I just played around with some herbs and other things I had in my cabinets to create a soothing bath soak.
In the HOTTEST water I could stand, I added the following:
2 menthol crystals
1 cup dried calendula flowers
1/2 cup dried hibiscus flowers
a pinch of dried peppermint leaves
1 tablespoon yellow dock powder
1 tablespoon marshmallow root powder
1 cup Epsom salts.
Soaked for an hour.
Significantly helped decrease my pain from the fibromyalgia flare I have been experiencing today.
Going to follow the bath with a couple glasses of cold lemon and peppermint water.
Showing posts with label fibromyalgia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fibromyalgia. Show all posts
Monday, February 29, 2016
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Easy Egg Salad for hurting hands
I wanted to make egg salad this weekend, but with the weather changes, my hands are definitely hurting a bit with fibromyalgia and arthritis flare. SOOOO.... time to problem solve.
And the answer was ... Use the oven.
Break raw eggs into a glass baking dish. (I used 20 eggs and can definitely state that cracking eggs is MUCH easier than peeling boiled ones!!).
Cover with a layer of parchment paper to reduce development of tough layer of baked egg. (The layer that forms when baking eggs is kind of like taffy and gets stuck in your teeth. The parchment paper fixes this.)
Put glass baking dish in oven and turn onto 350 degrees fahrenheit. Bake for 45 minutes (until completely baked in the center).
Remove from oven. Let cool.
Chunk up and drop into a food processor or blender. Pulse to mince up the egg into bits. Dump into a mixing bowl.
Add mayo and mustard to taste. Stir.
(For me, I make my mayo and add mustard powder to it so that I only have one thing to add. Also, I mix the mayo/mustard into the eggs in the same food processor - so no by hand mixing.)
To make your own mayo:
1 raw egg. (If raw eggs flip you out, this works just fine with pasteurized egg-beaters or other egg substitute)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon (or maybe 2 teaspoons) onion powder.
1-2 teaspoons mustard powder.
BLEND.
1/2 tablespoon or so lemon juice. (the longer you wait to add lemon juice the hotter the mustard powder develops)
BLEND
DRIZZLE SLOWLY into blender mixing on high speed 3/4 cup oil.
The oil makes an emulsion with the egg mixture. Drizzling it in slowly is the trick to getting your mayo mixture to solidify.
You can also add other spices or herbs to the mix instead of the mustard for southwestern or italian or other types of dressings. Vinegar instead of lemon juice and sugar = sauce for crab salad.
And the answer was ... Use the oven.
Break raw eggs into a glass baking dish. (I used 20 eggs and can definitely state that cracking eggs is MUCH easier than peeling boiled ones!!).
Cover with a layer of parchment paper to reduce development of tough layer of baked egg. (The layer that forms when baking eggs is kind of like taffy and gets stuck in your teeth. The parchment paper fixes this.)
Put glass baking dish in oven and turn onto 350 degrees fahrenheit. Bake for 45 minutes (until completely baked in the center).
Remove from oven. Let cool.
Chunk up and drop into a food processor or blender. Pulse to mince up the egg into bits. Dump into a mixing bowl.
Add mayo and mustard to taste. Stir.
(For me, I make my mayo and add mustard powder to it so that I only have one thing to add. Also, I mix the mayo/mustard into the eggs in the same food processor - so no by hand mixing.)
To make your own mayo:
1 raw egg. (If raw eggs flip you out, this works just fine with pasteurized egg-beaters or other egg substitute)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon (or maybe 2 teaspoons) onion powder.
1-2 teaspoons mustard powder.
BLEND.
1/2 tablespoon or so lemon juice. (the longer you wait to add lemon juice the hotter the mustard powder develops)
BLEND
DRIZZLE SLOWLY into blender mixing on high speed 3/4 cup oil.
The oil makes an emulsion with the egg mixture. Drizzling it in slowly is the trick to getting your mayo mixture to solidify.
You can also add other spices or herbs to the mix instead of the mustard for southwestern or italian or other types of dressings. Vinegar instead of lemon juice and sugar = sauce for crab salad.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Tips to open jars when your hands may not work the way you want:
Tips to open jars when your hands may not work the way you want:
to open sealed jars - IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE THEM AGAIN COMPLETELY SEALED - use a bottle opener to pop the seal, then the lid will open easily.
