1343. HEALTH LESSONS FROM 9-11, HURRICANE IDA and KATRINA

 I'm including this story from 'My Miracle Tea" today as it has been a life saver for me and my two sisters!  We are all 3 of us in our 80's.  I take this every day, and so do both my sisters.  I've taken it to some of my children when they had an operation, and had trouble getting their bodies to work again after being under a strong anesthetic.  You make 2 tea bags into a concentrate, and take 1/4 to 1/2 cup daily, in a whole cup of water.  You will feel better immediately!  I have so much confidence in it, I get an auto monthly shipment!

    This is from the newsletter they send often.  It's about the original 9 -- 11. 

HEALTH LESSONS FROM 9-11, HURRICANE IDA and KATRINA

None of us will forget the morning of 9-11.  Twenty years later, it's still very fresh in my mind.  As I mentioned above, we lived just outside Washington D.C.  School had started for our children just the week before.  The skies were impossibly blue and clear.  As I sent them off on the school bus, the air had the first slight hint of a fresh September chill. 

With the house quiet, a dear friend came over for a visit and we were sitting on the patio of my backyard with the end of summer flowers.  We were chatting away when a neighbor rushed to the fence and called in ... wondering how Bob had commuted to his Washington D.C. office, and if  I heard from him.  We, along with the rest of the world, hurried to  the TV in disbelief and watched for hours … then days … as if waiting for some terrible other shoe to drop. 

It had already been a long summer, with fires and tornadoes destroying homes and neighborhoods in our beautiful USA. (Much like the past couple of summers in 2020 and 2021.)  At the time, this unbelievable assault seemed too much to bear, especially as many of our neighbors and parents of our childrens' school friends worked at the Pentagon!!!!

The day after 9-11, I reported to work as a Weight Watchers Leader.  Most of us had a very hard time even leaving the TV, so attendance at most events was extremely sparse for many things. (In fact, everything and the mood in general in the Washington D.C. area was strange for such a long time.)

Nevertheless, my regulars were there, most of us were wearing red white and blue.  I passed out little flags and we all talked about personal freedom and how the only thing we can truly control in this life is what goes in our mouths (food) and what comes out of our mouth (words.)  It was a quiet, thoughtful and sober meeting. 

The pretty mother of two pre-teens, Kareen L., joined Weight Watchers that day.  She sat in the back.  I learned much later that her reason for joining on that, of all weeks, was astonishing.  

Her husband had left for his office at the Pentagon on the morning of 9-11, just like always.  When a neighbor called telling her to turn on the TV, she realized her life would never be the same.  She waited for hours and hours to hear from him.  The phone kept ringing as neighbors, family and friends kept calling, but it wasn’t him.

She did her best to control her thoughts, but picturing the future alone with her two children was hard to dispel.  What would she do?  How would she support them?  How would she ever get along?  Where would she work?  She had not worked since she’d had her first baby!  Her training was in pre-school education, but she had gained so much weight with the two children and some serious emotional difficulties, that she felt sure there was no way to go back to work or be hired in her field!

As these thoughts, and many others, added to the trauma of the day, she fielded phone calls and watched TV.  At last he called!  He was safe!  He would be coming home soon!  Their reunion later that afternoon was never to be forgotten.

Long after her husband fell asleep that night, she tossed and turned.  Her life would never be the same. It was time to face her own monster and defeating enemy — food and overeating:  It needed to be addressed not for smaller jeans and appearances, but so that she would never again fear being able to take her place in the world and provide for her family if necessary.

As she mentally pictured the disaster and frantic rescue efforts that had taken place in the Pentagon that day, she knew that she would have had difficulty escaping, running, moving quickly or crawling into small spaces. 

Her cumbersome size may have impeded someone else’s safety or made her very difficult to assist. And would she have been physically strong enough to help anyone else?  These thoughts made it very difficult to sleep that night, and by the next day she had her answer.  She simply would become healthy and fit.  She would overcome whatever emotional and physical barriers had stopped her before.

She chose to join Weight Watchers.  Though she sat in the back as a reserved observer at first, it wasn't long until she sat up front with lots of excellent ideas and uplifting comments.

Through the following 8-10 months, we got to know her week by week as she lost 60 pounds.  Her courage, her ideas, her recipes, her discipline were all a joy to watch.  By the time summer and the end of the school year came nine months later in late June of 2002, she was wearing a size 8-10 and looking fabulous.  She was wearing shorts and happy to be in a swim suit for the first time in many years.

Most notably: Throughout this time, she worked as diligently on her emotions and mental well-being as her healthy eating.  Devastating events from her youth that had caused the emotional eating badly needed to be addressed.  With prayer and help, she was able to forgive those that had harmed her, and discover ways to establish personal peace without food.  Exercise became her best friend and relieved much of the stress and sadness that she had been using food to cope with.

A year later, By September 11, 2002 she was at her goal, and was the pride and joy of our weekly meeting group.  She did indeed go back to work as a preschool teacher.  Never again would she be at the mercy of an overweight body.  Although she has experienced other health challenges, they have been resolved without trouble and she has been grateful that her weight was not a complication.

For Kareen, 9-11 was a turning point for her health.  It can be for us as well.

If you are in relative good health and active, ask yourself these questions.  (Of course, if you are handicapped, aged or have other health issues outside of your control, these questions do not apply.) 

1.  At my current weight, am I able to easily and efficiently live a productive life?

2.  In the event of a flood, fire, auto accident or disaster, would my weight and body size have an impact on my safety?

3.  How is my mobility? Could I run or climb to safety? 

4.  How is my flexibility? Can I bend, reach, lift and move in a hurry?

5.  How is my strength? Would I be strong enough to lift, carry or help anybody else?

 6.  Would my size slow down the speed or efficiency of the rescue team?

7.  Would I have to be left behind or risk someone else’s safety who wanted to stay with me?

8.  Could I easily be hoisted to a helicopter, or loaded into an ambulance?

9.  Would my weight/size be a challenge in any way for anyone?

10.  When the disaster concluded, would I regret not having been in as good condition physically as possible?

In your heart, you know what you must do.  Not for just yourself, but for your family and loved ones.  There is no turning back the clock.  The difficulies of our times, climate change and domestic safety will continue not go away. 

While I am not one to focus on doom and gloom, there’s no denying that when we’re healthy and fit, not only are we prepared for the worst, but we’re better able to enjoy the fun and the best!

Just ask Kareen.  For her, health became a matter of faith, not fear. 

I hope today's story makes a difference for you .... I know it does for me and thank you for allowing me to share it today.

Have a wonderful week!

Love, Bob and Carolyn Allen