Recap on Entire Blog

I tend to like clear beginnings and endings. For that reason, I’ve decided to write a final post - a recap of everything I’ve shared on this blog. As much as I’ve enjoyed sharing health tips here for the past 3 years, sharing 60 posts plus 3 bonus posts, this will be the last health post that I share. 

I also like summarizing things into easy to read, easy to follow, bullet points. For new readers to this blog, I will do my best to recap everything I have shared into simple, bullet points in this post. If this is the first post you read, please know I have written more in depth on each of these things in single posts on this blog. I do plan to keep this blog up for a long time. 

Health was a subject I loved in school as a girl. It wasn't until I was an adult that I realized health was something that really interested me. I've learned a lot from others over the years, especially after going through a major health trial almost 5 years ago. I've learned things from medical doctors, natural doctors, and nutritionists, hence my reason for desiring to have a health blog. 

Below is a summary, bullet points, if you will, from this blog.  

• I believe medical doctors and natural doctors have a place in helping people with their health. I am very thankful for both of them. 

• Though good health is something to aim towards, please do not make health the number one goal of your life. Make a relationship with God top priority in your life.  

• Good health is one of our greatest wealth's in this life. It can be harder to serve the Lord, serve your family, serve others, and enjoy life when you do not have good health. 

• God wants people to enjoy good health. Verses like Psalm 103:3 and 3 John 1:2 make this very clear. Sickness, disease, and pain come from living in a fallen, sin cursed world. 

In speaking about God's character and many benefits (gifts), David wrote in Psalm 103:3:

"Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases." 

Under the inspiration of God, the apostle John wrote in 3 John 1:2:

"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, 

even as thy soul prospereth." 

• God, being the perfect Gentleman that He is, gives people a choice between life and death. This affects all areas of life, including health. God encourages people to "choose life" that they may live. (Deuteronomy 30:19)  

• Our spirit, our mind, and our body are closely interwoven. When one of them is not doing well, it can have an affect on other parts of us. Be sure your heart (spirit) is right with God and others. Choose to think about (mind) positive, encouraging things. Those things can have an affect on your physical body.   

 • Water is essential to all life. Water is very important to drink. Be sure to drink enough pure water each day. Having a water bottle helps, preferably glass or stainless steel to avoid chemicals found in many plastic water bottles. God also offers us living water through the gift of His Spirit living in us. 

• Rest is extremely important for good health. We need daily rest, sleeping at least 7-8 hours at night (or more if needed!), and weekly rest, resting one day in seven. God also offers rest to our souls through His gift of salvation and through His Word. Let God’s Word be your final authority and guide, not man.  

• Sunshine is also essential for life and good health. Spend a little time outside each day, weather permitting. The body needs Vitamin D (the sun being the best source!) to function well. Jesus, God's Son, referred to Himself as the "light of world". Through the gift of His Son, God offers hope and redemption to people in this dark and hurting world.

• Fresh air is also very important. This is another reason to spend a little time outside every day, weather permitting. On days when the weather is nice, air out your home. Stale air in a home or another building, especially in the winter time, is not good for your health.

• Exercise, especially walking, is important for good health. If the temperature outside is above 50 degrees F, and the weather is decent, I highly encourage going for a 30 minute walk, 5 days a week, if possible. You can exercise godliness by spending time with the Lord and by blessing and encouraging others.   

• Nutrition is a big one. What you eat every day has a huge impact on your health. God created plants to be our main food source, not animals. God gave man permission to eat animals, but his perfect plan was for man to eat plants. (Genesis 1:29) Focus on eating more fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, herbs, and spices and less animal products. If you are healthy, eating some animal products is okay, but it is best to limit that. 

• Moderation is key to many things in life, including good health. Be careful about over-eating and spending too much time in the sun. (especially in the summer) Both of those can have very negative consequences if not done in moderation. 

• Trusting God is another important key for good health. God created the human body. God knows what is best for us. God can be completely trusted. God knows each one of us individually, and He loves us more than we can comprehend. (Psalm 139) He determined the number of our days. Our view of God is extremely important and has an effect on us. 

• Forgiveness is also key to enjoying good health. If you harbor bitterness or a grudge towards someone, you are doing more damage to yourself than to the person who hurt you. You will also cut off your relationship with God if you do not forgive someone. (Matthew 6:15) With God's help, learn to forgive. If you have been abused, please reach out for help. Be assured, in time, God will deal with those who do wrong. God is a righteous judge. God will avenge His own. (Romans 12:19)    

• We each have a story. God sees the bigger picture of our lives even when we do not understand why bad things happen. God can make, even the most painful things we go through, into something good. We may not always understand why, right away, but our God is a God of redemption. If we love God, He redeems the hard things we go through. (Romans 8:28) God can make beauty from ashes. (Isaiah 61:3) 

     

• If you enjoy coffee, it is best to only drink organic coffee. Regular coffee beans are heavily sprayed with chemicals. Organic coffee usually tastes better too! 

