Inflammation: Is it on your menu?

 

Image via TungArt7 of Pixabay

This week in the FarmaCOPEia series...

Let’s talk about inflammation, starting with what it is.

Inflammation: The body’s natural, protective immune system response to injury, infection, or irritation, designed to remove harmful agents and initiate tissue repair. It acts as a defense mechanism, often resulting in symptoms like redness, heat, swelling, pain, and loss of function.

When tissues are damaged, the body releases chemicals (like histamine) that increase blood flow to the area, causing vessels to become more permeable and allowing white blood cells to reach the site.

So, from the above aspect, inflammation sounds like a good thing, and in many ways it’s exactly that. But, there can also be a dark side to it that can make it difficult for the body to tolerate, sometimes to the point of being life-threatening.

Types of Inflammation

Acute Reaction: Short-term, rapid response to immediate injury (e.g., a sprained ankle or paper cut).

Chronic Reaction: Long-term, sometimes lasting months or years, where the immune system may mistakenly attack healthy tissues.

What’s it look and feel like?

There are five, classic signs of inflammation that include...

• Heat
• Pain
• Redness
• Swelling
• Loss of function

Prime causes

Inflammation can be linked to...

• Infections
• Injury
• Toxins
• Autoimmune response

How to avoid or minimize an inflammatory reaction to your diet

Foods are often the culprit in triggering an inflammatory response. Avoiding or decreasing the following can help reduce the frequency of inflammatory response.

• Added Sugars: Soda, sweetened beverages, candy, syrups, and many processed snacks.
• Certain Additives: Food additives like MSG, artificial sweeteners, and colors can promote inflammation.
• Excess Omega-6 Oils: Although these are essential, too much from corn, soy, or sunflower oils can be inflammatory if the omega-3 balance is off.
• Excessive Alcohol: Heavy alcohol consumption increases toxins in the gut, triggering inflammation.
• Fried Foods: French fries, fried chicken, and other deep-fried items.
• Processed & Red Meats: Bacon, sausage, hot dogs, deli meats, and excessive red meat (burgers, steak).
• Refined Carbohydrates: White bread, white rice, white pasta, sugary cereals, and pastries.
• Unhealthy Fats: Trans fats (margarine, fried foods, microwave popcorn, frozen baked goods) and excessive saturated fats (found in some processed foods).

What can you eat?

The good news is, there are LOTS of foods you can eat that aren’t likely to trigger inflammation and help reduce it, too. It’s a big list so I made a big chart instead of typing it all out.

Image via ASPhillips

(click to enlarge)

And, beyond your diet...

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. Proverbs 17:22 (KJV).

The wrap!

Inflammation is a challenge for so many of us, and having suffered with it myself, I hope you’ve found this information both interesting and helpful. For further information, please check out this Quick-start Guide to an Anti-inflammation Diet via Harvard Health Publishing.

Thanks for visiting and hope to have you back for next week’s edition!

‘Til then,

Shalom, shalom from Indiana!

Angelia

Zentangle Therapy: Now you try...

Image via ASPhillips

If you’ve not heard of zentangle art, above is an example of an AI Generated one I produced with Microsoft’s free AI generator. It’s crazy busy, intensely intricate and I probably couldn’t draw even a corner section of one as heavily designed as this one. Still, it’s a great example of how illustrious zentangling can get. It’s all in what the artist prefers to put into it or leave out of it.

Zentangle art was developed by Maria Thomas (a calligrapher and botanical illustrator) and Rick Roberts (a former Buddhist monk). It differs from neurographic art in that the design is produced with intentionally repetitive marks that come together to produce a pattern that becomes a whole image.

Why I’m writing about it

I got interested in it several years ago. Drawing and sketching hasn’t been one of my stronger talents, however, but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying it. Zentangling drew me in because I don’t have to be an expert artist or need more than simple supplies to produce it. You can make zentangles on a rock with a crayon.

It’s inexpensive, easy and there’s a global community producing it who are also kindly encouraging others to join in the fun. There’s more to it than fun, though. Zentangle, both watching it be develop or producing yourself, has some physical benefits.

Study results available at the National Library of Medicine reports engaging in zentangle art has a positive impact on the following...

