So, I went to see my chiropractor and found out I had a severe back sprain. It’s going on two months now, and I’m just beginning to be able to bend down to put on my shoes without pain shooting through my lower back.

I’ve seen tremendous improvement since I started following along doing yoga with Peggy Cappy. I first saw her program on PBA30, public television, here in Atlanta. I’m doing stretches in the morning, some of the easier stretches during the day, and I can’t believe the improvement in how I feel.

Check out Peggy’s books, DVDs, and relaxation music here on our shop.

I had weaned myself down to two cups a day, but I continued to have a curious skin itch that would not go away. Well, I know that normal pH for the body is slightly alkaline, and coffee upsets that balance by making you acidic. Soft drinks do that as well due to the phosphoric acid in them.

I switched to green tea after hearing Dr. Daniel Amen extol its benefits. How did I make it to 49 and not know about the benefits of green tea?

New research shows that green or black tea may be a potent weapon in fighting Alzheimer’s disease. Tea is already thought to protect the body against heart disease and cancers, but research shows black and green tea inhibit the activity of enzymes associated with the development of Alzheimer’s, a form of dementia that affects about 5 million people in the U.S. and is estimated to triple to 15 million people by 2030.

The new finding comes in the wake of research that suggest that flavanoids contained in tea, particularly green tea, protect against strokes, heart attacks and many different types of cancers, as well as other conditions such as tooth decay and dehydration. One study shows that drinking three cups a day is the equivalent of eating six apples.

Green and black tea come from the same plant. Black tea consists of fermented leaves. Green tea is less processed and is popular in China and Japan, where it has been linked to longevity and low rates of heart disease and cancer.

In a recent article published in the journal Phytotherapy Research, scientists found both teas inhibited the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), an enzyme which breaks down the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine. Alzheimer’s is characterized by reduced acetylcholine. Green tea went one step further in obstructing the activity of beta-secretase, which helps produce protein deposits in the brain linked to Alzheimer’s. These findings could help in developing treatments for Alzheimer’s.

A cup or two of green tea a day may help you remember the rest of your life.

I’m now 49 — 48 at the time of surgery, and I was not in the best of shape. I have never been more than 10 or so lb. overweight, but I wanted the weight off and for my cardiac function to be as good as possible.

I’ve heard that it takes a long time to get used to something outside your routine, and I’ve found that to be true, but when properly motivated, it can take much less time. Say for instance, your doctor tells you that if you don’t change your diet you’re going to die.

I had a friend, who worked out regularly at the gym, was a marathon runner, but ate most of his meals at fast food restaurants. His favorite was a McDonalds hamburger with fries and a soft drink. He started having dizzy spells at work and so decided to go to the doctor to be checked out.

When I next saw him, he asked me what I thought the doctor had said to him. My response was, if you don’t change your diet, you’re going to die. He smiled and said, yep, that’s basically what he said. He started eating at Blimpie instead. A good improvement. They have great salads and turkey subs. His health improved, and the effect was almost immediate.

I’ve lived by a rule of thumb I read about years ago in the book, Fit for Life. Eat a diet with foods that have high water content. That is, watery vegetables and fruits. If you put it in a juicer, and lots of juice comes out, it is good. Examples include carrots, cabbage, tomatoes, lettuce, beets, most fruits. If you put beef, chicken, bread, nuts, in a juicer, no juice come out! So you want to eat less of the non-juicy stuff and more of the juicy stuff. Why do you think the term "juicy" in non-food context usually means something is appealing? Juicy usually means, it’s good!

Juicy — GooooD! Not-juicy — NOT SO MUCH!

Rule of thumb, try to eat 70% juicy food. Try it and let me know how your health improves.

First, I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful family. When I had my surgery back in November of last year, they all rallied around me. I would never have gotten the help I needed for sleep apnea had it not been for my wife. Dr. Roser said it’s usually that way; the spouse brings in the patient more often than not.

Just about everyone on my side and Jeaneane’s side of the family was there at Crawford Long Hospital the day I had my surgery. It was a long day for them. Sitting around the hospital waiting on someone to come out of surgery is just not the most fun way to spend your day.

During the first week of my recovery, I was pretty much an invalid. Jeaneane was there for me around the clock preparing my special diet of liquidy foods and making sure I took my medications at the proper time. Jeaneane’s sister, Shelbie, helped out driving me to several of the doctor appointments Jeaneane could not attend. Amy’s husband, Philip, brought me some Brunswick stew one day when I started eating more solid foods. My brother Jeffry and my mother drove up from Adel to visit a couple of weeks after I came home, since Jeffry was sick the day of my surgery. My brother-in-law, Marty, called numerous times throughout my recovery to keep up with my progress and let me know I was in his prayers.

To my family, I love you all. There’s no need to list everyone by name — you know who you are. Also, to my friends, thank you for being there for me as well. I love you all too.

I am thankful to God that I am still here and for all the things mentioned in the paragraphs above. Without the mercy of God, I would surely not be alive today. I have had a number of close calls in my life time, brushes with catastrophe if you will, and I have always been delivered. With God, all things are possible.

I finally went outside and grabbed a quick photo with the Canon 10D and 50mm f1.4 lens. The 10D is the older version of Canon’s new EOS 40D. This rural landscape, with the chilly rain descending upon the pine trees and cattle evokes almost a spiritual response–at least it does for me. Good to be able to go inside and enjoy the warmth of Christmas and a wonderful family!

 
The scene reminds me of the work of the great landscape painter, George Inness. Born in New York, Inness painted in many parts of the country and Europe, and a number of his paintings were of Georgia and Florida landscapes.

George Inness
Sunrise, 1887

George Inness
Georgia Pines Afternoon, 1886

George Inness
Moonlight Tarpon Springs Florida, 1892

Technorati Tags: Valdosta,Georgia,landscape photo,George Inness,Canon 10D,50mm f1.4 lens

1. TEMPERANCE
   Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.

2. SILENCE
   Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself;
   avoid trifling conversation.

3. ORDER
   Let all your things have their places;
   let each part of your business have its time.

4. RESOLUTION 
   Resolve to perform what you ought;
   perform without fail what you resolve.

5. FRUGALITY 
   Make no expense but to do good to others
   or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.

6. INDUSTRY
   Lose no time; be always employ’d in something useful;
   cut off all unnecessary actions.

7. SINCERITY
   Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly,
   and if you speak, speak accordingly.

8. JUSTICE
   Wrong none by doing injuries,
   or omitting the benefits that are your duty.

9. MODERATION
   Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries
   so much as you think they deserve.

10. CLEANLINESS
    Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.

11. TRANQUILITY
    Be not disturbed at trifles,
    or at accidents common or unavoidable.

12. CHASTITY
    Rarely use venery but for health or offspring,
    never to dullness, weakness, or the injury
    of your own or another’s peace or reputation.

13. HUMILITY
    Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

Technorati Tags: Thirteen Virtues,Benjamin Franklin