Some Things I've Learned From Falling Down the Stairs

About six months ago I got up in the night to visit the bathroom. I really didn't want to wake up so I didn't turn on a light. This was common for me. I often wander the house at night when I can't sleep. It was a big mistake. I took a wrong turn and ended up at the bottom of the stairs with a broken neck, broken arm at the shoulder, and a broken rib. It could have been worse, I can still walk.

Healing from such a horrific fall has taught me much. The first thing I learned is that we are not in charge of everything that happens to us in our life. I also learned that people around me love me and care about my healing process and want to lend a helping hand when they can. Many will put their life on delay to be there to help. Doctors are kind, intelligent, and understanding. There are many kinds of therapists and you have to find the ones that are right for you. You can be in charge of your healing choices. Diet is very important. Exercise is very important. Don't push till you hurt because you may pay for longer than you want to. Learn to relax when the movement requires it. Don't be impatient because some hurts can take years to heal. If there is pain with movement, the body's energy may be stuck and need to be connected. If it hurts on the right, it may be caused by something out of whack on the left. Healing happens in layers.

We are not in charge. I really learned this many years when my son was almost killed by a drunk driver. I have been relearning it ever since. It is a spiritual thing for me and I know without a doubt that I have been and am being helped by powers far greater than my own. I am glad to know that. It gives me peace. It helps my healing.

People are willing to help. I have many people in my life who are great givers but will never take help. I had a discussion about this fact not too long before my accident with a good friend. I maintain that we need to learn to give as well as receive. Both actions bless us as well as others. Nevertheless, when I fell it was hard to express my needs. Many people called to find out if they could come and clean my house. The healing process is hard emotionally as well as physically. I asked for companionship while walking. Friends came once or twice a day for months to walk with me. I don't know if they will ever know how much emotional good they did while walking a mile with me. Meals were shared with us. My husband and son got to the point they wanted to collect the recipes because the meals were so good. You can't ever pay it back, you have to pay it forward.

While in the hospital the food I was receiving didn't work for me. I had experienced this situation before but this time I complained. I complained to everyone who walked in the door. One morning the nurse on duty was a man. He pointed his finger at me and said, "We are not going to have this conversation. We can't solve it and so we aren't going to talk about it." I was taken back and didn't discuss it with him further, but by the end of the day he had talked to those in charge and got some action. I learned that the meals were specified by my doctor so I had to take it up with him. That was hard because he hadn't come around because he had a cold. I finally got his OK for a diet change and my body started to function better. The nutrition people were very kind and willing to go the extra mile to help me.

I was admitted to rehab. That was a good decision and I learned enough to be safe at home. One therapist taught me to relax as he moved my arm in ways I couldn't. It actually felt good. I would come back to this thought later when my experience with a therapist hurt me so bad it took a week to recover from the swelling. I do not believe in the saying: "No pain, no gain." I realize there may be times when pushing just a little harder will build the muscles stronger, but when you are trying to heal from surgery and a broken body you have to be careful to not cause that process to break down. If you hurt, say something. Not everyone has the same training nor attitude about healing. Find therapists that work for you. You don't have to mold yourself into their attitude.

Nights were very hard for me. I don't think I got much sleep that first month of healing. Jumpy legs were a very big night enemy. I knew I needed to increase my intake of calcium so I really loaded it on. The night I stretched and got a Charlie horse I knew I wasn't getting enough of something. I tried magnesium, and other minerals but that didn't take away the restlessness. One day I had a vitamin D discussion with my brother. I decided to increase my vitamin D intake and that did work well. The pain medicine didn't work for me. I realize that when you hurt the healing doesn't progress as fast, but that medicine caused me constipation and I always felt like I was floating when I took it. There are other ways of controlling pain. Omega 3 is a good anti-inflammatory. If you take large doses the body uses it that way. Another thing that works for me is Enzymes. Taken on an empty stomach they work as anti-inflammatory agents. Enzymes with Serrapeptase work especially well and the ones that are a combination with that ingredient work even better. Getting enough good quality protein is essential when healing the body. If you scrimp the healing will take longer.

