Happy and Blessed Monday!

We are going to travel down a health pathway this week.  Arthritis affects me personally, and because many of us are at an age that if it doesn’t yet, it may in the future.

As we have talked about so often in the past, diet affects many aspects of life and especially our health.

I came across a video talking about the “5 Worst Foods for Arthritis” and thought it was worth sharing.

You will notice, I spent more time on trans fat.  They are not only very dangerous to our health, but included in many convenience/fast foods.

 

1. Gluten – A major trigger for inflammation.

   Gluten is a general name for the proteins found in wheat (wheatberries, durum, emmer, semolina, spelt, farina, farro, graham, KAMUT® khorasan wheat and einkorn), rye, barley and triticale – a cross between wheat and rye. Gluten helps foods maintain their shape, acting as a glue that holds food together. Gluten can be found in many types of foods, even ones that would not be expected.
   2. Trans Fats– Trans fats are a type of dietary fat.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Of all the fats, trans fat is the worst for your health. Too much trans fat in your diet increases your risk for heart disease and other health problems. Trans fats are made when food makers turn liquid oils into solid fats, like shortening or margarine.  Examples of some of the most common trans fats are:                                                                                                               A. Vegetable Shortening
   Vegetable shortening made from partially hydrogenated oil was invented as a cheap substitute for butter. However, due to its high trans fat content, most manufacturers have now reduced or totally eliminated trans fats.
   B. Some Varieties of Microwavable Popcorn
   If you prefer microwavable varieties, choose brands and flavors that don’t contain partially hydrogenated oil. Alternatively, make your own popcorn on the stovetop or in an air popper — it’s simple and cheap.
   C. Certain Margarines and Vegetable Oils
   Partially hydrogenated oils contain trans fats. To reduce your trans fat intake, avoid all vegetable oils and margarines that list partially hydrogenated oil on the ingredient list — or use other cooking fats, such as butter, olive oil or coconut oil.
   D. Fried Fast Foods
   It can be hard to avoid trans fats from fried food, so you are better off limiting your intake of fried food altogether.
   E. Bakery Products
   Bakery products are often made from vegetable shortening and margarine, which were previously high in trans fats. Most companies have reduced the trans fat content in these
   products, resulting in less trans fat in baked goods.  Best choice would be to make your own baked foods at home so that you can control the ingredients.
   F. Non-Dairy Coffee Creamers
   To avoid trans fat from these products, select non-dairy varieties without partially hydrogenated oil or use alternatives, such as whole milk, cream or half-and-half, if you’re not restricting dairy altogether.
   G. Other Sources
   Trans fats can also be found in smaller amounts in a range of other foods, including:
   potato chips, crackers, pies, pizza and canned frosting. Even if a product lists 0 grams of trans fat on the label, check the ingredients list for partially hydrogenated oil.

   3.     Blackened/Barbequed Foods 

Although delicious, crusty seared or grilled meats may exacerbate inflammation. Researchers at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York found that frying, roasting, searing or grilling certain foods at high temperatures produces compounds called advanced glycation end products (AGEs)

A number of studies published in the past two decades have also turned up evidence that eating charred, smoked, and well-done meat could raise cancer risk—pancreatic, colorectal, and prostate cancers, in particular.
          4. Alcohol

For some types of arthritis, alcohol is called a trigger food because it dehydrates or because it may cause more inflammation, which can make symptoms worse as well. Alcohol may also interact with either prescription or over-the-counter drugs you may be taking to treat arthritis.

          5.Sugar 

Eating excess sugar causes the body to produce more cytokines, which are inflammatory proteins. People with arthritis already have high levels of cytokines, so increasing inflammation can make them feel worse.

So, know your own body and evaluate what effects these foods may have on you.  I will warn you, they are difficult to get away from.  As always,

Pray Unceasingly!! 

Lois

References:

Adler A, Holub B. Effect of garlic and fish-oil supplementation on serum lipid and lipoprotein concentrations in hypercholesterolemic men. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1997 Feb;65(2):445-50.

