Pre and Post Surgery Suggestions for the Naturally Inclined

I tend to hang around with a healthy crowd who abhor unnecessary medical intervention. However, occasionally there may be a time to consider surgery as the best option of treatment.  

One of my friends (who is a health and exercise nut) had to make a serious choice around her worsening scoliosis. In my own life, it was an emergency C-Section. My client's son had severely impacted wisdom teeth that has to be dealt with. 

Even purists sometimes have to take this long road

Surgery can be a reasonable the answer when we are looking at increased suffering over the long haul without it. If surgery is how it has to go down, the best path is to be fully prepared and resourced going into it.

Go into it as well rested

Surgery is rather like running a long race; the better shape you are going into it, the better shape you will be coming out of it. Toned tissue bounces back easier. This means don’t stop moving. Try to keep being as active as possible.

Be as well-nourished as possible

Most people go into surgery already nutritionally starving. Pre-surgery is no time to be counting calories. You need to stock up on quality nutrition beforehand.

What you need is optimal nutrition to maximize your healing potential

Protein

Protein is the body’s building blocks for healing tissues. Finding sources of plant protein may be helpful. This can be beans and legumes, quinoa, nuts and seeds. I like Harmonized Vegan Protein by Progressive Nutrition. Is has for instance, yellow pea, cranberry seed, chia seed, rice and hemp proteins. It is easy to digest and tastes great. It is an easy addition to any smoothie recipe.

Network Antioxidant

 Free radicals are what damage our cells and a good quality network antioxidant is essential for optimal healing.

Essential Fatty Acids

Essential fatty acids feed our brain, spine and nervous systems as well as our immune system. EFA’s also reduce inflammation.

Trace Minerals

Trace minerals are essential for healing.  Zinc in particular is vital for cell repair and regrowth. Without it, we do not heal quickly.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is essential for the production of collagen in our bodies.  Top up on a good quality Ester C with Bioflavanoids (circulation support) up to a month before your treatment date. Delete for 3 days before your surgery. Then as soon as possible after, continue with Vitamin C again. I like Progressive Nutrition Vitamin C complex. It is a totally food sourced Vitamin C with food sourced Bioflavanoids. I also like Emergen-C. It comes in 1,000 mg sachets that are easy to mix in water if your wee patient is groggy or unable to do much more than take sips of water. The recommended amount of Vitamin C is 1,000 mg 3x daily.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A increases the strength of our cell membranes. It also reduces our risk of infections.

Co-Enzyme Q 10

This antioxidant helps support our oxygen uptake.

High fiber

If your diet is high in fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains, nuts and seeds, you will be in good shape. What you don’t want is a lot of sudden change in diet that adds constipation to your list of grievances. Pre-plan meals and have them brought in to you especially if you have to stay in hospital for more than a day.  Don’t expect an industrial kitchen to have health in mind or bend to your needs or preferences.

Vitamin E mixed tocopherols

Try to source out a natural form of Vitamin E. Mixed Tocopherols are more complete for the body’s needs. This helps our tissues to be more elastic.

 

Bach Rescue Remedy for trauma and shock

This is easy to have in your pocket. You can put drops under the tongue or put a drop or 2 on the wrist. You can even put a drop or two in the navel.

Probiotics

Probiotics are essential after surgical procedures. This is even more so if antibiotics have been routinely given. I would suggest starting with HMF which is a unique human strain. You can use others, but this is the best front line choice.

Protein Digesting Enzymes

I recommend Bromelain Papain+ to reduce scaring. This is not the surface of the skin, but the deep tissues where scar tissue can impair natural function and communication in the body for decades to come. This enzyme formula also reduces inflammation. In this instance it would be taken away from food.

Oil of Oregano and Grapeseed Extract

Thwart infections that often have the hospital as its source. An easy way to take either of these is to open a Vitamin C capsule and add 1 drop of Oil of Oregano or extract. Put the capsule back together and take with water.

Water

Water is essential when you are flushing medications out of the body. I like adding Emergen-C  to help this along further. Rather than downing lots of water at once, make as your goal to drink 2 ounces every half hour.

