Bygones!

A friend of mine recommended a book to me a few years ago called 'Heal Your Body' by Louise Hay. It is a quick read, a handbook of sorts about the emotional roots of physical ailments and illness. While I am a firm believer that most physical problems are no one's 'fault,' I do believe that a lifetime of negative emotions brewing on the inside can contribute to developing a physical health problem or aggravate an existing one. Many health problems (ulcers, heart attacks, etc) are thought to be closely linked to stress. Whether or not this theory holds any testable scientific validity, it certainly couldn't hurt to let go of negative thoughts and energies that often hold us back in life or keep us stagnating in the same place.

Change is healthy, positive change is of course best. I for one, tend to hold onto and bottle up too many negative feelings and it definitely doesn't do me much good. So this year, I am not going to make a long list of resolutions as I have done in the past. I am simply going to try to achieve one: to let go of all negativity. It will be no easy feat, I am sure. But I have to give it a try. I am tired of feeling victimized by my father and his side of the family. Tired of being dismissed by certain relatives here. And of course, very very tired of dealing with chronic illnesses. I feel like I have lost touch with who I used to be: happy, carefree, independent, energetic, fearless. The old me is still in there somewhere just itching to get out, but I have lost touch with her these past four years. I would love to feel like myself again, physically and emotionally. I may not be able to get my physical health back completely, but I feel like I have at least some control over my own emotional well-being. A big part of that I think, is letting go of all the negative thoughts, letting bygones be bygones and trying to get back in touch with the real me.

What is your greatest goal for the new year? If you could only achieve one, what would it be?

Nutrition and Chronic Illness

As the new year swiftly approaches, many of us resolve to exercise and eat healthier. My usual resolutions, however well-intentioned, rarely endure beyond January. But this year, I am going to make a concerted effort to really pay attention to what I eat. My biggest problem is absent-minded eating. That is, stuffing my face with random foods without regard to their real nutritional value. I am not a calorie-counter and my objective is not to lose weight but simply to nourish my body with more whole, less processed foods. I will also be aiming to achieve a more 'balanced' diet by consuming a wider variety of foods.

That said, I am thrilled to welcome my first guest blogger, Melanie Bowen, to Defying Gravity. Melanie is an awareness advocate for natural health and holistic therapies for cancer patients. You will often find her highlighting the great benefits of different nutritional, emotional, and physical treatments on those with illness in her efforts to increase attentiveness and responsiveness on like topics. Thank you, Melanie, for reminding us that every illness, whether terminal or chronic, deserves special attention when it comes to nutrition.



Nutrition and Chronic Illness

Good nutrition is essential to preventing chronic illnesses such as cancer or kidney disease. However, if you already suffer from one of these chronic illnesses, nutrition is even more important. Eating properly can help offset the negative effects of treatments for your disease and give you more energy to complete daily tasks. In some cases, it can even increase your life expectancy to change your diet. Thus, eating balanced meals should be part of your disease management program.



Nutrition is an important issue for people who suffer from chronic illnesses and cancers. Cancer can rob the body of the ability to digest vitamins, protein and other nutrients correctly from food, so that cancer patients often lose weight and become weak even when they're eating properly. For this reason, nutritional supplements such as vitamins or calcium pills are an important part of a cancer patient's treatment plan. This is especially important for patients who are taking chemotherapy treatments or other aggressive cancer treatments. These treatments can make patients nauseous, negatively affect appetite and leave patients feeling weak. However, nutritional supplements in combination with healthy foods can help alleviate many of these symptoms. Eating regularly and getting enough nutrition can eliminate nausea and give cancer patients more energy. Simply relieving the feeling of being sick all the time can help patients lead higher quality lives, as they will be able to socialize with friends and do some of their regular activities once they get the nausea under control and develop some energy again. 



