EDIBLE SUNSCREEN

According to Andrew Weil, MD, director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, compounds found in grapes, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Kale, bok choy and brussel sprouts, garlic and onions, and the spice turmeric show promise for general cancer prevention. Vitamin E and beta carotene also show promise for cancer prevention.

Berries of all kinds boost the body's defences. In preliminary studies Heliocare, an oral supplement made from South American fern plants are excellent but very expensive, so remember to apply the sunblock lotion about 20 minutes before you leave the house. It is helpful to wear a wide brim hat during the mid-day hours, especially between the hours of 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM.

When the summer season arrives, it is important to remember that grilled chicken left in the sun, the food safety countdown begins. "Grilled chicken can be left at room temperature for about two hours," says Tina Hanes RD, RN, a USDA, a food safety expert, "When temperatures reach 90 degrees or higher, don't leave it at room temperature for more than an hour. The leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator. A cold second helping beats a trip to the ER.

HUNTING FOR HAPPINESS

Much of the food we eat is loaded with sugar and other sweets that contribute to the key brain areas of mood regulation.  Plant foods contain the minerals, vitamins  and phytonutrients that we call the Essential Elements of Happiness.  Your brain needs these as a first step to optimal brain functioning.   Eating fruits, vegetables and whole grains will be an important first step to take.

   It is best to use grass fed meat whenever possible.  This promotes omega-3 fatty acids that provide new brain connections.  Variety is important and this will give a broader range of brain boosting nutrients and energize the mind.  We need B12  for brain cells and this will be helped by eating eggs and prevent irritability, depression and cognitive decline.

    We should add a little folate to keep our brain's neurotransmitter factories humming.    Iodine would be another plus since it is essential for good thyroid functioning.  An underactive thyroid leads to lethargy, weight gain and depression.  A barnyard egg is a nutritional powerhouse.

    Grass fed butter is brain food.  It has a long list of nutrients that are not found in most vegetable oils including vitamin A which promotes the production of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, a key player in mood and memory along with vitamin B12 and D.  The more grass-fed a cow eats is even healthier and more nutritious.  Grass fed beef is also brain food and contains heme iron which is the most absorbable form.  The brain needs a constant form of oxygen so you must get enough iron for red blood cells.  Research suggests that it improves better academic performance so use grass-fed beef when possible.

TOP MEDICAL TIPS

While sharing his medical tips Dr. Oz in  "Hello Canada" says to never visit the doctor's office without having a friend with you and a tape recorder for accuracy.

After nearly three decades of marriage with four children, he counts the Canadian health system an excellent one.  "But many of my patients in both U.S. and Canada could help themselves with preventative care.  The food we eat as well as the exercise we take and friends we cultivate could help save many lives and extend the life span of others."

Changing to a balanced diet with less sugar and salt to be replaced with fresh fruits and vegetables would restore health and bring greater contentment.  During the depression that came after the First World War the treat of the week came after a Sunday United Church sermon held in the local school house.  We walked the mile or so home and received one piece of cake for the noon meal dessert.  During the winter months the student minister went back to his college studies to prepare for his life's work.

HEALTHY ADVICE

It is important to keep away from drinks that produce acidity in the system.  Beer is not good.  Carbonated drinks are not good for anyone except for the drink coca cola if it is taken without carbonated water with kidney and bladder disorders.  If obesity is a problem it will purify the blood flow.  For obesity each meal should be preceded by grape juice 30 minutes before eating.  People with Parkinson's disease should avoid too much red meat and eat chicken instead.  No fried foods of any kind should be eaten.  Leafy green vegetables are best with any diet.  No kind of pork meat should be eaten.  Small amounts of iodine and calcium can be beneficial.  Greens that grow above the ground are most beneficial.

A patient asked what were the best sources  of calcium in foods.  The doctor's answer was, "The bony pieces of chicken several times during the week.  For kidney and liver infections the doctor recommended eating very little  meat and avoid sugars and starches that are so acid producing.

TEN POWERFUL FOODS

1.  Barley grain is a top source of beta-glucan, the same cholesterol-lowering fibre found in oats.
 2.  Baby spinach.  Two cups of this leafy green will pack, more than three times your daily recommended dose of bone-friendly vitamin K.
  3.  Black beans.  The plant content that gives black beans their dark hue may also reduce your risk of breast cancer.
   4.  Bok choy.  Get more than 50 per cent of your daily recommended dose of vitamin C in one cooked cup of this Asian cooking mainstay.
    5.  Canned salmon.  Low-mercury omega-3 canned salmon is also available, making it rich in the protein that is one of the easiest ways to rack up one of your two weekly servings of fish.  Plus, you will pack in the protein while you are at it.
    6.  Chia seeds with 5,000 mg of alpha linoleic (ALA) per ounce.   Getting your omega 3s has never been easier.
    7. Citrus.  Available year-round.  Citrus fruits dish up cancer-fighting flavonoids that lower your odds of lung cancer, colon cancer, and stomach cancers.
     8.  Kefir.  The pro-biotics in this dairy drink support your gut health while serving up at least 40% of your day's energizing of riboflavin and vitamin B12.
     9.  Low sodium vegetable juice.  A healthy short-cut on very busy weeks, these juices pack vitamin C, potassium, vitamin A, beta-carotene, lycopene and fibre.
     10.  Tomato sauce.  Meet America's most popular (and easiest) source of lycopene, an anti-oxident that helps protect your skin from sun damage and may also fight cancer.

PROTECTING YOUR VISION

* Lifestyle changes are sometimes needed to protect your eyesight. First of all, eat right. A healthful diet in green leafy vegetables, fish, fruit, and other foods high in antioxidants helps against age-related eye diseases.

* Watch your weight. Obesity has been linked to the progression of eye disease and cataracts, diabetes and glaucoma.

* Exercise. Regular physical activity lowers the eye pressure linked to glaucoma and reduces the diabetic retinopathy's progression.

* Control blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol level.

* Shield your eyes. Wearing sun glasses and a hat with a wide brim protects you from ultra violet rays and delays cataracts.

* Smoking is associated with all four eye disorders and drinking should be limited because it is known to increase the risk of cataracts. Cataracts are cloudy areas in an eye's lens formed by the clumping of heavy proteins as we age. "A comprehensive eye examination can be taken and a tiny probe be inserted that enables the physician to have the patient's cataract removed," says R. Linsy, a professor at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Harlem but if you can read and watch TV you do not have to have a cataract removed. It is an individual decision.

THE KINDNESS DEED

I saw you smile and felt your care,
Your sweet and sincere deed,
You planted deep within two hearts,
Some lovely kindness seeds,
Then angel bells rang from Heaven,
Though silent felt so good,
Heaven's angels sent them back to you,
That said, "I knew you would."

Each kindness seed grows flowers too,
And daily joy bells ring,
Both hearts will feel this sincere joy,
The happiness it brings.

You gave a hug of sympathy,
When someone tripped and fell,
You helped them to rise up again,
Again we felt Heaven's bells.
Each seed will grow more lovely flowers,
In the Garden of both hearts,
Lighting up those sincere smiles,
As they blend their joyful parts.

You've helped others rise again,
Again we feel Heaven's bells.
Flashing lovely flowers around,
Throughout Earth's hills and dells,
Lighting up both Heaven and Earth,
Together tunes all hearts.
Each seed will grow still more flowers,
And we all can play a part.

