Health & Wellness Moment
Columns from the Health Cabinet, published in the biweekly newsletter, Grace Notes.
March 10, 2010
Cornerstones
Health Cabinet
What is/are Cornerstones, you may ask? It is a lively group of older
adults who meet every Wednesday at 10 a.m. in the church library for
coffee, fellowship and a study of the coming Sunday's lessons, led by
one of the pastors. On the third Wednesday of each month, a worship
service at 11:30 is followed by luncheon in Fellowship Hall. The
wonderful meals are prepared by Donna Serpico and her faithful kitchen
crew.
During Advent and Lent, the group worships with the school children at
10:00 a.m. on Wednesdays, followed by fellowship, bible study, and a
meal. Luncheons are served every Wednesday during Advent and every
other Wednesday during Lent.
"So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading." Nehemiah 8:8
February 24, 2010
Support for Caregivers
Caring for a loved one with a chronic illness such as dementia, heart disease, Parkinson's disease or stroke can be stressful physically, emotionally and financially. This stressful task often falls on a spouse, sibling or adult child. The job can become frustrating, tiring and lonely. Caregivers cope with significant losses: the loss of their "normal" relationship with this partner, parent, family member, or friend; the loss of freedom that accompanies the responsibilities of caregiving; loss of income and social contacts. Caregivers may also have fears about the future. It can be hard to change and adapt and to recognize and find comfort in what is good and familiar in your relationship with the person receiving care.
Caregivers don't have to feel alone. The experience of caring for a loved one can be eased and enriched by learning from and sharing with other caregivers. Grace's Caregiver Support Ministry meets every second Friday of the month at 9:30 am in the conference room on the lower level. Anyone who is experiencing the stresses of caregiving is welcome to attend. For more information contact Grace's Parish Nurse, MaryBeth Buschmann, RN, PhD at mbuschmann@graceriverforest.org.
February 10, 2010
Finding Hope in the Midst of a Chronic Health Condition
Jenny Kemp
chronic health condition
(krän’ik helth kən dish’ən) n. An injury, illness, or condition
which may be expected to be of long duration without any reasonably
predictable date of termination, and which may be marked by recurrences
requiring continuous or periodic care as necessary
Does a chronic health condition have you down? Here at Grace we have a
wonderful and uplifting support group for people whose lives are
touched by a chronic condition. Examples of such conditions include:
asthma, cancer, CFIDS – chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction
syndrome, coronary heart disease, Crohn’s Disease, cystic fibrosis,
diabetes--types 1 and 2, fibromyalgia, headache, hypopituitarism,
infertility, multiple sclerosis, osteoarthritis, Parkinson’s Disease,
pulmonary disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and Sjogren’s syndrome, just
to name a few.
This group has a long legacy of changing lives by offering hope,
support, and understanding, creating deep and loyal friendships, and
providing insight into the many ways that chronic health conditions can
impact life and faith, both positively and negatively. Started at Grace
as an experiment of sorts well over two decades ago, this group offers
members a monthly opportunity to gather to share their experiences of
living with chronic conditions. While members often share struggles
with symptoms and challenges of faith in relation to their illnesses,
the group is truly about finding hope--in faith, in God, and in each
other, even in the midst of suffering. In sharing our honest and
authentic stories, we are able to transform our experiences
together--and leave feeling uplifted, loved, hopeful, and whole.
If your life (or that of someone you know) is impacted by a chronic
health condition, we invite you to join us. We meet at 7:15 pm in the
Grace Library on the first Tuesday evening of each month. We assure you
that we will not only provide you acceptance, loyalty, and love through
our support, but also our confidentiality. And though we cannot provide
a cure, we promise to offer you hope and healing.
For more information, please contact either of Grace’s pastors;
MaryBeth Buschmann, Grace’s Parish Nurse; or Grace member Jenny Kemp,
Finding Hope’s facilitator (jennifer.l.kemp@sbcglobal.net;
847-902-9334). Attendees need not be members of the Grace community to
be welcomed.
“May the Light shine on all your days.
It is there, despite illness, defeat, and tears.
It is eternal.” --Harvey Stower
January 27, 2010
Health & Wellness Moment
The name of the "Thinking of You" column is changing to "Health & Wellness Moment" with this issue of Grace Notes. Now that Grace Notes is on the church web site, the Health Cabinet has decided that a more user-friendly name for the column would be more helpful for you when you search for health and wellness content. The original name was selected, with permission, in remembrance of Herbert Brokering's book entitled "I Am Thinking of You" because we thought the name implied a more personal invitation to you, the reader, to read about healthy ways to uplift your body, mind and sprit. The new title describes what the column is about and it also implies that it's a short and informative article which won't take much time to read.
