Water, water and more water!

I’ve talked about the importance of water and hydration before. It’s come up twice this week with a few friend so I figured I should write a post on it.

For proper health it’s essential to maintain the correct acid-alkaline balance. Our pH level affects every cell in the body. Acidic imbalances for a long period of time can lead to many health issues.

The body works hard to preserve a very narrow pH range, especially in the blood. In fact, the body will create tremendous stress on other tissues, body systems and organs to maintain the correct blood pH.

Some common side effects of an over acidic body consist of: low energy, fatigue, excess weight, poor digestion, along with aches and pains. Some more serious issues from long term acidity include: diabetes, osteoporosis, cancer and much more.

Acidity is brought on by three primary things:

First, ingesting acids. This consists of eating foods that contain processed sugar, dairy, and consuming meat. These foods create an acid ash in the body. These acids build up over time and the body’s ability to neutralize them begins to deteriorate.

Second, the bodies creation of acids. When the body becomes acidic bad bacteria, yeasts and other microforms begin to develop. These organisms are living so they create toxins. These toxins are very acidic to the body.

Third, Improper elimination of acids. All acids are not created equal. Some are weak and some are stronger. Weaker acids such as citric acid are easier to eliminate as compared to stronger acids such as uric acid. The body has many buffering systems to neutralize and eliminate acids, but nutritional abuse often compromises the body’s natural buffering systems and excess acids build up resulting in disease.

Proper pH balance begins with being hydrated. Water is the most important factor in maintaining the right balance. The body is made up of 70% water and loses approximately 2.5 liters per day just through normal bodily functions. The quality is just as important as the quantity of water you drink. Alkaline water is able to help your body prevent toxins and chemical substances from accumulating. Also, it helps transport minerals and nutrients required for cell metabolism. Alkaline water has been shown to be 6 times more hydrating than regular tap water or bottled water.

So along with eating properly, we need to be drinking plenty of water, the right water. Alkaline water has helped us all a LOT – it helps with digestion and the immune system specifically. I highly recommend it!

The Rune of Wisdom

Today we had our monthly appointment with Dr. Kenny. Every time I go to her office, I draw a little stone tablet with a carving (a rune) from a little bag. There are 25 of them, and each one symbolizes something. There is a book that explains each of the runes. Well the last 3 visits I have drawn the exact same rune each time – the rune of wisdom. I don’t do math but the probability of drawing the same rune 3 times in a row out of 25 options are pretty low. I think God is trying to tell me something 🙂

My favorite part?

It is through wisdom that a tragedy becomes a teaching.

Wisdom is a journey. It helps us transfuse difficult experiences into meaningful opportunities. It helps us see situations through a different viewfinder.

I always wonder and second guess myself about whether I am making the right decisions for Nathan. Am I doing too much? Not enough? Should I enjoy his happiness and give up on my quest for improvement? Maybe you’re tired of hearing me ask this question. But with a child whose very life depends on these decisions, it’s not easy to stop wondering! Thinking about wisdom helps me understand that the path is to keep seeking, and that as I question and ask and look at things differently, the answer will become clear. Maybe the answer is that there is no fixed answer and that it’s all about doing my best at every fork in the road.

I leave you with a few more pictures:

We celebrated my aunt’s bday at TGI Friday’s, and after dinner we went for a little walk while Nathan rode his tricycle and then we watched an outdoor movie.

He loooooooooooooves his grandma nalga.

And here he is with Dr. Kenny. See where his right hand is?

I don’t know what his dad is teaching this boy, but he’s sure up to no good!

He really enjoys his appointments with Dr. Kenny and he loves her so much!

And here he is sitting after his appointment – he lasted a couple of minutes!

And here he is holding his head up nicely a couple of days ago. This is pretty new and exciting for us!

TherExtras

I wanted to give a shoutout to a blog that I really enjoy following:

TherExtras.com

It is written by Dr. Boucher, who is a child development expert, along with many other titles which I now can’t seem to find on her blog. This is how she describes her blog:

supporting parents of children with diagnoses through information, experience and relationship

Her description is entirely accurate. She has sent me resources when she believed it could help me help Nathan. I have seen her do the same on blogs of other moms raising kids with CP. She also shares wonderful information on her blog, on a wide variety of topics.

Here are a couple of blog posts that I enjoyed reading and sparked ideas for me:

Adaptations to the Environment

Toys that Teach

Nature vs Nurture

These are just a few posts that I’ve enjoyed reading, just to give you the scope of the subjects that she touches upon.

I hope you enjoy reading Dr. Boucher’s blog as much as I do!