May is Lupus Awareness Month

The month of May is Lupus Awareness month, awareness about a chronic disease that affects at least 1.5 million Americans alone, 5 million worldwide, yet the majority of people know little to nothing about it. As a means to get the word out, below are a few options:
the usual textbook explanation, links to wonderful books, the link to purchase a touching movie, and a video to view on YouTube.

  

Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body (skin, joints, and/or organs inside the body). Chronic means that the signs and symptoms tend to last longer than six weeks and often for many years. In lupus, something goes wrong with your immune system, which is the part of the body that fights off viruses, bacteria, and germs ("foreign invaders," like the flu). Normally our immune system produces proteins called antibodies that protect the body from these invaders. Autoimmune means your immune system cannot tell the difference between these foreign invaders and your body’s healthy tissues ("auto" means "self") and creates autoantibodies that attack and destroy healthy tissue. These autoantibodies cause inflammation, pain, and damage in various parts of the body.

• Lupus is also a disease of flares (the symptoms worsen and you feel ill) and remissions (the symptoms improve and you feel better). Lupus can range from mild to life-threatening and should always be treated by a doctor. With good medical care, most people with lupus can lead a full life.
• Lupus is not contagious, not even through sexual contact. You cannot "catch" lupus from someone or "give" lupus to someone.
• Lupus is not like or related to cancer. Cancer is a condition of malignant, abnormal tissues that grow rapidly and spread into surrounding tissues. Lupus is an autoimmune disease, as described above.
• Lupus is not like or related to HIV (Human Immune Deficiency Virus) or AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). In HIV or AIDS the immune system is underactive; in lupus, the immune system is overactive.
• Lupus strikes mostly women of childbearing age (15-44). However, men, children, and teenagers develop lupus, too.
•  

 Here are links to three very informative books:
Positive Options for Living with Lupus
Lupus Alternative Therapies That Work
The Sun is my Enemy

Writer/director Mark von Sternberg and producer John Casey wrote their movie, Love Simple, as a means of bringing attention to a disease that is anything but simple. Set in Brooklyn, N.Y., Mark chose to have his female lead portray a young woman in love, a young woman who also happens to have lupus. A serious autoimmune disease, lupus is so complicated that the FDA has only approved one drug to treat the disease in the last 50 years. The film takes the viewer into the lives of people struggling to seek out a future while having to deal with this haunting presence constantly interfering with their plans for a normal life.

Mark received his introduction to lupus when he was working in the nursing office in a Brooklyn, NY hospital. While there in 2003, he learned about a young patient with lupus. To his horror, she died. Fresh out of school, he wondered how he could not have heard of such a serious illness that could take the life of someone so young. He began to research lupus, discovering a mysterious disease that causes the immune system to turn from protector to betrayer. He also learned lupus causes a multitude of problems that vary from patient to patient, including some that can be managed and some that are life threatening.

Click here for a personal perspective on how this condition affects one's present life and outlook for the future for herself and her family. Very touching piece of work.

COPD as the New Normal, a Caregiver's Plea

The next time your loved one annoys you with the nagging about your smoking, take a moment to fast forward in time before you impatiently snap and tell that person to mind their own business.

Take a moment to consider who you will rely upon to help with the simplest of everyday tasks. Who will you call in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning when your shortness of breath causes anxiety ridden panic?  To whom will you vent when your doctor sends you home with an arsonal of inhalers, supplemental oxygen, anti-anxiety medication, and a pat on the shoulder? Who will you cry with when it fully sinks in that you will be tethered to an oxygen tank and there is no magic pill to fix it? Where will you go when you fear being left alone, can no longer drive and totally lose your independence? Which of your children will be the one with the brunt of the responsibility, who loves you dearly yet silently simmers with guilt ridden anger over this unwelcome disruption in their own busy lives? How will your loved ones handle the additional burden on their own busy schedules while maintaining their health and marital relationships?

COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is the fourth major cause of death in the USA.
The early symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may be confused with asthma or acute bronchitis. They have common symptoms that many people may have felt at one time or another.
But, while the symptoms of a cold or acute bronchitis usually go away in a few days or weeks, COPD symptoms last a long time. They can make you feel as though there was a heavy weight on your chest that just won't let up.
People with COPD may experience:

• Chest tightness
• Shortness of breath, especially during activity
• Persistent cough
• Excessive mucus (phlegm)
• Wheezing, whistling, or squeaking when you breathe
• Trouble keeping up with your normal activities
• Lung infections more than once a year

 When you have COPD associated with chronic bronchitis, your airways are both inflamed and constricted. The inflammation produces extra-thick mucus and narrows your airways, making it difficult to breathe. Most of the time, this is the result of a long history of smoking or breathing in other irritants such as pollutants, dust, or chemicals.