Please continue to take advantage of the information we share with you in mind. You will be able to search for and find previous columns in our archives. When newer information on a topic is available we will be updating the topic with this information in the archives. If there is a topic we have not covered that you wish to know more about, let the Health Cabinet know about it. We will be more than willing to write an informative Health & Wellness Moment on it.
December 30, 2009
Resolutions for a Healthy 2010
During the month of January and beyond, well intentioned resolutions to
improve personal health will be confronted many times over. It does not
seem to take long for most resolutions to be undone or forgotten. They
may include a desire to look and feel one’s best by shedding pounds,
eating healthier foods or controlling habits like smoking, alcohol
consumption, gambling or use of computer games. Maybe some are positive
and include a pledge to smile more, speak and behave more kindly toward
others, work at the food pantry, deliver meals and on and on! Some
efforts succeed and others fail, in spite of our good intentions.
Is it possible that all this energy is focused mainly on feeling good
about oneself? Is there, perhaps, an absence of awareness that a
prayerful request for the Lord’s help and support in achieving
important goals is right and good?
As we know, with God all things are possible. The scriptures tell us in
no uncertain terms that God cares about our health. Good physical and
emotional health are both goals worthy of our efforts, and are best
achieved by taking care of ourselves and our neighbors near and far. In
I Corinthians 6:19-20, St. Paul asks if we understand that our bodies
are the temple of the Holy Spirit given to us by God and that we are
not our own. Further, he reminds us that we have been bought by God
with a price: therefore we should glorify God in our bodies and minds
and feel encouraged to ask for God’s help.
During the Epiphany season we look to bind ourselves closer to our
Savior, promising, with God's help, to attend worship, speak the Word
faithfully to others, and to care for ourselves and others in our
congregation, our community and throughout the world. Improving our
personal health is an important part of this process, both for
ourselves and for others who depend on us.
December 9, 2009
Domestic Violence and Abuse
To address these issues, the Health Cabinet has formed a Domestic Violence Ministry. Seven individuals trained as first responders at Grace Lutheran Church and School have gone through an extensive 12-hour program. The trainer was Liz Leavy, Associate Director for Advocacy and Outreach at Constance Morris House. She has more than 20 years experience in the field. Constance Morris House is a domestic violence shelter serving the western suburbs of Chicago. It is also a part of Pillars, the umbrella social agency for the same area. First responders are not experts in the field, but are trained to guide survivors to the next right step in receiving help. The phone numbers for the two staff first responders and the Constance Morris House hotline are posted in the men’s and women’s bathrooms at Grace.
We are making a concerted effort to make our church family safer, to help our leaders and congregants hold accountable those who abuse, and through professional help, to assist couples in restoring their relationship (if possible) or in mourning the loss of that relationship. “There is no fear in love,” (1 John 4:18)
November 25, 2009
"Senior Moment" or Alzheimer's?
When a "senior moment" occurs it can be frustrating and also unsettling. When does that "moment" or several of those "moments" become something more? The Alzheimer's Association has listed on their website the differences between normal memory loss as we age (those "senior moments") and Alzheimer's Disease. Now is the time, during National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month, to stop and evaluate our loved ones and ourselves. Many families often don't see what's happening to a loved one right away. It is very easy to overlook those "moments" and not realize that someone close to you is in trouble.
| Signs of Alzheimer's | Typical Age-Related Changes |
| Poor judgment and decision-making | Making a bad decision once in a while |
| Inability to manage a budget | Missing a monthly payment |
| Losing track of the date or the season | Forgetting which day it is and remembering later |
| Difficulty having a conversation | Sometimes forgetting which word to use |
| Misplacing things and being unable to retrace steps to find them | Losing things from time to time |
For more information on Alzheimer's Disease and to find out the 10 early warning signs of the disease, visit the Alzheimer's Association web site.
November 11, 2009
Eating Right
We can make it our responsibility to explore healthy eating, celebrate community with food, contribute to a world where no one goes hungry at night, and promote a reverence and care for creation. All of this centers on eating right and sharing. Scripture relates to our life today as we open to what Christ is calling us to do or be, remembering that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19).
