Blog Etymology

While this Blog is still at its very beginnings, it seems like a good idea to point out the "why and wherefore" behind its name, "Wholesome Wisdom." The American Heritage College Dictionary defines these words as follows:

whole·some (ˈhōl-səm) adj. -som·er, -som·est. 1. Conducive to sound health or well-being; salutary. 2. Promoting mental, moral, or social health. 3. Enjoying or marked by physical, mental, or moral soundness; healthy.

wis·dom (ˈwiz-dəm) n. 1. Understanding of what is true, right, or lasting; insight. 2. Common sense; good judgment. 3.a. The sum of scholarly learning through the ages; knowledge. b. Wise teaching of the ancient sages. 4. A wise outlook, plan, or course of action. 5. Wisdom of Solomon.

It is my hope that this blog will exemplify all these different aspects of both "wholesome" and "wisdom," promoting what is:

• Conducive to sound health and well-being, whether mental, physical, emotional, or spiritual
• Morally sound
• True, right, and lasting
• Common sense/good judment
• Wisdom from the past, combined with knowledge from the present
• Part of a plan of action for achieving or maintaining well-being
• Wisdom, including that of Solomon, recorded in the Holy Bible.

I'm totally open to suggestions or assistance in attaining that objective, whether that be through topic suggestions, additional helpful resources, or even comments or corrections on posts. Thanks for your support! :)

Adrenal Fatigue: The STRESS Connection

How does stress contribute to adrenal fatigue?

Basically, an ongoing high level of stress overstimulates the adrenal glands to the point that they just can't handle any more. Our bodies are designed to handle a certain amount of short-term stress: for example, an injury, an argument, a surprise encounter with a wild animal. However, today's society provides ongoing stress from all different sources: the daily news, long work weeks, heavy traffic, lack of sleep, malalignment of the spine, food- and/or environmental allergies, highly processed foods including white flour and white sugar, caffeine, toxic chemicals added to our food and water, building materials, polluted air, electromagnetic pollution, the list goes on and on. Add the death of a loved one, problems at work or school, problems at home, problems at church... and you have a recipe for disaster. Although you may not consider all of these things to be "stress" per se, they are all hard on the body.

College alone can do it for some people. In fact, that is what got me interested in this whole topic. When I first returned home after graduating from college, I had an overwhelming sense of fatigue along with aches and pains. I was first diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue. Later on, after I'd started dealing with ulcerative colitis (inflammation and ulceration of the colon), it was discovered that I had low adrenal function, and that that was likely the primary problem. For me, this was probably caused by a combination of the following: a Type A personality, spinal issues, lack of sleep, processed [read: cafeteria] food, parasite "souvenirs" from trips to China and Brazil, taking too many credits and trying to accomplish too many things... you name it. I'm sure no one else has ever had any of these things going on? ;)

So, when the body is under tremendous stress, it keeps producing the stress hormones epinephrine (adrenaline), norepinephrine (noradrenalin), cortisol, and a couple of others. Cortisol also just happens to be the body's most powerful anti-inflammatory hormone. After a while, the adrenal glands are just plain worn out, and can't keep up with the demands that continued stress places on the body.
When that happens, the body cries out for help via a number of different, seemingly unrelated, symptoms.
Stay tuned for a full list of symptoms...

Blackberries!

 

It's September 1st! I suppose that means the end of summer... but I'm not quite ready to give up on warm sunny days and maybe even some swimming in the lake just yet. Not having to head "Back 2 School" as they say, I'm still thinking about things like foraging for wild berries. :) The last few weeks, I've made almost daily trips to a couple spots not far from our house to pick wild blackberries. Somehow, it's just thrilling to be able to go outside and come back with a container full of free (organically and locally grown!) food.

There's always a lot of talk in the health world about what they call "Superfoods": goji berries, acai, cacao... The question is: why are these superfoods always from other countries? It's great that the blueberries are gettings some credit, but what about blackberries?

