Chronic Illness

Fibromyalgia Thoughts #2

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The pain has moved to my lower body, it attacks every joint and muscle I have. For the past 10 days, my leg has caused a big problem, it’s hard to walk. Any pressure on my leg makes me scream out in pain. I can’t stand up by myself unless there are objects strong enough to pull me up. My husband isn’t a little guy and it takes two or three tries because I start to cry out. I have no idea what is happening, this level of pain is new for me. It’s not so much the level but the time in constant pain. I’ve been going to bed between 4:30-6:30 p.m. every night thinking resting is the only answer. So far that seems to be the case. I can now move my knee closer to a normal sitting position. Try getting on and off the toilet, it’s been a painful 10 days. I’ve forced myself to bed in order to get better. I’m not looking for total pain relief, that’s not my goal. Right now I want to be able to get out of a chair by myself. The rest of my body feels the normal everyday dull pain, my shoulder still screams out at night. Pain meds, topical patches and ointments the doctor gave me on Friday have provided no relief. I’m laying in bed with one leg balancing the computer, trying not to walk any more than […]

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Health & Beauty

What Are Parabens—and Do I Need to Worry About Them?

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Real Simple By Eleni N. Gage Updated: October 12, 2017   These preservatives are common, but health concerns have cropped up.  Parabens have been widely used in products to prevent bacteria growth since the 1950s. “About 85 percent of cosmetics have them,” says Arthur Rich, Ph.D., a cosmetic chemist in Chestnut Ridge, New York. “They’re inexpensive and effective.” New York City dermatologist […]

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Caregiver

For Kids With Anxiety, Parents Learn To Let Them Face Their Fears

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April 15, 20195:00 AM ETHeard on  Morning Edition ANGUS CHEN The first time Jessica Calise can remember her 9-year-old son Joseph’s anxiety spiking was about a year ago, when he had to perform at a school concert. He said his stomach hurt and he might throw up. “We spent the whole performance in the bathroom,” she recalls. After that, Joseph struggled whenever he had to do something alone, like showering or sleeping in his bedroom. He would beg his parents to sit outside the bathroom door or let him sleep in their bed. “It’s heartbreaking to see your child so upset and feel like he’s going to throw up because he’s nervous about something that, in my mind, is no big deal,” Jessica says. Jessica decided to enroll in an experimental program, one that was very different from other therapy for childhood anxiety that she knew about. It wasn’t Joseph who would be seeing a therapist every week — it would be her. The program was part of a Yale University study that treated children’s anxiety by teaching their parents new ways of responding to it. “The parent’s own responses are a core and integral part of childhood anxiety,” says Eli Lebowitz, a psychologist at the Yale School of Medicine who developed the training. For instance, when Joseph would get scared about sleeping alone, Jessica and her husband, Chris Calise, did what he asked and comforted him. “In my mind, I was […]

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Advocacy

Prince Harry and Oprah Winfrey are joining forces on a new documentary series about mental health and well-being.

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by Imogen Calderwood  April 16, 2019 The pair will be co-creators and executive producers of the series, according to an announcement on Wednesday from Kensington Palace via Harry and Meghan’s new Instagram account, SussexRoyal.  The multi-part series is due to be broadcast next year on the recently announced US streaming service, Apple TV+, which will launch this autumn. It’s not yet known, however, how viewers in the UK will be able to watch.  According to the statement, the show will “focus on both mental illness and mental wellness, inspiring viewers to have an honest conversation about the challenges each of us faces, and how to equip ourselves with the tools to not simply survive, but to thrive.”  The palace said the series would build on the Duke of Sussex’s extensive work on mental health.   Instagram Harry has previously spoken out about the “quite serious effect” the death of his mother, Princess Diana, had on his life, and said that he has “probably been very close to a complete breakdown on numerous occasions.”  “I truly believe that good mental health — mental fitness — is the key to powerful leadership, productive communities, and a purpose-driven self,” said Harry, in a statement about the documentary.  He also revealed that he feels the “huge responsibility to get this right as we bring you the facts, the science, and the awareness of a subject that is so relevant during these times.” “Our hope is that this series will be positive, enlightening, and inclusive — […]

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Chronic Illness

PAIN COMMUNITY UNITES TO RESPOND TO FEDERAL DRAFT REPORT

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May 1, 2019/ U.S. Pain Foundation The 90-day public comment period for the Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force’s (PMTF) draft report came to a close April 1, with more than 6,000 individuals and organizations submitting feedback. Among those to comment was the Consumer Pain Advocacy Task Force (CPATF), a coalition of pain patient-related nonprofits, including U.S. Pain Foundation, which submitted a 25-page joint letter. In addition to U.S. Pain Foundation, the CPATF letter was signed by the Center for Practical Bioethics; CHAMP (Coalition For Headache And Migraine Patients); Chronic Pain Research Alliance; For Grace: Women In Pain; Global Healthy Living Foundation; Headache and Migraine Policy Forum; International Pain Foundation; Interstitial Cystitis Association; RSDSA (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome Association); and The Pain Community. “We are very grateful that so many patient organizations joined together to respond to this report with one, unified voice,” says Cindy Steinberg, U.S. Pain Foundation’s National Director of Policy and Advocacy and the only patient advocacy representative on the PMTF. “While the draft report holds a lot of promise, from the patient perspective, we had a number of important suggestions for ways to improve or expand on its recommendations.” Of note, the CPATF letter commends the draft report’s emphasis on individualized care and encouraged further emphasis of that point. CPATF also urges PMTF to go further and recommend that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) formally revise and reissue their 2016 guidelines on opioid prescribing […]

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Chronic Illness

CLEARING UP 12 COMMON MYTHS ABOUT MEDICAL CANNABIS FOR PAIN

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April 18, 2019/ U.S. Pain Foundation   Ellen Lenox Smith is Co-Director of Medical Cannabis for U.S. Pain and a U.S. Pain Board Member. She lives with two rare conditions: Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and sarcoidosis. After years of struggling to find pain relief without side effects or adverse reactions, she discovered medical cannabis. A retired school teacher, Ellen is now a renowned patient advocate and works tirelessly to encourage safe, fair access to all treatment options, particularly medical cannabis. She has spoken at numerous conferences on cannabis access and been featured widely in the media on the topic. She is also the author of two books: It Hurts Like Hell!: I Live With Pain—And Have A Good Life Anyway and My Life as a Service Dog. Below, she clears up common myths surrounding medical cannabis for pain. MYTH #1: ALL  PEOPLE WHO USE CANNABIS MUST BE “STONED” OR “HIGH.” Truth: this only happens if you use too much medication. People living with pain get pain relief; people using it socially and not in pain, get high! In addition, medical cannabis is made of two components: THC, which causes the mental effects associated with feeling high, and CBD, which produces bodily effects. Various strains of cannabis have different ratios of THC and CBD, which means that not all strains create as much of a “high” feeling. MYTH #2: EVERYONE WHO USES THE SAME STRAIN EXPERIENCES THE SAME RESULT TO USING IT. Truth: Each body can have […]

