Self Help ebooks and audio programs to improve health, wealth, happiness, lifestyle, fitness, diet and how to thrive during pregnancy and motherhood.

A.L.L. Acute lymphocytic leukemia! Once the diagnosis was spoken what did we do? Hugged each other and then got as much information as we could for that moment to get some sense of control. Sherri, my daughter took control immediately. She wanted to know what to do and how to do it. I could see a determination arise in her. Shaun too. They were going to fight for their child. This is not going to beat them.

We sat with the social worker while little Josiah sat hooked up to his bloods. Colour returned to his face almost immediately. We had not realized just how pale he had become.

The social worker told them one of the family would need to become a full time carer. Sherri had just started a new job which is currently on hold.  She gave them vouchers, ideas, wisdom. She told them the protocols for treatment for the next few times. And she encouraged them to get support.

Family and friends immediately gathered around us. It was such a joy to for Sherri to have her younger sister Naomi here.

Naomi and her husband David live around the world. Literally. They are currently based in Haiti but can be anywhere at any time depending on natural disasters where David is head of disaster relief through Operation Blessing. We were so blessed when she called us on her birthday, excited because David had given her a ticket home.

Sherri is a shocker! We can never surprise her but I am pleased to announce we got her that time when Naomi sprung around the corner to greet her unsuspecting sister. She arrived a week and a half before Josiah’s diagnosis.

Then as sisters do her older sister Jo, came down from the next state to also support her. But I think the best support we received was the prayer support from around the world.

Facebook has become our friend. Delivering good news, and prayer requests. The support and encouragement has been tremendous. “Through a “friend”, we learned that Josiah means, “Healed by Jehovah”.

REFLECTIONS

This week I sat with him in hospital with chemicals flowing through his little veins. I looked over some of his new born photos and ones from the past year and I reflected.

Life is so precious. From one day to the next we do not know what is in store for us. We hold on tightly to so many “things” but when they are stripped away what is left?

You certainly see just how important our relationships are and are needed: With God – He was our first port of call. With family-we need each other despite our differences. With church – the support our church family give is amazing. With friends – a cup of coffee/tea, some empathy, some advice and more importantly words from scripture and prophetic words from God or just an ear. We were made for relationship. We are not islands. That is why facebook and other social sites are so popular. People want to connect! But that is another issue.

One thing we have had to do is learn to ASK. People want to help but they need to know how.

I thank God for this life He has given to each of us and I do not want to waste any of it. God spoke to me earlier this year and said that ALL things work together for good. ALL – that is also the abbreviation for A.L.L. This will work together for good and is doing so already.

What is happening in your world that requires a re-frame? Not all things are good but ALL things work together for good to those who are called according to His purposes. You are called to be a child of God. Embrace that and start to see His hand undo the tangled mess we call life.

It is a new day walk in His Grace and Love. Narelle

ALL Acute lymphocytic or Lymphoblast Leukemia – Who of us had heard of it? Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia! We stood silent, tears washing down our faces, my son-in-law, my daughter and myself as that title echoed through the hospital room. My 14 month old grandson and their first son played quietly in his cot oblivious to the words being pronounced over him.  Our lips quivered, our eyes washed, and our hearts beat loudly as those words came from the doctor’s mouth. People say sometimes when you get a shock you see or hear in slow motion. That is how I felt. I hugged my daughter gently on the shoulder but really felt like I couldn’t reach out to her any further in case I fell into a black pit or worse I broke down and set her off.

“Breathe” was the first thing I told myself and then, “Swallow”. Don’t you hate it when that lump wells up so hard in your throat?

We then asked a few questions. My daughter showing beautiful composure as she spoke with the doctor and got as much information as she could digest at that moment.

The one question I asked was did we miss something?

He had a few bruises on him. He had been grumpy, but no more than any 14 month old teething with a possible ear infection. He had been falling quite a lot but we both thought as he was holding his ear there was probably something wrong with his inner ear and therefore his balance. I had noticed that he was pulling his little shirt up and rubbing his belly. Perhaps he just had a tummy ache to match the ear pain. The bruising changed on the Friday from blue green ones to a couple of red welt types. He just wouldn’t settle though at night and by Saturday night she and her husband had had enough. She bundled him in to the car to take him for a drive. Somehow she made it to the hospital by about 2.00am. By 7.00am she was being transferred to the major hospital instead of the local one. Not only the hospital but the “oncology” ward.

