​By now you probably know how important your gut health is to your overall health. If not, you need to! 80 percent of your immune system is in your microbiome, your body’s bacteria, which help your body with just about every process, including helping you to digest your food, think clearly and even maintain a healthy weight.

Your microbiome is housed in your gut and the other openings of your body such as your mouth, your genitals, and your nose. When your gut microbiome is balanced, you stay healthy, you are in a good mood and you have a lot of energy. When your gut microbiome is out of balance, you are setting yourself up for a host of health issues, including weight gain, diabetes, brain fog, and cancer.

Unfortunately, an unbalanced gut microbiome, or dysbiosis, is common today. Thanks to years of following diets high in processed foods and sugar, consuming conventionally raised meat and dairy products full of hormones, plus rounds of antibiotics, too many antacids and chronic stress, most of us have impaired gut health. I have also said for many years that our country’s C-section rate and formula-feeding infants contribute to a dysbiotic state in children right from the start because babies need exposure to good bacteria in the birth canal and in breast milk to seed their guts. In fact, the allergies, autoimmunity, anxiety and depression that we see at increasing rates in children today are due, in part, to impaired gut health.

Your Genes Don’t Matter, But Your Gut Microbiome’s Genes Do!

As a society, we have been quick to place the blame for everything from our weight to our moods on our genes. We say things like, “she can drink wine and eat chocolate every day and not gain weight because she is French.” The truth is human beings all have similar DNA. So why is it that some people are healthy when they consume chocolate every day while others maintain a strict Paleo diet and struggle with digestive symptoms or worse? It’s because, unlike our genes, our microbiome’s genes are vastly different.

The good news is that you can change your gut microbiome. You see, the average lifespan of a bacterium in your microbiome is 20 minutes! So you have the opportunity every time you eat to begin to change the population of your gut microbiome. This is good news because it means that rather than having to subscribe to theories, such as the Paleo diet, which assumes our genes evolve so slowly that we all need to eat like cavemen, we can begin to change our gut microbiome (and thus it’s genes) one meal at a time, and even achieve a healthy gut very quickly.

Improve Your Gut Microbiome Today for the “4Rs”There are a number of factors that contribute to the health of your gut microbiome, including your environment, the amount of exercise and sleep you get, and of course, stress. But the number one factor that determines what microbes live in your gut (and which ones die off) is your diet.

In Functional Medicine, there is a very successful protocol called the 4Rs, which stands for Remove, Replace, Reinoculate, and Repair. There are many resources for learning more about the 4 R’s. I like Raphael Kellman, M.D.’s book, The Microbiome Diet: The Scientifically Proven Way to Restore Your Gut Health and Achieve Permanent Weight Loss. You can also listen to my interview with Dr. Kellman on my radio show, Flourish.

The beautiful thing about the 4Rs protocol is that it doesn’t have to be followed in order. Once you remove the processed foods and toxins from your diet, you can start doing all of the remaining 3 steps together. Unless you suffer from a serious digestive disorder or other condition, you can follow the 4Rs on your own. Or, find a practitioner who can tailor the protocol to your specific needs.
Here are my suggestions for following the 4Rs and improving your gut microbiome starting today:

1. Eat the Right Foods. Your gut microbiome responds to what you feed it. When you regularly eat a variety of healthy, non-processed foods, your microbiome becomes programmed to work for you. The more varied your diet, the more flexible your microbiome becomes, allowing for that occasional dessert.
2. Take a high-quality probiotic. Nearly everyone can benefit from supplementing with a good quality probiotic. Probiotics help maintain your gut’s ecosystem as well as the ecosystem of your respiratory tract and urogenital tract. Also, try to limit your use of antibiotics. While they are necessary sometimes and can be life-saving, most antibiotics are over-prescribed. Be sure to consult with your doctor about whether you or your children need an antibiotic, and always take your probiotics during treatment to re-seed your gut with healthy bacteria.
3. Support your Digestion. Unless you know you have high stomach acid, stop taking antacids! Many people have low stomach acid but think they have too much and take antacids. Supplement with a digestive enzyme. This can help you digest your food better and get rid of your symptoms, such as gas, bloating and heartburn. Glutamine, an amino acid (a building block of protein), can also help to rebuild and maintain your digestive tract and support proper digestion. You may also want to try HCL if you know you have low stomach acid. Or, you could simply try drinking lemon and water or 1 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar in a little water before each meal to see if your symptoms improve.
4. Get into a relaxed state. One of the most important factors to healing your gut is your own consciousness. Your gut is your second brain. If your microbiome is out of balance, you may feel anxious, depressed, or tired. You may also suffer from memory problems or brain fog. In addition to eating the right foods, try to get into a meditative state prior to eating. Do this by removing all stressors, including stressful people and conversations. If you are eating with others, try not to speak excessively, or talk about negative subjects. Every time you sit down to eat, take a deep breath, pause and give thanks to all of the plants, animals, and people who helped create your food, including God, then consecrate the energy you will get from your food to a good cause, or to someone you love. This activity can help transform even unhealthy fast food.