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Chronic Illness

PAIN CONNECTION ADDS FOUR SUPPORT GROUPS AND NEW MONTHLY CALL

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May 1, 2019/ U.S. Pain Foundation   Finding community support is essential to living with chronic pain. With that in mind, Pain Connection, a program of U.S. Pain Foundation, continues to expand its in-person and conference call support group offerings nationwide. Along with three existing monthly “Pain Connection Live” support group calls, there will now be a morning call on the third Thursday of each month from 10-11 am EST. The first call will be May 16. Existing calls are held on one evening, one afternoon, and one Saturday each month. To learn more or register for a Pain Connection Live call, click here. In addition, four new in-person support groups have been added in CA, AL, and NJ. All support groups are led by a person with pain who has received intensive training from Gwenn Herman, LCSW, DCSW, Clinical Director of Pain Connection. Costa Mesa, CA  Date: Second Tuesday of each month. The next meeting is May 14. Time: 11 am – 1 pm Location: Panera Bread at 3030 Harbor Boulevard, Costa Mesa, CA. (Meet against the back wall.) Contact: Kristie McCurdy, MSN, RN, at CRPSsurvivorsOC@gmail.com San Francisco, CA Date: Second and fourth Friday of each month. The next meetings are May 10 and May 24. Time: 12 – 1 pm Location: 1701 Divisedero Street, 5th floor conference room, San Francisco, CA. (Elevator available.) Contact: Cessa Marshal at cessamarshall@yahoo.com or 415-637-1812. Pell City, ALDate: The first meeting will be May 2. Time: 6-7:30 pm. Location: The Brook Besor Coffee Shop, 4204 Martin St. S., Cropwell, AL […]

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Chronic Illness

FDA, CDC REACT TO HARM TO PAIN PATIENTS

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May 1, 2019/ U.S. Pain Foundation Last month, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reacted to the unintended harm to people living with chronic pain as a result of policy measures intended to ameliorate the opioid crisis. On April 9, the FDA issued a Safety Announcement citing “serious harm,” including “withdrawal symptoms, uncontrolled pain, psychological distress and suicide” as a result of sudden discontinuation or rapid dose decreases in opioid pain medication. The FDA will now require changes to the prescribing information for health care professionals that will provide guidance on how to safely reduce or taper patients off opioid medications. The agency states that there is no standard opioid tapering schedule; rather, a schedule must be tailored to each patient’s unique situation considering a variety of factors, including the type of pain the patient has. The FDA is also warning patients not to suddenly stop taking their opioid medication, as this can result in serious problems. Even when patients gradually reduce these medications, they may still experience withdrawal symptoms such as chills and muscle aches. If these are excessive, patients are encouraged to contact their health care provider. Feeling the pressure from the FDA action, a letter from more than 300 health care practitioners, and increasing news coverage of harms to people with pain, three CDC Guideline authors, writing in the New England Journal of Medicine, said the Guidelines have been misapplied and applied inflexibly in […]

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Health and Wellbeing

What doctors don’t learn about death and dying

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IDEAS TED.COM Oct 31, 2014 / Atul Gawande Dying and death confront every new doctor and nurse. In this book excerpt, Atul Gawande asks: Why are we not trained to cope with mortality?     I learned about a lot of things in medical school, but mortality wasn’t one of them. I was given a dry, leathery corpse to dissect in my first term — but that was solely a way to learn about human anatomy. Our textbooks had almost nothing on aging or frailty or dying. How the process unfolds, how people experience the end of their lives and how it affects those around them? That all seemed beside the point. The way we saw it — and the way our professors saw it — the purpose of medical schooling was to teach us how to save lives, not how to tend to their demise. The one time I remember discussing mortality was during an hour we spent on The Death of Ivan Ilyich, Tolstoy’s classic novella. It was in a weekly seminar called Patient-Doctor — part of the school’s effort to make us more rounded and humane physicians. Some weeks we would practice our physical examination etiquette; other weeks we’d learn about the effects of socioeconomics and race on health. And one afternoon we contemplated the suffering of Ivan Ilyich as he lay ill and worsening from some unnamed, untreatable disease. The first times, some cry. Some shut down. Some hardly notice. […]

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Chronic Illness

I’ve Been Nominated For The Disability Award

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I’m blown away Stacey Chapman at https://fightingwithfibro.com awarded me The Disability Award. You have to check out her site, here’s the original award post,  https://fightingwithfibro.com/2019/04/27/the-disability-award/ Her sunny personality welcomes you with every post, she’s informative, topics are fresh, up to date and she reviews products we might be interested in. She is very knowledgeable. Following her is a must. As part of my nomination, I choose other Disability Bloggers to give this award to. They are as follows: Wendy at  simplychronicallyill.wordpress.com Patricia at  https://patriciajgrace.wordpress.com Colly at https://dopaminequeen.com Alyssia at https://fightingmsdaily.com Mackenzie at lifewithanillness.com Robert at https://robertmgoldstien.com Gavin at https://sedge.com Nominees: Please answer the questions, choose your own nominees and develop your own set of questions. Stacey’s questions are so good I’m going with her’s. Display the award badge. What was the first sign of your illness? My chest and right clavicle starting hurting and would not go away for months. What is your worst symptom and how do you cope with it? Whatever it takes, pain meds, a nap, meditation, looking at the flower garden, put feet in the pool, letting them float. What one thing about you has changed as a result of your struggles? I understand people with all types of disabilities better. What words of advice or encouragement would you give to someone else suffering? Accept it, embrace your illness as part of your daily life and work on what relieves your pain. Name one good thing that has come out of having […]

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Health and Wellbeing

Parathyroid/Health Overview

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If calcium levels are low the body goes to your bones to look for calcium, this can lead to Osteoporosis. Anytime your calcium levels are high it shows the Parathyroid is working overtime trying to level your calcium, high calcium is a serious condition. All four of my Parathyroid Glands are not functioning properly and I have the beginning stages of Osteoporosis in my right hip. I have tumors on all four glands, two are small and the two lowers glands have tumors approx. 3-4 inches long. The surgeon will remove and possibly all four once the surgeon takes a look. The surgery itself is only 15-30 minutes with total recovery time approx. three weeks. I am waiting on my surgeon for the surgery date, I expect the surgery to happen in next two weeks. Please, read description and graphic below.  I’ll keep you posted on how the surgery goes and any other information I learn. M You have four Parathyroid Glands on the backside of the Thyroid, they are very small but play a very important role in your health, they keep calcium levels in the body and if calcium level become low the Parathriod Gland produces more hormone to compensate for the low calcium levels.   Illustration of the 4 parathyroid glands located on the back side of the thyroid. We all have 4 parathyroid glands.Parathyroid glands control the amount of calcium in our blood. Everyone has four parathyroid glands, usually […]

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Childhood Learning

Constantly Evolving: Puberty and Menstruation — Guest Blogger Dr. Lori Gore-Green

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Constantly evolving is a new series documenting the ways in which women’s bodies change. Based on the time of the month or period of life, the series hopes to highlight the magnificence of the woman’s body. The previous “Constantly Evolving” article focused on external physical changes girls experience when going through puberty. In conjunction […] Constantly Evolving: Puberty and Menstruation — Dr. Lori Gore-Green

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Health & Beauty

What You’re Missing If You Think Self-Care Is Just Candles And Bubble Baths

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Womens Health By Marissa GainsburgApr 2, 2019 Pampering yourself is great, but challenging yourself? Way better.  I can’t believe I did that. The words flashed through my head over and over like a GIF as I walked alongside thousands of exhausted runners to exit Central Park. I’d just crossed the finish line of the TCS New York City Marathon—my first 26.2—and my cheeks, wrinkled up to my eyes, ached almost as much as my legs. When a photographer snapped a picture, I broke out in happy tears until a weird but powerful calm came over me. I can’t. Believe. I did that. It’s a sentiment I’d chased several times over the past year, the first on a rock-climbing trip in Joshua Tree National Park, then during an intensive hike up two “14ers” (mountain slang for Colorado’s multiple peaks exceeding 14,000 feet). I’d spent months training for each of the three events, dedicating weekdays and Saturdays to workouts and Sundays to recovery—or self-care, as we call it: I foam-rolled, pretzeled my limbs in candlelit yoga, read novels in bed, splurged on $11 smoothies, slathered my skin and hair in masks…you know, the works. Yet even on my most Zen days, nothing came close to the perfect peace I felt after pushing my body to a point it had never been. At first, the fitness editor in me chalked up the bliss to endorphins. But as I melted into the massage table at Connecticut’s serene Mayflower […]