To open one you have to have sealed again, run REALLY hot water over the lid for a minute or so. USING A (Silicone is best) POT HOLDER SO YOU DON'T BURN YOUR HAND, twist the lid. Metal expands faster than glass so the heat loosens the lid.
If you don't have a bottle opener, pound a nail into the top of the lid to break the seal. Be careful to use a clean nail, and not to hit the lid so you don't break the glass.
to open sealed jars - IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE THEM AGAIN COMPLETELY SEALED - use a bottle opener to pop the seal, then the lid will open easily.
To open one you have to have sealed again, run REALLY hot water over the lid for a minute or so. USING A (Silicone is best) POT HOLDER SO YOU DON'T BURN YOUR HAND, twist the lid. Metal expands faster than glass so the heat loosens the lid.
If you don't have a bottle opener, pound a nail into the top of the lid to break the seal. Be careful to use a clean nail, and not to hit the lid so you don't break the glass.
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Saturday, June 1, 2013
A letter by Jenna Alexander - Regarding Fibromyalgia, but could apply to ANY CHRONIC ILLNESS!
Hi All, this is a letter by Jenna Alexander, who is a member of one of the support groups to which I belong. She wrote it about her experiences with Fibromyalgia - one of the invisible chronic illnesses which can change the course of a person's life. I asked her if I might share this, as it is both eloquent and accessible. She kindly granted permission. I hope if you see yourself in this letter, you feel not quite alone and I hope if you see loved ones and friends in this letter, you give yourself permission to be ok with NOT understanding even while you accept that your loved ones and friends have limits that are moving targets from day to day. It is ok to not know the answers and changes of the illness, but to love and to accept the PERSON for WHO HE OR SHE IS!
Laura
Jenna Alexander's Letter
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Clipped from Fibro Colors on Facebook
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ME
1. My pain - My pain is not your pain. It is not caused by inflammation. Taking your arthritis medication will not help me. I can not work my pain out or shake it off. It is not even a pain that stays put. Today it is in my shoulder, but tomorrow it may be in my foot or gone. My pain is believed to be caused by improper signals sent to the brain, possibly due to sleep disorders. It is not well understood, but it is real.
2. My fatigue - I am not merely tired. I am often in a severe state of exhaustion. I may want to participate in physical activities, but I can't. Please do not take this personally. If you saw me shopping in the mall yesterday, but I can't help you with yard work today, it isn't because I don't want to. I am, most likely, paying the price for stressing my muscles beyond their capability.
3. My forgetfulness - Those of us who suffer from it call it fibrofog. I may not remember your name, but I do remember you. I may not remember what I promised to do for you, even though you told me just seconds ago. My problem has nothing to do with my age but may be related to sleep deprivation. I do not have a selective memory. On some days, I just don't have any short-term memory at all.
4. My clumsiness - If I step on your toes or run into you five times in a crowd, I am not purposely targeting you. I do not have the muscle control for that. If you are behind me on the stairs, please be patient. These days, I take life and stairwells one step at a time.
5. My sensitivities - I just can't stand it! "It" could be any number of things: bright sunlight, loud or high-pitched noises, odors. FMS has been called the "aggravating everything disorder." So don't make me open the drapes or listen to your child scream. I really can't stand it.
6. My intolerance - I can't stand heat, either. Or humidity. If I am a man, I sweat...profusely. If I am a lady, I perspire. Both are equally embarrassing, so please don't feel compelled to point this shortcoming out to me. I know. And don't be surprised if I shake uncontrollably when it's cold. I don't tolerate cold, either. My internal thermostat is broken, and nobody knows how to fix it.
7. My depression - Yes, there are days when I would rather stay in bed or in the house or die. I have lost count of how many of Dr. Kevorkian's patients suffered from FMS as well as other related illnesses. Severe, unrelenting pain can cause depression. Your sincere concern and understanding can pull me back from the brink. Your snide remarks can tip me over the edge.
8. My stress - My body does not handle stress well. If I have to give up my job, work part time, or handle my responsibilities from home, I'm not lazy. Everyday stresses make my symptoms worse and can incapacitate me completely.