THE DENTAL MSSIONARY

This week on October 7th my sister Helen Krueger, who spent 52 years in Ivory Coast, Africa as a dental missionary celebrated her ninety second birthday. The event was celebrated with friends and family where she now lives in Kamloops, British Columbia. For more information on Helen's life, roll back to my post dated May 14, 2013. One of the most interesting things about Helen is that she never asked for financial help from friends and family or anyone else. One of her main supporters was the Keyes family (they helped her with board and room through high school.) Our small school near Orion, Alberta, a one room country school taught only through grade 8, and Helen and myself were helped through high school in Medicine Hat, Alberta. I also did housework and child sitting for another family for board and room in order to attend city school. Both families were nice to be with.

Helen went to Toronto to take a course in dentistry after realizing that most people in that African area had no access to dental work because they did not have money for the 65 mile bus ride to get to the nearest dentist and no money to pay for dental services. An Alberta dentist bought a new set of dental tools for Helen and she traveled back to Ivory Coast and when home there she walked to the villages or pedaled a bicycle or rode the French official's horse some days. The last few years she was given a car on loan that may still be in use in Ivory Coast. She reminded me that the $30.00 a month I sent was used for gasoline, for in those days everything was all paid for with cash.

Our nieces, the Harper girls are in Salmon Arm and Helen and I had helped to save them paying the interest needed for borrowing the money. I was unable to get to Kamloops for her birthday celebration because of a previous medical appointment made sometime before but family and friends were there and Chinese food was brought to the care home where she now lives. By the way, the medical doctor that day gave me a clean bill of health. She agrees with Dr. Weill that the vitamin D3 should be taken every day. There is too much sugar and salt in modern processed foods.

FIGHT FAT BEFORE 40

In our blog advice of September 3 we were tapping into the power of foods to arrive at the proper weight for maximum health. According to the words of Andrew Weil, MD, the founder and director of the Arizona Centre of Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, "It is nearly impossible to get enough vitamin D from food alone. Most people should be taking vitamin D3 every day so get your vitamin D level checked, and then start taking 2000 international units of vitamin D3 every day."

Dairy products are a well recognized source but avoided if you have lactose intolerance. and milk sugar could create a deficiency. Eat a mix of the following foods: canned salmon with bones, 12 ounces, sardines 8 ounces, tofu, 6 ounces, calcium fortified milk substitute, 3 to 5 cups Dark greens and broccoli are also good substitutes. If you opt for a calcium substitute, a reasonable amount would be 500 mg per day in divided doses of calcium citrate.

The type of soil and organic fertilizer used in it will add to the nourishment of the foods we eat.

THE FALL SEASON HAS ARRIVED

Today our news programs are reminding us that it is time for snow tires to be placed on all cars in B.C. or else place chains in our trunks when using B.C. highways. Many businesses had to make changes or delays in their plans for this weekend when a sudden thunderstorm moved in early Saturday morning at 1:30 AM and some stores closed for part of the day. That gave us all some extra time for reflection. A Bible verse to be renewed this and every season can be found in the book of Psalms 133, "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for people to dwell together in unity. It is as the dew from heaven," spoken of in King Solomon's song. If we prefer New Testament words we can go to Romans 13:8, "Owe no man anything but to love one another. For love is the fulfillment of the law." The weather created extra excitement very early Saturday morning at 1:30 AM. I was sitting typing at the keyboard when I noticed it seemed kind of stuffy and went to open the window. Just at that moment a rattle of hail pounded the window and the double sliding exit doors. My plan had included going to M.C. College for getting a hair trim. Many businesses were closed that day. My phone rang at 9 AM. "This is Stephanie calling" a pleasant but unfamiliar voice said. "We would like to change your hair appointment to next Tuesday. Stephanie is one of the students attending at the M.C. College. It was the same name as my lovely grand daughter in law. There is a dramatic change in weather but still no overnight frost in Vernon.

BRAIN GAMES

A question appearing on Consumer Reports on Health asks, "Is it true that numerical games like Sudoku and KenKen can help protect the brain, and even stave off Alzheimer's disease.
   
   Their answer explains that age and genetics are the main determinants of a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.    Lifestyle factors such as a poor diet and lack of exercise may play a role as well.  A recent study of 294 adults, 55 years and over in the journal Neurology suggested that more frequent cognitive activity across a life-span may help slow cognitive activity.  Mental stimulates may improve the connections between brain cells and even help generate new nerve cells.  Such stimulation can come from games like crossword puzzles, Sudoku, and chess, or from hobbies such as diverse as reading, learning a new language, attending lectures, quilting, gardening or volunteering.

   Another question asks if drinking vegetable juice is as good for us as eating whole veggies.  You likely already know the answer,  "Aside from convenience vegetable juice doesn't offer any large advantage over eating whole vegetables.  However, many of the nutrients and fibre are lost when the pulp and skin are removed when we make it.  If you still want vegetable juice as part of your diet, choose fresh juice over processed drinks such as V8.  Remember that V8 has a great deal of sodium in it (650 milligrams to an 8 ounce serving and only 140 milligrams in the low sodium version.)

THE BUILDER

Each day we're adding building blocks
  To our soul's growth with great care,
For this soul that we are building on,
   Prepares us for life up there.
Designs we choose are personal,
   My consultant only one,
Who furnished us a blueprint when
   He sent to us his son.

Foundation blocks we choose with thoughts,
  Through intent and desire,
And from this matrix carries on,
   As the blueprint will inspire.
Others watching will take note,
    How logical this plan,
From the One who made the Universe
    And then created man.
To be his representative,
   As your building moves along,
To bring that proffered Peace on Earth,
   Through loves magnetic song.
To carry on in realms unseen,
   Beyond our earthly sight,
In unity with other souls,
   Helping others to the light.

THE BEST OF ALL GOOD THINGS

It seems there is no better way,

To brighten up the day,

Than sharing cheerful smiles with,

A friend along the way.

Then blessings added silently,

No earthly ear can hear,

It passes through the wooden walls,

Right through the atmosphere.

Your silent blessings safely stay,

With heart and brain on call,

Recorded in your Books of Life,

The soul translates it all.

And to brain can send it on,

Though other ears can't hear,

No wall can stop it anywhere,

Those books of life make clear.

SCHOOL DAYS

Fresh thoughts come to us each day,

And offer kindness on our way,

A hopeful thought brings joy and peace,

Wrapped with love with your release.

Share it often with those you meet,

All body systems will find it a treat.

Expressed in words with acts and deeds,

You have planted a lovely kindness seed.

September brings us school days once more for nearly all ages, and now there is talk on the news suggesting the government supply tuition for college and university students also, to be paid back later after they found employment.  Someone asked me what happened to all that $30,000.00 we had saved for our son to pursue further his studies because of his interest in the Science Department.  It is true we had saved that money to be ready for him after high school but he suggested we keep it in our savings account in case he could earn his own way through university with scholarships and summer jobs.  After graduation at the University of Victoria he was offered a scientific position in Calgary that supplied him with free rent for 6 months until a home could be found.  It seemed like a good idea and they moved to Calgary.  I believe I touched on it briefly several days ago in my previous entry.  He was transferred to other states that included Texas and California.

    My husband's work was also in the science field and he with others had worked with harmful chemicals that were the precursors of Parkinson's and other related diseases.  My older sister Helen had become a dental missionary in the Ivory Coast of Africa and when she learned of our nieces expressing an interest in becoming medical doctors, she tapped her retirement fund to help them out.  She made out two checks, one for each of them that totaled $5,000.00 and asked me to check them over for accuracy.  Canada was importing doctors from Africa, in groups of 65 as needed.  To date the two nieces have not proceeded to become medical doctors and the $30,000.00 is waiting for its true owner.  Perhaps some of the $30,000.00 was used for elaborate weddings and trips to tropical countries.  The courts of time are waiting for the true owners.  At a future time, perhaps one of my four great-granddaughters may be needing funds for medical schooling.

