Missing Microbes

I haven't read the book yet, although I am very inclined.

You can find it here

But here is an NPR interview of the book's author that I found very refreshing.  On April 14th, Terry Gross interviewed Dr. Martin Blaser, the director of NYU's Human Microbiome Program.

Dr. Blaser talks about the human microbiome --- the complex ecological community of microorganisms that live in our bodies and impact all aspects of our health.  We are only beginning to understand the function of many of them, but alarmingly, thanks to our modern life, many of them are already endangered.

Here is an excerpt from the interview:

"Since World War II, we've seen big rises in a number of diseases: asthma, allergies, food allergies, wheat allergy, juvenile diabetes, obesity. ... These are all diseases that have gone up dramatically in the last 50 or 70 years. One of the questions is: Why are they going up? Are they going up for 10 different reasons, or perhaps there is one reason that is fueling all of them.

My theory is that the one reason is the changing microbiome; that we evolved a certain stable situation with our microbiome and with the modern advances of modern life, including modern medical practices, we have been disrupting the microbiome. And there's evidence for that, especially early in life, and it's changing how our children develop."

 This made me glad that we

• Avoid antibiotics unless there are no safe alternatives (Peter has never had any, and Cam and I haven't in our adult years)
• Avoid harmful chemicals in all home and body products, not to mention food!
• Consume raw dairy and other raw foods daily

 This made me want to

• Get on the fermentation bandwagon!  I think my family needs to consume more probiotics.
• Continue providing labor support and education to women in my area, to reduce the incidence of unnecessary cesarean births.

"I Love You," and "I'm Sorry."

Once, early in our marriage, my husband and I did a Family Home Evening activity in which we each wrote down ten things we loved about the other person.  I realized that something about my husband's list, which was very nice and should have made me feel great, left me unsatisfied.  It took me a day or two to process it, but then I realized why.  By no fault of his own, his list had only included the things that I do, without listing any of the things that I am.  My list had been similarly oriented:

• I love you because you take initiative whenever you see something that needs to be cleaned up or fixed around the house.
• I love you because you work so hard at your job.
• I love you because you spend time outdoors every day.
• I love you because you make time for me even when we are both busy.
• I love you because you never raise your voice to me.

Those are all wonderful things!  But a list like that can end up feeling kind of impersonal.  Compare to these statements:

• I love you because you are diligent and efficient.
• I love you because you are adventurous.
• I love you because you are easy to talk to.
• I love you because you are believing.
• I love you because you are kind and generous.

We talked about it later, and he agreed with me that both kinds of expression are important.

My toddler and I enjoy most any Sandra Boynton book.  One of them, Snuggle Puppy, has a fun little poem that a mother dog sings to her puppy:

Well, I have a thing to tell you and it won't take long.
The way I feel about you is a kind of a song.
It starts with an ooh, and ends with a kiss
And all along the middle it goes something like this:

It goes ooh! Snuggle Puppy of mine,
Everything about you is especially fine.
I love what you are.
I love what you do.
Fuzzy little Snuggle Puppy,
I love you.

 

Maybe everyone else already gets this.  But for me, I learned an important lesson to verbalize my love in both ways: I love what you are, I love what you do!

And on a different note: here is an article I read today on how to teach children to say sorry.  I really liked what the author had to say.  Children (and all of us) should follow an outline like this:

1. I'm sorry that I...
2. This is wrong because...
3. In the future I will...
4. Will you forgive me? 

Start Planning Easter!

Easter is right around the corner. With it comes great potential for deepening your family's relationship with Jesus Christ and better understanding his great mission.

Last year I wrote a review of a fabulous guide for celebrating a Christ-centered Easter. If you haven't already, you might consider purchasing the book* for the upcoming Holy Week. (I included several ideas from the book in the original post.)

Even with last-minute planning and a husband out of town, I was able to try many of the ideas and activities with my young sons last year. We all enjoyed it and felt closer to each other and to our Savior. We read scriptures, stories, discussed the events of each day of the week, learned about the customs and rituals of the Jews, listened to sacred music, acted out events and parables, made the food of the time, and even had delicious sole and honeycomb for our simple Easter dinner (which I liked preparing so much more than the leg of lamb I did a previous year!). Yet we barely scratched the surface of this book.

What about conventional Easter celebrations? We completely left them out (my kids had never heard of the Easter bunny, so they weren't left wondering). Our week involved so many interesting activities, I don't feel we missed out. This year we might color eggs and have a basket hunt on Saturday the 12th (the day before Palm Sunday) as a celebration of spring and precursor to the true Easter festivities. (I like the idea of doing this on the first day of spring, but we were out of town that week and couldn't swing it.)

Making unleavened bread

After the holiday last year, I followed up with the author about the book review post, and she shared a few other ideas they have implemented since publishing their book. From Janet Hales:

How did your Easter turn out?  Easter day is my favorite -- the compilation of everything we have done and thought of during the week.  We have added two things to our family worship that have been very significant for me: on Saturday, those who can, attend the Temple, to help in the vicarious work now afforded us.  This is such a meaningful activity to me.  On Sunday, those who wish give an "Easter Offering" they have been independently working on throughout the week.  One year I wrote a Psalm of praise, this year it was free verse about Living Water; Joe wrote a lovely piece about "Why Is this Night different than all other nights?" (A question from the script of the Passover Dinner), Kate sang "I Stand All Amazed."  Years ago, one of our young boys had made an "empty tomb" out of Lego.  This was really a reverent and beautiful part of our ending devotional this year.  

The book contains such an abundance that you'll already have to pick and choose, but you might also find yourself thinking of things on your own. Whatever you do, make a plan ahead of time that will work for your family and above all, enjoy this beautiful Easter season! Please share how it turns out.

*No, I'm not getting any kickbacks. ;)

My Little Thing

So you know we don't use couches or chairs in our house, and you know why.  You know we wear funny shoes (or often none at all.  I need to write a follow-up post on my shoe wardrobe 3 years later.)

You probably think, "man this is a girl who lives her truth."

Ha!  Gotcha.

I really let "things" get in the way of doing the important stuff.  Like my little "thing," Peter, who interfered so much with doing my exercises every morning that I didn't do them regularly... for like a year.  Even though I knew how much they had revolutionized my postpartum life.  (Another post another time on my experience working with Restorative Exercise specialist and PT Susan McLaughlin, and on reading Katy Bowman's blog.  Though you've heard about them in the above-linked posts).

Well last week I decided Peter would no longer stop me!  I made this time-lapse to prove it.  (One photo per second.)  Enjoy.

 

At second :22 notice the repeated double-kick in the face.  I admit I cut my spinal twist short!