When I first set up this website, I was fortunate to receive unexpected feedback about Spinal Trap's home page from a woman I only knew professionally.
I had asked her for feedback, but didn't specify what kind. In my head, I knew that I meant was it thought provoking, motivating, well written, aesthetically pleasing, etc...
Not knowing that she was an English major in college, I got six very well stated editing suggestions. I agreed with most except for this particular one:
[2. In PP3, "...thus, if you are fed up with any of these conditions..." "fed up with" carries a connotation that, I think, you don't quite intend. "...tired of suffering any of these conditions" carries the same import. So does "...ready to explore alternative treatments for any of these conditions...". But not "fed up with", in my opinion.]
I replied back, thanked her for her sharp eye, edit suggestions, and which I would be following; and that #2 was stated purposely as it is and would remain so, because:
I want people to get fed up with
chronic pain and living a limited life,
because many times,
we humans do not make
healthier choices and changes
until we get really fed up!
Finally getting fed up was the impetus for me to go natural
as the daily rule to manage my pain
and I regained my best peace of mind in years as a result!
Prior to, I was fearful daily, for years about future health damage such as organ failure and other equally horrible irreversible damage that Rx's (can) cause.
These valid fears only served to
undermine my health and
perpetuate my depression and anxiety.
I detested my body being filled with anesthesia and steroids.
I had no control over my emotions because of the mood and mind-altering effects of each Rx in and of itself, (2 different pain pills, muscle relaxers, xanax, etc.), let alone, combined.
I was on TEN Rx's for pain management, 10!
I always called this awful fluctuation a roller coaster ride from hell.
In early 2015 I learned that there is actually a medical term for it.
It is called "emotional lability" and it is a nightmare as awful as life-altering pain itself.
Add chronic pain and insomnia to the mix, and you have what I called “Being alive without living” or simply put, ZERO quality of life.
Because I was house bound by pain and numerous Rx’s, I felt everything bad that you can, except apparently, fed up to an inspired, motivated level as I would come to; because I kept telling myself (wrongly) that if I just listened to the (numerous) doctors under whose care I was, and stayed positive*, I’d get better and get my life back; it never happened; until, January 2012 when I went herbal thanks to God's Holy Spirit leading me to do so.
*I fell into the false beliefs of "the power of positive thinking/name it claim it" mentality that Joel Osteen and many others perpetuate.
It is part of the New Age movement which is not Bible-based and it kept me from being realistic; which only led to me crashing and burning all the more when nothing that I believed in or wished for, worked out.
Don't get me wrong, being positive is essential, however, it is not what heals us! If it were, I would not still be disabled by chronic pain and on any pain meds!
ONLY GOD HEALS US. (See Exodus 15:26 below.)
And not unless it is His will and it is only in His perfect timing.
What finally led to me being fed up and going early was I fell and broke my foot in two places in January of 2012; that fall and using crutches also flared up my shoulder and spinal pain.
Due to the extensive damage in my neck as well as shoulder damage, and excess weight, I don’t do well on crutches. Thus, I had to live on my recliner for 3 weeks because of its proximity to the kitchen and powder room.
I GOT REAL FED UP!
And, that led to my healthier and more natural
path in both management and life!
I am beyond pleased, humbled and
grateful to God to say that it has
been highly successful and the
best thing I have ever done
for my health!
Getting fed up is a blessing in disguise when we humans use it to motivate us to make necessary, healthy, quality of life improving changes!
Though severe spinal/shoulder damage
and chronic pain still limit my life,
I have more peace now that I’ve gone
natural as the rule.
Here's why:
First of all, I've never heard of anyone becoming addicted to and/or overdosing and dying from turmeric, bromelain, holy basil extract, magnesium malate, liquid hyaluronic acid, L-Proline, fish oil, moringa, or the numerous other herbs, vitamins, minerals and supplements which I take daily; and to which I credit my success of getting the best quality of life, in getting myself back 2 good, after God of course, since it is His Holy Spirit Who led me to do this, and, He is Who created all of these natural remedies that billions of humans have taken for thousands of years before prescription drugs!
People do however, get addicted to, abuse, overdose, and die on Alprazolam (generic Xanax) and/or the numerous narcotic pain pills such as Vicodin, Lortabs, Oxycodone, etc...
Secondly, I've never heard of anyone getting a DUI/DWI for taking these herbs, nor for them causing the unnecessary and irreversible maiming, deaths, and heartbreak that goes with car crashes caused by people who are intoxicated by their prescription drugs and/or illegal drugs and alcohol.
Thirdly, I've never heard of anyone committing the heinous crimes of rape, child abuse, murder, or robbery that are often perpetrated by people high on illegal and/or prescribed drugs.
Fourthly, I've never heard of anyone complaining of constipation, nausea, a loss of control over their emotions, (emotional lability) cloudy headedness, dizziness, memory loss, and/or the myriad of other things that I and COUNTLESS M/BILLIONS experience(d) as a result of being on numerous Rx’s as the rule, for pain management, anxiety and depression, nerve damage, muscle pain, and insomnia.
Did you know that some people on Ambien have reported driving, eating and even having sex and not remembering ANY OF IT???
These quality of life ruining side effects
AND POTENTIAL FOR WORSE
such as heart attacks, strokes, kidney/liver failure,
etc...go with virtually every single one of these Rx’s.
And if you are on a new Rx???
It’s anyone’s guess what can and may happen
to you down the road.