TAP INTO THE POWER OF FOODS AND KEEP SATISFIED

Here is the answer you have been looking for as you add healthy years to your life and life to your years, with a deeper sense of satisfaction, according to Rob Thompson, M.D.

Sugar Blocker No. 1: Have a fatty snack 10 to 30 minutes before your meal. It must be eaten before you eat your meal. The pyloric valve regulates the speed at which food leaves the stomach and enters the bloodstream. A handful of nuts or a piece of cheese will do the trick.

Sugar Blocker No. 2 Start your meal with a salad. It soaks up starch and fibre before you eat a starch.

Sugar blocker No. 3. Have some vinegar - most salad dressings have some type of vinegar with it.

Sugar Blocker No. 4. Put some Muscle Behind it. A waist size 35 for women and 40 for men, exercise helps.

Sugar Blocker No. 5. Include protein with your meal to blunt insulin spikes. Even though protein contains no glucose, it triggers a "first phase" insulin response.

Sugar Blocker No. 6. Eat lightly cooked vegetables.

LONG WEEKEND HOLIDAYS

Our July weekend holiday gives us all an opportunity to celebrate and feel grateful for the birth of our United Country of Canada.   The Christmas holidays often brings families together to celebrate the occasion.  Our son Ken, graduated  from the University of Victoria in their Science program.  It would be appropriate for us to know that he graduated from this university as their top student.  Large companies often send a representative to meet top university's students to interview them and hopefully accept employment with their company.  Later the same day after he had graduated from university  Ken was also married.  Ken's company moved them to Calgary, Alberta with six month free rent there until they found a home to buy and then with promotions he was transferred to other company branches and finally to their head office in Los Angeles, California.   When Ken and family lived in the south-eastern states they became acquainted with snakes and other tropical animals including alligators.  Their son was born in 1979 and was married to a lovely lady in 2000.  They now have four daughters.

A NATURAL SLEEP HELPER

Women metabolize caffeine slowly so your morning tea or coffee or afternoon soda will still be working at bedtime. "Limit these drinks to less than four ounces early in the day, and avoid caffeine after 3:00 PM. Alcohol should be limited to two or three a week. That glass of wine may help you fall asleep but it can wake you up at 2:00 AM. The best bedtime snack is peanut butter on toast, or a small serving of yogurt and fruit," says Dr. Tasneem Bhatia, MD. "The protein helps produce tryptophan which is more available to your brain."

If any of our readers have other medical questions, they are invited to send any questions to Dr. Travis Stork, MD to askdrstork@prevention.com. His tip for today is: "If your teeth are feeling extra sensitive lately you should minimize bleaching strips or other whitening products and don't brush within 30 minutes of drinking your morning java - that's when the acid level in your mouth is the highest and teeth enamel is most prone to damage, so brushing can do more harm than good. Another trick that my friend Clint Newman, DDS, suggests is to use a straw with all sodas, juices and other acidic drinks. Can you say "Iced coffee". This keeps the acid from landing directly on your teeth.

A NATURAL CURE FOR PAIN

New research shows that an ancient therapy can significantly decrease pain.  Cupping, a close cousin of acupuncture, involves placing glass cups on your body (on either the affected area or the acupuncture points used to treat it) to create suction.  It may sound odd but cupping reduced neck pain by an average of 45 % study from the University of Duisburg-Essen located in Germany.  Further details are written by Stephanie Eckelkamp.

   The suction caused by cupping is meant to free up and balance the flow of qi (pronounced CHEE) or the energy in the body says Byn Clark, a licensed acupuncturist and diplomate of  Oriental Medicine. It also seems to improve blood circulation.  The practitioner creates suction either by burning the oxygen from the cup and removing the air with a valve.  Any bruises clear up within a week.  Many practitioners have treated many ailments with the cupping therapy, along with acupuncture, including sinus problems, high blood pressure, to treat pain, colds, asthma, hot flashes, arthritis, and painful or irregular periods.

PROTECT AGAINST SKIN CANCER

Recent studies show that supplements including vitamins, minerals and antioxidants from green tea, berries and tiny amounts of dark chocolate may help protect against skin cancer," says Andrew Weil, MD, director of the Arizona Centre of Integrative Medicine. "Compounds found in grapes, berries, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, bok choy and brussel sprouts, garlic and the spice turmeric also show promise of cancer prevention.

Ellen Marmur, MD, Chief of Cosmetic Surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Centre in New York City says, "Lately I have removed more "hidden" cancers in places you would never expect to find them: under a toe nail, on the back of the ear, in the mouth and genitals and even under the breast and areas that have not been exposed to the sun, but I suspect that overall exposure to UV radiation suppresses the body's immune system in general, and is making it harder to fight off cancerous cells. The atmosphere's thinning ozone layer makes the sun's rays even more dangerous. Whether you are on the beach or in an indoor tanning salon, there is no safe way to tan. The risk is highest if you have fair skin and light coloured hair and eyes.

EAT THE RIGHT FOOD

According to Drew Ramsey, M.D. , eating the right foods can make us less stressed, give us more energy, and make us smarter.  Rule 1 is to reduce the amount of processed food eaten.  Much of our food is loaded with sugar and contributes to the shrinkage of key brain areas involved in mood regulation.  More fruits, vegetables and whole grains should be eaten. Plant foods contain the minerals, vitamins and phytonutrients that the doctor refers to as what the brain needs for optimal  functioning. Whenever possible opt for grass-fed meat.  Grass fed meat has more omega 3 acids that promote the formation of new brain connections.  The greater the range of whole foods you consume, the broader the range of brain boosting nutrients.  Variety is important and will energize the mind.

     Vitamin B12 is crucial for nerve cells.  A deficiency causes irritability, depression, and cognitive decline.  A little folate will keep your brain's neurotransmitter factories humming.  Iodine would be another plus since it is good for thyroid functioning.  An under active thyroid leads to lethargy, weight gain, depression, and dementia that can lead to Parkinson's disease and PMS.   The standard barnyard egg is a nutritional powerhouse and a perfect brain food.   Butter also is a brain food and not found in many vegetable oils.  Butter from grass fed cows is even better.

    In upcoming items we will confirm the value of the coloured vegetables that include the common potato, especially the red skinned ones.  But we can leave that for another day.  Dr. Oz has many suggestions for energy foods, and his advice appears often in the Prevention magazine.

BIRTHDAY PARTY

   A three day drive, that includes no after dark driving hours brings us up from our southern home located at the confluence of Arizona, California , and Nevada, to Canada's most western province, Vernon, British Columbia.  We arranged for a surprise birthday party for my mother July 22.  She was born on July 22, 1923, so  we tried to tuck in her 90 years of happy living into a birthday party for relatives and friends.  To make that day even more special Great Britain's heir to their throne was born on July 22 also. It seems that July 22 will be a very busy day with all the celebrations going on in the future for July 22.

    Among the birthday cards she received was one  from Tova and  Walter, neighbours during her 12 years at The Regency.  After giving up her car, another close friend Joan, a retired school  administrator was there to share her special moments.  Walter had been a Merchant Seaman during the Second World War, so he was a main stay plying the water of the world seas, and helping win the war in dangerous waters.   The words on their card said:  "Dear Sue, 90 years of living is quite a milestone to have reached.  You are an awesome lady, and we are happy to call you our friend.  Love and may God bless you,  Tova and Walt".  Thanks to everyone who made her day special...Ken.

