Monday, January 24, 2011

Holy pharmacy!

So I finally cleaned out the "medicine cabinet" in the kitchen. I didn't realize just how many things we have accumulated (and kept) over the years! I'm embarrassed to admit it but, there were prescriptions and over the counter items that expired as far back as 1998 - OMG! Glenn made the comment that when it comes to medicines it's hard to get rid of them because they cost so much - I guess so!

Although that is somewhat embarrassing, I'm happy to say out of 3 very full grocery bags of medications I was able to eliminate 2 of those bags and it's now down to a very manageable amount of things that we'll keep on hand such as cold medicines, allergy medicines, indigestion/gas/constipation and our daily supplements. I threw away all expired items as well as any meds that I'm no longer taking, no matter how many were left. As you'll see in the following picture, the cabinet we typically keep our "meds" in was a bit out of control and had overflown to the counter top:




















Here I am with the pile getting ready to sort through....................




















Now, I'm happy to say that the lowest level is just our daily supplements and medications and on the higher levels those other items we use as we need for colds, allergies or GI issues. It didn't take too long to sort through the massive pile as a lot of the items were expired and/or no longer being used:





















The counter is cleared of any overflow and it feels nice to open the cabinet and not have anything fall out onto the counter or teetering on the edge of falling. It also feels nice to have some "control" over that cabinet again as well as cross another item off my "to do" list for the month of January.

Next big clean out project - THE PANTRY..........it's out of control too and other than the kids lunch snacks I have no idea what is really in there!!


Sunday, January 23, 2011

A funny thing happened........

You aren't going to believe this.....

The other day (Monday) as I was pushing vegetables though my juicer one of them must of gotten stuck as it slowed down and then sped up again which isn't a normal occurance. So I finish up what I'm juicing and when I took it apart to clean, this is what I see:



The feed tube cracked at the bottom!! Bummed, YES! The part with the little wheel also is now coming out of the feed tube...it seems like it might of been able to come out prior to this and I just didn't realize it but I'm not sure - so I clean it up and it seems to be ok, the crack doesn't seem to effect it ... for now...but I'm a little concerned about pushing anything hard through there now.....

Oh yea, this thing came with a 2yr warranty - crap, I better register it! So I complete the process to register it and will give it a few days before I call in to see if they will replace the top part of the unit for me. I hope they will as it's not in my plans to go buy another juicer so quickly!

So moving onto to Wednesday I stopped into GNC to browse around and as I'm standing there looking at some supplements I hear another customer asking the sales clerk "How much is that juicer".....and as that conversation progresses I hear "oh it's on sale for $35.99...."......my ears perked up and I went to where they were talking - the juicer looked to be a nice one.......power was good - looked very similar to the one I have just not a "name brand" - so I think what the heck, for that price I'm getting it as a back up! LUCKY DAY FOR ME!

So I get the juicer and make my merry way on home with my super find. I love when I find things like that!


Of course when I got home I had to check it out - so I opened it up and made some juice in my new machine - it works nice, it's a bit different of a set up than my original one and as of now I'm not sure I REALLY like it, but it serves it's purpose until I can figure out what I'm going to be able to do about my original one.

Fast forward a few days to yesterday (Saturday)..............

I'm juicing away with the OLD juicer as it seems to be doing fine and as I am pushing some carrots through........I hear a big loud noise, like something shouldn't be in there! I stop my juicer and there it is..... that big chunk of plastic with the wheel on it finally broke loose during juicing.......opps - it's from the bottom of the feed tube - ut oh.......are you serious?? WTF?!?

So I take it apart, clean it and it seems to have broken a little further - now I REALLY need to call the customer service line and see what they'll do. That's my plan for today...wish me luck with that! I'm hoping, at the very least, they will replace the top section of the juicer and that will be that - but nothing is ever that easy so we'll see if luck is on my side!

