The FDA - Food and Drug Administration...

The FDA does not have authority, and I do not wish it to have authority, over my health care decisions, supplement use, or health standards of care.

If the FDA wants to regulate the supplement and alternative medicine industries, I suggest they start with what they are worst at, and try to improve - quality control.

Assure the public that drugs coming from the pharmaceutical companies are safe! Ensure that regulations, trial periods, and testing is thorough.

For supplements, assure us that the products are pure, and that the label states the accurate strength of the supplement. Tell us about any other components in the packaging or product that may affect our health. Some people have allergies to the simplest things, and this kind of disclosure would be helpful.

This kind of regulation is all to the good. But being the gatekeeper for supplements, telling practitioners how to use them, and otherwise keeping them from the public, is not part of their job.

If over-zealous regulation ever becomes part of the FDAs job, big-pharma will usurp control, and do away with all vitamins and supplements unless the odd person can somehow grow the source and extract the elements in their garage. This leads to further contamination and the strength of the supplement cannot be assured.

And only big-pharma will produce vitamins for mass distribution - using unclean and mercury- or arsenic-conataminated sources. Big-pharma does not care about our health. Big-pharma cares about making a profit.

I am only discussing this small issue today. The FDA is broken and misguided. But this segment can be repaired easily.

Physical Symptoms of Emotional Issues....

I feel like I'm getting another cold. I had the fever last night, but I don't really have that today. I took a lot of Zinc and Vitamin C, and some MMS last night. I still have the congestion in my face, so I'll use the Neti Pot to get that cleared out before I go to work today.

It's all a symptom of my emotions, you know. I'm mourning. I'll feel better, but I have to go through this stage of loss so that I can clean the house and remove all traces of my former roommate.

I began in the bathroom last night. I have to dump trash, but I got the toilet and sink. I used some of the shelves I'd put in the room in my room, and made my life a little better as a result. I'm still trying to get the blanket dry that I washed last night, and there are 2 more to go.

It will all come around and be wonderful in a few days. I just have to pick at bits of it every day. Flylady says to do things in 15-minute increments. I can do that - even with my emotional state showing up in physical symptoms.

Start where you are....

Respect!

I am a Christian. However, I'm also a Sabbath-Keeper. In many ways, I identify with the Adventist church, but in others, I do not. Of all the sabbath-keeping churches, the Adventists are the only ones I found that contain and spread the Grace of Jesus Christ.

So, I was invited and went to a Women's Tea at a local Christian church that a friend attends regularly. She invited me last year, but I got sick and could not attend. At our table, there was a woman, M, who asked a lot of invasive questions about how I met my friend, that I did not wish to answer. My friend answered them, and this bothered me. The woman had no business asking such personal questions.

She then went on to ask about my beliefs, which I shared, and my business, which I shared. She wanted to argue with me about the Sabbath, and tried to quote me chapter and verse, which I turned against her. The Bible is very clear on this for me, and I won't be swayed.

So, she turned to the other topic, my business. She wanted to know how much I charge, and I told her that the information was on the website, and gave her my card.

Mind you, this was ON the Sabbath, so money is not a topic I cared to discuss. I don't shop, answer e-mail, or practice any business on the Sabbath. I will worship, rest and honor my God in the best way I can, including going to a church I don't normally attend with a friend for breakfast and worship.

M pressed me again about my pricing later, and I said it was Saturday, and I again referred her to the website. She said "Oh, I get the JOKE" and totally pissed me off. She did apologize later, but this kind of closed-minded thinking and dissonance in the Christian system is rampant. Nobody can agree on anything, and everyone is convinced they are right. Even me.

If she should contact me to build a website for her, I will price the work very high, to encourage her to find someone else. A person who does not respect my privacy or beliefs, is not the kind of person I want to have as a client.

Thanksgiving is Here...

We've made plans to go to friends tonight for Thanksgiving. Yes, a day early. They had something to do, and we have plans for the 4-day holiday. It made sense.

I'm doing a "stone soup" kind of thing - we're bringing the food, cooking at their house and eating with them, then coming home again. My friends are contributing dessert and sides. We are doing the main course and bread.

I need to get the place winterized. Put hoses away, clear up planting debris, and move the grape plants. I also want to vacuum and clean floors this weekend. My roomie will do one more pass on the lawn, and continue sorting for his cross-country move.

I had an interview with a potential roomie for January, but he spent nearly all of 2 hours talking about his woman troubles. I don't think that would be a good match. I didn't hear one word about God or spirit. He has other options, of course, so I will pray that one comes through for him.

Don't eat too much, my friends. It only hurts you, and you may think it's OK, but your body pays a price....

Oh Boy! Another Tech Toy!

I've set up a Twitter account. Yikes! Now I will be in touch all the time. Isn't there an end to this someplace?

And yet, part of me is excited about it all.

I'm SUCH a geek!