Fibro..what?

So your friend has fibromyalgia. She acts like a wimp, you think, and is always complaining about something seemingly insignificant. She doesn't want to go anywhere and couldn't make a decision to save her life. She blames in on fibro.  What is UP with fibro thing, you're thinking. I hope this post can clear up some of the questions and offer a little insight.

First, facts show the 2% of people in the US suffer from fibro. That number seems fairly low, right? WRONG. That's 5 million people! That's a lot of pain out there, folks. And not just pain. We get all sorts of weird symptoms that plague us just because--well, we might be bored otherwise, I suppose.

Here is a list of a few:

Not everybody has the same symptoms or even all of the symptoms in the illustration above. We each have our own special blend. Here's my buffet: 

• Pain. All. The. Time. It's like somebody is clawing at my muscles and torching them. 
• Headaches. Just because.
• Itching. Oh, the itching. Once it starts, I will scratch until it bleeds. (But to be honest, that's also a symptoms of my liver disease, so who knows what the culprit is on that. Nothing like looking like a baboon scratching. That's attractive.)
• My hair hurts. What? I know, right? Where it grows from my scalp. Some days if it's moved via combing or even the wind, it hurts. Dumbest thing ever.
• Trigger point pain. Oh, and did I mention they move around? Seems I never know what's going to hurt when someone barely touches me. Makes you look like a real drama queen. 
• Depression. I've had it for years and don't know which came first, the chicken (depression) or the egg (fibro). Doesn't much matter, I suppose. I've been on meds for years and will be for the rest of my life. I tried to get off them once. That did not go well. At all. 
• Anxiety/Aggravation. Like having your nerves tighter than a drum and you're sometimes not sure why. All you know is you'd like to hammer the next person that comes along. 
• Restless legs/Twitching/Kicking. Ask my husband how many bruises he has. 'Nuff said. 
• IBS. I can tell you where every bathroom in the county is. 
• Joint pain. Self-explanatory. 
• Shoulder and Neck pain. Could be from typing all day but also a symptom of fibro. Refer to previous chicken/egg statement. 
• Sensitivity to noise. Man, some days my own voice sends me into a fit. I'm constantly having to ask friends to lower their voice. My husband strains to hear the TV because I'm always telling him to turn it down. (Then there's the days where I'm not so sensitive where I say, "How can you even hear that? Turn it up already!") And it's not just voices. It's loud cars and motorcycles. Lawnmowers and weed whackers. 
• Brain fog. Trying to bring up simple words to complete a sentence is a joke. I'm almost afraid to open my mouth anymore. Thing-a-ma-jig, what's-his-name, and whatchu-callit are now staples of my vocabulary along with face palms and wild gesturing trying to make the word come out. And making a decision is sometimes impossible. I just can't. It's too much. 
• Exhaustion/Fatigue. I don't mean the kind of "oh, I'm tired," exhaustion. You know how you feel when you get the flu and you can't move? Yep. That's the one. You CANNOT power through it. It doesn't work. The kind where you have to choose what you do for the day. No, I'm sorry, I can't go to the mall. I have to do laundry and there's no enough energy for both. No, I can't go to lunch. I have to get dressed and that will take all my energy.  I have not felt rested in years. I get up as tired as I did when I went to bed. In my book, this is probably the worst of the symptoms. To get a better idea of it, read here.
• Insomnia. As long as we're talking about exhaustion, let's hit this point. I've tried Ambien, lavender spray/balm, Kava tea, wine, hot baths, dull reading material, dull features on Netflix...nothing, and I mean nothing, knocks me out. So I listen to the husband snoring. And did you know cats snore?
• Sore throat. Like the kind you get with a cold. And sometimes, matching swollen glands. You don't go to dinner at your friends house because you don't know if it's fibro or contagious.  

So as not to bore you with more details, I'll stop here. You can find out tons of info on the web by just googling it. These sites have simple explanations:
A Simple Explanation

AFSA

Healthline

So what do you do with this friend? Stop being there for her? Please don't!  We need friends just as much as the next guy. Maybe even more. Simply try to put yourself in her shoes. Wonder what to say? Here's what NOT to say. And yes, we've all had these things said to us. Stop it.  