On another note.......I did a salt water flush on Tuesday.....that was interesting.....if you ever do one of those - please make sure you pay attention to the cautions given and STAY HOME! You'll be thankful to be very close to your toilet for a while! One of the side effects is a headache due to all the toxins leaving your body - as stated, I did end up getting a headache the following day which has pretty much stayed with me since - so I'm not sure what's up with that but I'm trying to just plug along taking ibuprofen but this waking up with a pounding head is no fun...hopefully it'll be gone soon as the flush was several days ago and I THINK I shouldn't be still releasing toxins but who knows. At any rate, if you have never done a salt water flush - here is a link about it - it's pretty simple and effective to clean out your digestive tract.......http://www.colonzone.org/salt-water-flush.php

I know in a previous post I had said something about cleaning out my "medicine cabinet" - that's on the plans for this morning - I'm getting ready to go take care of that now...it's a pretty scary looking cabinet as you'll see in my next post either later today or tomorrow........until then have a GREAT day!

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Vertigo - GOING, GOING - GONE!

So I woke up today and the vertigo seems to be getting less and less - today I feel so much better, in fact I am not nearly as dizzy as I've been. I have only had a couple times since waking that I felt slightly dizzy and that was when I moved too quickly. So I will continue to take it easy but am able to resume my normal activities including driving, cooking, cleaning - all that great stuff. I'm so glad it's not hanging around longer than this week - I was concerned I was going to be dealing with it for a while again.

When I saw the Dr on Wed I had asked him if this could be linked to the fibromyalgia - he did say that sometimes people with fibromyalgia will also have episodes of vertigo. Although I've never read anything to state this, I'll believe him, he is the one who specializes in all this. I also discussed with him the possibility of the vertigo being a sign that I could have MS. He stated that yes, vertigo is a sign of MS and that I should consult my Neurologist for further investigation of that possibility. I decided that if I get another sudden onset I will do just that. There are many factors in determining if someone has MS - so I think that is another battle and battery of testing that will be necessary to undergo should I decide it's something worth pursuing. The last time I discussed this with the neurologist she didn't feel that the changes in my brain lesions that showed on the MRI indicated possible MS. So we left it at that.

Today is day 2 of starting my new supplements and I even got my husband to join me in taking them. I was shocked actually that he drank the spirulina. If you have ever had it, you'll know what I mean when I say it's GREEN and smells horrid! Although, we mixed it with Orange Juice and it tasted like Orange juice - so as long as he can't taste the nastiness of it I know he'll drink it. He doesn't eat any vegetables so being able to get this into him is only going to help him. As I had posted in yesterday's entry, the spirulina is full of great things - everyone should use it to aid in their health and to make sure they are getting what the body needs to be healthy.

I had someone ask me just recently if all this juicing has made any difference - in all honesty I have only noticed my level of energy slightly increase AND I'm feeling less fatigued than I have in the past - but not a lot of major differences that I can pin point with precision. If you ask me, those two things are pretty major for someone with CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), so yes, it's helping. I think, as a friend of mine said, it's going to take some time for my body to reverse all the negative things that I've subject it to all my life. In particular, the bad foods and lack of good nutrients for so many years. The immediate benefits are not necessarily outward but inside, my body is certainly healing itself and loving all the goodness it's getting. It can be frustrating to not see immediate changes, but I think overall it's helping and expect it to take up to 2 months or more to really make a huge impact. Overall I do feel good if you compare how I feel today to 2, 3 or 4 months ago...so I think it's definitely helping, yes.

Grapefruit, apples and Carrots - YUM



2 fuji apples
2 large carrots
1 pink grapefruit
1/2 cup purified water

Juice all and then add water

This is an isotonic juice and is great before, during and after exercise. Pink Grapefruit is a great source of folic acid which is essential to athletes as deficiency could impair aerobic performance. They also contain Lycopene, an antioxidant which protects the body against some cancers and lowers the risk of heart disease.

This juice is also a great source of vitamins A, C, B1, B6, folic acid, potassium and provides useful amounts of calcium which is essential for healthy bones.

Yields 3 cups - serves 2

Per serving:
210 calories
1g fat
50g carbohydrates
1mg iron
95 mg calcium

Noted from the book "Power Juices"

Friday, January 14, 2011

Is it all really necessary?

I'm like a lot of people and often ask myself if all the "extras" are REALLY necessary in order to live a long healthy life. Juicing, eating a diet high in raw foods, extra supplements, exercise - when is it all TOO MUCH? I don't know the answers and can read all the same studies other people read but it really comes down to what YOU believe and to what extent YOU want to feel good and live what you consider a "healthy lifestyle". The definition of "healthy lifestyle" is going to greatly differ with each person you talk to about it.

