Our family had an unusually memorable Thanksgiving this year. We actually had a live turkey in our yard and not turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. I asked the family what everyone wanted to contribute to the dinner. My son wanted to do the turkey, he’s the one in our family that has come to like animal products and regular American diet. He works out a lot and looks pretty buff. He is in the Army National Guard can run a mile or two in six minutes, shoot guns, and has been to Iraq for a tour of duty. My daughter wanted to do the mashed potatoes and gravy. She often complains that there is never enough mashed potatoes. So, I let them do that, and I did the rest of the dinner, for which I will include the yummy recipes that everyone liked in a later post.

Anyway, they arrived Tuesday night before Thanksgiving with a huge 50# turkey that was in a dog kennel, and they were calling her Iris. They wanted to let it out in the house, but I said no. They took it out into the front yard in the Read more…

This is a healthy, tasty recipe for Lentil-Barley Vegetable Soup. It only took me and my husband 5 minutes to throw all the ingredients into a slow-cooker, then we went to bed and it was done in the morning. You can have it for any meal. It is filling and hot for this cool weather. This is a good soup to help you stay well this winter.

My husband chopped the potatoes and onions. I chopped the carrots and added the rest of the ingredients. I have a 4-quart slow cooker and it was almost all full. Our slow cooker doesn’t boil over if we turn it on high, so that’s worry free.

I had a powerful slow cooker that would boil over onto the counter if left unattended. But, most slow-cookers don’t do that, you’ll have to test your own. We woke up to the smell of yummy soup that tastes as good as Campbell’s. You can also do this in the morning, go to work, and come back to a meal that’s all ready.

Soup is one of the secrets to weight loss. Try having soup before every meal, and you will be cutting calories and feeling fuller. Water-based foods and meals are better than foods high in fat.

Lentil-Barley Vegetable Soup by Janet Hailstone

• 1/2 cup pearled barley (or other grain)
• 1/2 cup lentils
• 2 medium potatoes
• 3 carrots or 1 cup carrot pulp
• 1 yellow onion
• 1-3 garlic buds, minced (optional if you worry about bad breath)
• water (about 3 quarts)
• 1 1/2 cup Basila’s tomato/basil spaghetti sauce (or your choice)
• 2 Tbsp homemade chicken seasoning
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp sea salt or real salt

1. Chop potatoes and carrots into 1 inch pieces, onions into 1/2 inch pieces.
2. Add lentils and barley, it helps if they have been presoaked for 8 hours in 3 cups water, then you can drain and add. But, you can also just throw them in dry.
3. Add water to the top of a 4 quart slow cooker. Leave about an inch free from the top. Or you can add water to the point where it will be 4 quarts approximately. (If you try this on the stove, boil or simmer with the lid on. You may lose water to evaporation, so watch it every half hour or so)
4. It takes about 5 hours on low, then 2 hours on high or about 4 hours on high on my slow cooker. Try this on your particular slow cooker/crockpot, it may be different, plan on 4-8 hours , high or low. When you can smell it, and when the ingredients are soft, it is done and won’t burn. 
5. When the soup is done, you can add the seasonings and salt and wait 5 minutes. You can also add them in at the beginning, but there will be less flavor that way.

I have a friend at work whose mother is in a wheelchair with rheumatoid arthritis, and I offered to write a post for her to share with her mother in hopes of helping her. I happen to know that the pain of arthritis is reversible with proper nutrition.

I believe that her mother can have a lot less pain and start to have more movement. I know people personally who have reversed arthritis here in St. George. And, I know of many sources rich in nutritional information and testimonials for the reversal of the pain and the disease.

It brings a big tear to my eye rolling down my cheek to realize the pain and suffering that people are going through – especially when there are so many wonderful sources of awesome and helpful nutritional information about this problem – Wow! and so many inspirational stories to tell, where do I start?

Helpful Nutritional Information

Many medical doctors and organizations will usually say there is no-known cause or cure.  They might say to eliminate gluten, certain vegetables or to go on the Mediterrannean diet and have more Omega-3′s for some relief. However, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) has much more information about how proper nutrition can reverse and prevent arthritis for many people. There have been many medical studies done and nutritional discoveries made.  It would be awesome if the rest of the medical world could also explore all the nutritional information out there.

If you go to the PCRM website, you can find an abundance of the research that has already been done.  They have come up with a basic 4-week starting plan for arthritic patients, which involves fasting and then four weeks of certain foods and supplements. Then, there is a slow introduction of other foods to determine allergens. Here is their list of foods that can be especially troublesome for many people.