15 Ways to Optimize Your Gut Bacteria for Optimal Weight Loss

When it comes to losing weight, most diets focus on calorie reduction and exercise. While eating less and exercising more will usually result in weight-loss, Dr. Kellman says that if you get your microbiome healthy, you will lose weight. It’s all about correcting the overgrowth of unhealthy bacteria, which is making you crave the wrong foods and triggering inflammation. This makes sense because when you change your gut bacteria, you change how your body produces and metabolizes energy.

This also explains why so many people lose weight only to gain it right back because the bad bacteria are still present in your gut. The bad bacteria remember when you were fat, and they want to continue to live, so they trigger cravings for the foods that feed them.  

In addition to the steps I outline above, here are 15 more ways to set up your gut for weight loss:

1. Sweat every day. Your gut bacteria operate best when you exercise regularly. That’s because regular exercise promotes biodiversity of your gut flora. Research shows that exercise actually increases the good bacteria in your gut!
2. Get enough sleep. Lack of sleep has been associated with obesity. Now, research shows that one of the reasons sleep deprivation causes weight gain is because it significantly changes your gut flora. In fact, after just two nights of sleep deprivation the gut flora of patients resembled those of people who are obese. Now, here’s the catch, your gut flora can affect your sleep patterns, so in order to get a good night’s sleep, you must improve your gut flora.
3. Get dirty. While being clean is fine, overly sterile environments don’t promote biodiversity of your gut bacteria.  Go ahead and get dirty. And, skip the hand sanitizer.
4. Find time to de-stress. Research shows that prolonged periods of stress can impair your gut bacteria and make you susceptible to infection.
5. Breastfeed Your Baby. While breastfeeding can help moms lose their baby weight, this one is for your child. Babies are born with nearly sterile and bacteria-free guts. Breastfeeding your child for the first year (or as long as you can) helps to colonize your baby’s gut flora. And, your breast milk actually nourishes the bacteria to allow it to become established.
6. Eliminate artificial sweeteners. While the link between artificial sweeteners and weight gain is not clear, one thing research shows is that artificial sweeteners alter the gut bacteria in a way that causes glucose intolerance.
7. Eat the Nordic way. Arne Astrup,‎ Jennie Brand-Miller,‎ and Christian Bitz, leaders in obesity research and authors of The Nordic Way cookbook, suggest eating skyr, whole-grain rye breads, and wild foods, including herbs, greens, nuts, and berries. They also suggest that replacing wheat with oats, rye, and barley, and eating seafood, such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, clams, mussels, and even seaweed, helps improve gut flora.
8. Make preparing your meals a ritual. Every culture has rituals around food, but with our busy lifestyles, we have all but forgotten them. Turning your meal prep into a ritual – and it doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming – helps to bring awareness and intention to our meal and meal time. This relaxes you and sets you up for better digestion.
9. Get your microbiome analyzed. If you want to know what is going on in your gut flora, you can take a test that will give you a snapshot. But, remember your microbiome is changing all the time with every meal.
10. Take the gut-brain test. Your gut has its own nervous system – the enteric nervous system (ENS). Integrative neurologist Dr. Kulreet Chaudhary, author of The Prime, says that the answer to losing weight spontaneously is to make your gut smarter by bringing your enteric nervous system back online and in control of your food choices. To find out how well your gut-brain is working, take the Gut IQ Test.
11. Remove the sugar and processed foods from your diet. Refined carbohydrates, sugar (including alcohol), and processed foods get absorbed quickly into your small intestine without any help from your microbes. That means your gut microbes stay hungry, so they begin snacking on the cells that line your intestines, causing what we call Leaky Gut. Your intestinal lining is meant to be a strong barrier between your gut and the rest of your body. When your intestinal wall becomes leaky, particles of food enter your bloodstream, causing your immune system to attack them, and ultimately your own tissues. This leads to inflammation and a whole cascade of conditions, including autoimmunity. Sugar also feeds organisms like Candida Albican, which also attacks your intestinal wall and can lead to a systemic Candida infection.
12. Get your carbohydrates from vegetables and low-sugar fruits. Eating a lot of leafy green vegetables will help plant your gut with healthy and diverse bacteria. Dr. Kellman also recommends eating radishes, Jerusalem artichokes, leeks, jicama, asparagus, carrots, and, of course, garlic and turmeric. Be sure to get a balance of healthy fats and protein with each meal as well.
13. Include fermented foods in your diet. Fermented foods seed your gut with healthy bacteria. Eat sauerkraut, pickles, kimchi, kefir, yogurt (not processed), and kombucha. These foods are rich in prebiotics.
14. Try a food elimination diet to determine if you have any food allergies. Do you often have cramping, gas, or stomach pain after eating? You may have a food sensitivity or allergy. The most common food allergies or sensitivities are to cow’s milk, soy, peanuts (nuts), corn, eggs, and wheat (gluten). Some people find they feel even better if they eliminate all grains, including oats, quinoa, and spelt. But start with wheat at the very least. Do this for a few weeks and see if your symptoms improve. Also stay away from artificial sweeteners, alcohol, and coffee!
15. Drink tea. Evidence shows that polyphenols increase healthy microbes (probiotics) and reduce harmful pathogens in your gut, which helps to keep your microbiome in optimal balance. Tea is one of the richest sources of polyphenols – healthy prebiotics that feed the healthy bugs in your gut. Tea polyphenols also have anti-viral properties that reduce harmful pathogens. The polyphenols in tea help you digest your food faster, while suppressing hunger cravings and allowing you to poop more. Research shows that the polyphenols in black tea decrease your gut’s ability to absorb fats and sugars. And studies show that green tea catechins prevent the absorption of triglycerides and cholesterol, which increases your body’s ability to excrete fat.