THE EVENING BEFORE VOTING

   The day before voting in British Columbia's recent election I had a phone call from my sister Esther and her husband Lloyd Howard,  in Kamloops, telling me that my other sister, Helen (who lives in a care home in Kamloops) had fallen when an aid was helping her during a bath (Helen weighs just under 110 pounds) and they had phoned for an ambulance that took her to the Kamloops hospital.  With uncertain results and crowded hospital space she was returned to the care home.  I was trying to telephone Helen to see what I could do for her but another voice that sounded like Christi Clark was on my telephone line making puzzling, negative and disparaging suggestions about the leader of the NDP, her opposing party.  I went downstairs and got the night watchman to help me get my own telephone line back.  I do not know who was speaking on my private telephone line.  Just across the street is a police station.  I went there the following morning and told them about it since someone had taken over my telephone line and how this could happen.  The election held the next day took a surprise turn when this development had strongly suggested otherwise from the media reports.

Hi Everyone. HAPPY FATHER'S DAY.

 

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

The United Church of Canada sent a student minister to small towns in western provinces to help them learn how to conduct a service and carry on other church duties. Our family did not own a car so most families walked the mile plus to attend church at the one-room school heated by a pot bellied stove that also heated our cocoa on winter days. Mother had finished getting the noon meal after we arrived home and she soon realized her new baby wanted to join our family. Telephones were not in use and unexpectedly company might arrive. The day I was born my mother's sister came into our yard with her family driving their horse drawn wagon. There was still no telephone service in Orion in 1923. Our two room home made entertaining company very difficult. Mother got very busy peeling potatoes and making a supper meal while her sister, my aunt, chatted constantly dredging every scrap of neighbourhood news. My mother wished they would hurry home and commented how they had chores to do also. Milking chores needed to be done at regular time or else the cow's milk would drip away on the ground. My aunt finally loaded up her children and left at around 6 o'clock. I asked her one day what time of the day I was born and she said it was around 7 o'clock since the cows needed to get milked by around 6 o'clock. I do not remember being born but when I was nearly two years old my father must have felt like throwing me away. That would have been about a month before my second upcoming birthday in July. Radishes would soon be large enough to eat. I saw our mother often pulling weeds from the garden and apparently decided to do some weeding myself and perhaps she would brag me up as setting an example. I had pulled out the whole row of radishes and my father must have been very angry and was said to have tossed me out of the garden and injured my emerging teeth that then would grow crooked. I do not remember it happening and in my late teens I required dental work.

I decided to go to College but found out that my Alberta high school credits would not be recognized in Canada since I had attended a high school that taught the same subjects but was sponsored by a religious organization - the same text books were used but one book which was called "Ancient History in Bible Light." By the time our elected officials talked and talked that over and they decided deserved to accept these high school credits if all grades were satisfactory. Meanwhile I had applied to a university in the United States. Seattle Pacific College, a church organization. Later our Alberta politicians decided they would recognize these credits but I had applied and had been accepted by this university in Seattle, Washington. It was expensive and I ran out of funds before completion. I thought a baby sitting job might be acceptable and answered an ad in the daily paper. A wonderful lady answered it but I told her my plight and said I might be in trouble accepting any money for it, since I had entered the U.S.on a student's visa. Later I found I was living in the home the family who had started Sternoff Iron and Metal Works. They were very kind to me and I was very grateful to them. One day when I answered the door two policemen in uniform were standing there asking me why I was no longer registered at the university with only a student's visa. They said they would give me ten days to get back to Canada or I would be arrested and never again allowed to cross the U.S. border. I had not taken any money and had enough left for one Greyhound bus ticket. I had been assigned to take care of their second son, 5 year old Ricky. His mother was helping other immigrants get started in the United States. I phoned Ricky several decades later when going through Seattle and asked him if he remembered me. He had become president of the entire metal works company whose huge printed sign towers high from the main highway when driving through Seattle. I asked him if he remembered how the breakfast routine went. If he didn't eat his plateful at supper I was asked to put it in the refrigerator to keep it safe but serve it (cold) for his breakfast. We laughed together about it and I learned the lesson also, and find it very hard to see food wasted. We had a nice telephone visit.

BUILDING HEALTH

  Diet and exercise along with advances in medical care and choices of lifestyle, will determine how to increase the life span.  A fourteen year review of more than 44,000 adults by researchers at the National Centres for Disease Control and Prevention showed that only two percent of people achieved all of the healthy habits like not smoking , staying physically fit, keeping blood pressure healthy, and cholesterol numbers in check, maintaining a healthy weight and eating a healthy diet.  A 76 percent lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and a decrease in death from all cancers when compared with those meeting only one of those health parameters.

   Happily, there is still time for everyone to experience the lifesaving effects of being healthy.  Adopting a good-for-you habit - even past your seventh decade - can add quality years to life.  If you are a diabetic, the sweet stuff we call sugar, as well as carbohydrates in general can raise triglyceride levels while lowering concentrations of healthy HDL cholesterol.  A person should consume at least two to four servings of fruit and three to five servings of vegetables each day.. This reduces the risk of many causes of premature death, such as cancer and diabetes.  The more colourful your selections, the better.  Red, orange, yellow, green, purple and white fruits and vegetables each contain different and important groups of phytonutrients, including antioxidants and other disease-fighting substances.

   Regarding the colour of bread to use, many people wrongly believe this is an indication of whole grains and think darker bread is healthier.  Instead, pay attention to the ingredients and not its hue.  Bread, pasta and  cereals should be "whole grains"  rather than refined.  The refining removes the bran and the important germ, the important parts for complete nourishment.

   The American Journal of Public Health, tells us that alcohol - a known carcinogen -accounts for up to 21,000 cancer deaths annually  (more than melanoma or ovarian cancer), resulting in approximately 18 years of life lost in each case.  Approximately 30 percent of those deaths occurred with a consumption of less than l.5 drinks per day.  Reducing alcohol consumption improves health in addition to reducing cancer risk, according to Consumer Reports on Health, volume 25 Number 6.  Drinking six to eight glasses of water or other healthy juices like some teas and coffee helps lubricate and cushion joints and protect tissue.

    Having fun and developing a social network helps preserve cognition.  If you are a loner keep the mind active by reading, writing, completing puzzles, making art and being kind to all will also help keep dementia at bay.    Most of us already know how important it is to be cautious about maintaining the proper weight, and taking care of any dental work needed.  Purposeful walking, bicycling, or swimming helps prevent the decline of muscular strength and adds years to your life as well as life to your years.  Condensed from Consumer Reports on Health.

A POEM FOR NEW BEGINNINGS

A symphony of caring love,
  Breathes into the soul,
Its gentle cadence from within,
  Through lessons learned of old..
That lingers long  and asks the heart,
  Have you sent neighbours friends and kin,
Kindly words that they may need,
 Amid our earthly din..
Or must intended kindness wait,
   As trees wait for the rain,
So we must wait for future time,
   To make this needed gain..

PROTECTING YOUR VISION

   Lifestyle changes can play a role in reducing the risk of developing cataracts, diabetes, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and glaucoma, if you already have them..

*  PROPER EATING.  A healthful diet high in green leafy vegetables, fish, fruit and other food high in antioxidants protect from age-related eye diseases.