It is not recommended to bring meats, dairy products, or eggs back into your diet. Not only are they major triggers, but they also encourage hormone imbalances that may contribute to joint pain, and also lead to many other health problems.

Avoid Major Triggers

1. Dairy products*
2. Corn
3. Meats**
4. Wheat, oats, rye
5. Eggs
6. Citrus fruits
7. Potatoes
8. Tomatoes
9. Nuts
10. Coffee
*All dairy products should be avoided: skim or whole cow’s milk, goat’s milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.
**All meats should be avoided: beef, pork, chicken, turkey, fish, etc.

It is interesting that dairy is listed as the the number one item to avoid.  The Arthritis Foundation has also discovered a study on how people with rheumatoid arthritis have more antibodies to dairy and certain foods than non-arthritic people.

Most studies have focused on antibodies (proteins that attack and destroy foreign substances) in the blood, but that focus may have been wrong. Food-related antibodies may show up in the gut – rather than the blood – of people with RA, and that’s just where researchers at the University of Oslo, Norway, looked.

They found that, in test tubes at least, the intestinal fluid of people with RA had higher levels of antibodies to proteins from cow’s milk, cereal, hen’s eggs, codfish and pork than that of people without RA.

There are numerous studies on this link about cases of  rheumatoid arthritis where the drastic elimination of dairy brings dramatic elimination of pain.  Concentrated protein found in meat and milk are big culprits as found from this study included in Dr. McDougall’s 2004 newsletter.

Dietary factors for the development of inflammatory polyarthritis by Dorothy Pattison in the December 2004 issue ofArthritis & Rheumatism found people with a high consumption of meat and meat products have more than twice the risk of inflammatory arthritis than do people who consume less.  High intake of dairy products also meant almost twice the risk, and high total protein intake was associated with three times the risk of inflammatory arthritis.   Not surprisingly, less fruit intake also means more arthritis.  This was a study of 23,630 people from Norfolk, England.

I believe the link above for PCRM’s Four Week – Anti-Arthritis Plan is a good way to go that doesn’t cost a lot of money. Healthy foods do not have to be expensive. If you buy brown rice and beans, other approved grains, vegetables, and fruits, it really can end up costing less than buying meats, dairy, and convenience foods. They are easy to prepare as shown on the above links.

Inspirational Stories

There are hundreds of stories of success, and I will try to keep this brief, or these stories could go on for pages and pages. I teach a healing diet class for community education at Dixie State College. The people who eliminate all the animal products are the ones who have phenomenal results. And, many natural health organizations have also noticed great results too. 

A lady who lives in Hurricane took my class, got excited and tried it. Originally, she had been confined to home in severe pain and could only watch TV and crochet. She got little sleep each night. Within the first month, she was off of pain medications and sleeping through the night. Within the first year, she was out walking a few miles a day and she went on a vacation to visit church historical sites. She was able to become busy helping her husband with his business.

I  worked as a walking guide for Dr. Marc Sorenson at National Institute of Fitness in Ivins in 1997. Many people came there from all over the world. They exercised all day and did a vegan, fat-free diet.  Here is a quote from a letter he sent me:

We observed that many people with arthritis improved dramatically, often recovering full range of motion after two or three weeks on the program.

Here is one of the many testimonials that can be found at the Hallelujah Acres website.  Click on this link here to review many more success stories. On this program, people get their protein and calcium from plant sources and eat an 85% raw diet, which includes daily carrot, beet, and barley grass juices and other nutritional supplements. 

 Dr. Malkmus, My dad is 64-years old, a diabetic for the past 20-years, and has lumbar stenosis. He has also had rheumatoid arthritis for the past 40-years. Thanks to The Hallelujah Diet, in just 3-days after eliminating all animal source foods, his morning stiffness is gone and he is able to stand erect immediately upon getting out of bed, something he has not been able to do for as long I can remember. His blood sugar has also dropped from 155 to 145 in the same 3-days. He is greatly encouraged by these improvements. I praise God for your great ministry.

John A. McDougall, M.D. has helped hundreds of thousands of people to reverse disease, get off medications, and avoid costly and unnecessary surgery by eating an inexpensive, wholesome, starch-based diet with no animal products. He has a “star mcdougallers” page and here is an excellent recovery story from Joyce Rossi. You can read her whole experience on this link.

