After sitting around for several hours at my parents' house enjoying
my favorite Christmas present (besides being alive), a Van Halen
Pictorial history book, I began waxing philosophical (Van Halen does
that to me- well, VH with David Lee Roth. Sammy Hagar, not so
much)... I have been reflecting upon the gifts that 2007 brought me.
Which included seeing Van Halen on tour, with Diamond Dave, at
Madison Square Garden. I screamed for 2 hours and smiled for a week.
Also, getting married to my lovemuffin (www.joegmusic.com) and going
to Hawaii on honeymoon (and surfing!). Not necessarily in order of
gratitude, but definitely in increasing order of likelihood (as in
not-a-shot-in-H-E-doubletoothpicks, whodathunkit, and maybe
someday).
It's hard to believe that just over a year ago I had canceled our
wedding due to illness (last October, my 3rd episode of kidney
failure since 1993. I got sprung from the hospital on Halloween-
hospital robe- instant costume!). I'm feeling much better now, partly
because I scaled back my concerts for 2007 and have been more
conscious of preserving my Qi (energy/ life force). For example, I no
longer sleep in the van (partly because I traded it in), and I try to
fly more and drive fewer hours. I also gave up Diet Coke and began
getting acupuncture again (it's been a while). I've felt less
zombie-esque this past month than I have in probably 18 months. So,
who knows, I may even feel human in 08! I just hope it doesn't ruin
my comedy. ;)
listen to funny songs at
http://www.thesingingpatient.com
Friday, December 28, 2007
Monday, December 10, 2007
Happiness is Good for you
I read a study a while back that said a negative stressor like getting yelled at can negatively affect your immunity for up to 12 hours, whereas a positive experience, such as getting together with friends for fun, can positively affect you immunity for up to 3 days.(It really shouldn't seem like some radical notion that being happy enhances the immune system.
In fact, in the DVD "The Secret," this same principle is touched upon: we have 60,000 thoughts a day (!). Thankfully, the positive ones have more power to affect your reality than the negative ones. Of course if there are no positive thoughts... that could be a problem.
The lesson? it's more important to have fun than it is to avoid stress.
My still newlywed husband and I (not quite 6 months yet) were invited to a big family gathering. We were extended family, as in Joe's sister-in-law's family. We've met a number of these folks before at birthday parties, etc.
So the Patriarch of the Day was Florio, who every year rents a big party bus, gives all his grandkids some money, and we go into New York City (from Yonkers) and go to Toys R Us. Then we go see the big tree at Rockefeller Center. some of us, including me, also stopped into St. Patrick's Cathedral, which is beautiful and has a life-size nativity scene in he sanctuary. I lit a candle ad said a prayer for my Aunt, who is struggling with cancer and related problems.
At the tree, which is also where the ice skating rink is, I was so fortunate to have ended up at that place during the very time that a Tuba Christmas was going on! Every year, for many years now, a bunch of tuba players gather under the Big Tree and play Christmas carols. Only tubas allowed! there were 450 tubas this year! I had heard of this because I played tuba in high school. I never thought I'd see it in first person!
We also saw the friendly neighborhood Spiderman on the sidewalk, 2 cops on horses, and Santa driving a stretch limo.
We all then had a huge Italian dinner at an authentic Italian place that feeds you for 2-3 hours straight. whew.
To top it off, we arranged for our neighbor to visit our little dog with her little dog for a little while and she kept them together for 5 hours! So even our dog had a great day.
We should be immune to anything tomorrow, always a good thing on Monday!
Speaking of fun- hear some funny songs at
http://www.thesingingpatient.com
In fact, in the DVD "The Secret," this same principle is touched upon: we have 60,000 thoughts a day (!). Thankfully, the positive ones have more power to affect your reality than the negative ones. Of course if there are no positive thoughts... that could be a problem.
The lesson? it's more important to have fun than it is to avoid stress.
My still newlywed husband and I (not quite 6 months yet) were invited to a big family gathering. We were extended family, as in Joe's sister-in-law's family. We've met a number of these folks before at birthday parties, etc.
So the Patriarch of the Day was Florio, who every year rents a big party bus, gives all his grandkids some money, and we go into New York City (from Yonkers) and go to Toys R Us. Then we go see the big tree at Rockefeller Center. some of us, including me, also stopped into St. Patrick's Cathedral, which is beautiful and has a life-size nativity scene in he sanctuary. I lit a candle ad said a prayer for my Aunt, who is struggling with cancer and related problems.