9. My weight - I may be fat or I may be skinny. Either way, it is not by choice. My body is not your body. My appestat is broken, and nobody can tell me how to fix it.
10. My need for therapy - If I get a massage every week, don't envy me. My massage is not your massage. Consider how a massage would feel if that charley horse you had in your leg last week was all over your body. Massaging it out was very painful, but it had to be done. My body is knot-filled. If I can stand the pain, regular massage can help, at least temporarily.
11. My good days - If you see me smiling and functioning normally, don't assume I am well. I suffer from a chronic pain and fatigue illness with no cure. I can have my good days or weeks or even months. In fact, the good days are what keep me going.
12. My uniqueness - Even those who suffer from FMS are not alike. That means I may not have all of the problems mentioned above. I do have pain above and below the waist and on both sides of my body which has lasted for a very long time. I may have migraines or hip pain or shoulder pain or knee pain, but I do not have exactly the same pain as anyone else.
I hope that this helps you understand me, but if you still doubt my pain, your local bookstore, library and the internet have many good books and articles on fibromyalgia.
Author's note: This letter is based on communications with people throughout the world, males and females, who suffer from fibromyalgia. It does not represent any one of the over 10,000,000 people with FMS, but it can help the healthy person understand how devastating this illness can be. Please do not take these people and their pain lightly. You wouldn't want to spend even a day in their shoes...or their bodies.
I thought this would be good to share!
Fibro Colors
1. My pain - My pain is not your pain. It is not caused by inflammation. Taking your arthritis medication will not help me. I can not work my pain out or shake it off. It is not even a pain that stays put. Today it is in my shoulder, but tomorrow it may be in my foot or gone. My pain is believed to be caused by improper signals sent to the brain, possibly due to sleep disorders. It is not well understood, but it is real.
2. My fatigue - I am not merely tired. I am often in a severe state of exhaustion. I may want to participate in physical activities, but I can't. Please do not take this personally. If you saw me shopping in the mall yesterday, but I can't help you with yard work today, it isn't because I don't want to. I am, most likely, paying the price for stressing my muscles beyond their capability.
3. My forgetfulness - Those of us who suffer from it call it fibrofog. I may not remember your name, but I do remember you. I may not remember what I promised to do for you, even though you told me just seconds ago. My problem has nothing to do with my age but may be related to sleep deprivation. I do not have a selective memory. On some days, I just don't have any short-term memory at all.
4. My clumsiness - If I step on your toes or run into you five times in a crowd, I am not purposely targeting you. I do not have the muscle control for that. If you are behind me on the stairs, please be patient. These days, I take life and stairwells one step at a time.
5. My sensitivities - I just can't stand it! "It" could be any number of things: bright sunlight, loud or high-pitched noises, odors. FMS has been called the "aggravating everything disorder." So don't make me open the drapes or listen to your child scream. I really can't stand it.
6. My intolerance - I can't stand heat, either. Or humidity. If I am a man, I sweat...profusely. If I am a lady, I perspire. Both are equally embarrassing, so please don't feel compelled to point this shortcoming out to me. I know. And don't be surprised if I shake uncontrollably when it's cold. I don't tolerate cold, either. My internal thermostat is broken, and nobody knows how to fix it.
7. My depression - Yes, there are days when I would rather stay in bed or in the house or die. I have lost count of how many of Dr. Kevorkian's patients suffered from FMS as well as other related illnesses. Severe, unrelenting pain can cause depression. Your sincere concern and understanding can pull me back from the brink. Your snide remarks can tip me over the edge.
8. My stress - My body does not handle stress well. If I have to give up my job, work part time, or handle my responsibilities from home, I'm not lazy. Everyday stresses make my symptoms worse and can incapacitate me completely.
9. My weight - I may be fat or I may be skinny. Either way, it is not by choice. My body is not your body. My appestat is broken, and nobody can tell me how to fix it.
10. My need for therapy - If I get a massage every week, don't envy me. My massage is not your massage. Consider how a massage would feel if that charley horse you had in your leg last week was all over your body. Massaging it out was very painful, but it had to be done. My body is knot-filled. If I can stand the pain, regular massage can help, at least temporarily.
