The Ever Given

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There was a fantastic article in The Atlantic ON MARCH 25 by Amanda Mull entitled THE BIG STUCK BOAT IS GLORIOUS. I would urge everyone to read it.   If you have not yet seen or heard about this story you may have your head in the sand just like this vessel.  The Ever Given is a huge container ship currently stuck in the Suez Canal.  

What I like about the story is what the nautical mishap brings home to us. How it forces us to look at something that is normally off our radar.   International freight shipping, apparently,  is BIG business.    There are a lot of ships backed up behind the Ever Clean with nowhere to go now, and it is costing people (not sure who but people) lots of money.  Merchant shipping fuels the world economy.   Commercial ships, over 100,000 of them,  carry 90% of international trade. While there is nothing wrong with that, it does make you wonder! 

How big ARE these ships?  HUGE!  The Ever Clean has 20,000 cargo containers on it.

Why do boats that big exist?   While prices vary significantly, shipping rates tend to be 1/2 the price of rail rates.  And  it takes 2500 planes the size of a 747 to carry 1 cargo ship worth of merchandise.

What do they carry?  Just about anything, but most importantly large bulk commodities.

How busy is the Suez Canal?  Pretty busy – there are already 237 similar size ships backed up behind it.

Who is going to be affected the most?  With this logjam, it is Europe, since most of their Asian made goods come through this canal.

BUT THEN, WHAT IF THIS INTERNATIONAL TRADE DID NOT EXIST? 

Why is it cheaper to freight that much cargo than it is to make it at home? 

Are these ships full of goods made by workers being paid a fair wage?

When we get that really good deal on a pair of jeans at our favorite store, is it because of ships like these?     Are we exploiting anyone?

And finally, how egotistical we humans are (after all, look what we can build!)…..…and look how easily we can be put in our place!

Perhaps, if the boat stays stuck long enough, we will all reconsider a few things and even learn a few lessons. 

Unfortunately, that is unlikely…………….we will forget.  

 

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How To Be Afraid

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I don’t care who you are or what front you put up for the world to see, I know something about you ………because it is true of everyone.

SOMETIMES YOU ARE AFRAID!

Everyone experiences fear.  It may be a fear of failure or a fear of loneliness.  It may be a fear of pain or sickness or death.  The world is cloaked with fear … the pandemic may have made it worse but it is not anything new.

It is not a weakness to be afraid.  It is what you do when you are afraid that matters.  You can hide and pretend.  You can close yourself off from people.  You can try to face it in your own strength but that is difficult.  So how can you conquer your fears, whatever they may be?

I know that the ways to fight fear are as varied as the fears themselves, but I am convinced that there is only one healthy way to fight back.  That is with the truth.

Often, when you look at a fear face-on, you will find it to be way out of proportion.  Sometimes thinking of the worst possible outcome can help, at least with little fears.  For instance, I remember once I was afraid of approaching someone lest I be rejected.  But when I reasoned it out, not approaching the person was accepting rejection anyway, so I really would not be any worse off if I was rebuffed, than if I did not try.  So for little fears it may help to ask yourself, ” What is the worst that could happen?”

But what about BIG fears?  Pain and sorrow do come to all of us.  Ahhhhh ……but there is a balm in Gilead!  Do you know that saying?  Have you ever heard it?  Gilead was a town on the eastern side of the Jordan River.  Balm is a soothing substance to heal a wound.

To find the right “balm” for any problem or wound or fear,  you need to consult the right physician.  It is easy to find advice about a cure, but not so easy to find wise advise.  That is where “truth” comes in.  You need to go the the right physician with your fears.  Go to the Great Physician.  The creator of something understands that something better than anyone else.  The Creator of YOU understands YOU better than anyone else, including yourself!  God has a “balm” for your fears, whatever they may be.

As a human physician, I realize that there are medicines that do help with anxiety.  They can get you through the day.  I prescribe them, am grateful for them, and do not think it is wrong to make use of them.  But for deeper healing, admit the problem and take it to God.  When fear starts to take over, it is time to take action.  Pray.  Study and read God’s word…..for long periods.  It will take time.  King David was full of fear, and many of the psalms that he penned are a great place to get help.  Ask God to reveal to you the underlying source of your problem.  It is often hard to figure that out on your own, but God understands perfectly the source of every problem.