Like everything else, there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to your microbiome. You may be a strict vegetarian, eat the Paleo way or fall somewhere in between. The key is to keep supporting your microbiome with the foods that are healthy for you. - Shared by Christiane Northrup

​A woman wakes up next to the dead body of a former lover and must race against time to uncover the real killer.

An unlucky woman finds a solution for her hateful ex, a trying job hunt and a stalker through a charming P.I. -- only to endure a new set of problems. Starring:Haley Webb, Donny Boaz, Cathy Baron.

​An insidious serial killer is impersonating his victims' identities as he travels across Canada. A recent spate of murders in Montreal has brought FBI Agent Illeana Scott (Angelina Jolie) north to investigate. Scott's unusual methods quickly earn the suspicion of the local police but bring her close to art dealer James Costa (Ethan Hawke), who says he was an eyewitness to the latest murder. Sparks develop between the two as Costa's role becomes crucial in their effort to apprehend the killer.

​Charlie and Alice try to change their parenting strategy when conflict, rebellion and resentment overwhelm their family. To their surprise, they soon find that effective, lifelong solutions were closer than they had ever imagined.

​A New York cop and his wife go on a European vacation to reinvigorate the spark in their marriage. A chance encounter leads to them being framed for the murder of an elderly billionaire.

Riley struggles to meet friends after transferring to a new high school where her father is an English teacher. When she meets Kyla, a fellow loner, they become close friends until Riley learns that Kyla is obsessed with her father.

​George McKenna (Denzel Washington) confronts a career-defining moment when he accepts a job as principal of a tough, inner city Los Angeles high school. Facing an apathetic student body and indifferent teachers and parents, McKenna, with help from dedicated educator Bobbie Maxwell (Lynn Whitfield), transforms the school from a gang-ridden war zone into a stepping-stone for higher education, and in the process gains the hard-won respect of the community and school administrators.

A suburban couple, Norma (Cameron Diaz) and Arthur (James Marsden), face a moral dilemma when they receive a gift that bears irrevocable consequences. With the press of a button, their simple wooden box will bestow $1 million; however, a stranger somewhere else will die, at the same time. The box will be theirs for only 24 hours, and as time ticks away, Norma and Arthur confront the depth of their humanity as they consider their choices.

Laura and her two children travel from Argentina to Spain to attend her sister's wedding. The joyful reunion soon turns tragic when her older daughter gets kidnapped -- revealing a dark web of hidden secrets.

​A teenage girl is raised by a robot designed to repopulate Earth. Their bond is tested when a stranger arrives with alarming news.

It's always profoundly interesting whenever I'm sitting in my neurologist's chair when new MRI news comes in.  Something new baffling, incomprehensible always hits my ears.

At this stage in our patient-doctor relationship, we are past the whining syndrome.  Gone are the days where I presumed the more symptoms I declared the more apt he will be able to find an answer to my woes.  Not so, my friends.  Instead I acquired mounds of paper work and extensive phone notes (so I can remember what to ask) that never seem to be answered.  The sad rule of thumb I've learned is that no one knows why most of my symptoms occur especially him.

I now sit motionlessly the new keen observer of symptoms that can be actually measured and diagnosed.  Those are the symptoms I share at this point.  He initiates the dialogue now as I sit braced for impact.   "Your recent MRI shows more degeneration in the lower vertebrates on your back,  we now have bulging discs, more inflammation and the beginning of Ankylosing Spondylitis. One of your bulging discs is maneuvering its way a half inch up your spine and may have caused you that severe pain in your back last month that..........."

"Wait, hold up, anklo what?" I asked.  This was a new term that I had not been privy to before.

"Ankylosoing Spondylitis is the fusion of your vertabrates in your back from inflammation.  Just a moment let me show you on the skeletale vertabrate I have here....., " he begins.  

​Ankylosing spondylitis is an inflammatory disease that, over time, can cause some of the vertebrae in your spine to fuse. This fusing makes the spine less flexible and can result in a hunched-forward posture. If ribs are affected, it can be difficult to breathe deeply.

