Toxins in the Home

This is not so much informational as it is a plea to consider something:

So many of us don’t know the truth about common cleaning supplies–they are highly dangerous to our health. I went to Publix yesterday and walked past an area where they had cleaned with bleach recently and I had a bad reaction that lasted the rest of the day (throat closing up, lung inflammation and pain, trouble breathing, headaches, nerve symptoms all over the body, swelling, low blood pressure). It was scary. Rob was out of town and I was afraid to stay alone with the children in case I passed out or something like that. I prayed and without me calling anyone the Lord provided a friend who was able to walk with me (helps my body fight the reaction) and stay with me until I started to feel better.  I really appreciated this evidence of God’s love for me.  I had been thinking of going over to a friend’s house but knowing that He sent someone to me instead felt like a hug from God.

We would all do well to avoid these chemicals, and for the sake of those of us who are extra sensitive to them, I am asking you to consider changing your cleaning supplies to safer ones.

Other problem products are any products for home or body with synthetic fragrances. These and the cleaning chemicals are highly toxic and cause some of us to have life threatening reactions. The plug-in air fresheners and air sprays are really bad. For the sake of your family and the people around you, please consider avoiding these. You never know what stranger or new person at church might be really sensitive to the shampoo or deodorant you use. Out of Christian love and for our own health we would do very well to give up these things for safer alternatives (there are alternatives for everything). Some of us have to literally avoid friends’ houses, or being with them if they have fabric softener on their clothes, have just showered and used perfumed shampoos, lotions, etc. And some of us cannot even go to church anymore (I am in that situation currently–partly because we are in a newly remodeled building with newish carpet).

I have a friend who tried to join a small country church. She was poisoned by a pesticide a long time ago and still has a very low tolerance for chemicals. They make her very sick. When she explained the situation to these people they were not at all sympathetic and they refused to stop wearing their perfumes to church. When I knew her, it was before I started having bad reactions to chemicals. But knowing her and wanting to be able to spend time with her made me realize that it was worth giving up the fragrances and other things that I had been using. And even after we moved away I maintained that because I thought, “You never know who might also be sensitive to these things.” And now I am myself and I am so thankful for the friends I have who have gone out of their way to change their cleaning and body products so that we can be together.

We have been deceived by the manufacturing companies that we need all the antibacterial cleaners and fancy smelling products to make our homes clean and fresh. It simply isn’t true. Plain soap and water works just as well, without the toxins. All you have to do is loosen bacteria and rinse them down the drain–you don’t have to kill them. I do not use these things and we do not ever get sick from our home. Whenever we get sick it is because we have caught something from a friend. I can always trace it back. Antibacterial products just produce antibacterial resistant bacteria. If you want to make your home smell nice, you can use the natural products on the market such as a pure citrus spray. As long as you are not allergic to the plant used these are great. Some essential oils products are very strong and should also be used sparingly.

Thank you for considering this.  Here is some info on cleaning supplies to get you started. And body care products.  And info on specific brands.

Waiting on God

In the midst of much waiting on God that our family is and has been doing for a long time I have been reading a book by T. Austin-Sparks called Discipline Unto Prayer. One chapter is called The Divine Ministry of Delay and I was helped by these quotes and want to share them with you.

“I am going to suggest three things, and they are mere suggestions; but may they bring light to you, as they have brought to me in past days. The first thing I want to say about God’s delays is this: It is only by enforced waiting upon Him that we come to know God with that knowledge which is the foundation of all character. I use the word enforced waiting upon God, because it is only by being forced to wait upon God that some of us ever do wait on Him. We are naturally impatient, we are naturally impulsive, we naturally chafe at anything like slowness; and God, by withholding the answer for which we have looked, keeps us at His feet in order that we may come to know Him. He is infinitely more concerned in the making and remaking of our lives than in the gratifying of our minds. He is infinitely more concerned in making us men and women of His own pattern, and to deepen His life in our souls, than to gratify some of the desires which we often express in unconsidered prayer. For we cannot come to know God, and inferentially we cannot come to know ourselves, in an hour. God’s delays do not indicate any caprice on His part, but rather His concern and compassion for us. They are directed toward saving us from hurrying away from His presence before the lessons of His grace have been more than mentally received. God is preparing us, by keeping us waiting upon Him, worthily to receive, to interpret, and then to use the gifts He will yet give in answer to prayer and in fulfilment of His word.”

