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Drug Abuse

Lena Dunham opens up about drug addiction: 'Pills I thought dulled my pain actually created it'

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‘When I was dropped off at rehab, I thought it was the end of my life,’ says Dunham Clémence MichallonNew York @Clemence_Mcl Monday 28 October 2019 16:42  Lena Dunham attends the Friendly House 30th annual awards luncheon on 26 October, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. ( Vince Bucci/Getty Images for Friendly House ) Lena Dunham has opened up about her prescription drugs addiction and her newfound sobriety. The actor was named Woman of the Year by Friendly House, an addiction treatment facility for women in Los Angeles. “I didn’t think that I was a drug addict,” Dunham, who has previously said she used to misuse prescription medication, said while accepting the honour at a luncheon this weekend, according to Variety. Speaking in more detail about her former struggle around drugs, she added that “pills that I thought dulled my pain actually created it”. Dunham, who has been sober for 18 months, first disclosed her history of drug abuse last year in a podcast with Dax Shepard.     At that time, she told the actor she had “misused [benzodiazepines]” for three years, adding: “Nobody I know who are prescribed these medications is told, ‘By the way, when you try and get off this, it’s going to be like the most hellacious acid trip you’ve ever had where you’re f****** clutching the walls and the hair is blowing off your head and you can’t believe you found yourself in this situation.” During this weekend’s event, Dunham explained how media portrayals had skewed her […]

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Chronic Pain

Easy To Make Soothing Bath Salts *Great For Chronic Pain and Holiday Gift*

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Willow and Sage by Stampington Great for people who suffer from chronic pain. For an additional benefit add apple cider vinegar to water when running the bath. You Will Need 4 cups Epsom salt 1/2 cup sea salt (optional) 25-30 drops of essential oils 3/4 cup baking soda Large Bowl Airtight containers To Make Mix the Epsom salt, sea salt, essential oils, and baking soda in a large bowl. Transfer mixture to airtight containers, such as a small glass jar for gifting. You can use any desired scent in your bath salts, but first, make sure to research the type of scent of essential oil that you’ll be using to ensure it’s safe for the bath.

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Gluten-Free

Great Gluten-Free Dessert For Of All Ages

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From Helen Allan Christchurch, New Zealand For your next birthday party, make a “pavlova” – a delicious meringue shell filled with whipped cream and topped with fresh fruit. With it’s sweet, fluffy interior and crunchy crust, meringue is a favorite for kids of all ages. The desert, which is claimed by both New Zealand and Australia, was created for the great imperial Russian ballerina, Anna Palova, during her tour in the 1920’s. INGREDIENTS: 4 egg whites 1 cup fine granulated sugar (castor sugar) 1 teaspoon white vinegar 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup heavy cream 1 tablespoon whipping cream 1 tablespoon powdered sugar (if desired) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Strawberries and kiwi fruit Preheat oven 250 degrees. Beat eggs whites on high speed until they look like ribbons when dropped from the beater. Add sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition. Beat meringue mixture until it forms stiffs peaks but isn’t dry. Fold vinegar, cornstarch, and vanilla into mixture. Using parchment paper on a cookie sheet, spoon the meringue mixture into a circle on the sheet about six to eight inches in diameter ( a rubber spatula really helps with this step.) Bake 1 1/2 hours. Turn oven off and open the door, leaving the meringue to cool. The meringue shell will fall as it cools but that is okay.- that’s when whipped cream is for. When the meringue shell is cool, whip the […]

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Celebrate Life

Discover & Support Hidden Gem Charities this Holiday Season

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Friday, November 22, 2019 The team from Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest independent charity evaluator and leading donor advocate, shares their thoughts on emerging nonprofit-sector issues and offers tips to better inform your intelligent giving decisions. Find a charity to support today I don’t know about you, but I love this time of year. For a few weeks, it feels like […]

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Celebrate Life

Happy Holidays

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As we close in on the end of the year, it makes me stop and think about how thankful I am for you, for following and your helpful and often funny comments. You don’t have to celebrate Thanksgiving to be thankful, I pray you have much to be thankful for in your life. Melinda

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CBD

Congress has a bill to expand medical marijuana and CBD research

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Dear U.S. Pain Foundation advocates,  We wanted to let you know about an opportunity to take action on a federal bill that would expand and coordinate scientific research of cannabidiol (CBD) or marijuana-derived products, allowing researchers to better understand their potential efficacy and safety. While medical cannabis is increasingly available in a number of states nationwide, too often, there is little clinical data available to help patients and health care providers make informed decisions about whether it would work well for their specific condition, or how much and what type to use.    Introduced by Senators Dianne Feinstein, Chuck Grassley, and Brian Schatz, The Cannabidiol and Marihuana Research Expansion Act (S. 2032) would streamline the research process, eliminating the lengthy delays and roadblocks researchers face when trying to study medical marijuana and CBD-derived products.  Why U.S. Pain supports S. 2032We believe people with chronic illness and pain should have access to all safe, effective treatments, including medical cannabis. Research is critical as it would lead to increased understanding about cannabis as a therapeutic option (including efficacy, safety, proper dosing, best delivery methods, etc.) and may lead to new, FDA-approved treatment options for people with pain.  Now is the time to take action U.S. Pain has created two online campaigns for advocates on this issue because we’d like to accomplish two goals:  1. Have the Senate Committee on the Judiciary schedule a hearing on the bill2. Gain additional cosponsors of the bill Click here and see if your Senator sits on […]