Up until recently I never really gave a second thought to lunch or dinner at the local fast food place, Taco Bell was one of my favorite places to go late at night after a party.......extra vitamins and supplements, no way - they can be pricey and I figured we get enough of what is "recommended" in what we eat anyway so what's the point in spending the money on those things.

Well, slowly my feelings on all this are changing towards the line of thought that some of it, not all, but some of it is really necessary to add to what you put in your body. Reading various things has convinced me that some of it might just make sense.

Starting today I'm adding the following things to my diet in an effort to aid my body in fighting the chronic illnesses I have been suffering from (Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - commonly referred to as FMS and CFS - some physicians will say they are one in the same, others say they are two separate illnesses that commonly run together:


**Acidophilus Probiotic (liquid form) - this is to aid in healthy intestinal bacteria and help control immune response to inflammation especially if one suffers from Inflammatory Bowel disease


**Spirulina - this powder is packed with vitamins and minerals and is considered a complete protein. It is rich in essential fatty acids. The vitamins you'll get with this powder are B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, as well as vitamins C, D, E and A. There is some controversy to the availability of B12 in this product so taking additional B12 is a good idea. It is a rich source of potassium and also contains calcium, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium, sodium, and zinc. This one supplement strongly supports the immune system and a healthy inflammatory response. With my current condition those two things are very important to keep healthy.



**B3 (Niacin) and B12 - B vitamins help the body to convert food (carbohydrates) into fuel (glucose), which is "burned" to produce energy. These B vitamins, also help the body metabolize fats and protein. B complex vitamins are necessary for healthy skin, hair, eyes, and liver. They also help the nervous system function properly. Niacin also helps the body make various sex and stress-related hormones in the adrenal glands and other parts of the body.


**Sea Kelp - As a highly alkaline substance, sea kelp can help restore optimum pH levels in the body. It is an excellent source of iodine therefore sea kelp can improve thyroid function, potentially increasing metabolism, energy and decreasing weight gain. It is also known to provide improved function of the immune system and thyroid gland, improved mental abilities and concentration and provides anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties.





All in all I think it can't hurt and if I find that I have an overall better feeling of wellness then it's a good thing. I can say that so far, with just one day into the supplements I can tell I have more energy, that fast. So I'm excited to see how I feel after several days of taking the extra supplements.

While I was at the natural grocery store purchasing my new supplements I was a little overwhelmed with all the options available and being that I don't know a lot about all those different options, felt really out of my element and very out of place. Eventually I will know more as I learn how to transform my habits and choose the better options when I can.

By the way, if you are considering adding Spirulina to your daily diet, be forewarned, that is some nasty stuff - it's horrid! There is no doubt on that! I mixed it with orange juice and just downed it as it is an ugly green color and the less you have to taste the better!

I'm gearing up to clean out our "medicine cabinet" that houses the numerous medications I've been prescribed over the past 6 months - most of which I am not taking now except two - Effexor and Adderall. The effexor was just recently doubled in dosage to help with the FMS pain and the adderall is something I've taken for years for my ADD. My immediate goal is to get off the adderall and eventually get off the Effexor, although it is being used to help me with my FMS I'm thinking that one won't be going away anytime soon.

Stay tuned for pictures of the pharmacy we have going on, before and after pictures of the cabinet as I rid it of the medications - I think even I will be surprised at how many things we have in there - I just opened it earlier and things are spilling out - 99% of the items in there are probably expired or just something I use to take and never removed.

Morning Energizer

3-4 carrots
1/2 beetroot
1/2 lemon
1 cucumber peeled
1 inch piece gingerroot

Cut all to fit in your juicers feed tube and enjoy - don't let the blood red color fool you, this is a really mild tasting juice

This is one juice that is recommended for those who suffer from CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) as carrot juice is helpful in treating fatigue, beetroot and cucumber help cleanse the gallbladder and liver. (Especially beetroot juice)


Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Why is this happening AGAIN?

Frustrated is the only word that comes to mind. I woke up on Monday feeling dizzy - it wasn't too bad so I thought, or hoped rather, it would just go away....well come Tuesday it was worse. Glenn ended up staying home and taking me to the Chiropractor for an adjustment as the last time I was REALLY sick and with dizziness the adjustments really helped. I did feel a bit better last night, still dizzy but not as intense so I think the adjustment did help. This morning I woke up feeling just as dizzy as I was yesterday so another adjustment is probably in order as often times it won't "stick" until you have a few - the Chiropractor did say I'm out in my C1 vertebra which will cause dizziness.......I just want to scream...or cry...not sure.