“We are kept waiting upon Him that we may become of the number of those who really do know their God, and who consequently are empowered to do exploits.”

“God is making us; do not let us be impatient under the process. God is making us; do not let impatience and impetuosity take us, therefore, from under the hand of the Master Workman. He is eliminating the flaws, and remaking the marred vessels. The two qualities which we need most – endurance and radiance – are not imparted to any man in a single hour. God keeps us waiting that in His presence, beholding His glory, we may be changed into the same image from glory unto glory.”

“The things we try to get rid of by prayer are often the very things we can least afford to lose. Some of those things we call burdens, of which we try to get rid in the Sanctuary, are the things that God has placed upon us for the steadying of life and the guiding of our energies into channels which otherwise we should overlook and miss. Paul learnt that there was something infinitely better than the removal of the thorn-pain – infinitely better! Thrice he besought the Lord to remove it – with what interval between those prayers we know not. But surely Paul, like the rest of us, was perplexed at God’s delay. And he ultimately found that God was preparing something far better than the extraction of the thing which caused a throbbing wound – “My grace is sufficient for thee.” If he had not had the thorn-pain, like the nightingale which is said to sing sweetest when its breast is pierced, he had never learned the song: “Most gladly will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me!” We learn, as we are kept waiting at His feet, that the cord which we would have had God cut, He disentangles, and so saves for purposes of His service. God’s ways are always justified of His children, if they will patiently tarry His leisure.”

“The third thing I want to say is this. Faith can only be trained by being tested. As a man’s muscles are only hardened by exercise, so his faith only becomes strong and ultimately invincible by being subjected to the discipline of strain. For until it accepts the will of God, not under compulsion, nor because there is no alternative, but by free choice and glad surrender, faith is lacking in essential quality. But when we are unmoved by the fact that we are kept waiting, calmly conscious that God’s glory is intimately bound up with our lives
and prayers, and content that if He can afford to wait, so too can we, one of life’s greatest lessons has been learnt. For faith reaches its triumph only when its exercise ceases to be a deliberate activity and becomes an instinctive attitude.”

http://www.austin-sparks.net/english/books/000780.html
http://www.austin-sparks.net/index.html

Besides the book Discipline Unto Prayer, which these quotes are from, other good places to start reading are The Centrality and Supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ; Christ Our Life; The Measure of Christ, Christ–All and In All. Sparks’ main message was the Lord Jesus Christ. The desire in all of his writings was to lift up the name of Jesus. There is much nourishing food for the soul here!

Updated and New Gluten Free Recipes

I finally updated the gluten free breads and cakes page.  Over time I have refined some of the recipes and developed new ones that my family enjoys very much.  Christopher wants to have a gluten free bakery when he grows up and I a tell him I am developing his recipes for him so he’ll be all ready when the time comes.  We may even sell our baked goods as a family business, at least at farmer’s markets, in the near future.

Something I’ve recently started doing successfully is gluten free sourdough baking and we all LOVE it.

So check out the recipes here if you are in need of gluten free baking ideas.

And yes, it’s been a WHILE since I posted.  We’ve been on a month long vacation!  It’s been wonderful.  I will write soon.  God is working and He is so good!

All in a Day’s Work

The children and I set out yesterday on a full day of errands. It was hot, we didn’t pack any food and it took much longer than I thought it would. Along the way everything seemed to go wrong. I tried to find my sister’s new house to drop off a gift and couldn’t find it, even though I’d been to that neighborhood before.

I gave up and went to get a lab slip from my doctor (this is the reason I went to FWB for my errands instead of shopping here) only to get in and find out it was the beginning of the lunch hour. We stayed in the waiting area for a while because the children had immediately gotten out the doctor’s photo albums of the children he’d delivered (used to be an ob now just does gyn) and they were loudly exclaiming over all the babies. I let them have their fun and finally left to try to find my sister’s house and failed again, so we went shopping for our trip and Carol’s return home.

