Looking for Direction? Follow the Signs.

Are you at a crossroads in life? Maybe you’re considering a move or a personal or professional change. Perhaps a major change has been thrust upon you such as the loss of a loved one or a recent health diagnosis. Regardless of the life challenge, choosing the right path going forward is not always crystal clear. If you’re looking for direction, my advice to you is this: follow the signs.

The signs I’m referring to can’t be found using Google Maps. These are signs that come to you in the form of feelings, dreams, nature, or in everyday life activities. Some people rely on an internal instinct, often referred to as a “gut feel” to make big decisions. Others are tuned into their dreams and can literally see the future play itself out like a movie in their subconscious at night. Still others may see something in nature that stops them in their tracks — like a rainbow, cardinal, or hawk in an uncharacteristic setting. Lastly, individuals may hear a certain song on the radio, a message while reading a book, watching a TV show, or movie and feel like a message is being sent directly to them. However it may come to you, follow the signs.

My “Follow the Signs” Story: A Story of Dimes

I had a special sign that came to me following my mother, Max’s, passing. My mom and I were very close and I was really struggling with the loss. On the day of her memorial service, I noticed a single shiny dime on our dining room carpet. Soon thereafter, I began to come across single dimes in my daily travels. I’d find a dime in my pants or jacket pocket, in my car on the driver-side floor mat, in the dryer, on the ground at the gas pump, etc. I was talking to a close friend about this experience and they sent me the following saying: “When you find a dime, stop and pick it up. A found dime is a sign from heaven that a loved one is thinking of you. It shows that you are on the right path in life and someone is always looking out for you.”

If you’re thinking maybe this guy was smoking something, there is more to this story. Fast forward two years and we are getting Max’s house ready for sale. In her attic, we found a box marked “Christmas items,” and in it were two Christmas card books of dimes. The one card cover read “Here’s A Sockful Of Dimes For A Fine Grandson,” given to me by Nan & Pap Evans ( Max’s parents) on my first Christmas. The other card cover read “Some Christmas Dimes For You” and was given to me by my mom and dad around the same time. I felt these cards were the missing piece to why I was finding single dimes everywhere and knowing this brought me a real sense of calm and inner peace. Now I know that when I find a dime, I have three special angels that are looking out for me.

Searching For Your Own Dimes

If you pay attention to unique occurrences that arise in your daily life, you may also find a gift or message that you are seeking. And when they arise, I urge you to follow the signs. The following little piece reinforces the notion and I hope it speaks to you:

Searching

 Searching for answers, nowhere to be found.

You know it doesn’t hurt sometimes, to stop and look around.

For those answers that we search, seem difficult to find,

But oftentimes those answers, lie way down deep inside.

In our hearts and in our minds, where the questions first arose

And the seeds of doubt were planted, complicating life’s winding road.

So why keep on searching; think back to where it all began.

Then you’ll come to the realization, that the answers were at hand.

Yours truly,
Frank

Staying Motivated: National Cancer Prevention Month

“A wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings, and learn how by his own thought to derive benefit from his illnesses.”
– Hippocrates

As you may or may not know, February is National Cancer Prevention Month. What I like about this particular campaign, is that it focuses on prevention in addition to awareness.

Keeping in mind that cancer prevention is possible by making simple lifestyle adjustments, I’ve thankfully been able to gain focus on getting my health in check for February and for the rest of the year.

Here are 3 things I would recommend to do to create good exercise habits for the rest of 2017 in honor of Cancer Prevention month:

Challenge Yourself to Daily 30 Min Exercise
Take 30 minutes each day to get the body moving and blood pumping. It doesn’t have to be extreme and there’s no need for a gym membership. You just need to get up and get outside for some physical activity. On the days when you are not feeling up to a challenge, step it up with some bike riding, running or weights. The important part is to just keep your body in motion.

