Social Injustices at Christmas Time

I love this picture! I wish all families could be this fortunate!!

I am neither a Liberal, nor a Conservative...I don't do labels; what I am is a fed up citizen, who has grown tired of all this political grandstanding, judgmentalism, religious posturing, and hate-mongering; and I've come to realize that the United States is no better than the average 3rd world nation! It seems the "important" people are looking down there noses at the less fortunate.

Recently, I did some research in order to comment on a post by a Facebook page I’m a fan of, concerning meeting the needs of the less fortunate because you may be the hand of God to them; and the statistics I learned about ticked me off.

So, please forgive the rant…but, pay attention to what I’m about to say!

It’s the Christmas season; but there are a few things we seem to have forgotten. The cold reality of the destitute in the USA…

Recent Statistics (within the last 2 years)

• Vacant Houses – 14.2 million
• Wasted food (not eaten or sold) – 133 billion pounds
• Homeless – 578,424 men, women and children

That is downright disgraceful!! According to the Conservative Right, the United States is a Christian Nation, and the greatest nation on the planet! Why then, in the name of all that is decent, are these statistics even a reality??

Don’t want the US Government to take care of those who are less fortunate than you?? Then, stop passing the buck!!

You heard me…when you donate to a charity organization (soup kitchen, clothes closet, etc.), like any decent Christian would, you are LITERALLY passing the buck; you’re telling them it’s THEIR responsibility to care for the poor, homeless and hungry.

And, I've got a news flash for all you Conservative Right-wingers who pat yourselves on the back for being such good Christians, when you religiously donate your tax deductible contributions to charities; you're actually supporting government-funded socialist programs. You're not as against socialism as you thought, eh??

Mark 12:30-31 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” (NLT)

Matthew 25:34-36 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’....“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ (NLT)

However, the Conservative Right has become so busy arrogantly beating their chests over what it means to be a Christian, that they’ve forgotten what He commanded!! This is what happens when one becomes "high and mighty" in their own sight (Romans 12:13), they lose sight of the greatest commandment we were given! 

I was homeless, at one point in my life; it's not a lifestyle anyone desires, trust me. Most of the homeless and destitute don’t get seen by those charity organizations; which is why they panhandle...in an attempt to survive, one more day/night. And all of these organizations are bound by rules and regulations (imposed on them by the government) that make it very difficult to properly see to anyone's needs!!

Whenever I had a job, I always looked for someone to help; I’ve bought food and drink for homeless people who ask me for help, many times. Even when I didn’t have a job, I still tried to meet the needs of the less fortunate. I may not have been “earning my keep”, but I still tried to help those who didn’t have anything.

Sometimes I would deliberately ask them how they were doing, and wait to hear them tell me what they need. If I couldn’t fill that need, myself, I would pray that someone would come into their lives that could; but, I always tried to meet their needs, whenever possible.

That’s what Jesus said we should do…take care of each other!! There’s even a stipulation as to whom we should be caring for…when you did it to the least of these. According to Jesus Christ, Himself, we are SUPPOSED to be caring for those who are less fortunate than ourselves.

If you don’t want “Big Gov” to do it, get off your religious high horses and start doing it yourself!! Share what God has blessed you with…not with a charity organization, but with an actual needy person.

Buy them some food, or clothing! Put them up in a hotel, if you don’t want them in your house. Help them find a job; or hire them, if you own a business!! Find a way to fix up those abandoned houses, and let a homeless family occupy them! Show some compassion and empathy....HELP THEM!!

I’m not just saying do these because it’s December, and we’re gearing up for the Christmas holiday…I’m saying do it EVERY day of the year!! BE the Light of Christ to those who have no hope!!

The Liberal Left wants the world to be a better place for all human beings. They believe in fairness, and equality among ALL people. In fact, I've met more Liberals who are more compassionate, in their every-day lives, than most Conservative Right-wingers. Ain't that something!

Jesus had compassion on the weak (Matthew 9:36)…we need to practice that, too. THAT is how we’re going to make this world a better place, for everyone!!

Merry Christmas?? Not for the forgotten...

This is a scene from the story "The Little Match Girl"
I encourage you to read it...this is what we're doing to our own homeless.