…if I did anything else like walk the dogs, ride my bike or any other physical activity I would have an arthritic flare-up. Even if I used scissors…the next 2 days I wouldn’t be able to use my hand!

Now, because of my new way of eating, I am taking 28-mile bike rides, 4-hour kayak trips, taking stairs instead of elevators, going on 4-mile walks just to name a few. These are not once in awhile activities – it seems I am always on the move…

The stories just shared are a small sampling of pain reversal when people totally eliminate or cut way back on the foods that seem to be the major cause – animal products.

Conclusion

What you put in your body has a major effect on your health or lack of it. There are simple, low-cost eating plans like the ones recommended by Dr. McDougall and PCRM above. With a little study, you will find out that plant foods have enough of the calcium and the protein that you need for good health. If you focus on getting your nutrients from the plants instead of the animals, you can eliminate a lot of pain and suffering associated with arthritis.

It’s possible to feed your family the right way and receive a lot of benefits; such as being too healthy to visit the doctor, saving tons of money, and having an easy time making meals.

Being Too Healthy to Visit the Doctor

I haven’t had to take myself or my four kids to the doctor for illness for 21 of the 26 years that I have been raising them. At first, when I had babies and toddlers, I did go to the doctor for ear infections, accidents, or vaccinations. I had one teen daughter, who had fun with the typical American diet and ended up with mono. Click on this link to learn about that story and how she was able to overcome it naturally in one week. But I had learned the secret to having the healthiest kids; don’t feed myself or them dairy products or any kind of animal products.

You don’t have to be extreme about it though, if you go to a social function, those things will be there and you can let them choose. Also, you can’t control what happens when they go to their friends houses. But, if you basically feed them whole grains, beans, vegetables, and fresh fruits at home, they will be a lot healthier.

Watch out for acidic, disease-causing, germ-filled cow’s milk. Don’t waste your money on it, protect your children from it – yuck!

Many of the colds and flus going around originate from eating bacteria and germ laden animal products in excess. When you eliminate the source, you eliminate any reasons to get sick in the first place. Their bodies will be more alkaline instead of acid thence more healthy to resist the bugs. Then, the wholesome plant foods are also helpful in and of themselves with disease fighting properties and antioxidants known and unknown.

Plant foods are also great for the bones and teeth. I have a friend who is a food scientist. She said that if you give your kids cracked wheat cereal for breakfast every morning, they will develop strong, white, straight teeth. Other experts say a carrot a day for a year will straighten and strengthen the teeth nutritionally and by the jaw exercise, thus eliminating the need for braces.

When I eliminated the acidic animal foods 99%, my kids no longer got sick like all the neighbor kids and kids at school. It was like they were walking around immune while surrounded by sick friends and teachers. Then, if by some rare chance they did get sick, it was super short-lived, no missed school, no laying around, maybe a day of minor discomfort.

You don’t have to be extreme, you can let in a little here and there as you feel like. Just keep it sparingly or your kids will get a little sick here and there like all their friends and neighbors.

Saving Tons of Money

You can save a ton of money by eating healthy potatoes, grains, beans, and seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables. One bag of potatoes can go a long ways for many meals at a total cost of $5-7 at the most. Buying a 25 lb. bag of grain or beans is super economical compared to buying a loaf of bread or a can of beans at the store.  You will avoid paying the pumped up prices of convenience foods that are already made for you. Call your local health food store and order some big bags today, call around for the best price.  Store the seeds in whatever buckets, gallon containers, or secure containers you like.

Not needing to go to the doctor saves money. You will become “out of the loop” regarding how to use your neighborhood pharmacy. You won’t need drugs anymore and won’t miss work being sick or taking care of sick kids and the ADD/ADHD will start to disappear.  Having a meal of rice and beans is better for your health than any drug. However, drugs can have their place in serious health challenges, it’s just that eating healthier allows your body to start healing.

Drinking water will save you from having to buy soda and the deadly poison cow’s milk. Get a reverse osmosis for your tap water, and you will always have fresh, clean water. You will get your minerals from your foods.

Pure water tastes so good, add some ice and voila!

Buying fruits in season costs a lot less and you’ll always have a nice, sweet, cheap snack that ends up being a better buy for your money than junk food. Because of all the money you will be saving by eliminating doctor trips and shopping smarter, you can buy vegetables and fruits. People avoid buying vegetables and fruits because they think they are too expensive. If I spend $30 just on produce, I walk out with multiple  bags full of fruits and vegetables. That’s super economical and much healthier compared to –  if I was buying a bunch of much more expensive boxed or canned goods.

