Fighting Fibromyalgia

Living with fibromyalgia will suck the life out of you-if you let it. I felt compelled to write this post as a result of dealing with debilitating fatigue issues the last couple of weeks. I want to share six tips that work for me

• Listen to Your Body: Cliche, but true. I am a busy lady and I don’t always have time to honor my temple so to speak, however, when I don’t, I pay for it in some form or fashion. Set boundaries by learning to say no when you are tired. The goal is to have balance. Don’t drain your battery by taking on too much.

• Water Yourself: Literally! I saw a meme the other day that said we are pretty much house plants, lol. Maybe it’s the Aquarius in me, but I love water. It is soothing and therapeutic. Water is life. I love the ocean. I love taking baths. I’ve even learned to love drinking it. When the pain becomes too much and the stiffness sets in, I relax in a hot bath. I add add two cups of Epsom salt to the water to help increase my magnesium levels and ease the discomfort.

• Diet: “You are what you eat, from your head down to your feet!” I remeber this PSA from when I was a kid. This, too is true. Eat junk and you feel like junk. I truly love fresh fruits and vegetables and grilled meats. But I must keep it real-healthy foods are pricey, which is shameful! America really needs to do something about this. Processed food is a lot cheaper and more convenient, but laden with far too much sodium, unhealty fats, and sugar. I try to stick to whole foods because I know in the long run I will feel so much better.

• Sweet Heat: I sleep on top of an electric blanket. Not only does it feel like heaven, but it helps the muscle pain and stiffness. A heating pad is smaller, but also works to target specific areas.

• Supplement: In addition to eating well, I take magnesium, iron and a multivitamin. I recently discovered the Goli Ashwagandha Gummies. Ashwagandha is an ancient medicinal herb that is touted to reduce stress and cortisol levels, lower blood pressure and enhance the immune system. I take two Gummies before bedtime, put my my phone on DND and relax before I fall asleep. I also purchased a new pillow for back and side sleepers that has helped.

• Relax: I like to do a calming activity right before bedtime-read and color in my Creative Bible, listen to a meditation, do some gentle stretching, or light a candle and practice my breathing. This routine helps signal my brain that it is time to rest. I try to make sure I get all of my fluids in by 7p so that I won’t be up using the bathroom throughout the night. I also stop eating at the same time to give my digestive system a chance to work uninterrupted.

Tea Time: Taking tea is a soothing and many worldwide partake in it. I have a wide variety of tea to choose from.My to go to cup at the moment is Hot Cinnamon Sunset by Harney and Sons. I have never fancied myself as a cinnamon lover, but this really appeals to me. Cinnamon is naturally sweet and I like that I do not have sweeten it. I simply add about a teaspoon of crystalized ginger chips. Not only does ginger add more flavor, it aids with alleviating muscle pain.

I hope this helps someone else who may be living with fibromyalgia. Leave a comment about what helps you-let’s keep the circle going!

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Good Change

At the end of each day, I clean out my purse and put the change in a jar. I have filled it up twice and saved over $400. Rhonda passed this tip on to me.

Try This

Before ordering anything online (or maybe even buying in general) search for a promo code or coupon.  I ordered Babybug magazine for my son and received a $6 discount all because I googled “promo code for Babybug magazine.” 

Every little bit helps!

Magazine Mama

I confess, I love magazines of all kind–fashion, cooking, scrapbooking, and bridal to name a few.  There’s just something about the beautiful, glossy covers and the sleek layouts.  I also subscribe to Working Mother and Parenting the Early Years.  Nicholas currently receives Legos magazine.  They make great gifts. 

However, I have a ton of them! I can’t bear the thought of throwing money in the trash or parting with their prettiness so I keep them. 

But I know I can’t accumulate them forever.  After awhile they turn into clutter.  And clutter makes me itch.

I don’t want to display them.  For one, I do not have a coffee table.  Two, my baby would simply “rearrange” them to his liking! Nor am I going to take the time to cut out articles and put them in a binder.  For me that would be the WHOLE thing–cause I really do like them!!!

I’ve been thinking of ways to get maximum use of them:

1.) In my classroom: We are currently working on persuasive arguments and I thought it would be fun to examine the persuasive techniques advertisers use.  So I’ll be toting a bag full in for this on Tuesday!  When I teach poetry , one of the poems we create a “ransom note” poem using you guessed it–words/letters cut from magazines.

2.) Decor: Some of the photographs are “room worthy” and really look good framed.  Framed covers of your favorite fashion magazines would look really chic in a dressing room or large walk-in closet; not that I would know because I have neither. 

3.) Donate: Hospitals, Nursing homes, friends–I gave all bridal magazines to a girlfriend getting married in August, and the new nail salon that I go to is desperately needing reading materials.

4.) Art Projects: If you have a crafty personality you can probably get miles out of magazines–collages, scrapbooks, etc.

5.) Props:  Roll them up and place in long boots to make them stand upright.

Please feel free to post your ideas below!

Try This

I added about a half cup of frozen peas to Campbell’s chicken noodle soup, and surprisingly it wasn’t bad! If nothing else it upped the nutritional value.

Why Not?

I’ve decided to start entering in the cash sweepstakes drawings on all of my receipts. Why not I figure? I could definitely use some “bonus” money. Not to mention, it gives me a chance to provide feedback on where I am spending my hard-earned dollars. It’s like playing the lottery, lol.

Better Than Expected

Last week I tried the swiss steak melt with broccoli and cheddar soup and was pleasantly surprised.  The soup is flavorful and filling. The melts are crisp and tasty. Not a bad lunch for $2.42!

*I didn’t like the baked potato soup, it was too bland. But the ham and  three cheese melt is very good dipped in the creamy tomato bisque.  And this is coming from a person who does not like tomato soup!

Basket Case

I like to use baskets around the house.  They are attractive, not to mention, they keep things in their place.  Here are a few ways I use them:

In the fridge

 

Holding photo albums

 

In the living room as a magazine holder

Very handy for keeping all of the items I need when getting ready

 

Laundry

 

In the bedroom

1 Blog, 2 Authors

I don’t think many of our new readers have noticed, but there is another person who writes for this blog.  Rhonda hasn’t written in awhile, but she has posted recently.  She is the shoe shopper, while I am the ballerina in black (look to your right).  So be sure to look at the at the “posted by”  label underneath the title of each post. 

Here is a little information about each of us:

Rhonda:

Married with one stepdaughter Kierra.  Kierra’s mom is Christine.  Rhonda also has two other small children, Ian and Imani.  Her brother and family are moving back from Seattle in a few weeks.  Her most recent posts include: Coming Home!, The Party Was a Success!, and Happy Birthday Imani.

Morocco:

Widowed with one son, Nicholas and aunt of Jazmine.  I often write about teaching, my sweet husband, my estranged stepsons, Ethan and Evan, their mom Eliza, her crazy brother, my crazy brother who is the father of Jazmine, her crazy sister who now has my stepsons, and Jazmine’s mom who resides in the same prison and dorm as Eliza.