Ankylosing spondylitis affects men more often than women. Signs and symptoms typically begin in early adulthood. Inflammation also can occur in other parts of your body most commonly, your eyes.

There is no cure for ankylosing spondylitis, but treatments can lessen your symptoms and possibly slow progression of the disease.

Symptoms

Early signs and symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis might include pain and stiffness in your lower back and hips, especially in the morning and after periods of inactivity. Neck pain and fatigue also are common. Over time, symptoms might worsen, improve or stop at irregular intervals.

The areas most commonly affected are:

• The joint between the base of your spine and your pelvis (sacroiliac)
• The vertebrae in your lower back
• The places where your tendons and ligaments attach to bones (entheses), mainly in your spine, but sometimes along the back of your heel
• The cartilage between your breastbone and ribs
• Your hip and shoulder joints

When to see a doctor

Seek medical attention if you have low back or buttock pain that came on slowly, is worse in the morning or awakens you from your sleep in the second half of the night — particularly if this pain improves with exercise and worsens with rest. See an eye specialist (ophthalmologist) immediately if you develop a painful red eye, severe light sensitivity or blurred vision.

Natural treatments for Ankylosing Spondylitis

There isn’t a cure for AS. It’s a lifelong condition, but effective treatments are available. Treatment goals are to minimize pain and stiffness and reduce flares. Natural treatments may be used on their own or with traditional AS treatments.

These 10 natural therapies may help relieve symptoms:
1. Stretching
Stretching helps build flexibility and may reduce pain. Consider adding the spine stretch or the low-back rotation stretch to your daily routine.
2. Heat therapy
Apply a hot water bottle or heating pad to the affected area to reduce stiffness and pain. You may also use moist or dry heat. A warm bath may also help, especially before exercise. Don’t use heat therapy without consulting your doctor if you have diabetes, deep vein thrombosis, vascular disease, an open wound, or a skin condition such as dermatitis.
3. Cold therapy
Applying an ice pack, cold gel pack, or a bag of frozen vegetables to painful joints can help reduce swelling. After exercise, cold therapy may help reduce inflammation. Don’t apply ice for more than 20 minutes at a time. Don’t use cold therapy without consulting your doctor if you have circulation problems.
4. Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an ancient remedy for pain. It involves inserting thin needles into specific points in your skin. This is thought to activate your body’s pain-relieving hormones. Some people report acupuncture relieves AS pain.
5. Massage therapy
Massage helps you relax. It may also help you feel more flexible or “loose” so that you can exercise or stretch. Massage may cause pain at tender points around your spine. If this happens, avoid those areas and only use light massage techniques until the pain improves.
6. Movement
The more you sit, the stiffer you’re likely to feel. Get up, move around, and stretch regularly. If you have a desk job, take a “get up and move” break every hour.
7. Exercise
Gentle exercise programs such as yoga and Pilates are great for AS because they incorporate stretching. Swimming may also be beneficial because it’s easy on your joints. Strengthening exercises with weights can help build muscle, which supports joints affected by AS. Talk with your doctor or a physical therapist to determine the best exercise plan for you.
8. Alexander Technique
AS often leaves you hunched over. Practicing good posture is critical. The Alexander Technique teaches you to be aware of your posture throughout your day. It also teaches you how to correct poor posture and may be helpful for people with AS. To find a qualified teacher, visit the official website.
9. TENS therapy
TENS stands for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. This therapy uses electrical current to stimulate nerves through the body for pain control. Electrodes are usually applied at the pain site and connected to a TENS machine. It’s thought that when TENS stimulates nerves, it overrides pain signals. The TENS technique is usually taught by a physical therapist and may be continued at home.
10. Stop smoking
Smokers, especially men, are at risk for greater spine damage from AS than non-smokers. Quitting smoking not only helps reduce AS damage, but also improves your overall health.

Natural ways to improve sleep

A good night’s sleep can often be an elusive goal if you have AS. Pain may be worse at night due to inadequate bedding. Your mattress should keep your spine straight when you lie on your side. Your mattress should also allow your spine to have an “S-curve” when you lie on your back.
Try these tips for a good night’s sleep:

• Use a medium-firm mattress, which can mold to the shape of your spine.
• Use only enough pillows to keep your neck aligned.
• Use heat therapy before bed to help reduce pain.
• Don’t sleep with a pillow between your legs.

Traditional treatments

Traditional treatments are also used to manage pain, reduce stiffness, and help prevent flares. Several types of medications may be used.

NSAIDs are anti-inflammatories that reduce pain. Ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin are NSAIDs. Corticosteroids may be offered when AS symptoms are severe and don’t respond to other medications. They also help reduce inflammation and pain. Corticosteroids are usually injected into the affected joint for fast pain relief.

Disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs are used to help slow down the inflammatory process. Examples include sulfasalazine and methotrexate. These drugs are used for long-term treatment.

