By Thelma Ledford
Lifestyle plays a valuable part in the area of spiritual, mental, and physical health. Many times the nutritionist is able to help in these areas; they all interrelate for a healthy, whole human being. Food isn’t the only concern we must have as individuals. Rest and relaxation is important. Somehow we must learn to sit and talk, take walks, listen to the birds, and relax our minds and bodies. As a child I recall the days my parents would sit on the lawn into the night talking with the neighbors. The house was hot. We would lie on a blanket and listen until we fell asleep, and were carried to bed. Having experienced both lifestyles, I have longed for those days. Some of us who have lived when times were less hectic must try to communicate this to the younger generation. They have no idea what they have missed, or how to go about finding it themselves. During the past few years I began to return to these practices with my grandchildren. Few people understood what I was doing. They thought I was just a baby sitter, but I was not. We are not to entertain, but train children. I wanted to pass my faith and life values to them as my legacy while they were young and interested. You do know that more is caught than taught? While they were young, I gave them—myself and my time. We put away most TV, and did things together. We talked while we colored, drew pictures, wrote poetry, explored nature, played games, and put puzzles together. We talked about nature and growing things. We would build tents with sheets and play. After they were older, I drove them to visit relatives in California, and then to Colorado. I knew it would not be long before they could not spend their summers with me, so this 4,300-mile, sight-seeing adventure took them places they had never seen, but gave us quality time together. It was an experience we will never forget. I kept notes and later wrote a story about it. Most people just baby sit children, not understanding that their time with us is important, but short. We have become a self-centered society of adults who will not deny ourselves any pleasure, not even for our children. Wildlife does better than this. I was unknowingly guilty of this when my sons were young. The things we do not like to do such as, planning good meals, cleaning, training children, and keeping calm, quiet homes have been neglected. We do not like to use our time for these so-called “trifle mundane” things. They are only done as an absolute necessity. I learned that by doing these things together, we enjoyed the greatest blessing of life. Children act as though they like “things” when all they really want is time with us. We had triple bunk beds in one room. At bedtime we would all lie there in the dark and talk. We would learn Bible verses, talk of the day’s events, tell stories, and use our imagination and go to sleep quietly. My husband and I would take turns. We only had two months each year and we made use of this valuable time with them. When I would go to my room, I would lie there listening to brother and sister talking intelligently, sharing intimate things. I loved it! Children have too many rules. I know this because I did with my sons. I never really got to know them. We watched “good” TV, but missed the best—building relationships with each other. When I saw the results, I was determined to change. My mentor was a women’s seminar teacher in Arkansas. I became fascinated at how she managed children, and the ladies who attended the seminars. I know many mothers must work, I wish it were different; however, if you work only for extra things, or because you are bored, I challenge you to get a vision of the potential in your care—your children. Does this mean that we are to give them everything they want? No! But we are suppose to teach them moral principles, confidence, give them the assurance of loving security, and how to care for their health. One day you will be grateful. If you do not know how, find you an experience older woman. If you need more income, a home-based business might give you time to be a Mother. SKIN CARE AND HEALTH “Beauty is only skin deep! Beauty is as beauty does!” are phrases we often hear said.. They are referring to a person’s character and behavior. “Real beauty” originates from within the person. A person’s motives and attitudes are reflected in spite of the outward appearance of the person or their behavior. So beauty is really an “inside” job! The same is true of the skin. Skin beauty is from the inside out. When it comes to creating great looking skin, nothing is truer than the adage “You are what you eat!” What you put “in your face” is every bit as important as what you put “on your face.” Cosmetics can help cover some signs of an unhealthy lifestyle, but ultimately the ravages of a poor diet with free radical damage will become apparent no matter how professional the makeup job. The quality of our skin simply reflects the quality of the raw materials (foods) used to make its cells. All of us appreciate smooth, healthy skin. There is much skin damage that can be avoided during teenage years with plenty of attention to the health of the body. The largest and most visible organ, the skin, is a reflection of the body’s interior health. If the liver isn’t functioning properly, for instance, the skin may have a yellow cast. When the lungs are deprived of sufficient oxygen, the skin appears gray. A person who drinks excessively often has skin that looks red or swollen. And people who eat overly processed nutrient-poor foods usually develop breakouts, whiteheads, or clogged pores. This is the body’s way of cleansing itself—it is trying to dump the toxins. It is more important to attend to the food we eat, than the medication we use on the surface. The medication may help dry up the blemishes, but it will not correct the problem; medical drugs can cause lifetime damage. Many people try to solve a skin problem by trying every new product in the marketplace. This is not wise; the manufacturers will accommodate you. The skin must be nourished. We should clean up our diets, supplement, and drink plenty of fresh, pure water if we are serious about a smooth, healthy unblemished skin on the outside—especially during teenage years when the hormones are active. The skin consists of two major layers and is made up of countless cells. The cells in the outer layer, the epidermis, are actually dead cells; the cells of the lower layer, the dermis, are alive. The outer cells reproduce every three to six weeks. On the surface we are never very old. The newly formed cells migrate up and away from the nourishment; die and are gradually washed off. As the skin eliminates these dead outer layers it plays an important role in the body’s elimination of wastes. It also acts as protection from outside invaders. Be wise in choosing any kind of skin care products in fact, any product that you put on your skin soaks into your bloodstream. Products you choose should do more than enhance the natural appearance; they should feed and nourish the skin and not clog the pores, thus aiding the removal of wastes through the skin. One day a person told me that they thought the more expensive the product was the better job it did. Others say that the cheapest cream will do the same kind of job. Will it? Both of these extremes are untrue and misleading. In all of life we must make our decisions based upon quality or value; according to the available finances. We try to locate quality in food, cars, home furnishings, medical, and about most everything. Why would it be any different with the skin care and personal products? We can’t judge the product by the cost, or label. I have used many different creams and cosmetics until I discovered the one I’ve been using for years. They meet these criteria. Remember, everything you put on the skin soaks into the blood stream. Be sure to use safe products. The skin is a quick route to the bloodstream. That is why medication patches can be used directly on the skin.
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