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Bipolar Disorder

Special education teacher’s “mental health check in” for students inspires other educators

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BY CAITLIN O’KANE APRIL 5, 2019 / 12:00 PM / CBS NEWS A special education teacher from Fremont, California, made a “mental health checklist” for her students. Now, teachers around the world are doing the same.  Erin Castillo posted a photo of her mental health poster on Instagram and it went viral. She made a version of it available to download for free, and teachers around the world are posting photos of the chart in their classrooms. The mental heath checklist asks kids if they are “great,” “okay,” “meh,” “struggling,” “having a hard time” or “in a really dark place.” Students are encouraged to write their names on the back of a post-it and stick it on the poster under the section describing how they’re feeling.  If they put their post-it in the “struggling” section, they know they should try speaking with an adult about their feelings. If they say they are “having a hard time,” or “in a really dark place,” Castillo checks in with them.  The teacher knows it’s important to take time and focus on mental health – especially for high school kids.  “My heart hurts for them,” Castillo wrote on Instagram. “High school is rough sometimes, but I was happy that a few were given a safe space to vent and work through some feelings.” Castillo teaches high school English to special education students, as well as a peer counseling class to general education students, she told CBS News. Her […]

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Health and Wellbeing

Clear the toxins from your life-Avoid these ingredients

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People Magazine April 22, 2019 Three ingredients to avoid According to Nneka Leiba, Director of Environmental Working Group’s healthy-living science program. Parabens Often used as a preservative in cosmetics and personal-care products, the ingredient is believed to mimic estrogen and potentially cause hormone disruption. Formaldehyde Found in some nail polishes and hair smoothing treatments, it can lead to myriad skin irritations and was deemed carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Phthalates Commonly used as a solvent in the fragrances that scent aftershave, lotion, soap and more, the chemical has been linked to reproduction issues in men.

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Health and Wellbeing

Dementia Thoughts

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Dementia sucks, it’s fucking life sucking. I watched my granny die from Dementia, you don’t wish that type of death on anyone. Once she no longer knew who she or anyone else was it was crushing. I don’t want to die that way and have been vocal about it to the surprise of my husband, Therapist and Psychiatrist. My decision […]

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Advocacy

Taraji P. Henson Cries While Discussing Mental Health in the Black Community: ‘This Is a National Crisis’

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Variety ByDANIEL NISSEN Taraji P. Henson shed light on the history and stigma of mental health in the black community at Variety’s Power of Women NY presented by Lifetime.  Henson received the honor on Friday for her work with the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation. “Our vision is to eradicate the stigma around mental health in the black community by breaking the silence and breaking a cycle of shame. We were taught to hold our problems close to the vest out of fear of being labeled and further demonized as weak, or inadequate,” said Henson. Breaking down in tears, she called the state of mental health for black people a “national crisis.” “My dad is one of the reasons I started this foundation, and my son, and my neighbor, and my friends, my community, our children is why I keep going,” she said. The actress named the foundation after her father, who experienced mental illness after returning from his tour of duty in Vietnam. She continued, “The history of mental illness for black people in America stretches all the way back 400 years, 15 million people, and an ocean that holds the stories.” Henson reflected on the roles in her career where she has depicted the experiences of black women during Jim Crow segregation. She referenced Katherine Johnson, a NASA mathematician who helped launch the first man in space, and Catana Starks, the first black woman to coach a college men’s golf team. Finally, […]

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Chronic Illness

HOLISTIC APPROACHES TO CHRONIC PAIN *U.S. Pain Foundation*

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March 4, 2019/ U.S. Pain Foundation By Deborah Ellis, ND, CTN If you’re like me, and millions of others, you’ve probably suffered with chronic pain for a year or longer. Chronic pain affects 50 million Americans, 20 million of whom have high-impact chronic pain. It has been linked to increased risk of major mental conditions including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Science understands a body in chronic pain continually sends stress signals to the brain, leading to a heightened perception of not only the pain itself but also the perceived level of threat. It’s a vicious cycle that’s hard to break or control. When a person is diagnosed with pain, the first line of treatment is typically pain medication. But while these medications may work for some people, in others, the side effects—ranging from nausea to heart complications—may outweigh the relief. For patients looking to explore a holistic pain management program, whether alone or in tandem with traditional medicine, there are a number of options to consider. Let’s review a few of the more common holistic strategies available today. Acupuncture Chiropractic Exercise Massage Stress-reduction techniques like mindfulness and meditation training Vitamin or herbal supplements Aloe vera ACUPUNCTURE Acupuncture, common in Chinese medicine, involves inserting thin, tiny needles into certain points of the body. Traditional Chinese practitioners believe acupuncture balances the flow of energy or life force — known as qi or chi. Western practitioners see it as a way to […]

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Change.org

Hope Is An Action

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April 2019 E-Newsletter Explore Your Definition Of Hope And Experience What It Can Inspire You To Do! Bring Change to Mind’s High School Program is proud to introduce its first collective call to action week for all participating clubs nationwide. Starting April 8th, we are dedicating this five-day campaign to the hashtag “Hope Is An Action.” We invite our entire community to join us in sharing this inspirational week with your family, friends, and social networks. Throughout this week, we aim to encourage communities to explore what hope means to them by exploring their own definition of hope, what it can look like, and experiencing what it can inspire you to do. These hopeful discoveries can be used to incite positive change while nurturing empathetic and compassionate conversations about mental health. For each day’s theme, BC2M has suggested a few different ways you can engage in this campaign. Most activities incorporate social media presence to spread the message throughout your community and throughout the greater BC2M community. We are thrilled to have our 180 clubs and more than 5.000 club members participate in our first BC2M-wide campaign activation and we can’t wait for you to be a part of this collective! Hope is something that everyone needs and it is particularly important to those living with mental illness. We ‘hope” that you will be inspired to join this growing movement of mental health advocacy and share the importance of compassion with […]

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BODY IMAGE

If you’re unhappy with your body, just repeat after us: You are the new hotness

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IDEAS.TED.COM Mar 28, 2019 / Emily Nagoski + Amelia Nagoski Ashley Lukashevsky Too many of us struggle to achieve a body ideal that’s just not obtainable by humans. It’s time to redefine what’s good, healthy and attractive on our own terms, say writers (and sisters) Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski. The Bikini Industrial Complex. That’s our name for the $100 billion cluster of businesses that profit by setting an unachievable “aspirational ideal,” convincing us that we can and should — indeed we must — conform with the ideal, and then selling us ineffective but plausible strategies for achieving that ideal. It’s like old cat pee in the carpet, powerful and pervasive and it makes you uncomfortable every day but it’s invisible and no one can remember a time when it didn’t smell. Let’s shine a black light on it, so you can know where the smell is coming from. You already know that basically everything in the media is there to sell you thinness — the shellacked abs in ads for exercise equipment, the “one weird trick to lose belly fat” clickbait when all you wanted was a weather forecast, and the “flawless” thin women who fill most TV shows. The Bikini Industrial Complex, or BIC, has successfully created a culture of immense pressure to conform to an ideal that is literally unobtainable by almost everyone and yet is framed not just as the most beautiful, but the healthiest and […]

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Health & Beauty

Therapeutic Lavender Oat Scrub

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Willow and Sage by Stampington   This itch-relief scrub is therapeutic on so many levels. It contains sugar to help exfoliate, oils to help hydrate, and oatmeal to help alleviate any irritation. The ground lavender buds are optional but they do add some spa-like qualities-yes, please. You Will Need 1 cup steel-cut oats Blender/Food Processor 1 TB. dried lavender buds Mortar & pestle […]