Here I am, doing everything right, eating right, adding fruits and vegetables to my body.......exercising....doing everything I've been advised to do to "feel better" and out of the blue I get this freaking "vertigo" again! It SUCKS!

I'm sorry I don't have anything great or positive to say in this post today - I'm more than frustrated with my current situation - and to not know WHY just drives me crazy. Glenn has asked me to write a letter to The Mayo Clinic in hopes that they might take me in and figure out what is going on. Not only with the dizziness but in general. All of this just makes it too easy to say screw it and lay down and give in - but I can't - I can't go through this again, not for the length of time I did last time (over a month of straight dizziness) and I won't - I can't stop living my life again because it will send me into another downward spiral that I emotionally just can't afford to go through again. It's only been about 2 months since I stopped being dizzy from the last time, too soon, way too soon to be going through it all over again.

I know I have been diagnosed with "fibromyalgia" and am tired of hearing some people say how it's the "catch all diagnosis for when the Dr's just don't know what's wrong" - and feel if that is the case then it could be possible for the Mayo Clinic to accept me and help me......I pray PLEASE GOD, someone help me! Although out of all the material I've read about the diagnosis, dizziness isn't part of it so this is something entirely separate from that.

There are several reasons why someone could have episodes of vertigo. Funny thing, or not so funny, when I had my last MRI a few months ago, they did comment that they saw something that appeared to be "fluid at the base of my brain" - concerning YES - but after review of the MRI the radiologist decided it wasn't anything to worry about - WHAT? Now I'm beginning to really wonder!

Another thing I've read which concerns me is that vertigo is often a presenting symptom for Multiple Sclerosis with the onset of vertigo being abrupt and examination of the eyes will reveal an inability to move them past the midline toward the nose - well guess what - I can't move my eyes past the midline toward my nose - it's impossible - my left eye will shoot off the the left and my right eye doesn't go inward....when I mentioned to my neurologist the possibility of MS - she said the lesions on my brain don't indicate MS and she wasn't concerned one bit - well she isn't me - my biological mom has severe MS and has for years told me she is worried that I have it but haven't been diagnosed yet. I have lesions on my brain from the past episodes of meningitis and migrains - according to the neurologist those lesions have changed slightly over the past 5 yrs but not enough to warrant concern. Another possibility of vertigo is caused by brain lesions. Of course I'm worried that any one of these things could be the cause...a bit extreme one might say but hey, if you know me, my health issues are to the extreme!

I have a sinking feeling that I'm on a long road still - although I have this diagnosis of fibromyalgia, I feel it's just one step on the journey to finding out what is REALLY going on - out of all the material I've read about fibromyalgia - I have some of the symptoms but not all and in my heart just feel it's a temporary diagnosis, or one of many things that will be diagnosed for me.

For those of you who follow this blog and feel like I do that there is something wrong and nobody has found it yet, I hope you find strength to fight for yourself - it's hard, I know, but if you don't do it, nobody will and there is someone out there, there has to be someone out there, who will take the time to really listen to you and help you figure out what is going on inside your body. It's simply not normal to feel like shit all the time and get crazy, intense and bad viruses all the time. It's not right.

Until next time - hopefully things will be better.........I leave you with a link to learn more about Vertigo

Monday, January 10, 2011

What's the difference between FRESH juice and store bought juice?

Simply stated, juicing has amazing benefits for your body. Many people think purchasing a carton of OJ at the grocery store is the same when in fact they are simply purchasing a carton of juice that has been stripped of it's potential health benefits because of the processing and preservatives that are added to make it last long enough to get to the store and be purchased by the end consumer.

Fresh juice is "live food" with it's FULL complement of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and enzymes. It also has a living ingredient - "light energy" that revitalizes the body. You feel different when you drink FRESH juice.

Commercially processed, canned, frozen, bottle or packaged juices have been pasturized, which means it's been heated to HIGH temperatures and many of the vitamins and enzymes have been killed or removed. This allows your juice to have a longer shelf life but won't give your body the kind of life you get from drinking Fresh Raw Juice.