We are called to:
• Continue to eat justly, with respect for other human beings, the earth and our own bodies.
• Take our place at a warm and welcoming table of mutual accountability and support.
• Know that God is patient and loves us even when we fail and continues to draw us toward what is good.
• Take a “faith in action step” by exploring opportunities for easier access to locally grown food.
In this time of harvest, we give thanks for the many ways God is moving in and among us to create health and well-being. May we be especially grateful this month for the many blessings we see when we take a moment to appreciate what we have in abundance. Peace and health to you.
October 28, 2009
October is National Dental Hygiene Month
Good dental hygiene is instrumental not only in maintaining oral health, but also overall health.
A daily oral health care routine is essential for preventing cavities and gum disease, the most common cause of tooth loss in adults. An estimated 75 percent of Americans have some form of gum disease. Research has reported a relationship between oral health and general health as well. The American Heart Association reports that good dental hygiene may help prevent heart disease.
Problems associated with poor dental hygiene are:
• Cavities - holes in teeth that damage their structure
• Gingivitis - swollen, inflamed or bleeding gums
• Perodontitis - destruction of the ligaments and bone that support the teeth, often leading to tooth loss
• Bad breath (halitosis)
• Abscesses, pain, inability to use teeth
To maintain healthy teeth and gums, do the following as a part of a daily routine:
• Brush twice a day using fluoride toothpaste.
• Replace your toothbrush every three or four months or sooner if the bristles are frayed.
• Floss teeth at least daily.
• Eat a balanced diet and limit between-meal snacks.
Finally, remember that regular dental appointments for routine cleaning and examinations are cost effective ways of avoiding expensive interventions by taking care of oral health issues early on. You don’t want to hear your teeth saying to each other, “Get your caps on, the dentist is taking us out tonight!”
(Based in part, on an article by Dr. Jack Smith, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Clinical and Program Policy and Acting Chief Medical Officer, TRICARE Management Activity)
October 14, 2009
Mental Illness
"My son is crazy if he thinks I'll buy him a Wii!" "I'm crazy about my girlfriend."
We have all heard, and probably said, something like that at one time
or another. What, exactly, does "crazy" mean? Where do we draw the
line between "eccentric" and "crazy"? You decide.
1. Unsound; full of cracks and flaws; crooked, askew.
2. Mad, insane; impractical, erratic, unusual, out of the ordinary.
3. Infatuated, passionately preoccupied.
Mental illness frightens us for many reasons, primarily because we don't know what to expect from someone who is mentally ill. Maybe he'll pick up a knife and chase children through the house. On a shopping trip, out of nowhere, maybe she'll start screaming and throwing things. These are not unreasonable fears. But we know, now, that these people are not really "crazy," as we casually use the term. They are sick, but there is great possibility that most of them can get well.
Mental illness can be endogenous; that is, it seems to appear mysteriously and spontaneously, in a previously healthy person, from no identifiable source. Or, it can be exogenous, caused by something or someone outside the person, perhaps trauma such as war, abandonment as a child, verbal, emotional or physical abuse. Some mental illness arises as a neurochemical response to a physiological event, such as stroke, heart attack, or major surgery. Delirium, dementia, depression or extreme anxiety can appear suddenly in someone who has recently had a medication change, in type or quantity; or when someone is treated for cancer with powerful and toxic drugs. When the medication is properly adjusted or changed, the mental illness disappears.
Today, we are able to evaluate mental illness in a more dispassionate way than previously. In this "century of the brain," new technology enables researchers, psychiatrists and clinical psychologists, neurologists and neurosurgeons to actually watch the brain function as it responds to different stimuli. New therapies are being developed that combine appropriate medication, talking therapy, yoga, acupuncture, and behavior modification. Hopefully, the new knowledge gathered will reduce the stigma of mental illness and bring it into the open as has been done with breast cancer. With enough familiarity, education, and honest conversation, we can, as a Christian community, begin to neutralize, if not the diagnosis, as least the negative connotation of the label mental illness.
Sometimes we fear becoming involved with a person who is ill; we worry that we do not have adequate resources of time, energy, and patience; that we will become trapped in a relationship with a person whose needs we cannot meet. But the major deterrent to compassion is not inadequate resources, but our seemingly innate proclivity for judgment. We look at mental illness from a moral point of view, and that is hard to change. The bad news is that we often ignore, denigrate, run from, criticize and punish what we do not understand or think we can deal with. The good news is, as Christians, individually and as a community, we believe and are called to walk a different path, that of compassion (com=with & passion=suffering); to walk with someone, to accompany him in the suffering of his difficult journey. We didn't cause the illness and we can't cure it. The only resource we need to bring along is love.