Biologic agents are used to block proteins that cause inflammation. Seven different biologics are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat AS:

• adalimumab (Humira)
• etanercept (Enbrel)
• golimumab (Simponi)
• infliximab (Remicade)
• Certolizumab pegol (Cimzia)
• Secukinumab (Cosentyx)
• Infliximab-dyyb (Inflectra)

These drugs are injected or given intravenously.

Outlook

Although most people require some type of medical therapy for AS, natural remedies may also help reduce symptoms.
​
Not all alternative treatments are right for everyone with AS. Some people may have success with yoga and acupuncture. Others may feel better using cold therapy and massage.

When Billie falls into a coma after a near fatal accident, she appears to be possessed by the soul of a woman who has unfinished business with the living.

​Veronica (Catherine McCormack) is brilliant, gifted and beautiful, but the handsome aristocrat she loves, Marco Venier (Rufus Sewell), cannot marry her because she is penniless and of questionable family. So Veronica's mother, Paola (Jacqueline Bisset), teaches her to become a courtesan, one of the exotic companions favored by the richest and most powerful Venetian men. Veronica courageously uses her charms to change destiny -- and to give herself a chance at true love.

​Over the course of a midsummer night, a baron's frustrated daughter courts scandal and more when she tries to seduce her father's valet.

A female landscape gardener is awarded the esteemed assignment to construct the grand gardens at Versailles, a gilt-edged position which puts her in the centre of the court of King Louis XIV, where secrets and sadness are buried beneath the glamour.

A chambermaid (Léa Seydoux) from Paris relocates to a remote household in Provence in the late 19th century, engages in trysts and finds herself enraptured with a coach driver (Vincent Lindon).

A chronicle of the crimes of Ted Bundy, from the perspective of his longtime girlfriend, who refused to believe the truth about him for years.

Her husband away at war, a lonely Frenchwoman (Michelle Williams) begins a tentative romance with the refined German soldier (Matthias Schoenaerts) who has taken up residence in her mother-in-law's house.

A woman fakes her own death and that of her young son to get away from her abusive former partner. But when he discovers that they are still alive, he comes looking for them, leading the woman to decide whether she must finally face up to her past.

In a tough Boston suburb, private detective Patrick Kenzie is hired to trace the missing daughter of Helene McCready. Police chief Doyle doesn't think Patrick has a chance as she's been missing for 76 hours already. Patrick recognises the threat from molester Corwin Earle and Haitian gangster Cheese, but in a neighbourhood where he's lived all his life, the real danger may be closer to home.

​Kyle Braddock has spent the last decade moving witnesses over the border to Mexico and has always avoided confrontation or suspicion until now. Not only has he been framed for kidnapping but there's a malevolent and unrelenting figure on his trail and he is falling in love with his latest passenger, who has a dark secret that completely goes against all of his moral beliefs. Now he must protect the first person he has cared about in over ten years, discover who he is as a man and outrun a mysterious killer who is more akin to a force of nature, with an ever increasing path of human collateral in his wake.

Life has a host of speed bumps along the way to slow us down and add a bit more challenge to our lives.  It's not like we don't have enough on our plate with a chronic illness, already of course.

But the nuances of life keeps rearing its horns at the most inopportune times.  Sometimes there are days we don't expect like an aging parent that comes with little or no other family support. An aging parent can put quite a strain on your daily routine and when it starts you must seek help.

But where do you go?  

I was talking to a friend the other day when I found this website. She stated her mother, 93, already had an "aging policy" insurance that has kicked in.  She gets in-house nursing care, physical therapy, cleaning, and cooking.  I was shocked.  How many of us will have the same luck our parents had that particular insight? You can bet those numbers are low.  So, many of us will be scrambling these last years ensuring our loved ones are taken care of. 

Then there comes a point where you realize you can't possibly do it all to physical inadequacies and/or present responsibilities. You may not know, but ever state has a department that caters to the aging.  It was predominately established to keep our elderly at home and independent as long as possible.   I'm going to share a little of what Florida offers.

​Florida is home to nearly 5.2 million residents age 60 and older and currently ranks first in the nation for the 65+ populations. As our senior population continues to increase, Florida’s future is linked to the financial, health, and physical security of our elder population.

The Department provides most direct services through its Division of Statewide Community-Based Services, which works through the state’s eleven Area Agencies on Aging and local service providers to deliver essential services to a vital segment of the population. The Department also directly administers a wide range of programs, ranging from the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, Office of Public and Professional Guardians, and Communities for a Lifetime to SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) and CARES (Comprehensive Assessment and Review for Long-Term Care Services).

The Department recognizes that individuals age differently, and therefore the state’s residents do not each need the same kind of care or services as others the same age. Some individuals may suffer from chronic conditions that began long before they reached age 60, while others may be able to live their entire lives without ever needing long-term medical or social services. One of the Department’s highest priorities is reducing the need for many elders to be placed in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.