Everything went fine in Office Depot. This is where we met the pioneer lady (see post below). The thought occurred to me that God uses our delays to get us to the right spot at the right time, and that we never know what effect short interactions with strangers might have on them and us.

Next stop, Publix. As we walked in the door I started feeling lopsided and realized that a strap on a “personal clothing item” had broken! Talk about feeling self-conscious! I still had to shop for two households in that state.

We rushed to the bathroom for a pit stop and there was a woman in there who asked us if we homeschooled. We told her yes and she said she was doing that this year too. It sounded like it was her first year so I quickly encouraged her that it was a great and good thing, and that was it. But as I said before, she may have needed just such encouragement and there we were in the bathroom to give it at the appointed time. I might have talked longer but we were desperate for that pit stop and Laura wanted me to come in the stall with her so that’s all I had time to say.

I normally enjoy shopping with the children, but yesterday they were hungry and didn’t have as much self-control. They weren’t being bad, just really REALLY loud. They read EVERYTHING at the top of their lungs and got excited about anything they saw. I already felt like I wanted to crawl into a hole so it was a bit overwhelming to feel like we were drawing even more attention to ourselves. I prayed quickly, “Lord, I need your Spirit! Fill me.” We managed to maneuver two loud, laughing carts around the store and get everything on the list and I didn’t yell at anyone. That was God’s grace!

The crackers I needed were on a top shelf so I had to stand on tip toe to get them. I grabbed the first box and then was trying to decide if I wanted the same kind which was very far back on the shelf or another kind. I had just decided on the other kind when a man came over and asked, “Need some help shorty?” I think he thought I was offended when I said, “No, thank you, I was going to get this one.” He apologized and I said it was okay. Anyway, it was funny to me. No stranger has ever called me shorty before.

At the checkout, the cashier commented to the bagger that I had bought everything organic and then she turned to me and said, “You would die if you knew what I heard on the news about organic.” I just smiled and I could tell she was disappointed that I hadn’t taken her bait (She didn’t know she would have gotten an earful on the subject if I had! Why do people believe everything they hear on the news anyway?). A few minutes later she said, “There’s nothing wrong with it, don’t get me wrong.” She was then really confused when she scanned Carol’s groceries and found that all of them were conventional!

At last we were out of the store and after we loaded groceries in the car we pretended to be the cart collectors and ended up with a caravan of four carts. We made a train with them, with our hands as connectors, and the kids thought that was fun.

Back to the Dr.’s office we went. I told the receptionist I was there for my lab slip and she looked really confused. She looked for it, couldn’t find it, and went to talk to the nurse. She came back a few minutes later and told me the nurse had mailed it to me! She had called me the day before and told me to come get it. The receptionist made me a copy of it anyway.

Next we went to CVS for some travel containers and then I determined that I would find my sister’s house. Her birthday was in July and I wanted her to have her b-day present before October! This time the directions made perfect sense to me and I found it without trouble. Of course! God’s timing is perfect and doesn’t often match mine.

When we got home and checked the mail, there was the lab slip from the doctor. I had almost called them to ask if they could mail it as they usually do, but I hadn’t. Apparently it was a case of the right hand not knowing what the left hand was doing and only God knows all the reasons we had to go to FWB, because other than dropping off the gift I could have done all my errands at home in a lot less time.

To top it all off we made a quick dinner and then went to Carol’s house with Rob to clean, sort, and file. Our friend Nancy came and gave the house a thorough cleaning with the children while Rob and I sorted through giant piles of important and unimportant papers and filed what needed saved. Several hours later we came home, had a second dinner and then crashed into bed.

It was a long day, but God was present with us and we all had peace. I am thankful that He gives us what we need when we ask Him to.

I lived in pioneer days

We were at Office Depot yesterday. A woman there asked us if we homeschool and we told her we do. She said that she homeschooled her two daughters when they were growing up and now they can’t wait to have children so they can be second generation homeschoolers. I told her that I was homeschooled and enjoyed being a second generationer. At one point she told me she started homeschooling in the pioneer days.

After she had moved on Christopher asked, eyes wide, “Did she live in the PIONEER days????”

This woman homeschooled her daughters the same time I was being homeschooled so I guess that means I lived in pioneer days too.

