Anyone Else Growing Older And Having to Make Changes?

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us...  if only I may finish my course and ministry with joy ..."   --- Romans 8:37, Acts 20:24

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Around age 39, my head began whining, "Hey you! Stop with the coffee. You're making me ache and keeping me awake."

Oh dear. I loved coffee. Anticipated it every morning.

Yet I also loved feeling well and since I refused to take medication to enable me to keep drinking coffee I, grudgingly, switched to decaf--and liked it. With plenty of cream and sugar, of course.

But then a year later--uh-oh! I could barely move. Arthritis like a creeping vine wrapped itself around me. It runs in my family so yeah, I became nervous. But I also got proactive and went online (all new to me in 2000) and soon discovered the cause. 

The daily de-caf. A study revealed--for folks whose family bloodlines include arthritis--too much decaf coffee can trigger major stiffness. Wow. Who knew?

So I quit drinking decaf and I hope you believe this (because it's true)--immediately the whole-body arthritis vanished! It's never returned. (Avoiding canola and vegetable oils greatly helps, as well.)

Although I was thrilled with that (yes!) still, I felt cheated. I needed to discover a new hot drink. Not tea, ok? Rather than expending energy on self-pity ("Everybody else can drink coffee, why can't I?") I searched for a substitute. After time I found one: homemade cocoa mix. 

After tweaking the recipe, I'm still drinking it. I prefer it to coffee, actually--and that's a miracle. (And for the record, I can drink the very occasional decaf with no problems.)

Then there was the time I needed reading glasses and went to Barnes and Noble to try some on and almost cried when I looked so ugly in them.

Er hem.

Over the years what else have I had to give up? Onions. Buffalo chicken. Jalapenos and oranges, kombucha and salmon. If I consume too much yogurt or cheese, my head/or ears hurt. Oh, and dinner. I've had to forego nightly dinner (as I wrote here).

Of course, the temptation is to resent the losses, the changes one must make as she ages. And yes, at times I've struggled through all the (at times, painful) trial and error of discovery of these new allergies/problems. I've battled self-pity at times, believe me.

(And I've not even mentioned watching Tom's struggles with post-polio symptoms and needing to step up to help him more.)

But here's where a spirit of adventure hugely helps. 

If I can release what hinders me (both in body and soul)... 

if I can find ways to stay fit these later years ... 

if I can insist upon keeping a right attitude ... 

if I can remind myself I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me

and if I can rely upon the joy of the Lord being my strength (no kicking, screaming or resenting allowed) ...

... well then, I will continue to find solutions for most problems and can trust God to fix the remainder, for He is faithful even when Life feels unfair.

I've begun drinking lemon juice in water each morning. It's supposed to break up congestion and do myriad miracles (heh). So far, so good. Oh, and lemon juice water is my first choice for the occasional headache.  ツ

I've chosen not to take medications (for as long as I can get away with it). Instead, daily I take Vitamin D3, K2, C, magnesium citrate, krill oil and Gaba. Not as often, but sometimes, for 'below the belt issues' I take probiotics or DMannose or slippery elm with lemon juice and a little ACV.

Oh, and I'm beginning to rinse my mouth daily with peroxide.

Do I like being more high maintenance than ever? I so do not. But after rereading Joyce Meyer's book, How to Age Without Getting Old, I'm realizing we just need to do what we just need to do. And move on in acceptance.

I highly recommend that book.

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My Autumn in July adventure? It's going wonderfully. 

The second day, I stepped out the back door and spied a red leaf. Brought it inside to press inside a book. (The crab apple tree dropped many others since.)

The third day? Look what arrived in the mail! Is that book cover perfect or what?

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Ooooo... some gorgeous Autumnal scenes in this video.

These may be AI rooms, but wow, they're gorgeous (and not your typical shabby chic).

She's Aging In Place (I may have shared this one before).

And oh my! We watched such a great movie: Young Woman And The Sea.

It's based upon the life of the first woman to swim the English Channel. So inspiring, indeed.

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Oh! And a very special thanks to those of you here and at Facebook and MeWe who congratulated me on 20 years of blogging. You are each greatly appreciated.

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Learn from it, ok, but never park there overnight:

"How old would you be if you didn't know how old you was*?" 

---Satchel Paige (1906-1982)

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Please remember: My posts are always about more than they appear to be. 

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 "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15