Dementia for 2

Today's post comes from Eric Stevenson. I am not sure if he has a blog you can follow since we have only spoken via email. However, he was gracious enough to leave some contact information if you would like to discuss some things with him. So, without further ado, here is today's post.

It seemed ridiculous. My dad must have been in his early forties when he changed his diet. I
stared at his meal choices with disgust, refusing to partake in his bland diet of fish, veggies, egg
whites and dry whole wheat toast. “Why are you doing this to yourself, Dad? You’re not even
old yet!”

But my dad paid no mind to our confusion. His doctor had said he was a couple points above
a healthy cholesterol level, and that was all he needed to hear. For him, preventing cholesterol
problems was way better than letting the problems get out of control.

Prevention is always better than suffering the consequences of poor health later on. Though
prevention for dementia may be difficult, being aware of warning signs for dementia and other
illnesses can lead to a better experience.

Dementia
Because there is no known cause of dementia, prevention is difficult. But patients can fight
back, especially during early stages of the disease. Studies show that a natural nutritional
supplement, galantamine, may improve cognition and neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia
patients. It may also increase their independence, specifically in daily activities.

Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma symptoms are often too subtle to be identified as such. The lung cancer is
caused by asbestos and is latent for 20-50 years after exposure to the mineral. Because of the
latency, mesothelioma life expectancy is short. Avoiding asbestos in older buildings may lead to
the prevention of the deadly cancer.

High Cholesterol
High cholesterol usually has no signs and no symptoms. To be sure if you have a healthy
cholesterol level, visit a doctor and ask for a blood test to check those levels. As far as diet,
avoid saturated fats and carbohydrates in excess. These can raise cholesterol levels. Eating
fiber and maintain a healthy wait can lower cholesterol.

The best way to stay healthy is always to prevent illness, rather to recover. Being healthy is
often a greater miracle than being healed. Keep your mind and body sharp by keeping up with
these and other prevention tips.

By Eric Stevenson, a health and safety advocate, for questions about this article please feel free
to contact him at epicsurvivor@gmail.com

My guest today is MPH from Thunder From A Quiet Storm. I like his blog because he talks about his own struggles in a way we can all relate to. MPH does not mince words or try to sound like he is anyone else. I hope that you all take time to pop over and read his blog.

I will be taking a short hiatus from blogging as my seasonal job is picking up again. My posts will probably be a little sporadic over the next few months. I appreciate all of you and look forward to catching up with you soon!!


I am honored by Inge to be asked to be the guest blogger today. For those of you who haven't read any of my stuff let me give you some background that will preface my story. I go by Miles Per Hour on my blogsite. I am a recovering Alcoholic/Addict for many years and live with my GF and her daughter. We are an interacial couple, which is pertinent to the story, so that's why I say it. At the time I wrote this we were not yet all under the same roof.

So here we go...

Knowing Your Hair Care Products

A long time ago I lived in a halfway house for people who were struggling with addictions. Jackie, my roommate for 10 months, was a guy who took looking good seriously. He had his cologne, hair products, and iron for pressing his clothes and other personal hygiene stuff.

At the time I had very long hair which I had permed. I am a hard rocker at heart and the look fit me at the time. Well perms tend to dry out the hair and one day I was out of conditioner. So low and behold I saw a bottle of Jackie's Afro-Sheen and so I thought I might try it out. Couldn't hurt anything could it? (You gotta remember now that Mr. White Guy was still a bit brain damaged from all the alcohol and drugs I ingested) So I am using this wonderful product for about a week and my hair is getting dryer and dryer. WTF!

Jackie had been out on a job away from the house for a couple days and had just returned. "Jackie, how can you black guys use this sh*t on your hair?" I asked him. "All it did was just make mine all frizzy." Jackie had this high pitched laugh and out of his mouth it came as he rolled on his bed. "Man, that ain't no Afro-Sheen. That's starch water for when I iron my clothes."

Fast Forward to the present.

Girlfriend has left some of her "products" over at my house so she doesn't have to drag so much stuff when she spends the night. Like her "Pantene Shampoo For Women Of Color". So the other day I was in the shower and I was out of shampoo. Hmmm...

Shampoo.

For Women.

Of Color.

Me. Man. Not of color.

Ah, what the hell. Lol.

