PERSONAL NEWS: Heart Healthy Again!

. Hi Everyone,

I got really excited today because... I went to donate blood today and my blood pressure was under control. I was able to donate again! Huzzah! I'm very happy about it because I haven't been able to donate for something like six months. I just about cried I was so happy.

Months ago when I learned I was unable to donate for the first time ever, I was devastated because I take alot of pride in being a lifelong blood donor. I've donated multiple gallons (literally) over the years and am proud that I can contribute to the community in this way and help out other folks in need. At the time I discovered my high blood pressure (It's hereditary), I decided that I needed to radically change my lifestyle and immediately took up regular gym attendence. I've been running two to five miles a day now, five to six days a week, for about ten months. I'm glad to see the investment finally pay off. It's vindication at its best.

For those of you interested in donating blood to the sick, it's not a hard thing to do at all. In fact, it's a snap. All you have to do is call your local donor agency and they'll set you up with an appointment. It takes about thirty to forty minutes and will be over before you know it.

In my area, the local donor agency is called Blood Source and their web site can be found here:

http://www.bloodsource.org/

They have locations located all over California.

They also offer small incentives for donors such as key chains, t-shirts and other items. Local businesses often also offer freebies such as ice cream pints (Baskin Robbins), free car oil changes (Midas) and others. It just depends on what the freebie is at the time.

I stopped by the synagogue later in the afternoon and said a few psalms for Eretz Israel... psalm 83 in particular. Sometimes it's amazing to note how those psalms, written thousands of years ago can be so applicable to the events of today.

http://briefurl.com/Psalm-83-Words

And speaking of psalm 83, check out this link:

http://briefurl.com/Psalm-83

Just recently, archaeologists in Ireland found a book of psalms around a thousand years old and guess which psalm the book was frozen open to... PSALM 83! Sometimes, this sort of thing just makes you wonder. It's one heck of a coincidence if you don't take it in a religious or spiritual way.

A link to the CNN report:

http://www.aish.com/http://briefurl.com/Medieval_Book_Found

This made my heart easy in this tough time of war... a link to a video why the Israel-Hezbollah war isn't such a new phenomena:

http://www.aish.com/movies/everygeneration.asp

I'm very grateful to be in good health again. I wish it for everyone.

Wishing everyone the best!

Shabbat Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.