
On Sunday afternoon, some children from our church (including my own) visited a senior care facility to share with the residents some smiles, some energy, and a few of the songs they learned at Vacation Bible School this summer. I've been in these facilities before and knew what to expect, but the whole experience hit me differently this time, I think because of my age and stage in life, and the stark contrast between the mostly chair-bound residents and our innocent, energetic, wide-eyed, pint-sized singers. I was smiling on the outside for the sake of the event and our audience, but on the inside I was struggling to hold it together.
Aging in America has taken on a whole new meaning.
Then later that day I had to run out again - this time for groceries. And it was like every possible physical ailment I could have encountered crossed my path between the parking lot and the aisles of Publix. Crutches, canes, wheelchairs. Overweight, obese, unwell. Limping, smoking, wheezing, staring blankly into phones. I finished my errands as quickly as I could and tried to keep my gaze from wandering to the left or right. Once back in my car, I had to take a minute and breathe. And pray. My heart just felt so heavy.
When did being a healthy human become the exception, rather than the rule?
I could ask, "How in the world did we get here?" But I already know that answer, and looking backwards at all the wrong turns and poor decisions is only useful if you intend to take that information to course-correct moving into the future. That's what I'm trying to do!
The good news - I do see evidence of people trying to do just that. They want to do better. They are just confused about how to go about charting a new, healthier and more vibrant course for their lives with so much conflicting information out there. And I guess that's where I see myself stepping in and trying to offer some guidance. Between now and the new year, here are a few things I plan to offer, or continue offering, to those that are looking for a place to begin. Because there is always hope for something better!
I send out a biweekly newsletter that contains a mixture of my own life stories, a recipe or two, some concrete health and wellness education, announcements about upcoming events, and a podcast recommendation that I believe will be valuable to my readers. If you already receive it and enjoy it, I hope you'll share it with someone you love. This week I tallied over 100 subscribers, and that humble little milestone inspires me to keep writing. I really do want to offer something of value! If you're not signed up but would like to be, send me a note and I'll be happy to add you. There's no cost and you can unsubscribe at any time.
This September I'll continue my blood chemistry workshop series so that anyone who wants to learn can begin to better understand basic labs ordered by their doctors and develop more agency with their own health. Last month we covered the CBC with differential. Next will be the CMP. Later this winter I'll tackle the lipid and iron panels, and maybe even thyroid. Just the basics, of course, because that's usually all you need to start making more informed decisions.
I plan to repeat the Milling Grains and Baking Homemade Bread event that I hosted earlier this summer. Be forewarned if you attend that homemade bread is a powerful motivator, and you'll have a hard time resisting the purchase of a grain mill this year! Start setting aside your pennies now - they cost about $300 for the model I have.
I've had many women ask me if I would consider re-teaching the 3-part series on Women's Health that was hosted at Redeemer Bible Church earlier this year. I would love to do so, and will likely host these sessions at my home this time, just for the sake of ease and efficiency. I can't seat the 50-60 that we had at the church, but I can squeeze in a solid 20 or more. Start spreading the news with the women in your lives!
Lastly, I am trying some formal homeschool wellness education with my 14-year old daughter and one of her homeschooling buddies. I've been following Dr. Tracey Stroup for a little over a year and recently joined her online community of wellness practitioners. In doing so, I gained access to her Academy of Abiding Wellness video courses, which are so solid and so relevant...and totally scaleable to a teenage audience! My daughter sometimes listens along with me as I'm doing the online courses, and she enjoys Dr. Tracey's sense of humor and engaging teaching style. I figured, Why not teach her now? I plan to start them off with weekly modules of the course entitled, Foundations of Health. If that goes well, we'll move on to the Home Health (homeopathic remedies). From there - blood chemistry, hard truths about vaccinations and detox protocols, and from there - as far as they want to go! Raising the next generation of functional wellness practitioners...sign me up!
If there is an event not mentioned here that you would find helpful, please let me know. I'm always willing to consider new ideas, and will try to offer opportunities for virtual attendance whenever possible. The path to better health begins with first with you and then the people in your care. With God, all things are possible. I believe it! Start today!
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