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Health and Wellbeing

From One Sarcastic Little Shit To Another – Happy Mother’s Day — Guest Invisibly Me

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This day can be difficult and painful for many; I don’t want to be insensitive covering Mother’s Day so please feel free to avoid this post if it may be triggering. There are many who don’t have a relationship with their mothers, and those who have traumatic ones. Then there are those who have said […] via From One Sarcastic Little Shit To Another – Happy Mother’s Day — Invisibly Me

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Celebrate Life

I Believe in You #WATWB Two Year Anniversary

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              Welcome to #WATWB # 22! We are sharing stories about people doing good work and bringing hope to the world.  To learn more about this monthly blogfest, visit https://www.damyantiwrites.com/we-are-the-world-blogfest/ and the WATWB Facebook page for more positive posts.   I saw Kevin Laue on television with a group of kids playing basketball. It was amazing to see the faces, looks of children feeling like they belonged for the first time. He is very upbeat and is making a difference in our youth across the country. Melinda Believe in you Tour Our mission is for every student in America to have someone who believes in them. That’s why we’ve created the Believe In You Challenge. The Challenge is for students to attend a school activity they never have before. Swim meets. Track meets. Plays. Choir concerts. Pick it, grab your friends, and go. Show each other that support! Share your acceptance of this Challenge using hashtag #BelieveInYouChallenge. If not you, then who? Believe in you Video Series    Just Click on Video STEP UP. IF NOT YOU, WHO? Believe in You is an episodic series designed to educate students and staff about the incredible power of believing in yourself, despite the challenges and trials that life may present. Hosted by Kevin Laue, and starring personalities from around the country who have overcome personal challenges to accomplish the extraordinary. Each episode comes with an accompanying […]

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Bipolar Disorder

An Olympic training approach to managing bipolar disorder — Guest Shedding Light on Mental Health

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Guest Amy Gamble from http://www.sheddinglightonmentalhealth.com I was talking with a friend at the National Council on Behavioral Health’s annual conference in Nashville. We had just watched a movie about Andy Irons a world-class surfer who had bipolar disorder and died at 37. It was an emotional documentary. I felt sad. But the emotion that got my attention was anger. […] via An Olympic training approach to managing bipolar disorder — Shedding Light on Mental Health

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Health and Wellbeing

The Healing Power of Telling Your Trauma Story

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Psychology Today  March 6, 2019 Seth J. Gillihan Ph.D. Think, Act, Be When we’ve survived an extremely upsetting event, it can be painful to revisit the memory. Many of us would prefer not to talk about it, whether it was a car accident, fire, assault, medical emergency, or something else. However, our trauma memoriescan continue to haunt us, even — or especially — if we try to avoid them. The more we push away the memory, the more the thoughts tend to intrude on our minds, as many research studies have shown. If and how we decide to share our trauma memories is a very personal choice, and we have to choose carefully those we entrust with this part of ourselves. When we do choose to tell our story to someone we trust, the following benefits may await. (Please note that additional considerations are often necessary for those with severe and prolonged experiences of trauma or abuse, as noted below.) 1. Feelings of shame subside.  Keeping trauma a secret can reinforce the feeling that there’s something shameful about what happened — or even about oneself on a more fundamental level. We might believe that others will think less of us if we tell them about our traumatic experience. When we tell our story and find support instead of shame or criticism, we discover we having nothing to hide. You might even notice a shift in your posture over time — that thinking about or describing your trauma no longer makes […]

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Health and Wellbeing

Justin Bieber Opens Up About Mental Health on Instagram

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Teen Vouge By De Elizabeth March 10, 2019 Getty Images “Been struggling a lot. Just feeling super disconnected and weird.”  Justin Bieber got real about mental health again — and asked his fans for their continued support. In an Instagram post on March 10, the singer-songwriter expressed that he wanted to update his fans on what he’s been going through, in hopes that it will “resonate” with his followers. “Been struggling a lot. Just feeling super disconnected and weird,” he wrote, adding that he always “bounces back” so he isn’t worried. Still, he said that having his fans’ support and positivity is helpful, adding that he’s been “facing my stuff head-on.” From the comments, it’s clear Justin’s fans have his back every step of the way. One fan, who shared that they experience depression, wrote: “Love you always and I hope you can find a way to feel better and more like yourself again.” Another Belieber told the singer, “We all believe in you!” View this post on Instagram Just wanted to keep you guys updated a little bit hopefully what I’m going through will resonate with you guys. Been struggling a lot. Just feeling super disconnected and weird.. I always bounce back so I’m not worried just wanted to reach out and ask for your guys to pray for me. God is faithful and ur prayers really work thanks .. the most human season I’ve ever been in facing my […]

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Health and Wellbeing

Throat got You down? Updated!

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  Magnolia Issue #10 Throat Soother 1 large lemon Ginger root, fresh 2″ knob Turmeric root, fresh 2″ knob 2 cinnamon sticks 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar 1/2 cup honey Slice lemon, ginger, and turmeric paper-thin using a mandolin or sharp knife. Layer slices in a half-pint jar. Break cinnamon sticks lengthwise into several pieces and tuck them in jar. Add apple cider vinegar. Pour Pour honey into the jar, covering the other ingredients. Place jar in the refrigerator. The honey becomes thin syrup and read to use in 12 hours. To Use Stir up 1/4 cup into a hot tea or water: or take 1-2 tsp. syrup each hour as needed to soothe sore throat or cough. Shake the jar occasionally. Keep Refrigerated for up to three weeks. BONUS Grannies Recipe Mix equal parts honey, whiskey and lemon. Refrigerate in a pint jar, leave a spoon in and take a spoonful or two every time your throat needs it. Super Bonus Gramps Recipe Keep the bottle of Black Velvet on the nightstand, when you wake yourself up coughing, take a sig.

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Employment

Thoughts on Job Hunting: Interview Tips

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Interview Tips If a job requires a resume, always take an extra copy. Take it out at first of interview and lay in lap. The greatest interview is being able to give examples of tasks or projects. As your interviewer doesn’t want to read what you’ve already written, give day-to-day details. If you pitched in while someone was on maternity leave […]

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Health and Wellbeing

Thoughts on Job Hunting

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For many Spring Break is time to job hunt before the next school year starts. I worked in the Recruiting/Consulting/Staffing business for 30 years. I wanted to share some lessons that helped me and got me fired twice. Drawing the Line It can be difficult to draw the work/friend line for extroverted people, you may think your new lunch mates are […]

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Celebrate Life

Yo no….. Soy yo

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No soy  Lyme crónico Fibromialgia Demencia Neuropatía Agrofóbico Cierre de Centrado en la enfermedad Estancarse Culpable Desesperada Buscando simpatía Soy yo Una mujer Esposa Perro madre Hermana Determinado Honesto Cuidado de un fallo Amar Asustado Tener metas elevadas Vivir con síntomas Fuerte voluntad Mentalidad abierta Escritor Estudiante No es un jugador ¿Cuál te gusta?  Melinda

