LIFESTYLE
&
MOTIVATION

How do we learn to open up to pain? To fear? It seems so contrary to lean into it. We protect it and fight against it. Avoid it, and push through it until we can't. Pain is an inevitable and necessary part of life for almost every living thing. It is unique in how we feel it, but the experience is the same. Moving with the pain is the only way to learn to feel what our bodies are trying to tell us. Especially when it comes to chronic pain. When we learn to work with what is,

Swiss Chard is not a green you see on the menu very often. Spinach, kale, sure. But don't we all get sick of those sometimes? Swiss chard is a cousin of the beetroot and has a much milder flavor for those who may not be fans. Containing loads of antioxidants and vitamins, it's also very tasty and can be eaten raw or cooked. Be careful not to add too much salt, as it contains sodium naturally. It also has dietary nitrates, which help increase oxygen levels in the body for card

When I was first diagnosed with fibro, I had no idea what it was. Nor did anyone else. Any attempts at beginning to explain it would just leave people uttering their usual words of sympathy. Even though they were sincere, I deeply longed to be understood, for my pain and suffering to be felt and empathized. But unfortunately, pain and fatigue aren't outwardly noticeable, and I felt ashamed of my lack of visual evidence of suffering. I kept a few friends close and would share

This is a touchy subject, I know. Many chronic pain sufferers have been treated like someone with a drug problem and had their pain dismissed and left untreated. It is adding insult to injury. The purpose of this article is not to shame anyone but rather to educate. I completely understand what it’s like to hate having to choose between pain and the awful side effects of medication. So this article will discuss the history, mechanisms , research , and risks of using opioids

Purpose To examine the different treatment approaches for managing fibromyalgia, including pharmacological and other popular options available in Australia. The article discusses trends, best practices, and treatments that show little evidence of effectiveness. Conclusions Most importantly, the author noted that research supports "an individually-tailored, multimodal, multidisciplinary, combining both non-pharmacological and pharmacological for the best outcomes at improving

October is ADHD Awareness month, and as someone with the disorder who has a child, parents, and relatives with it, I think it’s important to discuss, given its prevalence in our fibromyalgia Spoonie community. Overall, about 17 million adults and children in the US live with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder.¹ ADHD is a term you probably have heard of, even if you aren’t entirely sure what it means. In short, ADHD is characterized by “inadequate levels of inattention, hy

As I sit here on 09/13, it’s hard not to ignore the achy feeling in my calves. (Yes, four days later!) When I stand up and walk, each step reminds me of the 2,200 odd steps I completed a couple of nights ago at the Memorial Stair Climb in honor of the firefighters who sacrificed their lives on 9/11. Each twinge of pain makes me smile. First, I smile because I remember when 2,200 stairs would have cost me a week in bed of reduced activity, pain, fog, and isolation. A day or so

What is parenting? What constitutes a “good” parent? Let's work this out. Is it schlepping all over town forking out hundreds of dollars, giving our children more than some adults can afford? Cell phones, happy meals, $60 shoes at 5. TVs, toys, abundance. Is it doing and giving that we should focus on when raising our kids? Is that being a good parent? While it is not wrong to live the good life, and we certainly want to provide for our children, it's not the material things

To revisit February's theme of chakras , I chose vegetable recipes to represent each energy center. Chakras, or "wheels" in Sanskrit, describe various energy centers in your body that run along your spine. Some believe there are up to 114, but we are focusing on the major seven. Each chakra has its own color, symbol, health focus, element, and so much more. For more information on the Ayurvedic Chakra System, check out my post here . And, if you haven't tried my weekly yoga v

We all have an inner critic—the voice of doubt. The voice persistently, loudly, and glaringly directs our attention and processing toward what we do wrong. To problems, faults, deficiencies, deficits, and inadequacies. Sticky, shameful areas. Those of us with chronic pain, fatigue, and other invisible idiopathic disorders, syndromes, and diseases, are in danger of developing a destructive inner critic. Our body responds to our inner critic by withdrawing. Shoulders round in,