Mercola's Medical Myth #12

Low-Fat Diets are Healthy

The low-fat myth may have done more harm to the health of millions than any other dietary recommendation. Again, just as the recommendations to avoid sunshine has increased melanoma rates, the low-fat craze led to increased consumption of trans-fats, which we now know increases your risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

To end the confusion, it’s very important to realize that eating fat will not make you fat!

The primary cause of excess weight and all the chronic diseases associated with it, is actually the consumption of too much sugar -- especially fructose, but also all sorts of grains, which rapidly convert to sugar in your body.

If only the low-fat craze had been a low-sugar craze... then we wouldn’t have nearly as much chronic disease as we have today.

For an explanation of why and how a low-fat diet can create the very health problems it’s claimed to prevent, please see this previous article.

There are healthy and unhealthy fats. Healthy fat actually helps your body to lose weight! Let the ingredients and sugar content dictate whether you eat something -- not the amount of fat.

Mercola's Medical Myth #11

Hissin' and Hawkin'

• We traveled by car to Greensboro over the weekend to visit my paternal grandparents. Warning: Allow almost twice the time when driving with a baby. This was Aolani's longest trip by car. She is not the greatest rider, as she does not like to sleep in her carseat and the carseat must be too confining for this very active wild child. I got my fill of screams, fusses, pouts, and cries. My grandma treated me to a massage and hairstyle at a spa on Saturday. Nice! It was a great visit :)
• We taught Aolani to hiss like a snake through her teeth!
• I wasn't going to mention this, but Ricky is making me. Idea: Aolani and I performed a wheelchair-dance for Ricky last week to Kenny G's Silent Night. We choreographed and practiced it earlier in the day when we were alone (to minimize embarrassment!). Aolani enjoys all the twists and turns on my lap. She giggles while we dance ;)
• Remember that tuft of hair growing on the back of her head?!

• Verse to memorize this week: Luke 9:23-5 ~ Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?

The Bear is Strapped

Riding around with "Gunny" (her teddy bear)

Notes: Sorry for the poor picture quality! Aolani usually sits up straight on my lap. However, as she gets tired, she begins to slouch and slide down my lap! She is going down for a nap here.

Embrace The "Bad" -- Part 2

A few other notes on this topic (click here for Part 1):

1. Ricky and I were discussing this and about "blowing it" in certain situations when we do not react with grace or grow in maturity. He kept referring to this as failing a test. But maybe that is not the best way to look at it. With tests, there are grades -- passing or failing. I think the better description for these circumstances is opportunity. With opportunities, you either take advantage or miss out. But there are always a plethora of opportunities. Test makes you think of failing, but somehow we turn that action into a state of being and begin to view ourselves as failures. Opportunity instills hope -- for change, growth, and newness.
2. A number scale might help here. Although, it is an imperfect and possibly inaccurate way of looking at it. A qualitative view might be better, but my quantitative mind always chooses numbers over words! Anyway, let's put Christlikeness on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the perfect state of being only attainable once we are physically present with our Lord Jesus. So, 9 is the tops on this present earth. Let's put me at a 2-3. Now, if I die years from now and I am still at a 2-3, then I would be disappointed with myself. I would have missed out on every opportunity I have had to grow and mature (become Christlike) as I had not moved up on this scale one iota! May it not be so! I want to be at an 8-9 when I go from glory to glory. [Not to get me into Heaven, of course, because that is only accomplished by Christ's atoning sacrifice! Not by works.] I just want to take advantage of these opportunities to grow in grace. Don't you?! Either way -- whether I take advantage or not -- I thank You, Jesus, for grace in every opportunity!
3. I am reading Randy Alcorn's book on evil and suffering, called If God Is Good. A great, thorough guide on this topic. I thought that some of his words aptly apply to this subject.

We need to take a closer look at a verse I've mentioned, one of the most treasured (and also maligned) in Scripture: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).

The context shows that the Holy Spirit’s main concern is conforming God’s children to the image of Christ. He brings challenging circumstances into our lives so we may develop Christlikeness.

Paul’s use of "we know" indicates that if you don’t know this, you know less than God intends you to; and when times of evil and suffering come, you’ll be ill-equipped to face them.

