tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115409730882536382024-03-13T22:42:05.180-07:00I am my mother's daughterJ. Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423061187221550635noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-111540973088253638.post-87835114294295255402015-02-03T09:13:00.001-08:002015-02-03T09:13:56.417-08:00Turkey meatloaf Dinner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of our favorite dinners here in my house is Turkey meatloaf and it is so good and so easy to make. I have to admit that it was not something I thought we would like at all being the meat lovers that we are, but after getting sick with Graves and Hashi's, red meat became something that made me feel really bad at times and it just wasn't worth feeling sick and bloated after eating red meat. I had to experiment with it a few times and some was good and some was, well...just yuck. I finally found a recipe that works for me and my hubby, which was really the true test, being that he is a lover of all things meat!<br />
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<br />
Turkey Meatloaf:<br />
<br />
2 lbs of good, quality, organic, ground Turkey<br />
1 chopped onion (diced)<br />
2 stalks chopped celery (diced)<br />
1 tsp. of chopped garlic<br />
1/2 package of gluten free brown gravy mix<br />
garlic sat and pepper to taste<br />
2 tblsp. of water (keeps it moist)<br />
<br />
Mix well and form in a loaf pan and bake at 375 degrees until done (about 40 minutes)<br />
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**you can add tomato sauce or even ketchup(if you like that) to the top, but if tomatoes are a no no on your diet, then just skip that part and make the other half of the gravy mix and pour on top.<br />
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I then baked sweet potatoes and make mixed greens to go with it and you would have thought my hubby was eating a steak dinner by the oohs and ahhhs I was getting from him!<br />
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I hope you enjoy this as much as we have and thanks for coming!! See you next time!J. Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423061187221550635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-111540973088253638.post-33216201507003124772015-01-30T09:45:00.001-08:002015-01-30T09:45:41.589-08:00My favorite smoothies<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Who loves a good smoothie? I was never a smoothie kinda girl, but the last few years of trying to feel better, get healthier, and get more of the good stuff into my system, has had me looking for new and yummy ways to do just that! I am a creature of habit and I just cannot eat or drink anything that taste nasty, even if it IS good for me...nope..can't do it! It took me awhile to figure out the best combinations and recipes that I could and did look forward to drinking on a regular basis.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times;"> The first</span> thing I did was to buy the equipment that I needed and then researched all the various websites online that could possibly tell me what to do and what kinds of foods to use and for what purpose they served. Yeah...that took some doing and a lot of experimenting, but I finally figured out what I liked and I ran with that (not really, I never run unless I'm scared)! There are a million different ways and combinations to make smoothies that you like and that are good for you too!<br />
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Here are just a few that are my go to smoothies:<br />
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This one is my favorite!<br />
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Chop a bunch of strawberries<br />
a bunch of fresh pineapple<br />
a handful of spinach<br />
a plash of naked juice or your favorite juice<br />
a sprinkle of chia seeds<br />
a sprinkle of bee pollen<br />
and then fill to the line with coconut water or you can use just plain water<br />
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mix well and enjoy!<br />
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Another favorite that I like to do for breakfast is:<br />
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A cup of oatmeal<br />
a chopped apple<br />
a banana<br />
a tsp. of cinnamon<br />
fill to live with your favorite kind of milk, whether it be regular milk, almond or coconut milk<br />
blend and enjoy!<br />
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<br />
For a veggie smoothie:<br />
<br />
I like to use celery, tomatoes, spinach, onion, parsley, bell pepper and even a jalapeno if you like that and fill to line with water, add a little salt and pepper and blend well!<br />
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These are just a few variations and some, sadly, have had to be changed because of my illness, but look it up, play with it, and see what happens. It's a great way to get extra fruits and veggies into your body that you would otherwise just not eat or consume because of you busy schedule or lack of time in cooking or whatever it is that keeps you from eating them. I hope you enjoy these!J. Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423061187221550635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-111540973088253638.post-43489273102547369602015-01-27T07:58:00.000-08:002015-01-27T07:58:06.739-08:00Last weeks menu and some of my food choices<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"> Changing my diet to heal my body has been a bit of a challenge, it's only been a week and I'm sure I'll have plenty more challenges as time goes by with keeping it all healthy and interesting so that we aren't eating the same thing all the time. No one wants to eat the same thing all the time and keeping it healthy and yummy too are hard at best, but so far, I've managed to not only impress my hubby, but myself too! I say that because I am a food lover and food is just one of those magical things that makes us so happy and content and it also brings us all together. Well...we can still have all that, we just have to change our way of thinking, you know attitude is everything...right?? We also have to change what we are putting into our bodies so that our bodies are happier and when that happens...well...that's a beautiful thing...we are happier and healthier and we have more energy and are able to do whatever it is that we need to do.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"> Last weeks dinner menu went like this:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">Lime Cilantro Chicken with brown rice and Brussels sprouts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">Turkey meatloaf with sweet potatoes and green peas.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">Cabbage Rolls with roasted carrots.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">Shrimp and asparagus stir fry with lentils and Brown rice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">Lemon Chicken Picatta with capers and brown rice and green peas.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">Fried Cod with Broccoli slaw..