Ultimately, the goal is to efficiently use resources to ensure that the greatest number of elders possible get to spend their golden years living healthy, active, and fulfilling lives in their communities.

Mission Statement: To help Florida's elders remain healthy, safe, and independent.

Vision: All Floridians aging with dignity, purpose, and independence.

Goals:

Ensure that any Floridian in need of long-term care services receives a timely and appropriate assessment of need by applying a fair, objective, and transparent priority scoring methodology.

Protect vulnerable Floridians and their families by establishing the Office of Public and Professional Guardians.

Promote compassion and awareness for Floridians affected by dementia by expanding the Dementia Care and Cure Initiative (DCCI) across Florida.

Complete all federal and state statutory and regulatory requirements effectively by maximizing the number of elders served.

Let me tell you there is a whole host of services widely available. They are linked up with virtually every elder care facility in the state to offer assistance in your area.  All you have to do is call for an assessment.  It is that easy!  There is a 30 minute screening interview.  They will ask you your loved once physical state, present income, and areas you feel there is needed assistance. There is no need to provide proof of income at this point in time.  That will depend on other services he/she qualifies for.

Once you are done, the Department will send you a summary of your phone interview and the services your loved one qualifies for at this point in time.  You can update it each year.  Also, if at any point that person's state of health declines, you can call immediately for an update to more services.  

If you are in a situation with an elderly family member that is putting a strain on your own well-being, please seek out your department for the elderly in your state.  Have peace of mind.  The last thing we need to is cause our own health decline when this happens. 

Here's a list of what services are available locally for me:

​Home and Community-Based Programs and Services

• Adult Care Food Program
• Alzheimer’s Disease Initiative
• Community Care For the Elderly (CCE)
• Comprehensive Assessment & Review for Long-Term Care Services (CARES)
• Congregate Meal and Nutrition Sites
• Elder Farmers Market Nutrition Program
• Emergency Home Energy Assistance Program (EHEAP)
• Health & Wellness
• Home Care for the Elderly (HCE)
• Medicaid Long-Term Care Services
• Memory Disorder Clinics
• National Family Caregiver Support Program
• Nutritional Education for Older Adults
• Nutrition Programs
• Nutrition Services Incentive Program
• Older Americans Act (OAA)
• Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)
• Respite for Elders Living in Everyday Families (RELIEF)
• Senior Companion Program
• Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care Program (SMMC LTC)
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

Other Programs and Services

• Adult Protective Services
• Communities For a Lifetime
• Comprehensive Assessment & Review for Long-Term Care Services (CARES)
• Disaster Preparedness
• Elder Abuse Prevention Program
• Elder Helpline
• Hospice and End-of-Life Care
• Insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid
• Intergenerational Connections
• Housing
• Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
• Nursing Home Services (Agency for Health Care Administration Website)
• Public Guardianship
• Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP)
• Senior Legal Services & Senior Legal Helpline
• Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders (SHINE)
• Silver Alert and ListServ
• Transportation

​One of the most substantial benefits you can add to your daily regimen is to increase your day to day intake of water.  Fresh, filtered water expunged of impurities can make a remarkable difference in your overall health.  I've personally opted off bottled water due to unknown carcinogens in plastic and have adopted a stainless steel water bottle to house my drink.  

How does drinking considerable amount of water become a healthy source of Fibromyalgia Nutrition?  The body functions properly when it is replenished with sufficient  water and nutrition, this has been noted in fibromyalgia patients especially.  Every day you  lose water through your breath, perspiration, urine and bowel  movements.  Optimum re-hydration with water is  absolutely necessary for proper fibromyalgia nutrition. Water is pure liquid refreshment and accounts  for a large percentage of what makes each of us “human”. The average 150  lb. adult body contains 40 -50 quarts of water.  Almost 2/3rds of our  body weight is “water weight”.  Our blood is 83% water, muscles 75%, the  brain  74%, and bone is 22%.

So how much water should you be drinking each day?  Take your body weight and divide by two.  That is how many ounces of water you need daily to adequately flush your system, digest and  absorb vitamins and nutrients, and detoxify your liver and kidneys.

Increase water intake and notice the following benefits:

* Improve your energy

*Increase your mental and physical performance

*Remove toxins and waste products

*Keep skin healthy and glowing

*Help you lose weight

*Reduce headaches and dizziness

*Allow for proper digestion

*Help to keep you more alkaline

Howard Wakefield, a New York City lawyer, hides out in the attic of his home for weeks, coming out in the daytime when his family is gone to shower and eat. His withdrawal leads him to examine his life, and he rationalizes that he has not abandoned his family because he is still in the house. When a former boyfriend re-enters his wife's life, he realizes that he may not be able to return to life he has abandoned.

Scientists and spiritual teachers discuss how thoughts, beliefs, and emotions impact human health and the ability to heal.

