Psoriatic Arthritis Journal 2- Equation for Change

[nicoles]

Reporting back that today I have mostly recovered from my slight flare up and am feeling better overall, just tired.

[jamietwo]

I absolutely agree that stress plays into it! I saw my rheumatologist yesterday, and based on the physical examination, she said she would never know that I had lupus! I told her how my fingers will get stiff, or my wrists will hurt, or my knuckles will swell/hurt if I am overly stressed or tired. She was surprised. I'm guessing people that are aware of how food affects their bodies are more aware of how stress affects their bodies!

Glad you're feeling better!

[Starch Chick]

Glad you are feeling a little better Nicole

[Starch Chick]

Wow, I just read your story
Sure enjoyed it

[nicoles]

Hey Beth! Thanks for stopping by Happy Holidays!!

[nicoles]

Jamietwo, so cool that your examination was so positive and so true that paying attention to food reactions opens up awareness of other reactions!

I am appreciating more and more how much stress plays a part in the exacerbation of illness. Although some stress is out of anyone's control, I am committed to learning more tools for managing any stress this year. We had a good year, mostly, and it was low-stress. But I know life is not always smooth sailing and I want to be prepared! I owe it to myself and my loved ones.

Side note - an observation about the growing size of Americans, and our odd relationship to it? I order a lot of my clothes online, since I hate going to the store to clothes shop. My husband does the same. Lately we have noticed that even if we go by the size chart where you do your own measurements to the inch (waist, bust, hips, etc.) and order accordingly, the clothes that arrive in the mail are at least two sizes too big!

We were thinking that maybe the deeper level of vanity sizing that happens is that merchants providing the charts allow for people perhaps lying about their measurements?

At any rate, it's an odd phenomenon.

[lmggallagher]

Hi Nicole:

I am so glad and really inspired that the weight regime is helping you too. Will Read Kaleo again ( I remember one of these was a realistic approach to New years resolutions, lol) from the links you posted tonight. Exercise is still evading me. Kind of coming back to myself after the effects of all the bad weather on my fibro - that and an hour of the Egoscue a day makes me want to think I have done enough for my body - wrong I do have that gym membership rotting away that I must get back too. You mentioned psoas e-cise. I don't know that one????

I really took to heart about what happens to you when you eliminate parts of the balancing act. I am happy to hear that meditation might be an add on to your program - it will definitely help on the stress. Honestly, once you get in gear with a daily practice - life in general flows more smoothly and one's clarity is so improved. For my artist friends they find their creativity enhanced too. For me I am happy just to relieve stress and a bit of the fibro fog;-)

I am just so happy you are in this really good place now, albeit there are times when balance is say completely impossible. Family obligations rock my boat often and then the unforeseen like the insomnia. Still - in a way - I think we are fortunate to have the bells and buzzers go off when we are not in balance - other people just aren't as lucky as us and don't get these warning signals and then.... all kinds of stuff can go radically wrong for them.

I have stolen a bit from one of your litanies and am going to post to my journal- a new mantra per-meditaion I think,

[nicoles]

Hi Michelle!

Exercise is so hard when you're in pain, I am thinking that starting with only committing to 5 minutes of any exercise post E-cises is probably a good way to start! Kaleo is awesome though, very realistic. She has knee pain she works around too.

I am so glad to hear meditation helps with flowing more smoothly and clarity! I am still not there yet. Gearing up for the practice still. I am glad it is something you have, so nice.
What a great insight - we ARE lucky we have the alarms and buzzers going off. It's funny, DH had a really stressful day yesterday at work, and he was saying to some co-workers how he could really feel how stress kills you. He's decompressing now, alls fine, just a tough moment but he was really struck for the first time at how much of a number it does to the body.
Please feel free to steal away anything I've writtene here! It's for sharing

xoxo

Nicole

[nicoles]

I am so glad I changed my way of eating before I encountered cookie butter. What are these people trying to DO to themselves?!?!?!

[lmggallagher]

I will NOT be stealing the recipe for cookie butter from you! I can't conceive of anyone seriously making this - I almost started retching on the second ingredient!

[nicoles]

:lol: I will NOT be stealing the recipe for cookie butter from you! I can't conceive of anyone seriously making this - I almost started retching on the second ingredient!

Yes, so very gross. I learned of it through some family members who are eating it by the jar! My lips are zipped, though! I am KEEPING THE PEACE

[nicoles]

Updates, Updates....how things are going

I just wanted to check in and update how I am doing, because when I first started eating this way, that's what I wanted to know about - how people did Long Term. After all, my Rheumatologist and The Internet had told me I was destined to progressively get worse. I wanted to know if that's what ended up happening to other people.

Well, as they say, it ain't over til it's over, but I am doing very well still. I mean, I need to eat well, sleep, and generally reduce stress through exercise, good relationships and balancing meaningful work with fun. BUT. I am very busy and stimulated and none the worse for wear. It truly seems as though things get better and better with time when eating this way, at least for me.

I have not gotten sick this year, but for a quick one day bug after my MIL had the TIAs over Thanksgiving, while I was overwhelmed with lots of work. I'd say stress was the culprit there. That, and visiting a hospital several times, while stressed.

I am still walking average about 5 miles daily in very hilly areas, while carrying things (groceries, library books, custom art to mail), lifting weights, stretching and now doing Bikram Yoga a couple of times a week.

I'm working full time running operating and expanding my own small business. I am also taking a 2-year course in applied biomechanics to learn eventually how to help people move better and reduce or eliminate pain.

It takes a bunch of planning and organization to do all this and eat well and take good care of myself, but I think it is totally worth it, for me.

I still eat a lot of vegetables and leafy greens, which seems to work well for me. I have read a lot about having a MTHFR mutation, which basically makes it hard for the body to convert folate into something useful or something like that, and I wonder if I have that. Apparently eating lots of leafy greens remedies that problem. Although I am not 100% sure the science behind the MTHFR mutation information, or rather, the sources from which I have heard the information, are any more valid than the bulletproof coffee fad. (that's some sort of special mold-free coffee bean, plus butter and coconut oil, as breakfast. Totally a Paleo thing, not my thing!)

ANYWAY - I'm strong to the Finich, 'cause I eats me Spinach! (and collard, kale, chard, cabbage, lettuce...) and my Starches

[roundcoconut]

Oh my! Cookie butter?!?

Quick, I need to make some enemies so I have someone to share this with!

(Also, want to say a quick hello! I go gallavanting through other people's journals once in a while, and today I'm gallavanting through yours. You're still doing lovely, I'm happy to see!)

[jamietwo]

Thanks for posting your update, Nicole! Its wonderful that you feel like living life on the busy spectrum! Good for you for continuing to learn and do things to take care of yourself! We are having a spring-like day in the middle of winter, so I believe I'll shut down my computer and go for a walk!

[Starch Chick]

Hi Nicole
Nice to see your update and to see you are still doing well. You sure sound busy. Just think, you could
not have been this busy several years ago. What a great benefit sticking with this way of eating.
Hope to continue to read updates in your journal
Beth