Schoolhouse Rock Taught Me that Knowledge is Power!

And the Bible has taught me that I shall know the truth, and the truth shall set me free (John 8:32). That being said, please allow me to shed some light on a particular subject…..

I believe in the Constitution of the United States; I always have. But, I’ve never quite understood the dynamics of why it says what it says; nor have I ever understood what it all meant.

So, I’ve decided to become a bit more familiar with it….starting with the 2^nd Amendment; in my research, I’ve also discovered that 1 out of every 3 American citizens owns at least one firearm. One-third of the entire population of this country is exercising their right to bear arms. Or are they??

I shared this on my personal Facebook page, today….

Before I shared it, I read it; and my mind was sufficiently blown! When I learned about the Constitution of the United States, in school, I was never taught what the term “well-regulated militia” meant.

The 2^nd Amendment reads……

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

I was taught that this was about the rights of the American citizen; and never questioned that, until now.

Through the years, I’ve noticed that most citizens of this country tend to focus more on the part that says “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed”, and proverbially beat their chests at the thought of our government denying us the right to own a firearm.

They cry, “Molon Labe!” (come and get them!) believing themselves to be noble, patriotic Americans who are protecting their 2^nd Amendment rights. But most of them have conveniently forgotten the part about the well-regulated militia…which is, according to Chief Justice Warren Burger, the very “people” this amendment is referring to!

But, what is a militia?? Webster says….

1 (a.) a part of the organized armed forces of a country liable to call only in emergency. (b.) a body of citizens organized for military service

2 the whole body of able-bodied male citizens declared by law as being subject to call to military service

The only people who come close to that definition, in America, are local police forces and the actual military (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, etc). The Constitution of the United States does NOT grant us ordinary, run-of-the-mill citizens the right to own a firearm; the people whose rights “shall not be infringed” are those who are in the militia.

How does it feel, knowing that one-third of the United States of America is in violation of the Constitution? I am now sufficiently worried for our tired, our poor, and our huddled masses.

How can we call ourselves the Land of the Free, when we don't even bother to obey the rules that secure our freedom??

Stardate 92610.14 (geek moment)

For those of you who are not familiar with all things Star Trek, I’ll translate the Stardate for you....today is January 3, 2015; and I woke up at 6:42am. I’m geeking out, only because I woke up!!!

Let me explain....

The day I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer, my doctor also said, “So...this is what you’ll die from.” I defied is claim; but later learned that, statistically speaking, the average survival rate is 2½ years. My loves.....that’s today; as of this day, it’s been 2½ years since I was diagnosed!!

AND I’M STILL ALIVE!!!

I’m in tears, as I praise God for the privilege of being alive, to share this with you. As many of you know, while I was in the hospital, having been newly diagnosed, my oldest daughter prayed for my healing. As she was praying, she was led to read John11:3-4 from her Bible. And I've been hanging onto that promise, every day.

According to the American Cancer Society,  the 5-year survival rate for Metastatic Breast Cancer (Stage 4) is 22%. I was never given an “expiration date”, so I fully intend to be one of those who survives well beyond the first 5 years. Bring it on!! LOL!

Another one of my favorite Bible verses is, Psalm 118:24; I will, indeed, rejoice in this day! Rejoice with me, my loves....it’s a new day, and we’re alive and well!

I hope you have a stellar day, today!!

Earth Day PSA

I hope you had a wonderful Easter weekend! I have a PSA (public service announcement) to share with you...

Do you celebrate Earth Day? What’s your celebration like? A great way to “celebrate” the earth is to reduce our carbon footprint. Bill Gates says we can reduce our carbon footprint by reducing the number of people who live on the planet!

In this video, you'll hear him dance his way through it by touting vaccines and "reproductive services" (aka: abortions). What???

Instead of committing global genocide, how 'bout we all work together to take care of our planet??

Here’s the plan...