Have an Easy Time Making Meals

Years ago when my kids were little, I used to worry a lot about protein and if my kids were getting enough. I had a book on combining proteins to get a complete protein, but then I learned from John A. McDougall, M.D. that wholesome starches are actually complete enough in and of themselves and  all you have to worry about is what starch to have for dinner and to just focus on a variety of meals. It’s virtually impossible to get a protein deficiency if you are getting enough to eat of the wholesome starches.

One word of caution, if you like sugar then you better have some meat and visa versa, because those are two extremes that crave/need each other. The worst thing you can do for growing kids is to give them lots of sugar, it depletes protein a lot, you will need to eat some acidic high-protein meat to counter balance that; better yet just avoid all the sugar and concentrated proteins and be healthier.

Here are some basic ideas to get you started on some really easy-to-make and easy-clean-up meals.

1. Potatoes -What can be easier than washing the dirt off of 20 potatoes, then putting them in the oven at 400 for 40 minutes.  Then you have some great, filling, nutritious baked potatoes ready for your favorite toppings (blended or regular soup, vegennaise, salsa, olive oil with salt and chicken seasoning)

2. Stir-Fry - Try making the tasty, easy stir-fry by clicking on this link, you can make it with your favorite whole grain/pasta and some vegetables or beans.   This is easy, fast, and delicious.

3. Crock-Pot Soups and Meals – In the morning, you can add some beans/grains/vegetables of choice/water/tomato sauce, paste, diced, etc. Make sure to include onion and garlic for flavor and immune boost. There are many easy soups to make; minestrone, and other soup recipes.  Add the seasonings in the last 5 minutes.

4. Peanut-Butter or Vegetable Sandwiches  There are many sandwich ideas that you can enjoy veggie sandwiches of all kinds ; try some garbanzo/mock tuna, falafels, tomato, cucumber, or nut-butter sandwich. For mock-tuna, you just open a can of garbanzo beans, they smell like tunafish, mash the beans and add whatever you like to add to tuna – so yummy! (mayo, mustard, pickles, chopped onions, salt and pepper) One thing that Dr. McDougall’s wife tried for her growing boys was blended up thick, tasty  soup/stew as a sandwich spread – they loved it.

yummy falafels on whole grain bread

5. Snacks and Healthy Additions - Other ideas are to add variety like fresh cut vegetables for crunchy snacks, make a bowl of yummy air-popped popcorn, have sprouting projects so they will enjoy adding sprouts to their meals, make occasional carrot juice during flu/cold season, and have an occasional fruit smoothie. When fruit is in season, enjoy all you want. Try bean burritos, pita pockets with hummus and veggies, spaghetti and sauce, and explore the limitless possibilities online.

Get organic popcorn from the health food store to avoid the common GMO popcorn that causes health problems

Conclusion

It’s very doable to raise healthy kids in today’s toxic world. Just give them some simple, back-to-nature, home-prepared meals. Not only will you save money, your families health, and your time, but you will also be able to focus on spending time together enjoying a healthy, economical family meal around the table each night that will help your kids feel loved and cared for and less likely to look for drugs.

There was a couple who took my maximum weight loss class, both looked healthy and trim. However, the wife was trying to help her husband who still had a “gut” that he’d always had.  Here is their story in  their own words about how he lost his gut and embraced this new lifestyle. Their experience was sent to me in May 2011.

Dear Janet,

I brought my husband to your weight loss class last March.

Since then, he has lost 25 lbs.  He has done this without starving himself, really watching portions (although he is getting better) or always following the diet “to the letter” when he is away from home.  And he did it without exercising very much.

He was worried about muscle loss from a vegan diet, but last week he went for the results of a full blood panel and urine analysis.

He is 49 and a 25 yr old should be so healthy!  He is getting more than enough protein.  The doctor just wants him to exercise.

The other day, he told me that this is his lifestyle from here on out.  He plans to go off the diet now and then, but day in and day out, he wants to eat this way for the rest of his life.

Thank you for helping me get him on a sustainable path to health.

Jo L.

So, what is the basic diet for these kinds of results? Healthy starch-based foods, vegetables, two fresh fruits a day, and water to drink. There are no breads or pastas, instead whole-steamed grains are used. There are no oils, fats, or foods high in fat like flesh, dairy, eggs, cheese, avocados, olives, tofu, processed and refined foods. Just simple foods from nature. Fat-free condiments of all kinds are allowed like spices, lemons, limes, ketchup, mustard, barbeque sauce, soy sauce, etc.

