Housekeeping and Fibromyalgia

Yes! Household "chores" drive me nuts, I live by myself and trying to maintain it all and my sanity it a chore in itself! I struggled for the longest time in trying to find the right balance, as I would not have the energy and would let things go, then the clutter would get to me... So now I've learned that little efforts can add up and make a difference, if I can try and tackle one or two things that is better than nothing. I've learned to pace myself. Most people probably do not schedule time in their day to do dishes or fold laundry the way I do, I look at it as a big, daunting, energy draining chore. But I do it. One or two a day, and things seem to work out. And sometimes something as simple as "resting" and getting up during commercials to do something during that time seems to help. (Take out the trash) Simple tasks. I used to come home and try to do everything at once and then sit down and rest for the evening. Now I treat myself right first - come home and rest, then tackle one chore. Rest, then another if able. Etc. The key to my day is rest as much as I need, when I need, even for 10 minutes, sit and chill for a few, put my feet up, take a breather, pace myself. I have tried to find as many things to help me out around the house - a laundry bag cart on wheels with 4 removable bags - this way I presort laundry as I fill them! And I can grab and go each load as needed. I treated myself to the neat-o (its like a roomba) floor cleaner. This is a HUGE deal in my life! I can schedule it to clean when I am out of the house! I pick up a few chairs, rugs, shoes and things it bumps around and away it goes sweeping and cleaning my floors! Once or twice a week away he goes (yes I even gave it a name, he, "Freddy") and it is amazing the dirt and dust he picks up. SO glad to have invested in that! I always have an ongoing grocery list on my smartphone. Sometimes I stop at the store randomly, if I do I can check see what I need ad can quickly grab exactly what all I need. Whenever I run out of anything  (Shampoo, saran wrap, mayo, bread etc!) I add it quickly to the list on my phone. This really helps me stay organized, and FEEL organized and not forget anything!  This is a great article about pacing yourself, baby steps to organization and handling it all, even a move to a new place! You go girl!

http://www.prohealth.com/fibromyalgia/library/showArticle.cfm?libid=18388&B1=EM102313F

Do you have any helpful household tips for fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue sufferers?

Eat Your Greens for Fibro!

Yes - Sue Ingebretson, she has it right - eat your greens for health!

I do believe that the better I eat - the better I feel - and the healthier I am, despite the fibromyalgia! I notice a distinct difference in how I feel when I eat healthy (fruits, veggies) and not so healthy (skittles, cookies). Yes, I allow myself cheats, cake, sugar, come on a Florida girl needs her Key Lime pie! But each time I veer from the healthy eats I know what I am in for and I feel the veer and know that eating back on track will again make me feel just that much healthier and better :) It has been a long process, but slowly and surely I have made strides over time (5 years+) to a better lifestyle and diet. In the long run yes it does make a difference, in how I feel, how I look and how I am able to tackle my fibro everyday. Read Sue's 6 Reason's To Eat Your Leafy Greens:


http://www.prohealth.com/fibromyalgia/library/showArticle.cfm?libid=18416&B1=EM102313F


Like Sue's article? You should check out her awesome book, FibroWHYalgia! One of the best and my favorites that I've read on fibromyalgia:

Aqua Therapy for Fibromyalgia

Ahhhhh warm water......Yes, sign me up! When in a great deal of pain I do resort to a nice warm shower to help. That's as close as I am able to get so far to an aqua therapy plan for my fibromyalgia. I cannot find a good facility in my area at times that work for me (grrrr) but I do have on my wish list to try someday if possible, as I do believe in the benefits.

Sue writes of the great benefits, why it works and other recommendations here:

http://www.prohealth.com/fibromyalgia/library/showArticle.cfm?libid=18426&B1=EM102313F

Have you tried aqua therapy?

Celebrity With Fibromyalgia: Morgan Freeman

I have found several articles and mentionings of various celebrities having fibromyalgia. It would be nice to have a well known celebrity as a spokesperson, who could give us a voice and speak out that this fibro IS REAL.

I understand the fears in speaking out, we all face it, and as a celebrity I can see that even more so your future job opportunities may be in jeopardy if it is known that you have a strange, bizarre debilitating condition.

It begs the question this author spoke to, should they speak out, speak up, step up and be the voice, the face, the force that we need to get fibromyalgia to the forefront to be better recognized, understood, accepted?

http://www.prohealth.com/fibromyalgia/library/showArticle.cfm?libid=18432&B1=EM102313F

What do you think?

Fibromyalgia and Vegan and Vegetarian Diets - Are There Links and Benefits?

Interesting: Beginnings of data towards the benefits of a whole foods plant diet for fibromyalgia (worth the watch, the video is @ 5 minutes, though they should have had someone else do the voice over as the doctor is a bit monotone.)

http://nutritionfacts.org/video/fibromyalgia-vs-vegetarian-raw-vegan-diets/

I have to admit since I have cut out meats (red meat, chicken, pork) and dairy (cows milk, yogurt) I truly do feel better! I don't even miss those items!

Thoughts? 

The Benefits of Melatonin

I've touted the benefits of using alternative and natural supplements vs prescription drugs for a while now. And I came across this article on melatonin and I found it extremely informative. It is quite long, and I had no idea all this about melatonin! Two of the things I found most interesting is that they 1. are starting to see links between using melatonin to help decrease Parkinson's (my father in 70 and has been diagnosed with) 2. some common prescription drugs - Xanax, Valium, Ativan - actually suppress melatonin levels in the body.