</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">There are lots of veggies (I love green peas) and brown rice is a good filler that goes with everything. I'm moving on to Tinkyada brown rice pasta next week to see how I like it, but mostly veggies, turkey, fish, and chicken are my main things to eat, mostly because that is what I like..</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">I am not doing red meat or sugar because my Cholesterol is a little on the high side and I want to get it lowered naturally. I love salads, but cannot have tomatoes with Hashimoto's right now and that makes me sad...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"> Here is what I can have on the AIP Diet:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">This list is courtesy of PaleoLeap.com</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">Some of these I will not eat and some I will...I have I am trying to tailor this to fit all of my needs which are Gluten free, no sugar, dairy, corn, white potatoes, or any nightshades because of my Hashimotos..it's been a challenge to incorporate all of these things, but I am still working at it..If you have Hashimoto's, please lookup what nightshades are and how to eliminate them from your diet...some people have taken them out and reintroduced them to their diets again after awhile and have had no problems...I will do another post on nightshades.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
Meat<br />
<blockquote>
Beef, pork, lamb, veal, rabbit, goat, sheep, horse, bison, wild boar, …</blockquote>
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<h2>
<strong>Game meat</strong></h2>
<blockquote>
Deer, pheasant, bear, moose, woodcock, elk, duck, rabbit, reindeer, wild turkey …</blockquote>
<h2>
<strong>Poultry</strong></h2>
<blockquote>
Chicken, turkey, duck, quail, goose, …</blockquote>
<h2>
<strong>Fish</strong></h2>
<blockquote>
Salmon, tuna, trout, bass, halibut, sole, haddock, turbot, walleye, tilapia, cod, flatfish, grouper, mackerel, anchovy, herring, …</blockquote>
<h2>
<strong>Shellfish</strong></h2>
<blockquote>
Crab, lobster, shrimps, scallops, clams, oysters, mussels, …</blockquote>
<h2>
<strong>Fats</strong></h2>
<blockquote>
Avocados, avocado oil, olive oil, coconut oil, butter, clarified butter (ghee), lard, tallow, duck fat, veal fat, lamb fat, fatty fishes (sardines, mackerel, salmon), nut butters, nut oils (walnut, macadamia), coconut flesh, coconut milk, …</blockquote>
<h2>
<strong>Eggs</strong></h2>
<blockquote>
Chicken eggs, duck eggs, goose eggs, quail eggs, …</blockquote>
<h2>
<strong>Vegetables</strong></h2>
<blockquote>
Celery, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, leeks, kohlrabi, green onions, eggplants, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, cucumber, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, artichokes, okra, avocados, …</blockquote>
<h2>
<strong>Green leafy vegetables</strong></h2>
<blockquote>
Lettuce, spinach, collard greens, kale, beet top, mustard greens, dandelion, swiss chard, watercress, turnip greens, seaweeds, endive, arugula (rocket), bok choy, rapini, chicory, radicchio…</blockquote>
<h2>
<strong>Root vegetables</strong></h2>
<blockquote>
Carrots, beets, turnips, parsnips, rutabaga, sweet potatoes, radish, jerusalem artichokes, yams, cassava, …</blockquote>
<h2>
<strong>Winter squash</strong></h2>
<blockquote>
Butternut squash, spaghetti squash, acorn squash, pumpkin, buttercup squash, …</blockquote>
<h2>
<strong>Summer squash</strong></h2>
<blockquote>
Zucchini, yellow summer squash, yellow crookneck squash, …</blockquote>
<h2>
<strong>Fruits</strong></h2>
<blockquote>
Bananas, apples, oranges, berries (strawberry, cranberry, cranberry, blueberry, blackberry), grapefruit, pears, peaches, nectarines, plums, pomegranates, pineapple, papaya, grapes, cantaloupe, cherries, apricot, water mellon, honeydew mellon, kiwi, lemon, lime, lychee, mango, tangerine, coconut, figs, dates, passion fruit, persimmon, …</blockquote>
<h2>
<strong>Nuts and seeds</strong></h2>
<blockquote>
Pistachios, Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), pecans, walnuts, pine nuts, macadamia nuts, chestnuts, cashews, almonds, hazelnuts</blockquote>
<h2>
<strong>Mushrooms</strong></h2>
<blockquote>
Button mushroom, portabello, oyster mushroom, shiitake, chanterelle, crimini, porcini, morel…</blockquote>
<h2>
<strong>Fresh and dried herbs</strong></h2>
<blockquote>
Parsley, thyme, lavender, mint, basil, rosemary, chives, tarragon, oregano, sage, dill, bay leaves, coriander, …</blockquote>
<h2>
<strong>Spices and others</strong></h2>
<blockquote>
Ginger, garlic, onions, black pepper, hot peppers, star anise, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, cayenne pepper, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg, paprika, vanilla, cloves, chilies, …</blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"> With all of this "said" I hope I haven't confused you too much, I am still learning and will happily take ay and all suggestions. I will also post my recipes in my next blog!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">Thanks for being here with me on my journey and here's to our health!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span>J. Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423061187221550635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-111540973088253638.post-33354701582231605202015-01-26T08:17:00.000-08:002015-01-26T08:34:49.804-08:00Healing my body with food<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New; font-size: large;"> I've been writing and rewriting this blog post for days and finally just smacked myself in the head and started over! I was making it too hard and too confusing, which is how I feel, trying to get used to eating a certain way to heal my body. I've since decided that I will just do it in pieces and just explain it simply so that everyone understand what it is that I am doing...and myself too, for that matter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New; font-size: large;"> So, the fist thing that I will tell you is that I have Graves and Hashimoto's...just that in itself is enough to make anyone cringe. Having them both makes it very hard to treat and even when my levels are in range, I still have very high antibody counts that add misery to my misery! After feeling like death with "normal" lab ranges, I started researching it all over again and found that even with those ranges in the "normal"...your high antibody counts can also make you miserable and sick. I then looked into what to do to get these antibodies down to normal and the most effective way, to me, was to change my diet and see what happens and that is my journey right now.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New; font-size: large;"> The first thing I did was to take Gluten out of my diet and that is hard at first but to my surprise, I have found many, many, ways to live without it. Everyone knows that I love to cook and eat, I love making new recipes and I love feeding everyone that I can and I just knew that this would be horrible and that I would be miserable and so hungry, but alas...I am none of those and I actually feel so much better this week, just that fast!