Healthy starch-based foods can be use in each meal at 1/3, 1/2, or 2/3 of the meal. The rest of the meal should be the non-starchy vegetables like celery, cucumber, tomatoes, sugar-snap peas, carrots, bell peppers, summer squash. The healthy starches include grains, beans, potatoes, winter squash, and any other whole-foods, plant-based starches in all their varieties.

Then, for snacks or desserts or a quick morning wake up treat; any kind of fresh fruit. No cooked fruit, fruit juices, no dried fruits, just a raw and fresh apple, orange, banana, or 1 cup of your choice of any other fruit. Fun grains are popcorn and rice cakes.

You can try this diet/lifestyle if you want to be the healthiest and lose weight the fastest. You can get off of medications and avoid surgery. You can have more energy than ever before. Here is a recent, hour long video of the skinny, healthy, retirement age Dr. McDougall talking about all the diets out there and categorizing them as good or evil. Apparently, there is a diet war going on.

Fasting is not something you would normally want to do. Who wants to go hungry? You don’t want to become anorexic. And why would you even consider fasting? Well, there are actually some benefits to fasting every once in a while. Studies show that occasional fasting is in reality very good for your health.

It’s not easy at first to go without food or drink for 24 hours, but the benefits are worth the short-term sacrifice that you make for your spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical health.

Here are some reasons to inspire you to fast:

1.  Some people fast as soon as they get any symptom of a sickness – that works for me. If I get any flu or cold symptom, I immediately start a 24-hour fast (no food or drink) and whatever I had is gone within the first 12 hours. And I haven’t had a cold or flu for years.
2. It’s a cleansing time, no food means everything in your body that is not you gets consumed first – virus, bacteria, cancer, cholesterol, saturated fats, blockages, tumors,…
   
3.   Since you are not drinking any water, all moisture in your body is conserved for vital organs and your body. Anything that is not you will dehydrate and most likely die.
4. Jesus said that certain evil spirits don’t leave except by prayer and fasting. He cast out evil spirits and healed people. Brigham Young said that every pain, disease, and discomfort of the body comes from an evil spirit. Alma says “that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world.” And, D&C 89:18-21 says that the destroying angel will pass us by as the children of Israel if we keep it’s sayings (do’s and don’ts) walking in obedience to the commandments. I believe that is another way to avoid the destroying effects of disease and that disease is a destroying angel.
5.  Fasting is a way to get answers to prayers. You make a sacrifice before the Lord in order to insure receiving an answer, kind of like kneeling at an altar with a sacrifice – like in the bible days.
6.   Fasting makes your body feel weak at first and your spirit strong. It’s a good time to pray, meditate, and read the scriptures. It seems weakening but it strengthens you spiritually and physically. Some churches, like the one I go to, fast once a month.
7.  Some people fast once a week or don’t eat after 2:00 everyday, because it contributes to age reversal, being more beautiful and energetic.
8. The poor benefit from your fast offering – the money you saved by not eating x2 x3 x4 x5 x6 x7… You benefit by the awesome blessings of the LORD’S PROSPERITY. Isaiah 58:13, 14. Malachi 3:8 (3:9, 10).

If you decide to give this a try, you will need to take it easy during the time that you fast. It doesn’t have to be difficult if you have an inspiring book to read to focus your attention on instead of the food and drink that you are really missing. You can attend church and partake of the spiritual supper of the Lord in the sacrament. You can also take a nap to pass the time, or get on the computer and search for encouraging topics during your fast.

You can dress up and look your best, so people aren’t feeling sorry for you. Believe me, I’ve done it before, and I know that you will survive. At first, you may feel a headache or be nervous , but just tough it out. After awhile, it will disappear and you won’t care about food and drink. Then, you will reach a certain plateau where it’s a lot easier to just keep at it. It takes a little will-power at first, but you can do it.

After your fast, don’t just go and pig out on a big meal. Gently ease yourself back into nourishing yourself. Try a piece of fresh fruit, then later a piece of bread with some salad or soup, then later something else. You have just cleansed your body and it’s not too smart to go junking it up again so fast. Plus, it will be healthier to just take one step at a time.

Well, you won’t know about fasting and the benefits if you don’t try it. So, give it a try and let me know how it went for you. I’d love to hear your comments and additional information. Fasting is a very effective way to change your life for the better.