NIAMS, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA. Arthritis & Rheumatology (Impact Factor: 7.87).06/1998; 41(5):778-99. DOI: 10.1002/1529-0131(199805)41:5<778::AID-ART4>3.0.CO;2-V Source: PubMed

Hürlimann, David, Frank Enseleit, and Priv-Doz Dr Frank Ruschitzka. “Rheumatoide arthritis, inflammation und atherosklerose.” Herz 29.8 (2004): 760-768.

Schett, Georg. “Rheumatoid arthritis: inflammation and bone loss.” Wiener Medizinische Wochenschrift 156.1-2 (2006): 34-41.

Happy New Year to you all!

As we begin yet another year, I find myself contemplating, not only the coming year but the one gone by also.  The last couple of years have been full of ups and downs.  There have been failures and there have been accomplishments.  What I have learned in my lifetime though is that they are all learning experiences so there can be no failures, just accomplishments.  It is from what you have learned that you grow and move forward.  If you did something that didn’t work, do it differently until it does work. Listen to experience.

We have just come through Advent, a season of expectancy.  We are waiting for our Savior.  He came once and He WILL come again!  Rejoice and be ready!

Every single day we have survived and every single day that’s coming, there should be gratitude.   I can never express fully how grateful I am.  God is so good!  And if my day doesn’t go quite as planned, then I pray I am still grateful and count it as a learning experience!  If I don’t feel great, there are so many who wish they could feel as well as I do.  That turns it into a humbling experience.  Be grateful!

No matter what… trust Jesus!!  He knows what’s been and He knows what’s coming.  Trust Him and give Him the glory!

Pray Unceasingly!!

Lois

Happy, Blessed Monday!

Here we are, only days from Christmas.  Are you ready?

There is always the business of Christmas with shopping, wrapping and cooking, But there’s so much more!

Immanuel, “God with us” has come.

This is what started it all.  The shepherds, the kings, nor the angels were called to celebrate the coming of old St. Nick, but instead, a tiny baby boy born to peasants!  They came to bow down and celebrate His much-anticipated arrival!  This tiny boy who would change the world!

This coming had been watched for over many centuries, many probably gave up waiting.  That’s the way waiting is sometimes though.  We are an impatient group of humans.  We want it and we want it now.

Once again, we wait.  We wait for the second coming.  This time, Jesus will come for His bride.  Are you ready?

Pray Unceasingly!!

Lois

 

A Prayer For Peace – YouVersion

Know God, Find Peace

Imagine you’re a shepherd in first century Bethlehem. Sheep surround you, but others won’t because of your work, your clothes, and your status.

For generations your family has said, “God has promised that it’s going to get better.” But you’re beginning to wonder: “is that really true?” Then one night everything changes. An angel appears and tells you that a Savior has been born.

Immanuel, “God with us” has come.

One day, this same child will take on the weight of all our wrongdoing by dying on a cross. And because of His sacrifice, we’re invited to live peacefully with God at all times, in all circumstances. So right now, let’s thank Jesus for His sacrifice and the peace we have because of Him.

A Prayer for Peace God,

Even when my life feels chaotic, I can experience Your peace because of what Jesus did on the cross. Thank You for making this possible by sending us Your Son! He has made a way for us to know and experience You.

Even when life feels out of control, I can cling to the truth that Your peace isn’t based on my feelings or circumstances—but on Your character and faithfulness.

When I don’t feel at peace, please make Your presence known to me. Remind me that You’re in control. Give me Your strength and comfort when the world feels unsafe. Protect my heart and mind from the weight of my feelings and thoughts.

Allow me to sense Your presence, and to live with confidence that You are always near. Let my life be an example of Your peace that surpasses understanding.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Happy and blessed Monday!

As the song says, it’s the most wonderful time of the year!  The lights are going up, the carols are playing and all is good!

But, what if it isn’t good?  What if your world has changed in unimaginable ways but the rest of the world keeps spinning?  What if the person you have loved, shared with and depended on for many years is suddenly no longer there?  What if, while serving your country, one moment in time changed your present and future in just a blink of an eye?  What if your children leave to attend an event and never return home again?

