PTS – Disorder or Condition?

I am questioning the "D" in PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) -- is it really a "disorder?"  Sometimes I hear it referred to in a radio commercial simply as PTS, without the "D" attached, which is what got me thinking about this.

It seems to me the mind and body are doing what they should do as a defense mechanism by responding immediately to sounds, smells, or activities associated with something -- or someone – that a person views as a threat or is disturbing to witness.  Being nervous or anxious and other symptoms of PTS is in response to being protectively "on guard."

I wonder, then, if we are mis-using the word "disorder" for PTSD, which has a negative connotation.  For sure, it is going into an extreme mode.  But to me, it seems more like a "condition" needing to be tempered versus a "disorder" that needs to be reversed or stopped.

Copyright © March 2019 by  Maeke Ermarth

               Cheyenne, WY

Get Out ... Wise Up

No price tag can be placed on the value of mingling with and speaking to people.  So much wisdom is relayed through actions and words.  We learn how we would like to be, how we should be, how we do not want to be, and how we should not be.  We also learn how much we are like other people which can be crucial in finding out a lot about ourselves – sometimes to the point of that knowledge being mentally, emotionally, or spiritually stabilizing. 

In my second year of being a Realtor®, my office broker emphasized the importance of getting out and talking to the everyday person.  No classroom, books, or in-office chit chat could educate us to the level that communicating with and experiencing the home buying, selling or renting process with potential clients could.  Oh, was he right!  And what peace of mind and self-assurance that added insight provided.

Although retired, most days of the week I am volunteering in areas that keep me in contact with people from various backgrounds and experiences.  In college I majored in psychology just out of my curiosity of how the mind, body and soul connect – not to go into the field on a professional level.  Not surprising, then, my ultimate entertainment is watching how people interact with their own selves as well as how they interact with each other. 

So often, through my volunteer segments, I am around people suffering in some way emotionally, spiritually or psychologically.  And frequently I see people in counseling capacities doing more dis-service to these people than serving them well.  Do I think the “professionals” do this intentionally?  To be honest, for the most part – no.  But I am pretty sure some do.  After all, if it’s of monetary benefit, greed and even a need to feel important can become powerful culprits.

I cannot begin to fathom how many tens of thousands of dollars I have probably saved over the years thanks to the education on a variety of topics I have gained by chatting with people at work but also getting myself into groups in my spare time – bible studies, book clubs, being a member of the League of Women Voters, attending Al-Anon meetings, helping out at community yard sales, being in an exercise class, going on or attending community hikes/bike rides/events, volunteering at the jail and VA Medical Center.  A few lessons I’ve learned, for example, are:

- Warding off depression, anxiety, victimization, boredom and procrastination.

- Learning how to deal with the effects of drug or alcohol use.

- Learning about available resources, contractors and experts for just about everything.

- Learning that behaviors a counselor was convinced needed massive group therapy sessions turned out to simply be a female mid-life shift “cured” with less than a year’s worth of hormone replacements.

- Escalating back pain over 10 yrs. was helped immensely in a yoga class which sparked my curiosity about acupuncture.  Three acupuncture sessions and I’ve had no problem since that I could not quickly remedy myself.  Whew!  No more chiropractor appointments or potential surgery.

- Reducing chronic arthritis in hands and wrists, the pain of which was greatly reduced by not consuming night-shade plants (in my case, particularly tomatoes & white potatoes).

- Totaling eliminating residual pain in hands and wrists with one platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) treatment.

- Applying mentholated chest rub to toenails to get rid of fungus (no prescription needed).

- Learning amazingly cheap and short-cut cleaning tips.

- Finding simple and inexpensive ways to provide pet care:  distemper shots/drops, nail clipping, dental care, ear care.

Yes – get out and continue life’s never-ending education.  You will be impressed with the number and variety of benefits you will gain in doing so!

Copyright © February 2016 by Maeke Ermarth

                   Cheyenne, WY

Bring on the Heat!

Bring on the Heat!

Sometimes the simplest things are right before our very eyes, and still we do not see them.  I love and respect the power of heat.  In my teen years, I was told by both my mother and my modeling instructor that the key to a healthy, non-oily looking face was to wash my face with hot water to open and clean out the pores, and then rinse with cold water to close up the pores.  In later years, the physics logic did not add up in my mind.  When something is pressed hard against a barrier, it rushes out with intensity when the barrier is removed.  After experimenting, I found that by only exposing my face to warm to hot water, oiliness lessened significantly.  Twice I developed chalazions on my lower eye lid but have not had any since I began using only hot or warm water on my face.  My pores and ducts are now free to remain "open" and breathing instead of closed and becoming clogged and possibly infected.

