Welcome to Destiny Healthcare International

Working alongside other CompassionLink staff members, we will participate this year in upcoming outreaches where we will be conducting courses on Community Health Evangelism/Education (CHE), Community Health Training, Community Development, and others. You can visit www.compassionlink.org to keep abreast of those opportunities to join us, if interested. 

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Your Help Can Make a Difference!

Destiny is a nonprofit 501c3 tax-exempt Christian healthcare organization that depends on the faithfulness of those that God would prompt to help us financially.
If you wish to make a donation, please see our areas of need below. All donations are tax deductible.

Thank You for Your Support!

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Prolotherapy (Proliferative Therapy) is a treatment designed to repair weakened tendon and ligament structures in the body, which can be causes of intermittent or ongoing chronic musculoskeletal pain. Such structures can become weak as a result of trauma or a recurring abnormal stress, such as with poor posture or work-related repetition of movement. When these structures become weak, unable to support normal amounts of work or activity, the nerves that exist within the attachments of these structures become unduly stretched and over stimulated, leading very often to pain. Prolotherapy treatment attempts to more permanently strengthen the "weld" of weak and disabled tendons and ligaments to bone by stimulating the production of new fibrous tissue cells within the area of disability. Such stimulation then produces further healing of the impaired structures.

The procedure of Prolotherapy involves the injection of an irritant solution into the weakened areas of tendon and ligament structures at the point generally where they connect to bone. The solutions more commonly used consist of concentrated amounts of dextrose, mixed with an anesthetic such as Lidocaine and a filler such as sterile water or saline. Small amounts are injected into each spot where weakness is determined to exist.

Depending on the size of the area judged to contain the symptomatically weak structures, anywhere from a couple of injections up to twenty or more may be needed to cover the affected area sufficiently. There can be a mild to moderate amount of pain experienced with the injections, and it is therefore not uncommon to need to use pain and sedative medications just prior to the procedure, although many patients do well with no such additional medication, particularly if only a small area needs to be treated. After a treatment, the patient is given pain medication recommendations, because frequently there is an increased amount of pain for the first couple of days after a treatment, as the tissues experience the degree of irritation needed to obtain the preliminary "weld" repair of tendon/ligament structure to bone.

The maximum benefit of each treatment is essentially complete about four to six weeks after the injections, and it is for this reason that, if retreatment is needed, it generally can be done four to six weeks after the first treatment.

There are generally very few risks to undergoing Ligament & Tendon Injections. As with any injection, there is a rare risk of bleeding or infection or of injury to a nerve. If bleeding occurs, direct pressure for a few minutes is usually all that is needed. If infection occurs, antibiotic treatment may be required. If a nerve is injured, it usually heals over time, and pain medicine can be given as needed while such healing occurs. There have been a few rare reports of injection-related scarring of nerves (in spinal injections) which have caused permanent nerve pain, however one needs to be aware that such occurrences have been very rare, and likely even less common than what could happen with complications of back surgery. Other rare complications can include spinal headache, pneumothorax (collapse of the lung which may require hospitalization), allergic reaction, dizziness, nausea, dark skin spots, and other rare problems.

For more information on Prolotherapy, go to www.prolotherapy.org. There are increasing numbers of Prolotherapy providers nationwide and worldwide, as this procedure continues to prove effective and more physicians are trained in it. A Google search will find nearby providers in many cases.

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Living Foods (Healthy Food)
Disease-causing vs Disease-preventing Foods

What diseases can food cause or prevent? The foods may not cause in themselves a disease but they can contribute to the manifestation or aggravation of the symptoms of various diseases. It is well known that proper diet and exercise are huge factors in many of the most common diseases in America: Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure. The link of diet with inflammatory conditions and even cancer is becoming more widely accepted and understood as well.

Living foods: foods that bring life and health to your body. They are found in the produce aisle.  They are fresh, colorful and in their natural state.  They help prevent disease by contributing vitamins, minerals and other elements such as antioxidants that fight inflammation a chief enemy in the battle against most diseases.

Dead foods: foods that contribute to disease. They are found in packages, with additives, with lots of words you can’t pronounce, altered from their natural state (processed), and are usually beige (lacking in color).  Many of these items are high in sugar, salt (sodium) and fat (cholesterol)  and have fructose corn syrup or hydrogenated vegetable oil.

Note: just because the food is of a neutral color and in a package does not mean it is not in the living category. Examples: sunflower seeds and nuts are high in nutrition and add life to the body.
Hint:  food from plants are usually heart friendlier than foods from animals.