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Caregiver

Celebrating 17th Wedding Anniversary

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It’s hard to believe it’s been seventeen years, so many have been spent caring for loved ones or being sick. I’ve lost so many years, no they weren’t technically lost, I was present during the first three years of our marriage, we had fun cooking together, enjoying a late-night swim and grocery shopping together. When your vows say for better or worse you don’t think the worst will come so soon. You also don’t realize those years aren’t the worst, they get worse. I was caring for my ill and dying grandparents over an eight-year period during the last years of their life. I stayed for weeks at a time. Absent, absent from my husband, our life and myself. It’s not a pity party today, it’s a real reflection of how marriage can be so different than you plan. The year my gramps died I started getting sick and a year-long journey with a neurologist started. Every test was abnormal but she could not make a diagnosis. Luckily, I learned Internet search skills from my previous job and could start my research. I narrowed my guesses to eight autoimmune diseases and took a wild guess at Lyme. This is one of those times I wish I were wrong. Lyme and the illnesses it brings along have been in the driver seat since 2012. This post isn’t about me, it’s about my husband. I’ve been absent, mentally unavailable, sick and dying […]

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Depression

New way to think about brain’s link to postpartum depression

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Science News Research in animals shows brain’s immune system is activated by stress during pregnancy October 21, 2019 Source: Ohio State University Chronic stress during pregnancy triggers an immune response in the brain that has potential to alter brain functions in ways that could contribute to postpartum depression, new research in animals suggests. The study is the first to show evidence of this gestational stress response in the brain, which is unexpected because the immune system in both the body and the brain is suppressed during a normal pregnancy. The Ohio State University researchers who made the discovery have been studying the brain biology behind postpartum depression for several years, creating depressive symptoms in pregnant rats by exposing them to chronic stress. Chronic stress during pregnancy is a common predictor of postpartum depression, which is characterized by extreme sadness, anxiety and exhaustion that can interfere with a mother’s ability to care for herself or her baby. Stress is known to lead to inflammation, which prompts an immune response to protect against inflammation’s harmful effects. Based on what they already know about compromised brain signaling in rats stressed during pregnancy, the scientists suspect the immune cells in the brain responding to stress may be involved. If that’s the case, the immune changes may create circumstances in the brain that increase susceptibility to depression. In unstressed pregnant rats, the normal suppression of the immune system in the body and the brain remained […]

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Advocacy

How should the FDA evaluate new medications for pain?

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Dear U.S. Pain volunteer advocates,   We wanted to make you aware of an opportunity to submit public comments to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Specifically, the FDA would like the public’s views on two main issues: 1. What criteria the FDA should use to evaluate new opioids to treat pain2. What new incentives are needed to better support and encourage the development of new treatments for painOn Sept. 17 the FDA held a public hearing called “Standards for Future Opioid Analgesic Approvals and Incentives for New Therapeutics to Treat Pain and Addiction.” While the public hearing has passed, the FDA is accepting written comments until Nov. 18.  How to submitWritten comments are to be submitted to the Division of Docket’s Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852. Electronic comments can be submitted by using the button below.All comments must be identified with the docket number FDA-2019-N-2514. Please keep in mind that all comments submitted to the docket are public.Why advocates should engageWe think it is important for people with pain to let FDA know your thoughts on these issues. A number of people and organizations at the hearing said that they thought no new opioids should be allowed on the market. What’s your opinion about this?People with pain need new optionsThere has long been a lack of new non-opioid medications approved for pain. We encourage you to tell FDA what impact pain has had on your life and how speeding up the development of new […]

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Fun

#SoCS Prompt “dream”

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Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “dream.” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun! Dream or dreaming would seem like an easy topic to write about but dreaming comes in many forms. Dreams I have for the world, for my friends, dreams I have for family and not least dreams I have for myself. I believe one should dream, set a bar higher from where you are and visualize it with all your heart. The problem with dreaming is some people never get past dreaming about something instead of doing something to make the dream come true. In my early 20’s, I wasn’t meeting the type of men I wanted to have a long term relationship with. I dreamed of a nice man to share a respectful relationship with but it was not happening. I had to make a change, get way out of my box and go to where I thought nice men would be. I enrolled in college courses, mostly art, attended wine tastings even though I knew nothing about wine and I went to art galleries to see what my classes were talking about when it came to masterpieces. I’m not a rocket scientist, it didn’t take long, I met professional men, some I dated, others became good friends and most of all I learned a lot about myself. You have to do something to make a dream come true or it just […]

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Advocacy

Ketamine and Future Depression Treatments

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October 16, 2019 Psychiatry Advisor Contributing Writer Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share on Reddit Print Share by Email Researchers are hailing ketamine as the most significant new development in psychiatry given its high efficacy for treating major depression. Recent evidence has shown that in addition to depression, ketamine may also be a promising treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and a number of other treatment-refractory neuropsychiatric disorders. In a recent paper published in Drug Discovery Today, researchers explore ketamine’s role in revolutionizing new mental health treatments and discuss how this drug’s mechanism of action has led to an influx of new research and studies on depression treatment. Ketamine was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1970 as an anesthetic and safe alternative to phencyclidine. The therapeutic benefits of ketamine as an antidepressant were explored years later because of a stigma on from its widespread recreational use during the late 1960s and 1970s, and this agent was initially only administered intravenously. In 2000, researchers found that ketamine had strong, fast-acting, and long-term effects in depression. In a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover design study, patients with depression received 0.5 mg/kg of ketamine or saline on the first day of testing. Treatments were switched 1 week later. Researchers found that the antidepressant effects of ketamine began within 4 hours, peaked at 72 hours, and lasted for 1 to 2 weeks thereafter.1 In a 2006 study, this finding was […]