• Cognitive Focus
• Emotional Well Being
• Brain Activity

Wait, there's more...

The zentangle community not only loves to share their work on social media, but they’re equally enthusiastic about encouraging their viewers to have a go at it as well. Hand-drawn zentangles (digital or organic) may look similar, but each is unique. Zentanglers can often include a challenge in their work that simply states, “Now you try...”

For those who do, and share their version of the zentangle, the artist who encouraged them is usually mentioned in the description, so that viewers can visit their platform and check out the rest of their content.

And so, in the spirit of camaraderie, I’m gonna wrap this up by including a few of my fav zentangle artists’ work.

First up is a zentangle for beginners by ZentangleArtHome via YouTube.

Second is DrawingPatterns, also of YouTube.

And yup, I hopped onto the zentangle train a while back. Below is a shot of my most recent project, still in progress. When it publishes, you can find it on my YouTube channel under ASMR: Chillaxers.

Hope I’ve inspired you to at least consider becoming a zentangle fan. It boosts income for content makers by watching them, you can generate your own income by making them yourself, or even doing it just for fun. They’re also a sellable organic item that lots of folks enjoy having on rocks, a slice of bark or piece of wood in their gardens, and even inside homes and businesses.

Lots of options on what to do with what you make. 😊

If you’re already a zentangler, or you’ve got a fav zentangle artist you’d like to share with others, leave their info in a comment below and I’ll be happy to check out their work. 

Blackstrap Molasses: An organic, medicinal superfood, even for diabetics!

 

Image via ASPhillips

Surprised?

I was, too, at least about the good for diabetics part. I think country-folk are largely in the know about the health benefits of maintaining blackstrap molasses in their diets. Not just for themselves but also for their animals.

Other than flavor, what’s it good for?

A lot! So much, I wish I’d researched it earlier, like before I had cancer and chemotherapy. You’ll see why in a bit.

To keep this as condensed as possible, I’m going with bullet points again. They’re both slow and speed-reader friendly! 

Blackstrap molasses is rich in the following nutrients, most of which are essential elements our bodies need to function.

• Antioxidants: Essential in protecting our cells from damage by neutralizing unstable molecules called free radicals, which helps lower the risk of chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer's, supports healthy aging, boosts immunity, and promotes skin and brain health.

• B vitamins: Essential for converting food into energy, supporting brain function, and maintaining healthy skin, hair, and nerves by aiding metabolism, DNA synthesis, and cell repair, with benefits like boosting energy, reducing stress impact, forming red blood cells, and improving mood. They work as coenzymes in numerous bodily processes, essential for overall vitality, though each of the eight B vitamins has specific roles in energy, nerve, and cellular health.

• Calcium: Essential in building strong bones and teeth, muscle contraction (including your heartbeat), nerve signal transmission, blood clotting, and releasing hormones, with adequate intake helping prevent osteoporosis and supporting overall bodily functions. Vitamin D is vital for calcium absorption, and a deficiency can lead to weak bones in children (rickets) and adults (osteoporosis).  

• Iron: Essential for oxygen transport via hemoglobin, boosting energy, improving focus, and strengthening the immune system. It supports physical performance, brain development, healthy skin, hair, nails, and is vital during pregnancy for maternal and fetal health, helping prevent fatigue and anemia.

• Low glycemic index: Helps us with blood sugar control, sustained energy, weight management, improved cholesterol, and reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers, all by releasing glucose slowly for stable insulin levels and increased fullness. These foods, like whole grains, legumes, and non-starchy vegetables, offer a steady energy supply and promote overall metabolic and cardiovascular health.

• Magnesium: Essential and involved in hundreds of biochemical reactions in the body, magnesium helps convert food into energy, supports muscle and nerve function, and helps regulate blood pressure and maintain brain health.

• Potassium: Essential in regulating blood pressure, fluid balance, nerve signals, and muscle contractions (including the heart). It helps counter sodium's effects, moves nutrients into cells, removes waste, supports bone health by reducing calcium loss, and may prevent kidney stones. You get it from foods like bananas, spinach, potatoes, beans, and avocados, but it's important to balance intake as both deficiency and excess can be harmful, so always check with a doctor.