                            Eat more of these:
                           -Whole grains
                           -Fruits
                           -Vegetables
                           -Nuts and seeds
                           -Beans and Lentils
                           -Fish

                              Eat less of these:
                           -Red Meats
                           -Pork
                           -Pastries
                           -Packaged Foods

Get in the habit of checking food labels. 
Try to avoid foods high in sugar, cholesterol (especially saturated or trans fat) and salt (or sodium).
Choose items in their natural state.

Remember if it wasn't a food 100 years ago it's not a "living food" or life-giving to the body.

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What is an adequate fluid intake per day for me? 
Why is it important that I have an adequate intake?

The Importance of Adequate Fluid Intake
Every system in the body depends on water to function adequately. 60% of your body weight is comprised of fluids that:

*Flush toxins
*Carries nutrients to your cells
*Provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues (which helps prevent viruses from entering)

Feeling Drained?  It may be because you are drained-drained of fluids.  When your cells don’t receive the fluids they need to replace the daily loss you feel fatigued and drained of energy. Other signs of inadequate fluid intake include:

*Thirst
*Urine that is dark or yellow (With adequate fluids urine will be colorless or light yellow)
*Dry skin
*Feeling tired or dizzy    

So what is an adequate amount of fluids?

This depends on various factors:

1. Your weight:
   Smaller people need fewer liquids than larger people.
2. The amount you exercise:
   You generally need an extra 2 cups of water on days you do moderate exercise.
3. The climate:
   If you are out in the heat of the day you will need to drink more.
4. The amount you are excreting or losing:
   If you are experiencing diarrhea or vomiting you will need to replace the fluids you are losing.

Generally Speaking...

For Men: 13 cups
For Women:  9 cups

How Can I Reach My Daily Goal?

Make a goal to drink a cup of beverage with each meal.  Plus drink a cup or two of fluids when you wake up, between each meal and in the evening. Remember, some fruits and vegetables are full of fluids and count significantly towards your total fluid intake. Some count caffeinated beverages as part of your daily intake, others say the caffeine actually drains your body of fluids.  I recommend limiting your daily caffeine intake.

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Why Sleep?

1. Regulates the Release of Hormones.  Hormones that are regulated while we sleep greatly affect our health.  For example; the hormone, leptin, is what directly influences appetite and weight control because it signals the brain to tell you when you are full. (In other words a lack of sleep directly affects the ability to control your weight.)
2. Slows the Aging Process.  It has been said that, “How well a person sleeps is one of the most important predictors of how long a person will live.”  Proper sleep even helps avert wrinkles.
3. Boosts Immune System.  Studies have shown that those who sleep 9 (rather than 7) hours have greater than normal natural killer cell activity.  They have better protection against viruses, bacteria and cancer cells.
4. Improves Brain Function. Recent research reveals that "sleeping on it" is more than just a good idea. In fact, neuroscientists now say that sleep is absolutely critical for key brain functions including learning, memory and performance. A new survey of 1,000 adults conducted by Bruskin/Goldring Research for the Better Sleep Council (BSC), found that few understand the important role sleep plays in normal, daily brain functions and many actually short-circuit their brain power by getting too little sleep.
5. Reduces Cortisol Levels.  Cortisol is considered the stress hormone.  It controls inflammation and hypoglycemia. If inflammation is not controlled it can contribute to diseases associated with excessive inflammation such as osteoarthritis.  Increased cortisol levels make one at a higher risk for hypertension, type 2 diabetes, obesity, autoimmune disease, susceptibility to viruses, bacteria, and cancer.

What Happens When You Don’t Sleep?
You invite disease. You increase your risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.  (decreases your ability to process carbohydrates)
Your brain function is affected. (decreased reaction time, shortened attention span, impaired memory...)
Your productivity is reduced.
You could endanger the lives of others. (when you drive)
You reduce your sex drive. (Cortisol affects testosterone levels)
You could jeopardize your marriage. (Studies show higher rates of divorce among people who don’t get adequate sleep.)

But I Can’t Get to Sleep (or Get Back to Sleep)!

Consider which of these factors that are known to affect sleep you can control:
Stress and anxiety
Painful physical conditions
Caffeine (can remain in the body for up to 20 hours!)
Cigarettes and alcohol
Medications
“Sugar high” from eating too much sugar or highly processed foods before bed
Low-carb diets (Low-sugar reaction in the night may cause you to awaken; protein requires more sleep to digest)
Exercise within a few hours of retiring
A bad mattress or pillow
A snoring spouse
Hot flashes or menstrual cramps
Enlarged prostate
Newborn babies
Environment

How Much Sleep Do You Need?

