Monday March 6, 2023

– Gibbous Moon Phase – trust, analyze, prepare, digest, alchemy

– Moon in VIRGO

– Best Days (from the Farmer’s Almanac) – March 6 –Wax Floors, Kill Plant Pests, Cut Firewood, Mow to Increase Growth, Dig Holes

– Planting Calendar (from the Farmer’s Almanac) – March 3rd – 7th A most barren period, best for killing plant pests or doing chores around the farm.

– Aspect of the Aeon Sophia: (Wisdom): – Kamala – Goddess of Passion

– Aspect of the Aeon Thelete: (Will/Desire): Seth – God of the North, God of Enlightenment

– Sabian Symbol for the Solar-Lunar Month – New Moon in Pisces SUN/MOON – 02 PISCES: a squirrel hiding from hunters    (EARTH – 02 VIRGO: a large white cross dominating the landscape stands alone on top of a high hill )

– Sabian Symbol for the Solar-Lunar Year: –“a flock of wild geese”

– SUN – 16 PISCES: in a quiet moment, a creative individual experiences the flow of inspiration

– EARTH – 16 VIRGO: children crowd around the orangutan cage in a zoo

Happy Monday! Dare to live the life you always wanted.

The Happy Monday message came to me this weekend while liesting to random playlists on Youtube. This from two songs by Switchfoot – Dare you to Move and Meant to Live. As earworms often go, they meshed in my head and a message comes clear.

Feel free to listen if you would like. I did more than a few times after they took ahold of my brain Friday Night. And they have been part of a theme I have been following since January 1 of this Gregorian Year. That is when I started my diet.

The Diet

I have talked at length about it. The 30 Day Real Food Reset. On the one hand, it changes the food you eat – requiring a very strict, no sugar, no processed food diet. The mechanics are difficult and expensive. Our society has made it difficult to eath healthy food. But doing it, you are transformed. Sugar is toxic. And so are all fof the other additives.

Second is that it changes your mindset about food. Its been a month since I was on the diet and I still think deeply about every recipe I fix and what I put into food. What oils I use. Choosing natural over processed snacks (sometimes).The diet was strict. I do not have to be now. But I am mindful of all of it.

Take alcohol. I am not a heavy drinker. But I would often have beer on the weekend. And other than 2 cans that I drank this last weekend, I have not had a drop since December 31.

I also began drinking only filtered water. For Christmas, I got a Berkey filter. I recomend it to everyone as it not only tastes much better, but also filters out ALL of the crap in our water supply. From chemicals, to pharmaceuticals, to farm waste to feces and urine. I used to drink bottled Spring Water. But not in my coffee or iced tea or boiled foods and cooking.

The Lifestyle Changes

In addition to the diet, I have also began a regiment of supplements and exercises. I started the diet to lost some weight and to reduce the pain in my knees from arthritis. Back in November and December, my knees had gotten bad. sore all the time. Trouble walking and going up and down stairs. While I am in my 50’s, I felt like I am in my 70’s. And looked like it from people I knew who saw me walking.

Regiment for my knees

When I met with my Allopath doctor in early January, He recomended the following:

• Increase Ibuprofin 600 mg 3-4 times a Day (Consider Naproxin as an alternative)

• Add Acetameniphin – alternate between Ibuprofin time schedule

• No Opiods (I am alergic)

• See Orthpedist and ask for Cortisone shots

• Evaluate surgery – but try to wait until I am at least 60

Did I follow the advice? Not really. I still take Ibuprofin or Naproxin in the morning. Sometimes a second doage in the evening. Tylenol is basically useless in my book.

The reduction in sugar and weight loss reduced the pain significantly. Also I began rubber band stretches(learned through PT some years back).

Turmeric – I have taken supplements from Ascent Nutrition. Also I drink Turmeric Tea. I cannot determine if it has made a difference.

Glucosamine and Condroitin – Brand Name is Osteo Biflex. I have used it off and on over the last 2 years. When I am taking it, there are fewer painful days. But its not a magic bullet. I have bought the name brand. I have used the WalMart Brand China Vite version. Cannot tell the difference

Proteo-Zyme – a proteolytic enzyme supplement recommended by my chiropractor that, better than any other supplement, worked.

The Jury is Out

My basic feeling is that the best results I have seen was from the Sugar fast combined with weight loss. You can mask the pain. You can play with supplements. But I feel the most success from the diet. Can I continue with it though???

The Dare

What is the life you always wanted? We all have had dreams and ideas about how we want to live our lives. Then life gets in the way. How much control you want over the outcome is up to you. Winning the lottery would be great. But not all that likely.

Daring yourself is a lifestyle choice. I belive for me it was a Dare to myself that got me to quit smoking cigarettes. There had been no logical reason that would stick up to that point – no matter how many execellent logical reasons coulsd be given. I had to choose it. And Dare myself to quit. And it worked. It was hell – a year of it in fact. But the Cold Turkey decision worked.

Sometimes it has to be that drastic. I will change this now I dare it. The is somewhat like my decision to do a 30 fast diet. What is 30 days in the grand scheme of things? But it was hard. It required committment.

And now, I want more. I want to lose another 20 lbs. 10 was not enough. I can feel even better. I can look better and be stronger.

How much do I want it? Do I dare?