Our lives can totally change very quickly and nothing will ever be the same.  In that time, it may feel like God has walked away because you just can’t see Him.  Your life may have become a cloud of grief and darkness.  Praise God though that even when we can’t see Him, He is still there!  The pain may have blinded us for a time but He is always there waiting for us.

Jesus came to earth, in human form, not just for us to celebrate, He came for those who are lost and weary, who are blinded by the pain.  He came for you, right here and right now, no matter where you are.  Jesus came in pursuit of the lost lamb, no matter how hurt and broken you are.  And that, my friends, is the heart of Christmas.

Pray Unceasingly!!

Lois

 

Lysa TerKeurst 

Have you ever walked through something so difficult, so terrifying, that you’ve caught yourself asking, “Jesus, where are You?”

Sometimes when life gets overwhelmingly hard or confusing, it can feel like our Messiah has gone missing.

But oh, how thankful I am that even when our storms cause us to lose sight of hope, Jesus never loses sight of us.

God’s not running from our messes. He’s climbing in to be right there with us. And with His presence comes peace.

In the midst of whatever hurts and heartbreaks are disrupting our peace, I pray we will see Him coming. We no longer have to cry out in fear; we can call out in faith. Calm and trusting. Anxious for nothing. Because we know. We know He sees us. We know He’s for us. We know He’s in control.

Yes. The Lord is near. And we are safe.

Happy and blessed Monday!

We have officially arrived in the “holiday season”!  Christmas is less than 6 weeks away and Thanksgiving is only a week and a half away!  I’m planning the menu and loving the thought of this day with family but above all, just like Christmas, we need to stop and remember the meaning of the day.  It’s not just about the turkey!

When I look around, I am overwhelmed with how very blessed I am.  I thank God for these blessings every single day.  The fact that we will have food on the table, we will have family around the table, and we will share what we are grateful for.

Even on the tough days, when nothing seems to go right, I try to exercise my gratitude muscle.

The blessings are still there.

Do you exercise your gratitude muscle?  “The more you practice feeling grateful, the more grateful you become.”  I love that thought!

Father, I thank you for all of my blessings.  Most of all though, I thank You for your love, your grace and mercy, which I need so often.  Strengthen me in that love and always help me to see where I need to share it.  I give You the glory for it all.  In Your precious son, Jesus’ name, Amen

Pray Unceasingly!!

Lois

 

Gratitude Is A Discipline

 Excerpt from You Don’t Have Thanks, You Give It by Jeff Goins

At a time when many people have seen better times, it’s easy to look at a day called “Thanksgiving” and scoff: What do I have to be thankful for? Well, a lot, actually.

For years, I misunderstood gratitude. I thought it was about feeling grateful for the gifts around me. But when I didn’t feel I had anything to be grateful for, I wondered what was wrong with me.

But now, I get it. You can’t have thanks; you can only give it. (Feel free to tweet that.)

Gratitude is a discipline

The more you practice feeling grateful, the more grateful you become. Gratitude is a muscle that you strengthen through daily use — an exercise, not an emotion. It’s not something you feel, but rather something you do. And as with most things, the people who are best at it are the ones who do it even when they’re tired and worn out and don’t much feel like it.

So what does this mean for you?

I can’t tell you what to be thankful for. Only you know that. But I’m confident you have the same opportunity we all have today– to give thanks or not. To choose to see a few gifts hidden in that life of yours or miss the opportunity. To use your gratitude muscle or let it lie dormant.

If you do decide to give thanks, you might surprise yourself. You may find, as others have, that the more you utter the words thank you, the more gratitude pours out.

Sometimes, the right attitude doesn’t come until you show up.

Go be grateful

If you’re up for a little challenge, do something different today. When most people are looking for someone to blame for their current state of affairs, don’t sit around waiting for gratitude to come.

Instead, give thanks.

Without prompting or pushing, find something to be thankful for. Speak it, and believe it, then watch that gratitude muscle grow.