Today has truly been a "Manic" Monday for me. I have a lot of things going on today and almost neglected my blog!

My guest today is Tracy from Abundant Living. Tracy is a God loving woman that always asks the really hard questions; not only of herself, but of us also. She sent 3 really great posts to choose from. I really couldn't decide so I am posting one and leaving links for the other two. I hope that you all stop by Tracy's blog and let her know you heard it hear first!

Incompetence can be the beginning of freedom

I never really understood that whole thing about us needing to have faith like a child.

I know that in Luke 18:16 (NASV) Jesus makes the statement about the kingdom belonging to those who are like children:

But Jesus called for them, saying, "Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

In answer to why the children get the Kingdom, I've always heard it explained that children have a simple faith. That children just believe what they are told, and we, too, need to have that simple faith. That may be nice, but somehow this explanation of Jesus' words regarding this has never satisfied me. I've always felt like there is more there.

Today as I was reading from a book by Brennan Manning I came across another explanation of Jesus' words. Manning explained that he doesn't think it is by mistake that we have the story of the rich young man immediately following the account of Jesus telling his disciples to let the children come to Him. Manning said:

"Children contrast with the rich young man simply because there is no question of their having yet been able to merit anything. Jesus' point is, there is nothing any of us can do to inherit the kingdom. We must simply receive it like little children. And little children haven't done anything. The New Testament was not sentimental about children and had no illusion about any pretended innate goodness in them. Jesus is not suggesting that heaven is a huge playground for Cajun infants. Children are our model because they have no claim on heaven. If they are close to God, it is because they are incompetent, not because they are innocent. If they receive anything, it can only be as a gift."

Wow!

This kind of talking about the Kingdom of God does not make it about piety or having it all together. This way of thinking challenges my frustration with myself for the fact that I still struggle with selfishness an impatience, that I still sometimes try to fill the hollow parts of me with food or relationships. This kind of talking about the Kingdom of God is for those who feel their lives are a grave disappointment to God - people like me.

The reason the gospel is the good news is because it's all about God's goodness.

Because of the good news I can be free from having to live in self deception - it's not about me being good anyway. I can leave off judging others because it doesn't matter. I can bask in, and be grateful for, God's gift to me. God's gift of faith that I can believe in the work of Jesus on the cross.

How can deepening your understanding that our salvation is a gift change the way you treat yourself and others?



Is mental illness ever related to demon possession.

The Mystery of Faith.

My guest today is my personal friend Wiley Pinkerton. Wiley and his lovely wife Anne used to work with me and I feel very blessed to have gotten to know them.

I hope that you enjoy today's post and will stop by and visit Wiley's blog.

Your Master's Mark

Even if you're not a sports fan, you know that last weekend was a big weekend. Even I watched the game when under normal circumstances I would have been doing some important chore...like cleaning the grout in the shower! But even for someone like me, I could tell whose team each player was on by the uniform or “Mark” that they wore. The players didn't have to tell me that he was going to be trying to score for his team or defend his end zone. I knew. Not by what he said but by his “Mark”. Each player wore the uniform of their respective team so that no one would be confused about the goals that each player had and how they would act and/or react to certain situations.

In the Bible, Exodus Chapter 21 shows us what it took for a bond servant to claim his or her freedom. During the year of Jubilee, there were several criteria that needed to be met if the slave wanted to be set free. If on the other hand the slave wanted to stay with the master, he would be taken before the judges and the master would “mark” the slave by putting a hole in his ear with an awl.

Exodus 21:5-6 RV But if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: (6) then his master shall bring him unto God, and shall bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever.

From that point on, that slave wore the mark of his master...voluntarily. He couldn't go into the public square and try to pretend to be a free man or belong to another master. He wore his master's mark and everything that he did could and probably did reflect back on and to his master.

We wear our master's mark too. I intentionally used the lower case here. I would like to say that I ALWAYS wear the mark of Jesus Christ as my Master. But I am still in the flesh and fail more times that I'd like to think about. How many times have we literally swore at other drivers while behind the wheel? Or “commented” on the physical attributes of a passing woman...(or man, ladies)? Or boast of our relationship with Christ in one breath while cursing a customer in our business in another? I could go on, but I'm hurting MY feelings!

