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When you cannot run around in Nature

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  “ Stadiums are for spectators. We runners have Nature, and that is much better. ” -  Juha Väätäinen, Finnish former athlete   This morning, someone sent me this quote. A famous quote among runners. And I see the point: rather than being a spectator confined to a stadium, or to a spot on the sidewalk or a bleacher, runners are roaming around in Nature. Nature with a capital N. But then there is the rest of us. Too embarrassed to run outside, even in Nature. Weathering a storm, freezing, or sweltering heat. Or hindered by the kidnaps alerts multiplying on our security app, the shooting audibly approaching, and the unvaccinated dogs of those neighbors who already left the country on the lookout for some fun. Being in that last category, I did what many people do in this country: “degaje”: make do with what you have. And I am blessed with a wonderful husband who put the cherries on the cake. So, I bought a treadmill; and a few years later upgraded to a heavy duty one when
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  September is “Healthy Aging Month” - remember? Did you do anything special yet? Or did you have good intentions but somewhat forgot and now figure that the month is almost over? Well, your life is not over yet: as the Chinese proverb says “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is NOW.”  So even when you realize you should have started 20 years ago, take your chance today! Pick yourself up TODAY, NOW, and start doing something simple: walk around the block, drink an extra glass of water, skip the junk food and eat something healthy, and sit down with whatever you eat or drink and eat and drink mindfully rather than grazing mindlessly. Happy Healthy Aging!
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The Guest Blog "Hi Evelien,  This is to invite you to contribute a guest blog for publication in the Healthie Yoo magazine". And so it started. Sharing my story of reversing type 2 Diabetes to a larger audience. Sharing my passion for the often forgotten group of missionaries and other global workers with type 2 Diabetes who keep helping others and keeping their mission alive while neglecting to take care of their physical needs so they can actually keep doing what they do so well.  Trying to reach "member care" groups, who will faithfully take up another offering or fundraiser to fly yet another missionary "back home" to be cared for - rather then helping that same missionary stay physically well right where he/she is and with whatever circumstances that may be. Just do the math: keeping a missionary healthy on the field, is less expensive than paying the regular shuttle service to the "back home" medical care - plus the costs of that same care.
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The Missionary Once upon a time, you were called to this, “your” country. You came, saw and adjusted. While the strenuous life of “the field” came, saw and took over. Food was not like home, but this new country being your new home, you adjusted to the new food – while folks “back home” continued sending the old food. So, you had double. You somehow grew bigger, which by times made you feel uncomfortable as you were ministering to people who did not. You needed the “double” strength, as the demands of the field were more than your old frame could bear. And now you’re in the “squeaking and creaking” age, but you keep reassuring the congregation back home that you can just grin and bear it. But deep down, the cracks in your earthen vessel show up on the outside. And start bothering those who’ve sent and supported you throughout the years. “Shouldn’t you get back home now?”, they ask, unaware that “this” country is now your home. “Aren’t you becoming a risk?” the missionary hea
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Juice in a Ziploc - or "what's in your bag?" Juice carton, Ziploc against the leaking, adding a washcloth for when it did anyhow – and so my purse got bigger and bigger. The “load” of being diabetic. Hurray for tablets: no hassle with leaks, but a working a bit slower to get my blood sugar up. Oh, and then adding the insulin pens, for those occasions where my blood sugar went “up” a tad too enthusiastically. The hassle of trying to balance your blood sugar, the hassle of having type 2 Diabetes, the enormous hassle of being on insulin. You should see me now! Just my Phone and me, some plastic cards in the cover for unplanned expenses – and that’s all I carry…. If you are on diabetes medication and want to learn how to lower or even eliminate your diabetes medication, send me a message to healthylifestylehaiti@cheerful.com and I’ll gladly how you can enroll in my “Doable Diabetes mini class”. Healthily yours, Evelien
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But I just can't do a Plank!

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  “oh, I’ve tried that – but I just can’t plank”. Were you the one saying or thinking that? Could be, as I hear it often. I, too, couldn’t master the plank. Just getting on the floor on all fours is quite an issue when you’re overweight or have squeaky joints. So here’s my challenge: could you, just for one time, try this one: yes, get on the floor, on your elbows. Now up on your tiptoes, belly off the floor: YOU DO A PLANK! Just for 1 second. Now, plop down and let this sink in: you actually managed to do a plank for 1 second. Maybe not the best technique, maybe … whatever. You did it. For just 1 second. And you didn’t need to change clothes, or buy some special outfit. And you didn’t work a sweat – while you did work some major muscle groups. Could you try again tomorrow, adding 1 second: that would mean you can plank for TWO seconds. And then next day…. You get it. We have a planking challenge going on, which started on August 1 st with a one second plank. If you want
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If only this THING is over...

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 If only this  thing  is over ....  You used to live here. No, not “here”, but in your location at the time. That time when you could only think in terms of “if only I make it out of here”…. Your “here” being Nigeria, Rwanda, Haiti or similar place. Remember Haiti? By now, you most probably only remember her people, her beauty, her “there’s no other place like that”, the “only in Haiti!” Remember the Embargo? Or the burning barricades, the violence, the whatevers. You probably do, because you used to tell everyone that THAT was the cause for your unhealthy living. “If only this thing is over”, “if only I’m out of here” …. Well, we survived the embargo, and you moved on to other places: the new assignment, the new ministry, the new “home”, “back home”, “anywhere else than Haiti”, or whatever name you chose for your Neverland. Let’s fast forward. Oops, something seems off . What happened? Your waistline now larger than your new country’s GNP, the shelter-in-place apparently su
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