 To understand COPD it is necessary to know how the lungs work. When you breathe in, the air goes down your windpipe into tubes in your lungs - these tubes are called bronchial tubes or airways. The airways look like upside down trees or broccoli, with several branches. At the end of the branches are tiny air sacs called alveoli.

The airways and alveoli are flexible (elastic). When you breathe in they fill up with air like a balloon, when you breath out they deflate. Over time irreversible damage is done to the lungs and it becomes harder to get air into and out of the lungs.
Free radicals are produced through normal metabolism in the body, but with exposure  to the toxic chemicals in cigarettes free radicals steal healthy electrons from the lining of the lungs, thereby oxidizing lung tissue. When lung tissue is oxidized, cells break down and die.

• The airways and alveoli become less elastic
• The walls between many of the alveoli are destroyed
• The walls of the airways swell up (they become inflamed)
• The airways become clogged up with excess mucus
• The walls between many alveoli are damaged when a patient has emphysema. This causes them to lose their shape and become floppy. As the walls become totally destroyed, the patient ends up with a few large alveoli instead of many small ones
• In chronic obstructive bronchitis, the patient's airway lining is permanently irritated and inflamed. The lining consequently thickens. Thick mucus builds up in the airways, making it harder for the patient to breathe.
• The majority of COPD patients suffer from both chronic obstructive bronchitis and emphysema. In such cases the term COPD is more accurate.

 If you're 40 or older with a history of smoking and have any of these symptoms for more than a few weeks, it's time to talk to your doctor about taking a breathing test for COPD. It's called spirometry and it measures the breathing capacity of the lungs.

There is no cure for COPD, but there are methods to deal with an irreversible condition that will become a person's "new normal". A progressive disease, treatment begins with various inhalers to use when needed. Eventually, it may be necessary to have home oxygen in order to keep the blood oxygen at an acceptable level. During COPD flares, steroids such as prednisone may be prescribed in an attempt to alleviate the inflammation. Continuous use of steroids carry their own risks but eventually a person has to choose between the plus side of one drug with the down side of another. We do have to breathe, which puts the focus on the now rather than worry about the long haul.
 
 As with many medical issues, people often don't change their lifestyles until faced with their own mortality by losing their health. So what is in tobacco anyway? Tobacco plants evolved the ability to make a nerve gas against insects. That ability is called nicotine, an alkaloid pesticide that plants evolved to defend themselves against insect pests.

Cigarettes are the source of many irritants and poisons such as: reactive metal fragments, ammonia fumes, the paint stripper chemical acetone, hydrogen sulfide, methane, hydrogen cyanide, nitric oxide and formaldehyde. That certainly is not an inclusive list. According to David Bodanis in his book, "The Secret House", the reason cigarettes are the source of all these is because once lit the cigarette makes them itself.  During inhalation the glowing tip of the cigarette can reach 1,700 degrees F. That heat rips the tobacco and paper compounds into their constituent parts and from those basic parts, builds them up again into the poisonous, complex chemicals we started with. This is possible because under the intense heat hydrogen and oxygen come together to form water, which then superheats into steam and condenses as it cools. The chemicals have time to form in between the puffs on the cigarette which starts that process again and again. All that is going on just inside the cigarette, the dim glow behind the red hot tip.

Now imagine what is really in that smoke stream anyone around you has no choice but to breathe. The newly created chemicals of poison clot together in extremely small balls. By the time the cigarette is burned half-way down those little hydrogen cyanide balls are falling, ready to stick to whatever or whomever they land. In addition to that, the exhalation from the smoker is spewing out ammonia, cyanide, formaldehyde and mucus constituents from the nasal lining.

According to Dr. Mehmet Oz, "Nicotine is one of the most toxic addictions-especially because of its physiological effect on the rest of the body. But the addiction itself is manifested in not only an emotional need for the drug but also a physical need; your brain tells your body it needs nicotine to prevent the symptoms of withdrawal. One reason that nicotine is addictive is that it creates pleasure in the brain, causing a feeling of relaxation. Over time, nicotine keeps your brain from supplying these chemicals that create these good feelings, and you end up craving more nicotine and the feeling it produces."