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Family

Bring Change To Mind November Newsletter

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BC2M 4th Annual SF Student Summit 300 BC2M High School club members gathered in San Francisco on November 2nd to mark our 4th Annual Student Summit. Thanks to our amazing host, Pinterest, these teens spent an afternoon engaging in mental health conversations, participating in exciting activities, and meeting other students from around the Bay Area. We are so grateful for our keynote speaker, Jen Gotch, CCO and founder of ban.do, in sharing her personal story and path to successfully managing her mental illness. She spent hours engaging in Q&A following her time on stage!After a morning filled with various speakers and an exciting activity fair, our students dispersed into breakout sessions where they chose workshop tracks covering the following topics: Advocacy in High School and Beyond; Mental Health & Interpersonal Relationships; Mental Health in the 21st Century; and Identity and Mental Health. The track system was a hit and our students gave us amazing feedback on this new change we implemented. The BC2M Summit is one of the biggest highlights of the year for the students and allows them to learn from one another, build a movement of change in their community, deepen their understanding of mental health topics, and make life-long friends. With the inspiration and hope that filled the room, we know that these students will put an end to stigma and create a more empathetic and compassionate world.  Special thanks to our sponsors for making the event possible: […]

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Crafts

Easy To Make Peppermint Sugar Scrub-Perfect Holiday Gift

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Willow and Sage by Stampington YOU WILL NEED Yields 1 cup 1/2 cup coconut oil Glass bowl 1 cup granulated sugar 12-15 drops peppermint essential oil Glass jars Candy cane, finely crushed TO MAKE Melt the coconut oil in a glass bowl in the microwave for about 30 seconds, and let cool for five minutes. Stir in the sugar and essential oils until combined. Package the peppermint sugar scrub in airtight glass jars, and sprinkle finely crushed candy cane on top; mix the candy cane into the scrub if desired. To use, gently massage a small amount into clean, dry skin. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water, and pat dry. Store the sugar scrub in a cool dry place for up to six months. Buy jars with hinged lids for a spa look and attach a ribbon and small spoon. 

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Crafts

Easy To Make Spiced Citrus Room Spray-Great Holiday Gift

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Willow and Sage by Stampington Spiced Citrus Room Spray YOU WILL NEED 2 oz. witch hazel Glass spray bottle: 4 oz 14 drops orange essential oil 6 drops cinnamon essential oil 6 drops clove essential oil 4 drops ginger essential oil 2 oz. filter water TO MAKE Add the witch hazel to the spray bottle. Add the essential oils. Top it with the filtered water. Shake before each use. You can tie a ribbon around, this would make a perfect inexpensive holiday gift.

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Celebrate Life

Channeling HYGEE in Wintery Days

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Willow and Sage by Stampington The Danish concept of hygee never gets old. It’s all about slowing down and taking your time, creating space for warmth, coziness, and being in the moment. Although it’s not specific to wintertime, hygee lends itself well to the season. Here are a few ideas on how to infuse hygee into your cozy living this winter. Snuggle up with blankets and pillows Use soft lighting and candlelight Decorate with natural items Wear thick soaks and wooly sweaters Drink warm apple cider or hot cocoa Pay attention to textures Declutter your home Make soup from scratch Reread a favorite book Handwrite letters to friends or family Eat dinner by candlelight Practice embroidery  

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Health and Wellbeing

Why Joker’s depiction of mental illness is dangerously misinformed

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Annabel Driscoll and Mina Husain The Guardian Mon 21 Oct 2019 11.04 EDT With films playing a key role in shaping attitudes to mental health, two doctors say Joaquin Phoenix’s troubled supervillain perpetuates damaging stereotypes As junior doctors who work on acute inpatient psychiatric wards, serious mental illness is our daily reality. We have, therefore, watched the controversies around Todd Phillips’s Joker – in which Joaquin Phoenix plays a troubled loner who turns to violence – with professional interest. The film’s dominance in the debate about portrayals of mental illness in the movies comes at a curious time. Recently, we’ve witnessed great leaps of awareness about relatively common mental-health issues such as depression and anxiety, and with that awareness, increasing dismissal of the sort of unhelpful prejudices that used to surround them. These are now readily discussed without shame and often represented in the media with a well-informed grasp of the facts, thanks to effective information campaigns. Joker review – the most disappointing film of the year 2 out of 5 stars.     Read more However, severe mental health conditions, such as psychotic illnesses, remain shrouded in stigma and are consistently misrepresented and misunderstood. Portrayals of mental illness in film can perpetuate unfounded stereotypes and spread misinformation. One of the more toxic ideas that Joker subscribes to is the hackneyed association between serious mental illness and extreme violence. The notion that mental deterioration necessarily leads to violence against others – implied by the juxtaposition of Phoenix’s character Arthur stopping […]

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Health and Wellbeing

Treating Lyme with Marty Ross MD-Probiotics

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Dear Subscriber, Most people with Lyme disease should take probiotics while they are in treatment. However, not all probiotics are created equal. And there are different types of probiotics for different situations. In Probiotics in Lyme Treatment I explain the different kinds of probiotics. Preventing yeast requires a different probiotic strategy than treating active yeast infection. Some on antibiotics may also develop an intestinal infection problem called C. Difficile. In Probiotics in Lyme Treatment I show you which probiotic products to use for each of these situations and describe how to dose them. In Health, Marty Ross MD  Read Now Spread the Word!   ShareTweetForward Quality Matters. See the various probiotic products I use successfully in my practice at Marty Ross MD Healing Arts.  Look Now