• Use cleaner transport
• Walk, bike, or take public transit (or carpool) whenever possible.
• Avoid allowing your car to idle. If you'll be waiting for more than 30 seconds, turn off the engine (except in traffic).
• Don't take the drive-through (fast food junkies)....park the car and walk inside instead. Or, better yet...cook at home, and skip the fast food!
• Have your vehicle serviced regularly to keep the emission control systems operating at peak efficiency. Check your car's air filter monthly, and keep the tires adequately inflated to maximize gas mileage.
• Driving over the speed limit and excessive acceleration wastes gas (reducing mileage by up to 33%), money, and results in an unnecessarily higher carbon footprint. Slow down!!
• Combine errands to make fewer trips. Remove excess weight from your car. Use cruise control.
• Avoid short airplane trips-take a bus or train instead.
• Eat more local, organic, in-season foods.
• Plant a garden....it doesn't get more local than that!
• Shop at your local farmer's market or natural foods store. Look for local, in-season foods that haven't traveled long distances to reach you.
• Choose foods with less packaging, to reduce waste.
• Eat lower on the food chain...going meatless for just one meal a week can make a difference. Globally, it has been estimated that 18% of all greenhouse gas emissions are associated with meat consumption.
• Reduce, reuse, recycle!
• Recycle all your paper, glass, aluminum, and plastic. Don't forget electronics!
• Buy less! Replace items only when you really need to...like after they break, or stop working!!
• Compost food waste for the garden. Garbage that is not contaminated with degradable (biological) waste can be more easily recycled and sorted, and doesn't produce methane gases (a significant greenhouse gas contributor) when stored in a landfill.
• Buy recycled products, particularly those labeled "post-consumer waste."
• Adopt water-saving habits
• Take shorter, less frequent showers...this not only saves water, but it also saves the energy necessary to heat it.
• Don't use the garbage disposal...compost instead.
• Run the dishwasher and the laundry machines only when full. And, if you can, dry your clothing outside on a clothes line (this saves electricity)!
• Wash cars rarely, or better yet, take them to a carwash. Commercial carwashes use less water per wash than home washers, and they are also required to drain used water into the sewage system, rather than storm drains, which protects aquatic life.
• Avoid hosing down or power-washing your deck, walkways, or driveway.
• Regularly look for, and fix, leaks.
• Choose sustainable building materials, furnishings, and cleaning products.
• Explore green design features for your building, like passive solar heating, a rainwater catchment or grey water recycling system, and recycled materials.
• Choose efficient appliances, including low flow shower heads, faucets, toilets; also furnaces, air conditioning units, dishwashers, and refrigerators. ENERGY STAR labeled products are recognized as having superior energy efficiency.
• Choose furnishings that are second-hand, recycled, or sustainably produced.
• Plant drought tolerant plants in your garden and yard.
• Use biodegradable, non-toxic cleaning products.
• Add solar panels to the roof of your home. This costs a little more than the above options, but many providers offer financing options which minimize upfront costs. Two examples are SolarCity and SunRun. If you live in a state with a Net Metering law, you could eliminate your electricity bill, or even earn money, by selling electricity back to the grid.

Every day can be Earth Day; if everyone on the face of this wonderful planet of ours would consciously make these points a part of their everyday life, our CO2 emissions would be drastically reduced...without reducing the size of the world's population!

Have a great day, everyone...and God bless you!! oxoxox

Hello. My name is Melissa Lee; and I’m an Addict.

I’m what’s known as an emotional eater…I eat when I’m sad, when I’m nervous, when I’m stressed out, and even when I’m happy. I don’t eat, because my body needs nourishment…I eat because it feels good. I've struggled with this most of my life; and even more so, now that I've been diagnosed with a terminal illness.

I recently watched a video (there's an article, too), detailing how the food industry cons us into eating the things that we know aren't good for us, but we find ourselves powerless against the cravings for these things; pizza, chips, fried foods, the Value Meal, macaroni and cheese, snack cakes, soda pop, etc. They are chemically altered, on purpose, to get us addicted to them. And, I’m an addict. On this video, they interview a fellow addict, and she briefly discusses how difficult it is to abstain from all of these gloriously wonderful foods. Trust me, she’s not kidding! I encourage you to check it out!

Father God, please forgive me… I've fallen off the wagon, again! My sister said to me, the other day, “there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy a treat, once in a blue moon”. Under normal circumstances, she’d be right…one slice of pizza, one small fry, or a small handful of chips, won’t hurt at all; and everyone knows you should never deprive yourself. That’s the easiest way to fail.