Dr. Rachel Norwood of the National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver, states that depression is more prevalent in people with COPD than in those with other chronic conditions. 
Aside from the understandable anxiety, and hopelessness felt in dealing with the daily fear of not being able to breath, it has been found that there is a connection between depression and smoking. That component is the nicotine. It is called the "double-barreled situation". Depressed and anxious people tend to smoke to better handle whatever is going on in their lives, smoking can cause COPD,  the damage and impairment from the disease makes a person even more depressed, which can lead to more smoking. The body craves the nicotine and a person seeking relief from the "blues" feels relief by smoking. Yet smoking only aggravates the COPD and the vicious cycle goes round and round. Once diagnosed with COPD, those people who do manage to give up the smoking habit, not only suffer from the depressing reality of their future, but also suffer from the symptoms of withdrawal.

Controlling one's anxiety is the key to dealing with life with COPD. The fear of suffocating is very real and it is so easy to go into a panic when short of breath. Patients are instructed on Pursed Lip Breathing which is to breathe through the nose and exhale slowly through pursed lips to fully empty the lungs and avoid the tendency to hyperventilate. But even so, anti-anxiety and anti-depressant medications are very often part of the treatment program. These medications have their own side effects and strain on already overburdened bodily systems, but in many situations, they are necessary just to cope.

Everyone is told not to smoke. So why do people continue with such a harmful habit?  In his book, "The Secret Family", David Bodanis claims that nicotine works on the limbic system cells in the brain. By giving a boost in self-confidence many people crave, they soon think they need the stress relief cigarettes appear to offer.  Another reason that people, especially girls, enjoy their smokes is because the nicotine slows the stomach's usual movements which diminishes an appetite. Supposedly ideal for anyone trying to stay slim or lose weight. Women don't seem to realize that their idealistic body image could become an oxygen starved, wrinkled figure with thinning bones prone to fracture. Little is more harmful for maintaining a youthful facial complexion than the damage from free radicals caused by cigarettes.

The tobacco industry understands human nature. Young people vulnerable to peer pressure and normal insecurities are at a higher risk for poor decision making. Once the addictive properties of nicotine take hold, often people smoke for years until they can finally break the habit. Truth be told, many smokers claim to actually enjoy their cigarettes. Reaching for a cigarette while under emotional stress can be like having a good friend. Only true friends don't haunt you down the road.

Healthy Vinegars from your Plant Allies

Next time you reach for the oil and vinegar as dressing for your salad, think about a wonderful way to increase the nutritional value of that dressing. A good quality extra-virgin olive oil is the oil of choice but did you know you can turn an ordinary vinegar into an extraordinary source of minerals?

In the Wise Woman tradition ("Healing Wise" by Susan Weed), it is claimed that we can improve our health by allying ourselves with common, abundant wild plants, the weeds. Called the green allies because they can become our closest friends in terms of supplying our bodies with what we need for good metabolism, strong bones and vitality. They grow naturally, are not an agricultural crop, therefore their genetic forms have not been altered and our bodies easily recognize their chemical makeup.

One of the most amazing attributes of the plant kingdom is it's ability to extract metallic compounds (minerals) from simple dirt and rocks and, with the help of the sun, rain, and soil bacteria, transform those metallic minerals into crystalline, water-soluble forms of the same pure minerals, and in doing so, make them usable to the animal life on the planet, including humans!  The minerals in plants are water soluble therefore in a form easily absorbed by our bodies.

Herbal vinegars are a wonderful way to put up herbs for later use.  Natural vinegars, preferably raw with the mother (Bragg's vinegar is a good one), are especially effective for extracting the mineral richness of plants.  Be sure pesticide or herbicide hadn't been used on the area you choose to gather your plants. Wait until late morning after the sun has dried the night dampness and using a kitchen shears snip the leaves leaving behind the plant to regrow (if desired). You don't want to pull the whole plant out of the ground and have the mess of dirt clinging to the leaves.

