simple prevention

here is an email that was forwarded to me about swine flu. I wanted to post here because it's simple, and we all need simple. nope I'm not a doctor, just a (somewhat paranoid) mom. although being up here in the mountains, I'm not too too worried about it. I haven't taken any extra steps with H1N1 going around. to me it's just the flu, a really really bad flu. so this year, like every flu season, I encourage more hand-washing and more anti-bacterial stuff for everyone in my family. hope it helps!

Prevent Swine Flu - Good Advice

Dr. Vinay Goyal is an MBBS, DRM, DNB (Intensivist and Thyroid Specialist) having clinical experience of over 20 years. Presently, he is heading our Nuclear Medicine Department and Thyroid Clinic at Riddhivinayak Cardiac and Critical Centre, Malad (W).

He says:

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications
2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or slap).
3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.
4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once everyday with warm salt water. *Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but *blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effecting in bringing down viral population.*
5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

6. *Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee,etc) as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

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unbottled

I know something isn't right spiritually when everything on the outside is perfect, but somehow I'm still unhappy. it's easy to think "if I had this" or "if this would just happen," life would be great. if it were only that easy, right?!

I have a great, beautiful home

a family, happy & healthy

food in the fridge

money in the bank

a God who loves me & is always there

I stay home with my kids

and on and on and on I could go.

during the season I was involved with church, I was pushed spiritually in a way I never had been before. although this church is no more, it was a major tool God used to get through to me.

in that time I was upset a lot because I was made uncomfortable; pushed to go to an unexpected place. a place I didn't know existed until I got there. I now miss it.

currently I am not in a church, and get upset a lot because stuff gets bottled up. no one pushes me; I'm stagnant. blah.

both may be an uncomfortable place, but at least in one of them, change happens. and I know God wants us flexible to change; willing and knowing we're able. I'm realizing I need self-discipline for sure, but also, how important accountability is for my progress.

in my hearts of hearts, I believe in His power. my faith lacks in His willingness. His mercy and grace constantly amazes me, but that's different than bringing change to me, to you, or to the world. the world is in a place where all He can do is bring revelation to believers, with ears to hear and a passion in their hearts.

there is a root of something in me, nagging at me. God get me uncomfortable. give me a revelation, because I'm ready to rip it out.

I was listening to an older CD of mine - Michelle Branch. I don't know where she is now, but 5 or so years back I discovered her music and many of her christian lyrics stick with me day to day. here's one -

and when I catch my breath, it's You I see

You're everything I know, that makes me believe

I'm not alone

life gets crazy. busy. how do you keep the world out? is that even possible? I get caught up in it and eventually feel it. I think the goal is to feel it sooner, always sooner. when I feel it and catch my breath (spiritually), then it's You I see.

your thoughts on my thoughts? leave a comment.

bring help!

When you have to visit a public bathroom, you usually find a line of women, so
you smile politely and take your place. Once it's your turn, you check for feet under the stall doors. Every stall is occupied.

Finally, a door opens and you dash in, nearly knocking down the woman leaving the stall.
You get in to find the door won't latch. It doesn't matter, the wait has been so long you are about to wet your pants!

The dispenser for the modern "seat covers" (invented by someone's Mom, no doubt) is handy, but empty. You would hang your purse on the door hook, if there was one, but there isn't - so you carefully, but quickly drape it around your neck, (Mom would turn over in her grave if you put it on the FLOOR!), yank down your pants, and assume "The Stance."

In this position your aging, toneless (God I should have gone to the gym!!!) thigh muscles begin
to shake. You'd love to sit down, but you certainly hadn't taken time to wipe the seat or lay toilet paper on it, so you hold "The Stance".

To take your mind off your trembling thighs, you reach for what you discover to be the empty toilet paper dispenser. In your mind, you can hear your mother's voice saying, "Honey, if you had tried to clean the seat, you would have KNOWN there was no toilet paper!" Your thighs shake more.