Some of the Health Benefits of Blackberries include:

• A high level of anti-oxidants which protect against cancer and chronic disease
• Reduction of inflammation
• Anti-Bacterial activity
• A good source of Vitamin K, which aids in blood clotting and in the absorption of Calcium

Besides... they're DELICIOUS!
If you don't have access to wild blackberries near you, they are often available at Farmer's Markets and of course in the supermarket.
Some of the ways I recommend using them are:

• Smooshing them into a sort of "jam." Spread some sourdough toast with nut butter, top with blackberries, and finish with a drizzle of honey over the top (a good way to avoid sugar)
• As a topping for plain yogurt with a drizzle of honey
• In a fruit salad with other berries (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, even cherries)
• As a topping for homemade frozen yogurt or ice cream
• In a smoothie with coconut milk or yogurt, sweetened with maple syrup
• As a sauce for pancakes (either blended raw with a squeeze of lemon juice or cooked on the stove)
• Blended into a sauce for a fruit salad of peaches, cherries, and plums.

What a wonderful way to end a summer!

Adrenal Fatigue: Do You Have It?

Photo Source

Do you feel like a trampled flower?

Have you heard of adrenal fatigue? Chronic Fatigue seems to be more familiar to people. Chronic fatigue is generally thought to be caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. Adrenal Fatigue, however, is not something one can "catch." It's more of something one sets oneself up for. It's also known as adrenal exhaustion, adrenal insufficiency, and hypoadrenia. Do any of these symptoms sound familiar?

• ongoing fatigue
• body aches
• insomnia
• unrefreshing sleep
• decreased ability to handle stress
• mild depression
• irritability/mood disorders
• digestive problems

Many people deal with such symptoms but brush it off, thinking "Oh, everyone deals with these symptoms--it's normal" or "It's just stress." Well... just because something is common doesn't mean that it's normal. And yes. Stress is a major cause of adrenal fatigue, but it's not anything to take lightly.

Unfortunately, the conventional medical community does not generally recognize adrenal fatigue until it has gone too far and has led to disease: Addison's Disease, which can be fatal. It seems more prudent to make changes before it gets to that point.

What are the adrenal glands, anyway? Well, this is "who" is involved when we talk about an "adrenaline rush" or that we're "running on adrenaline." Our two adrenal glands are located just on top of the kidneys. They have a major role to play in our physiology. I won't go into the details of that, but will provide resources in upcoming posts if you want the whole story on how they work. Their main job is to produce a number of different hormones which regulate the body's response to stress. Cortisol, adrenaline, and DHEA seem to get the most press. DHEA, by the way, is the anti-aging hormone.

Stress can come from both external and internal stressors. I think most of us are quite familiar with external stressors: deadlines at work, traffic jams, pollution of various kinds, relationship issues, etc. It's often the internal stressors that people are not as aware of. This kind of stress has a number of different sources: the thoughts we think, the foods we eat, the toxins we accumulate, and even the unsuspected parasites we host...

To be Continued...

First Post

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So, I'm entering the world of blogs...

The inspiration behind this endeavor is the last three years I have spent at home (following my graduation from college in 2006) dealing with some serious health issues, and subsequently doing a whole lot of reading on health, nutrition, and cooking. And I am still reading! In so doing, I have learned a great deal, and perhaps now have some health wisdom to share-- from amateur to amateur. It's been quite the education thus far, and this new interest may just become a new career in the future...

My goal in creating this blog is to share some of the information I have gained the hard way, and to help people either to reclaim or maintain their health. I will share resources I've found helpful, books and products I recommend, wisdom I've gained, and health controversies which have puzzled me. That last one warrants participation from readers. We can all learn from each other, and pool resources. I am still ever the student, and ready to check out whatever articles or other resources you have to share.

Please join me in gaining wholesome wisdom for living healthfully and joyfully... naturally. :)