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Chronic Illness

U.S. PAIN FOUNDATION SUBMITS COMMENTS TO CMS RFI

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October 16, 2019/ U.S. Pain Foundation/ 0 Comments October 11, 2019 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Comments on the Request for Information (RFI) on the Development of a CMS Action Plan to Prevent Opioid Addiction and Enhance Access to Medication-Assisted Treatment The U.S. Pain Foundation is pleased to respond to CMS’s request for information to inform the development of a CMS Action plan to prevent opioid addiction and improve the treatment of acute and chronic pain. The U.S. Pain Foundation is the largest 501 (c) (3) organization for people who live with chronic pain from a myriad of diseases, conditions and serious injuries. Our mission is to connect, support, educate and advocate for those living with chronic pain, as well as their caregivers and healthcare providers. Chronic pain is an enormous public health problem. The CDC and NIH have reported that 50 million Americans live with chronic pain and 19.6 million live with high-impact chronic pain that interferes with their ability to 1 There are currently very few highly effective treatments for many pain conditions. Managing pain is a matter of finding the right combination of treatments that allows pain sufferers to function and have some quality of life. We believe people with chronic pain should have access to a wide range of therapies and treatments because pain is very individual – what helps one person living with pain will not necessarily help another.Most people living with chronic pain spend […]

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Chronic Illness

INTERIM CEO A KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT AMERICAN MASSAGE THERAPY ASSOCIATION CONVENTION

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October 31, 2019/ U.S. Pain Foundation/ 0 Comments Interim CEO Nicole Hemmenway was one of three keynote speakers at the closing session of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) national convention last weekend in Indianapolis, IN. In her talk, “Massage for Chronic Pain: What our community wants you to know,” Hemmenway shared her personal journey with complex regional pain syndrome and why she’s dedicated herself to helping others with pain through the U.S. Pain Foundation. She gave attendees a glimpse into the programs and services U.S. Pain offers, and provided insight into the scope of the chronic pain health crisis in America. The emphasis of Hemmenway’s remarks was on the barriers to multidisciplinary care, particularly massage, and how massage therapists can best help people with pain. “It truly was a privilege to be invited by the AMTA to speak at their annual convention,” Hemmenway says. “There is a greater need, maybe now more than ever, for affordable access to multidisciplinary care, such as massage therapy. I was so impressed with the therapists I spoke to who are genuinely invested in patient’s overall wellness. But like the pain community, they also feel discouraged by the lack of access. That is why it is so important for us to use our voices to fight for better coverage of options like massage.” Hemmenway shared feedback from the pain community about what they wanted massage therapists to know, including: People with pain have bodies that are […]

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Fun

#SoCS Prompt “nuts”

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Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “nuts.” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun! This is an easy prompt because I’ve been called nuts many times in my life and I love nuts. Let’s start with why someone would call me nuts. I was and still am a tomboy and would do any dare or anything to keep up with the boys when I was younger. We played football, had a bike ramp, used the city culverts as bike ramps and I can’t forget the nutty games we played in the pool. I don’t feel the need to compete with boys/men today but still am a tomboy. Noone is going to limit what I can do or learn. Growing up my grandparents had these 100 year old pecan trees and finding plenty of nuts was never a problem. When I was little gramps and I would collect off the nuts off the ground and sit in lawn chairs cracking, eating and feeding some to the squirells. Gramps reached a point where the squirells would come right up and take a nut out of his hand. I was able to do it one time but as cute as squirells are they carry rabies and I don’t want to find out. I could talk about nuts all day because of gramps, he never went a day without eating pecans, usually grow in the back yard. Have a great […]

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Abuse

Sadfishing: Social media trend threatens teenagers’ mental health, report warns

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Pupils seeking support online are being affected by latest trend Eleanor Busby Education Correspondent Tuesday 1 October 2019 07:38  A new social media trend called “sadfishing” is threatening teenagers’ mental health, report finds. Youngsters facing genuine distress who seek support online are being accused of jumping onto the same publicity bandwagon as celebrities, according to research commissioned by headteachers. “Sadfishing” has been used to describe when someone posts about an emotional problem in an attempt to attract attention, sympathy or hook an audience. The term was coined after a number of celebrities, such as Kendall Jenner, were accused of teasing details about personal issues on their social media sites to drum up publicity and attract more likes. A new study, by Digital Awareness UK (DAUK), says sadfishing is among the new trends that damage teenagers’ self-esteem, with teenagers reporting that they have been bullied as a result. The report, which is based on face-to-face sessions with more than 50,000 pupils aged 11 to 16, argues that students can be left feeling disappointed at not getting the support they desire and it can subsequently make their emotional or mental health problems worse. One Year 7 student told researchers that he used Instagram to share his feelings when he was feeling down due to problems at home. “I got a lot of people commenting on and ‘liking’ my post but then some people said I was sadfishing the next day at school for attention,” the student said. “Sharing […]