You remember the tiny tissue that you blew your nose on yesterday - the one that's still in your purse. (Oh yeah, the purse around your neck, that now, you have to hold up trying not to strangle yourself at the same time). That will have to do. You crumple it in the puffiest way possible. It's still smaller than your thumbnail.

Someone pushes your door open because the latch doesn't work. The door hits your purse, which is hanging around your neck in front of your chest, and you and your purse topple backward
against the tank of the toilet. "Occupied!" you scream, as you reach for the door, dropping your precious, tiny, crumpled tissue in a puddle on the floor, lose your footing altogether, and slide down directly onto the TOILET SEAT. It is wet of course. You bolt up, knowing all too well that it's too late. Your bare bottom has made contact with every imaginable germ and life form on the uncovered seat because YOU never laid down toilet paper - not that there was any, even if you had taken time to try. You know that your mother would be utterly appalled if she knew, because, you're certain her bare bottom never touched a public toilet seat because, frankly, dear, "You just don't KNOW what kind of diseases you could get".

By this time, the automatic sensor on the back of the toilet is so confused that it flushes, propelling a stream of water like a fire hose against the inside of the bowl that sprays a fine mist of water that covers your butt and runs down your legs and into your shoes. The flush somehow sucks everything down with such force that you grab onto the empty toilet paper dispenser for fear of being dragged in too.

At this point, you give up. You're soaked by the spewing water and the wet toilet seat.

You're e-x-h-a-u-s-t-e-d.
You try to wipe with a gum wrapper you found in your pocket and then slink out inconspicuously to the sinks. You can't figure out how to operate the faucets with the automatic sensors, .....so you wipe your hands with spit and a dry paper towel and walk past the line of women still waiting.
You are no longer able to smile politely to them.

A kind soul at the very end of the line points out a piece of toilet papertrailing from your shoe.(Where was that when you NEEDED it??) You yank the paper from your shoe, plunk it in the woman's hand and tell her warmly, "Here, you just might need this."

As you exit, you spot your hubby, who has long since entered, used, and left the men's restroom.
Annoyed, he asks,” What took you so long, and why is your purse hanging around your neck?"

This is dedicated to women everywhere who deal with public restrooms (rest??? You've GOT to be kidding!!). It finally explains to the men what really does take us so long. It also answers their other commonly asked questions about why women go to the restroom in pairs. It's so the other gal can hold the door, hang onto your purse, and hand you Kleenex under the door!

diy

I was making dinner last night and realized I didn't have any bread crumbs. It's just one of those things that you assume is always there in the pantry, right? and of course I'm so far into the recipe that I have to keep going, but going to the grocery store here is a 1/2 hour venture, so what to do?

google it! this is always my answer, and I was surprised at what I found. if you are in need of some bread crumbs, here's what you do -

take any bread (rye, wheat, white, sourdough, anything will do) all the same kind or not, and throw it in your cuisinart until you get crumbs. for whatever reason I thought it was much more difficult than that!

it will not work if it is fresh and moist; you need bread a few days old and a bit dried out. if it's not dry, place slices on a cookie sheet and bake them at 350 degrees for 10 or so minutes, then put in your cuisinart.

just thought someone else out there may need the same enlightenment about bread crumbs that I got last night! happy cooking!

turning 5

my Sam just turned 5. he's been talking about turning five for months; he's been so excited. silly me, I thought he was excited for his birthday to get a few presents. nope, he's was more excited to tell people his age and be able to hold out his whole hand to show them. he did get a few presents, but he like the birthday sundaes we made more. I'm glad he's not focused on the material things ... I wonder how long that will last. my hope, forever.

my camera is officially broken, so I don't have pics to post. :(

but we did get silly with the mac the other night, so here is what 5 looks like ... sort of. aren't we cute?!

I love my son to pieces. he has helped me so much in his 5 short years, he has no idea. I hope to tell him one day, without crying my eyeballs out that is!

in short, God gave me this verse specifically about Samuel a few years ago -

Hebrews 1:14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

happy 5th birthday son, you are a true blessing.