And remember, regardless of how people act, you are not alone in your fears.  We have all been there.   We are not all honest in admitting it, but life is scary.  Any journey is much more frightful without a map and a plan.  It is scary to be lost.  So, when I am afraid, or lost, or out of control, I go to my God and am so thankful that, at least with Him, I can be honest.  He is near, whether you sense Him or not, and He is willing to help.  He is waiting for you to ask!

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

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What do you think of when you think of St Patrick’s day?  Shamrocks?  Green beer? Christianity?

Saint Patrick was “The Apostle of Ireland,” but he was NOT Irish!  

His original birth name was Maewyn Succat and he grew up in Roman Britain.    At the age of 16 he was captured by Irish pirates. He was then transported to Ireland where he was sold as a slave, and forced to care for sheep for the next 6 years.

It was sometime during this 6 year period that Saint Patrick became a Christian.  His father had been a Christian and a deacon in the church, but Patrick, as a youth, had not been interested.  While tending sheep as a slave, however, he was often hungry.  Turning to God, he prayed often and toward the end of his 6th year had a dream where he was told a ship was waiting for him.  He walked to the east coast of Ireland, about 200 miles away, and found a ship bound for Britain and convinced the captain to take him aboard.  That is how, after 6 years, he was finally able to escape.

After landing in Britain, he and some others had been wandering in wilderness for close to a month.  Without food they were essentially starving.  St Patrick prayed for food and soon came upon a wild boar. Saved from death and able to continue his trek,  St Patrick was able, eventually, to reach his home and family.

Once he was back home, he studied and became a cleric.  Then another vision directed him back to Ireland.

Once back in Ireland, St Patrick began to preach.  Not welcomed on the mainland, he started on surrounding islands.  During this time St Patrick wrote“Every day there is the chance that I will be killed, or surrounded, or taken into slavery.”  People began to be converted to Christ and with time St Patrick was able to come to the mainland.  It is felt his congregation was about 100,000 people eventually.  He baptized 1000s and helped to form over 300 churches.

It is believed that Saint Patrick lived during the 5th century and that he died on March 17, 461.  Now, centuries later, we celebrate the date of his death. So, to everyone of any descent, Irish or not, I wish you a  very happy St Patrick’s Day!  

Don’t forget to wear green!

A TRIBUTE TO ORANGE FARMERS

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I was eating a deliciously sweet orange the other day and suddenly had the thought “what went into producing this orange?”  It was so good, it deserved a “thank you!”  Anyway, in reading about orange production, I learned a few things.  And I am so grateful to farmers!  I do not think they get enough adulation.

Did you know that oranges are self-pollinating, so they do not require bees?  They of course need sunlight.  And orange trees prefer to get about a month of 32 degree days.  Too cold, and they suffer.  I read about one farmer who grew oranges in California, who would sometimes have to get up several times a night to check the temperature in his orchards.  If it was too cool (below 29 degrees), he would turn on wind machines to warm things up a bit.  He eventually purchased auto-start wind machines that would monitor the temperature and turn off and on by themselves so he could sleep.

Then there is a need for water – not too much or too little….. and the correct soil…… and fertilizer…… and pruning.  There is a lot of science in farming.   He also may actually test the sugar and acid content of oranges, as well as color  before deciding if they are ready to harvest.

 

The oranges can be shaken from trees by machine but are often picked by hand.  Hand is better because people are gentler than machines.  A bruised orange is just like bruised skin.  If there is a little damage to the “skin” there is also damage beneath the skin in the fruit below.  Usually the oranges are actually completely orange when picked, but early in the season they can be a little green. If they are a little green they can be ripened or “oranged up” using ethylene gas.  (same process you can use at home by putting unripe fruit in a brown bag and sealing it up)

Once the oranges are harvested, the farmer may use a black light room to check for mold or fungus, since it is not always easily visible to the naked eye.

Oranges are an excellent source of antioxidants, fiber, vitamin C, folate and thiamine.  They are fairly easy to find, since the United States alone produces 4 to 5 million tons each year. So go buy an orange and enjoy. However, you look at it, realizing all of the effort that goes into cultivating a perfect orange….so we can eat it…..makes that orange even more enjoyable!

 

 

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WHAT’S WORSE THAN SUGAR??