You can learn more about advocacy for people with mental illness from the web site of the Lutheran Network for Mental Illness, a joint effort of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod.
September 30, 2009
About Pain
Acute pain is our body’s warning sign that something is wrong and needs to be attended to right away. This pain usually happens as a result of illness, injury, or surgery. Acute pain gets better as the body begins to heal.
Chronic pain, on the other hand, is pain that lasts long after the initial injury, illness or surgery. It can be difficult to find out where the pain is coming from and even more difficult to treat it. Many of us learn to live with it. However, pain, even in older adults, is not normal. You should see your health care professional to help you relieve a repetitive chronic pain. The more a specific chronic pain repeats itself, the more your brain remembers it.
In addition to physical pain, we experience and express pain of all kinds during our lives. Therefore, remember what the Psalmist prays, “I am suffering and in pain. Rescue me, O God, by your saving power.” Psalm 69:29 (NLT)
September 16, 2009
A Fall Refresher Course by Stephen Kaufman
The media has declared that, “summer is over.” What!!??
Doesn’t it run until September 21, followed by the most glorious season of the year in the Midwest? Fall, a season of sunshine, dry, cool weather and nature in transition!
Don’t get trapped into the notion that just because school starts and Congress is back in session that the fun is over. As individuals and communities, we need to allow for continued enjoyment of God’s gifts in nature as a distraction from all the renewed noise to work, work, work. Although a tough assignment, try turning away from the reminder for endless productivity and the allure of fall sports. Instead, take in a day trip to a rural or local venue displaying nature in all her seasonal glory.
A few examples of websites to explore for such experiences are:
www.garfield-conservatory.org
www.chicagoparkdistrict.com
www.mortonarb.org
www.lpzoo.org
www.county.milwaukee.gov/router.asp?docid=10113
www.county.milwaukee.gov/MitchellParkConserva10116.htm
www.brookfieldzoo.org
www.chicago-botanic.org
www.millenniumpark.org
www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chi-0906-fall-colors1sep06,0,1824684.story
Remember that winter can seem long and lacking in color, warmth and motivation to be out and about. Some stored-up experiences, taking in nature at her best while the weather is comfortable, can do wonders to keep us mentally alert and satisfied until the first cotyledons of spring appear.
September 2, 2009
Advanced Care Planning
There is no easy way to plan for future healthcare choices. It’s a process that involves thinking and talking about complex and sensitive issues.
You make choices on a daily basis - choices about where you want to live, who you want to marry, your career, your home, your life. Perhaps one of the most important choices facing you is in your choice for future medical care. Who decides when enough is enough? You do, or least you should. You should decide about the kind of care you want while you are capable of making your own decisions.
Technology today has advance to a point where patients with little or no nope of recovery can be kept alive indefinitely. That has made it more important than ever for people to express how they feel, and discuss what kind of care they would want if they would become unable to make their own decisions.
Think about the kind of treatment you would want, and talk about it with your loved ones and your healthcare provider. Talking about these issues may not be easy; there may be resistance, even denial. Many people are uncomfortable talking about living at the end of life. Yet putting loved ones in the position of have to make decisions for you can be most difficult. Discussing your choices now can help. Talk about the kind of care you want and then put it in writing. Making your choices known is a gift to your loved ones. Research shows that loved ones usually go for more treatment, not less, when they don’t know the person’s choices.
Notice, it says talk first, then put it in writing. For years we have encouraged people to have advanced directives (the legal form of making your wishes known and appointing a healthcare agent). However, we have found that once people get the form done, they forget about it, don’t know where they put it, have not updated it in years, and sometimes don’t even tell their agents that they have been appointed.
To remedy this problem, Pastor Modahl and MaryBeth Buschmann, Parish Nurse, have been trained in helping people work through this process. Please do not hesitate to contact one of us for help in taking action NOW.
(Training supported by a grant, “Someone Who is Trusted,” to Advocate Healthcare by “Respecting Choices” of Gunderson Lutheran Medical Foundation.)