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Abuse

The hidden abuse that can hurt your mental health: Gaslighting

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Nearly half the women and men in the U.S. say they’ve endured psychological aggression from intimate partners. OCT. 4, 201903:45Oct. 4, 2019, 6:22 AM CDTBy Bianca Seidman Domestic abuse is a leading problem in American homes and it can take many different forms. When the abuse leaves no physical marks, outsiders may not recognize when all is not well and the abused person can find it challenging to translate what’s happening. “Gaslighting” — a term that became popular after the 1944 movie “Gaslight,” in which a husband slowly makes his wife think she’s going crazy through a long game of deceptions — is an insidious form of psychological abuse. It’s an intricate web of lies woven to break down one partner’s sense of self-worth and perception of what is real. “When you’re black and blue, you can point to the bruises and you can say ‘This happened to me,’” Dr. Robin Stern, associate director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, told TODAY. “But when somebody is undermining your reality and you simply have this feeling that there’s something wrong … women moreso than men, but men too, tend to point their fingers at themselves and say, ‘I did something wrong.’” Nearly half of all women and men in the U.S. said they’ve been subjected to psychological aggression by an intimate partner, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How couples can spot warning signs of domestic abuse OCT. 3, 201906:42 […]

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Health and Wellbeing

How To Care For Yourself When Dealing With Difficult People

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By Dana BelletiereLast updated: 3 Oct 2019~ One of my friends tells her story of growing up with a mother with “issues” rather matter-of-factly, but the details are pretty grim to listen to. “She would stop talking to me for no reason, for days at a time, and put a gift on my bed when she decided she was done being mad at me. We never talked about why she was angry, and most of the time I didn’t know. I just knew not to talk to her until she left something on my bed, and then I’d hold my breath until the next time she got upset about something.”  My friend’s mother sometimes disappeared for lengths of time without anyone knowing where she went or when (or if) she would return. When she fought with my friend’s father, she frequently brought my friend into the arguments as a mediator, despite her being a child. “Everything was about her,” my friend says. “Even as an adult, forty years later, everything is still about her.” Whether we are born into families with difficult people, or enter into relationships with them as friends, coworkers, partners, etcetera, it can be challenge to know how to best respond to someone who is emotionally unwell. In order to do so effectively, it is paramount that we understand that the behaviors that are being presented are not our fault, develop firm and clear boundaries about what we will and will […]

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Gluten-Free

Gluten-Free Salmon with Lime and Sesame Seeds Great for Holidays

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Gluten-Freedom by Alessio Fasano, MD with Susie Flaherty   Ingredients: 1 1/2 to 2 pounds salmon (wild-caught preferred with skin on) Juice from 2-3 limes Olive Oil Sesame Seeds Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and coat very lightly with olive oil. Place salmon, skin side down, on parchment paper in the pan. Squees the juice of 2-3 limes into a bowl. Use a pastry brush to coat salmon with lime juice. Coat the top of the salmon with sesame seeds. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork. Be careful to not overcook.  

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Advocacy

#Art Through Pain #KNOWvember

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Dear pain warriors,Each November, U.S. Pain Foundation organizes a month-long educational campaign for the pain community. Recognizing that art and writing can help kids and adults cope with and/or express chronic pain and its effects on their lives, this year’s KNOWvember campaign will focus on creativity.During the month, titled “Art through Pain: How Creativity Helps Us Cope,” U.S. Pain will be:hosting three virtual events, soliciting visual art submissions to showcase at a later date,and highlighting information about art and pain on social media (#ArtThroughPain).If you’d like to submit your artwork, you have the option of sharing it with us privately or allowing us to use it in a future project (such as in a blog post on Remedy or an INvisible Project magazine) through the link below. Submit your artwork >>

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Art

Interview with Jay Jasper from The Alchemist — The Alchemist’s Studio

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Originally posted on For the Love of Art: Please welcome Jay Jasper from The Alchemist at https://rakupottery.ca, He is a self-taught Raku pottery artist. He’s on the eve of publishing his first book, A Potter’s Dream: Myth and Legends. Jay takes an interesting approach to each piece of pottery by associating it with myths and legends… Interview with Jay Jasper from The Alchemist — The Alchemist’s Studio

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WATWB

#WATWB Home Depot Workers Help Neighborhood With Clean Up After Tornados

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This week the DFW area was hit with 10 tornadoes, several in densely populated areas, most neighborhoods. Thankfully no one was killed and only a few injured. Several of the neighborhoods had 100-year-old trees that were torn out by the roots, it was heartbreaking. More heartbreaking was to see the number of homes with roofs were torn off, some mostly destroyed and so many displaced until repairs and clean up could take place. A nearby Home Depot was severely damaged and workers were unable to go to work so they went to the hardest-hit neighborhoods and help with clean up. HEB the grocery store chain brought out a semi-truck that served as a restaurant serving meals to those impacted. Several churches in the area were damaged, a couple beyond repair, the members of the church set up food lines in the parking lot for the neighbors who needed a hot meal. Many big cities have their problems and I can complain all day about our own but when the chips are down, we somehow put everything aside and come together to serve. Here is the link to read more. https://krld.radio.com/media/audio-channel/home-depot-workers-helping-tornado-victims-dallas-area Melinda    “We are the World” Blogfest” aims to spread the message of light, hope and love in today’s world. We are challenging all participants to share the positive side of humanity. This month’s co-hosts, Sylvia McGrath, Lizbeth Hartz, Shilpa Garg, Mary Giese, and Belinda Witzenhausen welcome participants and encourage all to join in during future […]

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Fun

#SoCS Prompt “dress”

