My Internet Findings About Inflammation

Book about inflammation is tagged.

I am suffering one of the worse episodes of inflammation.  I've had the most severe itching ever.  I tried taking an antihistamine.  I tried using Aveeno with Menthol, which usually helps tamp down the itching.  I know hormones usually bring the inflammation along, but this time it was so unbearable.

I suspect a peanut allergy.  It might be mild.  The worse I think is that I ate a lot of chips at once.  I had fasted away from the chips for a few weeks.  I started craving them so I gave in, and that was a big mistake.

I found some websites about inflammation.  I found out about foods that cause inflammation.  I have found out about foods that fight inflammation.  I can say that I just ate some red grapes and raw almonds, and I feel a little better.  Also, I recently had a discussion with my husband about our need to get away from processed foods. 

I have to say that stress could have bought on a case of hives.  I know that stress aggravates my skin condition.  I had been stressing about my kids starting up home schooling again.  I feel better now because I have addressed the preparation of my children's learning material.  I have also finished my writing course; Yes!

I feel a deep sense of desperation.  I hate feeling like I want to crawl out of my skin.  I tell you, my readers, about this in case anyone feels like I do.  I am sincerely hoping that changing what I eat will help me.  I am going to comb through these websites in more detail because I think the food is the key to my healing.

God has created the raw foods for a reason.  The answer is in the fruits, vegetables, almonds, salmon, and coconut and olive oil.  You can comb through the websites and glean much about what inflammation is.  We, as a society, have gotten away from the healthy foods in favor of convenience.  We must move back to the basics in the food chain; I think that's the only way for us to recover our health.

I want all of us to get healthier.  That's why I am sharing my journey with you.  Everyday that I learn what affects my health is a step forward.  My prayer is that it will benefit you all that I am sharing this very personal journey.  May God open our eyes to the reality of the food that has been sold to us.

The following are the websites I found, which discuss inflammation:

*Information on inflammation--
  

The Anti-Aging Diet

  

Anti-Inflammatory vs. Inflammatory Foods

Inflammation and Diet: Inflammatory and Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Women to Women Website Talks About Inflammation


*Foods to avoid--
  

Foods to Avoid with Arthritis

*Foods to eat--

Dr. Weil's Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid

About.com's Anti-Inflammatory Foods

MetabolismAdvice.com's List of Anti-Inflammatory Food List

dLife's Anti-Inflammatory Foods List

Anti Inflammatory Foods – List of 63 Foods to Choose from for Natural Healing

Disaboom's Top 50 Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Well, thanks for reading about my thoughts on inflammation and my internet findings.  I hope this compilation of websites helps someone.

How about you, my readers?  How are you all doing?  Have you struggled with your health?  Are you suffering with inflammation?  I encourage you to consider bite-size changes in your life, gradually accumulating the better habits in your life.  If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you.  Surely, He will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays.  For past entries, click here.

Disclaimer: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions.  Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health.  I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health.  Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate.  You know best how your body is doing.

How I'm Dealing With Pain

I want to eat more salads this week.

I suffered such pain this past week.  I won't go into all the details, except to say that my skin suffered a flareup.  Yes, I think it's coming in cycles.  I do what I can about it.  I even took naproxen sodium for the pain, which I promised to stay away from but to no avail.  

I told my hubby that I felt like going to the emergency room.  I even told him that I question why I should be alive if just to suffer this horrible pain.  Hey, I'm just being honest here.  No one who has been in such horrible pain can tell me they've never wondered the same.  It seems like the pain will never end...and yet, I must go on.

Enough of the pity-party.  Here's how I bore the pain:

1. I took Benadryl orally because that, I've heard, can dissipate rash from an allergy.  It's the histamines in the body that caused me intense itching.  I had to attack it from the inside.  It helped about 70% of the symptoms.

2. I slept.  I'd heard that Benadryl would make me sleepy.  That was so true.  I took enough of the medication, which hubby bought.  Sleep, sleep, sleep is what I did.

3. Writing helped, too.  I journaled about some of my frustrating thoughts about the economy and how people love to berate our president.  Everything is being blamed on him, and that upsets me so much.  Too many people do not understand that situations in the past set up what happens in the future.  Our President can only do so much when his hands are tied by Congress and the Senate; even my fifteen year-old understands this concept.

