Is it strange that I use this verse
as I am going to tell you how to prevent illness? Yes and No. My husband and I
took the boys on a surprise trip to Disney this long weekend while they were
out of school. We only had two days to do the parks quickly. They haven't been
since one was 18 months and one was 5, so this was a big deal. We decided to do
it right, stay with the monorail, get the dining plan, go all out for a
weekend. THEN.....day two, Joseph, my 12 year old becomes very ill, and has lots
of vomiting, and ends up in the Disney clinic. That night, I start with the
fever ( I already had stomach upset but was thought it was sympathy pains).
That next morning (early morning, might I add) Jacob starts vomiting. The
clinic said it was food poisoning. That is still questionable in my mind, because
there were so many sick people down there. It made me think it was viral.
At first, I was so mad! I had 2 days and paid all this money and was so excited for them, just to get poisoned by the place we so longed to go! We only got to go to the parks one day and we lost lots of meals we paid for that were never eaten. I was so upset and frustrated; I was ready to throw my sparkling Mickey ears across the desk at the lady while cancelling a Chef Mickey character breakfast. The others around me were making them and I was mad at them too. And then, the voice came. The one that brings you tears and reminds you.. "It's not about you, or the boys, or your plans, they are Mine." I truly believe that all things happen for a reason. It's so easy to tell others that, but when it happens to you, that voice of God has to tell you that. Sometimes, with me, I think He shouts it a few times before I listen. I tried to figure it out. Maybe we would have gotten some kind of horrific injury on a ride. Maybe he saved us from something much worse, like a monorail crash or a bus accident. Maybe by reporting the illness to Disney, we saved some little baby from the illness who would be hospitalized from the event. I have thought of all kinds of reasons to make my mind at ease. I really don't know the reason, because the reason isn't mine. So, I am trusting that God is building our endurance and our character like He promises through our sufferings.....after all..It’s not about me.
At first, I was so mad! I had 2 days and paid all this money and was so excited for them, just to get poisoned by the place we so longed to go! We only got to go to the parks one day and we lost lots of meals we paid for that were never eaten. I was so upset and frustrated; I was ready to throw my sparkling Mickey ears across the desk at the lady while cancelling a Chef Mickey character breakfast. The others around me were making them and I was mad at them too. And then, the voice came. The one that brings you tears and reminds you.. "It's not about you, or the boys, or your plans, they are Mine." I truly believe that all things happen for a reason. It's so easy to tell others that, but when it happens to you, that voice of God has to tell you that. Sometimes, with me, I think He shouts it a few times before I listen. I tried to figure it out. Maybe we would have gotten some kind of horrific injury on a ride. Maybe he saved us from something much worse, like a monorail crash or a bus accident. Maybe by reporting the illness to Disney, we saved some little baby from the illness who would be hospitalized from the event. I have thought of all kinds of reasons to make my mind at ease. I really don't know the reason, because the reason isn't mine. So, I am trusting that God is building our endurance and our character like He promises through our sufferings.....after all..It’s not about me.
That's my little lesson that I got
taught this weekend. As for advice on prevention of illness, there are many
tips to keep your body strong and healthy, so it can fight the battle. Notice
in my above story, Chad is still well and I just had a touch of something. I
attribute that to all the prayers of all our friends and family that knew what
was going on, and to our healthy lifestyle on a daily basis. Yes, my kids have a healthy lifestyle too, but they are small with a less than mature immune
system. making them more susceptible to illness when it enters in the body.
For many people around the world,
the flu and cold season is in full force. While the days become shorter (for
those of in the southern hemisphere) there is less sunlight and thus warmth. As
a result, we miss out on adequate vitamin D and tend to indulge in heavier
meals and more food - not necessarily always making the healthiest choice.
Also, many people suffer from
seasonal depression as a result of shorter days; this increases stress while
depleting our body’s ability to fight off infection – one of the reasons why so
many get sick this time of year. Despite all the colds and flu floating about,
we all have the ability to avoid catching them if we take the time to
strengthen our immunity through prevention.
10 Tips To Avoid Illness
DO'S
1. Always ensure that you're eating a
diet of whole foods (mainly raw).