August 2009
Back to School: Safety First
As we get into back-to-school mode, we should remind ourselves and our kids that safety is part of going to and from school every day. Students need to watch out, not only for cars and trains (if you live near the train tracks), but also uneven sidewalks and street construction sites. Remind them again (even if it's the thousandth time) to wear helmets if they ride their bikes to school, pay attention to the crossing guard, don't assume cars will stop, and buckle up that seat belt when riding in any car.
As parents and drivers we need to pay attention, too. Expect the unexpected. Yield to pedestrians in cross-walks -- it's the law. Bicycles and pedestrians are vulnerable, so give them some room. Later on, in winter, make sure as best you can that your sidewalks are free of snow and ice.
There are many statistics about how many kids are injured or killed each year while walking or riding to and from school. Instead of dwelling on numbers, focus on good safety practices at home and while driving. Make sure the kids know that safety is important. Caution, common-sense and respect for others go a long way to preventing injuries.
July 2009
Vulnerable Children
Vulnerable: (1) capable of being physically or emotionally wounded (2) open to attack or damage. Today, we often hear a child spoken about as being 'at risk'. Risk: (1) the possibility of loss or injury (2) to expose to hazard or danger. Within both of these terms is the implication of 'potential harm', not of woundedness or injury already accomplished. and therein lies our hope. Hope for what? Hope that for our children, we can prevent potential damage from being actualized. Hope that we can lovingly, faithfully, and confidentially identify the vulnerable children in our midst who are struggling, no matter the cause.
It is well known that severe injury, domestic violence, and especially the death of a parent or sibling generate feelings of anger, powerlessness, grief and loss. Less well understood is the effect of purposeful abuse. If a child is traumatized by bullying and marginalization because he is struggling in the classroom or lacks athletic skill, the injury goes deep. Experiences of trauma-no matter the cause-can thrust an emotionally vulnerable child into social isolation, trouble in school, and an ever-decreasing sense of self and place within school, social and familial communities.
Scholastic difficulties are not hard to spot. A student struggles in the classroom and is
'set apart'. Is he just lazy and won't do his homework? Is she dyslexic? Does he have AD/HD? Does she need glasses to see the board?
Athletically, a child enjoys little success on the ball field. He is chosen last for every team and never seems to have the right shoes. He becomes an 'outsider', and his exclusion from the social life of his class sets him up to become like the weakest lamb in the flock upon whom the wolves have set their sights. To a child who is threatened with or subjected to actual emotional or physical abuse, 'hazard or danger' can feel as real as it does to the weakest lamb.
This kind of behavior, identifying 'who's in' and 'who's out', seems to be universal; possibly it originated in some ancient part of our brains where 'to belong' meant 'to live'. Today, to 'not belong' is to constantly remind a child of his lack of 'worth' among his peers. He has nothing to contribute that anybody is interested in, so he turns inward to neutralize the pain of being 'nobody, nowhere', a person of little value. A traumatized child can develop a life-long sense of emptiness sparking depression or intense anger that can later manifest in self-destructive behavior, homicide and/or suicide. She is primed for feeling that a rich and satisfying life is for others, but not for her.
As parents, grandparents, teachers and friends, we feel confident that we have created a loving and supportive community where children learn and worship, within the caring embrace of the church. For the most part, we have. But we can do better. In this period of economic and social upheaval, we can either pull inward and 'take care of our own', or step over the crumbling boundaries of the world, as we know it, and reach out with awareness for the children who are slipping through the cracks, who lack for no physical necessity, but for someone to say, "Yes, I see you." "Yes, I want to know what happened today". "What you are thinking about matters to me, because you matter."
June 2009
June is Men’s Health Month
This article is offered as a reminder that men need to be attentive to maintaining a healthy life style and establishing a relationship with a primary care physician or nurse practitioner. The article is based on the brochure "Men: Stay Healthy at Any Age—Your Checklist for Health" published by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD.
Top health experts from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force suggest men should talk to their doctor or nurse practitioner about how they can stay healthy no matter what their age. The most important things men can do to stay healthy fall into the following areas:
Screening Tests for Men: What Men Need and When
Talk to the doctor or nurse practitioner about which ones apply and when and how often to be tested.
• Obesity: Have body mass index (BMI) calculated to screen for obesity.
• High cholesterol: Have cholesterol checked regularly starting at age 35, or younger if diabetic, presence of high blood pressure, if heart disease runs in the family, or if one smokes.
• High blood pressure: High blood pressure is 140/90 or higher.