4. Spent time with my family.  I decided to play Wheel of Fortune on the Wii with my family.  It was fun.  I loved that we spent a few minutes together.  I loved that my family was practicing their spelling skills.

5. Finally, I read for pleasure.  I can keep reading for information online but sometimes I need to read for the mere fun of it.  Yes, I'm a kid at heart.  I love reading the Nancy Drew series.  A few weeks back, my hubby had bought my daughter some more of the books, and I had been looking forward to reading some of the books.

Here are my goals for this week to improve my health:

1. Sleep more and on time.  Sleep, it's been said, helps heal the body.  I've heard that the hours between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. are the optimal hours for the body to heal.  I'd also like to get up early to eat with my hubby.  A healthy start to the day with a breakfast leads to a better day.

2. Take my vitamins and supplements.  I want to take my Chlorella, cinnamon, and ginger.  I'd also like to research what other foods contain anti-inflammatory properties.  Perhaps I'll create a blog entry on just that topic.

3. Eat more plant-based foods.  I'd like to try to eat more salads and nuts.  Today, I turned on the TV to a PBS channel.  I found Dr. Joel Fuhrman speaking on how he's helped many people lose weight.  That's not what perked my ears; it's when he mentioned inflammation, which I suffer from.

 

Well, thanks for reading about how I dealt with my pain and my health goals for this week.  I appreciate it very much.

How about you, my readers?  How are you all doing?  Have you struggled with your health?  Have you suffered with inflammation?  I encourage you to consider bite-size changes in your life, gradually accumulating the better habits in your life.  If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you.  Surely, He will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays.  For past entries, click here.

 

 

Sweet Potato Fries With Coconut Oil

What's frying?

One day I was watching the Dr. Oz show...or was it the Doctor's Show?  Well, it doesn't matter.  In an episode, it was said that sweet potatoes were good for us.  Immediately, I wrote down sweet potatoes on my grocery list.  I wanted to eat something good for my body.

According to the World's Healthiest Foods website, sweet potatoes contain the following:

--beta-carotene (good for the skin);
--antioxidants (which slow the body from aging);
--anti-inflammatory properties;
--fiber (good for digestion);
--potassium (good for hydration of the body);
--iron (good for the blood; to prevent anemia); and
--Vitamin C (good for immune system).

Sweet potato fries were delicious!

I bought precut fries from a grocery store.  I then bought coconut oil from Whole Foods.  Since coconut oil is expensive, I did not want to waste it.  I decided to use a small pot (pictured first).  I'd heard that coconut oil is very beneficial, too.  That's why I decided to use this oil.

I'd also heard that cooking with coconut oil does not smoke.  It was easy.  The fries cooked a lot faster, too.  I was amazed!  I just added some sea salt at the end.

According to the Coconut Research Center, coconut oil provides the following:

--kills viruses;

--kills bacteria;

--kills yeast infections;

--reduces inflammation; and

--prevents cancer.

For more information, you can check out this website:

6 Healthy Uses for Coconut Oil

Well, thanks for reading this 

quick blog entry.  

I hope you enjoyed it.

 

What about you, my readers? Have you ever eaten sweet potato fries? Would you make fries with coconut oil? Would you add other ingredients? I hope you would consider these fries. It's a wonderful snack.

May God bless you with His peace and wisdom, my beloveds.

This has been an entry for Saturday Spreads. I hope you enjoyed it!

Factors Affecting Health

I've been eating leftover spinach pasta salad with balsamic vinegar.

I have been hobbling along as best as I can.  The biggest factor afflicting me is my skin condition.  I won't go into too much detail about that condition, except to say that it is painful when I suffer a flareup.  That's why I really didn't exercise as I would have liked this past week.  I know what my body can and cannot do; I will not force my body to do what it can't.

Stress causes me inflammation.  

My skin gets inflamed.

One of my biggest concerns is taking on too many jobs, chores, and responsibilities.  It takes its toll on my body.  I think I had taken on too much the previous week.  Last week I was left with too much pain to move much.  I had to take Naproxen Sodium.  It worked to some extent, but I dislike depending on a painkiller.