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Sugar has taken a bad rap.   If we all ate sugar in limited quantities, it would be fine.  It’s just that we don’t.  HOWEVER, there is a substance that is worse and, I believe, deserves MORE blame than it gets for our societal health woes.  This substance was not even available in the United States before the 1960s.  Today it makes up over 20% of our daily carbohydrate intake.  So goes the story of HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP(HFCS).

HFCS  is made from corn starch.  It is processed, using enzymes, and in its final form contains a mixture of fructose and glucose, making it similar to table sugar.  However, it is cheaper and easier to use than sugar.    HFCS is a liquid, whereas table sugar is a solid.  All of this has resulted in HFCS being added, it seems, to virtually everything!  Because of this we are ingesting enormous quantities.  And that is leading to many health problems.

Humans metabolize fructose differently from other simple sugars.  Glucose, for instance, is metabolized by the brain, muscles, and the liver.  Fructose, however, is mainly metabolized in the liver.  In excess, it will raise your blood triglyceride level.   And all that fructose overload, when it is turned into fat,  can lead to a fatty liver.   When I was in medical school and residency, I never had a patient with a fatty liver.  Now it is extremely common.

Today HFCS is prevalent in most US soda drinks.  The popularity of soft drinks has led to generations of kids who often drink a full day’s worth of calories in addition to the solid food they eat!  This has helped lead to the ever-increasing obesity rate in America.  This in turn, has led to increased diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and likely increased cancer and dementia rates.

As to HFCS being everywhere, look at the list of foods below where it may be hiding:

  1.  soda
  2. candy
  3. sweetened yogurt
  4. salad dressing
  5. frozen convenience foods
  6. bread
  7. canned fruit
  8. juice
  9. boxed dinners
  10. granola bars
  11. breakfast cereals
  12. store bought baked goods
  13. sauces and condiments (like ketchup!)
  14. snack foods
  15. cereal bars
  16. nutrition bars
  17. coffee creamer
  18. energy and sports drinks
  19. jams and jellies
  20. ice cream

SO…….if Americans are to become healthy again, it is going to take changing the way we eat and drink.  We HAVE to go back to eating more whole, unadulterated foods.  We have to avoid so called foods that are made in labs.  We have kitchens, and we have curiosity and ingenuity!  Take your curiosity and ingenuity to your kitchen and see what YOU can come up with using whole ingredients.  And read food labels, avoiding anything that contains High Fructose Corn Syrup!

STAYING HEALTHY IN AN UNHEALTHY WORLD #2 KNOW YOUR NUMBERS

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Our human bodies are marvelously and intricately designed. Like any machine, they need to be treated well. A healthy lifestyle takes work, but you first have to know what IS a healthy lifestyle.

A start is to know two very important numbers about your own body. If you keep these two numbers in a healthy range, you will save yourself much grief and sickness in the years ahead. So the first goat is just to find out where you stand. This blog is simply to help you find this information.

The first important value or number is your own BMI (body mass index). This gives a good estimate of total body fat.

There is an easy calculator to determine your BMI in the link below, from the CDC. Then look on the chart below to see where your current weight status puts you.

https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_BMI/english_bmi_calculator/bmi_calculator.html

BMIWeight Status
Below 18.5Underweight
18.5 – 24.9Normal or Healthy Weight
25.0 – 29.9Overweight
30.0 and AboveObese

The second number is your waist circumference. This is a measure of abdominal obesity, which is an independent risk factor for heart disease. You can measure your waist circumference with a simple tape measure, using the directions below. A man should have a waist circumference < 40 inches and a woman < 35 inches.

  1. Remove clothing
  2. Measure, placing the tape measure between the top of your hipbone and the bottom of your ribs. 
  3. Breathe out
  4. Make sure the tape measure is straight around your back

So there you have it! Quick and easy. Check out where you are and then you can decide if you should eat your next meal or abstain! Or at least change your mind about that double cheeseburger you were so looking forward to!

STAYING HEALTHY IN A SICK WORLD – #1 BE KIND

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COVID  has every one focused on how NOT to get sick.  Don’t let that virus in! We know the basics.  Wash your hands!  Don’t pick your nose!

BUT……..What happens when Covid (or any virus) sneaks in anyway? How is your defense system?  

It is felt that when we are first born, we are protected by an “innate immune system.”  Then, as we continue to live, we also have an “adaptive immune system.”  This system can change and adapt as the enemy changes.  It LEARNS!  How can we have a healthy, adaptive immune system?  Are there things we can do to make it function more (or less) effectively?

