I am very pleased to announce that the October 2017 issue of the Midwest Book Review online book review magazine "Small Press Bookwatch" features a review of "Remedy: How I Cured The Incurable".

This was the only selection under the Health/Medicine Shelf. It was an honor to receive this distinction for Remedy as Midwest Book Review is completely independent in their reviews and highly respected in the industry. Find the review here.

Critique from Midwest Book Review: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Remedy: How I Cured The Incurable" is a 'must read" for the estimated 60 to 80 million Americans suffer from digestive ailments. While unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Alternative Medicine instructional reference collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Remedy: How I Cured The Incurable" is also available in a digital book format.

Available in paperback and eBook. Use the eBook “Look Inside” option for a preview. Amazon Link

"Winter is Coming" was the first episode of the HBO thrilling series Game of Thrones.

While that is an excellent show to watch, people suffering or susceptible to IBD should be concerned about winter coming for other reasons if they live in northern latitudes. With the season change comes the cold, shorter days, and cloudy skies. This means less natural Vitamin D..

There are a few reasons to be concerned about this and why someone with IBD should consider taking supplemental Vitamin D.

Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin. Take away the sunshine and there goes the Vitamin D because it is produced when the sun's ultra-violet rays hit the skin.

Epidemiological research shows people who live in northern latitudes are more at risk of having inadequate levels of Vitamin D compared to those who live in southern latitudes.

A study published in the journal Gut shows geography also affects the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): increasing latitude of residence was linked to an elevated incidence of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis in a population of American women. Another study published in the journal Gastroenterology demonstrated a connection between higher Vitamin D status and lower Crohn’s disease, suggesting greater Vitamin D intake is a means of decreasing the risk of Crohn’s disease. Emerging research is pointing to Vitamin D and its role in the inflammatory process, and as a factor in the disease activity in patients with IBD, according to Dr. Gilaad Kaplan, a gastroenterologist with a research interest in IBD and Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary. 

As if this is not enough of a reason to take supplemental Vitamin D during the winter months, here is another one: A high prevalence of Osteoporosis is associated with Crohn’s and Colitis. One of the risk factors for Crohn’s and Colitis patients developing Osteoporosis is inadequate levels of Vitamin D.

There are two choices that I know of for adding supplemental Vitamin D. One is through purchasing capsules at the health food store. Another means is having a physician prescribe sublingual Vitamin D drops. These are typically available through prescription via compounding pharmacies.

One other thing, it is outside of the scope of this posting to delve into dosage levels. Recommendations for dosage levels do vary depending on the source from what I have seen. It is best to consult with your physician especially if you are taking other prescription medications.

Many, many thanks to Jackie for providing this excellent post. :-) Visit her at hyper-tidy.com.

If you live with the symptoms of chronic pain, you are already well aware of exactly how disruptive and debilitating it can be. Everything from the weather outside to the foods we eat can trigger excruciating pain. Persistent, ongoing pain episodes can prevent you from enjoying your favorite activities. Even worse, your symptoms can linger for weeks, months, years, or even decades.
 
Some forms of chronic pain - such as migraine headaches - are among the most common health conditions in the world. Unfortunately, many over-the-counter and prescription pain medications are not helpful in completely relieving chronic pain symptoms. This is leading to an epidemic in abuse of pain relief medications.
 
Luckily, there are still ways that you can manage your chronic pain symptoms - possibly even without turning to medications. Here are some natural solutions and lifestyle changes that might provide you some much-needed light at the end of the tunnel:

1. Switch to safer cleaning products
   One step in managing your symptoms is to reduce the amount of chemicals and toxins in your home. Not only is this better for the environment and healthier for your family; it’s also less likely to trigger a pain episode.
   
   Research shows us that chemicals and toxins are triggers for chronic pain. Natural cleaning products such as essential oils, do not contain these harmful chemicals and toxins.
   
   According to Dr. Amy Neuzil, ND, “Many viruses can become chronic and often show up as non-specific symptoms or diseases” which might include fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue or even chronic pain. This is why chemical-free household cleaners and naturally-derived essential oils, such as four thieves or eucalyptus, can be especially useful to those of us with chronic pain.
   
   
2. Use natural pain killers
   As anyone with chronic pain already knows, pain medications don’t always work and can lead to addiction. Switching to natural pain killers helps you to feel better without having to worry about addiction or putting harmful chemicals into your body. For instance, marjoram essential oil has been used for generations to reduce pain and ease muscle cramps - among other things.
   