When you have enough plant material to fill a mason jar spread it out on a baking sheet for an hour or so to not only dry a bit more but to give any bugs a chance to exit. Using the kitchen shears cut the leaves, stems and flowers into smaller pieces to expose more surface area to the vinegar.  Pour the vinegar over the plant material to fill the jar and cover the plant material. Using a chopstick or wooden spoon (vinegar reacts with metal so don't use a metal spoon), push down the herbs to fully mix and release air bubbles. Then top off with more vinegar. Cap tightly with a plastic lid (don't use a metal lid) and let sit  for about six weeks. The location for the jar should be somewhere you won't forget about it since the jar should be shaken daily, but in a cool spot away from exposure to direct sunlight.

By six weeks the plant material will be pretty much used up and it is ready to strain. The easiest way to strain is to put a funnel into the opening of another jar or bottle and lay cheesecloth or a metal strainer over the funnel. Then pour the vinegar through and discard the plant material. You will be left with an ideal salad dressing loaded with goodness from the plants themselves. Herbal vinegars don't have to be refrigerated but it is best to use up within a year for the greatest potency from the herbs. Besides, you will probably want to make a fresh batch every spring anyway.

Spring is an ideal time to gather your greens since the plants are young and tender and not yet bitter.  

When gathering wild plants be sure you are able to properly identify them. A good source you could use is "Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and not so wild) Places.  Written by Steve Brill and Evelyn Dean.  Below are a few of the common plants you can find in the typical yard or garden landscape. Again don't pick unless you know the area hadn't been treated with herbicides or pesticides.

Plantain

Nettles

Chickweed

Dandelion leaves

Dandelion flower

Lamb's Quarters

Violet flowers and leaves

Chicory

Red Clover

Sorrel

Cat Bite Wound Care

Knowing how to handle a first-aid situation can help avoid a lot of pain and aggravation. Incidents are never planned and always seem to happen at the most inconvenient times but it is so important to know the wisest methods to handle it. Recently a friend had the misfortune of receiving a bite from handling a terrified cat. The way she dealt with the situation resulted in additional pain, expense and time lost from her job. At least the cat was one of her own and she didn't have the commotion of worrying about rabies.

Puncture wounds from cat bites are notorious for infection. A typical cut type wound usually bleeds profusely which helps flush out dirt and bacteria. Puncture wounds don't bleed as much so the body cannot flush out the microbes. Such wounds tend to close over quickly which is not what you want since it could seal in any brewing infection. An oxygen-free environment such as this enables bacterial such as the tetanus bacteria to thrive.

To reduce the risk of infection, (this soak is great for wounds in general), wash the puncture wound thoroughly with soap and water, being sure to wash off all the soap as this could irritate the wound. Prepare an epsom salt and tea tree oil warm water soak to help reduce inflammation and oxidize the wound. The heat and salinity inhibit proliferation of bacteria. Epsom salts are crystals of hydrated magnesium sulphate.
 According to the Epsom Salt Council, epsom salt soaks can raise magnesium levels and improve blood circulation and skin integrity. Adequate circulation and oxygen saturation are necessary for wound healing. Epsom salt is not like table salt, it will not burn. Don't put salt directly on the wound.

Tea tree oil is known as the Australian wonder, renowned for its unbelievable antimicrobial qualities. Its wide spectrum of action makes it perfect for the home and travel first-aid kit. It can be found at most pharmacies and natural food stores. Look for it in 1 oz. amber glass dropper bottles. You want true therapeutic essential oil.

1. Fill a basin with water as hot as you can stand
2. Add a few tablespoons of epsom salts and stir till dissolved
3. Add 10 drops of tea tree oil
4. Soak for about fifteen minutes
5. Let the area dry thoroughly
6. Add a drop of tea tree oil directly to the wound opening (tea tree can be applied without dilution but be aware of sensitivity)
7. Cover lightly with a sterile bandage, you want the wound to stay clean but also be exposed for oxygen supply and to stay dry
8. Repeat the soaking three times a day

Warnings:

• Certain medical conditions such as diabetes or spinal cord injuries can cause a person to not feel temperature appropriately. Always check the water temperature with your hand or elbow before submerging your limb in the water to avoid a burn.
• Ask your doctor if epsom salt soaks are appropriate for your wound. Do not use epsom salt soaks on an actively infected wound or a wound with nonviable tissue.

 Tea tree oil is a good choice because of its antimicrobial properties until the wound begins to heal from the inside out.