Most adults need about 8 hours (between 7 and 9). To find out how much sleep you need keep a diary.  Record the time you went to bed,  the time you got up, how you felt when you got up, how you felt mid-afternoon etc.

The Importance of Rest

Besides getting enough sleep at night many people find it helpful to get a little rest during the day. “A power nap” can be between 10 and 40 minutes a day and increase your productivity tremendously. Many successful people are known to have taken “power naps” during the day: John F. Kennedy, Thomas Edison, George W. Bush.

The Sabbath Rest

God instituted a day of rest for the Israelites. Was it just for religious purposes? Maybe not…Taking one day a week to cease from work in and outside the home can be very beneficial to all aspects of your life: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and familial. It helps you relax and renew your strength. It gives you a change of pace, restores you emotionally. It helps you remember to rely on God and prioritize Him and His Kingdom. It’s a time to enjoy and have fun with your friends and family.

So, sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is
“Go take a nap!”

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The Importance of Emotional Peace
Teachings are based on:

None of These Diseases by S.I. McMillen, M.D.
The Seven Pilllars of Health by Don Colbert, M.D.
Stress Less by Don Colbert, M.D.

This study will briefly cover the importance of right thinking, life-giving emotions (or peace) and having a positive outlook on life. The reverse of this would be negative thinking or “stinkin’ thinkin’” emotional turmoil and mental stress. I believe God has a recipe for our success in the mental and emotional realm and it is revealed in His Word.

Romans 12:9-21     Matthew chapters 5-7     Galatians 5:19-24

“No one can appreciate so fully as a doctor…the teachings of Christ.”
(P.64-65 None of These Diseases).

“Some day man may awake to the fact that the teachings of Christ are potent and powerful in preventing and curing disease. It is a well known fact that most diseases are affected or caused by mental and emotional stress. “Statistics reported in 1948 indicated that two thirds of the patients who went to a physician had symptoms caused or aggravated by mental stress.” (None of These Diseases p. 58) More modern statistics would probably show even more correlation.

“A long-term study at the University of London (in 1988)showed that chronic unmanaged mental stress was six times more predictive of cancer and heart disease than cigarette smoking, high cholesterol levels, and elevated blood pressure.” (The Seven Pillars of Health. P. 230)

Physiology of how mental and emotional stress affects our body and leads to disease:

Our emotional center is in the brain (affected by how we think, perceive situations, other people, God, ourselves). When we have turmoil in our emotions the brain sends out impulses to all parts of our body.

Principal mechanisms affecting changes in our body and eventually leading to pain or disease:
Change in the amount of blood flowing to an organ
Change in the amount of hormones secreted from certain glands (elevated cortisol)
Change in the tension of the muscles

“Anger, resentment, fear, anxiety, grief and depression create excessive stress, whereas positive emotions such as gratitude, joy, love and peace actually relieve stress.” (The Seven Pillars of Health p. 241)

Ways to stress less:
Enjoy the moment (Matt. 6:34).
Don’t worry about the past or the future.
Change your perspective. See things from God’s point of view. (Romans 12:2) “In the light of eternity…”
Laugh and choose to be happy. (Proven to prevent disease!!)
Forgive. (Choose to forgive even before you have the “feeling” of forgiveness for the person. Treat them as if you forgive them.)
Build margin (extra time) into your life and schedule.
Meditate and act on the Word of God.
Meditate on the good, positive and true. (Phil 4:8)
Set good boundaries. (Learn to say “no” sometimes.)
Trust God. (Isaiah 26:3)
Meditate on the Word of God (Bible) to increase your faith and trust in God.
Pray and confess the Word of God over the situation.  Find a specific scripture that deals with your particular situation.
Tell yourself the truth basing your thoughts on what God's Word says about you and your situation.  Meditate on that.
Speak kind words to yourself and don’t beat yourself up/condemn yourself.

In summary: God’s antidote for stress is to
practice Philippians 4:4-9.

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Most of us want to be healthier, and daily activity is a big part of creating a healthier you. What kind of daily activity should you do? Anything that gets you moving, anything that increases your heart rate. You don’t necessarily have to exercise 20 minutes a day 3 times a week. Any time you are active you are burning calories, strengthening your heart and other muscles. Below is a list of activities and their benefits that will help you get started.

Stretching
Benefits: relieves tension, promotes flexibility, keeps your muscles from tightening up before and after exercise.