Making your own juice also allows you to get a wide variety of fruits and vegetables as well as stems and leaves you wouldn't otherwise get. Most of your processed juices won't have Beetroot, Jicama, celery leaves and parsley to name a few of the good things that you can put in your own juices.

A lot of people have also asked me over the past few weeks if it's expensive. While I find that my grocery bill is slightly higher, I have many more fruits and vegetables in my basket and I'm not going to the grocery store as often so it actually ends up less expensive overall. When you break it down, it's actually economical in the long run to make your own juice and the benefits will outweigh everything else. You will most likely save money on Dr visits and medications in the future as well.

In addition to the above, it is recommended that we get 9-13 servings of fruits and vegetables per day compared to the old "5 a day" most of us grew up being told. It's very difficult to get 9-13 servings a day for most people, so doing it through juicing makes it MUCH easier.

To give you an idea, in order to get your 9 servings a day it looks something like this: 2 cups green leafy vegetables which is about one good size salad, and 4 cups of fruits and vegetables....that's A LOT!

Take it from me, it's really easy to incorporate juicing into your life. If you have a busy schedule you can juice what you need for the day and take it with you to enjoy throughout your busy day - it will give you a nice energizer in the morning and afternoon as well.

I've also had people asking me what kind of juicer is a good one to get. The juicers you can find on the market vary in price from low end $30 ones to higher end upwards towards $200 ones. I purchased one that was $90 and works great! Now remember, a BLENDER is not a juicer - the difference is a blender liquifies everything you put in it, a juicer seperates the liquid from the pulp.

From what I understand here is what you want to look for in a good juicer:
*Horsepower of at least .5
*sustainable blade speed while juicing - you don't want the blade to slow down or stop when you push things through it
*able to juice all types of fruits and vegetables
*Large feed tube
*Ejects pulp into different area than where the juice goes - a machine that keeps the pulp in the same section as where the juice goes can't juice continuously as it will get too crowded
*Only a few parts to clean - juicers with many parts to clean are difficult and time consuming thus you are less likely to want to juice regularly. Not only that, juicers with too many parts tend to have parts that are difficult to clean.

My juicer is called "juice man" and has 3 parts to clean. The main basket, the blade and the pusher. It's easy to clean and put back together thus I'm juicing 2x a day because of it. I can imagine if it were more than that I wouldn't be likely to want to do it 2x a day.

The entire machine ready to go:

The Blade and separate Pulp area:

The pusher to push your items through the tube (two sizes for different size items)

Large feeding tube area:

For those of you interested in all this I hope this post was informative and helpful for you if you are considering purchasing a juicer. I HIGHLY recommend it. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask! I'll do my best to answer your questions based on what I know as of now - I'm still learning about all this you know!

Another week.....and returning nasty "symptoms"

So I woke up at my normal time today with Taylor but we went back to bed because it's a snow day - we didn't get too much snow to call a snow day but due to the frigid temps they called it to keep everyone off the dangerous and icy roads this morning. So back to bed I went which probably wasn't the best idea. I find that if I go back to bed I'm even more tired when I wake up the next time..oh well, it was nice to get some extra snooze time anyway.


Today I'm dealing with dizzy spells - not sure why other than I took my meds a little late - but usually I don't get dizzy spells from taking my meds late, only when I completely miss a day of them - I hate being dizzy - it's the worst feeling to have your head spinning....hopefully it'll pass and isn't the beginning of another month of dizziness - I don't think I can do that again. As long as I don't make sudden quick movements I'm ok, but if I get up too fast, turn my head too fast or anything like that, I'm spinning and dizzy.

When the cold weather came in on Saturday I noticed that I started not feeling well - I think I'm seeing a pattern here with cold weather - my hips start to hurt, my headache comes back and I just don't feel well - hmmmmm maybe the dizziness has something to do with it too, I don't know - they do say that colder temps cause symptoms to flair so I guess that's true because it happened. I'm hoping I can figure out a way to plan for cold weather and avoid the symptoms that go with it - not sure how I can but I'm going to try to figure it out, if there is a way then I'll find it - it would stink to have to move because of it - although Florida doesn't sound so bad :) I even have friends there so if we were to ever move from here I think that would be one place that would be in the running for us just for the climate - warm weather is a good thing for Fibromyalgia.