• If you are a woman, it is best to limit coffee to one cup a day. Having too much caffeine can mess with a woman's hormones. 

• Peanut butter is a common, staple food found in many American homes. It is much better to purchase natural peanut butter without added sugar and hydrogenated oils which are not good for you.  

• For sweeteners, it is best to use natural sweeteners that God created such as: honey, maple syrup, and fruit. If you use sugar, raw, organic sugar is better. It is good to limit sugar; too much sugar is not good for you. Stay completely away from artificial sweeteners which can wreck havoc on your health.     

• Some oils are definitely better than others. Many oils are not good for you. Olive oil is best. Avocado oil and coconut oil are also better oil choices, especially for high heat cooking, like stir fry. 

• Butter is much better than margarine. Margarine is a processed, hydrogenated oil which is very bad for you. Stay away from margarine! Always choose butter over margarine. 

• Food coloring is something to avoid. It is found in many desserts, cookies, and candy. It can also be found in some chips and colored drinks. Some food coloring can be cancer causing. If you like using food coloring, look for natural ones. 

• If you use creamer in your coffee, it is much better to use things like real milk, alterative (dairy free) milk, or half and half, rather than processed, flavored creamers. 

• If you eat cheese, it is much better to purchase real cheese rather than processed cheese. The real stuff is always better than the processed stuff. 

• If you eat meat, it is better to eat leaner meats such as: fish, turkey, and chicken. Fish is the best meat you can eat, especially salmon. Beef has some health benefits, but it is good to limit beef because beef is higher in saturated fat. Too much saturated fat, from animals, can cause health problems. (that includes dairy!) Stay away from things like pork and shellfish completely. There is a reason why God told His people in the Old Testament not to eat those. Eating those creatures can cause health problems. 

• Organic is better than conventional. Sadly, many of our conventional crops today are sprayed with chemicals. While organic is always better, certain items don't matter quite as much as other items. Things like coffee, oats, and berries are better to purchase organic instead of conventional. (coffee, oats, and strawberries are heavily sprayed!) You don't want those chemicals. 

• Mental health is very important. That can very much have an affect on our physical health. Besides thinking about good, honest, lovely things, which God's Word tells us to do (Philippians 4:8), spending time outside in nature can have a profound affect on your mental health! Spend time outside in nature each day, weather permitting.    

• Emotional health is often linked with mental health. God made us emotional beings. We are made in the image of God. We feel things. When life gets hard and overwhelming, cry out to God. Crying can be healing, emotionally. Crying is not weakness. Our tears are precious to God. God's Word says that He records our our tears and stores them in His bottle. (Psalm 56:8)   

• Spiritual health is the most important one of all. Unless the Lord comes back in our lifetime, our physical body will die someday, but our spirit lives on. That is why this one is so important. Our relationship with God is what matters most of all. Our spiritual health affects us for all eternity. If your heart isn't right with God, please get your heart right with God. 

• Consider using a filtered shower head. Not only is filtered water better to drink, it is also better to bathe in. Our skin is the largest organ of our body. Our skin absorbs what we shower or bathe in.

• Candles are something to be aware of. Many candles today are made with something called paraffin wax - something that is toxic when burned. Consider using soy or beeswax candles instead. Beeswax candles purify the air they are burned in, making them the best candles you can burn. 

• Laundry detergent is something else to be aware of. Many laundry detergents contain toxic chemicals that remain in your sheets, towels, and clothing. Consider using a more natural, unscented detergent. Your body will thank you. 

• Body care products are very important to consider. Many body care products today are very toxic. Toxic body products can have an affect on your health. Please consider using more natural body products which can be found in some grocery stores and often in health food stores. This includes things like: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, soap, lotion, body cream, shave cream, deodorant, body sprays, and perfumes. "Nah, that wouldn't matter that much" some might say. Believe me, it does! Your skin absorbs what you put on it. This one matters. 

• Cleaning products and air fresheners are other things to be aware of. Many of them are highly toxic and even cancer causing. Please consider using more natural, less toxic cleaning products and air fresheners.    

• Certain fabrics are much better to wear than others. Natural fibers such as cotton and linen are not only more breathable and comfortable, they are better for your health. Synthetic fabrics like nylon, spandex, and polyester are not good to wear all the time. Linen (from the flax plant) is the best fabric you can wear or sleep in, but it is expensive. When shopping for clothing, underwear, and bedding, look for 100% cotton. If you enjoy sewing (for clothing), look for linen, cotton, or cotton blend fabrics.

• Electronic devices, such as smart phones, smart watches, tablets, and computers emit some level of radiation through EMF's, Electro Magnetic Frequencies. While these devices can be a blessing, they can also pose some health threats. It is not a good idea to wear them on you, and it is best to charge them at night away from where you are sleeping. There are EMF protection stickers that you can get; it is important to get one that is from a reputable company. 

