Astaxanthin, New Year's Resolutions, and God Working

"Astaxanthin: The Most Powerful Antioxidant Ever Discovered for Eye Health"

    "Scientists have studied lutein, zeaxanthin, canthaxanthin, and astaxanthin for their respective abilities to protect the retina. But none function to the degree that astaxanthin does, in terms of potency as a free radical scavenger and/or permeability across your blood-brain-retina barrier.

    "Dr. Mark Tso of the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University (considered by most professionals to be the most prestigious ophthalmology training center in the world) has clearly demonstrated that astaxanthin is the clear winner when it comes to protecting your eyes. He discovered that astaxanthin easily crosses into the tissues of the eye and exerts its effects safely and with more potency than any of the other carotenoids, without adverse reactions.

    "Specifically, Tso determined astaxanthin could improve or prevent light-induced damage, photoreceptor cell damage, ganglion cell damage, and damage to the neurons of the inner retinal layers.

    "He concluded that astaxanthin supplementation could be effective in preventing or treating a whole host of eye diseases, including:

        * Age-related macular degeneration
        * Diabetic neuropathy
        * Cystoid macular edema
        * Central retinal arterial and venous occlusion
        * Glaucoma
        * Inflammatory eye diseases (i.e., retinitis, iritis, keratitis, scleritis, etc.)

    "Remember, krill oil naturally contains astaxanthin, but if you are going to give astaxanthin a try, I recommend starting with 2 mg per day. If you are on a krill oil supplement, take that into consideration -- different krill products have different concentrations of astaxanthin, so check your label."*

After reading another Dr Mercola article, similar to the quoted one above, I purchased some Krill Oil and an Astaxanthin supplement online. I was told by my ophthalmologist about a year ago that I have age-related macular degeneration so when I found out about the Astaxanthin I figured I'd better get on the band wagon and have done so. I guess I will see over time if it actually makes a difference.

What Dr. Mercola says about checking the Astaxanthin levels in the Krill oil is really important. I miss read the information on mine and thought that each tablet had 1.5 mg of Astaxanthin but each one has half of that because two krill oil pills together add up to 1.5 mg. So I also ordered some Astaxanthin which comes from the sea weed Haematococcus pluvialis (same as the krill eat) with 4 mg in each tablet.

The other article I had read from Dr. Mercola's site said that a person needed to take 4 mg per day so I figured a little more might help because I already needed it before that time. So, I take a total of 5.5 mg per day at this point in time which is two Krill oil and one Astaxanthin supplement each day.

I seem to be becoming a little bored with eating just salad. At least that is what I thought yesterday but I have noticed that I have not had any feta cheese for a few weeks now and my supply of raw nuts ran out a few days ago. They are the things that add interest and good flavor for me. So I went yesterday and got some raw nuts, but did not notice at that time that the feta cheese was also missing. I'll have to get some when I can. Even just having the nuts I need has given me new interest in fresh raw salad again.

It sure seems like a juggling act to remember to eat the proper things, have the proper things on hand, exercise, and take my medicine and supplements when I am supposed to, but when I do that, life runs a little smoother for me.

I've been struggling with the exercise lately but started to get that back on track when I re-made the agreement with my cousin that if I did not exercise three times a week I would owe her ten dollars for each time I did not exercise in the week. So far I have not had to pay her, but sometimes I'm doing it by the skin of my teeth if you know what I mean.

Sounds like I need to look at my New Year's Resolutions in earnest. I like thinking of the new year as a fresh start. It will be here in just a few days and I like to be prepared beforehand. At my church there will be what they call a "Watch Night" service where we all gather together, have a nice meal, any preacher in the church who wants to speak stands and shares what is on their heart, and then we all pray in the New Year at midnight. It is cleansing and fun yet a solemn occasion too.

It is important to pray for America and for people's hearts to be turned towards Jesus who is the one and only Potentate, Lord of lords, and King of kings. In my opinion many of the recent troubles we have seen come upon us are the result of greed, dishonesty, and a increasing lack of integrity on the part of many of our rich and famous, and also our leaders in Washington, DC. It seems to me that it started with 911 and the twin towers and went downhill after that. It was a rather slow descent into the valley we are in right now.

For me, I am grateful that God is stirring things up and letting people know that He does not approve of falsehood, greed, and misrepresentation in any form. I had been watching the economy from my particular perch and was truly wondering where it would all end. I knew that it could only end the way it has with a collapse of the hot air balloon. It had no other place to go and I did not like to think about what that really meant. We are living it now. The prices of homes had already gotten so inflated that they were unreal. Remember back a few years ago when they were beginning to sell "million dollar" homes? And then they were starting to be two or three or seven million dollars? Things had gotten so out of hand there was no other place to go but down. And that is surely what has happened.