What to do: gradually move through a range of motion until you feel some gentle tension. Then hold that position for up to thirty seconds. Please, don’t bounce. Relax, then stretch again. (Fitting in Fitness. American Heart Association p.17)  

Strengthening
Benefits: prevents injuries, reduces lower back pain, improves posture, improves overall ability in sports, builds stamina (for hiking, shoveling snow…), preserves lean body mass.

What to do: calisthenics, such as sit-ups, push-ups, leg lifts and squats. weights: hand weights, weight machines, use home-made weights or stretch bands.

Aerobic Activity
Benefits: Prevents cancer, prevents heart attacks and heart disease. Helps prevent diabetes and control blood sugar in diabetics. Improves lymphatic flow and increases perspiration (removing toxins and cellular waste, rounding up bacteria, viruses and bringing them to the lymph nodes where they are killed by white blood cells.) Aerobic exercise can triple the rate of lymphatic flow. (The Seven Pillars of Health by Don Colbert p. 121).

Lowers stress, promotes weight loss and decreases appetite (raises metabolic rate).
Slows down the aging process (reduces oxidation).
Builds strong bones.
Improves your digestion and promotes frequent bowel movements.
Gives you restful sleep. (Researchers found that women who participated in forty-five minutes of aerobics in the morning were about 70 percent less likely to have trouble sleeping than those who exercise less.) (It’s better to exercise 3 hours or more before going to bed or it may cause insomnia). 
Reduces depression (by increasing serotonin and dopamine levels).
Improves memory retention and reaction time (lowers cortisol levels-especially for those with high stress).
Slows Alzheimer’s disease.
May help prevent Parkinson’s disease.
Increases lung capacity.
Increases energy level.
Helps alleviates pain in diseases with chronic pain (releases endorphins).

Regular exercise and activity are vital components to maintaining good health. It is important to set goals on how to incorporate more activity into your daily life. To start with, choose an easy approach to implementing a routine, such as parking a block from the store, dancing with the kids, or doing squats while vacuuming. You can request a copy of Fitting in Fitness from Stephanie Kidman at Destiny. This book has hundreds of great practical ideas. So, come on, let’s get moving...

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From Stephanie Kidman, RN

As followers of Jesus Christ, we know that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, i.e. where the Holy Spirit lives (1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19).

If we don’t take care of our bodies and we die prematurely, we will not be available on this earth for the work that God wants to do through us by the power and presence of His Spirit.

Whose responsibility is it to care for this "temple" of ours? There is a spiritual aspect of care, but there are also mental, psychological, emotional and physical aspects of care.
The temple, as previously defined, represents our body. Just as a temple has pillars that support it so our body has certain "pillars" that help keep it functioning optimally.  Each pillar is important. If one is weak it may affect the temple. If several are weak they will crumble and in time the temple will fall.

Some of this study will be based on Dr. Colbert’s book The Seven Pillars of Health. He uses Proverbs 9:1 as his text “Wisdom hath built her house. She has hewn out her seven pillars.” The seven pillars expounded upon in the book are 1)Water; 2)Sleep and Rest; 3)Living Food; 4)Exercise; 5)Detoxification; 6)Nutritional Supplements; and 7)Coping with Stress.

My husband, Brian Kidman MD, and I operated Destiny Family Medical Clinic from 2005 to 2018 to help people obtain health and not cut short the destiny that God has for their lives. Thus the name of the clinic: Destiny. One of our main motivations for opening it was to be able to help people get to the root cause of their illness and thus, obtain the health that we believe God desires for all people. He never felt right about writing prescriptions for medications to help with anxiety and depression without offering something that can help our patients deal with the causes of these problems in order to bring about a long-term solution. So at the clinic, we had professionally trained counselors that give Bible-based counseling.

You see, just prescribing medications that don’t touch the soul or spirit of a man can never bring true, long-term healing. We are a spirit, we have a soul and we live in a body. We interact with others in our environment on a continual basis. Our relationships with others, with God, and with ourselves (how we interpret events) all affect our health and well-being.

It is a well-known scientific fact that a great percentage of illnesses are either aggravated or have their roots in mental, emotional (and we believe also spiritual) issues.

With this philosophy in mind I will outline what I feel are the seven pillars of good health (subject to amending as we learn more of course!):

1) Right Relationship with God/Right Image of God

2) Right Relationships with Others

3) Good Mental and Emotional Health

4) Adequate Rest/Sleep

5) Drinking Plenty of Fluids

6) Good Nutrition

7) Adequate Activity/Exercise

Of course you will see overlap in several of these areas because we are an integrated person. When we are having difficulties in our relationships with others we may feel angry, or resentful. When we have these feelings, certain hormones (stress hormones) are released in our bodies and if not controlled can eventually lead to sickness.