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New; font-size: large;"> There are a million and one websites and pages to look at online and everybody has an opinion as to how you should go gluten free..my advice is to look at everything about it, talk to people about it, and then make your decision based on what works for you...not everyone has time to make up specialty recipes or the money to buy everything gluten free and if you are like me, you have brain fog that makes you seem crazy at times and an inability to stay focused, which in turn, makes you anxious and confused! Crazy huh? I know, so I'm taking my time to slowly explain exactly what I am doing to heal my body as best as I can.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New; font-size: large;"> The first thing I did was to see exactly what has gluten in it and I was amazed to find gluten in a whole host of things that I never thought it would be in, such as, my vitamins and supplements, gravy mixes, condiments, hair products and make up too..not that I wear a lot of make-up because that takes energy and want to and at this point in time, I just don't have any of that. After figuring out what to avoid and how to read every label there is, I took notes as to what to replace everything with. I know that wheat and bread products are out unless they are certified Gluten free. There are even some meats and dairy products that have gluten in them... really?? This is why it is so important to buy fresh, organic, meat and dairy products (if you eat them at all). I have learned that when you really start to look for gluten free foods, there is a plethora of them out there and there are many ways to improvise your cooking that makes it a little easier to deal with and to cook.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New; font-size: large;"> Here are just a few adjustments that I've made so far:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New; font-size: large;"> 1. If you are still wanting to fry things, there is always gluten free flour that you can use, my choice this week has been King Arthur gluten free flour. It really was not that different than regular flour, not that I fry a lot of foods or use a lot of flour, but it worked out great on a really yummy recipe I made this week. Lemon Chicken Picatta..</span><br />
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Lemon Chicken Piccata</div>
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<time datetime="PT15M" itemprop="prepTime">15 mins</time> </div>
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<time datetime="PT25M" itemprop="cookTime">25 mins</time> </div>
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Author: <span itemprop="author">Jo Cooks</span></div>
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Serves: <span itemprop="recipeYield">4</span></div>
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Ingredients</div>
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<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">salt and pepper to taste</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">all purpose flour, for dredging</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">4 tbsp butter, unsalted</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">2 tbsp olive oil</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">⅓ cup fresh lemon juice</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">½ cup chicken stock or dry white wine, I used wine</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">¼ cup brined capers</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">⅓ cup fresh parsley, chopped</li>
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Make Any Dish Better with Swanson® Broth </div>
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<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">In a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006JSUB/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00006JSUB&linkCode=as2&tag=josfav-20&linkId=3KFFSZHRRYZUYPCE" target="_blank" title="Cast Iron Skillet"><span style="color: #f05123;">large skillet</span></a> melt 2 tbsp of butter with the olive oil, over medium to high heat.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Add chicken pieces to the skillet and cook for about 3 to 4 min per side until browned. When chicken is cooked, remove chicken from skillet.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Remove skillet from heat. Add lemon juice, chicken stock or wine, capers and scrape up the brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Return skillet to heat and bring to a boil. Taste the sauce and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Add chicken back to skillet and simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove chicken to a platter and add remaining butter and whisk for about a minute. Sauce will thicken a bit.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">You can return chicken to skillet and garnish with parsley. Alternatively you can pour the sauce over the chicken and garnish with parsley.</li>
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Nutrition Information</div>
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Serving size: <span itemprop="servingSize">148g</span> Calories: <span itemprop="calories">265</span> Fat: <span itemprop="fatContent">19.5g</span> Saturated fat: <span itemprop="saturatedFatContent">8.5g</span> Unsaturated fat: <span itemprop="unsaturatedFatContent">0.0g</span> Trans fat: <span itemprop="transFatContent">0.0g</span> Carbohydrates: <span itemprop="carbohydrateContent">7.0g</span> Sugar: <span itemprop="sugarContent">0.6g</span> Sodium: <span itemprop="sodiumContent">248mg</span> Protein: <span itemprop="proteinContent">18.5g</span> Cholesterol: <span itemprop="cholesterolContent">73mg</span> </div>
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3.2.2925</div>
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**This recipe is from Jo Cooks, I found it on Foodgawker and it was just sooooo good, I had to try it. I changed the regular four for gluten free flour and used chicken stock in place of the wine!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">2. Another handy tip I learned was that you can use brown rice to your hearts content and there are several brands that are Organic and gluten free. I was already using brown rice quite a bit in my daily recipes, but now it is my life line because I am not eating as much pasta as usual. There are some good gluten free pastas out there and I'll get to that next. Brown rice can be used in so many ways, I just never even knew, until I had to..lol! Here are some ways that I've been using brown rice.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> *I use it as a filler in my meatloaf, stuffed peppers, or cabbage rolls. </span><span style="font-size: large;">I add veggies and chicken stock to it to use as a side dish and </span><span style="font-size: large;">I use it when making any kind of a stir fry.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">*I will do a separate blog post with all of these recipes in it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> 3. I have also learned that it's ok to eat 2 or 3 vegetables with your dinner...lol! I've always been one of those cooks who made everything balance at dinner time, you know, a meat, a bread, a veggie, maybe two veggies and if we were lucky, a dessert too! If It didn't look balanced, then I would think it was wrong, maybe that's the OCD coming out in me? I have no idea, but now, veggies are my friends and the more the merrier! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> 4. I have learned that you can use herbs and spices to add to everything and it just makes it all better...I always thought that I used plenty of different spices, but this week, I have used so many more and have played around with them, thus making my meals all that much more better!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> 5. The most exciting thing that I learned this week, was that I don't have to give up pasta completely! I love, love, love, my pasta and I was so sad to learn that it was, of course, full of gluten or even that the store brands of Gluten Free pastas have corn flour in them and for me, that just won't work and then a friend pointed me in the direction of Tinkyada Pastas...low and behold, they are gluten free, corn free, and soy free! Yippee!! I can order them online and they are affordable! I won't eat them a lot because I can't have tomatoes or tomato products yet, but...I can add them to soups or stir fry's and that is good enough!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> I know that you've seen me state that there are foods that I can't have and some of those are because of the Hashi's and some are because they just make me sick when I use them. I will post the next blog soon and explain why I can't have them and what they are. I hope this blog hasn't confused you even more, I am trying to get you the information in away that doesn't make you scream and run for the hills...think about this and look up all the gluten you want to know about gluten and what you can do for yourself. The blogs that I write are just a go to for hopefully, good information and inspiration. Research everything you can about your illness and research everything you can about what it is going to take to feel better and what will work for you. We must be our own advocates when it comes to our health, no one will care more about ourselves than...well....ourselves! I hope you feel well today and you have a great day too!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>J. Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423061187221550635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-111540973088253638.post-55368695594745692222014-12-16T10:06:00.001-08:002014-12-16T10:06:09.811-08:00Holiday guilt and the blahs...<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> I don't know about you, but Christmas is my favorite time of the year. I love decorating and baking all kinds of goodies to give out to friends and family and giving gifts to those that I love brings me nothing but pure joy. It's been hard to do this the last few years because my hubby and I travel so much, we never know where we'll be or whether we'll be in a house, apartment, RV, or a hotel. Those are the usual place that we stay at and buying decorations and a tree is not always an option, neither is being able to make the goodies for everyone because I never know I I'll have a kitchen to make them in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New;"> The biggest hurdle that I've had the last few years has been my health. What with having Graves disease, Hashimoto's, and now rheumatoid arthritis, things have gotten a little trickier in how I am able to do the things that I love doing so much. Some days, I feel great and am able to do it all and then some days, I can barely function at all. On top of that, I have this pesky lung issue that just wears me out and then 6 weeks ago, I started having severe back pain and can't hardly walk or stand for very long at all and that keeps me from the shopping and baking that I need to do and it's really kind of depressing. I am one of those that love to make everything personal, like little notes and stickers on my grandkids packages, goody bags filled with all their favorite goodies, and just sweet little things that make each gift personal and filled with the love that I have for them. It literally stresses me out to not be able to do those things.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New;"> This years is one of those years that I have had to order most everything online and have it shipped and that bothers me because I didn't get to wrap them in a cute little wrapping paper that I picked out just or that person and I haven't really been out to shop for all the little things that would go with their gifts and that bothers me the most. I didn't even send out Christmas cards!! I know...right?? It's just wrong or so I think in my mind.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New;"> I've had my pity party and I've had my moment of feeling like a bad mom and grandma and then I talked to a very good friend of mine and she sure set me straight and she asked me why I was feeling so bad about it and I told her that because of this stupid illness and because I feel so bad all the time, I just didn't get it done and I was feeling like a failure. She basically smacked me upside the head (figuratively) and said that I give really good advice all the time to other people and asked why I didn't take my own advice...</span> I have no idea why...I guess because I am the caretaker and I make sure that everyone else feels good about themselves<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">...not myself...only the others...ok..ok..I see what she is doing here..</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New;"> We must not allow ourselves or anyone else to make us feel bad for being sick...yes...even if it is our own crazy selves making us feel bad...First of all...Christmas is not about gifts and goodies and decorating, although those things are great, to me, it's about family and love and hope and I know this, this is exactly what my parents taught me and here I am acting like a poor, pitiful, thing, because I can't do what I want to do. My friends and family aren't going to think badly of me if I don't do the usual things that I do, and if they do...then surely I don't really need friends and family like that in my life. I feel better now...I love everyone with everything I am and would give anything in this world that I could give to make them happy or to help them out and if they can't see that of if they don't know it by now, then shame on them. I have done some shopping online and the gifts won't be wrapped and there won't be a special, personal note on there, but that's ok. I haven't made any goodies to mail out, but that's ok too...I did buy a small tree and it's cute and there are a few little things under it and that's enough. I won't see my kids and grandkids this Christmas and although that makes me a little sad, that's ok too...it will just be me and my hubby this year, we'll have a nice quiet dinner together and exchange a few gifts and that is just fine with me. Life is short and we must make the best of what we have, life is too short to worry and obsess about things that can't be changed, life is just too short to feel bad all the time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New;"> So id you are feeling bad about not decorating or shopping or whatever it is about the holiday that makes you feel bad, get over it and just be happy that you are still here and able to do what you can do. Give yourself a pep talk, talk to a friend, read a book, listen to your favorite Christmas music, eat something yummy (that won't kill your stomach) take a walk, if you can, or just take a long nap! Allow yourself to enjoy the holiday season without the guilt of feeling bad about things you can't do...do what you can, when you can and always love youselves...no matter what! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New;">I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a healthy New Year!</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span>J. Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423061187221550635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-111540973088253638.post-27894361327390543042014-12-10T08:42:00.000-08:002014-12-10T08:42:32.430-08:00Getting past the ugly stuff<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Today is my late father's birthday, he's been gone three years now and in light of that, I am writing this post on Self acceptance. He is the one who taught me all the goodness in my life and showed me that my value is based on just being myself, not who I was or what I could do. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times;"> I see so many post by people in my thyroid groups that make me so sad, they are frustrated and want to just give up because they feel useless or have family and friends that make them feel bad for being sick or even worse, they make them feel bad by calling them lazy or tell them to just suck it up and get over it. It's a very sad and painful feeling to be sick all the time and to have your friends and family think that you are just lazy or being a drama queen about it and that is just so not true. We are truly sick with a disease that cannot always be seen from the outside, we are tired to the point of exhaustion, freezing cold or sweating to death, we have painful and swollen joints and muscles, irregular or fast heart rates, our blood pressure is too high or too low, we have terrible digestive problems, weird rashes, dizzy spells, we swell up all the time, gain weight despite what we do to lose it, we have depression and anxiety, and I could just go on and on, but you get the picture, right??</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times;"> Most people don't get it unless they have it and that makes us feel bad about being sick, it hurts us to know that other people think we are just lazy or making up excuses to not do anything and that is what makes us withdraw from life and people and the things we love doing. I hate being told that if I would just exercise or eat right or even just think positive, that my life will get so much better and I won't be sick anymore or that I can just take a pill and that will solve everything. Oh if only that were the case, my life would be perfect and fabulous all the time...they just don't get it and it hurts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times;"> I have always been a busy body and I got things done, I had energy and the want to, to be able to do whatever it was that needed to be done...I didn't even think about it, I just did it. When I became sick, it was just horrible, I was so sick, for so long, that I had a hard time even taking care of myself, at first. I had to have my sister come and help me until I was strong enough to do it myself and that was hard for me...I was the care taker, I was the one who made sure everyone else was ok and it still bothers me to this day, that I still need help with some things. It made me angry for awhile and I withdrew from social activities and from people that I loved because I just felt so tired and so bad all the time, I felt useless, like I couldn't do anything for anyone, anymore and that left me in a horribly depressed state. People didn't get it, they just saw me from the outside, looking normal, like nothing was wrong at all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times;"> It has been three years since I was first diagnosed with Graves Disease and it has been a long, hard, scary, and depressing road, but I am still here and even though I have wanted to give up many, many, times....I just couldn't do it...it's just not in me to give up. My mom and dad were very strong and loving people who supported me in everything I did, even when they knew it was a bad idea...they did it so that I would learn my own lessons, but the biggest gift they ever gave me was complete and total unconditional Love. I always knew that they love me and valued me beyond belief and that alone has contributed to me being who I am today.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times;"> I am here to tell you that you are worthy just because you are...you don't need anyone to tell you that you are or to make you feel accepted, we all have value in this world and we are all important, just because and if someone is telling you that you are lazy or crazy or whatever it is they are saying that is tearing you down and making you feel bad, it's not you or your problem...it's a problem that THEY are having...normal people don't go around tearing other people down, angry people do that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times;">We all have a purpose here on Earth, even if you don't see it, you do. It may be to tell someone the very things that I am writing about, or to show the world more about thyroid disease or just to smile at someone who needs it as much as we do. Never , Ever, give up or let someone make you feel less than you are, we are Warriors because we live with an invisible illness that debilitates us and we still get up and go on about out business, we still try to do all the things that we used to, and we still have hope that someday, we'll find what makes us feel better, we may do it a little differently than everyone else and we may have days that we just do nothing, but that has nothing to do with our self worth, it has everything to do with what we deal with on a daily basis and that fact that we still try everyday to fit in to what everyone else says is normal...we do this even when we are sick and feeling bad and miserable....it's ok to try to do these things everyday, but it's also ok to just have a down day and to just do whatever it is you need to do...it's ok to eel the way you feel...don't let other people tell you how you feel or tell you that it's wrong to feel the way you feel. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times;"> So...when you are feeling useless or unworthy because you or someone else is telling you that, just stop it!! We are all here for a reason and we all have value and the sooner you accept and love yourself, no matter what, the better off you'll be and you'll feel so much better too and that is the whole purpose with us...right?? We just want to feel better and to feel useful and worthy. Don't ever give up and never let someone make you feel bad, raise that chin and square up those shoulders and show them your fighting face...We are Warriors and should act accordingly! Have a great day!</span><br />
