The Importance of Self Care

There is nothing more frightening (to me) than not being able to breathe.  

In the past few months I’ve been so sick with influenza and infections (plural) and when pollen comes out with a vengeance it makes things worse.  Then a neighbor decided that they had the right and ability to burn their trash in a burn barrel inside city limits.  It was so bad I couldn’t go outside, nor open my windows. 

I felt physically exhausted, as if it was all my body could do to get up, eat, walk around the block when it wasn’t smokey out, and come home to take not 1, but usually 3-4 naps before bed.  

My body has been fighting against the toxic smoke in this past month.  Through infections, simple recovery has taken time.  I don't know what all he was burning, but just walking by his house, there is all kinds of plastic tarps, jugs, and other sorted stuff that when you stop and think about it, it's all made with petro-chemicals.  Simplistically speaking, anything plastic is made from petro-chemicals.  So if you burned a couple plastic containers they would give off a black smoke due to the petro-chemicals burning.  Those chemicals travel through the air and are breathed in by you and by me.  Some folks are not bothered by this smoke immediately.  Others, like myself and a few other neighbors around me, are greatly affected with breathing issues.  Just do a basic search for "Dangers of burning petro chemicals" and see where that takes you!  Nevermind how it affects me, just think of how it affects you and your children! 

Fortunately going to Planet Fitness and riding the recumbent bike in the fresh air that is always moving and purified (ask me how I know), has been a blessing.  I know from past experiences that I needed to force air into my lungs to fill all those air sacks and clear the infection out.  In the past I’ve walked and swam, but the recumbent bike is wonderful!  I can go as slow as I need to and I don’t get winded.  After leaving my body decides to have coughing fits to expel the infection, so I know it is working!

What can I do about the neighbor who burns?  While I was at Planet Fitness on the recumbent bike this morning, my neighbor called and mentioned talking to the Fire Chief.

Long story short, the other neighbor shouldn’t be burning in the barrel any more. 

Thank the Lord!

I sit by the window breathing in the cool fresh air every morning while I read my Bible.  It helps me clear my lungs, get the word in my heart and mind at the beginning of the day, and I sneeze my brains out, too.  Yes, it’s a daily thing!  

While allergies and asthma go hand-in-hand, throw in Environmental Sensitivities (clickable link) and all those issues are heightened by 1000%!!!

When you feel like you can never catch your breath because of the chemicals, you think about what is brought in to your house differently.  A candle or a wax warmer causes physical breathing distress.  Bleach, ammonia, washer pods, fabric softener, PineSol, Lysol, 409…

ALL of it causes distress!

While I cannot control everything on the outside of my house, I can control what is brought into my house. 

We’ve told our kids we can no longer have candles in the house.  Every room in our house has a diffuser and a few bottles of oils next to them.

We’ve also told them we can no longer use bleach, ammonia, Lysol, Comet, 409, or any other toxic chemical laden cleaner in our house due to my breathing.

We’re praying about air purifiers that are built into the heating system and beginning our research of them.  I’m also coming to the realization that I may need to carry oxygen with me.  Through the worst of the time with breathing issues, I couldn't get my breathing regulated to the point I thought I was going to die.  I called my Dr and requested my asthma puffer be refilled for the first time since we've lived here in Georgia.  They promptly filled it for me and I'd used it through the worst part of the breathing difficulty.  

What about the oils?  The oils helped to support my breathing, helped to get my body's immune system to do it's job, and helped to purify the air.  When the smoke did get in to the house, diffusing Peppermint, Purification, Lemon, or Raven right away helped to clear the air.  The oils are wonderful helps in this manner!  But, I will be the first one to say that western medicine has a place.  I will try every other natural plant based remedy and herb before calling my Dr.  My Dr knows that, too and they respect that about me.  So when I do call to let them know I need to be seen that it is truly a need.  

We have choices about how we handle our maladies and self care.  It's up to us to do the research, seek out God's wisdom, and work toward finding something that works for ourselves.  It isn't going to be the same for each one of us, so it's truly up to us individually to find what works.  Something that works for me may or may not work for you.  

When your self care includes 3-4 naps a day; walks around 1 block; trying to help loved ones understand the issues you’re dealing with; trying to be proactive thinking ahead, but sometimes it is going to end up as another infection; you have to face this obstacle by allowing yourself to heal.  To force or try to push the healing process forward by overdoing things is only going to make things last longer, unfortunately.  

Isn’t it so like God to speak, reminding us of something, like when the song “I Surrender All” is played at church?!  For me it is always the Lord speaking to my soul to remember to surrender it all to Him.

Each of us has the very breath of God Himself inside of us.  YHWH is one of God's names, but breathing it brings a whole new dimension to that particular name. Inhale "Yah" and exhale "Way".  When I have breathing problems, I have to stop myself from hyperventilating and mindfully concentrate on my breathing.  I grab my Peppermint and Eucalyptus Globulus, stop myself and whisper "Yah" on the inhale and "Way" on the exhale, allowing the Lord to take away the anxious feelings, replacing them with His peace.  I force myself to do this in some instances.  As I'm speaking the breath of the name of the Lord, I'm reminding myself that He gave me breath, he understands me fully and completely and I'm filling my lungs with His breath with each inhale and exhale.  When I'm fearful and unable to breathe, YHWH helps me.

In the past 4 months, I've taken great solace in my church's choir music.  Take a listen to Glorified and others!  

I pray that you are filled with God's grace, love, and blessings.   If you know of someone who is having these same breathing issues, please reach out and let me know.  I'd love to get together and compare notes.

Love & God Bless,

Regina Graham