*  WATCHING YOUR WEIGHT.  Obesity has been linked to the progression of AMD and an increased  risk of cataracts, diabetic retinopathy  and glaucoma.

*  EXERCISE.  Regular physical activity will reduce your risk of developing AMD, lower eye pressure that is linked with glaucoma and reduce diabetic retinopathy's progression.  Exercise also fights night sweats.  Doing 50 minutes of aerobic exercise four days a week for six mornings reduced the incidence of menopause related night sweats, irritability and mood swings according to a Finnish trial of 176 women who were not serious exercisers.  Researchers compared the group that exercised with a control group that attended bimonthly health lectures.

*  CONTROL BLOOD PRESSURE, BLOOD SUGAR AND CHOLESTEROL LEVELS.  Ask your doctor about a program that is best for you.

*  DO NOT SMOKE AND DRINK VERY LITTLE.  Smoking is associated with all four eye disorders.  Too much alcohol is known to increase the risk of cataracts.

A HUNDRED YEARS AGO

     A century ago when telephone lines were not yet established everywhere, it was not unusual to have a salesman drive into your street or yard, tap at the door and ask the home owner if he could come in and display his wares.  The Watkins and Rawleigh salesmen were typical examples.  It was not unusual to have a neighbour tell others about a person known to have been healed when regular doctors were many miles away and roads closed during heavy snows during the winter months.  My own parents lost a four year old son from Scarlet Fever during the mid nineteen thirties.  Even the young mounted policeman (RCMP officer) died of Scarlet Fever during that epidemic.

    There were also men who travelled throughout the U.S., and held meetings during weekday evenings and people would be invited to come up to the stage hoping to be healed.  Edgar Cayce had been prescribed too strong a sedative to treat a migraine headache and could speak only in a whisper.  Today this article will take us to Kentucky to visit with Edgar  Cayce who taught Sunday School on weekends and worked at an art studio during the week.  The leader of the meeting quickly put Mr. Cayce into a trance at Hopkinsville, Kentucky accompanied by the local publisher of the Kentucky news paper.  Edgar began to speak in his normal voice but as soon as the leader of the meeting gave the signal to awake, Cayce's voice was reduced to a whisper.  He then decided to offer to cancel his engagement with his girl friend since he had no way of making a proper living but with the support of both families the door opened.  The leader of the next meeting said, "You are now asleep and will be able to tell us what we want to know.  Describe Edgar's condition and tell us what is wrong."  Cayce's throat cleared..  All the family were there and one of them rushed for paper and pencil as Cayce said "We can see the body."  In the normal physical state, Edgar said, "this body is unable to speak due to partial paralysis of the inferior muscles of the vocal cords, produced by nerve strain.  This is a normal psychological condition producing a physical effect and may be removed by increasing circulation in the affected parts by suggestion that increased the circulation to the affected area while in this unconscious condition.  That is the only thing that will do it..  The circulation through the body forces through it here and as the circulation  passes along it takes that away, puts new life to it, and makes the supply to the nerve force."  The leader was curious that Edgar should be addressing himself in the third person.and supply to the nerve force was given.  Edgar replied, "The circulation is beginning to increase.  It is increasing."  Cayce's father unbuttoned his son's shirt and showed his chest, then the throat slowly turned pink that deepened to rose, then to bright red.  "It's all right now, " Cayce said, still in trance.  "The condition is removed and the body will awaken."  Just a drop of blood came out but enough to soak through the thin cotton cloth, turning it crimson red.  "Hello," Cayce said in a clear voice , "Hey, I can talk," Cayce said with a smile as his father repeated "Good boy," with a joyous smile.  Edgar Cayce married his girl friend and they had two sons who helped carry on Cayce's work..  During the years ahead Cayce gave more than 14,000 readings and many were restored to health as they learned to eat nourishing foods, now often referred to as the Mediterranean diet and one of the main things is to avoid most sweets.          

CHOSEN TO GO

HELEN - CHILD NUMBER FOUR FOR OUR PARENTS  

She slipped safely to the Earth, in nineteen twenty one,

  In early childhood often spoke of better kingdoms come.

Three brothers were already there and listened to her talk,

  One a prince, next the mischief man, third son, “Lets wait and watch.”

    “Here comes the “tooth lady” was the chorus that Helen Krueger hears when she enters the dusty streets of any one of the villages in the outback of Ivory Coast, Africa.  I’ve spoken of my older sister Helen often and this will tell you about a typical day in her work as a dental missionary.  She rides into the village on her bicycle and those who need dental work begin to line up for help as the “tiny time criers” race around the village announcing the tooth lady is here.  Other days Helen may arrive on horseback since the French official has told her his horse needs exercise often and she is welcome to use his horse the days he does not need it.  The village chief assigns a location for her to begin her work.  Helen places a low stool for her patient to sit on which serves as an outdoor dental chair, usually beneath tall shady trees and invites her patient to be seated, regardless of race or religion. Sometimes the patient brings several friends to be a comfort and support for her since Helen brings no drugs to ease the pain of a tooth extraction.

    The last patient had a large molar that proved to be very difficult to remove.  “Try just once more,” he begged.  Finally the deep root emerged to the patient’s great relief.  The man rushed forward to express his gratitude as the blood spattered on both patient and client.   “Thank you Madam,” he cried, “May Allah grant many children to you.”  Helen never married. 

     During the still sunny evening hours Helen leads the villagers in choruses and song using her button guitar with choruses and short hymns they are quick to learn.  The chief assigns her an empty hut and her bed is a wood framework that unfolds a camping canvas mattress. The canvas has deteriorated in the hot weather and the first time she turns over it splits and so she spends the night trying to hold the split canvas together with one hand lest she fall on the floor where many varieties of insects roam around looking for a midnight snack.  The next morning the children follow her to the edge of the village and wave their farewell thanks for the excitement she has brought into their lives   

YEARS OF FATIGUE VANISHED IN A WEEK

   A 53 year old woman tells us how she was exhausted and began to gain weight.  She discovered the culprit and turned her life around in a matter of days.  At first she had blamed it on a recently ended relationship.  Her memory was affected and one day when grocery shopping she forgot her PIN number and had to return home without her groceries.  She contacted a naturopathic doctor, Renee Young, ND, who ran tests that determined she had very low levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that regulates energy, sleep, mood, thought processes and appetite including serotonin and GABA were also out of whack too.  The tests revealed that antidepressants had depleted her dopamine levels.  More neurotransmitters were needed and omega-3s were also needed and she used freshly ground flax seed and fish oil.  Chea seed from health stores is similar to flax seed.  She also began taking AdreCor, which contains tyrosine, an amino acid that can boost dopamine stores and the supplement 5-HTP to increase serotonin.  Moderate exercises were recommended and she began walking each day.

   After just a week the patient said, “My fog cleared and my energy began to rebound.  Within two months the anti-depressants that I had been on for eight years were no longer necessary and my sugar cravings were gone and those unnecessary 12 pounds of weight had disappeared.  I got my energy back and my life back too.  According to J.C. Carnahan, M.D. (a physician in Boulder, Colorado) neurotransmitter imbalances affects 75 percent of women.  Virtually all of them go undiagnosed since most doctors don’t feel the need since problems of weight gain are usually attributed to a side effect of getting older and sometimes are linked to prolonged stress during holidays, or to problems with the thyroid, adrenal glands and sex hormones.  A urine test can help diagnose a neurotransmitter problem.