11. My good days - If you see me smiling and functioning normally, don't assume I am well. I suffer from a chronic pain and fatigue illness with no cure. I can have my good days or weeks or even months. In fact, the good days are what keep me going.
12. My uniqueness - Even those who suffer from FMS are not alike. That means I may not have all of the problems mentioned above. I do have pain above and below the waist and on both sides of my body which has lasted for a very long time. I may have migraines or hip pain or shoulder pain or knee pain, but I do not have exactly the same pain as anyone else.
I hope that this helps you understand me, but if you still doubt my pain, your local bookstore, library and the internet have many good books and articles on fibromyalgia.
Author's note: This letter is based on communications with people throughout the world, males and females, who suffer from fibromyalgia. It does not represent any one of the over 10,000,000 people with FMS, but it can help the healthy person understand how devastating this illness can be. Please do not take these people and their pain lightly. You wouldn't want to spend even a day in their shoes...or their bodies.
I thought this would be good to share!
Fibro Colors
Monday, April 22, 2013
An Introduction
I have never posted a blog before. I have friends who post blogs and their continual creativity awes me. How they find daily postings within themselves confounds me.
I have posted recipes, thoughts, and other work to my facebook page for the last several years. However, my facebook page is locked and private. And, as time passes, I find within myself the urge to share my recipes and thoughts… and so… a blog.
Over the next several days/weeks, I will post the backlog of work from my Facebook page. And then, as I create new recipes, have a thought here or there, or take photos of spring flowers, I will add to this blog. I welcome your comments. You are free to share anything you find here provided you attach my name to it and do not use it for your own financial gain.
Who am I?
That may be important as well – if you are deciding to follow this blog.
I am an emerging counselor. That means I am in the last bit of my Master’s of Mental Health Counseling Program. Right now, I am an intern at the local Free Clinic. So, much of what I think about is the state of mental health and trying to make sense of how different reality is from the myriad books I have read.
**HOWEVER, any information posted on this blog is for educational purposes only and is NOT meant for diagnostic or individual counseling purposes. If you feel you have mental health needs, please consult a qualified mental health professional or go to your local emergency room.
I have multiple allergies/intolerances.. I am allergic/intolerant to wheat, corn, coconut, millet, all grains, bananas, and lots of other things. Someday I will post about those. I participate in online support groups for corn-allergies. I have fibromyalgia, but when I control the allergies, I am able to reduce or eliminate almost all fibromyalgia symptoms. My theory is that allergies cause underlying inflammation... and it is this inflammation which triggers fibro symptom expression.
I am the single mother of a 16 year old son. Family relationships and being mom are topics of interest.
I am overweight. Weight control and weight loss are topics I return to. Often, these are tied to the Prochaska model “Stages of Change”. Between allergies/intolerance, weight, and a lifetime love of food – I create a lot of recipes.
I have a small (25-30 pound) dog. Inky is neurotic, but lovable He is a rescue dog and has taken quite a while (over a year) to recover mostly from his previous home. He still has lots of anxiety. His hips have damage and he also has hip dysplasia. He takes medication daily.
I have my own mental health issues. I am OCD. It took me years to learn to control the OCD. Now, I am organized, and adapting to change takes me effort, but it possible. I no longer have lists of lists nor do I obsessively arrange things. However, I can organize the heck out of any schedule or event. I have some degree of depression or cyclothymia. This is controlled with 20 mg daily of Prozac (which lets me sleep), cognitive methods, and practicing of wellness. We’ll talk about that on occasion as well. Wellness is extremely important to me. Wellness allows me to channel my mental health issues into strengths (like organization, accomplishing projects when have the energy boost of low level hypomania, etc.) I have a holistic view of wellness and like to incorporate multiple domains.
I am a liberal in most political aspects. That is something that will on occasion be a topic of conversation. So will religion.
Pretty much – this is a blog where whatever comes to mind will find its way onto the screen. Hopefully, there will be bits and pieces you enjoy or can use. And, when something neither appeals to you nor applies to you, you are most welcome to skip that post or comment on your own point of view.
I hope you are looking forward to this as much as I am.
Laura
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