People are now looking around and seeing the truth instead of their imaginations. I have confidence in what God is doing. He is turning hearts and minds to Him. I hope that people are finally finding out that they are not the ones in charge and that our only hope is in Him. I do have hope in Him. Even when the circumstances might "prove" otherwise, God is not at rest. He is working all the time and He has good things in store for those who put their trust in Him.

When I was a child I used to question the Bible verse that said: "Peace on earth, good will to men" by wondering where the "peace" was. I had heard about Jesus, but I had not come to know Him intimately, yet, so my understanding was limited. I looked around at the wars we were involved in, Vietnam, Korea, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Iran and it seems the list just kept going on. I did not know that that was not the peace that the angels were talking about.

Just before Jesus was crucified this is what he said to his followers:

John 14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

There is a peace that comes from knowing Jesus and trusting in God the Father. When a person finally comes to understand that God is only Good, that He is always Just and Righteous, and that He actually Loves us, because of Who He Is (the God of Love), that a person even begins to understand "His peace" -- which becomes a personal possession once it has been bestowed -- but only after we come unto Jesus and seek Him.

So many verses are flooding my brain:

Ph 4:4  Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
5  Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

In these verses we have simple things that are required of us and promises that are made to us :

We are told to REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAY (that means the good times and bad times, too)

We are reminded that THE LORD IS AT HAND (He is never far away)

Told to BE MODERATE, BUT NOT CAREFUL ( meaning to be gentle with people and practices, and not anxious over circumstances)

We are told to PRAY AND LET GOD KNOW WHAT YOU WANT OR LACK OR NEED

and in your prayer to GIVE THANKS

We are promised that when we turn to God for help HE GIVES us PEACE OF MIND and HE GUARDS OUR HEARTS IN CHRIST JESUS

This is the peace that PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING and it comes from TRUSTING IN JESUS.

In the second set of verses

Mtt 6:31  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

We are again told NOT TO BE ANXIOUS about THINGS

GOD KNOWS that we need things and what they are

But if we SEEK GOD'S KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS -- and not our own kingdom or our own righteousness -- GOD WILL PROVIDE ALL WE NEED

I trust that God will take care of me and you. If you have enough to give to those in need that is a good and faithful work. If you don't have a "thing" to give, then give them your prayers in Jesus name. He has plenty to give, for He is Infinite -- (meaning without end).

Many hours later:
God is so good to me!! He just gave me a miracle! I had just driven into the mobile home park in which I live (posted speed 10 MPH) and I was braking to go over a speed bump when my heart jumped because I had to push my brakes nearly to the floor to feel any resistance on the pedal and to slow the car down. I continued on to my house, unloaded the groceries, as I thanked God that it all happened like it did. I was only a few hundred feet from my house, the road had no traffic on it, no accident happened, and I was only about half a block from my service center, and I was able to stop my car. I just kept thanking Him over and over for taking such wonderful care of me. I also began to ponder how I was going to pay for the repairs, as I drove to the Goodyear next to my house where I often get my car serviced.

When I told the mechanic what had happened he reacted like this was a big one and I would need the head mechanic to look at it -- but he was busy. I figured they would keep it over night. Another man suggested that they could at least put it up on the rack and check it out as I waited. I prayed as I waited that God would help me to pay for the repairs and to make them inexpensive, and thanked Him again, that it happened in such a very perfect manner. If I had made a request in advance, it could not have been better.

Later the mechanic walked up to where I was sitting and said they found nothing wrong with the brakes any where. Front were good. Back were good. I asked about the brake fluid, and the hoses, and the master cylinder. He said there were no leaks in the master cylinder and the break fluid was good and they even checked all the bolts. They did not find even one thing wrong!! I was literally flabbergasted. I asked him how much I owed him and he said nothing -- not a thing -- and then said merry Christmas when I left.

I began to wonder, though. I had tested the brakes at least three more times before I stopped the car, when it initially happened and felt the soft pedal. But when I started the car again and drove to Goodyear, they seemed much closer to normal. After it was checked out and I left Goodyear I realized that I would have to pay attention for a while because mechanical things do not normally get healed on their own -- but then I realized that God had given me a miracle. I will pay attention to the brakes -- but I am thanking God for this incredible miracle today. God is so good to me! Thank you Lord!!

Be back soon,

--Marcia

*Taken from Dr. Mercola's article: "Higher Animal Based Omega-3 Intake Shown Protective Against Most Common Cause of Blindness"  -- found at: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/12/22/higher-animal-based-omega3-intake-shown-protective-against-most-common-cause-of-blindness.aspx