Unless you’re me; the easiest way to fail, in my case, would be to indulge…even if it’s just a small amount. In my case, it would be like telling an alcoholic that one little glass of wine, with dinner, isn't going to hurt. Everyone knows, to give an alcoholic ANY alcoholic beverage…even just a sip…is to set him back in his recovery, and will cause him to fall, again. And, I've been indulging, lately.

I don’t have the will power to stop at just a small amount. I've been indulging, from time to time, because there are those things in my sister’s house…and I've noticed I've been wanting more, and more. I've got to stop! I don’t want to “die happy” as so many people have said, when faced with the responsibility of giving up their junk food…they’d rather die happy. I’d rather LIVE happy, thank you very much! And, eating any amount of junk food is a trap, for me. I've got to stop myself!!

I can feel myself slipping back into old habits…and, I don’t want to go there!! I don’t want to die from Breast Cancer!! You don’t understand….I CAN’T say “No!”, unless I don’t see it. If I know it’s there, I want it; if I want it, I’ll eat it. I've been doing pretty good, so far; but I feel like I could be doing much better. And, just because someone who loves me gives me permission to indulge on rare occasion, doesn't mean I should. Father God, I need your help!!

Here’s a picture of me, before I was diagnosed. I weighed 251 lbs. This is what giving in to those foods has done to me…because I can’t stop at just a small amount.

I had my sister take a picture of me, this morning; it's been a little over a year, between photos. The darker hair, in the first picture, was a dye job.

Today, I weight 231 lbs. I don’t think my body has changed all that much, but I feel different; and I do look smaller, in comparison.  I can sense that changes are taking place, and I don’t want to ruin that, by going back into my old habits. I want to document my weight loss, because that’s part of my recovery journey. Losing weight will help in preventing a recurrence.

Now, I don’t fault my sister for trying…she means well; and love her for trying to make sense out of a situation that clearly doesn't. But, I know what my weaknesses are, and I know what I have to do to keep from falling off the wagon, again. I also know, I can’t do this without God! In 2 Corinthians 12:9, the Bible says “And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”

That’s me…I’m a weakling; a mere mortal. I know this, I’ve accepted this, and I can use this to bring glory to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

This is a list of some of the triggers I've had to come face to face with, lately…

•  I have Stage 4 Breast Cancer
• My estranged husband is being difficult (Lee is my maiden name)
•  I’m making plans to move south, but I’m not sure if I’m going to TN, or to GA (I have family in both states)
• I also don’t know how I’m going to get there, or how I’m going to go from homeless & broke, to self-sufficient & independent
• I want to have a job, but my doctors have me on disability, which hinders that whole independence thing
•  I need to get to the gym, so I can lose weight; but I’m dependent on a driver who doesn't like driving in bad weather (we've had a lot of that, lately)

As you can see, there’s really not a lot for me to stress out about (LOL!). Oy! I know God never gives us more than we can handle, but sometimes I wish He didn’t have so much confidence in me! LOL!!

This too, shall pass!!

Thanks for listening today. Have a blessed day, everyone!! oxoxox

Margarine vs Butter vs What the Heck??

Anyone ever have just coffee (or tea) and toast for breakfast? I like to spread my toast with some butter and fruit spread, most of the time.

Since becoming The Savvy Survivor, a niece of mine forwarded some information on the differences between margarine and butter, and said she hoped I could use this info in one of my blogs. So, here it is!

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Margarine was originally manufactured to fatten turkeys. When it killed the turkeys, the people who had put all the money into the research wanted a payback so they put their heads together to figure out what to do with this product to get their money back.

It was a white substance with no food appeal so they added the yellow colouring and sold it to people to use in place of butter. How do you like it? They have come out with some clever new flavourings....

DO YOU KNOW.. The difference between margarine and butter?

Read on to the end...gets very interesting!

Both have the same amount of calories.
Butter is slightly higher in saturated fats at 8 grams; compared to 5 grams for margarine.

Eating margarine can increase heart disease in women by 53% over eating the same amount of butter, according to a recent Harvard Medical Study.