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Abuse

How to change your relationship with food — and stop eating your feelings

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Ideas.Ted.Com Mar 4, 2019 / Daryl Chen   Jenice Kim Here are three common-sense tips to help you feed your hunger and not your emotions, from dietician Eve Lahijani. This post is part of TED’s “How to Be a Better Human” series, each of which contains a piece of helpful advice from someone in the TED community. To see all the posts, go here. Imagine if eating were as simple as, say, refueling a car. You’d fill up only when an indicator nudged towards E, you couldn’t possibly overdo it or else your tank would overflow, and you’d never, ever dream of using it as a treat. Instead, for many of us, eating is anything but straightforward. What starts out as a biological necessity quickly gets entangled with different emotions, ideas, memories and rituals. Food takes on all kinds of meanings — as solace, punishment, appeasement, celebration, obligation – and depending on the day and our mood, we may end up overeating, undereating or eating unwisely. It’s time for us to rethink our relationship with food, says Eve Lahijani, a Los Angeles-based dietician and a nutrition health educator at UCLA. She offers three common-sense steps to help get there. 1. Reconnect with your hunger. So many things drive us to eat — it’s noon and that means lunchtime, it’s midnight and that means snack time, we’re happy, we’re anxious, we’d rather not bring home leftovers, we’re too polite to say […]

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Health and Wellbeing

Frugal Friday [ 08/03/2019 ] — Invisibly Me

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Special Thanks to Invisibly Me for the Reblog Happy Friday, everyone! Breathe a sigh of relief as the weekend is here, you’ve survived another week, and tomorrow is a new day to start afresh. Here are just a couple of finds for this issue of Frugal Friday – Enjoy & have a restful weekend 🙂 Free Letter Samples & Templates Citizens Advice have […] via Frugal Friday [ 08/03/2019 ] — Invisibly Me

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Abuse

7 Signs You Have An Intense Emotional Bond With A Toxic Person

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Bustle By KRISTINE FELLIZAR When you’re in an unhealthy relationship, the best and obvious thing for you to do is leave. But sometimes that’s easier said than done. If you’re in a trauma bond, therapists say it will make leaving that situation even harder “A trauma bond is an intense emotional bond between people that usually forms as a result of a toxic or abusive dynamic,” Samantha Waldman, MHC, an NYC-based therapist who specializes in trauma and relationships, tells Bustle. A past history of abuse or exposure to it can make a person more likely to form trauma bonds. For instance, people who experienced some form of neglect or abuse from childhood may normalize this behavior as an adult because it’s what they “learned.” As Dr. Connie Omari, clinician and owner of Tech Talk Therapy, tells Bustle, trauma bonding includes the tendency for a person to connect with others based off the needs of their own traumatic experiences. “Because trauma involves some unmet emotional or psychological need, the relationship serves as a way to meet this need, even when it’s not done so appropriately,” she says. “It looks very dysfunctional and typically includes one or more forms of abuse.” These bonds aren’t limited to romantic relationships. You can form a trauma bond with friends, family members, and even co-workers. When you’re in a trauma bond, you’ll find yourself continually drawn to someone even though they cause you significant pain. It’s […]

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Chronic Illness

5 Things I Wish I’d Known Before My Chronic Illness

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New York Times By Tessa Miller  Feburary 18, 2019   Finding out you have a chronic illness — one that will, by definition, never go away — changes things, both for you and those you love. Seven Thanksgivings ago, I got sick and I never got better. What I thought was food poisoning turned out to be Crohn’s disease, a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that doesn’t have a cure. It fools my immune system into attacking my digestive system, resulting in what I can only describe as the attempted birth of my intestines through my butthole. It’s a cruel and often debilitating disease. Since that first hospital stay, I’ve had colonoscopies, biopsies, CT scans, X-rays, blood and stool tests, enemas, suppositories, rectal foams, antiemetics, antidiarrheals, antivirals, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, opiates, steroids, immunoglobulin, biologics and three fecal transplants (if you want to hear a story about my 9-year-old poop donor and a blender, find me on Twitter). My disease is managed now thanks to an expensive drug called infliximab, but the future is unpredictable. IBD works in patterns of flares and remissions, and little is known about what causes either. When I was diagnosed, I didn’t know how much my life would change. There’s no conversation about that foggy space between the common cold and terminal cancer, where illness won’t go away but won’t kill you, so none of us know what “chronic illness” means until we’re thrown into being sick […]

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Abuse

1 in 6 Special Message From Anthony Edwards

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Dear 1in6 Family, I wanted to take a moment and send a personal note to share a powerful and moving experience from this past week. On Wednesday, I had the incredible honor of joining an audience of survivors of sexual abuse, as well as others whose lives have been impacted, for a special screening of the two-part documentary “Leaving Neverland,” which will premiere this Sunday, March 3rd and Monday the 4th on HBO. The documentary introduces two incredible men, both survivors of sexual abuse, Wade Robson and James Safechuck. As a leading national organization helping male-identifying survivors of sexual abuse and assault, 1in6 both provided feedback to HBO on the effect of airing this powerful documentary, and recommended resources for survivors. Through this relationship, 1in6 was invited to participate in the taping of a television special, “Oprah Winfrey Presents: After Neverland,” immediately following the screening. As many television specials do, it all came together in a matter of days. Matthew Ennis, 1in6 President & Chief Executive Officer, reached out and asked if I would briefly share my story with Oprah and the audience. A short time later, Matthew and I joined over 150 fellow survivors and their guests in a theatre near New York’s Times Square for the taping. The cavernous room was filled with a positive energy I will not soon forget. Oprah, who has been a lifelong supporter of survivors and the complexities of their stories, brought us all together for an honest and probing discussion of abuse. […]

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Genetic Studies

Genetics of insomnia more similar to psychiatric conditions than to other sleep traits

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February 25, 2019 By 23andMe under 23andMe Research   We’ve always known that getting enough sleep is important and can have a significant impact on one’s health, but scientists have just begun to unravel the genetics behind why some people are more prone to sleep problems. Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder. About 30 percent of adults report short term problems, while about 10 percent report chronic insomnia. It’s also the second most common mental disorder. Recently, 23andMe collaborated with researchers from VU University Amsterdamand Netherlands Institute for Neuroscienceon one of the largest genome-wide analysis studies to identify genes associated with insomnia. Published in the journal Nature Genetics, the study used data from more than 1.3 million consenting research volunteers from the 23andMe database and the UK Biobank. “Our study shows that insomnia, like so many other neuropsychiatric disorders, is influenced by 100’s of genes, each of small effect,” said Guus Smit, a VU-University neurobiologist involved in the study. “These genes by themselves are not that interesting to look at. What counts is their combined effect on the risk of insomnia. We investigated that with a new method, which enabled us to identify specific types of brain cells, like the so-called medium spiny neurons.” Study Size The sheer size of this research cohort enabled us to ask questions about genetics of insomnia and its relationships with other conditions and sleep-related problems individuals may face. With this large dataset, researchers […]

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Chronic Illness

Zechstein Magnesium Chloride Mother Earth’s 250 Million Year Old Healing Treasure

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Last week Fighting With Fibro  shared a cream that worked on her Fibromyalgia pain. It was a magnesium based product, being curious I had to understand the difference of the type she purchased. The magic word is Zechstein, many products claimed to relieve pain and a host of other problems but they didn’t have Zechstein included in ingredients. https://fightingwithfibro.com/2019/02/19/finally-something-that-actually-works-for-my-fibro-and-rls-pain/ I could not find the […]

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Chronic Illness

I Am Not…..I Am

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I Am Not  Chronic Lyme Fibromyalgia Dementia Neuropathy Agrophobic Shut-in Over-focused on illness Stagnate Guilty Hopeless Looking for sympathy I am A Women Wife Dog mother Sister Determined Honest Caring to a fault Loving Scared Have high goals Living with symptoms Strong willed Open minded Writer Student Not a player Which one do you like? 