I do know that I went down in weight last week.  Then it went up the next day.  It's frustrating when my weight fluctuates.  The only thing I can do is try to eat healthy.  That's why I have turned to eating healthy meals like the pasta salad that I made on Saturday.  

Also, because Lent ended, I started drinking soda again.  That has been a very bad decision for my health.  I feel like I'm a kid in a candy shop.  I look around and see that there is soda in the house.  What do I reach for?  

Yes. 

I go for the...soda!

It's frustrating that soda is in the house.  It is so readily available.  I am reaching for the water, though.  That's the good thing about me--I do drink water.  I think that's why I don't gain too much weight.

I am focusing on the fact that I am moving my body.

I do have one thing working for me.  I am continuing to organize and declutter my house.  That is helping me to remain active.  I am reaching, bending, and standing a lot.  I need that for my body.

Here's a teaser--what I hope to blog about on Friday.

I'm not gonna be hard on myself.  I am trying to be good to myself with what I can do.  I am being a good mother.  I am being the best wife that I can be.  I am trying to be a good friend to those around me.

If my body fails me, then that is the limit of what it can do.  I have to accept that fact.  I am not one to get disappointed.  I can't be like that.  I must remain positive or I will get depressed.

Well, I hope that you will pray for me as I limp along towards a healthier me.  I hope that I haven't come across as defeated.  I know that God is on my side and wants me to be the best me.  I love God, and I know that if He wants to heal me, He will.  I must trust in Him and accept His decision.

How about you, my readers?  Are you cleaning?  Are you decluttering?  Are you moving around?  I hope so.  Not every moment you make has to include exercise machines and scheduled exercise.  Just move your body in some way or another, even if it includes cleaning.

May God bless you all with His wisdom and peace.  

This is an entry for Medical Mondays.  For past entries, click here.

 

Inflammation Information from You On A Diet

I'm learning about inflammation in You On A Diet.

I enjoy learning about my body. You On A Diet: The Owner's Manual for Waist Management by Michael R. Roizen, M.D. And Mehmet C. Oz, provides me with loads of information. The authors speak in a conversational tone, with lots of jokes. I love the pictures that explain the functions of the body parts. They are humorous but very informative. It is worth taking a look at this book.

You On A Diet picture explains inflammation of the gut.

One of my concerns is inflammation within my body. This book addresses that situation. Basically, the doctors say that there are irritants in the form of allergens, toxins, bacteria, and stress that cause inflammation in the gut. Further, they consider the gut as the second brain in the human body.

Inflammation shows itself in the following symptoms: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and extra weight. Also, if you suffer with inflammation, then your body is not breaking down the foods you eat to convert it to energy. If you have low energy, you feel tired. If you have inflammation in your body, you remain fat.

This book also breaks the monotony of the information by including “You-reka” moments and “Myth Buster” signs. It is certainly entertaining, while it gives the information you need to get healthy.

At the end of the chapters, there are tests to check whether you have learned the pertinent information. “YOU TIPS!” are included in gray pages, and “factoids” are in squares on the margins.

Here are just a few of the topics actually discussed in the book:

--Exercise- that can be done in twenty minutes

--Supplement suggestions- turmeric, coenzyme Q10, and chromium picolinate, which can help metabolism

--Menu choices- for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack time

--Recipes- include “What's in it for you?” listing the minerals and fat intake for each one

--Energy- how hormones affect your levels

--Metabolism- what is making it sluggish and how to optimize it

--Ideal Body- for most of us it will be when we were 18 years-old

--Your Emotions- how your feelings are tied to hunger

I believe that anyone trying to lose weight should read this book. It is informative, entertaining, and worth the money you spend buying it.

How about you, my readers? Are struggling with extra weight? Are you looking for answers as to why you cannot lose weight? Perhaps this book might answer some of your questions. I encourage you to read this book.

God bless you all with His peace, my beloveds.

This entry is part of my Medical Mondays series. Due to the Japanese turmoil, God saw fit to delay this entry and led me to post Wisdom Wednesdays' post this past Monday. Please forgive me.