The blood tests they took early in the morning showed he needed an immediate transfusion. Leukemia was being used in the same breath as immediate treatment. By that afternoon we stood around him as they hung his first bag of blood. His colour returned.

Did we miss something? I had had much sicker children and never taken them to the doctors. His colour although pale was nothing to us because he and his sisters are all pale. But the doctor assured us in fact we had noticed just about all that you would expect to see. Possibly the only thing we hadn’t noticed was acute lethargy.

By Monday morning we waited while he was sent to surgery to have a spinal tap to determine some of the extent of the disease and also the type. We waited for the results and now we were hearing them.

What do you do? What would you do?

My body type was screaming at me! Remind yourself again. Why was I doing this? It had been suggested previously that my body type doesn’t like running! So why was I here?

It was a gorgeous day! The crowds had gathered over 3000 people to be exact and we were off with the crack of the gun. The wind was impressive to say the least and created such a head wind it wasn’t funny. Standing still was a challenge. I was strapped like Tutenkamen’s mother as my knees and ankles had been giving me heaps all week. I had yogaed my way through the previous day to ensure I was stretched in all the right places.  For some reason I hadn’t slept well the night before. But I was prepared as well as four weeks preparation gives you – with injuries. The run ran on and even though my body screamed at me at the 7km to stop, I was determined I would crawl across on hands and knees, if need be to finish the 10.5ks. Who added that last 500 meters? It was only supposed to be 10.2ks…Some sneak. Anyway I did it and have the t-shirt, medal and the photos to prove it.  Was it fun…nahhh.  But was it satisfying…yep…sure was. Came in 35th (out of 56)  in my age bracket.  We won’t mention the 90 year old who passed me and came in a few minutes ahead of me.

I learned some really valuable lessons this week but particularly on the day.

1. Don’t change how you have trained. I drink only water normally – I added gaterade and paid with pain in the stomach after the race… I sip every 15 mins – there were only two drink stops (with cups) that spilled out both sides of your mouth and the stopping slowed you down. I was wrapped up more securely then  I had been before and overheated my feet. There were a couple of other little changes that were only slight but which didn’t help with getting and staying focused.

2. Stay focused. This is lesson I have to keep learning – I had the music and the coaching ringing in my ears but sight was much more powerful and I was constantly distracted and lost momentum.

3. Its your race not someone else’s race. I was constantly feeling good as I passed someone and then let down when they would go past me. I shouldn’t have been swayed either way. It was a distraction.However there was a conflict of attitude when the 90 year old (well maybe not 90 but definitely in the 80’s) passed me. There was complete admiration and despising at the same time. Beaten by an octarian! But congratulations to him and congratulations to me. I did it! He did it too!

4. Don’t give up! Oh that last 500 meters sucked. I thought the start line was the finish line until my husband cheering me on yelled, ” not far now just up to the lights around the round- about and then back down to the finish line”…Oh that hurt and I felt the pain in my knees screaming. But I was determined to finish – and did too. There was a lot of cheering from the side line for me..even the announcer commented. I don’t know who you were but thanks. Even if I didn’t smile at the time (another thing I didn’t do that I normally do in training – it actually does help the psyche) – I was smiling on the inside.

5. Savour the moments of victory! That I did do, although a Rocky lift of the arms would have been fun – if I could have lifted them at that moment!  I hugged my friends, my husband and my granddaughter and then ran for the drinks and oranges. Oranges have never tasted sweeter.  It was a fulfilling moment.

6. Get the next challenge up and going! Don’t loose the momentum. Enjoy what you have accomplished. Have a rest – but then get up and get moving again.

7. Get to a doctor and find out what is going on with the legs! I am determined to continue so will remove all obstacles.