    Eating more cheese, eggs, fish, chicken and other tyrosine foods can help restore dopamine levels and boost energy.  Upping your take of omega-3a can boost your mood.  Dr. Carnahan often recommends Balance D ($29.00 for 60 capsules at iHerb.com), which has all four.  Limiting aspartame-taming foods and diet sodas can help as well.  Aspartame contains phenylalanine, but consuming too much can deplete levels.  These changes made early in your life is encouraging as well as rewarding since “creeping up” weight gain can affect the heart.

A BOOK REVIEW ON THE CAUSES OF ILLNESS

 In her book, a nutritionist from Vacaville, California, Christine Andrew has written a book on a subject that could lead to saving may lives, hospital costs, and many illnesses that lead to an early death.  She implies that it is time to go back to the Bible for help.  In a telephone interview she gives help that can be found in relevant ancient writings that can be found in our own Bible.  Our new pope and many other leaders caution moderation in connection with food and drink.  Jewish rules often required between two and five parts of water for one part wine.  Andrew quotes from the Bible in First Timothy 5:23, “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and for thine often infirmities.”



    Andrew began researching through the Old and New Testaments of our Christian Bible for references to food and teachings on self-control.  She was raised a Presbyterian and attends church regularly.  Her new diet book for Christians and all others wanting to build health is called, “A Biblical Approach to Health.” She says. “Food isn’t the same as it used to be.  Gluttony, lack of self-control and junk food are the main reasons people are getting sick.  The Bible says to avoid too much rich food since gluttony brings negative consequences.”



    “Ministers can be quick to talk about licentiousness and alcoholism, but do not often talk about food as it relates to health.  Gluttony, lack of self-control and junk food are the main reasons people are getting sick.  The Bible says to deny gluttony since it leads to many illnesses, hospital stays, and early death.  If doughnuts and sweet sodas and undiluted wine (wine was often diluted with water in Rome) are placed before someone who is struggling with alcoholism, you are helping them go astray.  It could be their downfall and you know this, apply the principle of self-control.  A Roman diet consisted of salted bread, dried fruit, eggs, raw milk, cheese, fish, dates, figs and unpasteurized honey.  (At that time salt was in short supply).  Hebrew meals included lamb, poultry and olives, all are considered healthy foods,” Andrew adds.    In the Biblical book of Judges, Samson gave in to his weakness that led to his downfall.  Andrew argues that today’s culture that revels in feasting is ignoring the Bible’s words from Proverbs that says “Do not mix with winebibbers or glutton eaters of (pork was against the rules for some tribes) for the drunkard and glutton will come to poverty. The Biblical Queen Esther fasted for three days for divine favor and delivered her people.  One should always consult a doctor about fasting.

HEALING THE SPIRIT WITH THE ARTS

   “Anything that is associated with losing memory is greatly feared but we should realize that our brains need exercise as well,” says Dr.Dalia Gottlieb-Tanaka, “and that includes a focus on creativity.  Being physically active now needs to extend to the brain and that is why we need to realize our brain needs care to express itself by doing whatever we can to postpone its deterioration.  The Expression Activities Program and the Memory Café for seniors in the Okanagan is developing in the North Okanagan for older adults.  The program begins in July and is linked to health issues and well being in older adults, especially for those who were diagnosed with early to moderate dementia.  It includes painting, reminiscing, dancing, story telling, acting, cooking, designating, learning new things, singing, sharing dreams and philosophical approaches to life’s lessons learned.  “I can tell you that everyone who has had this experience with the program has loved it.  It is healing our souls and certainly worth trying,” says Dr. Gottlieb-Tanaka.

   The next program begins in July at the Schubert Center located on 30^th Avenue at Seaton Centre and designed to accommodate the needs of older people, 55 and up, who may live at home and function well, or may need some limited help.  Gary Arbuckle, director at services for Kindale, has offered space with his organization for the CEA program and helps people who might be reluctant to participate in programs administrated in adult day care centers. 

   Gottlieb-Tanaka took a circuitous route to her work in the field of gerontology and conceiving the CEA program for which she won an award from the American Society of Aging and the MetLife Foundation.  After raising two children she returned to school to pursue new directions in gerontology in the study of creative expression, dementia and therapeutic environment and received a Masters Degree from the University of British Columbia.  She and husband Mineo Tanaka, a retired architect, now live in Vernon.  “The society is based on my PhD studies, the psychosocial approach to dementia care.  It was initially a tough sell as people were used to dealing with health issues based only on the physical and medical model,” she says.  “If a medical cure is not found by 2021 there will be 600,000 people with dementia in Canada.  So far it is based on volunteer work and I must thank both Jack Gareb and Benjamin Moore who have been so amazing from day one until funding comes through for paid staff.  Contact Gottlieb-Tanaka at dr.daliagt@gmail.com.

  

         

    

NEED AN ANTIBIOTIC - NOT ALWAYS

    Marvin M. Lipman, M.D. tells about a disappointed patient, a 50-year old stockbroker who came to see him with a four-day history of a sore throat, coughing, postnasal drip and low-grade fever.  He said his previous physician had always given him a Z-Pak (a five-day course of antibiotic azithromycin) for similar symptoms and he always got better.  I explained that it was more likely that he had a viral infection for which an antibiotic would be useless.  I outlined some over-the-counter drugs that might be of help.  He left the office in a huff and I never saw him again.

     The age of antibiotics began in the 1930s with the introduction of sulfa drugs followed by penicillin in 1941.  During the last century, antibiotics saved the lives of countless millions of people infected with the deadly bacteria.  The war against viruses, with a few notable exceptions, has not been as successful.  Physicians began writing antibiotic prescriptions “just in case” bacteria might also be involved.  Patients came to expect and even demand such treatment.  Unnecessary antibiotics not only exposes patients to harmful side effects, such as debilitating diarrhea, but also led directly to the emergence of resistant strains of bacteria that then went on to infect others.

         Untreated sore throats can appease miserable patients desperate for a quick cure, but the practice dates back to a time when untreated sore throats were followed by rheumatic fever or acute kidney disease.  Strep throat accounted for only 5 to 15 percent of all sore throats.  Today, there is no need to give antibiotics “just in case” it is strep.  The organism can be reliably detected with a simple throat swab, with results available within 24 hours.  The disease can almost always be distinguished from a viral sore throat on clinical grounds alone.  The patient is usually less than 50 years of age and the sore throat can come on quickly within hours or overnight, making swallowing so difficult that drooling can occur.  The breath has a foul odor, and even speech is affected and a temperature of over 101 degrees F., accompanied by chilly sensations.  One can easily notice tender swollen lymph nodes under the jaw, and yellowish pus overlying the tonsils.  A strep evidently lacks the ingenuity to have developed resistance so penicillin is still the mainstay of treatment unless one is allergic to it.  Throat lozenges, gargling with warm salt water and of course the good old chicken soup treatment would have helped my stockbroker more.

    

BOOSTING BRAIN POWER

   At one time it was felt that brain power begins to deteriorate around college age but the latest news is that the brain continues to sprout new cells into old age.  “It may be that it is possible to bolster your brain power, no matter what is your age depending on what is done to feed and care for it with healthy food and exercise,” according to Louis Blerer, professor of  psychology, at the University of Quebec.    