• Colorectal cancer: Test for colorectal cancer starting at age 50. If there is family history of colorectal cancer, there may be need to be screened earlier.
• Diabetes: Test for diabetes if high blood pressure or high cholesterol is present.
• Depression: Emotional/spiritual health is as important as physical health.
• Sexually transmitted infections: Talk to the doctor or nurse practitioner to see whether testing is appropriate.
• Abdominal aortic aneurysm. Between the ages of 65 and 75 anyone who has ever smoked (100 or more cigarettes during your lifetime), may need to be screened once.
Daily Steps to Health
• Don't smoke. If a smoker, talk to the doctor or nurse practitioner about quitting.
• Be physically active. Start small and work up to 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity.
• Eat a healthy diet. Emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat products; lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, nuts; foods low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.
• Stay at a healthy weight.
• Drink alcohol only in moderation. No more than two drinks a day. (Standard drink is two 12-ounce beers or wine coolers, two 5-oz. glass of wine, or 3 oz. of 80-proof spirits.)
Should You Take Medicines to Prevent Disease?
• Aspirin: Ask doctor or nurse practitioner about aspirin as a cardiovascular disease preventive.
• Immunizations: Stay up-to-date with immunizations, i.e., a flu shot every year starting at age 50; a pneumonia shot once after age 64.
"Recognizing and preventing men's health problems is not just a man's issue. Because of its impact on wives, mothers, daughters, and sisters, men's health is truly a family issue." Congressman Bill Richardson
May 2009
Hypertension - The Silent Killer
Have you checked your blood pressure lately?
Nine out ten Americans are at high risk of developing high blood pressure. Hypertension is blood pressure that is consistently higher than normal. In most cases it is called essential hypertension because there is no specific medical cause to explain it. Our goal is to maintain a healthy blood pressure reading of 115/75 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) or less. A consistent blood pressure reading of 120/80 to 139/89 mmHg is considered prehypertension. Values higher than these are considered hypertension.
If you are overweight, smoke, eat a high salt diet, excessively consume alcohol, have a family history of high blood pressure, and have been diagnosed with prehypertension, you are at a high risk. Some medications, stress, and drinking caffeine can elevate blood pressure as well. Hypertension is a condition that most people will have to deal with at some point in their lives.
What is scary is that often there are no signs or symptoms to high blood pressure. Hence, it is often referred to as “the silent killer." The only way to find out if one has it is to be tested for it. A main concern is that the organs and tissues in the body can be damaged without any symptoms until it is too late to do anything about it. If left uncontrolled, high blood pressure is a stroke waiting to happen.
The bad news is that once developed high blood pressure usually cannot be cured. The good news is that in most cases it can be prevented and controlled. Steps can be taken to prevent it by implementing a healthy lifestyle. That can be done by maintaining a healthy weight; being physically active; following a diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and low fat dairy foods; and drinking alcoholic beverages in moderation, choosing and preparing foods with less salt and sodium. The current recommendation for sodium intake is less than 24,000 milligrams (a little more than 1.5 tablespoons) per day. If hypertension has already been developed a lifestyle change is not sufficient to lower blood pressure enough, and many people need to take one or more medication to bring it down to a healthy level.
It is important to remember that even if you have not been diagnosed with high blood pressure that you have it checked during your yearly check-up, especially if there is a family history. Also remember to stop by our Health Cabinet table on the fourth Sunday of every month. There is a qualified health cabinet member who can check it for you.
Spring is here! Let’s get out and enjoy the beauty that God has provided to us. Walking is a low impact activity that most of us can participate in to help us maintain health. Let’s celebrate. Alleluia!
April 2009
Humor is Healthy
We are a serious people. This may be particularly true if your heritage is German or Scandinavian Lutheran (or if your birth order is an only or an oldest). There is certainly plenty to be serious about these days. In addition to the routine stressors of daily life, we have an economic climate of uncertainty and depression. Our moods reflect this state of being. We are more on edge, more fearful, and sadder.
Last month was National Humor Month. Unless one had a reason to take note of these innocuous, nationalized topics of the month, (like writing for Thinking of You), it probably went unnoticed. But if we reflect on this topic of last month, how was the state of your humor? (Yes, it was Lent.) How many smiles did you share? How many times did you laugh till your sides hurt?
Proverbs 17:22 observes, “A merry heart does good like a medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.”
Our emotional response to stressors – fear and/or anger - can have adaptive purposes. But when experienced for too long, and too frequently, the physiological impact can have negative consequences for the body, mind, and spirit.