8. Don’t ignore the advice about body type but still do things that challenge and excite you.

Have fun as you explore other great books from my site to ensure you get as much information to transform your life and get the life you really want.  I am woman and want to be the healthiest one I can be -for myself and for my family. Come on and join me! Read up and get dressed and lets go!

http://www.digitalebooksunlimited.com/diet/exercise

http://www.digitalebooksunlimited.com/diet/bodytype

http://www.digitalebooksunlimited.com/self-improvement/lifewant

http://www.digitalebooksunlimited.com/women/womens-health

Tony Robbins motivational speaker from a while ago now is back in my world. Daily Magic is the name of the cd and like magic it appeared again after nearly 18 months of having been missing…grrr..It was frustrating.  This week it magically appeared and was immediately downloaded on to my IPOD. The exercise guru is back in my life and spurring me on to great heights. You know, he or Tiger Woods or Lance Armstrong are really not talking to you directly but wow it is hard to tell your brain that it isn’t real. The “Congratulations! You just ran your fastest mile” DOES do something to your confidence and energy level.  “Come on pick it up!” spurs you on yet again as the knees start to ache.

Lesson Learned this week:

1. Music makes the journey more enjoyable and helps you keep the pace up. You have got to keep music and joy in your life to maintain the pace of life.

2. Encouragement from any source spurs you on. Nike may have paid them big bucks but I know they did it just for me!

3. The family of Quails crossing your path should be savoured (not eaten but enjoyed). I have never seen quails in the wild around here in Newcastle, but this week about 3 or 4 of them scampered across the beach boardwalk as I thundered (well tripped along) on one of my runs. I was blown away by them as I watched them disappear into the undergrowth.   Seeing little things like that makes me remember to savour each moment of the day…Tony says to too…..and what Tony says…I do….he is the voice inside my head..

4. Diet and exercise have to go together. Those delicious choc chip biscuits have so many calories and after 5Klms I only burned about 300 calories…ripped off.  That metabolism has to be boosted.

These following ebooks offer some incredibly interesting ideas to help with the understanding of the metabolism and getting healthier day by day.

http://www.digitalebooksunlimited.com/diet/exercise/

http://digitalebooksunlimited.com/diet/boostmetabolism/

http://digitalebooksunlimited.com/wellness/better-health/

As a mother you know you influence (good and not so good) your family but this week I had the joy to see the planet Mars in all its glory at 5.30am running in the dark with two of my family. I think I have motivated them to get up and get physical but perhaps they were just as tired of themselves as I have been of myself.  It was not a pleasant thing to not be able to see the road (I don’t think I will do that again) or to in fact be able to even see your jogging buddies due to the darkness of the hour. However the pleasant experience was to think that by my taking the initiative and starting the training my family then were (shamed?, coxed?) encouraged to get motivated.

The lessons learned this week:

1. Get up and keep going! The jeans are still not fitting! but that is not what you are doing this for…health is my WHY. I actually examined this closely this week. Why am I wanting to run? Just to do a fun run of 10Ks so I can say I did it – Or to loose weight – or to defy the age of 50. Although all of those are ok answers I honestly came to the conclusion I really like the feeling of feeling well, achieving a goal, and knowing I am doing good by my body. Regardless of the other side benefits which are not enough to continue to motivate especially when the bones are aching, and the mornings are miserable.

2. Enjoy the moments! Mars is a once in a lifetime experience. Enjoy it! I loved seeing my grandbaby being dragged out of bed by her mummy with sleep still in her eyes, to see this phenomena. The sunrise on the beach with the incredible lights and colours….can’t find that in a gym. Enjoy the feeling of muscles firming up. Even if the scales tell a different story..

3. Stay the course!  Work the Plan. The training program is great. By following it and be willing to change my technique I am less sore and feeling more positive without loosing motivation. Usually I would run a day or so a week and then get side tracked. This plan gives me room to live and work while keeping me on track.

4. Employ your own masseur! Oh girls I do have a good man. He is great in supporting me but also being practical. He ensures I turn out the light before I leave! Seriously though he did help this week by giving me the best leg, feet, and toe massage. Oh my goodness – let me tell you it certainly made a difference! He also challenged my technique which has helped with the leg pain.

So nearly at the end of this week and I am happy to report – the bones and muscles are doing good, the family is great and Mars is great in the morning!