I have a whole body vibration machine run by an electromagnet, that helps me strengthen my muscles and move the lymph. It helps in so many ways, but I couldn't use it for more than 2 months because of the broken and healing bones. I was so impatient that some nights I would sneak in there and just vibrate my jumpy legs. That helped so much. when the day came I could finally stand on the platform and vibrate my whole body I rejoiced. That machine improves sleep, builds muscles, and gives me such an energy lift. Some days I just do a mild exercise and some days I have it give me a huge bounce. I do that when my sore aching body can take a little more. The vibration machine is easier on my joints than walking around the block. A couple of times I have been swimming. I wish I was more independent and that would be something I'd do more often. It is a wonderful exercise and soothes the soreness as I move. I can't really swim regularly because of my injured arm, but I am getting better at the strokes as I work at it.

I have a therapist who does Upledger Cranial Sacral and Zero Balancing. She has worked on my sore neck and body 1 to 3 times a week since I fell down the stairs. Through this modality of balancing my meridians and working with the body's energy, I have been comfortable with my healing most of the time. I wear a compression sleeve on my arm and hand to help keep down the swelling which is still a problem even 6 months later. I soak in the hot tub whenever I get a chance. The first time I stepped into the tub with my left foot I discovered that I could not feel hot or cold with that foot or leg. I use that as a sign of my nerve recovery as the feeling of hot and cold have started to come back. I have been extremely sensitive to being bumped on that side of my body, but am starting to be able to walk outside barefoot. I count that as a sign of healing and rejoice. Nerves are very slow healers, but they can heal.

At first after my accident I was so covered with bruises that I couldn't even feel the hurt of the breaks and damaged nerves. As those bruises healed I discovered other hurts. I am to the point now that my muscles and joints that have been damaged are telling me about it. The excess lymph is still draining out of my head and neck. Some days I can turn my head all the way over to the side quickly. Some days it is like wringing out a sponge to make it move. It will move if I am patient and take the time to do it slowly. What I am learning is that as I move the lymph out of that area, it moves easily. Lymph moves better if I drink enough and get enough exercise and high quality protein. The presence of excess lymph indicates to me that there is still a lot of healing going on and I need to let it.

The more I move the less I hurt as long as I don't push my body in directions that it can't go. Attitude is important in making the healing process work. When you hurt it is hard to make the effort to move. Relax, smile, move, and enjoy every part of life that you can while you are healing. Do not listen to the guy who tells you if you don't move today you won't be able to tomorrow. Honor your body's need for rest and allow it to have the time to do it. Eighty percent of your body's energy is required for healing. Plan your healing life that way and it will go more quickly. Remember, you are not in charge. Seek Divine Guidance in the healing process and accept the help that you need. Your body has its own agenda and will heal the parts it wants to first. That may not be your agenda, but accept it and be glad for any healing.

While I would not recommend anyone fall down the stairs as a way to learn the things I have learned, I am glad to have learned not only the things about healing, but compassion for others who have struggles and adversities in their lives. I am grateful for the love that has poured into my life from others who care. I am pleased to know that there are things I can still do to help carry the load of life needs for those who care about me and for those who have needs.

Quick Scalding or Blanching

Reading in an instruction book how to scald tomatoes when making salsa created a need to be creative. The instructions said to dip each tomato into boiling water for 6 seconds. With 3 bushel of tomatoes waiting to be peeled, there certainly was a need to go faster than that. I remembered visiting my neighbor last year and watching her accomplish that task. It was so amazing to watch her procedure. She had a bag that she put a couple of gallons of tomatoes into. This bag was made out of a mesh type material. She just dipped the bag full of tomatoes into the boiling water, waited the time, pulled the bag out and dumped the tomatoes into cold water to cool for equal time.

Last year after visiting my tomato canning neighbor I procured a bag. Since that time I have used that bag to blanch corn on the cob, broccoli, summer squash, scald tomatoes, and scald peaches.

