My Childhood Idol Coped with Chronic Illness Too!

Every oh so often I get nostalgic for the great 1990's. For me, my childhood represents a simpler time when I was blissfully healthy and carefree. I was always singing and dancing. And so were my friends. I fondly and distinctly remember one of our favorite childhood pastimes was to "play TLC." We would spend hours getting dressed up like TLC, performing dance routines to their music videos that we had memorized and singing along with the lyrics of every song. We even did our makeup to do our best to resemble our respective songstresses: T-Boz, Left-Eye and Chilli, the CrazySexyCool girl group that dominated the 90's and revolutionized the faces of hiphop, R&B and pop music. They were the epitome of girl power long before the Spice Girls ever came to be. All I ever wanted to be when I grew up was a member of TLC. Nevermind the fact that I was a little white girl from the suburbs. In my eyes, they were the coolest, prettiest chicks on the planet. I identified with them. They were three petite young women who could sing and dance with style. They preached about self-esteem, safe sex and friendship among other things. I absolutely idolized them. I'm certain many other little girls of the '90's shared my sentiments.

The other night I finally watched CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story, VH1's biopic of the epic girl group's rise to stardom. I was extremely impressed with the casting of this film, as the actresses were dopplegangers of their characters, especially 'Lil Mama who portrayed Lisa "Left-Eye" Lopes with a keen awareness of her character. She had clearly done her homework. I also appreciated the music video reenactments which were spot-on. I had a fun walk down memory lane but was also shocked by the level of turmoil each TLC member experienced behind the music. Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins' story struck a nerve within me as it hit particularly close to home. She battled a rare chronic, genetic and life-threatening condition called sickle-cell anemia and was hospitalized for it on several occasions. Initially she kept her illness a secret from the public and the press as it is largely an invisible illness. At the height of TLC's fame she came out about her illness and went on to become a spokeswoman for the Sickle-Cell Anemia Association. She was told she'd never live past 30 and never have children and she has done both. She has a beautiful little girl named Chase and is still managing to live a full life in spite of her illness.
.

Her voice is still as rockin' as ever, as she and Chilli reunited in the recording studio at the end of the movie. What I didn't realize was that while TLC was touring, their second manager scheduled hospital breaks for T-Boz and had EMT's on hand at all times who were prepared to manage her condition. When I was a little girl I had no idea what my favorite singer was going through with her health behind the scenes of what I perceived as a glamorous lifestyle. Now that I have a better understanding of their personal struggles, I have even more respect for the girl group I already revered. They will always, always be my favorite. If I could ever do lunch with the remaining members of TLC, my life would pretty much be complete.

For more information about sickle-cell anemia, please visit http://www.sicklecelldisease.org/.

Shop at Amazon to Support Dysautonomia Research!

Whether you're a big holiday shopper or simply make purchases from Amazon once in a blue moon, please shop through this link to support dysautonomia research. Simply use the Amazon search box on the right of the page to find the item you're looking for before making your purchase.

You can purchase ANYTHING from Amazon and 4-6% of your total purchase will automatically be donated to dysautonomia research without costing you a dime extra. There are no gimmicks here. All you have to do is remember to click through the box on the Dysautonomia International webpage before putting items in your cart.

I am on the Patient Advisory Board at Dysautonomia International, an organization I am proud to be a part of. Dysautonomia International has made funding research their primary objective in hopes of ultimately supporting the discovery of a cure or new and improved treatment options for patients. More research leads to more awareness in the medical community and at large. More research and better physician awareness will also help render dysautonomia more of a household name like lupus or multiple sclerosis instead of an illness that sounds obscure and and foreign to people. Education is key and it often starts with educating doctors and providers in the medical profession so that they can begin to recognize and diagnose dysautonomia, thus leading to more prompt patient treatment and better, more thorough and comprehensive care overall.

POTS: The Pretty Girl Disease?

While I may be a tad bit biased, I think POTS patients are among the coolest people in the world. Also among the prettiest. And is it some sort of eerie coincidence that there are many potsies who are models? Take rising star Alexandra Agro (pictured above) from the latest season of America's Next Top Model. Unfortunately she became very ill due to a POTS episode and missed what became her final elimination ceremony. There is also Marissa Irwin, an EDS patient who suffered from Chiari Malformation and POTS and was featured on an episode of Mystery Diagnosis. One of my best friends also suffers from POTS and is an up-and-coming model with great star potential.