Photo credit: 

 Stated plainly, Fibro STINKS! How's that for a summary, lol.

For those of you with chronic invisible illnesses, don't keep people around who don't understand. It's draining on you and so not worth it.
I have an amazing husband who puts up with the worst of it. And still stays.  I have amazing friends who stand by me and put up with me. Here's an example that touched me: This particular friend asked me if I wanted to go to the mall. Boy, did I! But then I realized I had to iron my husband's shirts and I wouldn't have the energy for both. Instead of saying, "Gee, that's too bad, maybe next time," she simply grabbed my iron and did the ironing for me. And then took me to the mall. As a chronic illness sufferer, I'd venture to say that our friends mean more to us than to the average person. So to those awesome friends out there, thank you!

Bring Out the Summer Feet!

Guess what? It's time to bring out the sandals; warm weather is here! Those feet you've been trudging around on for miles and miles in boots and tennis shoes are going to have to come out and play whether you like it or not. They've taken a pounding over the last few months and it's time for a little TLC. My tootsies could use a little extra care, so I decided to make a cooling, exfoliating scrub. Not only does it get rid of the dry, dead skin, it stimulates and invigorates those tired, aching feet. But wait...there's more. 

• The eucalyptus oil stimulates immunity and provides antioxidant protection plus helps control odor. Not saying your feet are stinky, but there you have it. 
• Peppermint will soothe the aches, stimulates circulation and will leave your skin feeling cool and refreshed.

The pores on the bottom of your feet are larger, therefore absorbing faster and letting the benefits of the oils go right to work. 

It's quick and easy to make. Best of all, there's no ingredients you can't pronounce in it and it's all organic. (Well, I don't know about the food coloring but I'm willing to bet two drops of that is nothing next to all the chemicals that are in the foot scrubs you buy at the store.)

I used a blend of Epsom salts and sugar for this. The Epsom salt does the heavy lifting of exfoliating and the sugar, being finer, polishes. Your feet will not only look great, they'll thank you because they'll feet great. Wanna make it? Here's the recipe:

• 1/2 cup Epsom salts
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 15 drops peppermint essential oil
• 8 drops eucalyptus essential oil
• Drop or two of green food coloring (optional)

Melt coconut oil in double boiler (or microwave). In a bowl, mix salt, sugar and oils. Add food coloring if desired, then transfer to a cute jar. 

To use: Soak feet in warm water, Scoop some scrub into you hands and rub on feet. Enjoy!!

Feeling Yellow? You Should Be.

Yellow. As in the spice that is the brightest of bright yellow and is used mostly in Asian and Indian food. It's benefits are quiet outstanding and numerous. For the purposes of combating pain, and in the interest of not having you read pages of information (because there are SO many benefits) we'll stick with the anti-inflammatory benefits.

Photo credit: glutenfreegigi.com

We recently went to the Natural Expo in Los Angeles and learned all about one of the active ingredients of turmeric called curcumin. It's anti-inflammatory effects are even noted by the medical community and has been likened to the strongest pharmaceutical anti-inflammatory. This makes it perfect for reducing arthritic pain, gout and muscle pain due to injury. I've found it helpful with fibromyalgia, which is caused by an inflammatory process. This can be achieved by applying it topically or consuming it.

 Personally, I'm not a fan of the flavor but that's probably because I've only tried it in smoothie drinks. I just can't gag it down. I do sprinkle a good amount on my scrambled eggs as I cook them but that's as far as I've gotten so far so I take the supplements in capsule form. I suppose I should investigate some recipes using turmeric. This one looks delicious!  If you have a recipe you like, please let me know!

http://www.recipetineats.com/southern-thai-tumeric-chicken-grilled-or-baked/

Curcumin, as it turns out, is not easily absorbed into the bloodstream. What to do? Eat it with black pepper (it contains piperine) which is a natural substance that enhances the absorption of curcumin by 2000%. So either make sure your supplement has pepper in it or use equal amounts to your turmeric if cooking.

Add to that the fact that it's been used for over 4,000 years for medicinal purposes (and the traditional medical community has only noticed it for the past 100 years). Anything that's been used for that long has to have some solid truth behind it, right? 