Dental/Wisdom Teeth

To remove local freezing use homeopathic Hypericum 30k, 1 dose every 15 minutes. Alternate the Hypericum with homeopathic Arnica 30 k. Wait 5 minutes between doses. Arnica helps to reduce fluid bruising and swelling. Wound healing – Hypericum MT

General anesthetic most natural physicians recommend Vitamin C.

Other factors may improve your healing experience

Go into this as well rested and overall as healthy as you can. Learn all you can about the procedures you are facing and do your research.  Find out all you can about how to speed and enhance your healing.

Peace and happiness is the perfect environment for healing Surround yourself with positive people. Legislate for yourself a ‘zero-negative-word zone’. As soon as someone starts to talk about their awful hospital experience or their ills aches and pains or what medications they are on or how they or someone they knew almost died and ……well, you get the picture. Nip it in the bud. You don’t need to hear it and they don’t need to share it.

Focus on Your Goal and Aim For a Positive Outcome

Your goal should be to bounce back quickly and easily. Our body works and heals in 12 week cycles. Continue your nutrition throughout those pivotal 12 weeks. Try gentle stretching or even a yoga program to get you back to yourself.

I may have forgotten to mention a bijillion things here, but if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Going Away Check List

Going away to visit another ecology can be challenging for us.

I have often seen people suffering from unexplained ills that have a pivot point of travel to another climate/overseas. We may have the benefit of a resistant immune system at home.

Travel to exotic destinations are a whole different kettle of fish.

So what can we do?
The obvious would be to be cautious of water supply for drinking. This applies to ice cubes and frozen fruit treats. Wash fruits and vegetables in a mild peroxide solution. I like a product called 'Oxygen Solution. It is effective  and a basin of water only needs 10 drops or so.  Grapeseed extract is another really potent anti-bacterial solution. This can be used by the drop internally so it is safe for foods. 

So here is a basic run down on prevention

Acidophilus

It is important to fill the intestines with bacteria that produce low toxins.  This increases resistance by ‘filling the space’ and reduces the change of opportunistic organisms to proliferate in the intestines unchecked. If you can’t provide some degree of refrigeration, look for an entero coated product that will stay stable even in the heat.

Udo Super 5 from Flora is an oral version that inoculates the mouth, throat and stomach.  This needs to be kept cool.

Melatonin/ Insomnia Pellets

I prefer Melatonin Time Released by Innovite.  Take 4 or 5 at once, and then reduce the amount by one the next night and so on, if you are sleeping better.  Insomnia Pellets by Homeocan, are also helpful to keep sleeping patterns back on track, especially when jet lagged.  Our bodies have a Circadian rhythm that can become interrupted by travel through different time zones.  Also if you are a person who is always waking up at 3 in the morning like clockwork, this is a ‘blip’ in the Circadian rhythm.

Another essential is Emergen-C, an mineral ascorbate powder that goes fizzy when you put it in water. Comes in great flavours. My fav is Lemon/lime. When you feel wonky, head achy, queasy or your digestion feels wonky, cut back on food for a short time and try this. Use 1/2 packet at a time every hour, up to 4 doses.  

Unda # 710 Homeopathic Complex

As a preventative, take 5 drops morning and 5 drops at bedtime.  This remedy tends to be more for ears, nose, throat, and sinuses.  For people who have ear trouble when traveling by airplane this would be started a week or more before the flight. For general resistant to airborne pathogens, take 5 drops at bedtime only.

Unda # 37 Homeopathic Complex

Is to support and fight pathogens such as virus and bacteria.  5 Drops at bedtime is suggested for prevention, but when fighting something, take 5 drops morning and night.

Unda # 39 Homeopathic Complex

This complex discourages parasites from gaining a toe-hold.  Take 5 drops at bedtime throughout the vacation.  No matter what, be really careful of water supply while away.  Remember that ice cubes are local water.

Vitamin C/Vitamin A

This is generally great to take to increase protection and immunity and cell integrity (resistance).  Also Vitamin D3 400 IU daily can help resist flu and colds.

Multi Vitamin/Mineral

If you are going to the trouble of hauling a multi vitamin/mineral around and commit to taking a multi with every darn meal, make sure it is a really good quality and is absorbed well.  I prefer Progressive Nutrition formulas.  They are in capsules rather than tablet form.