   
3. Ask for help
   Simple chores such as cleaning your home can be surprisingly difficult when you are living with chronic pain. Try to keep your home as tidy and manageable as possible, but give yourself permission to ask for help if you need it. See if a friend or family member will help you, or consider hiring a housekeeper. Do whatever you can to relieve yourself of some pain and worry.
   
   To help reduce stress, experts suggest minimizing your workload whenever possible. If it is within your budget, you might want to consider hiring help with particularly painful and/or difficult household tasks. This might include chores such as high dusting, vacuuming, or giving the dog a bath. If you are unable to afford a housekeeper, you may want to ask a trusted friend, family member, or loved one if they might be able to help you. Our loved ones don’t want to watch us suffer, and there’s a good chance that someone you know might be willing to assist.

 
These are just a few of the ways that you can begin to heal your body from chronic pain. Although some chronic pain conditions clear up on their own, others might last a lifetime. It is important to manage your symptoms and help your body heal itself, so that you can get back to a quality of life that you enjoy.



Photo courtesy of Unsplash by Angie Franklin
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If you are afflicted with a critical debilitative illness and are not a praying person, now would be an excellent time to start. Prayer changes things, and there are a number of scientific studies that show it can hasten healing, both mental and physical.

And of course there is my story. Prayer and Faith were a big part of my healing. :-) 

Here is a video from Oprah's Soul Series. It is a three-part interview with Dr. Larry Dossey about the power of prayer and its place in modern medicine.

I'm very excited to announce that my book "REMEDY: How I Cured the Incurable" has been published and  is now available for the summer reading season. 

I am excited to be able to provide this item for your health and healing. I apologize for the delays but in the end you will be receiving a better product.

eBook, and Published Paperback book versions . These may be ordered through Amazon, and through traditional book stores such as Barnes & Noble & Books A Million. 

Barnes & Noble Link

Amazon Link

Support your local bookstore when possible. They are able to order my book as well. Click the screen grab below for great service from a local store near me. :-)

For persistent coughs and tickly throats:

Combine the following in a pot over medium heat until simmering:
3/4 cup unfiltered honey
1/2 cup water
1 whole lemon cut in fours
1 inch ginger root diced
AND 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

Remove the mixture from heat and let steep, covered for 10 minutes. Strain the cough syrup into a sealed glass jar and refrigerate. Take as needed.

Happy Holidays :-)

I had a cold this holiday. With a cough and sore throat. For those in a similar situation having a sore throat is horrible for getting to sleep.  So, to help those out in similar need I am providing two remedies that I took.  The first one is in this post.

Add the following to a mug:
2 teaspoons crumbled dried sage leaves OR 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

1 teaspoon dried astragalus root

Add boiling water and steep for 5 minutes

For best results, drink one cup twice a day.

There are two routes to take for the air that you want to breathe. One is to obtain clean air and the other is to obtain more oxygen. I will discuss one option for clean air today and will discuss how to obtain more oxygen in a future post.

HIMALAYAN CRYSTAL SALT LAMPS—The beneficial effects of salt lamps have been known for decades. Salt lamps emit negative ions, which work like natural ionizers keeping the air clean. Negative ions attach themselves to dust, pollen, mold, and odors. This is known to be very beneficial to respiratory health. Salt lamps also minimize the effect of positive ions from electronic devices. I like the lamp from Evolution Salt Co.

They are hand crafted.  PH. 877-868-7979 Website. www.evolutionsalt.com
My Salt Lamp is shown above. The natural color of the lamp reinforces the rejuvenating and healing influence. Just ask Snoopy and Woodstock. Don’t they look content?

Another common way that is gaining popularity to forget current issues and troubles is meditation. Maybe you are convinced that you cannot meditate or do not have the time. Maybe you think it is only for the yogi teacher. Consider this example: fantasy football is a very popular gaming event. Say John Doe is a hardworking man with a wife and two kids. He is kept up at night with worries about the economy and feeding his family. Then when he wake up in the morning while sipping on a cup of coffee these same worries enter his mind yet again. His day starts with worry. 

John arrives at the subway station. He buys the days newspaper before hoping on the 8:00AM express. Enroute, he turns to the sports page to evaluate the stats of the day for the players on his fantasy football team. This so engrosses John that he thinks of nothing else for the next 20 minutes of the trek. He is calm and focused on his team. All of the days worries are forgotten for that moment.

This is a form of meditation. His mind is focused and relaxed. The only difference is what he is focused on. If you meditate and focus on God then that is in essence prayer. 
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