This 13 episode lifestyle series is focused around a vibrant, healthy diet and what it means to live a Paleo lifestyle. Series 1 recently aired on Channel 7 with an incredible Series 2 currently in post production. 

​When Nader (Payman Maadi), a bank employee, refuses to leave Tehran, his wife, Simin (Leila Hatami) sues for divorce in the hope that she can make a better life for their young daughter abroad. Needing someone to care for his senile father while he's at work, Nader hires Razieh (Sareh Bayat), a married woman whose chador hides her pregnancy. One day, after becoming angry with Razieh, Nader shoves her, and she has a miscarriage, leading Razieh's husband to take Nader to court.

​Chinese food is popular in America, and this series brings viewers information about a certain type of the ethnic food, Chaoshan cuisine. Each episode focuses on an ingredient that is often used in Chaoshan cooking, exploring where the ingredients come from and what they are used for, as well as bringing to light the stories of the people behind the cuisine's creation. The featured ingredients range from common foods like olives to more exotic fare like yusheng, a freshly sliced raw fish that is eaten with vegetables and dipping sauce.

On the way to meet with an independent artist in the South, newlywed art dealer Madeleine (Embeth Davidtz) is convinced by her husband, George (Alessandro Nivola), that they should stop to meet his family in North Carolina. Madeleine's affluent lifestyle clashes with the family, but she befriends George's wide-eyed and pregnant sister-in-law, Ashley (Amy Adams), who is nearing her due date. Through the family, Madeleine gains greater insight into George's character.

​Spurred on by a promise he made to his daughters, Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) embarks on what would become a 20-year quest to obtain the movie rights to "Mary Poppins." The author, P.L. Travers (Emma Thompson), proves to be an uncompromising curmudgeon who has no intention of letting her beloved characters become mangled in the Hollywood machine. However, when the books stop selling and she finds herself in need of money, Travers reluctantly agrees to consider Disney's proposition.

A husband (Morgan Freeman) and wife (Diane Keaton) spend a hectic weekend pondering the sale of the apartment they've shared for more than 40 years.

Former Texas Rangers Frank Hamer and Maney Gault join forces to try and capture notorious outlaws Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow.

Quirky dog-lover Jocelyn and many-time married Bernadette decide to start a book club exclusively dedicated to Jane Austen, primarily to help distract their friend Sylvia from the fact that her husband has just dumped her. Frustrated French teacher Prudie, Sylvia's daughter Allegra and sci-fi fan Grigg join up as well.

​Gertrude Bell's life as a writer, archaeologist, explorer, cartographer, and political attaché for the British Empire at the dawn of the twentieth century.

It never fails, I always have a new tale to tell with an adverse reaction.  I'm wondering out there: Has anyone had adverse reactions to stinging insects since being diagnosed with fibromyalgia?  

The other day I was trimming in my garden.  It had just down poured and released a few degrees off the heat wave we're having here. This allowed me to grab a few minutes outdoors to get some much needed gardening in.

Now, I'm quite aware that I have adverse reactions since being diagnosed so I'm extremely careful when out doors and around insects that bite or sting.  Bushes, in particular, can hide wasp nests.  So I broached it stealthy eyeing every nook and crevices between the leaves.  Nothing!  Nonetheless I exerted extreme caution while tackling and clipping the overgrown branches.

I was moving at a fairly smooth pace at one point since I could see the entire trunk of the bush easily.  All of a sudden, a wasp flew directly at me forming a straight line, onto the tip of my nose and stung with force.  No other wasp accompanied it so he must have been rouge, possible drenched from the torrential down pour and just got his wits about him.  .

Oh what pain! Everything is a 1,000 times worse when you have fibromyalgia.  It resonated through every cranny in your body.  I felt dizzy, pained, and off balance.   I rushed inside following suite with the normal wasp procedure:

• wash the sting area with soap and water to remove as much of the venom as possible
• douse the area with vinegar
• apply a cold pack to the wound site to reduce swelling and pain
• keep the wound clean and dry to prevent infection
• cover with a bandage if desired

I also lathered on hydrocortisone cream.  Then I waited like usual to see if anything unexpected will begin to pop up.  Nothing.  I thought I was in the clear.

Two days letter I woke up with severe swelling in my nose and below my left eye.  "Oh, no!" I lamented. "I thought I was in the clear!"  It seemed I had developed some form of Cellulitis which is a common, potentially serious bacterial skin infection. The affected skin appears swollen and red and is typically painful and warm to the touch .Left untreated, the infection can spread to your lymph nodes and bloodstream and rapidly become life-threatening. 

I had most of the symptoms:

​Possible signs and symptoms of cellulitis, which usually occur on one side of the body, include:

• Red area of skin that tends to expand
• Swelling
• Tenderness
• Pain
• Warmth
• Fever
• Red spots
• Blisters
• Skin dimpling

Off to see the doctor!  Once diagnosed I was told I could be given a steroid shot.  Knowing my chemical sensitivities and the fact that if this is a bacterial infection, my immune system may go a bit haywire, I opted for the antibiotics.  Several years ago I was released on antihistamines only to find out several days later I had incubated a severe case of cellulitis.  Which, in turn, sent me back to the doctors office for antibiotics.

