Dealing With Sorrow

Have you ever been so consumed by sorrow that it affected every part of your being?  Sorrow is one emotion that can affect your physical, emotional, and spiritual health.  This is different from what I normally write about, but the truth is that I have had such a burden for all of the sorrow that is going on around me, that it affects me as well.  Whether it is death, sickness, addiction, rebellion, problems at work, or other relationship issues, when those around us hurt, we hurt as well.  Sorrow can be mild and short-term or it could be completely debilitating and last for years.  It is always important to look for signs of depression because it is a real mental illness that is treatable.  I always thought that people that took medications for depression used them as a crutch until I realized I was experiencing it and desperately needed help.  It is amazing what medications and exercise can do for depressive emotions.  If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of depression (withdrawal, fatigue, excessive sleeping, insomnia, frequent physical ailments, feelings of worthlessness) make sure that you talk to your healthcare provider right away.  There is no reason to have to experience these symptoms when help is available.  The other part of dealing with sorrow is prayer and fellowship.  These two things will make the unbearable bearable.  I have been spending a great deal of time in prayer over many things that I have great sorrow over and these are the verses that have been a source of strength. 

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things.  Phililppians 4:8
This helped me to realize that if we are dealing with a negative situation, we need to seek something positive and focus on it and give God praise for it.  If you are dealing with a death or illness, focus on the great things of your loved one's life.

Psalms 46 is a great source of strength as well.  vs 1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear.... vs 10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!
Reading this makes me realize that everything that happens both good and bad happens for God's glory so He may be exalted.

It is hard to find peace in the middle of the storm, but God is our peace.  John 14:27 says, Peace I leave with you.  My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

I hope this helps and encourages someone.  I have burdens for so many friends and family members right now and I just felt the need to share my heart.  Best wishes to your wellness!

Guaranteed Method For Achieving Weight Loss and Fitness Goals

If I told you that there was a guaranteed method for achieving your weight loss and fitness goals, you would probably think that I sounded like one of those infomercials that bombard cable television, but believe it or not, there is one single thing that works and that is change.  It sounds pretty simple, but you have to realize there is a lot involved in the change process.  One of the first steps is getting real with yourself and recognizing the problem.  If what you are doing (or not doing) isn't working, then you need to do something about it or it will continue not to work.  There is actually a model called the Transtheoretical Model of Change.  This is a brief summary of the model:

• Stage One:  Precontemplation
• Does not plan to address the problem either because they don't realize they have a problem or they are not motivated to change.
• Stage Two:  Contemplation
• This person is thinking about changing their habits, but not immediately.  They are weighing the pros and cons for changing behavior and they are not ready to take action yet.
• Stage Three:  Preparation
• The person is ready to do something, so they start educating themselves about how they are going to take action.
• Stage Four:  Action
• This is the beginning stage of action.  The person is taking actions toward change, but not every action is beneficial and maybe just a few actions are addressing the health need.
• Stage Five:  Maintenance
• Major behavior changes have occurred and now the person is focusing on keeping the changes and avoiding relapsing into old habits.
• Stage Six:  Termination
• This person has completely changed their unwanted behavior or bad habits and they do not have any temptations to go back to their old habits.

Most people get hung up in the action stage because they start and then they can't find what works or they give up altogether.  Some people make it to the maintenance stage and people in this stage still have cravings for their old habit, but they remained focused on their positive behavior changes.  The termination stage is when a person has completely achieved the behavior change and the old behavior is no longer a part of their lives, it is like it was never there in the first place.  This model can be applied to any bad habit, whether it is overeating, not exercising, smoking, drugs, or even watching too much television.  The most important thing is to recognize what the problem is.

I have several people that are close to me that are addicted to food.  They will express that they want to exercise and lose weight, but they are not willing to give up their addiction.  That's like saying, "I'm going to the Olympics and I'm going to win a gold medal, but I'm not going to do any training."  How would that work out for you?  I've heard this too, "I was raised in the south and I'll exercise, but I'm not giving up my southern cooking."  Really?!!!  Come on, that makes absolutely no sense.
If you want to see real results, you have to change your entire lifestyle.  Change does mean giving up some things, but compromising on others.  The saying, "have you cake and eat it too" means that you can't possess the cake by having it and enjoy it by eating it.  You have to do one or the other.  You can possess the cake and look at it all you want, but if you choose to eat it, then it is gone.  My suggestion is to have your cake and find something else to eat that is just as satisfying and free of guilt. 

Change is hard, but the results are worth it.  Changing a behavior that is harmful to your health will likely prolong your life and add more life to your years. I love this quote from Benjamin Franklin, "Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today."  Please don't wait, change your life for the better.  Best wishes to your wellness!

Do You Run Like A Fine Oiled Machine?

Have you ever thought about how your body functions?  Are you a corvette or a clunker?  Maybe it's time for a tune-up.  Most people will try everything to get their bodies in optimal condition except for something pretty obvious - a check-up with your primary care provider.  This may not seem like a big deal, but it one of the most important things that you can do to make sure that you are firing on all cylinders.  If you are trying to lose weight, it is always a good idea to check with your provider before starting any program because you need to change your diet and exercise habits and it is important to make sure everything is checked over first.  If you are overweight, you could have issues with your thyroid, blood pressure, cholesterol, and other issues such as diabetes.  You may or may not even know that you have a problem with any of these issues.  Problems with diabetes and thyroid issues can explain weight loss difficulties and your provider can help you get on the right track.  If you have undiagnosed problems with cholesterol or blood pressure, these can affect your major organs such as your heart, kidneys, and your brain.  If it is left untreated for a period of time, you are at great risk for having a heart attack or stroke.  This is stuff that seems pretty straightforward, but think about this.  Imagine if you missed out on your visit to your provider for most of your adult life and all of the sudden you find yourself in the hospital after suffering a stroke and you realize that you have undiagnosed high blood pressure and diabetes that in addition to rehab needed from stroke damage, you also have kidney failure and will require hemodialysis for the rest of your life.  All of these things are going to total up to millions of dollars worth of treatments that could have been prevented with a yearly visit to your provider and a monthly prescription that was likely on the $4 list at Wal-Mart.  I didn't even dig into joints and arthritis, but you get my point.  Make sure that you follow-up with your provider at least annually.  Best wishes to your wellness!