Nutrition is also important if you have a chronic illness rather than a terminal illness. Diabetes and hypertension are two such illnesses that can benefit from diet. Patients who suffer from these diseases often become dependent on medication to keep symptoms under control. However, medication has side effects, so not all patients can tolerate medication. In addition, changing one’s diet can reverse the effects of some chronic illnesses. People who suffer from Type 2 Diabetes can often successfully manage their illness by changing their diet. As the person's blood sugar level goes down to a normal level, she'll have more energy; in addition some symptoms, such as blurred vision, will disappear altogether. Diabetes patients who handle their disease through diet and nutrition often feel healthier overall and lose excess weight that can contribute to feeling sluggish as well as to having the condition.



It's fairly easy to make nutritional changes to help manage your chronic or terminal illness. Talking to a dietician or nutritionist at the hospital where you take your treatments can point you in the right direction. You can gradually add some nutritional supplements or make changes to your diet to regain the energy, happiness and hope you need to live a longer and higher quality life.

Bah Humbug!

The title of this blog post says it all. This year the holidays have been a bit lackluster for me to say the least. Today I definitely reached my boiling point. I have been too busy getting taken advantage of by my employer lately to enjoy much of anything. The reason I work a part time work-from-home job is because that's all I can do health-wise without being able to drive or work a regular predictable schedule. Unfortunately most employers equate working from home with being at their beck and call all hours of the day and night. I have spent a full 30 hours on my contract position this week (I only get paid for 15 hours) making calls because apparently all I am is a glorified telemarketer (+webmaster, +social media guru, +graphic designer, +full-fledged ad agency). All they really want me to do is sell, sell, sell memberships (plus fulfill all of my other roles perfectly each week with only 15 hours to do it in). I am at my wits end. When I obtained this position a few months back part of me wondered if having a stable work-from-home position was too good to be true and that the stability part was some sort of mirage...well turns out it may be. I am not sure how much longer I will last if I don't sell enough memberships. Either I will get fired or I will quit because talking on the phone this much every week has been wreaking havoc on my jaw which I had finally gotten calmed down until a few weeks ago. Now it's back into another painful TMJ flare-up from all the talking I've been doing when I'm supposed to be resting it.

You may be wondering what prompted all my recent telemarketing efforts. My supervisor had a very "serious" conversation with me about the lack of members I've been bringing in and basically gave me a warning that I need to bring in more members or else she will have to step in and do my job for me and collect the pay for it as well (leaving me out of a job completely). The worst part about this serious conversation is that she talked down to me in a very condescending way and I simply took it and said "I understand, I understand," repeatedly instead of standing up for myself and asking her not to speak to me that way all because I am so desperate to have a job for the income it brings in even though this is clearly the wrong job. It is so tough to be focusing every last ounce of energy I can muster up on a job where my efforts aren't even appreciated.

As you may know, my disability application is currently being processed. So I am trying my best to hang on to this job until then otherwise I will have no income whatsoever. So frustrating. Being sick is hard enough. But being sick and having to worry about finances is a predicament many chronically ill people are all too familiar with. I think it's ridiculous that we live in a country where we have to work so hard and wait tirelessly for months if not years to "prove" our rare, chronic and debilitating illnesses to the government so that they can dole out a a small stipend that enables the disabled to live below the poverty level and have to scrounge for every dime while they spend billions on wars overseas. The priorities of most politicians are severely skewed in my book.