By giving your body what it needs
(i.e. vitamins, minerals, enzymes, phytonutriets), it has a greater ability to
produce the necessary t-cells and white blood cells to ward off any foreign
invader.
2. Get plenty of rest.
It is important to get your proper
sleep. Some require more than others, but generally speaking, 7-8 hours for
most is sufficient. Proper sleeping patterns give your body the ability to
recharge; contributing to a stronger defense system so the body does not have
to work so hard in keeping a foreign bacteria or virus out of the body.
3. Ensure that you keep exercising.
Our body is designed to move. In
order to keep our internal organs functioning properly, we must ensure that we
are assisting them in their job of eliminating waste and waste by-products.
Exercising assists our body’s ability to rid toxins from our body much faster
and improves the overall performance of our cardiovascular, muscular, and
skeletal systems. It is also important to note that our lymphatic system is a
very slow moving system; so moving at least 1 hour each day can help keep the
fluids within this system moving, keeping the ducts clean and efficient.
4. Provide your body with an extra
boost of nutrients.
It is not only essential to eat
well, but we also must make sure we are receiving adequate supplementation.
Increase your intake of vitamin D and C, zinc, magnesium, and a good quality
vitamin B complex. Also ensure that your getting grounded to the earth and
adding plenty of garlic, onions and mushrooms to meals.
5. Try to stay home as much as you
can.
Avoiding illness can be as simple as
staying put in your own home. It is important to avoid area such as pharmacies
where you can easily come into contact with air borne pathogens from people
waiting in line. Also, ensure that you make your best efforts to keep your
hands clean – most bacteria and virus are spread through direct contact. Use
hand sanitizers when you are in public areas this time of the year.
DON’T:
6. Stay away from the sugar (all
forms, especially processed).
You have heard it before from me!! As
70-80% of your immune system resides in your intestines, it is important to
keep them functioning properly. Sugar inhibits phagocytosis, the process by which
viruses and bacteria are engulfed and then literally chewed up by white blood
cells. The immune suppressing effect of sugar starts less than thirty minutes
after ingestion and may last for five hours. That’s a long time to experience a
glitch in your immune system, especially if you’re considering going into
public places where there are sure to be germs all around. One of the area pediatricians
has said this for years and people get so mad at him when he tells them not to
let their kids eat any sugar while they are sick.
7. Avoid consuming processed foods.
Processed foods have little to no
nutrient value. They usually do more harm than good to your body. By eating
primarily processed/packaged foods, one becomes malnourished; this in turn
weakens your immune system. Not only are processed foods void of any nutrients,
they also have a host of unhealthy additives and preservatives which can
further suppress your immune system from functioning properly.
8. Keep your stress levels down.
Too much stress in one’s life
severely suppresses one’s immune system. Wherever possible, try to engage in
some light stretching or yoga, or simply practice some deep breathing
techniques to bring down your cortisol (stress hormone) levels.
9. Antibiotics should be used as a
last resort.
Everything has its use, although
some things tend to get abused. Ensure that you have exhausted all natural
remedies possible before considering the use of antibiotics. If you have no
other choice, make sure to follow-up your treatment with a good quality pro-biotic
supplement to replenish the good bacteria in your gut as antibiotics both kill
good and bad bacteria when ingested.
10. Avoid overworking yourself.
When we enter the fall and winter
seasons, it is important to adjust our activity levels as well. Generally
speaking, we should reduce our activity levels as we are supposed to rest more
in the fall and winter months.
As I typed these tips for you, I laughed
at myself. I wonder why we were sick at Disney. All these rules went out the
window for a long weekend and thus we ended up sick. We were around lots of
people during the start of illness season. We were cramming a week trip in to 2
days. We were lacking sleep from getting up early and staying up late. We ate
foods that are processed and prepared ways we aren't used to, and couldn't find
much to eat raw, like fruits and veggies. We counted walking around the park as
"exercise". All of the lines and crowds and waiting for buses and
rides definitely increased our stress levels. We disobeyed all of my own rules.
I just thought I would share that with you all. Hopefully we will all be back
to normal soon and next time, yes there will be a next time since we have to
make it up to them, we will do things differently to avoid illness. Whatever
the reason, we ended up sick and God was glorified somehow and some way through
this process.
Brandy KisnerHealth & Wellness Coordinator