An example of how interrelated all the areas or our being are:

You see something disturbing on TV (a show or the news). You have a bad dream and wake up at night unable to get back to sleep for a while. The next day you feel tired and act irritable with your spouse and kids. Wow! One disturbing thought entering your mind affected your sleep, your emotional/spiritual life and your relational life. We are the only ones that can maintain our own temple at its optimal functioning level.

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Dr. Brian Kidman is a native of Huron, South Dakota. He completed his medical training and graduated from Texas Tech University School of Medicine in 1985. He then completed his Family Medicine training in 1988 at Sioux Falls Family Practice Residency Program, currently known as Center for Family Medicine in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Since finishing his residency training, Dr. Kidman has practiced in several different medical settings, including the Veteran’s Hospital, emergency medicine at several hospitals, and with Sanford Clinic in Sioux Falls. He then founded, and practiced family medicine at, Destiny Family Medical Clinic in 2005. 

He is married to Stephanie and has two daughters, Anna and Katie. He loves travel, especially to other countries where he has done much medical mission work over the years.

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Destiny Healthcare International (DHI) is a 501c3 tax exempt (per IRS) non-denominational, non-profit organization. DHI began in 2005 as a Family Medicine clinic called Destiny Family Medical Clinic (DFMC) in Sioux Falls, SD. In 2007 DHI began Destiny Outreach After Hours Clinic (DOAHC) serving the uninsured of Sioux Falls, SD and surrounding areas. After 13+ years of caring for patients, DFMC closed its doors when its founder, Dr. Brian Kidman, sensed that a change was coming for redirection.  As of January 1, 2023, Destiny Outreach After Hours Clinic merged with, and is now operated by, Center of Hope in Sioux Falls, SD. Dr. Kidman and family moved to Springfield, Missouri in October of 2023 to partner with CompassionLink, an organization closely aligned with the direction that DHI was moving in, that of focusing more on teaching and training in the areas of Healthcare and Community Development. 

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Welcome to Destiny Healthcare International! We are so pleased that you have taken the time to look us up. Destiny Healthcare International is a faith-based not-for-profit organization that promotes Health and Community Development in underserved areas in various parts of our world. We hope you benefit in some way from our website. We pray that God brings you to the next level of His destiny for your life and that we can be a small part of that in some way. If you are interested in the outreach efforts that Destiny is involved in, we would like to direct you to the Outreach section of this website.

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The vision of Destiny Healthcare International is to promote among all peoples, on foreign and domestic fields, particularly disadvantaged people groups, the physical, emotional, psychological, environmental, and spiritual health (integrated health) intended by God, and in so doing, release and encourage people to find and fulfill the purposes for which God has created and destined them.

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An integral part of the vision of Destiny Healthcare International is to care for those less privileged than us, both in our own area and also abroad. We bring our philosophy of "Integrated Healthcare" to less privileged peoples distant from us, including outside the borders of our own country, through outreach trips and collaboration with host-country partners.

Most of our trips are combinations of medical care, health teaching and training, community development and of course the best part, introducing people to the Great Physician, Jesus Christ.

Maybe you would consider joining us, or helping to support our efforts. If you have additional interest or questions, please write to us or give us a call.

If you are interested in joining us for a short term missions trip please click the links below to download application forms.

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We believe:
In one God existing in three persons, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit.
That the Bible is the inerrant Word of God and our sole authority in faith and conduct.
In a personal faith in Jesus Christ and His death on the cross, His burial, and His resurrection from the dead as our only means to eternal salvation.
In a personal commitment to Jesus Christ as the Lord of our lives.

We also believe:
In the virgin birth and unique Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In the representative and substitutionary sacrificial death of our Lord Jesus Christ as the necessary atonement for our sins.
In the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in the work of regeneration and in empowering us to live the Christ-centered life.
In the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, and that blessed hope, his personal return.
In the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved, and the everlasting punishment of the lost.
In the effectiveness of godly counsel, combining the love of God and the truth of the His Word, the Bible.
In the power of effective prayer.

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Destiny Healthcare International is headquartered in Springfield, Missouri. We are a not-for-profit organization involved in offering healthcare and community development teaching, training and assistance to underdeveloped places around the world. Thank you for looking us up. We hope you enjoy our website. 

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