On March 7th, I blogged about my desire to change up my diet.  I mentioned that I wanted to reread the book above.   To view that past entry, you can find it here: http://bit.ly/geqX4Y

Disclaimer: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions.  Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health.  I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health.  Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate.  You know best how your body is doing.

Insulin-Resistance and Inflammation of the Body

Two book I bought at www.amazon.com.

I have several afflictions in my body.  One of them is inflammation.  Also,  the insulin in my body is out of whack.  I had found two books which deal with these two situations at www.amazon.com.  I had kept them in my wish list until I had enough money to buy them.  

I finally bought them, and they came in last week.  Both of the following books deal in some way with Insulin-Resistance, which is also called Metabolic Syndrome or Syndrome X:

One is called The Insulin-Resistance Diet: How to Turn Off Your Body's Fat-Making Machine by Cheryle R. Hart, M.D. and Mary Kay Grossman, R.D.  What sold me on buying this book is the sentence that reads: "Discover if insulin resistance is the culprit for those extra pounds." 

From what I have read elsewhere, and in this book, is that it is recommended to pair up a carbohydrate with a protein anytime you eat.  I have striven to do this in the past, ever since the first time I became pregnant and had been diagnosed with gestational diabetes.  If I've eaten cottage cheese, I have paired it up with saltine crackers.  If I've eaten a cheese egg omelet, I have paired it up with Malt-O-Meal, sprinkled with cinnamon (which is good for diabetics, too).

I am hoping to find out if I was afflicted with insulin-resistance while I was pregnant with my last (fourth) child.  No matter how much insulin I took, the amount of sugar in my blood would not decrease.  The doctor who was seeing me for my gestational diabetes often chided me for "whatever" I was doing.  I had to take matters into my own hands towards the end of my pregnancy and eat only one meal a day of chicken with something else, to prevent my baby from getting too big to fit through the birth canal.  By the way, she was my heaviest, but I managed to give birth to her without a C-section.

The other book is called Stopping Inflammation: Relieving the Cause of Degenerative Diseases by Nancy Appleton, PhD.

This book deals with symptoms and allergies of various foods and possible environmental causes.  Here's the situation: I itch all the time.  If I am exposed to sunlight, I itch.  I even itch when I am under stress.  I want relief from that symptom!  Ugh!

One main reason for researching about Metabolic Syndrome is that high blood pressure, high cholesterol and anxiety really reared their ugly heads in my life a few years ago.  In just perusing the book about inflammation, these very symptoms are mentioned, along with others.  I was taking medication four years ago for all of those symptoms.  I know I should not have done it, but I stopped taking them, without notifying my doctor.  I was getting chest pains after taking Lipitor, which I took for high cholesterol.  I was then prescribed another medication for angina attacks.

It was then that I decided I did not want to be on a roller coaster ride of medication-taking so I went on a quest to lose weight, hoping, as some radical doctors had suggested, that some of the maladies would disappear.  I ended up losing a total of thirty pounds, and I felt less anxious.  I know that I still need to lose more weight so I am now looking into exactly what happened to my body when I was heavier and what is still happening to me.  I highly suspect, as vegan and/or vegetarian groups do, that what is in our food supply could be hurting my body. 

What could be causing the extra weight?  What could be causing all the symptoms that my body is afflicted with?  Could it be gluten?  Could it be contamination of food that has been modified or over-processed?  Could it simply be the combination of food that I am eating that is causing me to feel sick all the time?

What I do know is that I am empowered enough to read the literature that is available.  Sifting through it is another thing.  I am a slow reader when it comes to new content.  It takes time for new ideas to be digested by my brain.  I am hoping that these books give me some concrete answers.  I really think, also, that more people need to learn about what could possibly be afflicting their own bodies.

How about you, my readers?  Are you concerned about what you eat?  What about the cleaning agents you use?  Are you worried that what you are putting into your mouth could be affecting your body negatively?    If so, I encourage you to research the symptoms online.  Your doctors might only be prescribing medications to treat the symptoms, but you need to research what is causing those symptoms.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, my faithful readers.

I pray for peace for all of you, my beloveds.

Disclaimer: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions.  Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health.  I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health.  Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate.  You know best how your body is doing.