Try Something New - Yoga Moves to Help with Pain

This is an awesome article, yay yoga! Yoga keeps me moving, and at the same time calms me and helps me sleep better. I feel more balanced and centered in life. I encourage everyone to give it a try. It is just enough for me and my fibro, and I can take it further if I need to or scale back as needed, and I have found moves to do in place of some that I just cannot do while the rest of the class is doing. A lot of people have joined in the class I am in, new year's resolutions to try something new :)

These are great examples of how practicing yoga can help with pain, it has helped me tremendously:

http://dailywd.womansday.com/blog/2010/09/daily-dose-yoga-moves-for-pain-relief-.html

Is it Fibro?

This is a good article for the newly diagnosed to read, just to make sure another diagnosis has not been overlooked:

http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/5949/130580/fibromyalgia?ic=6042

She touches, more in depth, on these conditions which can have similar symptoms to fibro:

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome -- most fibromites unfortunately do have CFS, in addition to their fibro :(

Lupus -- A rheumatologist can run blood tests to confirm

Hypothyroidism -- An endocrinologist can run tests to verify

Arthritis -- A rheumatologist can run tests (usually xrays and bone scans to see if you've had damage to bones, cartilidge from arthritis.) Fibromyalgia feels like arthritis in some people, but fibromyalgia does not actually affect or damage the bones and cartilidge in any way.

Depression --  Unfortunately this too often correlates along with fibro. :(

Multiple Sclerosis -- Can be diagnosed by a neurologist with tests like MRI.

Polymyalgia Rheumatica -- A form of arthritis which can be diagnosed with blood tests.

What Your Fingernails Say About Your Health

This is a really good post that found. I have started wondering lately what my iron levels are, as I know that can cause fatigue (I am eternally looking for that other diagnosis, "maybe its not really fibro, but a simpler fix like anemia!") And I came across this info, some of it on how your fingernails can clue you in on an iron deficiency. The whole list is very interesting and informative! Who knew our fingernails held so much telling info?!

http://mixedhues.blogspot.com/2009/12/what-your-nails-say-about-your-health.html

Basic Tests to Ask Doctor for

http://www.co-cure.org/drt9.htm

I found this page listing basic tests someone with fibromyalgia/CFS should have done by a doctor. I am thinking of going to my doctor and asking for the following tests at a bare minimum. These tests were probably all done on me initially, but I didn't know as much then as I know now, so I never asked for the results. I just can't kick this darned fatigue :/


4 -- Iron, TIBC (total iron binding capacity), percent saturation and ferritin levels. These tests check for iron deficiency and excess. Both of these are critical to detect. If the iron is high, it is very easy to treat (donate blood) but can cripple and kill you if it is missed. Iron deficiency will often be present even if the blood tests are technically normal. This is because the blood test's normal range is based on preventing anemia from severe iron deficiency. More moderate levels of iron deficiency, however, can cause fatigue, brain fog, cold intolerance, restless leg syndrome, immune dysfunction, and infertility. Because of this, I usually recommend treating with iron if the percent saturation is less than 22 percent OR the ferritin level is less than 40. I recheck each four months until the blood tests come above these levels.

5 -- Vitamin B12 level. Although normal is anything under 209, evidence suggests that significant B12 deficiency occurs at much higher levels even in healthy people. Other evidence suggests that very high levels may be needed to maintain optimum health in CFS/FMS patients. I recommend that anybody with a level under 540 be treated with B12 shots. A good argument can be made for treating everybody with CFS/FMS with B12 shots regardless of the blood level.

Exercises for Fibromyalgia

I came across this slideshow on webmd about exercise and fibromyalgia. It's very good. I can feel the difference in my body when I miss a yoga class (usually due to fatigue) and I feel so much better overall the more I am able to keep up with my yoga.

http://www.webmd.com/fibromyalgia/fibromyalgia-what-you-need-to-know-10/slideshow-fibromyalgia-exercise

RECOMMENDED BOOK: Alternative Treatments for Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

This is an excellent book, very easy to read and very easy to resource quickly and jump to a section and read a bit about a topic. Really covers everything you would need to tackle, and in a very easy to read and easy to understand way. I recommend having it a resource in your personal library.

Gluten-Free Pizza Anyone?!

I have read a lot about a gluten intolerance/sensitivity and fibromyalgia, and now even a gluten connection in migraines. I've bee tested for celiac's disease, and the test came back negative, but sometimes I still wonder if I just have more of a sensitivity. However, everytime I look at how to go about eating gluten free I get overwhelmed! It seems like a full-time job just figuring it all out!

I guess the biggest deterrent for me is I tend to eat out a lot, so that's the part I really need to conquer.

Pizza is, unfortunately, one of my favorite foods :) And when searching for gluten-free restaurant info I came across this local pizza place, it must be a sign!

Has anyone tried the gluten free at this Fort Lauderdale pizza place?

http://www.atsapizza-lasolas.com/

Homemade Potato Chips!

I came across this blog today, I love the idea of homemade potato chips! I am going to try it with a sweet potato!

http://savorysweetlife.com/2010/03/potato-chips-recipe/

Yoga for Fibro

I know, I am like a broken record in my "I love yoga for my fibro" but I found this essay and I had to share, as I can't say it any better than she does! Thank you Valerie for putting this so nicely, how yoga helps fibro:

http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/2010/08/20/yoga-and-how-it-relieves-symptoms-of-fibromyalgia/

Nature Made Vitamins

http://www.naturemade.com

Walgreens has these on sale this week, buy one get one free, good deals!

They also have coupons available on their website, a vitamin assessment, and a rewards program, all at their website. Check it all out!

Start Preparing!

"The future depends on what we do in the present." - Mahatma Gandhi


When I was first diagnosed with fibro I was angry, I was going through the "why me." I was also really upset because when the symptoms first started showing up I was actually at the healthiest I've ever been in my life! I had been eating very healthy, had lost weight and was exercising a good deal. After a while of trying to understand the fibro, I started to realize that being at my healthiest when fibro hit actually helped give me more strength to take in on and be better prepared. I affirmed to get back into my healthy mode, because whether or not I had fibro I was going to at least try and be as healthy as I can again. Going back down the healthy path of living has helped me so much in feeling better and dealing with the fibro, and it wasn't such a difficult thing to start doing again, since I had done it once before. I of course just modify my eating and exercising to align with fibro constraints.

I also recently learned that a friend has been diagnosed with cancer and dealing with the chemo and treatments. She is now, thankfully, in remission. But she too has a blog, to share her updates with family and friends. And amazingly I read the same realization in her blog. That she was a healthy person, eating right and exercising and really taking care of herself, when the cancer struck. And she wondered why, and then realized that living the healthy life had prepared her for taking on cancer and beating it.

So our message is to everyone, fibro or not, cancer or not, that living a healthy lifestyle helps you to prepare for whatever may come down your path. So tell everyone you know to Start Preparing!