Of course she meant the pioneer days of the modern homeschool movement.

Slow Down

The relative silence on this blog reflects the busy season I am in and my struggle to maintain intimacy with the Lord in that busyness. As my energy has increased after the miscarriage and D&C my prayer has been that the Lord will renew my desire to meet with Him daily. I am able to get up earlier again, and He has been inviting me to use that time to sit with Him. I am not where I was or want to be, but He is drawing me. I have missed Him. It isn’t that He hasn’t been with me or that we never talk, but I miss the close communion. And when I am not staying close to Him I really have nothing to say here, there or anywhere!

I have recovered quickly from the miscarriage and D&C. But right after I had surgery, Rob’s mom was admitted to the hospital with blood clots. She is now in rehab and will be coming home on Thursday. There has been much activity related to her situation that has added to our already full schedule. And I’ve gotten back into full gear preparing foods we can eat, homeschooling, etc. And now we are preparing for a three week vacation–part of it will be with the children and my parents and another will be just Rob and me visiting friends and then going to Oregon for an anniversary trip. We are SO excited, but there is a lot to be done to get ready for that and for Rob’s mom to come home. We are thankful for the many friends who will be helping care for her while we are gone, and also for the home health folks who will be keeping an eye on her. We are glad she’ll finally be getting the help she needs at home.

God’s presence and care have been evident through all of these things. And in it all I’ve heard Him say, “Don’t lose sight of Me. Don’t just get busy again. Remember that you need My Spirit like you need the air you breathe and the water you drink.” As I have slowed down to meet with Him He has given me what I’ve needed to DO what He’s called me to do.

How do they know?

We were picking out a birthday card for Rob’s mom at the store and Sarah asked Christopher, “How do they know it’s Grandma’s birthday?” Christopher answered authoritatively, “They don’t. They just put a bunch of cards out.”

Miscarriage update

Just wanted to give an update. I had a D&C yesterday. All went well. I appreciate all the prayers that went up for me and for our family. The Lord gave me complete peace about the surgery and there were no complications. I am resting now and Rob has been taking good care of us.

My friend Tammy called and offered to watch the children for us yesterday while we were at the hospital, and it was wonderful not to have to find someone to do that. They all had a great time together.

I am thankful to not be waiting around for the bleeding to start; knowing your baby is dead but still being pregnant is very hard. We are going on a trip most of September and this gives me time to regain my strength so I can enjoy the time with my family and with Rob.

Another miscarriage

Thank you all for your prayers. I found out today that the baby has died. I had two ultrasounds done to verify. God provided a wonderful doctor and nurses today. They were amazing. I got so many hugs, I was allowed to cry, and a woman prayed for me when I went to get the second ultrasound. God knew what I needed. Please pray for wisdom to know what we should do next. Tough decisions.

Baby Bird

Baby Mocking Bird that fell from a tree and huddled on our fence.

Daily Blessings

So, I haven’t been writing much lately. . .actually, I’ve not been doing much lately. . .I am two months pregnant and have merely been surviving day to day because of the fatigue and nausea. There’s also been the emotional aspect of wondering if this pregnancy will go full term. I find myself surrendering to God’s will a lot. I also catch myself telling God that if this pregnancy doesn’t go well then I am done–I can’t keep doing this; but what does that mean for someone like me who doesn’t want to do anything permanent like surgery and who is against abortifacient forms of birth control? I’ve had 12 miscarriages, and I know some people think I am crazy, “Why doesn’t she give up?”–but there really are some tough questions involved. It is not a light thing to play God over your life. I just trust myself to the mercy of God and know He is storing up for me a greater weight of glory. He is sovereign and He is good. I am thankful for the children I have, and am not idolizing having a baby. I would like more children, but my life doesn’t revolve around that. I haven’t even been trying to get pregnant, but God seems to have other plans and so I trust the babies I’ve lost are with Him and that my losses are not a waste. I am weary of feeling like a broken woman though. I do beg Him to heal me.