At the tree, which is also where the ice skating rink is, I was so fortunate to have ended up at that place during the very time that a Tuba Christmas was going on! Every year, for many years now, a bunch of tuba players gather under the Big Tree and play Christmas carols. Only tubas allowed! there were 450 tubas this year! I had heard of this because I played tuba in high school. I never thought I'd see it in first person!
We also saw the friendly neighborhood Spiderman on the sidewalk, 2 cops on horses, and Santa driving a stretch limo.
We all then had a huge Italian dinner at an authentic Italian place that feeds you for 2-3 hours straight. whew.
To top it off, we arranged for our neighbor to visit our little dog with her little dog for a little while and she kept them together for 5 hours! So even our dog had a great day.
We should be immune to anything tomorrow, always a good thing on Monday!
Speaking of fun- hear some funny songs at
http://www.thesingingpatient.com
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
the water cure
here's that great report i mentioned yesterday about how vital water is to our well being.
I drink a lot of purified water!
i bought a sports bottle purifier at h2ofilters.com and carry it everywhere. i can refill it just abotu anywhere, because it cleans it up, so i don't have to buy bottled water, and i don't have to carry around big huge gallons on roadtrips.
water report:
http://www.newstarget.com/Report_water_cure_0.html
I drink a lot of purified water!
i bought a sports bottle purifier at h2ofilters.com and carry it everywhere. i can refill it just abotu anywhere, because it cleans it up, so i don't have to buy bottled water, and i don't have to carry around big huge gallons on roadtrips.
water report:
http://www.newstarget.com/Report_water_cure_0.html
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Lupus gene found?
The below quoted article (which i have shortened) is calling for DNA samples from lupus patients. All you have to do is ask your doctor about how to do this, then give a blood sample (I don't know about you but I do that every 3 months anyway).
I am skeptical about genetics being the cause of lupus. I think it's toxins in our food air and water. but hey, if they find a gene therapy that helps, then great. Let's go at it from all angles.
Lupus Gene Finding Prompts Call for More DNA Samples. Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute Study
12/3/2007
Wellcome Trust researchers have identified a key gene involved in the disease lupus, which affects around 50 000 people in the UK, most of them women. The lead researcher behind the study has called for more patients to volunteer DNA samples to enable them to further study the underlying causes of the disease.
I am skeptical about genetics being the cause of lupus. I think it's toxins in our food air and water. but hey, if they find a gene therapy that helps, then great. Let's go at it from all angles.
Lupus Gene Finding Prompts Call for More DNA Samples. Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute Study
12/3/2007
Wellcome Trust researchers have identified a key gene involved in the disease lupus, which affects around 50 000 people in the UK, most of them women. The lead researcher behind the study has called for more patients to volunteer DNA samples to enable them to further study the underlying causes of the disease.
fighting to get better
So, i've been on 7 drugs for over a year to manage my health problems (this is part of the reason that CD #4 of wacky Carla songs hasn't occurred yet. that and moving, and planning our wedding). I've decided I'm tired of popping all these F**king pills and more tired of paying for them, so I'm back on the warpath to getting better and getting back off these drugs (for the 3rd time in 15 years).
A month or so ago I quit drinking diet coke. I've been addicted to it for lord knows how long, even though I know it's toxic. Then I bought this sport water bottle that has a built in water purifier (which does more than just a water filter) and have been drinking copious amounts of clean water (it also saves me money on bottled water when I travel, and who knows how clean bottled water is anyway?). here's a report on the amazing healing powers of water. you know, drinking it. I jsut finished reading adn online report:
The Water Cure: An interview with Dr. Batmanghelidj
(how often do you think he gets called "Batman?"). So many problems in the body when we get dehydrated. Then when we're thirsty we drink stuff that dehydrates us even more- coffee, soda, alcohol.