I found this excerpt interesting - taken from the book Herbal Medicine- Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. (2nd edition). "Turmeric has been used in therapeutic preparations over the centuries in different parts of the world. In Ayurvedic practices, turmeric is thought to have many medicinal properties including strengthening the overall energy of the body, relieving gas, dispelling worms, improving digestion, regulating menstruation, dissolving gallstones, and relieving arthritis. Many South Asian countries use it as an antiseptic for cuts, burns, and bruises, and as an antibacterial agent. In Pakistan, it is used as an anti-inflammatory agent, and as a remedy for gastrointestinal discomfort associated with irritable bowel syndrome and other digestive disorders. In Pakistan and Afghanistan, turmeric is used to cleanse wounds and stimulate their recovery by applying it on a piece of burnt cloth that is placed over a wound. Indians use turmeric, in addition to its Ayurvedic applications, to purify blood and remedy skin conditions... Turmeric is currently used in the formulation of several sunscreens. Several multinational companies are involved in making face creams based on turmeric.

In Ayurvedic medicine, turmeric is a well-documented treatment for various respiratory conditions (e.g., asthma, bronchial hyperactivity, and allergy), as well as for liver disorders, anorexia, rheumatism, diabetic wounds, runny nose, cough, and sinusitis . In traditional Chinese medicine, it is used to treat diseases associated with abdominal pain . From ancient times, as prescribed by Ayurveda, turmeric has been used to treat sprains and swelling . In both Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine, turmeric is considered a bitter digestive and a carminative. Unani practitioners also use turmeric to expel phlegm orkapha, as well as to open blood vessels in order to improve blood circulation. It can be incorporated into foods, including rice and bean dishes, to improve digestion and reduce gas and bloating. It is a cholagogue, stimulating bile production in the liver and encouraging excretion of bile via the gallbladder, which improves the body’s ability to digest fats. Sometimes, turmeric mixed with milk or water is taken to treat intestinal disorders as well as colds and sore throats."

I can't put it any better than this site called Authority Nutrition did:" Although acute (short-term) inflammation is beneficial, it can become a major problem when it is chronic (long-term) and inappropriately deployed against the body’s own tissues.

It is now believed that chronic, low-level inflammation plays a major role in almost every chronic, Western disease. This includes heart disease, cancer, metabolic syndrome, Alzheimer’s and various degenerative conditions.

Therefore, anything that can help fight chronic inflammation is of potential importance in preventing and even treating these diseases.

It turns out that curcumin is strongly anti-inflammatory, it is so powerful that it matches the effectiveness of some anti-inflammatory drugs (7).

Curcumin actually targets multiple steps in the inflammatory pathway, at the molecular level.

Curcumin blocks NF-kB, a molecule that travels into the nuclei of cells and turns on genes related to inflammation. NF-kB is believed to play a major role in many chronic diseases (8, 9).

Without getting into the gory details (inflammation is extremely complicated), the key takeaway here is that curcumin is a bioactive substance that fights inflammation at the molecular level (10, 11, 12).

In several studies, its potency has compared favorably to anti-inflammatory pharmaceutical drugs… except without the side effects (13, 14).

Bottom Line: Chronic inflammation is known to be a contributor to many common Western diseases. Curcumin can inhibit many molecules known to play major roles in inflammation.

There's information on there about the other benefits of turmeric and I found great information here, as well:
Mother Nature Network
Global Healing Center
Mercola
WebMD

As always, consult your healthcare practitioner. This is not intended as medical advice but as an educational non-pharmacological alternative.

Want to Live Longer? Pick up a Glass of...

...red wine! 

It's Friday. It's been a long week, am I right? After losing an hour of sleep courtesy of an earthquake with bad timing (1 a.m to be specific) and a fairly hectic work week, I'm going to sit down and have a glass of wine. Wanna join me?

 Good. Now that you have your glass you can drink it guilt-free because you're increasing your life span and fighting disease in a variety of ways. (And we're talking red wine here. I should have mentioned that before you got all cozy. My bad.)  So listen drink up! 

