April Fools Day originated, it is said, in France when the calendar changed from end of March to first of January. All those who still followed the old calendar into April that year, were called April Fools. And it became common to play jokes and make fun of these silly folks who kept on with the old instead of embracing the new.
I’d like to share a couple of things in my life where the old seems more comfortable than the new–
- You know that I am converting my seminar and Expo presentations to digital format to accommodate new technology: the Elmo. Very cool tool–like an overhead projector, opaque projector, and power point all combined together . With the capability of inserting various media, including music and Windows Messenger. This is a stretch for me and very time-consuming. Requires learning outside my comfort zone and that permission on copyrighted materials be re-obtained for digital use.
- Arthritis is a companion of mine. And last week gave me a ridiculously painful and debilitating session of 5 days. Spending time in bed without being able to write or type is a real drag. So I spent the time reading what to do about this incurable disease. My bibliography:
Lucas, Richard. Magic Herbs for Arthritis, Rheumatism, and Related Ailments. West Nyack, NY: Parker Publishing Co., 1981. Research based on studies and reports primarily from the 1950’s. Recommendations for use of Herbs, including celery juice and celery seed tea. Very hard to find celery juice alone. And my favorite combination is Carrot, Celery, Beet, and Ginger–very good. So I have cooked celery, put it in salads, filled it with peanut butter and cheese. Added it to soup, tuna fish salad, omelets, and other assorted foods. But this is only one chapter. Each chapter with its coverage of herbs and how to use them includes numerous testimonials of the relief provided. So far I have been 5 days without pain medication.
Vad, Vijay, MD. Arthritis RX: A Cutting Edge Program for a Pain-Free Life. New York: Gotham Books, 2006. His regimen includes an Arthritis RX diet (with shopping lists), simple yoga and Pilates-based exercises, and other integrative therapies designed to avoid pain and eventually prevent surgery. The role of nutrition is emphasized–eating whole foods where possible, and including supplements and weight control to manage and slow the progression of Arthritis. My Dad and granddad had no arthritis–their fingers were as strong at 90 as earlier in their lives. My Mom and grandmothers had little arthritis.
And here am I with Arthritis big time. My aunt’s mom gave comedy readings all over Utah for years and one of her favorite routines was Arthuritis–the worst of the Ritis brothers.
Magnets have been a good deterrent in calcified joints and pain with movement. And I wear a heavy and thorough group of them. So most of my joints are near normal size and still work.
I suspect that my body reacted when too much sugar and comfort foods found their way into my diet. And I adjusted the amounts and timing of calciums and omegas and antioxidants. So I am back on some, taking more of others, and working out the timing so that stomach is not bombarded with things that don’t necessarily mix.
Remember that in my former life, I was a Registered Nurse. With some special nutrition training. And if the modifications which I have made work–I will be a lean, “green,” mean machine for the rest of 2013. (Lots of “green” juices and teas out there–and some of them take getting used to–Ugh!)
Watch for updates–I love celery in any form and in any combination. So my fridge is full of green stalks. Your favorite genealogist, Arlene Eakle http://arleneeakle.com
PS CAUTION: This blog post is not intended to promulgate or push any diet or foodstuff on you, gentle readers. Just my attempt to share what works for me.
PPS And while it is April Fools Day–all day–this is not a joke. Being able to type and write and walk freely are very important to me. And I thought they could be important to you too.