Anyway, next step i started getting acupuncture again. It's been several years and I really respond well to acupuncture. I stopped going when I moved to NJ, and finally restarted. The acupuncture gave me enough energy to start taking guitar lessons once a month which makes me happy. Being happy is good for your health too :)
I also got some really good vitamins and mercury free fish oil. I'm hoping to be my old perky self sometime in 08. well not OLD as in OLD, but old as in former, before the health fiascos. ;)
had to post something healthy- i am after all the singing patient! (i may have to change my name in 08 after I get off all these pills! I like to think big. Worst case, I'll just feel great instead of awesome.)
www.thesingingpatient.com
A month or so ago I quit drinking diet coke. I've been addicted to it for lord knows how long, even though I know it's toxic. Then I bought this sport water bottle that has a built in water purifier (which does more than just a water filter) and have been drinking copious amounts of clean water (it also saves me money on bottled water when I travel, and who knows how clean bottled water is anyway?). here's a report on the amazing healing powers of water. you know, drinking it. I jsut finished reading adn online report:
The Water Cure: An interview with Dr. Batmanghelidj
(how often do you think he gets called "Batman?"). So many problems in the body when we get dehydrated. Then when we're thirsty we drink stuff that dehydrates us even more- coffee, soda, alcohol.
Anyway, next step i started getting acupuncture again. It's been several years and I really respond well to acupuncture. I stopped going when I moved to NJ, and finally restarted. The acupuncture gave me enough energy to start taking guitar lessons once a month which makes me happy. Being happy is good for your health too :)
I also got some really good vitamins and mercury free fish oil. I'm hoping to be my old perky self sometime in 08. well not OLD as in OLD, but old as in former, before the health fiascos. ;)
had to post something healthy- i am after all the singing patient! (i may have to change my name in 08 after I get off all these pills! I like to think big. Worst case, I'll just feel great instead of awesome.)
www.thesingingpatient.com
Germs are your friends
from the Editors or E/ The Environmental Magazine:
"University of Michigan researchers reviewed numerous studies conducted between 1980 and 2006 and concluded that anti-bacterial soaps that contain triclosan as the main active ingredient are no better than plain soaps."
Not only that, they may pose health risks such as killing beneficial bacteria and reducing the effectiveness of some antibiotics. (this study was published in the Journal Clinical Infectious Diseases).
Apparently this active ingredient has also beben reported to have converted into dioxin when exposed to water and UV radiation. Dioxins have been linked to cancer, weakened immunity, decreased fertility, altered sex hormones and birth defects. Germs are starting to look less scary all the time, compared to chemicals.
Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are also frowned upon for stripping the skin of beneficial bacteria and its outer layer of protective oil.
So, after all these studies, which probably cost sombody (us?) millions of dollars, what's the best advice?
"washing hands thoroughly for 20 seconds or more with plain soap and warm water is by far the most effective way to reduce harmful bacteria, and as such remains our best defense against getting sick."
I have some topics to suggest for their next study: "drinking water: is it good for us?" and "an apple a day- will it cause or prevent illness?" "common sense: a fad?" "Is an ounce of prevention really worth a pound of cure- an updated study using milligrams and kilograms."
(Sarcasm aside, it's sad we have to be educated away from all these products that we've been brainwashed into buying. Maybe we really did learn all we needed to know in kindergarten. Ok that's it. I'm washing my hands of this topic. HAHAHHAHAHA... ahem).
"University of Michigan researchers reviewed numerous studies conducted between 1980 and 2006 and concluded that anti-bacterial soaps that contain triclosan as the main active ingredient are no better than plain soaps."
Not only that, they may pose health risks such as killing beneficial bacteria and reducing the effectiveness of some antibiotics. (this study was published in the Journal Clinical Infectious Diseases).
Apparently this active ingredient has also beben reported to have converted into dioxin when exposed to water and UV radiation. Dioxins have been linked to cancer, weakened immunity, decreased fertility, altered sex hormones and birth defects. Germs are starting to look less scary all the time, compared to chemicals.
Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are also frowned upon for stripping the skin of beneficial bacteria and its outer layer of protective oil.
So, after all these studies, which probably cost sombody (us?) millions of dollars, what's the best advice?
"washing hands thoroughly for 20 seconds or more with plain soap and warm water is by far the most effective way to reduce harmful bacteria, and as such remains our best defense against getting sick."
I have some topics to suggest for their next study: "drinking water: is it good for us?" and "an apple a day- will it cause or prevent illness?" "common sense: a fad?" "Is an ounce of prevention really worth a pound of cure- an updated study using milligrams and kilograms."
(Sarcasm aside, it's sad we have to be educated away from all these products that we've been brainwashed into buying. Maybe we really did learn all we needed to know in kindergarten. Ok that's it. I'm washing my hands of this topic. HAHAHHAHAHA... ahem).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)