ABSOLUTELY, THE ANSWER IS YES!  Our immune systems are affected by our environment, our lifestyles and our choices.

There is a LOT we can do to protect ourselves.  And there is a lot we can do to harm. ourselves.  Let’s look at just one way today.    (And others in future blogs)

There is general agreement that mental health and physical health are connected.  There is a “mind-body” connection.  This truth has been validated by research.  A healthy emotional lifestyle can lead to improved health.  I am not just talking about fewer tension headaches.  A healthy lifestyle can help you fight off infections!    ( Look at these studies which show that a healthy, less stressful lifestyle can  lead to increased resistance to colds and respiratory infections after purposeful inoculation of nasal passages with rhinovirus or influenza virus [411,412].)

So if we can help extinguish the Covid pandemic by fostering a healthy, less stressful environment, how do we do that?  Could we fight back against Covid simply by being nice to each other?  Think about it.   No one feels better after they have been yelled at, ignored, or belittled.  In our current environment, there is an awful lot of noise.  Everyone has an opinion and it seems that there is a lot of shouting and very little listening going on.  We may not be able to extinguish the Covid virus, but we can strive to treat others well.  Let’s quit yelling.  Let’s let others speak and really listen.  Let’s start to care about the people around us – whether they are like us or different from us.  

 So………..This is a suggestion of one way to boost your immune system, and help in the fight against this pandemic. It is simply this…..

SPEAK KINDLY TO ONE ANOTHER!!

Gracious words are like a honey-comb, sweetness to the soul and HEALTH to the body!   –  Proverbs 16:24

Alternatives to Sugar – the Good and the Bad

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Since excessive sugar consumption leads to obesity and other health problems, what are the alternatives, other than never enjoying the “sweet life?”

Fortunately, there are some.  I have listed 4 common ones to choose from below………….BUT I WOULD ARGUE FOR A DIFFERENT CHOICE.  (SEE # 5)

#1. Stevia – made from the leaves of the Stevia plant

  1. 200 – 400 x sweeter than table sugar
  2. can have a bitter aftertaste
  3. can be used for baking but can alter the texture of food

#2.  Sugar alcohols – erythritol, xylitol, and sorbitol

  1. sweet carbohydrates with fewer calories and resistant to digestion
  2. xylitol is common in sugar free chewing gum and mints
  3. erythritol is the main ingredient in Truvia and has fewer GI side effects and can be used in baking
  4. Sorbitol has a smooth feel in your mouth but can act as a laxative in large amounts

#3.  Sucralose (Splenda)

  1. this one is ARTIFICIAL
  2. made from sugar by replacing three hydrogen-oxygen groups with chlorine atoms
  3. 400-700 x sweeter than table sugar
  4. can be used in baking, BUT at high temperatures may break down and possibly form some carcinogens

#4.  Aspartame (Nutrasweet or Equal)

  1. Artificial
  2. 180- 200 x sweeter than table sugar
  3. can give an aftertaste
  4. breaks down at high temperatures

AND FINALLY, AN EVEN BETTER ALTERNATIVE!!

#5  Monk Fruit (luo han guo)

  1. A small melon, known and grown for 800 years
  2. No known toxicity – recognized by FDA as safe for all, even children and pregnant women
  3. 150 – 250 x sweeter than table sugar, but has 0 calories
  4. has antioxidants and possibly some anti-cancer properties
  5. more expensive and less available in the US than Stevia
  6. can be used for baking

 

If you would like to try out Monk Fruit, here is a brownie recipe from a website called The Smart Cookie (check it out)

Frosted Chocolate Brownies

Brownies:

1/2 cup yogurt

1/4 cup milk

1 egg

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup dates (5 large)

1/4 cup Monk Fruit in the Raw

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup Special Dark cocoa powder

Frosting:

1 ripe avocado

1/2 cup yogurt

1/4 cup chocolate chips, melted

1/4 special dark cocoa powder

1/4 cup Monk Fruit in the Raw

2 dates

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease an 8×8 pan (or a smaller pan, if you want thicker brownies).  In the bowl of a food processor, combine all ingredients for brownies. Blend until completely incorporated with no oat or date chunks.  Pour into prepared pan and spread into an even layer.  Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes (baking time may change if you use a different pan), until a toothpick comes out clean.  Once brownies are done, remove from oven and let cool.