Wearing the mark of Christ doesn't mean that we're perfect and never fail or make mistakes. But it does mean that we seek Him in all that we think, say, and do. The Bible says in Deuteronomy 6:6-8 BBE Keep these words, which I say to you this day, deep in your hearts; (7) Teaching them to your children with all care, talking of them when you are at rest in your house or walking by the way, when you go to sleep and when you get up. (8) Let them be fixed as a sign on your hand, and marked on your brow;

Verse 8 tells me that in all that I do, “...a sign on your hand...”, and in all that I think, “...marked on your brow;” should be guided by the Word of God. It is impossible for us to completely and without fail to wear the mark of Christ. But the Bible says in Mark 10:27 KJVR And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

Would you join me and strive to wear the mark of our Master...in all that we think, say, and do? If you don't have that mark, it's as simple as A-B-C...

Admit your a sinner. The Bible says in Romans 3:23 MKJV for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and in Romans 6:23 MKJV For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Believe that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God who died for our sins and is the only way to the Father, the Bible says in John 3:16 KJVR For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. And in John 14:6 KJVR Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Confess Jesus before man. The Bible says in Romans 10:9 KJVR That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

My guest today is Small Footprints. She has an environmental blog that I have been following for quite some time. I like her blog because she has ideas that you can do to change the environment around you as well as the community in which you live. Her weekly challenges have really helped me to live a greener life in a way that didn't make me feel like I was really giving up anything.

I hope that after you read SF's post today, you will visit her blog and check out all the neat ideas and great information she has posted.


It’s Simply The Right Thing To Do

Most of us would agree that doing something because it is the right thing to do is … well … the right thing to do. Whether we call it the moral high ground, the “golden rule”, or right from wrong … we live by certain standards. That is … until it comes to the environment.

Global Warming, Climate Change and Living Green are hot topics. People debate whether global warming exists and argue about climate change being the natural lifecycle of a planet. Green living is “popular” on one hand and considered worthless on the other. Unfortunately, debating those issues sidetracks us from what’s important … doing the right thing for ourselves and the earth.

The fact is, every action we take has a consequence. Some are immediate, like tossing a candy wrapper out the window and littering the street … others take longer, like the appearance of dead zones in oceans caused by pollution. It is cause and affect. Everything we do … every single action … has an affect.

So what does that mean to us? It means that it is important to think about our actions … to consider the consequences. When one uses harsh chemicals to clean a home, it is important to consider the affect they have on the environment when water systems carry them to nature. Before tossing plastic bags into the trash, think about where they go … how one plastic bag can kill animals and fish. When we are tempted to take everything nature provides, we must stop and think about having enough for tomorrow. It means learning the consequences of our actions and thinking before acting.

We can spend a lot of time debating global warming. But in the end, living a “green”, sustainable life is all about doing the right thing. It doesn’t really matter whether climate change is natural or caused by man. Reducing our impact on the earth is simply the right thing to do.

My guest today is Kent from Expat From Hell. He has a very original outlook on our daily struggles. I must confess that when I first stumbled across him, I had to read some of posts more than once to grasp the hidden message. I really like his view on things and I hope that you enjoy today's post.

I am sorry this is late but I have had internet problems today. Enjoy!



Whatcha Gonna Do

You probably don’t know me.

That’s OK.

I am not terribly interested in being popular.

In fact, if I lived in your country, I probably would be on your television show Cops.

Seems like I am always in trouble, one way or another.

You could say that I am a traveling salesman,

But it seems that I am not a very good one.

Every time I get something started, it falls flat on it’s face.

Trying to do a little multi-level marketing, if you will.

Starting something over here, something else over there.

And then trying to keep it going after I leave town.

Tough stuff, this job is.

Because of the nature of my business, I always seem to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Maybe it’s because I hang around convenience stores and gas stations.

You know, the stuff that’s out there on the edge of town.

Most of the time that’s because I am never sure if I am coming or going.

And it seems that the police are always on the lookout for me.

They don’t get too excited about the stuff I’m selling.

Some places actually told me that it’s illegal.

Can you believe that?

Anyway, I also have a hard time controlling my mouth.

Got in an argument with some dumb minister the other day, and he called the cops.

They showed up, threw the cuffs on me, and now here I sit in jail.

Sheesh.

Some guys have all the luck, huh?

They won’t allow me any phone calls.

