five meals -- Somewhere along the line Americans established three meals a day -- breakfast, lunch, and dinner -- even though it is better to have five (or, 3 meals plus 2 snacks about 3 hours in-between meals). The way it was explained to me is that it has something to do with stabilizing metabolism and blood sugar. Once your body is already hungry, the damage is done. Without eating for so long, the body releases stress hormones and can create feelings of irritability, tiredness, inability to focus, and other unpleasant sensations. Granted, sometimes I feel odd needing meals/snacks at five points in the day when many people out there barely have one...this change was a drastic improvement.
liver -- At the beginning of last month my body was showing different signs of instability. I prayed that God would help take this tip of a downward spiral away before it nose dived. Later that week, I randomly looked up the property of artichokes -- a food I never cared for that much. Turns out they help to detoxify the liver. The functioning of my liver had been in question for a while. It was immediately apparent that this green veggie drains my liver like crazy, in turn granting greater focus and energy as well as needing less sleep. Feeling it drain is a weird painless sensation -- kind of like squishing sturdy jello through a small hole -- but I'm glad it's working now.
acupuncture -- I hate needles! But acupuncture is amazing. My ND suggested this to provide a treatment that wouldn't involve yet another lifestyle change. Through it, my gut is totally relaxed and, let's just say, I can feel it move a lot of junk through. However, the cost is high! To do the recommended treatment, my medical bills would seriously double -- if you know what that number is against my income, it's enough to make your jaw drop. So, I had to decline further treatment. But I knew if this was a crucial treatment that God would somehow provide a way. I prayed and, long story short, she offered me an immense and gracious sliding scale -- which at my first appointment was not an option. Granted going once a month is different from the prescribed three times a week, the difference is worth it.
"And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” Matthew 21:22