Oil of Oregano/Echinacea/Goldenseal

Oil of Oregano is an antiseptic whereas Echinacea is an immune simulator.  Echinacea is good to have handy, in case of infection or onset of illness, but oil of oregano is safe to use every day preventatively.  Goldenseal herb is a great infection fighter, especially in a viral overgrowth, but again is used if and when needed.

Here is an interesting way to use Oil of Oregano. It is my airport special.

Eye Drops

The trouble with eye drops is that they are usually preserved with something nasty.  Ephrasia Stilidoses is homeopathic Eyebright herb, in single application ampules.  This is great to use to flush the eyes after swimming in chlorine treated pools or in lakes and oceans. Sisu also makes a good natural eye drop formula that will soothe and clean the sensitive eye tissue.  Just a note, that Katherine Hepburn had trouble with her eyes after the making of the movie, ‘African Queen’.  This ongoing problem was contributed to the river water where they were filming.

Fiber/Water

It is a good idea to keep up fiber intake in you diet while away, especially for those who tend to be toilet-shy when away from home.  Take it easy on fruit if your system is not used to it.  Fruit all of a sudden in the bowel can lead to a bout of constipation. Keep hydrated throughout the day. 

Calendula Cream or Mother Tincture

Calendula Tincture, diluted is great to have on hand for scrapes and minor burns, including sunburn.  This also helps to protect the skin from infection as well as speed heal.  Calendula MT is also good for taking out the itch and reducing inflammation.   Not the best choice if the skin is broken.

Hypericum Mother Tincture

Hypericum Tincture, diluted is great to use in place of alcohol or peroxide for an open wound or when the skin is broken.  This can be used in the form of a spray.  Hypericum MT is as well as being an antiseptic, an aid to speed the healing process.  Hypericum MT helps the body to heal from the inside out rather than healing over the surface, and perhaps locking debris within.

Sunscreen/mineral makeup

Sunscreen is essential when traveling to hot climates.  Mineral make up applied by brush is the best protection from sun.  It will not easily sweat or wash off.  Men with extra forehead will do well with mineral makeup.  It is like a thick layer of zinc cream without the cream.  Sensitive skin will do well with this approach.

Adrenal Support

If you need to recoup and restore your energy while away, consider maximizing your build by adding an adrenal supplement to your daily plan.  If you plan to hike all day and dance all night, an adrenal supplement will help carry you through so you don’t arrive back home exhausted.

Liver/Kidney Detox

When vacationing we can often eat more than we usually would at home, and often drink more alcohol than we should.  Look after your filter systems by doing a mild detox daily.  This can be in the form of fresh lemon/lime in pure drinking water, or chlorophyll concentrate in your drinking water.  Take lighter meals the day after overindulging, and drink lots of water.  Homeopathic Nux Vomica 30k can really help the liver to de-tox.

Choline/Nux Vomica 200k

Food poisoning can happen anywhere.  Sometimes the liver and gall bladder have just had enough of our overindulgence.  For nausea, take 1 Choline every 15 minutes until the nausea stops.  Nux Vomica can also be taken at 15-230 minute intervals.  Ginger can be helpful as well, fresh in a tea or in capsules.

Ginger caps/tea/Nux Vomica/Coculus Indicus 200k

Motion sickness can be helped by a natural approach.  You may want to have what you usually use on hand just in case the above doesn't work as well as you would like.

Digestive enzymes

It is wonderful to have fun times where we share great food and great friends.  However, feasts can lead to a burdening of the digestive system.  For example when corn on the cob is added to the rest of the menu, nothing gets digested.  Corn is a considered to be a carbohydrate rather than a vegetable; therefore it can easily be digested when combined with other carbohydrates as well as vegetable.

Food combining has been championed by such food gurus as Harvey and Marilyn Diamond and Suzanne Somers.  Basically you don’t eat proteins and carbohydrates in the same meal.  Fruits (as well as deserts) are eaten alone. 

Digestive enzymes are genuine relief when eating a variety of foods together.  Some products are more carbohydrate specific, others are more protein specific.  If you are burpy and gassy, enzymes will change your world.  Pay attention to what you eat that causes your system to be hurting or in an uproar.

So What If?

If you tend to notice trouble with after eating bread or sugar, this may be a yeast or Candida issue.  Increasing acidophilus may help.

If you develop skin issues, heads up; something is going on in the blood. Get checked out as soon as you can. To be sure, plan a check up for when you get back home. Nipping things in the bud as always a better plan.