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Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “dress.” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun! I’ve read several posts this morning talking about a favorite dress, I have one too. My granny made this black velvet dress with red lace trim for me when I was around 7-8 years old. Oddly enough, I still have the dress, it’s in perfect condition which hard to believe since I was such a tomboy. I also have a purple dress that was my granny’s that I played dress up with as a little girl. I’m not a hoarder by any means……but it’s hard to part with items attached with memories from my grandparents. I have her thimbles, pin cushion, even some sewing needles. I cherish their wedding rings, my gramps wore his on the key ring because he was a mechanic and couldn’t wear jewelry. Maybe I need to address where my head is at this morning since I’m rambling on. Thinking about a dress brought so many memories flooding in, I could write all day about them, but I won’t. Have a great weekend. Thanks for reading, I appreciate you and your awesome comments. Melinda Here are the rules: Your post must be Stream of Consciousness writing, meaning no editing (typos can be fixed), and minimal planning on what you’re going to write. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One […]

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Fun

Today In History

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1857 Sheffield is a goliath of steel manufacturing in South Yorkshire, England, and now claims the world’s first football team, as Nathaniel Creswick and William Prest meet to form the Sheffield Football Club. The sport will kick around Britain awhile before scoring worldwide popularity. 1945 The United Nations charter, written earlier in the year at a conference in San Francisco, takes effect. The first meetings of the General Assembly and Security Council will take place the following January in London. The New York headquarters will be completed in 1952. 1962 His studio cuts can be mind-blowing, but James Brown and his fans know there’s nothing like seeing the R&B dynamo live, fronting his Famous Flames. When a recording of tonight’s session at the Apollo Theater in Harlem is released as an album, it will rocket up the charts. 2018 A lucky South Carolina resident takes the top Mega Millions prize of $1.537 billion (or a lump sum payout of $877.8 million), the largest lottery prizeever won by an individual. As South Carolina is one of only six states whose laws permit jackpot winners to accept the prize anonymously, the winner’s identity remains a mystery.

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Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia, Dreams, Trauma and EMDR

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In post https://lookingforthelight.blog/2019/07/22/agoraphobia-is-not-logical/ ,‎ I forgot to mention the nightmares that have haunted me and I believe reinforce my agoraphobia. Every dream is based on not being able to get out or leave where I am. Examples, can’t find keys, don’t know what exit to take from store, cars covered in snow, not sure which one is mine. I also dream I’m flying, which I have for a long time, new to my dreams are not being able to see or only seeing a small amount. I’m not real deep into dream interpretation but from what I’ve read the deffinitions could fit. Flying is generally a good sign however it could mean you are fleeing something. Being blind is not wanting to see or face what is before you. I can’t help but think these dreams are aggrevating my agroraphobia and anxiety. Saturday I woke up and during the dream I could not find my car because it was snowed under, then I was flying in a part of town that is an hour away from where I live yet I was trying to get home. Next in the dream I’m in an expensive business suit and enter an auditorium, I’m nervious someone will think I have money and try to rob me so I’m shoving my purse into my breifcase. Then I find and pay phone and fumble for change and someone is standing in my way and won’t move […]

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#SoSc

“#SoSC” Prompt for Week is “oh”

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Have a great weekend and thanks for reading, I appreciate all your comments. M Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “oh.” Use it as a word or find a word that starts with “oh.” Bonus points if you start and end with “oh.” Enjoy! Oh, well that seems an easy prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday. I haven’t participated the past couple of weeks, my body let me down, I’m feeling better today. I’m excited to write this week and see what comes from these fingers. Soho in New York is a cool neighborhood to hang out, eat great food and it’s oh so expensive to live. The area is vibrant, alive and buzzing 24 hours a day. Oh, I have to say you should visit if in the area. Join us for the fun and sharing good media stories.  For more on the Stream of Consciousness Saturday, visit Linda Hill’s blog. Here’s the link:https://lindaghill.com Here are the rules for SoCS: Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing, (typos can be fixed) and minimal planning on what you’re going to write. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop. There will be a prompt every week. I will post the prompt here […]

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Gluten-Free

Gluten-Free Capri Salad *Great for Holiday Gatherings

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Ingredients: 2 large tomatoes Fresh basil 1/2 pound Mozzarella di Bufala di Campania (soft mozzarella cheese) 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil Using a bread knife, slice tomatoes thickly in 1/2 inch slices. Select soft mozzarella cheese packaged in water so it remains moist and flavorful (don’t use hard packed mozzarella used for pizza topping.) Carefully slice the mozzarella cheese […]

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Today in History

Today in History

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    1931 Brooklyn native Al Capone is brought to justice after a violent criminal career, but it’s not a rival’s bullets or a murder conviction that finally does him in. The 32-year-old known as ‘Scarface’ is convicted on tax evasion charges and sentenced to a prison term of 11 years. 1943 After 600 prisoners attempt a daring escape from […]

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Moving Forward

Domestic Violence: Breaking the Cycle For Good — Guest Blogger The Zebra Pit

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Abuse victims don’t have to remain victims and you don’t have to continue to put yourself second to the needs of others. Anyone can learn how to become a survivor and live in your own truth instead. You can have a healthy mind and lead healthy life with a healthy partner. It doesn’t happen magically. It takes a lot of work, as does anything worth achieving, but I can tell you firsthand the work is more than worth it and pays off heavily in happiness dividends. Domestic Violence: Breaking the Cycle For Good — The Zebra Pit