No contact with an attorney, either.


What kind of place is this, anyway?

So, I’m stuck with this pencil and wrinkled piece of paper.

Not sure what I should write, but I have plenty of time to kill.



Maybe to one of the “down-line” groups I started a few miles from here.

I hope they’re doing all right.

I worry about them.

So many of those folks over there are just plain nut cases.

Or maybe I’ll give a shout out to one of my pals instead.

The guys I used to hang around with.

My soul mates.

Hey, maybe they even miss me by now.

Hopefully they won’t see me show up on the next episode of Cops.

My guest today is John from I Have Dreams. John is a Christian,nutritionist, and a new husband! He recently moved to America from Malaysia. What I really like about John's blog is the research he does when discussing health issues. I hope you enjoy today's post and stop by John's blog soon.


AMD

Firstly, before I start writing anything else, I would like to thank Inge' for giving me the chance to guest blog here :) She had been a great bloggy friend to me in many areas, and blessed me through her blog in many ways (she might not realize this). And in fact, this is the first time I had been invited to guest blog in my whole blogging life :D Thanks Inge'!

I want to write about AMD (aka ARMD), and I hope that this will be something that will bless Inge' and her blog followers. Not about AMD itself but what you CAN do NOW to prevent that from developing in later years, especially from the nutritional point of view. This also goes out to those who might already have early progression of AMD (called dry AMD).

This year's February happens to be AMD Awareness Month, so I believe that this topic is very timely indeed. Did you know that there are currently more than 2 million Americans over the age of 50 suffering from AMD, and the number is growing? You can refer to the full report here:

http://www.preventblindness.org/vpus/2008_update/VPUS_AMD_2008.pdf

If you refer to the report on page 6 of the document, you will find that if you are a white female over the age of 50, your chances of having AMD is very high. Of course, one might say that these numbers compared to the total U.S. population (308.5 million), the percentages are not that great. But I believe that with proper nutritional supplementation and some form of intervention, this is something that can be avoided, if not completely prevented. And oh, for Inge's interest, Elvisland is ranked #18 highest, but that doesn't mean much, since that could be due to Elvisland being the 17th most populous state in the U.S.

I won't elaborate on what is AMD, as you probably can google it yourself. The National Eye Institute has a good explanation if you want more info about it. The link is below:

http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/maculardegen/armd_facts.asp

Some of you might wonder... is this something you should seriously take notice of? I should think so, since AMD causes loss of sharp central vision, something very essential for many activities in our lives like reading (this blog post, for instance!) and driving. It will also affect your overall mood and emotions, since it is something not pleasant, having always to see a blurred image in the center of your vision.

Now, because AMD causes no pain, people fail to notice the advancement of AMD. They do not realise the little change in their vision, because AMD progresses ever so slowly. BUT there are also cases where AMD progressed faster and led to a loss of vision in both eyes. AMD is a leading cause of blindness in Americans 60 years of age and older.

So, YES, this is something you should seriously take note of, and take precautions to slow or prevent it from developing. It can be done. I had done the research and read the clinical papers to find out about what can be done, and yes, thank God it is possible to even avoid getting it. Below is the list of clinical papers I take reference from:

1. Johnson (2010)
2. Sangiovanni et al. (2009)
3. Bertram et al. (2009)
4. Carpentier et al. (2009)
5. Roberts et al. (2009)
6. Hammond (2008)
7. Neelam et al. (2008)
8. Hahn & Mang (2008)
9. Rhone & Basu (2008)
10. Leung (2008)


Looking at the risk factors, I disagree with the notion that the greatest risk factor of AMD is AGE. You can't blame it on aging... I mean, they are saying, if you GET IT, you DESERVE IT, because YOU ARE OLD (OR GETTING OLD)!!! Hello??? Now that's not very nice, is it? It renders one hopeless and helpless. The same goes for RACE, FAMILY HISTORY & GENDER. They are saying whites are more likely to get it, if your parents or grandparents have it, you are likely to have it too, and women are at greater risk than men. I can't really accept these as reasonable risk factors, because tell me, how do you explain the many more OLD, WHITE, FEMALE and FAMILY-HAS-IT Americans who don't get AMD? That's because they must have done something right in their lives, something which studies had proved strongly that they had done things in their lives that prevented AMD.