Image via Pexels of Pixabay

Process makes the difference
Molasses becomes blackstrap only after the third rendering (boiling down) of sugar cane juice. Blackstrap is very dark with a strong, bitter and almost salty taste, yet it still maintains about 45% of its sugar and is nutrient dense. 

Blackstrap is often an ingredient in many savory recipes, such as meat and vegetable glazes and sauces as well as a baking ingredient for brown breads, muffins, cookies and gingerbread.

With blackstrap, you can have your cake and eat it, too!

Image via Nordwing of Pixabay

Easy with the portions

Although it has a low glycemic index, being considerate of your portions is a must if you’re diabetic. One tablespoon of blackstrap is all most of us need in a day. How you take it is up to you. In my case, I put it in my coffee, stirring it in along with sugar free, flavored creamer. 

Readily available

Most grocery stores carry it, and there are several varieties available. 

"And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat." Genesis 1:29 KJV

The wrap!

Thanks for your visit today! Hope I’ve at least produced enough curiosity to at least try some blackstrap for yourself, if you’re not already familiar with it. If you’re already a blackstrap fan, please leave a comment below and share why and how you use it. Sharing is caring and knowledge is power. 

‘Til next time,

Shalom, shalom!

Angelia

Dr. Sherri Shannon: Hell knows I wasn't born that way

 

Click here to get it from Amazon

Image via ASPhillips

This is a short post that by no means intends to take away of the importance of the content. I’ve just produced this review to be intentionally spoiler-free, for good reason. I want it to have the chance it deserves, to have its own spot in everyone’s library. 

The brief back-story

Nearly a year ago, I had the privilege of visiting a church, Cathedral of Glory, in Mt. Sterling, Kentucky. As well as being a church, it’s also the main campus of the Biblical Studies college I’ve been attending for the last few years. I attend remotely from Posey County, Indiana and to say I’m loving the experience doesn’t cover it. It’s been a blessing in every direction.

It was the first time I got to meet some classmates and online acquaintances that had become friends during my first year of school. One of those friends was Dr. Sherri Shannon. 

Before meeting her, I had already heard of her passion for ministry in several areas–jails, low-income neighborhoods and youth outreach. They represent a sizable scope of where her energies are spent and her expertise is freely provided. On top of that, she owns and manages her own business. 

After meeting her in person, I understood why she is so highly regarded. If ever you meet her, you’ll know too. She’s really all that, and before my visit concluded she gifted me a copy of her book. Her reason wasn’t to show it off, it was just in case it might help someone or help me help someone. 

Dr. Sherri Shannon

About her book

First, I’ll let ya know right now, I’m not giving away any spoilers. You’ll have to taste and see for yourself why I rate this book as a great read, even though it’s teeny-tiny.

I had no expectations of the contents. Knew by the size of it, it was gonna be a short read and I was right. Took about half an hour to get from cover to cover. Though it’s one of the shortest books I’ve ever read, its content is diamond.

Great things in small packages

Those of us in ministry aren’t going to have common ground in every area of those we minister to. It’s impossible. 

That doesn’t mean we won’t be asked to minister in areas where we have no personal experience. That happens regularly. 

Thankfully, the Word of God isn’t limited. It provides guidance in every area anyone may inquire about or even be in a struggle with. Beyond that, He personally guides us through unfamiliar areas to be able to help those seeking direction, understanding, healing and sometimes deliverance.

Ministers are merely the vessels He often chooses to work through. I can say with confidence, Dr. Shannon’s book strikes me as divinely inspired and will lend insight, comfort and usable working knowledge.

She wrote it to be a blessing to others and apparently, the Lord is already delivering just that. It definitely blessed me.

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Revelation 12:11 KJV

The wrap! 

Hell Knows I Wasn't Born That Way is a fascinating read, regardless of personal beliefs or opinions. I hope you’ll get a copy for yourself so you can see what I mean. I also hope you'll consider suggesting it or gifting it to anyone you know who may be struggling with a related mindset or feelings.   

Not everyone thrives in the skin their in. Not everyone experiences thoughts, feelings and tendencies they're okay with, which can cause distress, depression, desperation and beyond.

It’s stories like these that can make a difference between life and death. 