Bob Hope, many years ago, used laughter to help the military troops cope, in a healthy way, with the incredible stressors of war. George Burns used humor to lighten the journey into old age. Norman Cousins, author of Anatomy of an Illness, lauded the effects of laughter on his physical well-being in his pursuit of health and healing. The American Cancer Society discusses laughter therapy as a way to reduce tension, decrease blood pressure, and reduce stress hormones. Some say a good belly laugh is a massage for the internal organs of our bodies.
When we are in good humor, when we laugh, we connect with others. It is hard not to love the people you laugh with. Laughing at yourself can also help you to love yourself, and others, more. Life will always have opportunities to be serious. Let us love the life we are given. Laugh often, laugh loud, love more – your self included.
With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come.
William Shakespeare
March 2009
Our Faith and Lent
This is the time of year as the weather gets warmer and we need to do more exercising, we ask "how do we have the time?"
In Sunday's Chicago Tribune, Julie Deardorff writes, "When you can't get to the gym, exercise the way our ancestors did; move throughout the day. But real-world fitness--walking, standing, raising and lifting grocery bags, cutting vegetables or climbing stairs--isn't just cheaper than going to a health club. It's easier to incorporate into your daily life and works the body naturally." Instead of taking an elevator a few floors, walk the steps; park away from the front door of the grocery store; stand and walk around while talking on the telephone, etc. St. Peter says, "Your bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit."
We are getting near the last days of Lent when we have been thinking and talking about exercising our spiritual lives by attending Lenten services, having family devotions, and private devotions that have directed our thoughts to our unworthiness before God. We also recognize no amount of exercising either physically or spiritually will fulfill God's demands for us.
Salvation takes place when we awake to the fact that we are lost. We need God. As we permit him to speak to us, we realize that he has found us. We may feel that we are not worth so much of his love and attention. But he lets us know that we are. Just by confessing our sinfulness and asking for his forgiveness brings his great gifts full into our lives. Now we begin living with him intimately as a child does with a parent. To continue to sorrow for our sin after it is forgiven is not the will of God for us.
March 2009
Life's Transitions
by Carol Prinz and Jackie Jungemann
“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
This is a promise from God for each one of us. However, we all experience bumps in the road and detours in our lives that we don’t expect. We all experience losses and changes in our lives for which we are unprepared. What do we do then? First, we must ask ourselves some questions. From what do we want to heal? It could be loss of a job or a home, death of a cherished pet, change in a relationship, our own declining health or that of a family member, or the death of a family member. This includes maturing couples when one spouse will become the caregiver for the other spouse, and when they will be not a couple anymore, but become “just one!” What do we want to let go? Anger, sadness, frustration, hurt, stress, and bitterness. How do we want to live again? In our new normal, we want joy, hope, anticipation, peace, and to live each day as a gift from God.
Besides turning to God in prayer, we need to turn to one another for support. Uplift Ministry is here for you. Its statement of purpose says:
“Uplift Ministry is a group designed to offer support to people who are experiencing loss. Our purpose in gathering is twofold. We come to talk out our feelings and we also come to bring our past experiences as a help and resource to others. We wish to create a venue where people are comfortable sharing their stories and their inner feelings. Though all our losses have similar components, no one’s loss is exactly like anyone else’s loss. We want to share what has worked for us, but we are not here to preach or to tell others what they ought to do. We are not here to judge or to fix anyone. We are here to share the love of God through our compassion and experience. You yourself must do the work of adapting, growing, changing and healing. We ask God’s blessing upon our efforts.”
Finally, let us follow with patience the particular course that God has set before us and let us keep our eyes on Jesus.
February 2009
Alternative Medicine
by Chandler Barnes, M. D.
While I practice traditional medicine, I realize that centuries of health practices throughout the world have not been all wrong. Acupuncture received its first serious attention from westerners when President Nixon was traveling in China. One of his staffers developed appendicitis and was treated successfully at a Chinese hospital using acupuncture as anesthesia. The success of acupuncture led to the acceptance of complementary practices into western medical practice.
Today, current medical journals suggest that eating nutritious foods obviates the need for supplemental vitamins. Yet we know that a type of macular degeneration can sometimes be reversed using high doses of vitamins A, C, and E. Would taking these vitamins prevent it? Traditional medicine also believes that vitamin D deficiency may be linked to cancers and may contribute to osteoporosis--something that complementary medicine practice had held for many years. Many primary care physicians are now prescribing vitamin D. Cod liver oil is coming back as a daily supplement to alleviate minor joint pain and dry skin.