Putting corn in the blanching bag

Bags full of corn ready to blanch

Putting corn into boiling water

Loop the handles of the bag over the pot handles

Pots heating on cache cooker in garden shed

Timing the blanching process

Removing bag of blanched corn from boiling pot

Put hot ears of corn in cold water in cooler.

When corn is cold enough you can freeze on cob or cut off .

I didn't do pears this year or I would have used it for that also. It is so fast to scald or blanch the food using a mesh bag. You save time bringing your water to a boil, because you can use the same water over and over again. You save time putting the food in the water and you really save a lot of time getting the food out of the water. You also save space. The same job can be done with a blanching pan, but who needs to store another pan the rest of the year. There is also a savings of money because you don't have to buy another pan to do the job.

The blanching and scalding times differ depending on the type of food and what you are doing with it. There is a wonderful chart giving you some valuable information on Blanching vegetables for freezing posted by the University of Minnesota Extension.

If you want to scald fruits or tomatoes for peeling to use fresh, only scald for 6 to 10 seconds. For peeling the food before canning you may want to opt for quicker peeling and leave the food in the boiling water as long as 20 seconds. I prefer using the shorter scalding time because I like to cut the fruit in half or core it before the skin slips off and i am left holding a slick fruit that is harder to cut and handle.

You can purchase a blanching/scalding bag from http://www.juicersandjuicing.com/contact. Just send them an email to get the information. You will be glad you did.

I just want to add a note to this article after using this information for several years.  I was having a hard time putting my eggs into the boiling water without them cracking.  I decided to use my blanching bag to lower them all at once into the boiling water and it works like a charm.  I have boiled eggs for my whole life by bringing the heat up with them in the water.  I learned rather recently that if you put the raw egg into boiling water they will be easier to peel as hard boiled eggs.  Indeed they are and now I know how to get them in and out of there easily.

Protect Yourself From Harmful EMF Radiation

Some years ago I became concerned about the harmful effects of some radiation on the body and brain. As our sons went through their teens they complained about feeling foggy brained a lot. I did some research and found that there were concerns over the effects of radiation on the brain cells. I read a book by a cancer researcher whose daughter had developed brain cancer and he was able to pin point at least part of the cause to the amount of time she spent using her cell phone.

The(WHO)World Health Organization has spent $30 million to discover a growing trend in brain cancer related to cell phone use. Other cancers, autism, and other health problems are linked by many studies to the radiation exposure from electromagnetic radiation such as is found in the cell phones as well.

As I did some research, I found a necklace that could be worn to protect a person from that radiation. The pendant on the necklace is what provides the protection. My son purchased one but found he wasn't comfortable wearing it. Those necklaces cost from $100 on up to purchase. My Husband uses a cell phone with his work and found that he was uncomfortable using it because he could tell it was affecting his health.

We recently became aware of a product now available rather inexpensively, that will protect from that radiation. Below is some information about it. We are considering stocking and selling them if we have enough interest. We would be able to sell them to you with free shipping if you will let us know within the coming week.

Please to pass this on to anyone you think may be interested. Fill out the form and send to info@juicersandjuicing.com. We will contact you with payment information when we have stocked the product. If interested, we will need contact information: phone, email, address and name.

PROTECT YOURSELF FROM CELL PHONE RADIATION FOR $15

I am purchasing something in bulk I think you will be very interested in. Please read the following about protecting your family from cell phone radiation, and let me know if you’d like to participate in my bulk buy.

Your child’s brain is highly susceptible to damaging man-made radiation from his cell phone. He’s also getting exposure from the laptop, PC, TV, and microwave.

Your brain is vulnerable, too. But your child’s brain is developing, and highly sensitive, and her skull isn’t as thick and protective as an adult’s! Cell phone waves are documented to pass over 85% of the way through the brain of a 5-year old, and they damage human DNA.

The World Health Organization (WHO) spent $30 million to discover a growing trend in brain cancer related to cell phone use. Other cancers, autism, and other health problems are linked by many studies to the radiation exposure from cell phones as well.