I am sure this is an incredibly whiny and pathetic blog post for which I apologize. I am sure many of you can relate or know someone who is much worse off. The thing that has been adding insult to injury today is the fact that I did not receive an invitation to my cousin's wedding. The invitations were all sent out last week and I did not receive one. Although my cousin has grown into a beligerent, selfish alcholic in recent years, we still grew up together, and I never realized it until now that he apparently couldn't stand me. Or maybe its that he knows I won't buy him an expensive enough gift for his taste so he didn't bother to send me an invitation. I have always tried to include him in everything, always remembered him on Christmases and birthdays (although he has never remembered mine, or anyone else's for that matter). He shows up to my grandparent's house on Christmas day every year for about twenty minutes simply to collect his gifts without ever thanking anyone or bringing as much as a card to my grandparents who have always gone above and beyond for him his whole life. This is where his selfishness comes into play. Sure, maybe not everyone is generous by nature, but come on. He could do SOMETHING for them, ONCE IN AWHILE. I am not sure why he couldn't spare a couple bucks for a card or a box of candy to show his gratitude to them. He appears ungrateful for all the things our family has done for him. Growing up he had cars and cash thrown at him even though he was somewhat of a juvenile delinquent who dropped out of school. Yet somehow he lucked out and makes more money than anyone in the family although he didn't ever graduate high school. There is simply no excuse for him not to bring a card or candy to our grandparents on Christmas. But he never does. That kid disgusts me. He is 27 years old and should certainly know better by now. The sad thing is, his fiancee isn't much better in the social graces department.

Needless to say I have written them both off for now and trying my best not to take things to heart but it still doesn't change the fact that being snubbed by my own flesh and blood was hurtful and the damage has already been done. I am way too sensitive about things like this and unhealthily internalize my emotions but the truth is I have always felt like an outsider in my own family. At times I feel as if I'm adopted or something because some of my relatives don't treat me like family, especially since getting sick. It should certainly make for an awkward holiday if my cousin and his fiancee decide to show their faces at my grandparents house expecting their gifts like usual. It makes me sick to my stomach. If they show up I will have to go for a walk so I don't say something out of line, (even though they would have it coming!) At the end of the day I suppose I care way too much about what other people think of me and that gives them power over me. It truly is a waste of my energies to be focusing on this right now, I just can't help but have hurt feelings over this though. How much is enough? Times like this I wish I could distance myself from everyone and everything and check into a spa for a week or two...heck, maybe never check out. Find a way to live at a spa. Then my problems would be dissolved. Or at least easier to cope with. Next year my Christmas present to myself is going to be a guilt-free week at a spa.

Gift Ideas for POTS/EDS Patients

'Tis the season for consumerism. I don't know about you, but I appreciate useful gifts that help improve my quality of life. Here are a few products I recommend without reservation, either for yourself or someone else who suffers from POTS and/or EDS.

Splurges:

1) Apple MacBook Pro. Powerful enough to do just about anything, with a large, clear screen for entertainment. Portable enough to take to bed with you. The only computer you'll ever need. Mine ran efficiently for nearly 8 years after withstanding four years of overuse and abuse at university. At $2400, it's an investment, but one that is sure not to disappoint.

2) KitchenAid Stand Mixer. The gold standard in baking equipment. Save your energy (and your joints) while baking with this lovely, durable mixer. Another investment for the long haul at $250 but I promise you'll get your money's worth out of it.

3) Ugg boots. Yes some may argue that Uggs are ugly. In fact I used to think so myself. But that was before I owned a pair! I have had mine for 6 years now and they are without a doubt the comfiest, warmest footwear I own. My feet are chronically cold, but not in my uggs. And they have really gotten a tad more stylish over the years as well. Price varies.

4) Recumbent Stationary Bicycle. Although I am not thrilled with the brand I purchased, my neighbor has a pricier model in a different brand, XTerra which I love. It is much sturdier with a much smoother ride, the Rolls Royce of recumbent bikes. She purchased it at Costco for just under $800. The convenience of having one at home means I am more apt to ride it and can't use the 'I don't feel like going to the gym' excuse.

5) A Tempurpedic Mattress. Perhaps the single best investment a POTS/EDS patient can make to improve their quality of life. Do not purchase a new mattress impulsively though. Make sure you take the time to do your research and test different models out before committing to one. A comfy mattress can make a world of difference in alleviating aches and pains and helping you achieve more restful, restorative sleep. Something we could all use a bit more of! Price varies.

Steals:

1) Hot Water Bottle $10

2) Homedics Mini Massager $10

3) Omni Mini Massage Roller $10

4) Omron Heart Rate Monitor $35

5) Plantronics Cordless Phone Headset $10