So often with injuries, ice packs are recommended for the first few hours to curtail swelling, but then heat is recommended for healing.  It is a wonderful muscle and tension relaxer.  Devices that create currents and/or heat which in turn stimulate cellular and molecular activity have proven very effective in a variety of ailments and therapies.  Combine warm water with Epsom, sea or table salt, and even more benefit can be had because of the salt's ability to draw out contaminates.  One summer day a friend of mine, who was a nurse suffering with a horrible cold, and I sat outside in the sun for the old home remedy of letting its warmth open the nasal passages and allow the sinuses to drain.  Most people are aware of the benefit of gargling with warm (not hot) salt water for a sore throat.  I have found that gargling with a handful of warm water in the morning does wonders for my voice to start out the day.  I do the same at night believing it is a soothing technique after a full day of use.  Look at how many massaging devices have a heat option included in them.  Most of us can attest that the not-so-attractive heating pad and hot water bottle can provide much-needed relief.

In high enough degrees, it cooks our food to a safe level for consumption and sterilizes utensils and fabrics used in medical facilities and elsewhere.  When a person's body is exposed to the cold, blood vessels in the extremities (hands, feet, the arms and legs) constrict to provide more blood and warmth closer to our trunk where the essential life-giving organs are placed.  We shiver as a way for the body to stimulate activity and friction to provide needed heat.

When attention is given to the value heat provides, it becomes more and more automatic to use it and reap the benefits!  When going through the day, keep in mind the abilities of heat, and determine if adding a little heat to your projects or routines might make them even more effective -- and bring it on!

Maeke Ermarth ©September 17, 2012

            Ocean City, MD

Improve Yourself with "MOVE"

MOVE, in this case, stands for "management of vital exercise."  Time and again I experience, and hear other people's experiences with, a variety of health conditions.  One essential component for good health is our physical need for oxygen, and we have a lot of control on how well it is distributed.  Breathing alone does not insure that oxygen is getting everywhere it is needed.  Here is where it is up to us to manage our own individual program of vital exercise to insure that it does!  It is "vital" because if different areas do not receive adequate oxygen, the result is any number of heath issues:  back pain, leg pain, numbness, "death" of a toe or finger and gangrene, brain disorders, and more.

An acupuncturist was able to explain to me how the tightening of muscles can block blood flow.  Blood carries oxygen.  If the flow is blocked, an essential amount of oxygen is not getting to the muscles and organs.  With just a few simple exercises a day combined with cognizant breathing techniques, so many pains and disorders can be lessened or eliminated.

For years, I heard that a low pulse rate was good for keeping the heart from being overtaxed.  However, there is a boundary for a heart being exercised too much or too little.  Even when breathing slowly, I periodically monitor myself to be sure I am keeping a constant breathing rhythm going.  Be mindful of holding in the lower part of the abdomen as this relieves stress on avenues that could weaken or block air flow.  The goal is to keep all avenues open as much as possible.

I have a tendency to flex (tighten) the muscles in my left flank and leg more so than my right, and it is the left side that suffers pain as a result.  Even just standing, I can feel the tension in my left leg when I am consciously focusing on which muscles are not relaxed.  When doing simple twist motions, I hear and feel "pops" in my spine, neck and joints.  At that point, tension is being released, and relaxation is enhanced if I concentrate on not letting them tighten up again.  Important, too, is my timing for inhaling and exhaling.  It is best to inhale at the start and then exhale while making the exercise motion, ever thinking to relax.

For me, being instructed on the right techniques to use has, over a two-month period, eliminated debilitating pain in my back and left side of my hip, thigh, knee, and half of my calf.  For a few years, I had hardly any feeling at all in the tip of my left big toe.  After three months of correct exercise, partial feeling has returned.  There is no doubt in my mind this has avoided a lot of unnecessary drug prescriptions and possibly even surgery.  In addition, if parts of our bodies are oxygen deprived, might it be possible that our brains and other organs might also be deprived?  We now know this can mean premature dementia and even Alzheimer's disease when the brain is deprived.

We owe it to ourselves to consider less invasive yet effective options to our medical situations.  Being involved and pro-active has emotional and psychological benefits, too.  Consultation with acupuncture, chiropractic and yoga specialists is worth the time spent, the knowledge obtained, and (if chosen) treatment received.  If there is even a 60% improvement, that can mean a lot in terms of our quality of life.  For me, the improvement is 98%.  Sometimes my pain will slightly begin to re-occur when I neglect doing my exercises daily or when I've overexerted myself; but I know now how to eliminate it within five minutes.  Indeed, become a devout supporter and practitioner of MOVE, and feel better soon!