A brand-new technology protects you and the children you care about. It’s much easier to use, very inexpensive, and neutralizes 100% of the effects of harmful radiation from items we use every day that emit EMF. All you have to do is stick the holographic neutralizer anywhere on the back (or battery) of your cell phone. It is a hologram made of three micro-thin layers of rare-earth, para-magnetic materials that absorb and neutralize man-made electro-magnetic radiation.

As simple as the technology sounds, the developers went through the highly rigorous process of obtaining a U.S. scientific patent. This involved 28 separate tests, including one exposing human DNA in a petri dish to a cell phone with, and without, the technology. The proof is in the fact that this test resulted in those human cells 100% protected from the harmful effects of chaotic radiation.

To put it in very simplistic terms, it doesn’t block all the radiation, or you wouldn’t get cell phone
reception. Instead, it blocks 100% of the negative effects of the radiation.

Please make sure you put a xZubi Neutralizer on your cell phone (inside or on the back), your microwave (which emits radiation into your kitchen as it cooks), TV screens, PC and laptop screens, baby monitors, and home phone handsets. Each one is $14.99. I can provide them for you with no shipping cost, for a limited time, so please let me know how many you need. Just copy and paste this form to the email:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Name____________________________________Address_____________________

_______________________________________Phone:_______________________

e-mail__________________________________

________ quantity of xZubi Neutralizers

X $14.99

= __________

A Wheat Grass Juicer is Best for Juicing Grasses and Greens

Why buy a wheatgrass juicer? Because one shot of wheat grass juice is the equivalent to about eight servings of vegetables. You will notice a difference when you drink it. Your body will say thank you. There are many more greens that should become part of a high quality green drink. It takes a wheat grass juicer to really get the most good out of greens. Not just any juicer will do the job. To juice leafy greens and wheat grass you do need a wheat grass juicer. There are two problems with trying to use a fast centrifugal juicer to juice wheat grass and other greens. The wheat grass will clog the juicer because it has so much fiber that can not be grated easily in the centrifugal juicer. The high speed of the juicer will destroy the enzymes in the wheat grass.

Many wheat grass juicers will juice other fruits and vegetables and even make nut butters but other juicers can not juice wheatgrass. A manual wheat grass juicer made of stainless steel will last longer and do a better job than steel or plastic. The manual wheat grass juicer slowly presses the juice out of the grass as you turn the handle. This is a slower process than using an electric juicer, but they mount to a counter or table and you can take them anywhere with you. The manual wheat grass juicer is a good option for those who have a high speed electric juicer to juice other fruits and vegetables.

Greens are great for your health. Not everyone likes the taste of juiced wheat grass. We like it, but it is very strong and we don’t think it smells one bit good. For most people to drink 4oz. of wheat grass juice on an empty stomach without a bottle of water handy to wash it down with is uncomfortable. It is intensely energizing. After drinking a shot of fresh wheat grass juice, you can feel the nutrition course through your system. The energy experienced afterward is subtle, not jittery. We have grown wheatgrass and juiced it in our wheat grass juicer for family and friends. It is one of the healthiest things we have ever done.

A few years ago our son was serving with the National Guard in Iraq. He always has such a hard time running to pass his physical that when we read an article of how a marathon runner was helped in his stamina and endurance by drinking wheatgrass juice, we sent him a copy of the story. He immediately asked for a wheatgrass juicer and wheat so he could grow his own wheatgrass and juice it. A manual wheatgrass juicer and plenty of seeds were sent immediately. His running ability greatly improved when he drank the wheatgrass juice regularly.

The best, most alkalizing juice is made of mostly leafy green vegetables and grasses. Wheat grass juicers are essential for this. All of the benefits of vegetables and grasses can be made better simply by juicing them. Juicing with wheat grass juicers makes the nutrients more concentrated and available to the body quicker and easier. Losing the fiber is what frees the nutrients. Chewing does the same thing, but juicing is more efficient. It is much easier to drink the juice than chew the grass.