Health and fitness to you all!  Check out these links to discover the secrets to a better you and yours.

http://digitalebooksunlimited.com/wellness/better-health/

http://digitalebooksunlimited.com/wellness/get-healthy/

http://digitalebooksunlimited.com/self-improvement/betteryou/

“On Monday I start my training.” I told my husband this as I ate the second scone! He has been my inspiration and encouragement over the past two years of working out a fitness regime to loose and keep weight off.  He just smiled when I said it but was pleasantly surprised when on the Tuesday I did my first run.

Hal Higgdons chart gets you to do stretches and strengthening the first day. This I don’t have too much trouble with because I really love yoga and stretching.

DAY 1. 20 mins basic yoga moves and 15 mins of a training program from another source which included leg lifts, part push ups and also some table holds (I call them that) you look like a table and have to hold it. The push ups and pull ups killed let me tell you and the arms wobbled considerably but hey, it helped and I could imagine the shape of those tuckshop mothers arms making way for the nicely toned shaped arms of the woman I once was.

DAY 2. Mind set challenge – do I want to get out of my nice warm bed! Shoes at the ready and I am off. It kills – I do as they suggest. 5 mins walking – 5 mins running.  I try to increase it but it hurts and I am a woos. But I persist.

I remember the story of the man who had severe arthritis and used to run – he couldn’t walk for a day or so after but figured he wouldn’t be walking at all. Use it or Loose it. So I suck it up and despite pain to a knee press on. I run 3miles or 4.8 kil. Preeeetty darn proud of myself.

DAY 3. What a shame! I have to go to Sydney. Mind you I can hardly walk anyway. However, the sitting makes it worse. I determine that tomorrow I will have to go for a run. Why do they call it a fun run?  That muscle in the leg is attached to places unmentionable and all up it hurts! And yet! – there is a secret smell of succulent success in myself in knowing I have achieved something for myself that I haven’t done before. Hmm someone mentions half marathon again on FaceBook. Perhaps -??

Day 4. Down at Coloroy Beach in Sydney. The kookaburras and parrots wake me up early and the clothes are all ready. I set out down to the beach just on sun rise. It is delectable. I have been told that running on the beach counts for double the distance on normal land. This is a real comfort as I struggle to get those darn muscles working again. I work off time as I didn’t want to disturb my roomy rummaging for the pedometer. I take the sand count as gospel and decide the 1 hour run on sand must count for nearly a 2 mile cross country run. Good enough for me at this stage anyway.  But then they spring a run around the beach in the afternoon as part of our leadership training. So another hour running the foreshore. It all counts!

DAY 5.  Slept in and too late to run in the afternoon. Oh well. Can’t give up. Will try again tomorrow.

DAY 6. This is delegated rest day anyway and travelling home didn’t get time to run anywhere.

DAY 7. A run with my man. He is injured so plodded along. I think he was faster than me with two reasonably good legs. However, 30 mins was all we had to do and did much more up hill too…Was not a great time. I felt very woosy and did not seem to have much stamina. However I will persevere.

DAY 8. Wanted to run – I actually felt like it but too many visits to people and church.

Oh well. Week one ends and what have I learned. Just keep running – Just keep running. Every step is worth it. Every finish is a victory. Even if you miss a day get back up and keep going. A plan is paramount. It really helps you to stay focused and literally on track.  Smile…it helps ease the pain!

I learned that wellness and better health cost time and effort!