My husband and I are celebrating our 28th anniversary. We have a good marriage, but it takes patience and effort. So, he is this Read more…

This might sound crazy to a lot of you. But a fresh tomato sandwich with tomatoes from the garden is awesomely delicious. Many people know what I am talking about here. But, not everybody. So, I am doing a post to help you non-tomato-sandwich people out there

A tomato sandwich is really simple. It’s a slice of bread with mayo, slices of “garden” tomato to fit on it, and some Read more…

It’s apricot season, the perfect time to just enjoy ripe juicy apricots. These are things you will probably never get from a grocery store.  There is something different and awesomely delicious about ripe apricots from a tree. You will never know unless you get some locally, it’s a whole new taste sensation.

There is nothing wrong with having about 10 apricots for Read more…

I was driving home after work and saw a guy riding a bike. Now, normally I wouldn’t have really noticed the guy riding the bike that much, but this incident really caught my eye. He was wearing light purple scrubs with a light purple printed smock. As I passed, I saw that it was Dr. Wendel T. Nilson, the awesome and caring pediatrician, who works here in St. George at Canyon Land Pediatrics. And, I found out that Read more…

It’s that time of year when many people are getting out in the sun for a fun boating trip, a family hike, a Disneyland trip, or an outing of any kind with friends. You have to be really careful when it is so hot, the sun is closest to the earth in the Southwest here for the next few months. You can really get red skin if you are in the sun too long.

People usually try aloe vera to heal a sun burn fast. And that is definitely a good Read more…

Losing weight is the goal of many people. And for all of those of you out there who want to get rid of the fat and not gain so much, I decided to write this post with some easy, fun ideas, and why they are also healthy, to add to your routine. Read more…

The phrase “and they thirsted not” comes from a scripture in Isaiah describing the children of Israel as they wandered in the desert. I was reading this from Nephi’s version and realized that what it might really be saying is they didn’t desire to be close to the Lord.  Read more…

One of the big tricks in weight loss is getting filled up on foods that are high in fiber, no fat, and truly nourishing. Having an apple a day is one way to keep the fat away. Instead of grabbing a Read more…

I’m here to tell you that there are other awesome ways to make a great cabbage salad. You can actually add any dressing that you like to some shredded cabbage. It tastes great with a ranch-type or Italian dressing as well as the usual poppy seed dressing.

Get your favorite dressing and add it the next time you shred up some cabbage. We got invited to a church barbecue and I brought a unique coleslaw made by me, Janet Hailstone. It was made with Read more…

Genes are what we get from our parents that determine  what we look like and a lot about who we are. They carry a great effect on the kinds of weaknesses or strengths we will have health wise too. But, are you doomed to your genes to be a permanent victim to certain diseases?

I will say no. My personal health beliefs come from Read more…

I get a weekly email from the school where my daughter goes to letting me know the latest health update. I think I’ve only taken the time to look at it twice.  I don’t consider it a big deal, fear or threat.

For one thing, we don’t drink the same milk everyone else is drinking. We drink water at our house. Milk tends to be a carrier for Read more…

Sunday, my husband, daughter, and I watched the first episodes of Highway to Heaven by Michael Landon. He was a great actor, producer, and writer of these “oldie but goodie” shows. My daughter really loved the shows and there were a lot of funny parts.

I remembered how Michael had battled cancer so courageously for so long and how tragic it was to the world that he got cancer and died. I remember at the time, that it didn’t make sense how someone as great as him could have such a terrible death.

He also did all the Little House on the Prairie shows. What an awesome, inspiring set of shows those were and what an awesome, inspiring guy he was/is. His spirit lives on in the spirit world as he awaits the resurrection and day of judgment.

I happened to notice on the three episodes we watched that the foods and drinks portrayed were primarily Read more…

I have raised my kids to be friendly and accepting towards all kinds of people. Consequently, some of my daughters happen to have gay friends.  And, for those of us who know gay people personally, we have found that they are great people with fun personalities. One daughter once said that gay guys were the only guys that she felt safe with.

I have been concerned by stories I hear of certain gay people being suicidal or troubled by Read more…

One of the reasons I know a lot about health is that I search for answers and know how to find them. I’m picky about what I believe. I don’t believe everything that the medical establishment recommends. I think the knowledge they have is great but limited.

Nobody knows everything, and we all have our limits when it comes to Read more…