You do need fiber, so you won’t want all of your vegetables and fruits juiced, but when you “drink your vegetables,” your body is getting a larger concentration of quickly usable alkaline salts, vitamins, minerals, chlorophyll, and enzymes. This all helps clean the intestines and give relief to the digestive organs. Buy a wheatgrass juicer today and get started on your road to better health. You can grow wheatgrass indoors or out. With your wheatgrass juicer you are only a few days away from wholesome nutritious juice.

Great Green Juice to Start the Day

I juiced for breakfast this morning. It was so good. My barley grass is growing better than it ever has and so is the wheat grass. I juiced 2 apples and a handful of baby carrots with the grasses. It was great. I am so glad I have some wheat and barley grass growing right now. We haven't had much milk on hand lately and I have been getting cramps in my one leg all spring. Well, the grasses must be helping because the cramps haven't been around this week.

Four of the things I like about drinking the grass juices are:

1. I get enough magnesium that I don't have to worry about an irregular heart beat.
2. I get enough magnesium that I don't have to worry about being constipated.
3. I can get to sleep at night and sleep well.
4. I have energy to exercise and it doesn’t take my energy away to do it.

I was hoping that my one planting of wheat grass and barley grass seeds would keep me in grass for a while. It is actually re growing in the bins outside so fast that I think I will have continual grass. I soaked 2 cups of wheat and 1 cup of barley for three days and then planted them in the soil outside in some two 30 gallon plastic storage bins that I had half full of my potting soil mix. I like to put a lot of Azomite in the mix so the soil will have plenty of balanced trace minerals. That is how I have grown the grass before, except for having it in the big bins. I like this method better because they keep it up off the ground and it is easier to reach and cut.

Growing the grass outdoors makes better grass because of the larger amount of sunlight, and air movement. You can grow it indoors, but you need grow lights or a sun room with lots of window space. Inside you also need a way to move the air. Air movement helps keep the plants healthy and pest and mold free.

I just cut part of the bin of grass each day to make enough juice for myself and my husband. I actually don't mind drinking the grass juice plain, but my husband likes it so much better with the apple and carrots that it is worth the effort to add them so I can share with him.

I have a masticating juicer made for wheat grass juicing that I used to juice the grass, apples and carrots today. I have had the juicer for many years and it works as good today as it did when I got it. I have shared my juice with many friends and family because of the health benefits. The juicer is easy to clean and requires only a minute to put it back together.

If you are struggling with your health, or want to get an extra boost of energy, getting a wheat grass juicer and juicing the grasses will be a huge benefit to you. If you have heart issues or blood issues, the grass juice will help. If you want to run marathons, climb the mountains effortlessly and have energy to function the next day, get a wheat grass juicer and start your own wheat grass juice habit.

Wheatgrass Juice this morning

Now I remember why I like to juice wheat grass. It surely isn't for the taste or after taste, but it makes me feel better. About 10 days ago I decided to plant wheat and barley in some bins of dirt I have outside. I juiced it for the first time today. I combined the grasses and juiced a couple of apples with it. Wow, it was much better than the straight grass juice and I like it a lot. I like growing it out of doors. When winter comes I'll grow it inside but as long as i can grow it out there, why not. I know it is a great way to get the nutrients I need and juicers aren't that expensive. I will keep juicing wheat grass as long as I can grow it.

Doctor Prepper

I had the opportunity to be a guest on the Doctor Prepper internet radio show last Friday. You can listen to the show by clicking on my name on this site: http://doctorprepper.com/ go over to the right side about half way down and click on the May 14 podcast with Lee Ann Orton.

We talked about juicing and why you would want to do it. It is a very healthy thing to do. You need lots of fruits and vegetables in your body and juicing is a very good way to get those nutrients.

Doctor Prepper has written a book about being prepared for whatever situation you may find yourself in. Being prepared includes having the right tools to do the job and living safe with the elements.

You will find a lot of useful information on his site. Check it out. You will be glad you did.