http://digitalebooksunlimited.com/wellness/better-health

Back again after a long interlude. Today I start my diary of my “jalking experience” – running and jogging for health. Two years ago I was involved in a car accident. My injury was severe whiplash. After a lot of visits to chiro and massage and some good hits of Valium I was good to go – but found something distressing. I couldn’t walk far. A few minutes meant a day or two in bed from pain. So started my bed exercises. Some old stretches learnt from the Readers Digest many years ago called Joe’s Back started to strengthen my back, legs and tummy muscles all while lying in my bed. Pilates, yoga and stepping to music started my exercise regime. It took me quite a few months to strengthen and tone muscles that hadn’t moved that well for a long time. Well then 50 rolled on and I decided two things – I didn’t want to diet ever again and I wanted to run. Close your eyes and imagine yourself running down the beach in slow motion. That’s what I started to see. The beach beckoned and I started to walk each day at a quicker pace and for longer distances…Oh how I hated watching the back of “that” 30+ girl with legs that came up to her neck, jogging off down to the next beach some 10 kilometers away. She looked like a gazelle while I felt like an elephant. Or “Miss Pink” the 20 something who in the middle of winter had a singlet top on and tight butt encased in black shorty things, make up and smelt great. I checked my heavily ladened shadow out and wondered if I would be mistaken for the abominable snowwoman. But I persisted. My first 3 kilometer part jog was a time for celebration. Ecstatic I told my Saudi homestay student my good news. I “jalked ” 3 kilometers today I happily told him. “You Joked?” he said in his new language.  I laughed and said no but I looked like a joke…and so now I “jalk” – jog and walk. I have gained weight since the death of my mum a few months ago but I love one of my books http://www.digitalebooksunlimited.com/diet/weight-loss which has a really common sense approach to weight loss and health. Again I realized I needed to get the shoes back on regardless of excuses. So regardless of weather, pain I was off. Hear is an account over the next few weeks of how I have done it, and how I am progressing. I am passionate about staying healthy to see my grandbabies walk down the aisle and even have their own babies and explore their worlds…can’t do that from a nursing home bed. Come on follow me and lets do health and fitness together. http://www.digitalebooksunlimited.com/diet/weight-loss get the info and lets get started.

How to overcome depression naturally perhaps homeopathy or do I start taking drugs?  That was a question that engulfed me as depression crept up on me with the speed of a freight train. Having suffered from depression – at one time crying for three days straight and unable to get out of bed – I know only too well the black tunnel that engulfs you and threatens to smother every light of hope or feeling of joy that you should expect to enjoy in life.

Would you recognize symptoms though? As a counsellor I “knew” the symptoms but still failed to recognize that I was totally on the brink of clinical depression. As a counsellor I fortunately had the tools to help make a full recovery. These are some of the questions this new ebook asks and answers. A must have for any family – teenagers and children are not exempt and more and more are going the drug therapy route before looking at other solutions.

What is depression?

What are the causes of depression?

Do you know someone or could you be suffering depression and how do you know?

Bipolar Depression and 6 other types of depression and how to recognize them?

Cognitive Therapy as a tool to fight it

Homeopathy and how it works as an alternative to Drug Therapy

How to overcome depression and live a happy, healthy life?

Check out alternatives before taking the drug route.

Battling depression can be like fighting fires! You think you have it conquered and then it springs up again on another front. Australian Bush fires and floods, earthquakes, other natural disasters, victims of violent crimes or accidental death, unemployment, financial hardships from world economproblems, illness – all of these things can produce incredible depression and depressive episodes. How can you deal with depression using alternative methods and could Homeopathy methods work? Depression is an illness that all of us face at sometime or another whether or not it is clinically diagnosed as depression or you have periods of depression as we all do. There is help for you! Personally as a counsellor I have seen many cases of diagnosed and undiagnosed depression and I have seen many “remedies” undertaken to cure people. I am happy to offer a book that is offering an alternative method to the usual pill popping solution offered by the medical profession. As a counsellor I do recognize the need occasionally to bring balance back to your system but it is no easy matter to then separate yourself from the “drug” and its symptoms once you are feeling better. Check out the Homeopathy option!

As a 50 year old woman with three grown daughters and grandmother of three beautiful granddaughters, I recently found  I needed to get well and healthy. Diet, motivation, fitness, health these were all words I didn't like but was familiar with. I had to make some changes to my life and well being. I have always been conscious of not putting on weight as I have a family history of obesity but needless to say as the 40's came and went so did the kilos or pounds. Last year I was told by my doctor, "You're too fat! Loose weight or expect a heart attack." I had not considered myself obese but according to the weight scales for size, age and sex I was obese!! What to do? After listening to many self help books, tapes etc. I discovered I needed to make not only a diet change but a mental change. Diets keep you on a merry-go-round of weight loss and gain. So I decided – I was not going to diet but would change my thinking about health and fitness and in effect change my lifestyle. Anybody out there hear what I am saying about the struggles of weight loss!!