So, what did they do? Here you go... They...

1. Didn't smoke.
2. Watched their weight.
3. Went for regular eye check-ups by a certified ophthalmologist, NOT an optician (hope you know the DIFFERENCE!).
4. Maintained a normal blood pressure.
5. Exercised regularly.
6. Ate a healthy diet high in dark-green, leafy vegetables and/or took nutritional supplements regularly.
7. Avoided prolonged exposure to sunlight or wore an effective dark glasses.


It's never too late to start doing what they did right. Ok, I'm not going to preach about #1 - #5, I mean, you don't need someone to lecture you on those stuffs, right??? Most probably you'd already know 'em, so... nuff said.

You know what, the funny thing is Inge' never told me how long I am allowed to write... LOL... :p

Now before I end this post, I want to talk a bit on #6 and #7. Firstly, a disclaimer need to be set in place: I am not advocating any brands or products. I know that most of you are probably already taking some form of multivitamins or multiminerals daily. That's good. In fact, you should be! But that's not going to get you far in fighting AMD. Of course, this CAN be offset by consuming copious dark-green, leafy vegetables DAILY, but alas, this can be quite difficult to achieve for most people, hence, consuming the appropriate nutritional supplements is necessary.

Are there specific nutrients for eye protection? Yes there are...

1. Lutein (usually comes together with zeaxanthin and probably meso-zeaxanthin too)

That's what all those dark-green, leafy vegetables are rich in. So you can count on spinach and kale, ok. This is a well-researched carotenoid and antioxidant. In fact, the macula - the part of our eye where AMD might occur - is naturally, highly, and solely concentrated with lutein and its isomers meso-zeaxantin and zeaxanthin, which gives the macula the nickname of the "yellow spot". The clinical papers all point to one thing... those with lower daily intake of lutein, lower concentration of lutein in the macula, are more susceptible to getting AMD in later life. Are there any side effects of consuming too much lutein? Yes, there is, and only one... which is bronzing of the skin, where your skin turns yellowish or orangy. No worries... this is reversible by simply reducing or cutting down on lutein intake.

2. Other antioxidants

Most of them, such as vitamin C, E, beta carotene, and the mineral zinc, are found in most multivites/multimins. So you really don't have to take an extra supplement just for antioxidants. Choose either one, or you can always alternate between the two. Just a note of precaution... those who smoke... well you shouldn't smoke really... should avoid beta carotene. And I strongly advise against taking vitamin A, since overdose of that is highly toxic and dangerous, especially for pregnant women. Beta carotene will convert to vitamin A when your body needs it, so it's a much safer source.

3. Omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil

The good news is, not only is this good for the eye, omega-3 fatty acids also helps in preventing cancer, cardiovascular disease, supports immune function and brain health, and also has a role in joint health.


So if you somehow can't act on #1 - #5, probably #6 will still get you safely through... somehow :)

Now, lastly, a very serious note on #7. I had the privilege of talking to many renown ophthalmologists, and learnt that, if your dark glasses are cheap, please discard them NOW. Usually, cheap dark glasses are ineffective in reducing hazardous sunlight. In fact, they will cause your pupils to dilate, allowing even more sunlight to enter your eye and reach the macula. You might want to check with your certified optician before continuing using your current dark glasses.

For those of you who are fans of the sun, sunlight, sun tanning, Sun God, whatever... well, I am not here to pour cold water on you and say that the sun is bad, sunlight causes this or that. The clinical evidence is very clear. People who had been exposed to more sunlight throughout their lifetime have a higher risk of getting skin cancers and AMD in later life. So still thinking about getting that nice tan this summer?

I think that's about it. Um, I think I should make a conclusion. The conclusion is... the AMD threat is real, and you CAN prevent it. Thanks for reading this and thanks again to Inge' for letting me guest blog here! Have a blessed week ahead! :)

Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. (Proverbs 4:25 KJV)

My guest today is Simon from The Rainbow Bank. I stumbled across Simon's blog while surfing Link Referral, and I quickly became hooked! Simon not only writes about all things British, but also a whole menu of other topics from family to music. I hope you enjoy today's post and stop by Simon's blog for a visit!


Stonehenge
I vividly remember my first visit to Stonehenge, back in the 1970's, it was a cold and bleak autumnal day.