The PA was a bit gruff indulging me in his self-wisdom of the correct route, but knowing that my illness is not something a medical professional can fully understand, I opted for personal intuition this time.  In fact, I found personal intuition was what got me on my feet working again to begin with.  If I spent my life basking on every word my doctors told me, I'd be on 20 different pills and in bed most of the day.

This is by no means telling you to counter what your doctor is telling you.  It is encouraging you to use common sense on minor situations.  

For those of you following along, we've been working on The Tapping Solution to reduce pain and anxiety in our lives.  I have been faithfully tapping daily and noticing subtle changes in my life.

I've mentioned previously about the app called The Tapping Solution that is FREE to download.  ​There are several FREE meditations to utilize once you sign up.  If you are sold on the concept, you can purchase a monthly subscription for $11.99 or a reduced rate yearly fee.  I have not gotten to that point yet as I am in route of a thorough investigation first. Then I will consider full purchase. 

My first few meditations have centered on, "Releasing Anxiety".  Anxiety seems to play a crucial role in pain tolerance.  If I am stressed and out-of-sorts, I can bet that pain will soon follow.  I've decided to use this first meditation daily in the morning to set my sights on greener, calmer pastures.  It's working.  My anxiety level has plummeted to a "2" on the scale that I must assess pre and post meditative.  I'm going to keep that up each day.

Yesterday afternoon, I felt like perusing the FREE meditations and came upon "Quiet My Racing Mind."  Well, there's one that I experience throughout the day.  Anytime a new task is embarked upon, I can feel my mind begin to race.  Add a few more "normal" routines in there and my body begins to border on high alert.  I am still uncertain as to why this happens, but once I begin my day, it is a never-ending barrage of "Gosh, more to do, I just can't handle this!" 

So I decided to take the plunge.  As I began to relax into the mediation I felt the rapid-fire thought process begin to slow.  And then Nick said something interesting, "You racing mind is your body's protection mechanism so that negativity can't take hold and hurt you."  That hit the spot!  I am always concerned that I will not do things correctly, or I'll find myself off guard and blindsided.  I speculated that my mind was against me previously  because I was unable to quiet it most days.  Then I'd get angry!  "Why, Mind, are you doing this to me all the time?" I'd lament.  I had never thought of it as a protection process, that my mind did have my back!

Little thoughts like this change you're view of thinking.  It changes how you internalize your daily flow of life. And, it can make a big difference for those of us who suffer from chronic pain by quieting that central nervous system that causes pain.  

So, at this point taking in all this amazing information, you may be asking, "How long has then been around? Why haven't I heard of this before?"  ​It began in 1980, with a psychologist by the name of Roger Callahan, and a patient with an extreme phobia towards water. Mary’s fear of water controlled her life and kept her from performing many otherwise normal daily activities. She was unable to take her children to the beach, and found it impossible to drive near the ocean. She grew fearful when it rained, and could not even stand the sight of water on TV. She even had vivid nightmares involving water. 

Dr. Callahan and Mary had been working on this problem together for over a year. Finally, Mary worked up the courage to sit within sight of the pool at Dr. Callahan’s house. Even doing this caused Mary extreme distress, and though she found ways to cope with the intense fear and emotional pain, she had not yet overcome her phobia. 

Her fear of being near the water caused Mary to have stomach pains – a common “gut reaction.” Dr. Callahan had recently been studying traditional Chinese medicine, which included learning about the meridians and how they worked. Suddenly he had an inspiration. Remembering that there was an acupuncture point for the stomach meridian on the cheekbone, he asked her to tap there, thinking it might help with her stomach pains. 

Mary tapped her cheekbone as directed, and this little action changed medicinal history! The response seemed miraculous, to both Mary and Dr. Callahan. Her stomach pains disappeared. But even more amazingly, her fear of water disappeared too! She ran down to the pool and began splashing herself with water, rejoicing in her newfound freedom from her phobia. 

Based on this discovery, Dr. Callahan began a series of investigations to develop and refine this technique, which he termed “Thought Field Therapy.” It was fairly complex, and required a trained practitioner to use specific algorithms and techniques to determine which meridian points to stimulate to obtain the desired results. 

Gary Craig, an engineer in California, trained under Dr. Callahan’s tutelage in the 1990’s, learning the procedures for TFT. As time passed, he began to improve the process by creating a simpler tapping sequence that could be easily learned and repeated, even by the patient him/herself. 

The result was the development of a new type of therapy that Gary named EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques). But perhaps even more importantly, he created a community around EFT, allowing the technique to be learned, applied, and shared freely. Because of this, hundreds of thousands of people all over the world have used Tapping to resolve emotional problems and physical conditions.