Best Before Date

Happy Monday, everyone!  We had a beautiful, warm Easter Sunday yesterday, but today is cool, rainy and dreary.  Oh well.  Hm, it seems to be a dull and cloudy day pretty much every time I sit down to write my blog.  Is that supposed to be a hint?

We had a lovely day yesterday at my dad’s place.  His girlfriend Sally cooked a lovely meal, as always.  Much of my family was there--actually all of my family that lives in Ottawa and Toronto, except for my youngest who had to work.  We also were on Skype with my youngest sister who lives who lives in Vancouver.

Among the many topics of discussion, we talked about our health.  Me and most of my siblings are over 50.  I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis over 20 years ago, one of my sisters was recently diagnosed with Huntington’s and one of my brothers has been diagnosed with celiac disease.  We were joking that we seem to have reached our ‘best before date.’

Getting old seems to have it’s challenges!  On the whole, I guess we can’t really complain.  We are still getting around and work is still possible.  I would still be working, had I not been retired by my company, but that’s life.  As long as I can still pay the bills, I am not complaining!

It seems to me, however, that these diseases, and allergies, are much more prevalent than when I was growing up.  Even peanut allergies were few and far between and yet now, it seems that every other person is allergic to peanuts, or something.  My honey is allergic to onions.  I have yet to meet someone else with that allergy.

I have one sister who is allergic to nuts--peanuts, tree nuts, coconuts--and pretty much every antibiotic. Curiouser and curiouser.  There must be some reason why autoimmune diseases are so prevalent.  Perhaps we have ‘processed’ our way to it?  I am doing my best to stay away from processed food these days. Of course, I ate like crazy because there were so many delicious things to eat on Easter weekend, and I am suffering with bloat, etc. today to show for it.  I think I need to stick to the simple stuff

I watched a video of a radio personality tasting some cream cheese she found in her refrigerator that was at least two years past it’s best before date. It had never been opened and she said it tasted fine, but I would ask, ‘what was in it that preserved it that long?’ Isn’t that what we really should worry about?  We sacrifice safety for longevity.  Is that really the right thing to do?

Do these preservatives have anything to do with any of the autoimmune diseases out there?  Huntington’s is definitely genetic.  MS and celiac have a genetic predisposition, but something environmental kicks them in.  Could that environmental thing be preservatives, or genetic modification?  Gee, I have lots of questions, but very few answers, I’m afraid.

Well, there are millions of researchers out there hunting down the answers to those very questions.  At least I believe there are.

I pray we find some answers one day, and perhaps we can extend our personal ‘best before date.’

God love you all and I hope you had a lovely Easter.  Have a gentle week and we’ll see what April brings at the end of the week!  God bless!