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Family

Why Yoga? 6 Steps to Relieve Anxious Moods Naturally

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  By Donna C. Moss Last updated: 11 Feb 2019 I’m anxious. Anxious traveler. Anxious driver. Anxious mother. There I said it. It was only when I found yoga with psychotherapy that I could regulate it on the spot. Now I use mind/body approaches in all my work. Why? Science has shown that the body keeps the score. Google anxiety, google yoga. The breathe complements our nervous systems. Calm the breathe and you calm your mind. Do a child’s pose. Legs up the wall, forward fold, butterfly, mountain and alternate nostril breathing. Then see if your body is more relaxed. You can do this right in the session. Now summon that deep relaxation each time you need it. Yoga, a centuries old practice, takes the focus on your breathe to the places that scare you. I remember the first time I tried yoga, I almost passed out. The teacher came over not too gently and said, you’re actually not breathing. I was mortified. But it was true. Every time I bent my head down I came up dizzy, probably due to shallow breathing. This was the beginning of my ten year yoga journey. I am now 200 hour yin yoga trained. It beats drugs and alcohol by a long shot. It actually teaches the cells of our bodies to be less reactive and more flexible. The very thing we need in this chaotic world. If you hold the poses just […]

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Depression

Depression Affects 15% of New Moms. A New Guideline Could Help Prevent It

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TIME By JAMIE DUCHARME February 13, 2019 A new recommendation from a group of independent experts convened by the government could help more new and expecting mothers avoid depression, one of the most common complications of pregnancy and childbirth. The recommendation is the first from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) on preventing perinatal depression, which strikes during pregnancy or after childbirth and affects almost 15% of new mothers. The guideline states that clinicians, namely primary care providers, should provide counseling services, or references to them, to all pregnant and postpartum women at increased risk of perinatal depression. The guidance could help prevent mental health issues in this vulnerable population, and prompt more insurance providers to cover counseling services for pregnant and postpartum women. After reviewing the relevant research, the USPSTF specifically recommended that at-risk women try cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which focuses on changing a person’s thoughts to change how they feel, or interpersonal therapy, which focuses on building relationship skills. Those at heightened risk of depression include single, young and lower-income mothers, people with a history of depression and women showing depressive symptoms including low energy and mood. The proactive focus of the recommendations is important, says Jeff Temple, a psychologist in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Texas Medical Branch, who was not involved with the task force. Past USPSTF recommendations have focused on screening for existing depression among all adults, including […]

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Chronic Illness

U.S. Pain Foundation Ambassador Network

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Last week I joined the U.S. Pain Foundation Ambassador Program. The work the organization does for people with chronic pain is hands-on and at a government level. There are endless opportunities for you to support the organization with the time you have available. I have to learn how to do screenshots on MAC OS quickly, I’m attending a Webinar on Thursday.  Melinda Dear Junior Ambassador, I would like to personally welcome you into the U.S. Pain family! By joining our Pain Ambassador Network, you are taking action and choosing to help us advocate on behalf of the pain community. Our goal is to support you and provide you with the tools needed to raise awareness. The U.S. Pain Foundation is a nonprofit organization created by people with pain for people with pain. We want the experiences you have as a junior ambassador to be full of fun and excitement. Our mission is to educate, connect, empower, and advocate for pain warriors as well as their families, caregivers, and friends; the hard work and dedication of ambassadors like you is what allows us to fulfill this mission. We greatly appreciate the time, energy, and passion that you have chosen to dedicate towards raising awareness! To thank you for your commitment as a volunteer, we will be sending you a starter package in the mail. We encourage you to use these resources to empower yourself. As a junior ambassador, we would also like […]

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Family

Diversity Matters in Research

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By 23andMe on Fri, 01 Feb 2019 17:49:06 Africans and African Americans are among the most underrepresented populations in genetic health research, yet they face some of the most daunting health outcomes.   It’s a bitter irony of the current state of research that among those most in need are the least served by our ever-expanding genetic knowledge. Africans, African Americans, as well as Latinos, still make up less than four percent of individuals included in genome-wide association studies, according to a recent study. Genetic Diversity This despite the fact that Africans and people of African ancestry are more genetically diverse than all other populations in the world combined. This is because humans originated in Africa and have lived there continuously for more than 200,000 years, adapting to the varied climates and regions. The rest of the world was populated by small groups of people who first migrated out of Africa some 60,000 to 130,000 years ago. In genetics this is called the Founder Effect. Including people of African ancestry in genetic study will likely uncover unique genetic variation that help scientists better understand conditions that affect people of African ancestry, who thus far have not benefited from many of the breakthroughs in genetic science. Yielding Results 23andMe’s efforts to improve diversity in its research has yielded results. The most promising is that we now have one of the largest groups, if not the largest, group of African Americans who […]

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Health and Wellbeing

When a Patient Dies by Suicide — The Physician’s Silent Sorrow

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New England Journal of Medicine January 24, 2019 Dinah Miller, M.D. We talk about the toll suicide takes on families and the tragedy for the people who’ve died. What we don’t openly talk about is suicide’s toll on the doctors who have treated these patients. But when a patient dies by suicide, it leaves us profoundly changed. The news came by text as we drove home from brunch. My patient had died that morning by suicide. I read the text and wailed. My husband was driving, and our adult children happened to be away, traveling together on an exotic journey. I struggled to gather words, and my husband held control of the car through those excruciating moments when he thought something horrible had happened to our kids. I calmed down enough to tell him that the tragedy involved a patient. He was relieved. I was not. U.S. suicide rates increased by 25.4% between 1999 and 2016.1 It’s been estimated that at least half of psychiatrists will lose at least one patient to suicide during their career.2 There are no estimates on how many primary care physicians will have the same experience, though they often treat psychiatric disorders. Among people who complete suicide in the United States, 46% have been diagnosed with a mental health condition, and many more people have undiagnosed mental illness. We talk about the toll suicide takes on families. They experience grief, guilt, regret, anguish, anger, and stigma, […]

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Government

Coordination of Care or Conflict of Interest? Exempting ACOs from the Stark Law

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New England Journal of Medicine Perspective Genevieve P. Kanter, Ph.D. and Mark V. Pauly, Ph.D. Suppose you are a Medicare-insured patient with coronary artery disease. You will visit, on average, 10 physicians at six practice sites in a given year.1 Such fragmentation of care has spurred efforts by health care systems and payers to coordinate the delivery of care by multiple providers in a range of settings. Hospitals and physician practices are merging at increasing rates to form integrated delivery systems with the goal of delivering harmonized services across the continuum of care — from initial primary care visit to hospital admission to nursing facility discharge. In addition, under the Affordable Care Act, hospitals and physician groups are encouraged to form accountable care organizations (ACOs) that jointly contract to deliver care to specified populations of Medicare beneficiaries. Care coordination has become a central theme of new payment and delivery systems and is believed to be an indispensable strategy for eliminating delivery inefficiencies, controlling costs, and improving outcomes. There is, however, at least one downside to care coordination arrangements: they clash with existing regulations on financial conflicts of interest in medicine. This set of regulations, collectively known as the Stark law, prohibits physicians from referring patients to providers when a financial arrangement would allow the referring physician to benefit from such a referral. For example, physicians who have a profit-sharing agreement with a nursing home are prohibited from referring their Medicare and […]

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Family

23andMe Receives FDA Clearance for Genetic Health Risk report that looks at a Hereditary Colorectal Cancer Syndrome

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  By 23andMe on Tue, 22 Jan 2019 17:03:37   23andMe received FDA clearance to report on the two most common genetic variants influencing what is called MUTYH-associated polyposis (MAP), a hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome.This new clearance is part of… The post 23andMe Receives FDA Clearance for Genetic Health Risk report that looks at a Hereditary Colorectal Cancer Syndrome appeared first on 23andMe Blog.