Eating butter increases the absorption of many other nutrients in other foods.
Butter has many nutritional benefits where margarine has a few and only because they are added!

Butter tastes much better than margarine and it can enhance the flavours of other foods.

Butter has been around for centuries where margarine has been around for less than 100 years .

And now, for Margarine..

Very High in Trans fatty acids.

Triples risk of coronary heart disease ...

Increases total cholesterol and LDL (this is the bad cholesterol) and lowers HDL cholesterol, (the good cholesterol)

Increases the risk of cancers up to five times..

Lowers quality of breast milk

Decreases immune response.

Decreases insulin response.

And here's the most disturbing fact... HERE IS THE PART THAT IS VERY INTERESTING!

Margarine is but ONE MOLECULE away from being PLASTIC... and shares 27 ingredients with PAINT.

These facts alone were enough to have me avoiding margarine for life and anything else that is hydrogenated (this means hydrogen is added, changing the molecular structure of the substance).

Open a tub of margarine and leave it open in your garage or shaded area. Within a couple of days you will notice a couple of things:


* no flies, not even those pesky fruit flies will go near it (that should tell you something)


* it does not rot or smell differently because it has no nutritional value ; nothing will grow on it. Even those teeny weeny microorganisms will not a find a home to grow.


Why? Because it is nearly plastic . Would you melt your Tupperware and spread that on your toast?


Share This With Your Friends.....(If you want to butter them up')!

Chinese Proverb:
When someone shares something of value with you and you benefit from it, you have a moral obligation to share it with others. 

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And now....a comparison of ingredients between some of the nations leading margarines, butter, and stuff I call "What the heck??" Those are supposed to be good for us, because of key ingredients...but they're really no better than margarine.

 Country Crock Margarine...  

Ingredients (16):

Vegetable(s) Oil Blend (Soybean(s) Oil Liquid, Soybean(s) Oil Partially Hydrogenated, Cottonseed Oil Hydrogenated) , Water, Salt, Soy Lecithin (Potassium Sorbate, Calcium Disodium EDTA Used to protect quality) , Whey (Milk) , Vegetable(s) Mono and Diglycerides, Flavor(s) Artificial, Beta Carotene color(s), Citric Acid, Vitamin A Palmitate

Right off the bat, I can't eat this....soybean oil; and anything that's "partially hydrogenated" or "hydrogenated" is a Trans fat...and WILL clog your arteries! Mono- and Diglycerides are emulsifiers...and another trans fat! Artificial flavors...what??? Artificial flavors from....where? Too vague for me! There are also hidden sources of MSG, in this product...do your homework!

Blue Bonnet Margarine...

Ingredients (15):

Water, Soybean(s) Oil Liquid, Soybean(s) Oil Partially Hydrogenated, Salt, Whey, Vegetable(s) Monoglycerides, Soy Lecithin, Propylene Glycol Monostearate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Calcium Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Flavor(s) Natural & Artificial, Vitamin A Palmitate, Beta Carotene color(s)

Again...soybean oil, and it's partially hydrogenated, too! Ok, wait...there's what in this stuff?? Does that say "Propylene Glycol Monostearate"?? Folks...that's an emulsifying agent found in cosmetics and personal care products!! Ewww!!

EDTA is short for Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (and I'm not even going to attempt to pronounce that! LOL!) Calcium Disodium EDTA is made from poisons and chelation chemicals; you can read all about this wonderful ingredient, here. And, again with the vague terms....natural & artificial flavors.

Next....

The folks on the Benecol website tout this as containing "a plant-derived ingredient that actually lowers your cholesterol" It even brags about it, on the package!

LIES!!! Read the ingredients...

Ingredients (15):

Canola Oil Liquid, Water, Soybean(s) Oil Partially Hydrogenated, Plant Sterol Esters, Salt, Emulsifier(s) (Vegetable(s) Mono and Diglycerides, Soy Lecithin) , Soybean(s) Oil Hydrogenated, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid and Calcium Disodium EDTA To Preserve Freshness, Flavor(s) Artificial, Di Alpha Tocopherol Acetate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Colored With Beta Carotene

Do you see it?? Hydrogenated, and partially hydrogenated ANYTHING will increase your cholesterol...not lower it!!