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Abuse

Brother witnessed Domestic Violence and Child Abuse * Everybody Hurts*

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Original post 3/2014 Everyone suffers in an abusive environment. Our house was always in chaos. An alcoholic stepfather who abused my mother and a mother who abused her daughter. There were three other children in the house who saw the abuse, heard the screams and threats. I used to think the victim was the only person with scars. At 9 years old I survived almost daily beatings by taking drugs, plenty of alcohol and trying to kill myself. It never occurred to me my brother suffered from witnessing the abuse. My brother’s scars are from seeing our stepfather beat our mother. Dragging her down the hall beating her head from side to side. Putting a knife to her throat saying he would kill her. Most of their fights ending in front of our bedrooms. We had front row seats to hell. My mother abused me, the methods escalated as I aged. I heard stories of abuse as early as six months old. I don’t think my mother was trying to kill me. She’s like the women on the news who allow their kids to die. She didn’t push my head under the water but would have crocodile tears if I drowned accidentally. One weekend driving back from Houston we passed the exit to my mother’s house. I had strong emotions about my brother not me. I didn’t understand the emotions. It hit me like a train, my brother was not physically […]

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Survivor

Domestic Violence thru the eyes of a Child

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Tears started my day, who knows what triggered the thought of this post and song.  M Original post 4/26/2015 I witnessed my mother beat emotionally and physically everyday, it created chaos in my young mind. A tornado burned a hole in my heart. I couldn’t understand the feelings of pain when abused and watching abuse. Child abuse leaves a deep […]

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CBD

Here’s the truth about CBD, from a cannabis researcher

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IDEAS.TED.COM Sep 23, 2019 / Jeffrey Chen, MD Is CBD a cure-all — or snake oil? Jeffrey Chen, executive director of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative, explains the science behind the cannabis product. CBD gummies. CBD shots in your latte. CBD dog biscuits. From spas to drug stores, supermarkets to cafes, wherever you go in the US today, you’re likely to see products infused with CBD. There are cosmetics, vape pens, pills and, of course, the extract itself; there are even CBD-containing sexual lubricants for women which aim to reduce pelvic pain or enhance sensation. CBD has been hailed by some users as having cured their pain, anxiety, insomnia, depression or seizures, and it’s been touted by advertisers as a supplement that can treat all of the above and combat aging and chronic disease. As Executive Director of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative, I’m dedicated to unearthing the scientific truth — the good and the bad — behind cannabis and CBD. My interest was sparked in 2014 when I was a medical student at UCLA, and I discovered a parent successfully treating her child’s severe epilepsy with CBD. I was surprised and intrigued. Despite California legalizing medical cannabis in 1996, we weren’t taught anything about cannabis or CBD in med school. I did research and found other families and children like Charlotte Figi reporting success with CBD, and I knew it was something that needed to be investigated. I established Cannabis Research Initiative in the fall of 2017, and today we […]

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America

How does impeachment work? A quick TED explainer

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IDEAS.TED.COM Sep 27, 2019 / Alex Gendler Confused about the process? Join the rest of us. Read this explainer, adapted from a TED-Ed lesson, and get up to speed on “articles of impeachment,” “supermajorities” and “managers” in a flash. For almost every job in the world, it’s understood that a person can be fired — whether for crime, incompetence or poor performance. But what if your job happens to be one of the most powerful positions in the country? Like president of the United States? Or vice president? Or justice of the Supreme Court? That’s where impeachment comes in. So, how does the process work? Despite how most people use the term, impeachment does not mean removing a person from office. Instead, impeachment refers to the formal accusation that launches a trial. When the US Constitution was written in 1787, impeachment was enshrined in Article 1 as a power of Congress that applied to any civil officers — up to and including the president. Although demands for impeachment can come from any member of the public, only the House of Representatives has the power to initiate the process. The House begins by referring the matter to a committee, usually the Committee on Rules and the Committee on the Judiciary. These committees review the accusations, examine the evidence, and issue a recommendation. If they find sufficient grounds to proceed, the House holds a separate vote on each of the specific charges, otherwise known as Articles of Impeachment. If one or more of […]

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Abuse

Why PTSD Is a Mental Injury, Not a Mental Illness

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Psychology Today Posted Sep 23, 2019 Tracy S. Hutchinson, Ph.D. New research suggests that PTSD is a normal response to common life events.   According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 7.7 million adults suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Along with a surge of awareness regarding PTSD, there are also many misconceptions. For example, some believe it is only associated with war veterans, events such as 9/11, or natural disasters. Although this diagnosis has historically been associated with military veterans who undergo multiple deployments, there are many other events that can trigger symptoms of PTSD. For example, prolonged exposure to emotional and psychological abuse (e.g., verbally abusive relationships, alcoholism, or stressful childhoods) are risk factors for developing symptoms. Some of these lingering misconceptions may be due to the fact that development and recognition of the disorder is relatively recent and has really only blossomed in the last three decades. History In 1980, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) formally recognized PTSD as an actual mental health diagnosis. Historically, it had been formally recognized as “shell shock” and was thought only to occur in military war veterans. Further, PTSD had historically been thought of as something that someone “gets over” over time. This may be true for some, but it isn’t for others. Researchers continue to discover risk factors that can cause PTSD symptoms. This includes emerging research on the study of what happens in childhood and how it affects adults in their lifetime (van Der Kolk, 2014). For example, some of my clients […]

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Today in History

Today in History

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  1845 Seven professors will teach 50 midshipmen in Annapolis, Maryland, as the Naval School, later known as the United States Naval Academy, begins its first term. Commodore Matthew Perry has helped plan the five-year curriculum, with the first and last year taught on land, and the middle three at sea. 1911 The building of railways by foreign powers in China stokes nationalistic […]

