Staying physically active can help in recovery

Be active, stay active.

That's the recent news as reported here. A quote from the article:

Strokes that occurred among the most physically active individuals were 2.54 times more likely to be mild and half as likely to leave victims impaired compared with those in the lowest exercise quartile, reported Lars-Henrik Krarup, M.D., of Copenhagen University Hospital, and colleagues in the Oct. 21 issue of Neurology.

In my own experience, I believe that God gave me an interest in running to keep me fit enough to survive and recover through my stroke.

Good news, but be cautious

Several blogs and other sources have played up news from a study written up in the journal Stroke:

Mice receiving a ginkgo biloba extract after a stroke - induced in a laboratory - suffered abouthalf the damage in mice who did not receive the extract. From one blog, here's a summary:

Extract from the leaves of the ginkgo tree offers promise to minimize brain damage caused by a stroke, scientists said on Thursday.

Mice given daily doses of ginkgo biloba extract before having a stroke induced in the laboratory suffered only about half the damage as animals not given it, researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore wrote in the journal Stroke.

Mice who did not get ginkgo before a stroke but were given it five minutes after a stroke sustained nearly 60 percent less damage in the day after the stroke than those not given ginkgo. And mice given ginkgo 4-1/2 hours after a stroke had about a third less damage than those not given ginkgo.

So this is promising news - something to follow.

One caveat, though - this isn't your over-the-counter gingko biloba. This supplement is widely marketed as a pill to help your memory and concentration. They also could interact - and not in a good way - with prescription medication for stroke prevention. Those would include warfarin, Plavix and Aggrenox.

So if you want try the supplement, talk to your doctor. For your health and safety.

Thirsty? Find your ultimate electrolyte

O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

-Psalm 63:1

I've been increasing my miles lately in my running schedule, and have been extremely thirsty from time to time. If you run long distances - say, 90 minutes or more - and drink only water, there's a chance you'll actually harm yourself, with something called hyponatremia.
That's why runners drink Gatorade or similar products. It's about electrolytes, the substances such as sodium and potassium that help your body retain fluids and may prevent muscle cramps. If you run, you sweat. Sweat contains electrolytes, and if you sweat too much without replacing electrolytes, you suffer. In severe cases, people have died.
Struggling with the aftermath of a stroke can lead to a thirsty soul. So consider this: Water is good. But your faith can lead you to your ultimate electrolyte.

With the wing, comes hope; with hope, comes strength

"[B]ut those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

-Isaiah 40:31

I'm guessing you recognize this from a longer quotation, from Isaiah 40:28-31. I don't have any stats to back it up, but this has to be one of the most quoted verses in the Bible.

It's quoted because it's comforting. And who doesn't need that? It's about hope strengthening faith, and with a renewed strength in faith, so much is possible. Pray today for someone struggling with stroke outcome - pray for a renewal of hope and strength in faith.

Don't wait. Don't wait. Don't wait. And by the way, don't wait

Words to live by - in stroke care, at any rate - from a recent USA Today article about a recent stroke study:

"Don't wait," said Dr. Larry Goldstein, director of Duke University's stroke center and a spokesman for the American Stroke Association. "If you think you are having symptoms, call 911."

Symptoms to watch out for, from the National Stroke Association's F-A-S-T description:

F = Face
• Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?

A = Arms
• Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

S = Speech
• Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Are the words slurred? Can the person repeat the sentence correctly?

T = Time
• If the person shows any of these symptoms, time is important. Call 911 or get to the hospital fast. Brain cells are dying.

We're all in this together

Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

-Romans 12:4-5

Ever feel like you're useless?

No way. Read Paul's words in Romans 12 - you are part of the body of Christ, so how can you be useless? One small, kind word or gesture to someone who needs that little boost, for example. That's not useless. It's priceless.

A good word for hope and praise to God

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

-Romans 15:7

I'm currently listening to Romans on my mp3 player during my running sessions these days. It's a great letter from Paul. This particular section - Chapter 15 - is full of hope and unity.

Do you need some hope? Read the chapter and Paul's other letters. Don't fall into the trap of not considering when the letters were written and the situations the particular groups faced. Find a good Bible with commentary, such as the Life Application Study Bible.

Rejoice in the Lord always

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

-Philippians 4:4

So what's the key word in this one? How about:

Always.

For fellow stroke survivors and loved ones, "always" is difficult. I didn't exactly rejoice when I couldn't use one side of my body. I look forward to the day that the lesson is finally driven home: Rejoice. Always.

Why? Because in the final analysis, a stroke can't take away God. Can't remove you from him, can't remove him from you. No matter what happens, even death.

And for that, rejoice.

North Korean leader and prayer

The news (below video) is that North Korean leader Kim Jong Il survived a stroke. It's unclear at this writing how serious the stroke or the exact status of his condition.

I've been to South Korea a couple of times. It's a country rich with smart and kind people.

Ran across an interesting blog today: North Korean Prayer Blog. The prayer for Kim:

Let us pray that Kim Jong Il will be awakened to his own mortality and be brought to repentance and experience the Grace of God and turn to Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.

Kim has persecuted people of faith. Is it likely that will change? Who's to say? We can, however, hope.

Day of trouble? Help is at hand

In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me.

-Psalm 86:7

Last several days have been busy and rough, with school starting, a very amateurish woodworking project in the works, a little travel, work, etc. So I'm a few postings behind.

But in a hectic time period - a day of trouble, if you will - this verse from Psalm 86 can give some relief.

If you are struggling with your own stroke experience or those of a loved one, consider what the author says.