Calendula/Comfrey Healing Balm

 Don't use herbal salves containing comfrey, plantain or aloe until the wound begins to heal from the inside out. These herbs are great healers but you don't want the wound to close over too soon. Give the bite a few days and then these herbal type salves can offer their cell-repairing properties to help with healing and hopefully prevent a scar.


 Even with home treatment it is important to notify your doctor to check when the last tetanus shot was administered. Tetanus boosters are usually given every ten years but with an incident it may be given if five years have elapsed.

Explain to your doctor how you have taken care of the wound and be sure he/she approves. You may not need to make an appointment but at least they have record of the incident and you received advice. Depending on your physician he/she may not prescribe antibiotics unless necessary.
Keep a watch for signs of infection:
Redness, warmth, swelling, pus, increased pain or a foul smell. Should you notice red streaks on the skin radiating from the injury get to the doctor as soon as possible. You will need antibiotics.

Be aware that if you are on blood thinners or have a condition in which you are immunocompromised, your risk for infection or delayed healing are increased.

Bites on the hand often end up effecting the tendons or bones. Oral antibiotics may not be enough to reach the source of infection, thereby requiring the need for IV antibiotics. A few days in the hospital may be what is necessary to finally put such an ordeal to rest. I had to go through this myself recently with one of my own housecats. He got his claw caught in a kitchen cabinet hinge and in his flailing around trying to retract the claw, I foolishly got involved by not thinking before I reacted.
At first I thought I just got scratched but there was a tiny puncture that in being so tiny it closed over very quickly. I ended up doing two rounds of antibiotics but the area just never fully returned to normal. Being the knuckle joint was effected there was the concern that damage to the tendons could result in permanent damage to the joint. So almost two months later it was decided to go to the ER and get myself admitted for IV antibiotics and get an MRI. So in the end I had to seek the consult of an Infectious Disease doctor as well as a hand surgeon. Thankfully I did not need surgery to clean up the tendon and was told that the IV antibiotics should be sufficient, but jeez, what a hassle.

What happened with this friend was the error of procrastination due to the inconvenience of the whole thing. She didn't soak the wound and bound it tightly with a bandage. She waited to seek out a physician till the pain was intense and the finger joint swelled with signs of traveling infection. She was put on antibiotics but in wanting to give the antibiotics a chance and not go through the painful ordeal of opening up the wound she resisted the doctor's advice and another week went by. By then there was a good chance the infection went into the joint. So in her procrastination to avoid inconvenience she ended up with having her finger sliced open with a temporary drain, a large bulky bandage, another round of antibiotics (she did avoid the necessity of antibiotics through an IV), and at least two weeks off work.
Since she had avoided the doctor visit she hadn't checked into her medical records as to when she had her last tetanus shot which by the way was overdue. Tetanus is not to be fooled around with, it can be fatal. The spores produce a toxin that interferes with nerve function, leading to muscle spasms, pain, seizures, difficulty breathing, and "lockjaw".

Live and learn.

Woes of a Weekend Warrior

 Do you periodically wake up on a Monday morning, wincing with each movement, hoping the hot shower will sooth and loosen up those sore muscles?

With spring in the air beckoning us outdoors, we tend to get overwhelmed with the mental list of what needs to be done around the yard and home. Time away from our work schedules is precious so of course we try to make the most of every minute on our days off.

With the charged energy in the air of sunshine and warmer days, there is the tendency to go overboard and try to do everything at once. The raking of debris, picking up sticks, cleaning up the lawn mower, preparation of those garden beds... all those motions that can overuse muscles that aren't accustomed to the bending, lifting, pushing and pulling. We cram as much into our free time as possible and risk paying the price with a stiff back, shoulders, knees or whatever else put in overtime.

 Many of us feel a bit out of shape when we first dive back into the outdoor work of spring. Just remember to pace yourself next weekend. Eventually that list of chores will get done.
Just be prepared for those bodily protests with a few natural, herbal remedies to keep on hand.

Weekend Warrior Balm

Weekend Warrior Relief is a sore muscle relief balm which utilizes two herbal infused oils, comfrey and ginger root.

Called the living medicine chest, both the leaves and roots of the comfrey plant are important. High in silicic acid comfrey can reduce swelling, bruising and strengthen ligaments and tendons. Also known for its allantoin content, a crystalline oxidation product of uric acid, comfrey stimulates and accelerates tissue repair.

