin fiber in the vinegar. Just as people use vinegar to marinate meat so that it's tender, the same is true for our own fat cells. Apple cider vinegar can break down our own fat deposits helping with weight loss. ACV can also help with arthritis.

A couple of years ago, I noticed a bump on my finger joint. It would get sore and red from time to time. It just happens to be on the hand that I use most in my work. When I asked my doctor about it, he told me it was likely arthritis. Over the next year, it would flare more often. Thankfully, I don't have any other areas yet that have appeared. So why am I telling you this? Because I started mixing 2 teaspoons of ACV with a glass of water in the morning before work for the health benefits. After about a week or so, I noticed  I could bend my finger more without the pain. Because I'm curious and just wanted to see if it was the ACV, I stopped for about a week, and I noticed I wasn't able to bend my finger quite as well.  I need to work a few more years, so I'm back on the ACV daily. The taste doesn't bother me, but for some, it's a bit difficult to get down. You can add a teaspoon of honey if necessary.

Here are a few more things ACV can help with:

• Acid reflux--take 2 teaspoons in an 8-ounce glass of water prior to a meal
• Arthritis--can be applied externally to painful joints in a hot solution for 10 minutes
• Breaking a fever

Here is story my daughter told me: One of her co-workers has an infant who had been really sick.  She had her infant son at the emergency department once and the doctor's office twice. The medications given to him didn't really seem to help. My daughter told her about ACV on the body could break a fever. So this worried mom soaked a towel in ACV, warmed it and wrapped his body up for the night. The next day, the mom said he was a new baby. His fever was gone and he was so much better. Now this mother is a believer in natural remedies.

God gave us so many resources to use in helping aid ourselves in good health. We just need to find them and educate ourselves, myself included.

Health-bite: ACV a wonderful natural remedy