While I don't have any concrete scientific evidence to back up my claim, maybe someday researchers will study the POTS-pretty girl phenomenon. One thing I know to be true: POTS patients are beautiful inside and out, in spite of having wacky, temperamental autonomic nervous systems!

Here is a link to an Alexandra Agro interview where she discusses her POTS with Reality TV World:
http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/exclusive-alexandra-alex-agro-talks-top-model-guys-%26-girls----again!-15399.php

Here is the Mystery Diagnosis episode featuring model Marissa Irwin in its entirety:



And, just for fun, here is Keri Hilson's "Pretty Girl Rock." (Disclaimer: The lyrics of this song are in NO WAY meant to imply that POTS patients are arrogant or conceited about their looks. I just happen to really like this song. It's equal parts cheesy and catchy.)

Cucumbers are Cool...And Curative!

While I very seldom read email forwards, the ones from my grandma tend to be useful and from reputable sources. This one, detailing the health benefits and myriad household uses of cucumbers, caught my attention. I already knew cucumbers were healthy. An alkaline food, they help balance pH and are one of the only foods that never cause me acid reflux. They really seem to help settle my stomach and are refreshing. I also love me a cucumber peel facial. Here is the email forward verbatim:

Never thought that CUCUMBER can do so much!

The Amazing Cucumber

This information was in The New York Times several weeks ago as part of their "Spotlight on the Home" series that highlighted creative and fanciful ways to solve common problems.

1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminium to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.

5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the photochemical in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!!

6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!

7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.

8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don't have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.

11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the photochemical will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won't leave streaks and won't harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean.

13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!

Pass this along to everybody you know who is looking for better and safer ways to solve life's everyday problems.

Lemon Juice, Coconut Oil, Apple Cider Vinegar, Oh My!!!

I was so excited to discover the above chart on MindBodyGreen.com. I am all about utilizing natural, chemical-free remedies whenever possible. I intend to try all these products for the various uses listed as I am chronically chemically sensitive and striving to eliminate the toxins from my life.

Cleaning Tips for the Chemically Sensitive

This post has been a long time coming. While my chemical sensitivities are not as severe as they used to be, I still consider myself a highly sensitive individual when it comes to smells. Luckily I am not usually sensitive to soaps and detergents, but everything else around the house is fair game, particularly when it comes to cleaning products. I don't have any products like Windex, PineSol, 409 or anything of the sort around the house. Instead, I rely on products that don't trigger my chemical sensitivities. A few of my favorites are Bon Ami, the entire Seventh Generation line, (especially their dishwashing detergent!) baking soda, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and occasionally rubbing alcohol. If I ever have to be around chemicals I use them outdoors only. I even polish my nails outside on the deck because the smell of the polish and the remover bothers me indoors.

I keep a pretty tidy house thanks to having mild ocd tendencies. So I never let things get dirty enough to warrant the use of chemical cleaners. For dusting I simply damp dust everything. I wash the countertops with water and a dab of dawn dishwashing liquid. If I need to disinfect surfaces I will use either hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol. A 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water in a spray bottle does double duty as a powerful unscented glass and window cleaner and a disinfectant. It's one of my favorite products. Some people also swear by a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water for window cleaning but I haven't tried that one yet. I use Purex Free and Clear detergent in the washing machine and I don't use any fabric softener or dryer sheets as they're simply not necessary. I use organic wool balls in the dryer as an alternative. Glade Plug-Ins, Febreze or any sort of air freshener sprays are also not necessary. If you must scent your air to create extra ambiance, use things like soy-based scented candles made with essential oils, or try putting a few drops of your favorite essential oil in a diffuser. There are myriad chemical-free and natural product lines on the market these days, in big stores, online and made by small businesses and individuals. I love Dreamland Naturals on Etsy for affordable all natural soaps and bar shampoos.

Not only is chemical-free cleaning way healthier for you and your family, it's also much easier on your environment. By going chemical free you're reducing your carbon footprint and going greener. It's a win/win.