Laura was making plans for the babies (she wants twins) today, and how she will help them learn to swim. It was so sweet. She really wants another baby in the family. Everyone does. Laura is almost four, and is definitely the mother hen of the family. She loves to take care of everyone and wants to tend to a little one so badly. When she was sharing her thoughts with me I became very choked up, “Oh, Lord, please don’t let her be disappointed!” I gave her a hug and told her how sweet she is.

We’ve finished up our school year (we go year round with short breaks) using My Father’s World Adventures and are taking the week off before we go into MFW Exploring Countries and Cultures. The boys wanted to start this week because they love MFW and can’t wait to get into all the new books. We got a head start on the geography last night when Christopher pulled our laminated US/World map from Adventures down and started asking us “What is the capitol of _________?” We spent over an hour passing the map around as we all took turns asking and answering similar questions–giggles and smiles thrown in for good measure. This was after a good Sunday afternoon nap, a thunderstorm that knocked our power out for a while and a dinner we threw together from things that didn’t need cooked, a family read-aloud of the Wind in the Willows, a pleasant walk and then a good visit with a neighbor. By the time we fed everyone again and put them all to bed it was after 11pm. But we were having such a fun time just being a family we didn’t notice how late it was.

This morning I was able to get out of bed early enough to have a good quiet time with the Lord. I’ve been dragging so much lately that this hasn’t happened like I would want it to, so I was really excited about this. The rest of the day was full of little blessings.

I was able to conquer the mess in my kitchen (had a bit more energy).

A friend came by to bring some books she’d borrowed and we ended up going to Staples together so we could talk for a bit and get something done too (she has her own business and is so busy right now). When we got to the store we met my friend’s mom, who “just happened” to be there at the same time, so we got to talk with her too. The children were so excited about going to Staples for the first time that they screamed with delight when I told them we were going–they were as excited as if I was taking them to the zoo or something. It was pretty funny. They’ve been stuck at home a lot lately though, due to sickness we’ve been dealing with. When I was checking out, the cashier said, “I just want you to know that you are an encouragement. My wife and I want to try for four kids too.” I was so surprised, and grateful that we could encourage this young man that children are the blessing he thought they would be. I hadn’t started the day out planning to go to Staples, but it became pretty evident that God had directed our going. I love how He is in every detail of our lives.

Later, another friend who orders for our organic produce co-op delivered the produce right to my kitchen and carried it all for me. That was nice, since I can’t lift too much right now.

I got a lot done, and then had time for a good nap which gave me energy to have dinner ready on time! LOL. That is a struggle when I am not pregnant, but right now it is really hard. It really is the simple things! I just felt the Lord upholding me all day. Dinner and family worship time were wonderful and we all talked about our favorite part of the day. Rob said his favorite part of the day was coming home–I am so glad. That is my favorite part of each day too. 11 years of marriage has gone by so fast, and I love my husband more with each passing day. He is a blessing!

How have you seen God’s hand in your life today?

Freedom

You are the Potter
I am the clay
I dare not say to You,
‘Why have you made me this way?’

You are good and You are wise
All You do has a reason
And Your grace is sufficient
Your grace is sufficient for me

These boundary lines
feel like a prison wall
Everything looks better
on the other side

But this prison is not
what it appears to me
No–It is a doorway to freedom
Freedom!

Freedom from self, from danger and harm
Freedom to grow and freedom to find
that You are all I need. Freedom to comfort as
You have cared for me.

You are good and You are wise
All You do has a reason
And Your grace is sufficient
Your grace is sufficient for me

Worthy are You, O Lord

Worthy are You, O Lord
Worthy, O God
To receive glory and honor and power
For You created all things
And by Your will alone they exist and were created.

This is all the reason that I need to praise You
This one thing the world would take from You
There is a day, it is COMING
When You’ll receive the honor You deserve

Creator, Redeemer
You are worthy to open the scroll
For by Your blood we have been redeemed
A kingdom of priests to our God
We will sing to You

I long for Your name to be exalted
For Your worth to be known in all the earth
Every knee will bow and ever tongue confess
You are Lord

Show us Your beauty
Reveal Your glory
We want to see You
As You really are

(Cassie Tynan 2009–based on Revelation 4-5)

The Little Things

The girls usually take turns asking to sit next to me at lunch or snack time instead of in their assigned seat.  Friday I told Sarah she could sit with me, but I have a tendancy to serve everyone’s food, clean up around the kitchen and do any other work I think needs done.  By the time I sat down Sarah was finished with her food.  I still had to serve them their fruit so I made a point of sitting down with her while she ate that.  I told her I was sorry, and made a mental note to myself to sit down when my children are eating and clean up after.