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Abuse

Entrepreneur, Activist, Survivor: Why Janet Jensen Supports RAINN

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Each month, RAINN features a member of its National Leadership Council (NLC). The NLC is a group of dedicated individuals who have shown their commitment to RAINN’s mission of supporting survivors and ending sexual violence. This month we checked in with Janet Jensen, founder and CEO of the Human Investment Foundation, The Jensen Project, and Enjen. Why are you passionate about ending sexual violence and why should everyone be?  As a survivor of a violent rape, I know first-hand the havoc that sexual violence has on an individual and those closest to them. After my attack, many of my daily habits changed due to my internal heightened alerts. It took me over 10 years to park in a parking garage, even though that wasn’t the location of my attack. I was afraid of putting myself in a vulnerable position where I could be attacked again. Sexual violence is an issue of safety and human rights. Everyone deserves the right to go through life without unjust fear. How can we all be better supporters and advocates for survivors in our lives?  It is on all of us to create an environment of empathy and compassion. Be willing to listen. Be less judgmental. Be willing to help direct survivors to resources that are available. What is your message to survivors?  It takes tremendous courage to come forward. The best words that need to come out of our mouths is “I believe you.” In […]

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Employment

You Left Your Job Because of Sexual Harassment. What Now?

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OCT 04, 2019 Some victims of workplace sexual harassment are reluctant to report what happened because they fear the effect on their career. For those who leave their job after experiencing harassment or assault, it can be hard to know how to approach a new job search, application, or interview process. “It’s a challenging issue. It’s a difficult scenario that more and more people are being placed in. The main thing is to remember you’re not to blame and this situation doesn’t define you,” says Pete Church, a member of RAINN’s National Leadership Council and Chief Human Resources Officer at Avangrid, a leading sustainable energy company that operates in 24 states. What to do during your search  “If your goal is to assess how a potential employer understands and addresses harassment in the work environment, then there’s a lot of helpful research you can do before you’re in an interview,” Church suggests. He also recommends going on Glassdoor and reading reviews of the company. Even if you don’t see specific mentions of sexual harassment in the reviews, you can learn about the company culture. It can also be helpful to find past employees of a company you’re interested in on LinkedIn. You can reach out for a networking phone call to ask about what their experience was like, about the company culture, and if you feel comfortable doing so, why they left the organization. Approach the situation optimistically and know […]

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Food

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

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From Jules Dowler Shepard   Ingredients 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) butter or nondairy alternative (Earth Balance Buttery Sticks) 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) shortening (or Earth Balance Shortening Stick) 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated cane sugar 3/4 teaspoon sea salt 2 teaspoons gluten-free vanilla extract (Neilson Massey Madagasgar Bourbon Vanilla) 2 large eggs (or reconstituted Ener-G […]

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Moving Forward

Fighting Fibro Fatigue with Food: Easy, Healthy Grain Bowls — Guest Blogger Reclaiming HOPE

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I’ve been experimenting in the kitchen again. In our family we laugh about my experiments, because I get in the kitchen and just start putting things together. I had a mission with this last one though – to figure out how to make healthy lunches that were quick and easy to put together. One of […] Fighting Fibro Fatigue with Food: Easy, Healthy Grain Bowls — Reclaiming HOPE

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Moving Forward

New Daily Persistent Headache — Guest Blogger Chicago Headache Center & Research Institute

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One of the more challenging headache conditions to treat is New Daily Persistent Headache (NDPH). NDPH is characterized by a new headache that occurs daily for more than three months. NDPH is most common in young females, although males certainly can and do suffer from NDPH. There are often associated symptoms that can be bothersome […] New Daily Persistent Headache — Chicago Headache Center & Research Institute

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#SoSc

“#SoSC” Prompt for Week is *tast-

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Have a great weekend and thanks for reading, I appreciate all your comments. M Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “-tast-.” Find a word that contains “tast” and use it in your post. Enjoy! The one thing you never know when you are chronically ill is when you will feel “normal” again, do much needed activities and much needed self-care. I struggle with several chronic illnesses and I’ve hit a good run for the past month and it feels FANTASTIC! I work hard not to over do things but work diligently to take advantage of the time I have for quality time with my loved ones, including my four legged babies. Thanks for reading and stopping by my blog today. I appreciate all your comments. Melinda Join us for the fun and sharing good media stories.  For more on the Stream of Consciousness Saturday, visit Linda Hill’s blog. Here’s the link:https://lindaghill.com Here are the rules for SoCS: Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing, (typos can be fixed) and minimal planning on what you’re going to write. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop. There will be a prompt every week. I will post the prompt here on my blog on […]

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Today in History

Today in History

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52 BCE The Gallic Wars have raged for eight years, with Julius Caesar leading much of the Roman Republic’s charge against the tribes of Gaul in Western Europe. An inability to band together against their common enemy dooms the Gallic tribes, and the struggle ends at the Battle of Alesia. 1895 Stephen Crane’s novel ‘The Red Badge of Courage‘ is released in book form for the […]

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Moving Forward

Here’s how neem oil can do double duty for organic gardeners — Guest Blogger Farmstand Culture

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Neem oil. It’s a thick, tan-colored oil extracted from the mechanically-pressed (or chemically-processed) seed of the neem tree. Neem is one of those plants that is almost certainly under-utilized across most of the world. It’s all-natural and vegan. You can use neem oil for organic pest control but wait, there’s more… Don’t eat the neem […] Here’s how neem oil can do double duty for organic gardeners — farmstand culture

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