May 17, 2008 I’m Back!

A vacation in Cape Cod – the only bad things were getting there and returning — a normal 5+ hour drive took over 8 hours each way.  Was it the rain?  Was it Friday? Both?  Nancy and I loved even the travel.  It’s rare to spend that much time together, but really — together.  Enough to have us overjoyed at arriving there…when plain joyed would have been enough

My favorite was finding this organic farm a few miles outside of Falmouth.  What got me was their collection of field greens, including edible flowers…Flowers!!  Who knew??  Nasturtiums…Spicy and wonderful.  Owned by a couple from Ghana.

It was cold, ridiculous for mid-May; never wore short sleeves all week.  Cold; don’t think of a wine-tasting as being for warmth.  ’nuff.  My inbox has well over 500 emails and I have to readjust to being here.

March 22, 2008 Figuring it Out

This is more about my curing my asthma.  It’s been a tough few days; I’ve been wheezing – somewhat differently – none on inhale – much on exhale… so - uncomfortable but more mental than physical.  My body is most definitely going through changes.  My weight loss is significant.  My ability to breathe is significant.  My ability to smell is still surprising – sometimes harsh, sometimes thrilling.  And it’s been a tough week..

In terms of my commitment, it’s distracting, making my environment sustainable — and the attention shifting to me is a diversion from attention to social justice and spiritual fulfillment, though personally, I never neglect that.

March 6, 2008 Sleepy

I have been in the habit of eating my way through Whole Foods whenever I shop there, at least once a week.  But now I’m on this anti-asthma homeopathic regimen.  I can’t eat anything they serve until I get over the hump.  Yesterday I decided I was fine.  I wasn’t.  So I precipitated another attack.  I obviously had no one to blame except myself.  The context I’ve created is that I’m committed to my growth (also again decided to listen to Nancy – who was unable to stop me.)

sheesh

March 2,2008 Titles

The hardest part about writing a daily journal is coming up with unique titles.  I mean I can always come up with something to write about, but labrling it… I dunno.

Actually I should call this chamomile.  Let me explain.  When you’re going through a homeopathic treatment (which I am, for asthma) there are certain substances which are antidotes, that will totally negate the treatmint.  These are chamomile, mint and tea tree oil.

Seems easy to avoid.  I don’t drink that herbal tea, I can use Tom’s Straeberry toothpaste and I have no idea what tea tree oil is, but I won’t use it.  Sounds easy.  Then I took a shower, washed my hair and when I got out to shave, I had an asthma episode.  Turns out the shampoo had chamomile, then I found that most herbal shampoos have it (I now use Mane and Tail).. I searched further.  Laundry detergents, so when I wash my clothes I’m antidoting; many cleaning products, Murphy Oil Soap.  My God, I’m surrounded by the fucking stuff.

So this weekend, we washed EVERYTHING in our house.  Everything.  It has so far taken 2 1/2 days…Nancy does most of it; she’s exhausted.  But we’re clean.  My asthma is going, going, almost gone.  So are her chronic headaches.  And then I’ll work on my eyes.  And, oh yes, We’ve each probably dropped around 10 pounds.

February 17, 2008 – Another Transformation

Yesterday I erote about Chuck E Cheese.  But after I got home I had an asthma attack.  I’ve written that I just started a homeopathic regimen.  This was my first test.  Changing my regimen has evidently removed the “protection” that years of medication provide.  Rather the accumulated medicines masked my body’s sensitivity, keeping the fundamental sickness hidden.

As I become more like a thorobred and less like a mutt, I become more aware of my body, quicker to react when something is amiss.  Anyhow, I responded to the asthma attack with my homeopathic remedy, rather than my asthma medication.  And I came out of it much faster than I would have.  I was very surprised and gratified.

I realize, thought, that my diet needs to be much healthier – I can’t afford to cheat any more.  When I took a stand for environmental sustainability, I didn’t realize I was talking about my own personal one, that the spiritual fulfillment would be my own, that the social justice was mine.