Saturday, it was Laura’s turn to sit with me and I ignored my urge to clean and sat down.  When I did, Laura said, “Thank you for sitting down, Mommy.”  I gave her a big hug.  Later she got to sit with me again and when I sat down she said, “Thank you for sitting with me, Mommy.  I told you that twice today!”    Made me smile.

So, I guess the moral is: your children notice when you do the things that seem little to you.  They would rather have you eat with them than you clean the kitchen while they eat.  And hey, if you wait, they can help you clean the kitchen after.

Stress, It’s Effects and Remedies

Mental stress is a part of every day life. It has always been that way, but with a continual increase of media input into our lives we are now bombarded more than ever by stressful situations: we are living our own lives and the lives of others on the news, TV shows, movies, and video games. Some people are addicted to stressful situations: bungee jumping, roller coasters. We are over stimulated and constantly on the go with rarely any time to just “be”. We are a culture of human doings. We have a tendency to think we can handle anything that comes our way and because of our “self-sufficiency” we find ourselves drowning in our efforts more often than not.

This always “on –the-go” lifestyle leads to many health problems. Because we do not get adequate rest or take time to eat regularly and healthfully, drink plenty of water and exercise in the sunshine and fresh air, or take time to be with the Lord in His word and prayer, we are usually running on empty without sufficient mental, emotional and physical strength to handle relationships and deadlines. We further stress our bodies by feeding them chemically laden foods and drinks, refined sugars and flours, excessive alcohol and caffeine—all of which lead to chronic dehydration and more stress.

Because we have so little time to contemplate on God, creation, and life, we can easily become overwhelmed. Our eyes take in only the here and now, and it looks so large to our out of focus eyes. We forget that we have a God who made all things, and is powerful enough to handle every situation we face. He is the God who said, “Be still and know that I am God.” He is the one who invites us to remember, “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to Him who has no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not weary; they shall walk and not faint” Isaiah 40:28-31. We would eliminate a lot of our stress by slowing down and waiting on God—refocusing on our situation in a way that admits that God is big and we are not.

Stress of any kind produces several reactions in our bodies:

Strong emotions affect digestion by slowing it down and enabling toxins and acids to develop and be reabsorbed by the body instead of being eliminated. When we are relaxed our bodies are able to focus on absorbing and utilizing nutrients from our foods. For example, a child who worries a lot will not grow properly. My son, who from a very young age has been prone to worry, has growth arrest lines on his bones and he has not grown as well as our other children. Along this same line, intense physical activity should be put off until at least 30 minutes after eating a meal. Digestion requires so much water and energy to properly break down the food and vigorous activity interrupts that process by drawing available water and energy elsewhere. Family meals aren’t just good for relationships–they benefit our health as well.

Cortisol is a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands which our bodies use to regulate blood pressure and cardiovascular function as well as regulate how we utilize carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Cortisol helps in stress to balance adrenalin by giving us the ability to stay calm, think clearly, remember exactly what to do and act quickly, for example when your child is about to get hit by a car or they just got their finger cut off in a door. Cortisol gives us strength in the face of danger—it is what makes it possible for us to lift a fallen tree off a loved one when ordinarily we wouldn’t be able to make it budge. Cortisol breaks down muscle protein, and puts the freed up amino acids into the blood stream so the liver can use them to make energy in the form of glucose, and it releases energy from fat cells for our muscles to use. These things give our brain and body energy to deal with the situation at hand.

God designed us this way and it is a good system. Unfortunately we tax it so much that we tend to live on adrenalin and cortisol. Chronic high cortisol levels cause decreased immunity, autoimmune diseases, inflammation, insomnia, weight gain, hypertension, depression, blood sugar problems such as diabetes and hypoglycemia, headache, adrenal fatigue (low levels of cortisol) and resulting hair loss, exhaustion, irritability, lack of concentration and skin problems.