Worth the read:

http://www.prohealth.com/library/showArticle.cfm?libid=18342&B1=EG100213

A Whole Foods Plant Based Diet for Health

So a friend invited me to a "vegan" luncheon this past weekend to try vegan dishes and also watch the movie, "Forks Over Knives." I'll be honest, I had always kind of avoided this movie because I thought it was going to show animals being harmed, in crates etc. (Horrible) And yes, I think that is horrible, but I did not want that to be what made me change the way I eat. No, this movie is not like that at all! It is an EXCELLENT movie - VERY scientific and clinical and fact based, not an in-your-face kind of movie at all. They follow 2 guys throughout a 13 week diet change from eating animal protein to eating a whole foods plant based diet (very similar to vegan.) Let me just say - extraordinary results! And that's just a small part of the movie.

And can I say that I was amazed at the variety of dishes we came up with at our luncheon! Appetizers, entrees and desserts! Mac n cheese, quinoa patties, chocolate "mousse", fudge brownies, spiced carrot cake.

Now back to the movie. So it really got me thinking. Yes, its a healthier way to eat and to live - a whole foods plant based diet. It will help my fibro and CFS even more for sure and help me feel even better. Now for the game plan. The big thing - cut out meat. Well, to tell you the truth I had not cooked meat at home for years, only ate it out, so that's easy (just stop eating meat at restaurants), milk - again I already replaced cows milk with almond milk. At home I cook and eat a lot with chickpeas, brown rice and veggies already, I am already on the game plan and I didn't know it! I did logon to my Pinterest account and deleted all recipes with meat :) Seems temptations outside of the home will be the biggest challenge. I looked up local vegan and vegetarian friendly restaurants. Even local burger joints have some super yummy looking mushroom and falafel burgers! Friends BBQ? No problem, I'll bring my own patties, and a few extra patties in case others are curious ;) Chicken salad? Um, can they substitute with black beans?!  Sounds like I have an attempt a game plan! Now do I have the discipline.... Though my friend said that the more she ate on the plant based diet the better she felt and less she was tempted to go back to her old way of eating!

Here are a few super helpful links I found for creating veggie patties - really, the sky is the limit here! Who needs meat??

http://engine2diet.com/recipe/plant-strong-burgers/
http://www.veganlunchbox.com/loaf_studio.html
http://rmcrayne.hubpages.com/hub/Vegetarian-Burgers-Vegetarian-Burger-Recipes

If you want to watch the movie I believe you can watch it online here at their website, and their website itself is such a  wealth of information! Also check with your local library, they may have a copy of the movie too:

http://www.forksoverknives.com/

This is also related, and an excellent resource and starting point:

http://engine2diet.com


I'd love to know anyone else's thoughts, experiences?

Fibro Comes in Cycles?

Lately I seem to have discovered a trend. It seems no matter what I do, eating healthy, exercising as I can, taking supplements, getting plenty of sleep, avoiding stress, I still have bouts and episodes with fibro that seems to get worse. It seems cyclic - seems to come and go in cycles, so I guess I have to not despair and just keep plodding through with my best practices. Has anyone else noticed this trend in their fibro/cfs?

Food Shopping & Saving at Vitacost!

I learned early on in the fibro diagnosis that I did not want to go the prescription route and wanted to stay as all natural as I could, and started down the path of vitamins and supplements. I found an excellent online resource - vitacost.com - and they have started to also offer excellent food products that fit into my healthy eating (gluten free) and my budget! I am so glad specialized food products are becoming more mainstream and affordable. Here are some of my favorites to order and keep on hand:

TULSI TUMMY - Tea for soothing digestive support -- all the Tulsi teas are excellent tasting and healing, this one is a great alternative to coffee in the morning

ANNIE'S HOMEGROWN MICROWAVABLE GLUTEN FREE MAC N CHEESE -- whats not to love, gluten free mac n cheese!!

MARY'S GONE CRACKERS -- Organic gluten free crackers

NATURE'S EARTHLY CHOICE FALAFEL WITH QUINOA -- Original Recipe (I gotta try the garlic flavor next!), cooks in minutes, lots of protein

PERKY'S CRUNCHY FLAX -- free of the 8 common allergens, great as cereal or on top of yogurt, gotta love the fiber :)

LUNDBERGS CINNAMON RICE CAKES -- I love cinnamon!


At these prices you can load up your cart and try a variety of different foods. Free shipping over $50, and unlike Whole Foods, sometimes I find it hard to get to that $50 mark, and when I do I have SO many items for my money! And how great, shopping from my couch, shipped right to my door :)

Even More Celebrities Battling Fibromyalgia

Wow! I had no idea these celebrities also battle fibro!

Morgan Freeman
Janeane Garofalo

http://www.inspiredlivingwithfibromyalgia.com/2012/07/faces-of-famous-people-with-fibromyalgia.html

Eating a Healthy, Affordable Fibromyalgia Diet

Struggling with dealing with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and what to eat to feel better? and how to afford healthy eating? Sue Ingebretson provides some great advice in her articles here via ProHealth's website:

http://www.prohealth.com/fibromyalgia/library/showArticle.cfm?libid=18298&B1=EM082813F&utm_source=EM082813F&utm_medium=em


http://www.prohealth.com/fibromyalgia/library/showArticle.cfm?libid=18299&B1=EM082813F

I know that making small changes like these over time have definitely helped me in feeling better and simply living a more nutritional life! Love the tips on healthy eating on a budget. The more changes I make in my diet towards healthier eating, the less I find myself in those middle aisles of the grocery (boxes of processed foods).