An All-Age Product Worth Using

     All year, but especially on hot days, the feeling of being refreshed is so nice.  Many things go in cycles, including ways to stay refreshed and even a bit more hygienic.  An old favorite of mine is the timeless baby powder cornstarch.  Make sure it is the cornstarch item (not simply baby powder) for better moisture absorbency and no gooeyness.  Think about the reasoning behind using powder for babies in diapers.  It is applicable to any age.  The powder not only absorbs moisture, but it helps eliminate unpleasant odors and replaces it with a mild, pleasing one.  It also helps keep clothing and footwear from sticking to your skin.

     Sprinkle some of the powder on the palm of your hands, and apply it under your arms and breasts, around the groin and backside area, and perhaps even behind your knees and the underside of your feet.  Sprinkle some inside your under-garments, too.  You can adjust the amount to reach the odor-release level that suits you.  It's a great tactic for when you have an appointment but don't have time for a bath or shower.  There is no staining, either, as there is with antiperspirants.  Knock smelling offensive off your worry list -- and go enjoy the summer feeling more refreshed!

~  Maeke Ermarth © 2011
    Fairfax, VA - USA

Expectations and Self Esteem

When I apply the "keep the focus on myself" concept, I go to a better "place."  When I either retain or create expectations of myself and give up expectations of anyone else, I find myself in a better frame of mind and heightened self esteem.  It coincides with all the times I have heard people say each person needs to take care of his/her side of the street, and let everyone else take care of theirs.  This may be harder for a parent to do because children will always be, in a parent's eyes, children -- regardless of age or position -- in need of parenting!  But, in reality, parents need to do this, too.

My initial gut feeling is that a good many people are irresponsible or miguided and that in order for a society to remain somewhat civil and functioning reasonably well, the competent members need to be the caretakers.  So, which is better -- having a populace that lives in a slipshod fashion and sticks to old habits, or having one that admires the characteristics of upstanding members to the extent that they change their own lives to emulate these role models?  I find the second choice more promising and lasting.  With that in mind, I find it easier to monitor myself to be as good an example as I can be and accept that other people need to choose their own life experiences.  Hopefully their choices will be to follow in an honorable role model's footsteps.

Is it better, then, to not have expectations?  I can learn not to have expectations of other people, but it is detrimental to my progress if I do not set expectations of and for myself.  I will keep learning better ways of thinking and perceiving that give me both greater understanding and peace of mind.  I will make it clear where I stand and how I feel about situations while not demanding that anyone adopt my ways for him/herself.  I will respect our differences but not allow myself to be drawn into situations that, or around people who, cause me angst.  Those are expectations I can make for myself that will make me feel I am doing and being the best I can.  Feeling that way increases my self esteem and gives me the impetus to keep striving for a good personal quality of life.

Suspicion Confirmed re Glass vs. Plastic

Thank you, thank you ABC News for confirming on a televised report March 30, 2011, my suspicion about plastic food containers (see my January post:  Storing Food - Glass vs. Plastic):
http://maeke-caringandsharing.blogspot.com/2011/01/storing-food-glass-vs-plastic.html

A study shows that non-glass food containers (including plastic in particular) contribute to higher levels of bisphenol A (BPA) in people who eat foods that are in these containers. The concern is the relationship of higher BPA levels to a variety of health issues, including cancer and heart and prostrate problems.  To read the complete newscast, please visit:

http://abcnewsradio.squarespace.com/health-news/study-eating-fresh-food-reduces-exposure-to-bpa.html

Be well!

Trouble Sleeping?

     A few years ago I took a course to be a Certified Nursing Assistant.  We were taught to place a pillow against the back of a patient lying on his/her side.  We folded the pillow lengthwise somewhat and tucked a little of it under the patient.  Not only does this provide extra caution against rolling and falling out of bed, but it also adds a sense of support, warmth, and security.
     The result is both physical and psychological.  Physical: Muscles relax more as a person feels and relies on the pillow's support.  A touch of warmth is added as the body heat from the back does not dissipate, which further soothes muscles along the back.  Psychological:  The pillow offers the sense of warmth, comfort and security experienced as a baby still in the womb.  The pillow is soft and contours to a person's shape and movements.  Nice.
     Next time you are having a restless night or want to start the night out with a feeling of comfort that allows the mind to drift and wander into sleep more readily, try the pillow trick; and see if it works for you, too.

    

Warm Up!

Heat can cause expansion -- even in blood vessels which then allows for more blood flow.  Feeling cold and can't get warm?  Are hands and feet colder than the rest of the body?  I take a hot shower before going outside on days that I know will be cold and find I stay much warmer than had I not done so.  If my feet are cold at night before going to bed, I find taking a hot shower before tucking in for the night relieves me of that annoyance.  It is always wise to check with your doctor to determine if you have any health issues where hot showers or baths might are discouraged.  But assuming all is well, this is a simple solution!