 

A Cure for Old Knees

Marlene Dietrich once said, “Careful dress and grooming can take 20 years off a woman’s age but nobody can fool a flight of stairs”.

We are only as old as our knees think we are

Many people believe that it is normal to expect that our bodies are going to wear out and break down.  Is this true in all cases?  Perhaps we give in too soon.  I’d like to share my personal process of bringing my feet and knees back to health.  I am living proof that our bodies can heal and repair and that there is real value in an alternative approach.

Walking the talk! 

 The last three years have been a limp of faith for me. I love to dance.  Five years ago, I decided to take ballroom dance and I now have my bronze level in 7 dances.  I fast tracked with the goal to complete this within three years…..in high heels.

I have moved my home and office 3 times within the last 8 years and have done extensive remodelling each time.  Read ‘the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak’.   I have a gift and passion for designing small spaces. I love giving that part of me free rein.    

Two of these re-locations required 3 months of work each.  As a result, I have had the joy and satisfaction of creating unique and beautiful home and work spaces.  On the dark side, my poor old body has to bear the brunt of these Olympian  projects.  

If my body were a horse I’d have been reported to the SPCA.

This is going to read like the never ending saga, so if you don’t want the morbid details…..quit while you still can.

Move #2

Three years ago on after a stressful move, I could hardly stand on my feet.  If I put one shoe on I couldn't put my weight on that foot to put the other shoe on.  I still had to paint, unpack my home and office and get back to work as soon as possible.  So why did this happen all of a sudden?

 

The truth is it wasn't all of a sudden.  We are taking about 60 years of history here.  I was looking at acute and chronic elements affecting many major systems of my body:  structural, immune, circulatory, urinary, hepatic, lymphatic and nervous system. 

Arch Supports and Orthotics

I’d like to make a comment about arch supports and orthotics.  Architects will be the first to tell you about arches and how the pressure from above makes them stronger.  Putting pressure from beneath them makes them weaker.  Many people swear by arch support technology, but I have to say that they make no sense to me. I wasn't looking for a crutch.   I wanted my feet back.

What I Chose to do

I made an appointment with my brilliant RMT (Registered Massage Therapist).  She began to work on the structure of my foot, and began to break down and iron out the scar tissue that had built over time in the arches of my feet.  This condition is called ‘Plantar Fasciitis’.  

With Plantar Fasciitis the plantar muscles can begin to shorten and if left untreated, can pull the heel bone forward and down, which then causes bruising when you put weight on it.  Also when you step down and the tissues aren't warmed up, the tissue rips a bit more and the body creates more scaring in its attempts to heal the tearing.  This can be reversed.  During treatments I practically had to bite down on a belt because this procedure really hurts.  This took a few visits. 

Next, I made an appointment with a reflexologist.  She started easing the general structure back to mobility.  She said I had ‘uni-foot’.  It felt like a block of wood.  Over the next few weeks, my feet began to articulate in the way that they were designed.  Then she started on the reflexes.  Many were painfully active.  The significant ones were the kidney and urinary reflexes which were active for many weeks as was the sciatic nerve reflexes. 

The sciatic nerve runs all the way from the atlas wedge in the neck (C1) down the back, divides in two and runs down the legs to the heel.  Most people complain about the pain in their leg or in one buttock, but I noticed the inflamed nerve issues in my heel and feet.  Working with kidney drainage and getting the nerve inflammation down was the piece that I know well, so I put myself on’ a taste of my own medicine’.  Inositol, (a water soluble B factor vitamin) by the way is a big player when you need to get the inflammation down quickly in the nervous system.  I took about 8 to 12 capsules a day for about a week then reduced to about 4 a day.  

After several reflexology visits, and time, and some wise self-care my feet were feeling mint

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Move #3

Two years ago I started renovation on an upstairs flat which took three months to become livable.  This required 10 and 12 hour days, 6 days a week.  In addition I was trying to keep up with my client needs. 

I moved before I had finished painting the walls.  Within 5 days I left for a 10 day trip to Texas.  I took the opportunity to rest.  I had 10 hurting digits and knees that felt broken.  When I got back home, only my thumbs were still hurting.  Hurting or not, I launched into painting walls and getting my life settled again.