   “Healthy eating habits are specific for brain function,” says Guylayne Ferland, professor of Nutrition at UQAM and a researcher at IUGM. Vitamins B12 and C are essential in the manufacture of nutrients that facilitate between brain cells and myelin, the substance that forms an insulating sheath around those cells, thereby speeding the transmission of messages.  Processed foods are the largest source of sodium, mainly in the form of salt.  Recently Ferland with colleagues in Quebec and Ontario conducted a study that shows healthy older adults who were physically inactive were more apt to maintain brain function IF they ate relatively little salt.  Some of Ferland’s researchers noted that a key role in blood clotting may be important to brain health also.  Vitamin K is found in foods such as green leafy vegetables, as well as in canola and other oils.  The darker the green, the richer the vegetable is in vitamin K.  The outer leaves of cabbage contain 19 times more vitamin K than the pale inner core.  Vitamin K is also involved in the synthesis of fats that make up the myelin sheath. 

    Intrigued by earlier studies that revealed vitamin K is involved in the synthesis of fats that make up the myelin sheath, she and her colleges have been investigating its impact on memory function.  “In 2011, we published a study where we showed that animals that had been maintained on a low vitamin K diet during their life showed a cognitive deficit memory task,” she explains.  (As the term implies, episodic memory involves a category long term memory recollection of specific events and situations.)  “As yet unpublished data from the same study hints that the same goes for humans.  We have a paper under review where we show individuals who have higher vitamin K status show better performances on a task that hinges on episodic memory,” Ferland adds.  If you want a tool box for improving your older brain, check out www.baycrest.org/smartaging.php.  It features articles on everything from which food support healthy brain function to tips on how to memorize a new piece of information and how to remember those pesky passwords and PINs.  From October 2012 Good Times.

YOU ARE LOVED

I felt that love, your sincere soul, your sweet and kindly deeds,

 You planted deep within my heart, a lovely kindness seed,

Then angel bells seeped to both souls, though silent, felt so good,

  Within they added special joys that said, “I knew indeed it would.”

Each kindness seed sprouts fast with cheer, and each time joy bells ring,

 Both hearts sense that special joy, and happiness it brings.

You gave a hug of sympathy, when someone tripped and fell,

  Helping them rise up again, again we sensed Heaven’s bells.

Then each seed grew a lovely flower, in the garden of your heart,

 That lit the souls that Heaven had given - we’re all not far apart.

Then spread through glowing fields of flowers, affecting one and all,

  As prayers of thanks returned to Heaven, responding to love’s call.

No need for loud or hurtful words, they will backfire as fuel,   

  Use kind words given us of old, they’re called The Golden Rule.

“As you would have done to yourself, do also unto them.

   At home or work or school, this works for women or men.”

Sue Davis

March 13, 2013

WEEKEND ACTIVITIES

    With the sun rising earlier, we are welcoming the longer daylight hours for early morning or evening walks.  When seniors reach their 80^th year, each one receives a government form to determine their state of health, and ability to continue driving on all public highways.  I took the form to my doctor.  She advised me to consider the $100.00 fee required for a complete physical exam and asked if I really wished to continue to drive a car.  My husband had passed away in 2003 after coping with Parkinson’s disease for a dozen years and since I preferred walking, a car was no longer needed.  Within a few days my husband’s closest friend offered to buy my car.  I had seen a car on a sales lot the same year as mine with double the mileage and some rust showing.  I deduced an extra thousand dollars for this friend of ours who pulled out his check book and the deal was completed.  I was glad not to have to place an ad in the paper to sell it and enjoy my daily walks.

    The above all happened 10 years ago and now I live in a retirement home and when friends offer me a ride to church I am happy to accept.  Last week I enjoyed a sermon about and making notes on meditation.  Sometimes I post blogs about family and building health and wellness.  Before my husband passed away I volunteered my services at the A.R.E. Clinic in Arizona for 10 winters and enjoyed the letters I typed for them as they wrote about how to stay well before their disease has already progressed is too far.  Organic fruits and vegetables should be used and getting regular exercise.  There will be more about this in a future blog as often as I can find the time to do so.  My blog can be found at www.stayingintouchblog.blogspot.ca.  If someone offers me a ride to church on weekends I am happy to attend, sing with them and be among friends and listen to the sermon.  For example take a look in your concordance on the main word like meditate.  For example last Sunday featured Psalms 1 and 2 that says “Blessed is the man that associates not with the ungodly.”  Or try out Psalm 91, or even the Sermon on the Mount in the Bible’s New Testament.  The way of learning and living was made very  clear.  My older sister, Helen and I memorized 500 Bible verses and won a Bible, qualifying us to attend a children summer camp at Gull Lake in Alberta.  Since then Helen has spent 52 years in Ivory Coast, Africa as a dental missionary.  I am preparing more about her that will be forthcoming soon in a future blog.  There will also be a future blog about my brother, John who spent 20 years in Kenya, Africa, setting up group farms in order to be able to cope with the famines that often come in times of drought.            

EAT YOUR WAY TO A BEAUTIFUL COMPLEXION

    According to Ruth Harper, M.D., “When the body is out of balance, one of the first places it reveals itself is the skin.”  Dr. Harper is a board certified internist in Austin, Texas.  “If you are not getting the right nutrients, the skin gets cheated out of what it needs for optimum health and beauty.”  The skin-stomach connection with the following five foods gives you a healthy, glowing complexion while warding off a host of dry skin problems.  When the stomach’s natural flora is unbalanced, skin problems such as acne, psoriasis, eczema, dullness and wrinkles develop.

    “When the gut’s bacteria is not balanced, it leaks through microscopic holes in the wall of the gastrointestinal tract and travels throughout the body, including your skin, causing inflammation that prevents the skin from functioning properly,” says Frank Lipman, M.D., an integrative physician and director of Eleven Wellness Center in new York City.  To prevent problems, keep your digestive tract populated with good bacteria, which “coat the lining of your gut and help seal it so unwanted substances can no longer leak out and cause irritation,” says Whitney Bowe, M.D., assistant medical director of cosmetic and laser services at Advanced Dermatology in Ossining, N.Y.  The best way to get the good bacteria is to take a probiotic supplement (available at most health food stores) or consume fermented foods such as Kefir, yogurt, buttermilk, miso, kimchi and sauerkraut. You should also eat foods that contain prebiotics which are undigestable nutrients that stimulate the growth of good bacteria in the gut.  Other sources include whole grains, bananas, onions and garlic.

     “The healthy fats known as omega-3s are like manna from Heaven for dry skin so it stays soft and supple and lines are less noticeable.  Research shows that eating more omega 3s may even protect against sun damage and skin cancer.  Salmon, sardines and mackerel are also powerhouses for protection against sun damage.  If you do not care to eat fish, flaxseeds and chia seeds offer a great alternative.  Just one tablespoon of these seeds ground up has six times the recommended amount required for daily use,” Dr. Harper adds. When skin is exposed to UV rays or environmental pollutants, such as carbon monoxide or cigarette smoke it sets off a chain reaction including cellular structures in the skin.  Purple is the power color for produce, so include blueberries, purple potatoes and cabbage, and all leafy greens.  I asked a local health store what to do for dry skin.  They offered Boreal Green Beaver.  For $15.00, it’s likely worth the try.

A NEW ERA IS ON THE WAY

A land of beauty, hope and love where many tribes have roamed,

  And walked its hills and dales and found a special home.

Then from the bounties of this land, others came to share,

  To blend their cultures, hopes and dreams, each culture came aware.

The noble red, the white, the tan, intrepid blacks and browns,

   By living love and sharing, all wore a victor’s crown.

With pleasant thoughts, ideals and growth, a special beauty share,

   Their cultures, hopes and dreams to blend, and treat each other fair.

With higher thoughts, ideals and growth, a special beauty shone,

  Transcending selfishness and greed, this beauty felt and known.