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Celebrate Life

Stream of Conciseness Saturday #soSC Affirm

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The Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “affirm.” Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy! Praying each day affirms my belief in God is strong and unwavering.   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/2019/01/18/the-friday-reminder-for-socs-jusjojan-2019-daily-prompt-jan-19th/ Here are the rules for SoCS: 1. 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. 2. 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. 3. There will be a prompt every week. I will post the prompt here on my blog on Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” “Begin with the word ‘The’,” or simply a single word to get your started. 4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy […]

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Childhood Learning

Netflix’s Sex Education is great – but it gets therapy wrong And it’s not the only one.

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Digital Spy BY ABBY ROBINSON 28/01/2019   Netflix’s brand new British comedy-drama series Sex Education packs an immediate punch, sticking the students of Moordale Secondary School and their sex-based concerns right in front of your face without warning or apology.   Because this is a show on a mission: “[It’s about] encouraging people to rip the band-aid off and have those uncomfortable, awkward conversations about sex, rather than bottle it all up inside, or think that they have to go online to get the answers,” writer Laurie Nunn told Digital Spy and other press. “To try and talk to their partners or – if they can handle it – to their parents, or to their friends. “We really think that that’s going to help them have healthier sexual relationships.”   It’s a noble purpose and because of that, nothing is sanitised. The concerns that the characters are grappling with are painted in the loudest colours, emphatically splashed across the screen because, as the cast and crew have consistently emphasised, Sex Education is nothing if not real. It does the heavy lifting, having those all-important yet toe-curling dialogues – about relationships, identity, and what healthy, consensual sex looks like – that most of us swerved like Fast & Furious drivers during our younger years, and often still do. Sex Education is just that: an education. (And we love it, by the way.) But it could be accused of falling short in […]

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Health and Wellbeing

What old story about yourself are you still believing? Here’s how to find it and change it

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Ideas.Ted.com Jan 24, 2019 / Mary Halton Many of us hold deeply ingrained beliefs about ourselves that are simply not true. You can start to free yourself from them by editing your narrative, says psychiatrist John Sharp. Every weekday for the month of January, TED Ideas is publishing a new post in a series called “How to Be a Better […]

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Children

It’s All About Me: Menstruation & Body Changes

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  Brought to you by Medical City Women’s Plano If your daughter is approaching puberty you have an important task ahead. The better prepared her for the upcoming biological changes, the easier her transition to womanhood will be. Mothers and daughters together can learn about the biological, medical and practical lifestyle aspects of menstruation from an OB/GYN on Staff at Medical […]

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Children

The Upside to Conflicts in Middle School

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Posted on January 14, 2019by Free Spirit Publishing I’m sitting at a busy lunch table full of sixth graders. There is energy you can’t put your finger on and a deafening hum that continues from the first lunch all the way to the last. All 150 students are engaged in the same activity at the same time: communicating. With each word expressed in this lunchroom, lessons are being learned that will be filed away and used the next time there is a similar social situation. Sound confusing and overwhelming to keep up with? Just ask one of these sixth graders, and they will tell you that it absolutely is! Teachers in middle school will often comment that being with their students from one day to another is like playing tug-of-war. For every day a student makes progress, the next day he or she might fall behind, have a behavioral slip-up, and/or refuse to work. Parents might say they have never seen their children so sullen at times, and they miss the carefree nature of their son or daughter. However, these things only mean that adolescents are acting appropriately for their age. Middle schoolers are constantly making big connections, which lead to big lessons. These students will leave the lunchroom and continue communicating their way through endless life lessons until they can stand on their own two feet and approach independence. It’s going to be rocky at times, but if students can pick […]

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Bipolar Disorder

Did Daddy know he was “Crazy”

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My father committed suicide in 1992, put a shot-gun in his mouth. I was 28 years old, we were estranged since I was a teen. A trigger hit me like a hurricane this week. I’m having memories, not the worst. You put the the pressure on my shoulders to arrange everything, who to call. I had to face the chore of the house, a man living out of touch for many years. Worst was going to morgue, hand me original note and his bloody shotgun. Could you not see your friends were different? They were thieves but not in the same universe. They all took advantage of you, move in move out and steal what they want. One roommate committed suicide with your gun in your house. Down on their luck, will make payments on car, he was lucky to get three payments. He would have to track down and repo the car. They would come back begging and he would do it again. His friends were people at the bar he parked cars at. All the ladies got special attention, my father walked the lot to make sure the cars were secure. They all flirted with him, fake flirting, trashy bar, easy women going to bar in the hood looking for love. One night feeling the black dog, I went to the bar where my father parked cars. We played a game of pool, sitting at the bar he […]

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Health & Beauty

Eight Benefits to Tamanu Oil

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Feb./March/April Edition Willow and Sage by Stampington Tamanu oil is derived from the Tamanu tree, which originates in the Polynesian islands, tropical Southeast Asia, south India, and the tropical African Coast. With antioxidants, antibacterial, anti-inch, and healing properties, it has been used for skin care as well as hair care. The smell is slightly sweet and someone nutty, the color […]

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CBD

Vaping, CBD Oil, Gummies and Kraton

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Last week I expanded my CBD options from oil to qummies and vaping (supplements and cream are in route). I purchased two packages of Kraton, still researching before I put in my body. National Geographic and Anthony Burdain with The Travel Channel went deep in the rainforest and others places only reached by boat. The locals ate leaves which took them […]

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Health and Wellbeing

Can fatty liver be cured by exercise? — Healthverb

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The researchers found that exercise, regardless of volume or intensity, benefits non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients even in the absence of weight loss. NAFLD is commonly associated with obesity and diabetes. “The results from our study show that all exercise doses, irrespective of volume or intensity, were efficacious in reducing liver fat and visceral […] via Can fatty liver be cured by exercise? — Healthverb

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Health & Beauty

Sheet Mask Basics

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From Willow and Sage from Stampington Sheet Mask Basics Here we help narrow down your options and break down the basics.   Microfiber Sheets Microfiber sheets masks are the most common type on the market. Typically the cheapest option, they are made from non-woven, cotton-like fabric that is drenched in various ingredients to replenish the skin; however the microfiber causes the moister to evaporate quickly. These are not always one size fits all. Hydrogel Hydrogel mask are made from cosmetic serums and gelatin to produce a thin-film layer that locks in moisture and sticks to your face better than microfiber mask. These options are often sold as a system with two halves applied separately. Bio-cellulose Bio-cellulose mask consist of all natural fiber that experts consider the highest standard for hydrating skin and replenishing skin. They perform better mainly due to the snug adhesion the fiber allows to the face, maintaining the moist and nutrients through the entire application. Clay and Charcoal Clay and charcoal mask sheet masks, saturated with clay or charcoal and black in color, work to detoxify the skin from unwanted impurities. They often soothe the skin. Bubbling Sheet Mask Bubbling sheet masks work in a similar fashion bubbling mask. Made of charcoal, detoxifying nutrients, and sparkling water, foam is formed on top of the sheet mask, which is then to be massaged into skin after application. This helps to keep moisture locked into your skin afterward.