Even though doctors prescribe Rx's
when they believe its benefits for you
outweigh its risks to you,
they don't actually know
who is going to be impacted and how severely.
It is essentially like playing
Russian Roulette.
Would you play
Russian Roulette?
If you think that people who pick up a loaded gun
and pull the trigger not knowing
if the one bullet in it,
is going to shoot into their brain and kill them, are nuts,
please realize that you are doing the same thing
when you let doctors put you on
numerous prescription drugs for life for chronic pain
when there are so many safe, fast-acting, low cost,
effective natural alternatives!
Think about it,
you see and hear
numerous TV and radio attorney ads,
on multiple channels,
all day and night, talking about
the myriad of diseases and death
that have been caused by
this Rx or that Rx.
TV ads are costly.
Do you think really think law firms would spend
hundreds of thousands in such advertising
IF IT WASN'T PAYING OFF???
YOUR HEALTH ILLS SHOULD NOT
BE THEIR FINANCIAL BONANZA!
At one point, my daily routine was an anti-inflammatory, two different pain pills, (one with a nerve pain component for my C-Spine damage, but it never worked on my L-Spine damage so I had Dilaudid for that), an anti-nausea pill, (pain pills make me sick) muscle relaxers, nerve damage pills, a spinal cord specific pill, sleeping pills, anti-depressants, and anti-anxiety pills.
Take the side effects, short and long term of just one of those, and then extrapolate them by then sets of multiple, harmful and fatal possibilities. Peace of mind? Yeah right! IMPOSSIBLE.
Going natural as the rule,
is simply the best decision
that I made for my chronic pain
and overall healthcare needs.
I know that I still need Western medicine; I am not anti-Western medicine.
I am however, very anti not helping yourself to be as well as possible as naturally as possible and thinking that your quality of life is dependent solely upon your doctor and prescriptions.
Though I admit, they are a necessary evil when you have catastrophic damage and chronic pain challenges; they do not need to be the only and/or, the first effort(s) implemented.
The bottom line is that YOU
are the most important part
of your chronic pain management and
health care team; right after God,
since true healing comes through Him.
Exodus 15:26 – “If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and laws, then I will not make you suffer the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.”
(Quoted from my Tyndale NLT Life Application Study Bible)
Everyone who takes these Rx’s and experiences these and other hideous side effects, NEEDS to get fed up so that YOU TOO can be inspired to change up your life and get back 2 good in every natural way, that is safe and feasible for you.
So my fellow chronic pain people, depressed people, anxiety ridden people, insomniacs, angry people, and obese people, get fed up, PLEASE and be inspired to change your life back 2 good as safely and naturally as possible!
Please read my herbs page, do your research, talk to experts about herbs to confirm what is safe for you to try, and talk with your doctor(s) and pharmacist.
I did all of my research online and with a couple of books on herbs and supplements. A few years ago though, I found Dr. Josh Axe online and I respect him highly for firstly, he loves God. And he is fair in that he presents ALL possible information, not just the benefits, but potential risks too, dosing, etc.
My rule of thumb is to never start more than one herb or supplement at a time so that if there is a reaction, you will know which it is and can discontinue accordingly.
My exception to this rule is if two herbs or supplements are known to work synergistically; such as turmeric & bromelain.
I take them together because when I took turmeric only in a 720mg dose, it WAS NOT as effective as when I take a 300mg dose of it with 150mg of bromelain.
That should tell you how effective bromelain is!
It is a proteolytic enzyme and it potentiates the efficacy of whatever I take with it.
Thus, 3 pain pill days became 2 pain pill days, 2 pain pill days became 1, and 1 pain pill days became rare because of its poteniating factor, BROMELAIN makes whatever Rx's I take with it, work longer, harder, and better.
Hence, it and TURMERIC allowing me to vastly reduce my opioid usage!
WHAT A BLESSED HEALTH VICTORY, THANK YOU LORD!
Also, I have recently bought Bromelain in 2,000 GDU (gelatin digesting units) in capsule form without the Turmeric; and now, when I have a day where I have to turn to my Rx's, I take this with them because it is an all natural digestive enzyme (found in all parts of a fresh pineapple) and this allows my body to better absorb my Rx's which has eliminated the upset stomach and nausea issues that strong anti-inflammatories cause!
So get fed up, please with whatever is holding you back from living your best life because everyone endures challenges of some kind; so even if you don't suffer chronic pain, insomnia, depression, anxiety, etc...please still use Spinal Trap to motivate and educate yourself and others!
Related Digression About Getting Fed Up and Making Yourself and Your Life Better:
More people would be happier, healthier and most importantly, live in peace, if they learned the art of both not taking things personal and handling constructive criticism as intended: to help you be better with and/or at something vs. taking it as a tear down.
If I didn't receive her constructive criticism* with appreciation, I wouldn't have been inspired to write this article, to inspire all of you!
For those of you who get defensive and hurt feelings when someone gives you unexpected but constructive criticism, instead of responding to imagined slights because you are unable to accept genuine constructive criticism, (hallmark sign of an insecure person, and worse, those who are narcissists), improve yourself and your life and use it as an opportunity to grow and get in godly peace by replying with thanks and some self-analysis.
Be honest about the fact
that if someone hurts your feelings
with your truths,
then you simply need
to change your behavior for the better,
so that these things
are no longer your truths!
Read the Bible and obey God and He will
transform you spiritually, on the inside,
where it matters the most!
Please look up Romans 12:2 now for
confirmation of His promise to do so.