Last night we went to the annual Colorado Slumber Parties holiday party. We also do it in Jan as it's less expensive and more people can attend since they aren't dealing with all the December parties going on. It was a lot of fun seeing everyone. The food was fabulous and all in all it was just a super fun night. I'm really glad I went, for a bit I wasn't going to go due to my headache but I went ahead and sucked it up and went - and I'm glad I did. It was a masquerade ball so everyone was wearing their fancy masks....


I'm still juicing daily - I've read that I need to have a diet of 75% raw foods - so juicing is definitely the right thing for me - now to figure out the other things I need to add to the juice such as powders to include protein and vitamins. I'm getting there, it's just a slow process to figure it all out.

Until next time!

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Bet you didn't know .........

All the different health benefits from various fruits and vegetables - but I'm going to tell you! Starting with:


Honey Dew Melon

The basics you need to know when purchasing and consuming a Honey Dew Melon. I've included a link to the source where you can read even more information about this amazing and yummy fruit.

The edible portion is an excellent source of Vitamin C, provitamin A and potassium, zinc, and valuable digestive enzymes. They are fairly low in carbohydrates but since it is big you can usually get enough of your recommended daily requirements. The simplest way to know if its mature is its ground color ranging from greenish white (immature) to creamy yellow (mature).

Nutrient Value: per 100 g

* Vitamin C: 18 mg
* Fiber: 1 g
* Protein: 0.5 g
* Carbohydrates: 9 g
* Sugar: 8 g
* Sodium: 18 mg
* Fat: 0.1 g

Buying Tips:

* Quality is determined by the honeydew having a nearly perfect round shape with a smooth surface free of defects.
* Honeydew should feel heavy for its size and have a waxy (not fuzzy) surface.
* The honeydew that weigh about 2.2kg, have creamy yellow stem ends that is slightly soft when pressed, are bound to be the sweetest and best tasting. Avoid melons that are as hard as bowling balls because its flesh is also hard. The hardness is maybe because it is picked too early.

Change is not easy, not easy at all....

When someone tells you that you have a lifelong disorder that will require you to change everything you have always done, you would think it would be a no-brainer that you just do what you have to do to move forward and make sure you do the things you need to do to get on the road to feeling better and staying that way.....welll.....

Damn! It's not that easy! I've had many days of frustration this week with trying to 'change my ways'. I'm frustrated that I just can't 'do it' and that it's harder than I thought it would be. Everything from when I go to sleep to when I wake up, what I do when I wake up and throughout the day - changing all my routines, or lack of, is taking longer than I thought it would and it's really frustrating. Slowly but surely I know I'll get there and all will be good but getting there is proving to be a rough road. I'm tough, I can do it.......I CAN do it. I HAVE TO DO IT!

I'm realizing as I learn more about my disorder that I have to change everything in my diet......as you may or may not know, I've been juicing since getting a juicer on Christmas - that has been going great and I think helping me a lot in regards to changing my food choices. I've done well this week I think and just need to continue eating more lean meats, veggies, fruits and non processed foods. Bread is my downfall, as are many other things so slowly eliminating these things from my diet is my plan - although as I am writing this I feel the need to mention I did have pizza tonight, stuffed crust at that! UGH.......I guess that's a "slip up" I can afford every now and then until I get to the point of just saying NO - it's like quitting smoking - just have to give it up! It's so hard especially when I have two kids and a husband who have no interest in changing their eating habits - hopefully as we get further along in this they will slowly adapt with me......that's all I can hope for as I chug along.

On a good note I've lost 5lbs since the first of the year - I would like to lose a total of 25lbs so just 20 more to go - I've been exercising and eating better so the weight shouldn't be too difficult to get off - especially as I continue to cut out specific things that I shouldn't be having because of the fibromyalgia. I bought a new book that focuses on juicing for health and I've learned that ideally I need to eliminate sugar and white flour products, avoid alcohol and caffeine
increase vegetable and protein servings and choose only whole grain products, detox my body especially the liver, gallbladder and colon, juice plenty of vegetables, have short juice fasts, and make up to 75% of my diet raw food which means plenty raw fruits, vegetables, green salads, carrot and other vegetable juices in the amount of 2-3 glasses a day, nuts, seeds, and dehydrated foods with some cooked food at dinner should, over a 2-3 month period improve my pain, stiffness and quality of sleep.