We can artificially stress our bodies by feeding them junk and by allowing ourselves to stay in a state of dehydration. Stress itself causes dehydration and dehydration causes stress—it goes both ways. Both situations put our body into stress management mode and all the available water and nutrients are sent to where they are needed most—in other words, they are rationed. In the case of dehydration there is a shortage of water and so the water is sent where it is most needed and other parts of the body suffer. If this goes on long enough it can lead to irreversible harm in the form of disease.

Dehydration leads to the secretion of vasopressin which is the water rationing hormone. This in turn stimulates the release of cortisol. Because cortisol suppresses the immune system, chronic dehydration is a primary cause of disease—this would support the terrain theory. Dehydration also causes the breakdown of muscles, again because of the cortisol depleting amino acids from muscles for use as energy in stress. This obviously causes a weakening of the body. And it deprives the brain of oxygen and nutrients, which makes it that much harder to face actual stress situations and can even cause brain damage if the dehydration is severe for a long enough period of time.

Cortisol release is meant to be temporary, and in order to ensure that it is we need to follow some simple guidelines.

The Bible says that “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” Proverbs 17:22. This is a literal drying up of the bones—as we saw, stress causes dehydration. Anytime we are faced with difficult circumstances we need to turn to the Lord and “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” Philippians 4:4-8.

These verses urge us to find our joy in the Lord, regardless of our problems, knowing that He is close at hand and able to help in our weakness when we pray with thankful hearts. His peace is what helps us to have a joyful spirit in trying times. Finally, speaking truth to ourselves keeps us from believing the lies of our flesh and of Satan, and keeps us trusting God. Other passages teach us to forgive and guard our hearts from bitterness which is rottenness to the bones. We certainly don’t forgive others merely to keep ourselves healthy, but it will have that effect.

I know that the temptation for most of us is to worry and try to solve the problems on our own, and we stress over making sure everyone and their brother does the “right” thing. But we have to stop trying to be God and go to God instead. He is everything and we are nothing. I think that when we realize this it relieves us from a lot of needless stress. Jesus said, “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart (humble), and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light” Matthew 11:28-30.

Drink plenty of water (minimum is about ½ your body weight in ounces but you will probably need somewhat more than that). When you face a stressful situation, drink extra water. It is important to replace the water lost during crying, for example. Even if you don’t cry, water loss is a problem that needs to be corrected.

Eat healthy meals of natural, whole complex and simple carbohydrates and healthy proteins and fats evenly spread throughout the day. Try to eat about 5 vegetables and 4 fruits per day. Include unrefined sea salt, such as grey celtic sea salt, in your diet. Everyone needs this mineral source, but those with adrenal fatigue need even more.

Get enough sleep for your body, about 7-9 hours typically. Take naps if you need to catch up. Sleep lowers cortisol levels. The deepest sleep generally occurs from 9p.m. – 12 a.m. so if you can get into the habit of going to bed around 9 every night your body will be healthier for it. However, everyone is different. I feel best if I go to bed around 9 and get up at 5:30 or 6:00. My husband prefers the hours from 11 to 8. Even small amounts of light increase cortisol levels, so make your bedroom as dark as possible.

Avoid excessive caffeine as this is a stress trigger to the adrenal glands and is dehydrating. Sugar, chemical additives and other refined products stimulate the adrenals unnecessarily. Spices and onions also stimulate the glands.

If you are healthy, spices, onions, and unrefined sugar can be used, but if you are dealing with a lot of fatigue, inflammation, or autoimmune disease caused by adrenal fatigue try limiting these and use herbs and very small amounts of honey instead, as they are more gentle to the body. Honey is still a sugar though so it is important to use it sparingly. You will probably find that avoiding juice and dried fruit is helpful also, as these concentrate natural sugars. When cortisol is functioning at normal levels it acts as an anti-inflammatory. When levels have been depleted from constant stress, inflammation and auto-immune diseases become a problem and can be aggravated by these stimulants because when you ingest them there is a greater need for cortisol than there is supply.

Alcohol is extremely dehydrating, so if you drink it, do so moderately and drink extra water with it.