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J. Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423061187221550635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-111540973088253638.post-46859675165256249862014-12-05T19:59:00.002-08:002014-12-05T19:59:58.545-08:00GMO'S, Diet changes, and helpful hints<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> What are Genetically Modified Foods? Where do they come from and what is the purpose behind them?? I've read so much about GMO's and it's pretty darn scary to think that a group of scientist and business men...not Farmer's...have come up with all kinds of new ways to make our cows, chickens, pigs, fish, etc. grow faster and bigger. They've also figured out how to make our corn, soy, and wheat grow bigger and faster and not to mention, they have also figured out how to keep the bugs away from them in order to keep them growing big and strong! GMO's are foods and plants that have been genetically altered in order to make them grow big and fast and without the fear of pests killing them in the field that they grow in..Great huh?? No...the chemicals they use in and on these foods and animals are making us sick! I am overwhelmed at the fact that so much of our food supply is just full of hormones, chemicals, and even pesticides. How do we avoid this and what can we eat? Those are the questions that I have because I now have three auto immune disorders and trying to eat healthy and organic, without chemicals and hormones, is downright impossible and very scary and frustrating to say the least.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> When I found out that my illness were autoimmune, I started researching what lifestyle changes I needed to make in order to feel better and have my life back to some sort of normalcy. What I found out, was that the food I was putting into my body was causing a lot of my problems and that was sad to me because I love to cook and I love to eat even more! I knew that I would have to give up a few things that I loved and have eaten my whole life, but I never knew that even the food that I could have, was not that great for me because it had so many chemicals and hormones in it and those are the very things, in my opinion, that are making me sick. I'm no doctor or even a professional at what I'm doing, but by process of elimination and research, I've learned, very well, that these chemicals and hormones are just bad and they really make me feel sick when I eat them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> What I have learned is that by eliminating certain foods, I can feel so much better. I am not at my full potential of feeling well all the time, but I am no longer sick every hour of every day. I stopped eating gluten, processed foods, dairy(mostly), soy, sugar (except what comes naturally), canned foods, foods with BPA and BHA, sodas, red meat, and corn. Now I'm not saying you should do the exact same thing, but this is what has helped me. Finding out what your body reacts to in a negative way and eliminating those things will help you so much...stopping the use of preprocessed and chemical laden foods and drinks will help even more, now I know that is a huge job to undertake and it seems that everything in the world ha those things in them, but if you can at least get the majority of them out of your system, you'll be able to tell the difference in no time at all. We'll probably never be able to get every little terrible thing out of our food, but we can do as much as possible to cut down on the amount we are putting in our body.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> Something else that I've started doing that helps is drinking lemon ginger water everyday. I have rheumatoid arthritis and have horrible joint and muscle pain everyday. I also use this to help keep my liver clean and functioning better. The liver function gets messed up when you are on a multitude of drugs and they can affect your kidneys too. In addition to the lemon ginger water, I also use turmeric 1500 mgs a day and take Epsom salt baths. It doesn't take it all away, but it helps enough so that I can at least do what I need to do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I found that keeping a journal of what I eat and how I feel helps a lot...it showed me exactly what foods are making me feel bad. Also, try to eliminate those foods for a few weeks and see you feel without them...it took some time, but I know now what foods hurt me and what foods help me. Taking good supplements helps a lot too...talk to your doctor first and get tested for the ones you need, such as Vit. D, B-12, Iron and Ferritan, magnesium, zinc, and iodine. Once you have established what you need, get on them and be consistent. My Vit. D and iron were good, so I don't take those, but I do take Selenium (For TED), magnesium, Turmeric, milk thistle (for my liver), Vitamin C, and that I about it...I only have my Synthroid to take other than that and I am trying so very hard not to have to take a bunch of drugs, I need for my system to be as calm as can be.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">One last thing that I do, besides walking, is Yoga...I started trying it out earlier in the year and I really can tell the difference, it's not a huge difference but it's there and I just have to say that I am a short, top heavy, chunky, girl...I have gained 60 lbs in two years, so it's not easy and is quite comical to see me trying my hardest to do yoga in the floor of my home. I just have to laugh at myself because I really do looks hysterical doing some of the poses, but I am stubborn and love a challenge. I will get there some day and I am in this fight to make my whole body healthy, in every way, not just my thyroid or my immune system.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> With all that said, I hope I didn't lose you in there, it was lengthy and I did ramble at times...#brainfog #ADD I hope I can help someone and learn something new, because we are all Warriors....Right?? Until next time, be good and feel good!!</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />J. Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423061187221550635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-111540973088253638.post-84762181743326030242014-10-16T09:32:00.001-07:002014-10-16T09:32:18.156-07:00Eating healthy while traveling<span style="font-size: small;">I'm not sure how often you travel, but my hubby and I travel all over the country for his job and sometimes we are in a specific place for months at a time and sometimes we are just there for a few weeks and when you have health issues and need to eat a certain way, it gets a bit complicated as to where and what you eat on a daily basis.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I have a few things that I like to carry around with us when we travel to and from jobs that helps me to stay true to the way I like to eat, because I don't know about you, but I would rather have my own cooking than to eat out all the time. Don't get me wrong, I love to eat and eating out all the time would be great, but alas...my body does not feel good when I do that and lets me know in a huge way that it does not like certain foods, so I've had to come up with a way to eat well while traveling and food that is also good for me while we travel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I carry with me a really good crock pot, a George foreman grill, and a couple of pots and pansthat aren't too big and bulky to carry around. I also bring my nutri bullet with me everywhere because we all need a smoothie, right? I love my smoothies because they get into me things that I really need more of, like fruits and veggies and supplements that help my body to feel better.