So with what I just put above, I think I'm on the right path. The hard part for me will be eliminating my morning caffeine and some of my favorite foods that I've always allowed myself to indulge in - although with the help of specific vitamins to replace the energy I get from the caffeine and feeling better I think I can do it. We have already made the switch from regular coffee to 1/2 caff - to give our bodies a chance to adjust to less caffeine - I told my husband I don't want to just cut it off as I don't want the headaches that come along with that.....I've had enough headaches over the past several months to last me a lifetime. So we'll give it a couple weeks then see if we or at least I can cut out the coffee all together - one of my favorite morning things - I hate to give it up! Sorry Starbucks, I'll no longer be able to come in the afternoon for my mid-day pick me up! (wiping the tears away)

It's a slow go but I'm going to beat this disorder and get better!

Monday, January 3, 2011

Morning Treat


makes about 2.5 cups of juice

1 red pear
1 orange
2 wedges of honey dew melon (about a 1/4 of a small melon)
1 large golden delicious green apple
1/4 of a lemon
1 small piece of ginger

It's a New Year with tons of hope for the future

Well here we are! 2011!! WOW - I'm sure we have all made some "resolutions" - I try not to make "resolutions" as that tends to only lead me to fail - however I do try to make new promises to myself - it's just how I like to look at it and I do feel that with a promise to myself I am more apt to keep it and not let myself down. I know, it's the same thing just worded differently :)


In my last update I had mentioned the pending sleep study - well after I posted that things changed. We had a snow storm come through the area and due to the amount of snow I wasn't able to go. Being that my insurance deductible has now started over I am going to try to work towards finding a way to combat my chronic fatigue using exercise, weight loss and healthy eating choices. We'll see how far I get with that but for now I am confident there are other ways to deal with it other than using that apnea machine and/or medications.

I am currently dealing with some excruciating pain in my right shoulder/arm/hand every morning that is really very frustrating. I have been waking up for several months now with my fingers (index, middle and ring finger mainly) tingling and numb. Some days my pinky is included, some days the thumb but always those three fingers. More recently over the past few weeks a new pain has joined the party. I think it's a nerve issue as I can feel the pain go all the way up my arm into my shoulder where I do have quite a large knot (or two or three or four) but one in particular that when you rub it you can feel it roll - it's quite the party conversation piece. I do everything from get up against the wall with a tennis ball and roll it over the spot on my shoulder (around the curve in the scapula) to massage it, rotate my arm, scream, cry, roll around the floor, stretch...you name it - anything I can try to do to ease the pain. It use to go away relatively quickly after I would get up and rub that spot but now it is taking a good hour up to 2 hrs for it to stop being tingly, numb and painful. I think a few chiropractor trips are in order to get things straightened out and possibly release whatever is causing this - of course it won't completely "fix" it but will at least give me some relief for the time being. Continual work on it is what is going to be needed and I guess as I can afford to pay those professionals who can help me I will (Chiropractor and massage)

I continue to juice with my new machine and have come up with some really good mixtures that even my kids are enjoying. I'm thrilled about this as they rarely eat vegetables or fruit for that matter so getting these things into their bodies makes me one happy mom. Glenn is also enjoying the fruit/vegetable combinations so it's a great thing that we have brought into our home. The cost of purchasing so many fruits/vegetables will be worth the benefits it gives us all over time.

Here is a really good juice recipe that even the pickiest of children will drink down willingly - I only know because my son is one of them and LOVED this one! We'll name it "Child's Choice"


1 orange
1 beet slice (about a quarter chunk of a med size beet, peeled)
2 red pears
2 large golden delicious green apples
50 red grapes
1/2 med size lemon
4 small/medium carrots

Push all through the juicer and enjoy! You can't taste the beet in this recipe as the sweet fruits will cover it up - beets should be used sparingly in any recipe as they tend to not be liked by many people but are very good for you.

Today is a great day - kids are back in school and it's time to get life back on track after the 2 wk holiday break. It's been a bit slow going this morning with the 20 degree weather, pain and all but it's time to pick up and get the day under way - lots to do including taking down the Christmas tree, putting away the ornaments, grocery shopping, cleaning, laundry - the list is so big, hopefully it'll all get done today......wish me luck!