Quickly rinse out your food processor and dry (it’s not necessary to completely clean it).  Then, to make frosting, combine all ingredients in the bowl of food processor.  Blend until smooth and thick, with all ingredients compeltely mixed.  You should be able to take a spoonful of the frosting and tip it upside down without ot falling off.  Spread frosting on top of baked brownies and chill for at least one hour.  Then, slice into 9-16 squares and serve.

ENJOY THE SWEET LIFE WITHOUT THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF TOO MUCH SUGAR!

(Alas, this was the second writing of this post.  Had it all ready and accidentally hit the delete button.   I hope the “redo” did not convey my frustration!)

THE BITTER TRUTH ABOUT SWEETS

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This year I am trying to treat my 63 year old frame a little better.  Indulging in a sugar binge in front of a screen (always one of my favorite things) didn’t seem to affect me as much when I was a young thing.  Now, I wish I had not practiced that bad habit so much.  But, of course, I did not know the damage I was doing.

I am wiser now.  I am OLDER now.  The first I like.  The second, not so much.  Anyway, I have learned of the detrimental effects of sugar on the human body.  In small amounts, it can sweeten life.  But we don’t use it is small amounts, do we?

HOW DOES SUGAR DESTROY YOU?  Let me count the ways……….

  1.  First I will state the obvious.  Sugar makes us fat!  Even our children. About 1/3 of adolescents and children in the United States are now considered  overweight.  Obesity tripled from the 1970s to 2000.
  2. With the obesity that follows high sugar consumption, there is an increased risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
  3. Obesity is an underlying cause for joint disease.  It has been said that for every pound gained, there is an added 5 pounds of pressure on your knees.  WHAT A PAIN!
  4. Obesity increases your risk of certain cancers

THEN THERE ARE SOME LESSER KNOWN RISKS……

OBESITY is associated with a 1.5 fold increase in your risk of developing ALZHEIMERS.   It seems that this risk is most closely associated with midlife obesity.  That spare tire in middle age hurts more than just your golf game!

Finally, SUGAR CAN HURT YOU BEFORE YOU ARE BORN!   In one study, sugary beverages consumed by the mother were associated with increased weight in their school-aged children.  For every serving of a sugary drink consumed during the second trimester in this study, there was a 0.15 kg/m2  increase in fat mass.  Even that BUN IN THE OVEN is not safe.

So needless to say, many of us need less sugar in our diet.    Sugar is an ADDICTIVE ENEMY, so it may be best to try to avoid it completely for about 6 weeks to lessen the craving for it.

It is a challenge, but one well worth it.  Take it and let me know how you feel afterward!

 

NEW BEGINNINGS

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I am thankful for New Year’s Day.  I am thankful for new beginnings.  New beginnings always means opportunity.  Sometimes it is a chance to try something different.  Sometimes it is a chance to build on something already in progress.  Like making a new friend or deepening a relationship with an old one.

2020 was a difficult year, but it was a year of learning.  There was some amazing progress made in the science of vaccines.  We all did things we maybe thought we could not do, or at least did not want to do.  But we learned of resilience.  Fortunately, the end of the Covid pandemic looks to be in sight.  But some of the things we have learned to do differently may remain.  Working virtually and shopping online will not likely disappear completely.  On the bright side, for many, the shutdown in society has lead to more time with family which is good.

When I think of new beginnings, I think of one of my favorite plants, the Mexican Lilly.  The reason I love this plant is that every morning it bursts forth with a completely new crop of purple flowers.   Every evening the flowers fall off, but then the next morning another crop appears.  It reminds me that God’s mercies are new every morning.

So as 2021 begins, I am hopeful that I have learned from 2020.  Can’t say as I am not glad to see it go.  I look forward to again experiencing some things I have missed, like eating in restaurants with friends, giving and receiving hugs, and breathing freely without a mask.  But whether that comes sooner or later, I am grateful that 2021 has arrived with all of its possibilities.  I am anxious to see what God has in store.

I don’t know what new beginnings the new year holds  I hope for many exciting adventures!  I pray for calm, not stormy, waters ahead.  But though I do not know what the future holds, I know who holds the future.  If you belong to God, remember He is with you always.  Let’s give our worries to Him and enjoy the year ahead!

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