February 11, 2008 Another New

I started a new health regimen today.  My friend Jennie is a homeopathic mentor.   She holds that together we can reverse 71 years of mistreating my body – completely halt my asthma, unstuff my nose – In other words to restore my health.  I have complete trust.  I’ll let ya know.

January 19, 2008 Creating Energy

I woke up sound asleep and haven’t roused myself - even saw my chiropractor this morning, but nothing has helped – yet.  I do wonder how I get up in the morning – Why is each morning different and seemingly disconnected from the previous morning, having nothing to do with yesterday.  Sometimes I really want to wake as a continuation.  I don’t know if this is a common phenomenon – I don’t remember reading about it.

I have noticed that I can write my way out of it – doesn’t seem to matter what I write about.  The act of writing wakes me up.  ‘Course I didn’t have coffee this morning; might explain my addiction.  I’ve stopped using milk or cream.  Apparently the milk and coffee turn into a kind of sludge when they hit the digestive system and they proceed sluggishly through – And I haven’t yet learned to relish it black – I will.. 

part og my commitment toa sustainable world.

November 16, 2007 Preparing

I’ve been ‘hooked’ on medication for asthma for years.  And - finally – I read the small print.  And it listed all the possible side effects — all of which I have!  dental cavities, cataracts, high blood pressure…Duh! And I’m also chronically hoarse (which some people – not me – love).  So I’m committed to get off this stuff.  I went to see my holistic chiropractor last night.  I’ll report back – He suggests I wait until after the holidays and says — it’s simple — NO wheat or dairy (and just doesn’t want to screw up my family festivities) When this works, I hope y’all get the message.

I’ve really become incensed by how most of us are so conditioned that we don’t even know to think about this stuff.  At least, when I was younger, they weren’t allowed to advertise on the tube.  But the marketers write the ads.  They read the side effects – but very, very quickly.  And they surround them with powerful sales images so you can’t really pay attention.

I love marketing — when the marketer really believes in the value of the product — and the product deserves that belief.  But what pharma is doing is corrupting our health.

October 28. 2007 – A Small Morning

After a week of vacation, the first Monday is very small– the time is packed in, every crook and nanny filled with old reminders and new tasks.  Sounds like complaining – Not.  Just reporting.

I had a weekend of asthma attacks.  As I’ve said, I treat this non-medically.  But I’ve continued to do what precipitates these bouts for too long.  Knowing how to deal with them is not smart when I continue to behave in ways that bring them on — sort of like yo yo dieting.

For me it’s actually very simple – I’ve always considered milk in my coffee to be “not drinking milk.”  This is an absurd self-deception. Milk and coffee mix terribly in the body.  The combination forms a sludge – really. And screws up the whold digestive system.  Now one of the things I do know is that my asthma (maybe all – but I don’t know) is precipitated by my reacxtions to food intake.  So duhh! Time  to have no milk, also limit my brerad intake severely.

It’s hard to let you know when nothing happens, so consider no more of these asthma fiascos as evidence.  If you’ve never thought along these lines, well – it’s a small Morning.

September 29, 2007 Tomatoes

It’s our day at the farm – Well, I’m not going – staying home to makedelicious and totally simple sauce.  The only hard part is skinning the tomatoes – hand-picked, organic plums.  Of course, this is the peak season and Nancy will come home with a delug, so cook the old, save the new.

The recipe originally came from Rao’s cook book.  They call for Marazano tomatoes.  Too bad.  Put 1.4 inch of top quality olive oil in your pot.  Saute a large onion until its clarified.  Then add as much garlic as you’re comfortable with.  Our farm has award winning garlics-  one clove is like three from a supermarket.  Put inas many tomatoes as you want.  Put in fresh basil, fresh oregano, about 4-5 Bay leaves.  I would add some hot peppers, but I’m sensitive to Nancy’s taste – so no hot peppers.

And let it cook for 90 minutes.  Voila!