Last May I was carrying my groceries in a back-pack while I carried my bike up 3 steps onto the porch.  When I put the combined weight on my left leg I heard a huge ‘crunch’ and my knee gave out.  It hurt so badly I thought I had broken something. 

Getting the inflammation down is the first thing.  Putting a bag of frozen peas on it and using homoeopathic Arnica helped.  After this injury I started to experience wicked leg cramps when my knees were flexed that did not respond to magnesium supplementation.  (For the keeners I will list all assorted products used near the end of this article.)

Lucky for me I know really clever people in the healing field.  My colleagues (RMT and Electronic homoeopathy) helped me figure out what was going on.  The chronic bit was scar tissue that had built up over time to the point where my knee was pushed slightly out of joint.  When I put the weight on it that fateful day I crunched through the scar tissue.  I was left with stretched and misaligned tendons, ligaments and cartilage. I couldn't put any lateral flexion on the injured knee at all.   This made trying to sleep a whole lot of fun!

I also had circulation congestion (bruising and blood clot) issues that were chronic (ageing) in my legs which was the underlying issue in the cramping.  This congestion also can contribute to restless legs. Kidney drainage (congestion) causing swelling and fluid in the knees was also a root concern.  There were a list of usual suspects (infections such as bacteria, parasites, mixed infections and their TOXINS in my system and especially getting stored in my knees).  I also had to address the poor circulation to my extremities.  If the blood is not flowing well, the healing potential body in the local area will not detox well or receive nutrition well either.  There was still scar tissue needing to be broken down in both my knees.

The key modalities were massage therapy, reflexology,electronic homeopathy, nutritional, herbal and homeopathic therapies.

Here is a list of products and why

I didn't take them all at once, but this is the general list of players over the last 10 months:

Prickly Ash Combo – herbal - circulation

Cleavers Combo - herbal - blood, lymph, liver, kidneys

Borage Combo – herbal – adrenal, immune

Nettles tincture – herbal – blood – minerals

Glucosaplex – natural anti-inflammatory with kidney drainage built in and a highly absorbable glucosamine

MSM Glucosamine – connective tissue nutrients for repair to joints

Unda # 25 for arterial and circulation clean up

Unda # 33 for clean-up of peripheral circulation

Unda # 258 – joint drainer – liver and kidneys

Pinus Montana – herbal/homeopathic to stimulate repair of joints and bone surfaces.

Anti-inflam – herbal – to reduce swelling

Vegan Protein – building blocks for repair

Essential Fatty Acids – anti-inflammatory and lubricates the joint surfaces/ nervous system nutrition

Hyaluronic Acid – increase synovial fluid in joints

Cina homeopathic/Oil of Oregano/Echinacea Mix 1 – infection fighters

Vege Greens – detoxifier and general nutrition

Liquid magnesium – feeds muscles

Juncturinum Plex – helps stimulate repair of joints and bone

Super Cal Mag – minerals

Flora Salushaus liquid cal-mag – highly absorbable minerals and nervous system nutrition

Sinew Plex – nutrition for building and strengthening connective tissue

Topical creams:

I started out using Trammel gel.  This helped for the initial swelling.  Then I switched to arnica topical cream and Now brand MSM, arnica and Glucosamine liposome lotion.  I used Minute Muscle Relief cream.  I have Guinea- pigged almost everything my suppliers had available during the last 10 months.

Here is the mixture that worked the best for providing comfort and healing - swelling, pain, re-sprains, re-strains and bruising (circulation).  Apply morning and night or as often as needed to find relief.

Arnica cream - 1 part (Unda)

Minute Muscle Relief cream (Peaceland) – 1 part

Devil’s Claw cream (Genestra) – 1 part

PharMax ‘delivera’ compound base cream (Seroyal) – 1 part

Rest

Resting the injured part of our body is often the missing ingredient.  Wisdom prevails.  We need to determine what approach will speed the healing process.  Do we push on through or do we give the injury total rest. 

Re-injury is the factor that slows down healing.  Few of us have lives where we can rest completely.  I tried to find the healthy balance where I was able to rest my knees (the local area) but get enough movement to promote and enhance circulation and lymph flow.  Keeping muscles strong and toned prevents undue strain on the associated connective tissues.