Evaluating and Optimizing your Diet:
The key here is balance. So, plan on incorporating more plant-based foods into your diet and limit processed foods and red meats. With the reports linking red meat consumption to colon cancer, this should be a no-brainer. Boosting your nutrition habits will help fortify your immune system and cut the risk of cancer.


Maintain a Healthy Weight.
Carrying around excess weight is not only bad for your joints and can place strain on your cardiovascular system; it has also been linked to different types of cancers. Keeping your weight at a solid and steady level will not only prevent chronic health conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes, it can also help prevent against types of cancer. As a bonus, if you follow the first two steps, maintaining a good weight shouldn’t be hard.

The American Institute for Cancer Research has estimated that about one-third of the most common cancers in the US could be prevented by simply exercising, eating better and keeping your weight in check. Read more at American Cancer Society: Weight and Cancer .

For those of us who have made resolutions for 2017 to get healthy, this is great source of motivation to keep going. And for those of us who have had trouble keeping our resolutions, this is the perfect time to give ourselves a second chance.

Just remember, it’s never too late to change your habits and yourself for the better.

Please feel free to share your own story or leave some kind words of encouragement in the comments section below.

I hope the rest of 2017 and beyond, finds you healthy and happy.

The Pitfalls of Self Diagnosis on the Internet

“As any doctor can tell you, the most crucial step toward healing is having the right diagnosis. If the disease is precisely identified, a good resolution is far more likely. Conversely, a bad diagnosis usually means a bad outcome, no matter how skilled the physician.”
–Andrew Weil

Self Diagnosis: The Hows, The Whys and the Why Nots

The Internet is an incredibly great resource for accessing information and has become increasingly embedded into daily life as the “go-to” for any questions we don’t have answers to.However, when it comes to researching potential health problems or symptoms, it can sometimes lead to worry and confusion, ending up doing more harm than good. In certain cases, self-diagnosis online can be a catalyst for unleashing someone’s worst fears about their health.

With the millions of online medical resources, including health apps and sites, it’s easy to self-diagnose and self-treat. But self-diagnosis can be dangerous, as Dr. Weil alludes to in his quote above.

We’re all guilty of googling symptoms or health concerns we are having and thinking the worst after reading through bulletpointed lists of related symptoms and rare conditions. But before hitting the panic button, just remind yourself that out of all of the readily available medical content online, a significant portion can be confusing and misleading; and there are a number of health conditions that overlap and share an array of symptoms.

So What Should We Do?

Although the Internet is a logical first step in trying to determine what could be wrong with your health, it should not be a substitute for a consultation with your physician. For some of us with time and financial constraints, I understand how difficult it can be to schedule a doctor’s appointment. But for the sake of your health, don’t solely rely on what the Internet tells you.

After reading an article about the “Key signs of cancer” I thought to myself, I have experienced almost every single one of the symptoms listed (fatigue, pain, weight loss, changes in bowel activity) at one time or another. I was falling into the self-diagnosis trap. Thankfully, my symptoms were caused by something much less severe.

It’s important to remember that we are not experts. And with something as serious as cancer, getting treatment and catching the initial symptoms is critical. This is why if you’re feeling ill and or believe you have any symptoms of cancer, I urge you to see a doctor before self-diagnosis.

Tips for Online Research

If you are intent about searching online, keep in mind that some sites that are more credible sources of information than others. For example, look for sites that end with the following suffixes, as they would be considered more trustworthy:

“.gov” which means the site is sponsored by the federal government

“.edu” which means the site is run by medical schools or universities

“.org” which means they’re maintained by not-for-profit organizations

Also scientific journals or medical journals can provide credible studies and information.

The bottom line is, if you’re not feeling well, for the sake of your health and sanity, get offline and go see a doctor. You’ll be much better off in the long run. You don’t want to risk getting delayed treatment, especially with cancer. Don’t fall into the self-diagnosis trap. Seeing a doctor can (literally) be a life saver.