I believe that if God could not use something, in eternity, to contribute to the good of his child, then he will not permit it to happen. I know of no other way to interpret this passage, written in a context of profound evil and suffering. It does not say God causes some or most things to work for our good, but all things. And what does "all things" not include?

Romans 8:28 declares a cumulative and ultimate good, not an individual or immediate good...

We define our good in terms of what brings us health and happiness now; God defines it in terms of what makes us more like Jesus…

Whether suffering brings us to Christlikeness depends, to some degree, upon our willingness to submit to God and trust him and draw our strength from him. Suffering will come whether we allow it to make us Christlike or not -- but if we don't our suffering is wasted.

Join me in embracing these opportunities!

Laying Hold of God's Willingness

“Many of us fail to call on God because we don’t understand the need to pray about something God has already promised to do.” ~ Jim Cymbala

“Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance. It is laying hold of God’s willingness.” ~ George Muëller

Mercola's Medical Myth #11

Milk Does Your Body Good

Can milk do your body good?

Yes, if it’s RAW.

Unfortunately, this myth insists that conventional pasteurized milk has health benefits, which is far from true. Conventional health agencies also refuse to address the real dangers of the growth hormones and antibiotics found in conventional milk.

Please understand that I do not recommend drinking pasteurized milk of any kind, including organic, because once milk has been pasteurized its physical structure is changed in a way that can actually cause allergies and immune problems.

Important enzymes like lactase are destroyed, which causes many people to not be able to digest milk. Additionally, vitamins (such as A, C, B6 and B12) are diminished and fragile milk proteins are radically transformed from health nurturing to unnatural amino acid configurations that can actually worsen your health.

The eradication of beneficial bacteria through the pasteurization process also ends up promoting pathogens rather than protecting you from them.

The healthy alternative to pasteurized milk is raw milk, which is an outstanding source of nutrients including beneficial bacteria such as lactobacillus acidophilus, vitamins and enzymes, and it is, in my estimation, one of the finest sources of calcium available.

For more details please watch the interview I did with Mark McAfee, who is the owner of Organic Pastures, the largest organic dairy in the US.

Since we currently do not have access to raw milk, we use almond milk. If we ever had a raw milk connection, yippee!

Mercola's Medical Myth #10

Nursing Notes

Skip this post for all you menfolk!

1. Plugged Duct: I meant to mention that about 10 days ago, I had gotten a plugged duct (painful) in one breast. I read that changes in bras can cause this. I had slept two nights without a bra, and I usually sleep wearing a sports' bra. I put some warm washcloths on the painful area that morning, slept with the bra on that night, made her nurse on that side first all day, and the pain was gone within 24 hours!
2. Biting: As you already know Aolani loves to bite, especially now that her top teeth have come down a lot. Teeth marks, bruises, cuts, blood, scabs... Horror! One thing has really decreased the frequency of her biting. I read that babies tend to bite is boredom from either being done or the milk ejection has slowed down. So, I have drastically cut the time she gets to nurse. I use to give her 15 minutes per side, 30 minutes total. Now, I give her 5-10 minutes per side, 15-20 minutes total. When she does bite, I pull her off right away and firmly say, "No bite!" I sign no and tell her that biting is off limits and hurts Mommy. She fusses and cries (telling her 'no' hurts her feelings). I give her one more try on that side to drink milk. If she bites again, I loudly say, "NO!" and either switch sides or end that nursing session.
3. Position: By accident, we discovered a new feeding position that is so useful with bigger babies (she is 18 lbs and can sit alone). Aolani is so long that it was getting hard to maneuver her on the Boppy. Basically, she sits up sideways on my lap and turns her head and goes for the breast closest to her. So, I flip her the other direction when it is time to change sides. This position is so easy!

What A Deer!

• Welcome December and coats!