Each person, shade of color showed a trust that all could share,

  To form a great mosaic as, together all played fair,

And thus to build a land of peace that spread throughout the earth,

   Sharing wealth and power found, sweet living showed true worth.

S.B. Davis

PREVENTION PLANS FOR AVOIDING CANCER

·        Follow the cancer- prevention diet by living organic and buy foods with the USDA certified organic seal.

·         Consume a range of fresh, colourful produce.  Berries, cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage, tomatoes, and dark green leafy vegetables are especially potent cancer fighters.

·        Add fiber to your diet, every 10 grams daily reduces the risk of colon cancer by 10%.

·        Eat more fish that are low in saturated fat and high in omega 3 fatty acids, such as salmon, Atlantic mackerel, Arctic char, and sardines, and reduce inflammation, which is linked to cancer.

·        Drink green tea.  Green tea contains catechins, antioxidants in a class of compounds called polyphenols, which protect cells from damage, strengthens the immune system and activate enzymes that will curb tumors.

·        Get enough vitamin D which is associated with lower rates of colon, breast, ovarian, renal, pancreatic and prostate cancers.  Have your blood level tested and discuss supplementation with your doctor.

·        If you are a smoker, quit immediately.

HEART ATTACK

     Cardiologist Robert Superko in Berkeley Heart Lab in Alameda, California, offers blood tests that go beyond the standard cholesterol check levels.   If his patient’s cholesterol levels are LDL Pattern B, (the bad cholesterol) the size of the particles becomes very important.  If they are extra small, they are more likely to produce a heart attack.  He says it may be because the smaller particles slip easily into the walls of the arteries, where they more readily become arterial plaque.  Pattern B patients also tend to have associated problems, including HDL (the good cholesterol) low levels and high triglycerides.  Their HDL may be less efficient at its job of ferrying away bad cholesterol.  What’s more, their blood vessels are prone to spasms, which can rupture plaque and “that can spell trouble,” says Superko.  Some research suggests as many as one in three American men and one in seven American women have genes that predispose them to LDL, Pattern B.  “Luckily, it is relatively easy to treat, requiring a diet low in saturated fat, exercise and regular doses of the B vitamin niacin to increase the size of the LDL particles.  But only take high doses of niacin under a doctor’s supervision because too much can cause serious side effects,” adds Dr. Superko.  “It could clear up in as little as six months but there is a subtle villain, inflammation if the immune system launches a misguided attack within the vessels of the heart.  A smoldering inflammation can lead to the formation of plaque that is prone to rupture that can result in blood clots.  A simple blood test can tell you if you are at risk by measuring levels of a molecule called C-reactive protein.  Eleven studies have now shown that people with high levels of CRP are at higher risk of having a heart attack. 

    One 71 year old patient had slightly high blood pressure and was active and healthy and any doctor might just remind her to exercise and shed a few pounds, but when she saw the doctor the next year, she left with a prescription for a cholesterol lowering drug.  Under new guidelines, her low risk was now borderline and needed medication.  New standards say to triple cholesterol drugs from 13.5 million to 36 million, since many more Americans are having heart disease problems than had been recognized,” says James Cleeman, executive director of the National Cholesterol Education Program panel that developed the guidelines.  “In countries with little heart disease, Cleeman adds, “the average levels are considerably lower in countries that have little heart disease.”  Diet could play an important part.     

FAMILY PICTURE

OUR PARENTS PLANS HAVE WORKED OUT

   When anyone feels puzzled about any situation, the helping prayer has been successful for many people.  That is the way our parents felt after losing their four year old son Harold to Scarlet Fever in the mid thirties.  At that time vaccinations were not available.  As World War 11 loomed on the horizon, their older children had already left home and their third son would spend five years stationed in England treating the wounded at home base.  To get our high school education my sister and I found homes to stay at through the Church of the Open Door in Medicine Hat.  My main job was to take care of their two year old daughter when they were away from home.  Each day after lunch there was cleaning the kitchen floor (hands and knees) and there was still time to run up the hill for high school by 1:00 PM.  John Harold, the replacement for Harold John arrived in 1939.  The granddaughter of Harold’s replacement is now studying to become a medical doctor.  A lady with savings has established a legal trust fund for her.  With this trust fund she doesn’t have to worry about the details, knowing that her hard-earned life’s work is safely invested and as reliable as our country itself.  I consulted two such investment companies a few years ago but to this date have not heard any further details from them.

   Since my great grandchildren have asked their Dad to tell them everything about my oldest brother, their Great-Uncle Paul, his notebook should be mentioned.  Paul kept a little notebook book with him at all times to record new ideas about farm equipment and how homes could be insulated – often old newspapers were stuffed between 2-by-fours.  As a teenager his inventive mind came up with ideas that helped immigrant families get settled in the minus 40 degree winters.  The barb-wire telephone line was one of his summer projects for our district.  His daily work included travel throughout Alberta keeping furnaces working efficiently and safely. In the evenings he filled his little book with ideas and how the invention of radio could help forecast the weather to cover gardens in case of frost.  During the evenings he updated his little book with ideas and poems of inspiration.  I am sure one of their four children has saved his little book after his wife Marie passed on.  Marie has told us that when Paul was courting her, their mother would look out a window and say, “Come Marie, here comes ‘Abraham Lincoln’ to visit you.”  Both families kept Paul in high esteem.   One day Paul could not be found on this half section of flat land.  The entire family searched.  He was finally found hiding in our deep dry well to avoid taking part in shooting the animal that had to be slaughtered for our winter’s food supply.                          

         

  

                                

MOTHER DECIDES TO HAVE ANOTHER BABY

   My mother’s arms had felt so empty and her heart remained so sad after the death of Harold.  The two eldest sons Paul and Fred soon married and left home.  Their third son, Albert (often called Al) was conscripted into the Canadian Army and based in England.  One never knew if or when he would return to Canada.  The dental missionary, Helen had been staying near the coast of South America waiting for the next wartime ship that had space for one more passenger leaving for Africa.  Helen said she had been called of God and felt it was her duty to help the people of Africa.  She spent 52 years there and during that time the family kept in close touch through air mail letters. Helen received no salary but two people in the Keyes family who had helped her through high school sent $50.00 each month during all her years in Africa.  Bob and Margaret Keyes now are retired.  Helen stayed in Kamloops with my younger sister Esther and her husband Lloyd for nine years and helped her keep in touch with those back in Africa.  Now in a retirement home in Kamloops, Lloyd and Esther visit her three times a week and bring prints of the e-mails that have come for her.  She likes to remind me that she asks him to use the clear side of “pre-used” paper.      

   Now we’ll go back to our Mother who had the idea that they would have another child to take the place of Harold John, They would name him John Harold and perhaps this new one would bring back to earth the soul of Harold.  The replacement arrived on December 3^rd, 1938, and they called him John Harold Krueger.  Educated in Canada, he had trained as a high school teacher.  The hearts of both our Mother and Father felt a healing.  Our brothers and sisters kept an open mind and precious lessons were learned along the way  The new baby did not have the blond wavy hair like Harold  shows on the only picture taken of him standing in his little wagon and seems to guide it with both hands and beams a pleasant smile. 

    After retirement and receiving a teacher’s pension, John and his wife Jean went to Kenya and organized The International Fellowship.  Any couple already in Kenya who may have up to four children of their own and were willing to welcome two more into their home could become residents on the farm, work together, and be part of that community. In retirement John and Jean remain available when asked for advice by the board of directors of the International Fellowship. 

The picture below shows Harold Krueger beaming his pleasant smile.