I'm back on track, wearing flip flops, or bare feet (my favourite).  I'm biking, walking and playing with horses.  I can trust that ol' knee to get me safely in the saddle.  

A Desire to Heal

The path of healing chronic issues isn't for the faint of heart, but when we truly desire to heal,  it is a matter of patiently peeling though the layers in priority. Take it a step at a time; work with what presents itself and then as each layer resolves, go deeper.

Whew!  This was wordy.  Great that you stuck with it to the end.

Keep well_  Nelda

Holistic Help for 'Younging' the Aging and Elderly

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People often think that little improvement can be expected for people of age.  This is far from the truth.  There are however, areas of special concern for the elderly.  The first thing to consider is the effect of the accumulated toxic burden on the body.  Because entrenched toxins diminish the function and energy of our body, they can diminish our quality of life.  These toxins are often deep, layered and entrenched.

The next thing to consider is the likelihood of malnutrition, not just from a poor diet, but from the diminished absorption because of low function in the digestive system and lack of enzyme function.   Lowered energy or vitality, is often why the body will cannibalize its resources over time.  This is especially true of the glandular system, and the structural system.

In regard to the toxic burden,  Green food complex such as Greens + and Vegge Greens offers a huge broad spectrum of nutrition as well as supplying enzymes, pro-biotics, essential fatty acids and digestive tonics.  These complexes contain Phosphatidylserine, Phosphatidylinositol, and Phosphatidylcholine which feed the brain.  Drainage teas such as Esiac, Florescence and Essigen not only help to relieve the toxic burden over time, but are a good choice to protect the cells of the body from these toxins.

Essential Fatty Acids are also necessary to nourish the brain, nervous system, glandular and hormonal system.  These EFA’s are not created by the body and must come from the diet.  EFA’s help to lubricate the joints and reduce joint inflammation.  Unfortunately, when people have had their gall bladders surgically removed, they will remain unable to process any fats in the diets for their whole lifetime.  This includes the healthy and essential fats.  Taking a digestive enzyme that contains Bile Salts will be a helpful addition to emulsify fats.

Antioxidants are essential for anti aging.  Co-enzyme Q 10 has been proven to support the cardio-vascular system.  Network antioxidants such as Phytoberry work by protecting the cells in every system of the body.

In regard to nutrition, aging and fatigue of the digestive system can diminish the body’s absorption.  Good nourishment can be obtained by getting creative.  A smoothie drink that contains rice based free-form amino acids as well as Vegge Green and Phytoberry and be an amazing boost to a chronically undernourished system.  Consider investing in a juicer. Carrot or a combination of carrot, apple and beet juices can really perk up anyone and will be a creative solution for those who have trouble chewing. 

Bio Strath from Bio-force is a good choice for really nourishing and strengthening an exhausted digestive system.    There are homeopathic singles and plexes that help to enhance the body’s glandular and organ strength.  There are tonics to support and energize the vital function of the body.  Magnesium is the first choice for muscle spasms. 

Not everything that we put in our mouth benefits the body.  Minerals are especially difficult for many people to absorb.  Tissue or Cell Salts in a 6x or 12x potency are the most body-friendly way of providing mineral nutrition easily and effectively on a cellular level.  For this reason, this is something to consider for young and old.

 A zest for life is a huge factor for people of any age.  Passion is an essential ingredient for good health and long life.  There is no substitute for meaningful work, dynamic relationships and the love for learning.  This is true at any age.  Somehow we think that our elders should learn to get on without these essential aspects of life. 

I have good friends who live in a retirement community.  They asked if I would ever consider moving there.  I said to them, “Do you really want to hear what I have to say?”  I went on to say that although they had a lovely village in a wonderful location with great people but, I viewed it as an ‘Age Ghetto’.

I feel that it is unfortunate for the rest of us in society when the most experienced, skilled and resourced citizens are being segregated within a gated community where they can only minister to one another. To me this is the have giving to the have. Philosophically, I feel that an integrated community is a healthy community.  The young and the old need each other.  Since I am closer to being the later rather than the former, I hope this is true. 

I must also point out that aging and maturing are not necessarily the same thing.  Without a maturing of spirit, we unfortunately just get old.  A friend of mine once, promoted me in the nicest way.  She said “even though Nelda has lived 50 years, she hasn’t lived the same year 50 times”.  

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