A Gracious Plenty of Life... Number Two April 22nd 2017

A Gracious Plenty:  Quirky Ideas, Thoughts and Ideas

By Larry Pittman Goddard, Ph.D.

1.     For boots, buy those swimming pool noodles when they go on half-price at the end of summer.  Cut with a butcher knife and use to help stand up the boots to keep their leather form.

2.   Nasal and allergy problems?  Who in East Texas doesn’t suffer from being allergic to allergies?  First, but an over the counter product that has the pump action bottle that can be refilled.  Dump out the overpriced medicine.  Mix up ¾ cup water; ½ teaspoon salt, and a dash of baking soda.  Fill the nasal medicine pump and save the rest in a bottle.  Twice a day, spray each nostril several times—yeah, it’s gross and you must blow your nose—but this gentle saline mixture will cleanse the nasal passages of any pollen or dust and keep you from becoming infected. 

3.    Salt and lemon?  Great for a facial rub—sure does wake a person up in the morning.

4.   Use Essential Oils?  Classes, books, over-whelming amount of information about essential oils available now.  But, don’t be dismayed.  Start off slowly.  Peppermint oil—3 or 4 drops in your hands, rub together and then cover your stuffy nose and breathe deeply.  Rub the rest down your neck and throat area. 

A few drops of peppermint essential oil in a half glass of water will cure an upset stomach and give you the best breath…. use right before you go to the dentist to impress her/him of your dental cleanliness.

There is an essential oil for TMJ jaw pain.  It works.

An essential oil for joint pain, arthritis, Digeze essential oil will cure loose bowels.  The more you learn (I bought the book “Essential Oils for Dummies”, the more you see the uses of essential oils. 

5.   If you ever get mouth sores, try avoiding tomatoes—often these are a sign that you are allergic to tomatoes.  Buy the B12 sublingual vitamins.  It is important to buy the sublingual which dissolve as you place under your tongue or on the sore—the regular B12 vitamins? Not so much dissolving ability. 

6.   Energy problems? Try adding Iron supplement to your daily vitamins.  It helps and, of course, my family doctor says it is psychosomatic but, heck, if it works, it works!  I’ll take psycho remedies anytime!

7.   Humidity and Bad Hair Days go together.  There are many types of products and men seem to be afraid of the hair care aisle.  But, men and women can benefit from weekly hair protein packs—and, yep, you must put on the shower bonnet (I steal from hotel rooms….).  The cap keeps the protein inward and maximizes the moisture into the hair follicles.  But, don’t’ keep the protein packs on for longer than an hour or so.  And it is a myth that baby oil moisturizes hair—just the opposite effect—it dries out hair.

8.   Speaking of moisturizing—we need to discuss that the fountain of youth is good skin.  The largest organ of our bodies and we don’t take care of it.  Men should not be ashamed—in fact, it is a point of pride when attending a class reunion.  The men who have moisturized their skin look younger—same for the women.  Face cream is different than body lotion.  You should never put body lotion on your face—the results always include break outs since the lotion clogs pores.  But, men should use a face cream—the more the expensive, the better.  There are products for the deep lines in between your eye brows which work but are long-term in gaining results.  A Botox treatment runs about $300 to $600 and lasts about 5 months.  Baby oil in the shower and pat dry does help keep the skin moisturized and no more flaking or dryness. 

9.   Sleep.  The best rest is the best advice anyone ever gets.  But in reading this, one then becomes even more stressed about their lack of sleep.  Don’t lose sleep over your insomnia!  It is nothing shameful about doctor prescribed dosages of Ambien—but do NOT take Ambien and go online—you will purchase things you (or anyone else on the face of the planet) do NOT need.

10.                       At any age, we all can have skin irritations like blackheads or large skin pores.  A simple fix is tooth-brushing your nose…and other areas.  Just get a soft bristled toothbrush and some baking soda—or the toothpaste now that is based with baking soda; I use carpenter’s googles so the toothbrush action doesn’t end up in my eyes.  Place a little on the brush (googles on!) and brush the mixture of toothpaste and baking soda in a gentle circular motion—works wonders in areas with blemishes.  And ignore the family’s jokes and laughter—sometimes goofiness results in your best looks.

Dr. Larry Goddard is an internationally-certified fund-raiser and published author.  He has raised over $1 billion dollars for charity—mostly education and rural hospitals.  He and his family live in Tyler.