Ginger root is used for its aid in increasing circulation which enhances blood flow to the damaged tissue or achy muscles and joints.

The addition of shea butter adds to the therapeutic value since this rich soothing butter helps to heal bruising.

The cool, refreshing aroma of wintergreen and peppermint essential oils greet you upon application of this balm. They both contain analgesic properties which help soothe tired, sore muscles and joints.
Helichrysum essential oil is from the garden flower you probably know as immortelle. This oil has a reputation for improving circulation and the regeneration of nerves and tissue repair.

Wintergreen essential oil contains menthyl salicylate. If you are allergic to aspirin, pregnant or breastfeeding please consult with your doctor before using a product containing menthyl salicylate. Be aware of this product containing menthyl salicylate before using on children.

Convenient and portable in a 2 oz. plastic jar, keep on hand for gratifying relief whenever needed.

Anti-Inflammatory Massage Oil

The power of touch can do wonders to work out those hard, ropey, knots in our strands of muscle. You don't necessarily need another person or a massage therapist to benefit from a massage. Whatever area you can reach will appreciate a good deep kneading to work out those painful points. Use kneading motions as you apply an anti-inflammatory massage oil blend into your neck, shoulders, lower back, calves or your own tired feet.

Should you have the luxury of someone to actually give you a back massage, enjoy the warm, flowing motion of their touch as the anti-inflammatory properties of the essential oils in this oil blend help you relax and find relief.

The chosen essential oils for this blend are lavender, eucalyptus, juniper and chamomile. All contain anti-inflammatory properties which means they help reduce inflammation, pain and swelling in the joints and muscle tissues. Useful for relaxing those muscle spasms, the aches of arthritis, and tension headaches. Elimination of bodily toxins and fluid retention are both helped along by the increase in circulation.

Carrier oils used are almond and jojoba oils. Almond oil is very popular for massage oils because it is nourishing, gentle and glides easily over the skin. It absorbs quickly but not fast enough that you feel you'll need to stop and reach for the dropper bottle. Jojoba oil is very similar to our natural skin oils and easily penetrates and nourishes.

Such relaxation techniques as massage just may reward you with an improved temperament, less irritability, and a more restful night's sleep.

So help your overworked body to repair itself with safe, all-natural home remedies and remember moderation is the key for next time.

www.meadowmuffin2010.etsy.com
www.meadowmuffingardens.com

Am I Loved or Am I Loving?

We had the privilege of attending a beautiful wedding ceremony and took home a message so very important for a successful relationship.

This wise pastor reflected on his past experience of observing what he feels is happening by the time two people seek out his council with fear their marriage is in trouble. He made a point to state that we should not view our partner as the missing piece needed to make us whole. We cannot view ourselves as an incomplete puzzle with our partner as that missing piece. He said it sounds romantic to speak poetic like that but to take it literally puts the partner in the position to feel pressured and in part responsible for the other person's happiness. We are not a possession of one another.

The secret of a healthy relationship is to not to say to ourselves, "Am I loved?", but rather "Am I loving?" To continually question whether we are loved does nothing but put the other person in the position to feel tested and having to prove his/her love. We are told that love is a verb which is very true. To love is an action but we have to stop interpreting every little annoying thing our spouse does as failing us in some way. That "if he loved me he wouldn't be so thoughtless" or "if he loved me he would already know that without me having to tell him".  That pattern of thinking adds to our own insecurity which soon puts a wedge between two people. Insecurity becomes very draining to any type of relationship and the end result is the desire to escape.

To ask ourselves whether we are loving forces us to observe our behavior and how we must appear to that other person. It puts us outside of ourselves in a better position to focus on where our energy is being spent, are we focusing more on giving or receiving. 

The pastor made a point that the 50/50 attitude of each partner giving 50% to the marriage is not how we should view things. If we only gave 50% to our careers we certainly wouldn't get very far. We need to view marriage as needing 100% of our contribution just as we do with our job performance. Couples should not mentally keep a tally of the give and take, who does what. He stressed the importance of communication to remind us how differently men and women think, what is obvious to one partner my be oblivious to the other. When our actions "are loving" we receive tenfold in return.
To feel valued and appreciated is essential for the emotional health of both partners.

In closing his message, the pastor advised for everyone to turn to those they love and say "thank you".

Are you loving?