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Media

Want to save your mental energy for the stuff that really matters? Set a decision budget

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Ideas.Ted.com Jan 9, 2019 / Dave Asprey Watch his TEDxConstitutionDrive talk here: ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dave Asprey is a Silicon Valley investor and technology entrepreneur. He has spent over two decades and $1 million to hack his own biology and be a better husband, father and entrepreneur. Asprey is the creator of Bulletproof Coffee, founder of the Bulletproof Executive blog, host of the […]

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Abuse

RAINN: Marissa’s Story

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“When I speak authentically and truthfully about my experience, I have power. I am not going away.” Marissa Hoechstetter was repeatedly sexually assaulted by the OB-GYN she saw during her pregnancy, the delivery of her twin daughters, and follow-up appointments. The perpetrator was well-regarded in the field and was recommended to Marissa by a friend. At the time of the incidents, Marissa trusted her doctor’s treatment and was focused on making sure her pregnancy went well. “With medical professionals, there’s often a legitimate reason for why their hands are on your body. There’s a gray area and the minute you step into their office, they have power over you,” says Marissa. “Looking back, there were a lot of things that felt odd, but I was pregnant and focused on my babies and after all, this person was the uncle of a close friend of mine.” During one visit after her twins were born, Marissa recognized that the behavior crossed medical boundaries and knew immediately that something was wrong. “I felt it happen and froze. I never went back.” Despite continuing to feel for years that what had happened was wrong, Marissa chose not to report because she was immersed in being a new mother and found herself minimizing her own experience in comparison to other stories of sexual assault. “It just kept coming back to me how wrong it was, but I had one-year-old twins and was working full-time. I didn’t have the ability to […]

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Elderly

Happy 98th Birthday Granny

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Granny it’s hard to believe it’s your 98th birthday, I celebrate the memories in my head. You were on my side from birth, making unannounced house visits, questioning where I was and making sure I had clothes. You made my clothes until fifth grade, how did you find the time with all the hard work you did? Times were so […]

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Elderly

Dementia and Suicide

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Second Stage Dementia   As dementia progresses, the symptoms first experienced in the early stages of the dementia generally worsen. The rate of decline is different for each person. A person with moderate dementia scores between 6–17 on the MMSE. For example, people with Alzheimer’s dementia in the moderate stages lose almost all new information very quickly. People with dementia […]

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Lyme

Lyme Progress #7 Supplements?

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Every case of Lyme is different partly do to which major organ the spirochetes  penetrate and set up house. They go for the brain, liver, kidney’s or heart, some of the symptoms are relative to the organ they set up house in. Then you have co-infections to deal with. A tick can give you Lyme and other diseases it carries […]

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Friends

How to use rituals to get closer to the people you care about

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Jan 4, 2019 / Carly Alaimo Raúl Soria By turning our get-togethers with friends into regular events, we can build the kinds of connections that will sustain us, says life coach Baya Voce. Every weekday for the month of January, TED Ideas will publish a new post in a series called “How to Be a Better Human,” containing a helpful piece of advice from a speaker in the TED community. With all the “must dos” (work, pets, kids, home repairs, doctors’ visits) and “should dos” (eat right, sleep enough, check in with family, exercise) in our lives, there’s often little room for anything else. But what tends to fall between the cracks is everyone who doesn’t fall into those categories — like our friends and neighbors. Why does this matter? “People who are more socially connected to family, to friends, to community, are happier, they’re physically healthier, and they live longer than people who are less well connected,” says psychiatrist Robert Waldinger — who directs the longest-running study on wellbeing and adult development at Harvard University — in his TED talk. Instead of thinking of socializing as skippable, try to view it as an essential and energizing part of your life. Life coach and event producer Baya Vocesuggests making a ritual out of get-togethers, something she calls “a powerful tool for connection.” Here’s how Voce and her friends do this: “For me and my girlfriends, our couches act as the metaphorical fire that we gather around. Every Monday […]

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Men & Womens Health

How Does Lighting Affect Mental Health in the Workplace

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Dr. Pragya Agarwal  Contributor Forbes.com Poor lighting often gets overlooked in the workplace, as we talk about mental health and well-being, and the focus is firmly on creating happier and healthier workplaces. But bad lighting is associated with a range of ill-health effects, both physical and mental, such as eye strain, headaches, fatigue and also stress and anxiety in more high-pressured work […]

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Family

Will Alexa Become Your Next Marriage Counselor

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DECEMBER 27, 2018  While it’s estimated that nearly 93% of soon-to-be brides use the internet to plan their wedding, we might have more tech to thank when it comes to making our marriage last. According to new reports, home listening devices, like Alexa and Google Home, might have the ability to detect common problems in your relationship. These virtual assistants are always […]

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Caregiver

3 ways that your memory stays sharp even as you get older

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Ideas.TED.com Oct 4, 2018 / Alan D. Castel While overall memory declines as we age, that’s far from the end of the story. In fact, there are certain things older people continue to remember quite well, says researcher Alan D. Castel. Our memories are our identities, and at my lab at UCLA, I’ve worked to understand how we remember what matters to us, especially as we age. Memory decline is one of the first things that concern people about growing older — it can start after the age of 20, so being more forgetful when you are 60 or 70 is often normal. And while a vast amount of research has shown the deficits that accompany aging, it’s far too simplistic to say that the elderly have impaired memories. In fact, there are many things older adults remember quite well. Here’s a look at a few of them: 1. Older people tend to remember the essentials. A great deal of memory research focuses on what might be considered by some of us to be mundane — word lists, face-name pairs, studying and being tested on pictures — and it’s unclear why this might be important to remember. But how about things that are of real concern or interest? Imagine you’re packing for a trip. You want to make sure you’ve put in the most important items, the ones that would be extremely costly and/or inconvenient if you forgot them (e.g., your passport, your credit cards). While […]

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Health & Beauty

Powering Down at Nighttime

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Great suggestions is from Willow and Sage by Stamptington Simple Sleep Remedies Set a consistent sleeping schedule. Going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day helps regulate your internal clock, making it easier to fall asleep and get up in the morning refreshed. Drink plenty of water throughout the day, but stop at least two hours […]

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Chronic Illness

Round And Round, The Hamster Wheel

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      I’ve struggled with Chronic Lyme, Fibromyalgia and Dementia for six years, every week it’s a follow-up or test for the latest ailment. I’ve made the decision to step off the Doctor Hamster Wheel in 2019. I saw a Rheumatologist a two months ago, the clueless PA told me there wasn’t Lyme in Texas. REALLY? The doctor named a few possible illnesses and took my blood. The doctor’s visit was a bust but the lab work revealed my Calcium is high. Which can cause serious complications. She suggested to have my Parathyroid checked. WOW, something came out of the lab work, I have another ailment to deal with! I saw the Endocrinologist, it was straight forward. A blood test, a scan at the hospital and possible surgery. We scheduled the scan immediately since it was effecting my heart. I fell down the stairs and banged myself up a good one. I landed a perfect 10! NO, I can’t lean my head back for two forty-five minute sessions. The test was rescheduled. 2019 is starting like the other six years, with a heart test scheduled, Parathyroid scan with possible surgery, test for Traumatic Brain Injury from the fall. There are few days left in 2018, I want to know who I am, how have I changed in that time. I developed Agoraphobia, haven’t driven in six years and have only seen the inside of doctor’s offices. I took the first step […]

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Men & Womens Health

Is it Passive-Aggression, or Just Fear of Expressing Your Needs?

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By Mike Bundrant ~ 3 min read I wrote an article recently on the various ways in which passive-aggressive behavior can undermine and destroy relationships. And it certainly can do just that. But as I was outlining the behaviors and language typically associated with the passive-aggressive personality, I couldn’t help but feel that several of the traits and habits seemed […]

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Men & Womens Health

Christa’s Story

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RAINN.ORG Christa is a Survivor of Sexual Assault, her story is hard to read and yet she comes out on top. She was able to more forward and rebuild her life. She has the strength like many of you.   “When you speak with a survivor of sexual assault, imagine that they are a loved one who has gone through […]

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Drug Abuse

New Resource: Rehabcenter.net

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I added this great resource to Organizations Who Can Help, on the right at the top. Please take a look to see if they can help you or someone you know. Rehabcenter.net proudly offers an extensive list of centers, rehab programs and treatment facilities to choose from. It is important to keep in mind there are many different factors that […]

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