• Aolani has a wide gap between her front teeth! CUTIE!
• She went to the pediatrician last week -- healthy as can be. She measured in at 18.4 lbs and 27" long. The doctor suggested that we try rice cereal since the fruits and veggies were not going down. Well, the rice cereal didn't cut it either! Still choking and gagging. She's taking her time accepting solids, and that's okay by me.
• I have now finished memorizing the book of Philippians! Now, it's eternal heart food :) Still contemplating my next similar undertaking...
• Aolani's severe diaper rash from the blood in her stool on Thanksgiving Day has cleared up beautifully! We blended (by hand) a mixture of olive oil and arrowroot flour to make a paste for her bottom. It worked!
• I went to the doctor last week for... compacted ear wax! I know, sounds gross! Apparently, it's not abnormal and explains why my right ear felt blocked. [I could hear the ocean when I cupped my hand over the ear.] All better -- instantaneously!
• Ricky surprised us with a library book on baby sign language. She isn't signing back yet, but I still wish I had started implementing signs sooner.
• Aolani and I celebrated the decorating of the Christmas tree in our deer-garb:

• Verse to memorize this week: Philemon 1:8-9 ~ Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love.

Depraved Indifference

If you only have a few minutes for the internet, spend them watching this!!

I found this from a post by Ann Voskamp.

The Frog Wizard And Her Wand

Embrace The "Bad" -- Part 1

How do you respond?

When things don't go your way. When someone offends you, hurts your feelings, ignores you, or frustrates you. When someone pulls out in front of you while driving 50 MPH. When your spouse still hasn't unloaded the dishwasher. When someone is 30 minutes late meeting you when you only have 45 minutes for lunch. When unrealistic expectations are held over your head. When you are rushed and knock down the entire display at the store. When you miss your doctor's appointment. When your baby won't stop screaming while you are on the phone. When you are in a car accident. When there is no explanation. When the unexpected occurs. When there is someone to blame. When there is no one to blame.

One of the most important lessons I learned from natural childbirth classes, as well as experience, was not to fight the contractions. When you feel one coming, do NOT tense up, squeeze your muscles, panic, or hold your breath. Instead, you should let it happen and focus on it. Feel it; embrace the contraction. Why? Because it simply is your uterus stretching and preparing to get the baby out. It is a muscle working out -- feel the burn! To the baby, a contraction feels like a massage. Back to the point. As your uterus stretches and pushes the baby further down, if you fight the contraction, you are holding that baby up there and refusing to let the uterus do its job. Uterus pushes baby down; you tense up and hold baby up. Baby didn't move and is no less closer to greeting the world. You just had a pointless contraction. For every one you resist, you'll have to have another one. Childbirth will take that much longer.

Now, Aidan, how in the world do these two thoughts combine? Here goes...

Things happen. People make choices that affect you -- often negatively. Free will. But, if everything went my way and everyone did what I wanted when I wanted, if I was in control, then my character would suffer. If life was peachy, then I would not develop patience, long suffering, gentleness, mercy, kindness, forbearance, forgiveness, self-control, compassion, unity, heroism, grace, determination, wisdom, etc. I would have no need of these traits, but I'd be at a loss. I'd be missing out and never know it.

When something doesn't go your way and you fight it by snapping or losing your cool, by not showing grace, it was pointless. You just had another chance to grow, but you blew it. You resisted the refining of your character. God is trying to develop the character of His Son in you. Don't tense up, but embrace the situation. Thankfully, there are many, many chances :)

Remember: What Satan means for evil, God intends it for good. When you fight it, you are giving in to Satan and his plans. When you embrace it, you are siding with God and saying 'Yes!' to Him and His plan.

I totally do not excel at this. What a challenging thought for myself! I want to embrace these occurrences. Join me in saying Yes!

Click here for Part 2.

Inconsistent with Myself

"God is not a belief to which you give your assent. God becomes a reality whom you know intimately, meet everyday, one whose strength becomes your strength, whose love, your love. Live this life of the presence of God long enough and when someone asks you, 'Do you believe there is a God?' you may find yourself answering, 'No, I do not believe there is a God. I know there is a God.'” ~ Ernest Boyer, Jr.

“My love of consistency with my own doctrinal views is not great enough to allow me knowingly to alter a single text of Scripture. I have great respect for orthodoxy, but my reverence for inspiration is far greater. I would sooner a hundred times over appear to be inconsistent with myself than be inconsistent with the word of God.” ~ Charles Spurgeon