Marlenea La Shomb – N.D. & LMT

Life & Love Lessons

Ask Dr. Ma: I Want to Find Someone to Fit My Needs

Marlenea La Shomb, N.D., LMT, P.Tr.
Sept – Oct 2023 • Vol 4, No 6

Dear Dr. Ma,

I’m in my twenties, and I can’t find someone to fit my needs. I’m tired of the dating scene… Any advice would be helpful.

— Dawn

Dear Dawn,

With respect to relationships, the person you are with is like a mirror for your growth. If you start out needy, that is what you will attract into your life. Start by changing your thoughts, and you will attract a different kind of person to be with. Here are some points that I offered my dating-age girls in terms of the four kinds of attraction: Physical, Emotional, Mental, and Spiritual.

If you are only attracted, say, to a person physically, but do not connect on other levels, it will fade out quickly and be short-lived. If you can talk (mentally) with a person for hours on end, that would be a great friend to have, yet if the relationship is lacking in the other three areas, you may not find it fulfilling overall.

Choose to wait for the person to come along in your life that you connect with on at least two of the above, minimum, and preferably three. And, of course, all four is perfect for a life-long connection.

Just be yourself, simply growing daily, and life will take care of itself. You were made in love. You are love. And you start by loving yourself. And yes, it’s a life-long process. Life is an adventure of connecting. Love is knowing that your very presence makes a difference. It means being true to yourself and your inner calling. The blessing lies in the opportunity for loving.

Here are four of my favorite life lessons: What should I love first? Whatever is in front of you. What do I do first? Whatever is facing you. Who do I help now? The next person you talk to. What do I learn next? The solution to a problem. You don’t have to seek your lessons in connecting. They find you. The power of a simple lesson to give love is staring you in the face when taken as an opportunity for growth.

Then your next lesson will appear. And this goes for ALL kinds of relationships. My favorite book on this subject is Love Without End—Jesus Speaks… by Glenda Green. It answers some of our most basic questions: Who am I really? How can I have an abundant and healthy life? What is my highest purpose? What happens when I die? Why is there so much pain? Can there ever be peace in the world?

The answers to these will invariably emerge from the presence or absence of one great power—LOVE.

I hope this is helpful.

— Dr. Ma!

Send your questions to Dr. Ma La Shomb, N.D., LMT, P.Tr., by text only, along with your name & phone number, to (406) 224-5425. Email to jumpstartyourhealth@gmail.com. Marlenea passionately works as a health coach and writer for all who are ready to find harmony and balance in body, mind, and soul through natural therapies and education.

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2023-08-30T11:40:11-06:00Mental & Emotional Health|

Watermelon Rind Pickles

Don’t Let That Rind Go to Waste!

Marlenea La Shomb
Sept – Oct 2023 • Vol 4, No 6

Did you know that cucumbers are in the watermelon family? And did you know that the watermelon rind is edible?

And not only that, it’s quite tasty, too! It’s crisp and hydrating with a mild flavor. It’s similar to cucumber in texture, and there are tons of great ways to use it—like coleslaw, tzatziki, and gazpacho, for example! And don’t forget watermelon rind salad.
These watermelon rind pickles are salty, briny, sour, crunchy, and a little spicy—the perfect condiment in my eyes. They are a delicious snack. We are calling this recipe watermelon rind “pickles,” but that’s just to show what they taste like; they are fermented, not pickled. The main difference between pickling and fermenting is the presence of probiotics (“good” bacteria) with fermentation. And here’s a recipe that does NOT use either vinegar or sugar:

Wash and dry the skin of the watermelon, and cut into quarters. Scrape out the pink (and eat!) the juicy fruit and clean the pink flesh off the rind as much as possible. A spoon is a great tool to scrape with. Use a potato peeler to peel away the green, tough, outer layer of the watermelon. Once you have prepped the rind, cut it into one-inch strips and chop into a size that accommodates your jar.

Pack a clean, wide-mouth, quart or pint canning jar with the rinds and snuggly fit in the cinnamon stick. Pour the brine over the rinds, submerging them completely. Cover the jar with a cheesecloth or other breathable cloth cover to keep dust or bugs from entering the ferment. Store at room temperature, ideally between 60º and 75ºF. Keep out of direct sunlight.

This is a 3-day ferment. Check on the ferment daily to make sure the brine remains over the rind. Once the fermentation is complete, store in an airtight glass jar (with the brine) and refrigerate.

Watermelon Rind Pickles

Yield: One pint. (Double the recipe for a quart jar.)

Ingredients:

  • Watermelon rind, peeled
  • One cinnamon stick. (OK to use powdered cinnamon.)

Brine:

  • 2 teaspoons pink Himalayan or Kosher salt.
  • 1 cup purified water (Note: Nothing will ferment in chlorinated water.)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground clove (optional).

If you want to try the sweeter, ginger-spiced version, here are the other ingredients you can add:

  • 3 1/2-inch slices fresh ginger
  • 1 star anise pod
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds

For more variations on this recipe, including “sweet-spiced” and “savory garlic,” visit Fannetasticfood.com/fermented-watermelon-rind-pickles. (Image courtesy of this website.)

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2023-08-30T11:38:58-06:00Recipes|

Varicose Veins

Ask Dr. Ma: I Want to Wear a Bathing Suit this Summer!

Marlenea La Shomb, N.D., LMT, P.Tr.
July – August 2023 • Vol 4, No 5

Dear Dr. Ma,
Over the last few winters, the spider veins in my calves keep getting worse. I want to take the grandkids swimming, but I’m too embarrassed now to wear a swim suit. What can I do naturally to help reduce my varicose veins?
— Ethel

 

Dear Ethel,

First, let’s look at how veins are made and how they function. Then we’ll summarize what foods to avoid and which ones are helpful. Also, we’ll review some activities you can do and some precautions you can take to help prevent varicose veins.

Take a look at this illustration. Spider veins are usually a precursor to varicose veins. Sitting too much, among other things, weaken the vein’s walls and the valves will no longer close, causing the blood to pool. This stretches the vein’s walls farther apart and causes inflammation in those areas.

The following foods can help significantly improve your vein health and to relieve the symptoms associated with varicose veins:

  • Apples, buckwheat, grapes