Add that to all our other "favorite" ingredients, and I'd say this one goes on the "Ain't Happening" list, as well! LOL!

And, here we have butter....

Ingredients (2):

Cream Sweet Pasteurized, Salt

Well....finally! Ingredients I can pronounce; and, I know where they come from, too...no need for research, here! I think we have a winner, folks!!

Here's a few more brands of butter, with only those two ingredients...

I've never heard of this brand, but I thought the package was lovely!

Butter really is the best choice! As always, I will encourage you to investigate in order to find quality butter made from the milk of grass-fed animals; that's the best quality, and most nutrient dense, of all creamery butters.

And now...my "What the heck??" moment. This next product is touted as being super beneficial, because it's mixed with extra virgin olive oil; that's not the only thing it's mixed with...

Ingredients (17):

Butter Blend of Natural Vegetable Oils (Palm Fruit, Soybean(s), Flax Seed, Olive Oil Extra Virgin) , Water, Fish Oil, Contains less than 22% of Salt, Soybean(s) Lecithin, Flavor(s) Natural, Whey, Lactic Acid, Vegetable(s) Monoglycerides, Sorbitan Ester of Fatty Acids, Di Alpha Tocopherol Acetate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Beta Carotene

Natural Vegetable Oils....like soybean oil (can't do it!); flax seed oil is good and there's water in this. Wait...do I see what I think I see?? FISH OIL??? Now, fish oil is very good for you...but what's doing in a vegetable oil blend? Oh my!

Ok, moving on....more soy (soybeans and lecithin), natural flavors (still waiting for someone to tell me where these come from); monoglycerides...ok...don't let the "vegetable" notion fool you, folks, it's still bad news!!

Sorbitan Ester of Fatty Acids....used as a surfactant, an emulsifier, a buffering agent, a defoaming agent, a synthetic flavoring, a stabilizer and a lubricant. Ok...back up!! A defoaming agent?? I think I've just lot my appetite!! At least I now have a better idea of where "natural & artificial flavors" come from! LOL!! Here's some more info for ya!

I also understand why they used that in this product...water and oil don't mix, unless you force them to; hence, the need for a stabilizer/emulsifier.

Personally, I don't care how good vegetable spreads, margarine, and "blends" taste...pass the BUTTER, please!!

And, have a blessed day!! oxoxox

My New Best Friend - Dr David Brownstein

Good morning, my loves! Happy March!

Every day I wake up to, is another day to impact the world...and another reason to want to wake up, tomorrow! In spite of all the hardships I'm facing, and the battles I endure, God continues to give me reasons to smile and love my life! I'm enjoying being 43 yrs. old, and looking forward to the rest of my life!

Here's a couple more Q&A moments from the Dr's Newsletters, for you to feast upon; I'm learning so much from this man! I'm certainly thankful that God brought him into my life....even if it's only by way of Newsletters and a book! LOL!

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Q: My daughter had her thyroid removed because of cancerous nodules. They want to give her radioactive iodine treatments, but she wants to conceive again. Are there natural alternatives?

A: Unfortunately, thyroid cancer is increasing at epidemic rates. The thyroid gland is at the base of the neck, below the Adam's apple.

Papillary thyroid cancer is the most common type and makes up more than 80 percent of all thyroid cancer diagnoses.

What causes thyroid cancer? Radiation exposure such as X-rays or radioactive iodine released from a nuclear accident or weapon can cause thyroid cancer. Anything that causes goiter can also increase the risk of thyroid cancer. However, not all goiters are cancerous.

Conventional medicine's approach to thyroid cancer is to remove the abnormal tissue via surgery and/or use radioactive iodine therapy.

I believe that surgery is warranted in a diagnosis of thyroid cancer. However, I also feel that radioactive iodine is overused and should be considered a potentially dangerous therapy.

Endocrinologists would have you believe that radioactive iodine therapy is perfectly safe with no adverse effects. They are wrong. Radioactive iodine therapy has been associated with increases in various cancers.