Homeopathy is also increasing in popularity. Homeopathy is based on the principle that “like cures like.” In other words, if you have an illness, you ingest a very small amount of a substance that can produce a "similar" illness, hopefully stimulating the body's immune system to heal itself. One particular substance gaining ground is the use of arnica in preventing bruising.
Another hot topic today is the issue of bio-identical hormones. Traditional estrogen and progesterone replacement hormones were taken from a female horse. While they truly helped relieve menopausal symptoms, they also increased the risk of breast cancer. Others have jumped on the bio-identical hormone bandwagon, believing that if a hormone is natural it can't be bad. However, there are no studies that prove bio-identical hormones are any safer than equine hormones. Women with severe symptoms should discuss these issues with their primary care doctor or their gynecologist.
January 2009
Shingles
Shingles is a viral infection that produces a painful rash. Also known as herpes zoster, it most often appears as a band of blisters that wraps from the middle of the back around one side of the chest to the breastbone. It follows the path of a nerve where the virus has been inactive. Other parts of your body can be involved, including around one eye, your neck, face or scalp. This is an important sign to help diagnose shingles.
Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. Anyone who has had chickenpox can develop shingles. After experiencing chickenpox, the virus lies inactive (dormant) in certain nerves. The reason for the reactivation of the virus is unclear, but most cases occur in adults over 60. While it is suspected that the reason for the reactivation is a lowered immunity as the result of another disease process or medical conditions, certain concurrent medical treatments, it believed that the body’s aging process is the most common reason. Most people develop shingles only once, but recurrences are possible.
Contact your doctor promptly if you suspect shingles but especially if:
• The pain and rash occur near eyes.
• You or someone in your family has a weakened immune system.
• The rash is widespread and painful.
An episode of shingles usually heals on its own within a few weeks, but prompt treatment can ease pain, speed healing and reduce your risk of complications. Treatment may include an antiviral drug to reduce the duration and severity of symptoms, an anti-inflammatory drug to ease inflammation, and pain relievers.
Finally, in addition to any medications it is essential to get plenty of rest and avoid stress, both of which can worsen pain. Relaxation techniques, including listening to music reading, watching movies or working on a hobby are also helpful.
About 20% of people who develop shingles, experience pain in the same spot long after the blisters have cleared. This condition is known as postherpetic neuralgia. It is not dangerous, but can be very uncomfortable.
To offer the best protection against post herpetic neuralgia and too reduce the course and severity of shingles, the shingles vaccine can help prevent shingles in adults age 60 and older who have had chickenpox. Anyone who has never had chicken pox, however, should consider being vaccinated with the chickenpox vaccine to protect against chicken pox in the first place.
Sources
www.mayoclinic.com
The Merck Manual
January 2009
Domestic Violence Ministry
Striving to live a righteous life does not ensure that one will be protected from the sinfulness of another. Survey research in the United States since the 1970s consistently shows that around 1 in 5 women report being victims of physical assaults from a current or former partner over the course of their lifetime. Although many describe domestic violence as only physical assault of women, this crisis affects the whole family emotionally and spiritually. To be very clear, we at Grace Lutheran define domestic violence as any kind of behavior that a person uses to control an intimate individual through fear and intimidation. This includes all forms of physical, sexual, psychological, verbal, and economic abuse.
To address these issues, the Health Cabinet has formed a Domestic Violence Ministry. We have seven individuals trained as first responders at Grace Lutheran Church and School. They have gone through an extensive 12-hour program. The trainer was Liz Leavy, Associate Director for Advocacy and Outreach at Constance Morris House. She has over 20 years experience in the field. Constance Morris House is a domestic violence shelter which serves the western suburbs of Chicago. It is also a part of Pillars, which is the umbrella social agency for the same area. First responders are not experts in the field, but are trained to guide survivors to the next right step in receiving help. The phone numbers for the two staff first responders and the Constance Morris House hotline, are posted in the men’s and women’s bathrooms at Grace.
We are making a concerted effort to make our church family safer, to help our leaders and congregants hold accountable those who abuse, and through professional help, to assist couples in restoring their relationship (if possible) or in mourning the loss of that relationship. “There is no fear in love,” 1 John 4:18.