Red wine:

• Lowers risk of heart disease "Red-wine tannins contain procyanidins, which protect against heart disease. Wines from Sardinia and southwest France have more procyanidins than other wines," says a study at Queen Mary University in London, published in Nature, 2006.
• Reduces risk of diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association
• Lower risk of stroke - Moderate use of alcohol results in a 17-21% lower risk of stroke
• Decreased risk for cataracts. In a study done over five years, the incidents of cataract in non-drinkers was 32.2% whereas only 13% on those who drank moderate amounts of alcohol, particularly red wine, possibly due to the antioxidants. That's good news, 'cause how can you find your wine if you can't see it?
• Memory protection - Thanks to reservatrol found in the skin of wine, it protects against cell damage and the age-related mental decline.
• Longer life - versus those who drink mostly other types of alcohol. Again, possibly due to reservatraol. Here's an excellent article on reservatrol which, by the way, is an anti-inflammatory.

So what have we learned: We can live longer, remember longer, and reduce risk for cataracts. Any way you look at it, it's a win-win. 

What's your favorite brand of wine? Do you find the more you pay, the better it tastes? Talk to me! Or drop me a note on my Facebook page.

Peppermint Pattie...err, I mean Peppermint Power!

I don't know about where you live but here in So. Cal, we're having a heat wave. Which will probably last the next six months if last year is anything to go buy. But I digress. I'm trying to think cool, which is what makes me think of peppermint. Usually I think of these two peppermints...

Peppermint Patty (remember her from Peanuts?)

Or

Peppermint Patties

But today let's take a peek at the real thing. As in the leaf. Or the essential oil. 

Peppermint has some amazing benefits and we're all pretty much aware that's what goes into pain creams. Why, you ask? Peppermint has large quantities of menthol which have these benefits:

• Analgesic
• Anti-inflammatory
• Antibacterial
• Antispasmodic
• Stimulating
• Cooling effect

But what else is peppermint good for? 

• Tension Headaches. Put a couple drops on a cloth and inhale.
• Stress. It's energizing and cooling. Put a few drops in a bathtub or on your skin.
• IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) WebMd has a small article on this. 
• Gas. Yup. It relaxes your intestinal muscles allowing it to pass. Viola. No more pain. Add oil or leaves to tea. 
• Fresh Breath. I know, it's a no-brainer but did you know that peppermint can also stop cavities from forming? It prevents something called biofilm which is linked to cavities. Add a drop of oil to your natural toothpaste.
• Helps boost your memory!! Hooray for this, right? There was a study done on this here with gum. Cinnamon works too.
• Prostate Cancer.
• Hair Care - add some essential oil to your shampoo. It has antiseptic and antibacterial properties and removes buildup from your scalp, i.e. dandruff and product.
• Shingles. These are horrible so here's a link to a nice article about other things to help with that, too.
• Respiratory Benefits. It's a decongestant and clears your respiratory tract. Rub some on your chest (in a carrier oil like coconut oil. It's considered a 'hot' oil and may burn your skin if used straight.) Or use an inhaler with peppermint oil in it.
• Indigestion/Upset Stomach - Drink a small glass of water with a drop of peppermint oil.  Add more if desired. (Caution: Make sure it's therapeutic grade oil, not for perfume use.)
• Cool a fever. Mix a few drops with carrier oil and apply to the torso. This can reduce body temperature by three degrees in just minutes. You can also put a few drops on a wet washcloth and apply head to toe for cooling comfort.
• Prevent Drowsiness. Perfect for driving home after a long day at work or on a road trip. Combine peppermint oil with citrus such as orange or lemon, and apply to back of neck. Then sniff what's left over on your hands. Citrus and peppermint both have awakening and uplifting properties.
• Repels Mice. Apparently they don't like the smell of it. Put some on a cotton ball and put in areas where mice congregate. 
• Ant/Spider Repellent.   Put a few drops on a cotton ball and put it where you find ants or spiders. Throw out the Raid and put 4-5 drops in a water spray bottle and squirt 'em to death. Psst...this also gets rid of aphids. 
• Tick Removal. Soak the end of a Q-Tip in peppermint oil and dab on the tick. When it withdraws its head, remove it.
• Relaxing Foot Soak. Perfect for tired, aching feet. Especially in the summer. Add a few drops to a bowl of warm water. 

So run out and get yourself some Peppermint essential oil! Peppermint Power!

I've added some peppermint recipes to the Essential Oil Page of this blog.