Radioactive iodine therapy works by having iodine bind to the thyroid; the radioactive material destroys the surrounding tissues. The iodine given in this treatment also binds to other areas of the body, including the breasts, ovaries and uterus - anywhere that iodine binds. It also destroys and alters DNA in these tissues.

It should not be surprising that radioactive iodine therapy is associated with various cancers. I am very cautious about recommending radioactive iodine therapy for my patients.

Q: Where do you find unrefined salt? Can you buy it at a grocery store? Do you recommend a certain kind?

A: Unrefined salt contains more than 80 minerals. It has not been subjected to harsh chemicals and bleaching that removes these precious minerals.

Refined salt has had all of the minerals removed through chemical processes.

Refined salt is the thin, white table salt that we are all so familiar with. Unrefined salt, due to the mineral content, should have color to it.

Which salt is healthier? Without a doubt, unrefined salt should be the salt of choice. I recommend using Celtic Brand Sea Salt or Redmond's Real Salt.

I have had both brands tested and the results showed no toxicity and a good mineral profile. These brands of salt can be found at a good health food store or online.

More information about salt can be found in my book, "Salt Your Way to Health".

~~~~~~~~

Now, the first Q&A is awesome; however, I have a huge problem with it! He never answered the asker's question. This person wanted to know if there were alternatives to radioactive iodine therapy, and Dr. Brownstein never mentions any. Kudos to him for providing all of that valuable information, but I'd like to know the answer to the asker's question, myself! I guess we'll have to do our own homework, to find out if there are any out there!

My personal recommendation, of course, is to take on a healthier lifestyle...eat organic, whole foods, drink lots of water, and get plenty of exercise. As previously stated in one of my blogs, cancer cannot survive in a body that's pH balanced. You can read about it, here.

I'm almost through all the Newsletters I received from Dr. Brownstein; when I'm done with those, I'll post a review of his book, "The Guide to Healthy Eating". Such an awesome book...I can't wait to tell you about it!! LOL!

Have a great day; and be blessed!! oxoxox

I'm so mad, I could spit nails!!

This doesn't have anything to do with my fighting breast cancer, but it does have to do with my survival. I've learned to be a fighter, thanks to my recent diagnosis, and the fighter has come out in full force as a result of yesterday's elementary school massacre!! The kid gloves are OFF!!

I posted a Note on Facebook, this afternoon...and decided to share it with you. Please forgive me, while I rant...

"Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Death!" ~ Patrick Henry

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

The Scripture I gave you is in reference to farming not-so-productive crops; but, in this day and age, it applies to our society on SOOOO many levels! Here, let me show you…

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . . ." the 1st Amendment of the US Constitution

Congress shall make NO law...prohibiting the free exercise of religion. And yet, Congress as passed laws that say Christians are not allowed to pray, or read their Bibles, in any other building except a church building!! Sounds like THEY broke their OWN RULES!!

"Separation of church and state" is NOWHERE in the Constitution...it was a statement made by Thomas Jefferson, in a letter he wrote! He said, "I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State."

What the 1st Amendment was originally intended for was to keep the government from setting up a Church State…an official “one world” belief system… a government funded, government sponsored, “if you don’t believe the way we tell you to, you’ll go to jail” belief system. It was never intended to be a battering ram for the US government to use, to stop religion from being practiced, in public places. And yet, we let them do that to us!!

Our beloved government has used the term “Separation of Church and State” to ban the practice of Christianity in everyday life; thus, “prohibiting the free exercise thereof”, which is NOT what the 1st Amendment was for!!! Before God was kicked out of school, the Bible was used as an every day TEXT BOOK, right along side a child's History book, and Math book!

Now, I’m not saying you don’t have the right to practice your religion…you absolutely do! You also have the right to not practice any religion...this country is called "The Great Melting Pot" because of its diversity! But NONE of us have the right to get offended at anyone, for practicing their religion!! That would be “prohibiting the free exercise thereof”…which would make the offended person no better than the lawmakers who changed the rules!! Granted, the religion that was practiced, when the Constitution was penned out, was Christianity; but the 1st Amendment now applies to other religions, practiced in the USA, too!