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">The places we usually stay have kitchens in them, not full sized kitchens, but you know, a couple of burners, a fridge, and a microwave and they never have ovens, so another little miracle I drag along is my toaster over...I like to call it my easy bake oven, it's more fun that way and sometimes we need to bake up some goodies, right?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I have quite a few recipes that I'm going to share in the next post and also, if you can, get out to a farmer's market and buy up what you can of your favorite veggies and fruits, they can be chopped and frozen for later use. I try to buy organic whole foods so that I know exactly what I am putting in my body and I try to keep it simple, but delicious. It doesn't have to be a complicated meal in order for it to be good. I try to make everything from scratch and id I can't, I usually just go with the healthiest alternative that I can find, I'm still new at this a learning as I go, but it is the most important thing to me, other than my kids and grand kids, that I eat as healthy as I can. It is daunting just trying to figure out how to deal with all the health issues that I have and to just feel human most days. So until next time, I hope I've helped in some way and have made some sense..I'll be posting some of my favorite recipes to use on the road and I'll be traveling again soon and adding that into my posts as well. Go out and be the sunshine in someone's day!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Here is a pic of beautiful Oregon Coast, which is where we are now! </span><br />
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J. Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423061187221550635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-111540973088253638.post-14206546053422976662014-10-10T11:13:00.003-07:002014-10-10T11:14:04.425-07:00Thank you Lord for giving me a sense of humor!<span style="font-size: small;">Whew! It's been a bit since I've been here to post anything...my life, once again, has taken a turn for the crazy! I've been so sick for the last two months with bronchitis and pneumonia...again...for the umpteenth time and I am rally getting sick of it...no pun intended. I have now had an added illness of Intrinsic Asthma, as if I needed another one, but yes, two months of tests, doctors and medications and here I am, still unable to breathe well and still trying to get well and feel good.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I really do thank the Lord everyday that I was blessed with a really good sense of humor, otherwise, I would probably be dead or in prison. I have to laugh at myself and my life in order to keep from jumping off a bridge or killing people when my hormones are out of control, but really, I do feel blessed, I have a great hubby that supports me, even when he doesn't understand what's going on in y body, and I have beautiful kids and even more beautiful grand children that are the light of my life, so no...death or prison just won't work. </span>They all give me something to keep on keeping on and for that, I am truly grateful.<br />
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I have decided that this new thing that has me down, for now, but not out, will just have to get over itself and I plan to fight it all the way, just as I do with everything else, and get myself healthy again through good food and exercise...this post is short, but just wanted to say that no matter what life throws at you, you can still have a great life and you can still fight it with everything you have. Stay true to yourself and be good to your body and good things will happen. Remember, life is short, shorter than we realize and we have to just choose to be happy and move forward, no matter what this bitch we call life does to us! J. Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423061187221550635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-111540973088253638.post-82702403806324478192014-08-08T15:11:00.000-07:002014-08-08T15:11:38.378-07:00I love to eat!<span style="font-size: large;">I love Food....that's it...all food, anywhere, any time...Problem is...I have three autoimmune diseases that call for a stricter diet and I am a creature of habit and yes...some might say I'm stubborn too..mostly my hubby, but I really do love to cook and bake and doing that for the people I love just makes it all that much better! My Mamma was the best cook and baker that I know of...she taught me everything I know and even though I can cook like her, there are still things I can't do like she did.</span> <span style="font-size: large;">She could throw garbage into a pot and it would be fabulous! I can't do that, but I think I got the gist. The only problem about her cooking was that she fried a lot of stuff and I do not...I would love to eat all of her fried concoctions, but alas....my stomach has other ideas. Since becoming sick with three different autoimmune diseases, I have had to change everything about the way I eat, what I drink, and what vitamins and supplements that I take on a daily basis. This has been the hardest thing for me to deal with and I am still learning how to eat and what to eat so that maybe by the time I figure it all out, I'll be a human again and have some energy to actually do something with my life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">First of all...let me just say that I am NOT a doctor, nor am I an expert. I am just sharing my experience and what works for me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The first thing I did was eliminate whatever foods, chemicals, ingredients, etc. that were causing me to have adverse affects on my body and the first thing I did was to stop eating anything that was preprocessed, in a can, and had GMO's in it. Corn is a big no no for me....I love corn, but it makes me feel like I've swallowed glass shards. So, in looking for things that had corn or corn products in it, I found that pretty much everything has some kind of corn syrup or corn by product in it!! What?? What the heck am I supposed to eat?? Well that started a whole new way of eating for me and now I cook everything from scratch, whole foods that are GMO free and organic. It's pricey to eat this way, but still cheaper than medicine. There are things that I have to avoid because of Hashimoto's, but I still try to eat as healthy as possible while still avoiding the "bad" stuff, as in bad for me. I've also added a regimen of Vit. D-3, B-12, ashwangdha, fish oil, magnesium, selenium, and coconut oil and in addition to that, of course, my thyroid meds and that seems to be working so far. I've only been on my thyroid meds for about 8 weeks, but so far, I feel so much better and have even lost 12 lbs in the process. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Other things that I've learned not to eat are dairy products, (I love cheese and still have issues with cutting it out) Sugar is a huge problem for me because, well...I love sweets! I can eat tomatoes, just not a lot and not very often and wine...dear lord, I love my wine..I really, really, love my wine, so I limit myself with a couple of glasses once or twice a month. With that being said...I generally try to bake or grill or saute, not fry my food, I limit my red meat intake, only because it doesn't digest properly with me,I like to have plenty of fruits and veggies, ones that won't affect my Hashimoto's, but really...sometimes, I just have to eat that peach or those strawberries and yes, I pay for it, but who can go without peaches and strawberries?? I limit the amount of breads, of any kind, because they too make my tummy very unhappy, and I try to drink tons of water everyday and in the mornings, I add lemon to my water for liver detox, Lord knows with all the meds I take, I need to detox that liver and so far, I've been doing ok with my little plan of action, but I know that there is so much more that I need to learn about this disease and I am always looking for new and better ways of treating my body the way I'm supposed to.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I think if I am diligent in my diet and the care of my immune system, then I should be able to have a pretty normal life and as soon as I get my strength back, I goal is to go ahead and walk that marathon by the time I am 50...that is my goal...I hope that by sharing my journey and life with you, that I can help someone to understand themselves and what may or may not work for you! Have a great day and I hope to be more consistent with my posts, I do have down days still, but I am working on getting my health back to where it was 3 years ago! </span>J. Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423061187221550635noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-111540973088253638.post-6898096049378080332014-08-04T17:06:00.003-07:002014-10-10T10:26:25.800-07:00Starting my life over after Graves Disease<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Hey there, I have been lost for a bit and not blogging or writing or even anything other than just trying to get myself healthy again and I have to say, the last two years have been hell on me and my family. I was diagnosed two years ago with an autoimmune disease called Graves Disease that attacks your thyroid and causes you body to go crazy, or at least that's how it felt. I was doing great at the time, exercising and eating healthy, looking and feeling good and then all of a sudden...not really...I started having all these crazy things happening to me, such as, extreme digestive problems, shaking all over, rapid heart rate, getting sick with pneumonia and upper respiratory infections, </span></span>in fact, I had pneumonia 8 times in one year and still couldn't figure out what the deal was. This went on for about six months and things just got worse and I was losing weight on a weekly basis, sweating profusely, could no longer read my hand writing...it was just miserable and all the doctors I saw said it was stress or me going into menopause and to just get well with antibiotics and relax. Hmmm..interesting...relax when my heart rate was sky high, my blood pressure was sky high, I lost 67 lbs in about 8 weeks and couldn't stop shaking all the time. Well...that was crazy to say to me...I knew something was wrong, but never thought it could be my thyroid.<br />
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It was May 2012 by then and we were on our way to my daughter's house in South Carolina for my grand daughters graduation and I was still sick, but was determined to have a good time anyway. I continued to have all the crazy symptoms and decided that once we got back to Oregon, I would go see a dr and demand an answer as to why I was so sick. Shortly after getting back to Oregon, I became severely ill and couldn't stop coughing or even lay down to sleep without feeling like I couldn't breathe and told my hubby to take me to the ER. Saw a dr at the ER and they said I had bronchitis and gave me antibiotics...again...the very next day, I went back to the ER because I honestly could not breathe and they admitted me for more tests and after a few days, they sent me home and told me to follow up with a local dr that week. Well..the very next day, when I woke up, I couldn't even stand up and walk because I was so weak and my breathing was worse. I called 911 and was taken by ambulance back to the ER where I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and the mad rush was on to figure out what the problem was. Luckily for me, I went when I did because the dr said that if I had waited any longer, I would be dead right now. It took them another 4 days to figure out that it was my thyroid and the cause was Graves disease...what?? What the heck is that and am I dying? That is what I was thinking and hoping they were wrong and I could just take antibiotics and get well and go home!<br />
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No...that is not what I could do and little did I know how crazy my life was really about to become..they released me a week later and gave me all the meds that I would need and told me to see an Endocrinologists. Oh goody, a specialists...she'll fix me right up and then I can get back to my awesome life and just forget about all this mess. Wrong!! The meds were horrible, I couldn't sleep or I slept too much, I was still too weak to even think about doing anything without help, my hair fell out, my BP was crazy at best, my heart rate was still too high....weren't all these meds supposed to help with that? Finally went back to Endo and she said that If I had Radio active Iodine treatment, then my symptoms would get better and my life would be better...okay...I'll do it! Four months after the hospital visit I had the RAI and felt pretty good...for awhile....after that my symptoms started coming back and I thought that my life would just end...I didn't know anyone who had this mess and I certainly didn't know enough about it to make an informed decision about my illness, so I just trudged along, suffering silently, and I waited for things to even out and get better. I lost my insurance in the months after I had RAI, so I didn't really see a dr unless I felt like I was going to die...I know...crazy huh? I'll never do that again...it's just not worth it.<br />
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It is now two years later and I have gone hypo thyroid and am on medication for that. The meds do help and I am feeling better, but there has to be more that can be done and I plan on figuring that out because I want my life back and I have grand babies that need to be spoiled. This blog is not just about thyroid issues, but about my crazy life of traveling the country, feeding my body the good stuff, and just everyday things that we women, moms, grandmas, and people in general want to do and say in our lives. I write mainly for myself and if someone reads this and laughs or finds information helpful, then great...until next time...Be good and be happy! Life is short!<br />
<br />J. Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423061187221550635noreply@blogger.com2