• Certain cookware is better than others. Cooking with glass and stainless steel is healthier and safer than non-stick cookware. 

• For women reading this post (men, read at your own discretion): 

• Chamomile tea can help quite a bit with menstrual cramps. 

• Consider using a more natural brand of pads. (or, if you are brave, consider using cloth pads) Standard pads and tampons are made with things in them (chemicals) that aren't so good. 

• Unless you are nursing and need to wear something, take that undergarment off before going to bed. This will help your lymphatic system while you are sleeping. Make sure that undergarment (your bra) is not too tight which is not healthy for the lymphatic system. Sadly, breast cancer is on the rise. Flaxseeds and flax oil can help as a breast cancer preventative if you are eating a healthy diet. 

• Coconut water is an all natural electrolyte drink. How special is that?! Coconut water is very high in potassium and other good stuff. If you like coconut, this is a delicious drink on a warm, summer day. Usually sold for a decent price in stores. Stay away from drinks like Gatorade which are very bad for you! (often loaded with sugar and food dyes)

• When planning meals, it is a good idea to eat some fresh fruit or veggies with your meal, if possible. That can be something as simple as eating an apple, an orange, or a banana. Carrot, celery, and cucumber sticks are also great! Fresh salads with a meal are great in the summer; eat more cooked vegetables with a meal in the winter. It doesn't have to be hard or complicated. Eating fruits and vegetables that are "in season" is also a blessing for the body. God is amazing! He knows what we need, when we need it.

• Castor oil can help with scar tissue by breaking up internal adhesions. Castor oil should only be used externally, not internally. When worn as a pack, castor oil can slowly break up lumps, bumps, cysts, and tumors! Castor oil is an amazing gift from God. 

• Epson salt baths are not only enjoyable and relaxing, they can also help to raise magnesium levels in the body, a mineral that the human body needs. Many Americans are deficient in magnesium.   

• Chiropractors and massage therapists can help the human body in a tremendous way. If something is out of place, especially after an accident, a good chiropractor can often help. Massage therapists can also greatly help with certain health ailments. 

~

I'm grateful to the two women who encouraged me to start this blog back in January of 2020 when I mentioned the idea to them. I wasn't sure about doing it, but their encouragement gave me the courage I needed to do it. I never got any negative comments on this blog, which I'm thankful for, but I never got any positive comments on this blog either. And that's okay. I started this blog to simply give some helpful tips to others for better health. I hope, even in some small way, this blog has done that.

On a recent walk last month, I thought about my 41 years of life so far. My life has turned out very different than I imagined. Back in my late teen years, I expected I would get married somewhere between the ages of 20 and 25, like both of my Grandmas and my Mom. That didn't happen. And so, I continued working at a small, local grocery store. That job allowed me to pay for my personal needs and bills. It also enabled me to use the gift God gave me with music. I was able to travel and go on small mission trips, all while living at home under my Dad's roof. I'm so very thankful.  

I continued thinking on my walk... if I had known at 20 that I would still be single at 40, needing to pay for my own things, what might I have done differently? Would I have pursued a better paying job? Tears came to my eyes. I always expected that I would go from my Dad paying for all my needs to my husband paying for all my needs. I never dreamed I would pay for all of my own things someday. I believe a woman's place, single or married, is ultimately in the home. God's Word teaches that, and that is where my heart is.

I thought for a few minutes. What interests did I have, besides music, where I could have earned more than a little above minimum wage in a grocery store? And then it came to me.

A doctor. I could have become a real medical doctor. Then I realized I would not have had the money at age 20 to go to medical school to become a medical doctor. As much as I enjoy helping people, I really didn't want to be a doctor. I wanted to be a mother.   

In relaying my thoughts over the phone to a dear friend in the state of Maine, she stopped me and said,

“Erin, you could become a health coach or a nutritionist!”

As soon as she said it, I knew she had, in essence, "hit the nail on the head". 

“Ah, yes!”

That is what I have tried to do with my health blog - coach people in the right direction with health. Though I am not certified, I have learned things from others who are certified. 

A nutritionist? If I am still single at age 50 and am looking for ways to earn more income besides teaching music (harp), then I might consider that. For now, this blog has allowed me to share. 

I'm sure there are more things I could share, but I will leave that up to health coaches and nutritionists. 

Life is a precious gift. No one has the guarantee of tomorrow. Someone can have excellent health, and their life can be suddenly taken away in an accident. Someone I know, remotely, had that happen last month. I don't wish that on anyone, but it can happen. 

Live your life for God. 

God created you and loves you and wants you to enjoy life and good health. His Word says: 

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, 

or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 

1 Corinthians 10:31 

And that, dear reader, concludes this blog! 

Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor, and I have no medical training. The things I share on this blog are simple, practical things that I've learned help with good health.