Speaking of the establishment of a Church State…have you noticed that more and more school districts are beginning to teach that Allah is the Almighty God (it started in Texas, from what I hear). They’re also banning more and more culture from our children’s lives…book banning, printing “revised” editions of History books (they’re revised so that no one learns REAL history). Don’t believe me?? Take a History book from your parent’s generation, and one from your child’s generation, and compare them…you’ll see!!

Cultural dummies are what we’ve become! What "great works of literature" were children required to read, as part of their curriculum, back in the 1940s? Most books that have been banned since that decade were done so because of sexual content, foul language, racist remarks, or violence. How many movies have you, or your children, seen that contain any of those elements?? Why is it ok to watch those elements unfold within the context of a movie, but reading about them within the context of a book is not??

Judy Blume once said "Let children read whatever they want and then talk about it with them. If parents and kids can talk together, we won't have as much censorship because we won't have as much fear."

We have become a society that allows our government to decide what’s not acceptable for our children, and for us. We’ve stopped being parents; we’ve also stopped being citizens!! Eventually, we’ll all stop being free, as well. Look up the definition for the word “tyranny”.

The government has never stripped this country of it’s rights, all at once…they’ve done it little by little, masking it as something necessary for the common good of all. And, we’ve fallen for it, EVERY time!! And, until we WAKE UP…we will continue to agree with our government officials that “this isn’t fair”, “that’s a violation”, and “thus-n-so is offensive”.

Back in the day, if you were offended by me, for any reason at all, you were told to shut up and deal with it…now-a-days, if you’re offended by me, for any reason at all, it’s my responsibility to change who I am, so you’ll feel more comfortable around me. Being offended has become a civil liberty…WHAT???? (refer back to my previous statements on the 1st Amendment)

I’ve also noticed, as a result of the elementary school massacre, yesterday, there are a LOT of people insisting that the government take away our right to bare arms (I’ve been watching the President’s Facebook page). Ok, I don’t know about you, but I’m sure the criminals of this country would just give up and surrender their firearms, if they were told it’s illegal to own them (note the sarcasm, please). C’mon folks, get real please! If our government makes it illegal to own any sort of firearm, in this country, all of us law-abiding citizens will be left defenseless against the citizens who have no regard for the law!!

Certain drugs are illegal, and yet they’re sold on the black market, every day!! Human trafficking is illegal…but it still happens!! Murder, robbery, rape, extortion, etc are all illegal…and yet, crime is a sad and unfortunate reality! Criminals DON’T obey laws!!! What will end, or at least curb, crime in this country are harsher punishments for the criminals, and more freedom for us to defend ourselves against them!!

When it was the “norm” to defend yourself against criminals, there were fewer of them. Now that they can sue you, or call the cops on you, for defending yourself against them…they’re EVERYWHERE!! And they have more rights, under the law, than we do!! Our government sees to it that criminals are pampered, while in jail. Isn’t a jail sentence supposed to be a punishment??

Now, don’t get me wrong! I’m all for “innocent until proven guilty”, but for all those who on death row…if they haven’t proven their innocence within the course of the first 10 years, they are obviously guilty!! The government needs to stop wasting taxpayer money, keeping death row inmates comfortable, and alive!! They’ve been sentenced to death…NOT “life in prison”!!

A man by the name of Ronald Post killed a female motel clerk almost 30 years ago…he confessed to it, too. He was put on death row, and is now fighting his execution (set for 1/16/13). His claim is that being executed would be “cruel and unusual punishment” due to his weighing around 450 lbs. He gained 200 lbs, while on death row, and cited that he might break the death chamber gurney, or that his executioners might not be able to find his veins, for the lethal injection. Wait…he’s asking for compassion and leniency??? Where was HIS compassion, when he decided to kill that woman??

Do you see? We’ve been reaping what we’ve been sowing, through the years; and the only way to heal our land (our country) is to do what God says in 2 Chronicles 7:14. The moral fiber of this once great country has decayed almost beyond recognition. Criminals, and society in general, have been allowed to abuse the system ever since our government decided that fair wasn’t really fair, and changed the rules! The squeaky wheel gets the grease, people!! If we want to get back to practicing our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, where good “old fashioned” morals are the norm, WE have to start getting louder!!!

Who’s with me???