Thank you for visiting and your interaction with and support of independent journalism. It’s always appreciated!

‘Til next time,

Shalom, shalom from Southern Indiana

Angelia

Habit or ritual?

 

My desk set-up for morning Bible Study

Image via ASPhillips

Have you seen them, too?

In the last few months, I’ve been seeing lots of advertisements for coffee, coffee-related and coffee-replacement products. An increasing reference to coffee rituals. I’m pretty news-nosy, and had never heard of coffee rituals until these ads began showing up in my YouTube feeds.

I was a little offended by them. I felt like they were insinuating coffee routines are actually rituals. 

I don’t know anyone that loves coffee more than me but, much as I love it, much as it’s my fav go-to beverage, one of the things I look most forward to throughout my day, especially in the mornings and any time I’m working at my desk... But, ritual? I wasn’t hip on the reference. I even found it offensive.

I felt it defined my love and interaction with coffee as a religious experience, or worse, that I had some sort of spiritual relationship with it. 

I have a relationship with Yeshua, the creator of both me and my coffee, and it truly ranks as one of my most favorite blessings!

And with my position on the topic defended, I found myself to be in modern error.

Coffee rituals? 

Yup.. they exist. Also, I seem to have been unknowingly engaging in them for several decades. Turns out, it goes way beyond coffee. There are loads of other things I’ve ritualized and chances are, you’ve been doing them right along with me.

Examples

• Making coffee is the first chore of my day
• I pour it into a specific cup (at least at home)
• I stir it with the same (bamboo) spoon
• Each serving is heated to nearly exactly the same temperature
• The cup is placed in on a specific coaster, when on my desk
• Prior to my current cup/mug, I’d been using the same coffee cup, in the exact same way, for the last three years

Image via ASPhillips

Above is my new cup (see arrow) a Christmas gift from Ray and Tori (my nephew and niece-in-love. It’s glazed ceramic, in my fav colors, with writing from one of my most loved series (Lord of the Rings) scripted in Elvish, no less, around the top. 

It goes well with my mouse, my matching desk-mat (of Middle Earth) and my daily tea light, illuminating the map in my vintage Nescafe mug, reminding me that Yeshua is the light of the world and to be thankful for His great grace and love in my life and around the world.

Yup. My second chore of the day is thanking Him for coffee, and sugar-free, flavored creamer!

Tip of the iceberg

When making the list, I realized I could write another few pages on the regular rituals I’ve been incorporating into my daily schedule, and don’t fret. I’m not gonna bore you with ‘em.

My cousin Melanie (an interesting and uber-talented soon-to-be blogger) and I were discussing stuff like what I’ve listed above as being slightly obsessive-compulsive. She might be right. She’s a retired nurse and highly familiar with such things. But, in my defense that it’s not OCD, but habit (and now maybe ritual), the same way every time thing was taught and reinforced by my great-gramma, who had a huge influence on my raising. 

Back then, ADHD wasn’t a diagnosis. It was more like an annoyance for the person affected by it, those who spent a lot of time with them and especially their teachers.

Had it not been for her reinforcing the rule to find a spot for my things and put them back where I got them, I’d have lost everything I owned within a few minutes after I finished using it. I wasn’t perfect at it, but once established, I maintained those habits into adulthood and practice them now. It’s how I keep chaos at a minimum.

I gotta ask...

How about you? If you’ve got some rituals I’d sincerely love for you to share them in the comments below! I don’t wanna be the only one on the ritual boat and lots of the things that lots of folks do (at least of this sort) can be pretty interesting, so hoping you’ll indulge me!

The wrap!

I’m always thankful for your company in this blogging journey! I also want to thank all of you who’ve helped me stay motivated to post once weekly, even through some health challenges. I’m thankful to say I’ve been able to maintain the weekly publishing schedule for a few months now.

In the doing, my readership went from 20-something, per edition, to being amazed with December 2025 amassing nearly 1K views! It’s climbed to that only a few months with minimal advertising. 

I’m excited about blogging again, and have works by some wonderful folks and other topics to share with you in the upcoming weeks. 

I pray for the good Lord’s blessings of good health, happiness and prosperity to overtake you in the coming year.

‘Til next time,

Shalom, shalom!

Angelia