Wrinkle Wrath Includes the Sun

frecklescalifornia

Be it Spring Break or that winter get-a-way to a warm place, by February or March people tend to crave the warmth of the sun's rays. Opportunities to spend more time outdoors are wonderful for our physical and emotional well-being, but do your skin a favor and prepare for exposure to the sun.

During one of my used book store jaunts, I picked up a very informative book about skin care called, "The Wrinkle Cure" by Nicholas Perricone, M.D.

An interesting question from the book was "Does the skin on the face age faster than the skin on the rest of the body?"
Apparently, it is the way we treat our skin, not the aging process, that ages facial skin the most. Dr. Perricone explains that there are two types of aging, intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic or internal aging is the rate of aging that occurs with the passage of time. Extrinsic aging or external aging is intrinsic aging compounded by external factors such as sunlight, air pollution, cigarettes and inflammation caused by harsh detergents, cosmetics and illness.

The prime culprit of extrinsic aging is sun exposure. Compare the skin on your body that has been exposed over the years to sun and the areas such as the torso that have protected by clothing. Exposed skin eventually looks more discolored and less taut.

While young, the body has the ability to repair itself very quickly, but as we age that ability diminishes. Free radical damage is a universally excepted explanation. Free radicals are oxygen molecules that have lost an electron in interactions with other molecules. These molecules become very unstable and thus steal electrons from other healthy molecules. Therefore, every time free radicals seek to stabilize themselves, they damage healthy cells. Our cells use oxygen to produce energy and resulting free radicals are a natural by-product of normal bodily processes.

The body has its own defense system for fighting free radicals. This system is the power of antioxidants. Antioxidants prevent free-radical damage by giving these out of control molecules the electron partner they seek, thereby making the free radical harmless. The problem lies with balance. Free radicals are also unleashed by external factors like sunlight, cigarette smoke and other air pollutants. Unless we can replenish antioxidants by way of proper diet and/or supplements the body's antioxidant system gets overwhelmed and the free radicals become unchecked, creating havoc. The  superstars recommended by Dr. Perricone are vitamin C, vitamin E, alpha lipoic acid and alpha and beta hydroxy acids. Foods to include are: avocado, bell peppers, berries, melons, dark green leafy vegetables, orange vegetables, pineapple, tomatoes and salmon.

One of the substances that gives our skin its youthful suppleness and tautness is a protein called collagen. Collagen is the strong connective tissue that holds us together. This protein holds our skeletons together, attaches our muscles to our bones, and keeps the organs and skin in place. Normally, collagen molecules slide over one another, but once they've been damaged, they become inflexible, resulting in skin that starts to look "old".

Time does march on and even if we do manage to avoid cigarettes and the sun, our bodies still proceed with the aging process.

After the age of about 30, the skin's oil glands reduce their production and the loss contributes to dry skin. Both sexes experience a drop in hormonal levels as they age, but in women the decline is more dramatic. With a decrease in estrogen levels the skin's fat layer begins to thin, resulting in the skin becoming drier, less firm and more fragile. Being men produce testosterone, their skin tends to be thicker than that of women, therefore women tend to show signs of aging sooner then men.

Melanocytes, the cells that produce melanin, begin to diminish as we reach the age of forty. Melanin determines skin tone, and as the skin loses its ability to fight sun damage, the result can be uneven pigmentation.

Even with the unavoidable passage of time and its effects, we should  do all we can to properly care for our health and appearance inside and out.

Wrinkle Wrath
Wrinkle Wrath with SPF

Be sure to moisturize your skin and drink plenty of water for good hydration. The Meadow Muffin Gardens shop offers a selection of facial moisturizing creams, lotions and butters. Our Wrinkle Wrath cream is not only a great moisturizer but contains various essential oils known for their anti-aging qualities.

The use of a sunscreen of at least SPF-15 and wearing a sun hat with at least a 4 inch brim can do wonders to protect your skin and delay the onset of those dreaded wrinkles. The above picture is just one of the beautiful sunhats handmade by a California based business called Freckles California. Below are two great companies that offer not only sunhats but sun protective clothing and accessories such as sunglasses.

Vacations, lawn work, gardening, outdoor events and hobbies, all add to the excitement of the anticipation of warmer weather. Enjoy every opportunity to get the most out of every day. Just prepare, and remember, everything in moderation.

Sunday Afternoons

Sun Precautions