Gentle to moderate exercise also reduces cortisol levels and evenly distributes water throughout the body (this is why joints tend to feel better after being moved around for a while). Walking is a great exercise that is low impact but which has many health benefits—stress relief being one of them. It also pumps the lymphatic system, which helps eliminate toxins in the body. Acid and toxin buildup is one result of chronic stress so this is very helpful. Avoid high impact and overly strenuous exercise as this actually increases cortisol levels and lowers immunity if carried on too frequently.

Avoid toxic chemicals as much as possible. Chemicals such as fluoride deplete the body of iodine which in turn leads to dehydration and stress for the body. Chlorine is closely related and ammonia can also be a problem. Synthetic fragrances put an immense amount of stress on the body. Chemicals also disrupt hormone production in the body.

Limit media exposure. Seriously. Don’t watch so much TV or stay on the computer all day or play video games so much. Besides the fact that there are many better things to be doing, these things do great harm to our brain and body. The worst thing to do when you feel like vegging is stare at a tv or computer screen—it will only further exhaust you. Get a glass of water and then go sit outside and watch the birds or lie down for a few minutes.

Take breaks throughout the day. Don’t work through lunch. Put your feet up and close your eyes for 10-15 minutes at intervals. Take a power nap if you can. Doing the same activity for long periods of time puts a strain on our mind and body. If you’ve been sitting still, get up and move. If you’ve been on your feet, sit down.

Spend time each day doing something enjoyable and relaxing. This isn’t an invitation to be lazy, of course, but in the midst of being diligent keepers of our homes as wives and moms we have to recharge or we won’t be much good. Some people take this too far, but I think we can find a balance. Most things can be done with your family such as listening to or playing music, reading stories together or everyone reading their own book but in the same room, taking nature walks, cuddling on the couch, working on a hobby together, playing games and laughing. This way you can recharge while you build relationships and create memories.

There is a time for withdrawing though, especially if you are really worn down from life. At those times a good nap is probably what you need most. A massage can be beneficial, as can a relaxing bath. If you’ve been under intense stress for a lengthy period of time you might have what is called adrenal fatigue. It will take several months to recover, but you can do so by following these guidelines consistently. The most important use of free time is to spend time with the Lord in prayer and in His word. We really can’t do anything apart from Him. Jesus was incredibly busy, but He began each day by spending time with His Father. Journaling helps me process daily events and the things the Lord is teaching me. I find that if I don’t have time to write I feel more overwhelmed. Usually if I don’t have time to sit and write I also am not taking time to sit and pray.

It would be helpful to maintain a daily schedule that helps you keep the clutter under control, and get the main things done such as cooking and laundry. Women are especially affected by their physical environment. Training your children to help you with these things makes it more enjoyable, keeps you from wearing yourself out and gives you more time to enjoy your family and friends.

Do not try to do every possible thing. It is good to remember that while a routine is good, only God gets His to-do list done each day. God has given us all different energy levels and “talents”. So prayerfully determine what it is He wants you to be involved in. If you have children you should teach them this as well. They don’t need to participate in a thousand different activities either. This only divides the family and makes mom crazy. And by involving our children in too many outside activities, we can contribute to their ill health by overloading them with stress. In our family we have found that it is best to schedule the work of the day mostly in the morning, as in chores and schoolwork, and then have down time in the afternoon for naps and special projects or interests. This keeps everyone emotionally, mentally and physically healthy and the work gets done too.

We cannot always control the stress that comes into our lives, but there are things we can do to minimize the health damaging effects of stress. If I could go back in time I would change a great many things. I am now dealing with the results of chronic stress and I hope to be able to reverse its effects in time.

God has healed me immediately from some of my health problems when I have asked Him to and I continue to ask for more healing. He truly is the Great Physician. Sometimes He allows us to wear ourselves out so that we will realize how dependent we are on Him for every breath, and when we turn to Him He blesses us with Himself. As much as I don’t like the health problems I’ve had and continue to have, I am thankful for them because the Lord has used them to teach me lessons I would not have learned without them. Most of all I have learned that I need Him desperately and He is all I want.

“Nevertheless, I am continually with You; You hold my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel, and afterward You will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For behold, those who are far from You shall perish; You put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to You. But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all Your works” Psalm 73:23-28.