Fibromyalgia - It's the Small Things

Let's be honest there is nothing small about Fibromyalgia, but finding relief or comfort while living with Fibromyalgia can be reduced by doing a few small things.
When you think about it most things in life are nothing more than a grouping of small things. Fibromyalgia is nothing more than a grouping of symptoms, and finding relief is a grouping of items that can help you overcome this illness.
In my practice I learn a lot about people and their lives. Throughout the years I have found small things that patients can do that can make a whole world of difference in their lives. While most of you have heard about eating right, or exercise as ways to reduce the influx of symptoms with fibro, there are quite a few more that I've learned that I will share with you today.
1) De-Clutter YOUR Home or Work Space
Nobody likes clutter, and often times this can lead you feeling stressed out and make your fibro symptoms worse. Everybody has a room or a drawer in their home or office that is just full of clutter and is disorganized. This is a great place to set a small goal for yourself, not only are you going to be clearing up space, but you'll also begin to feel better because you are getting exercise!
Remember to move at your own pace, each person who has fibro has to take things at a different pace than others, depending upon how your fibro affects you. So take your time, I can promise you the clutter is not going to go anywhere!
Do some light stretches before you start, and begin to move things around, throw them away, or put them in their place. My wife constantly reminds me "A place for everything and everything in it's place" and this holds very true. I find after someone who has fibro de-clutters a room, or a drawer that they begin to feel rejuvenated and optimistic.
Your home should always make you feel comfortable and at ease. A cleared out space, nicely organized can make a world of difference for you mentally and with your fibro symptoms!
2) A Creative Outlet
I've noticed in building a fibro community that there are a lot of talented people that inhibit it! Whether it be musically, writing, painting, or any of the other arts, patients of mine have found great relief through expressing themselves creativly.
Many patients of mine started out writing a "pain journal" for their doctors, detailing when and where there pain started and how it affected them. Before long they realized that while writing they were finding a way to feel better about themselves or their lives emotionally and began to write other pieces.
This is a great thing to do for yourself, it allows you to not only express yourself, but feel good while you do it. Everybody feels a surge of pride once they create something, they can look at it and say to themselves "I did that!" and this is a great feeling. We all know that when you have fibromyalgia feeling good mentally is a big part of the struggle. By allowing yourself time to dabble in the creative arts, you can begin feeling better about yourself, and help kick fibro right out the door!
While this isn't a cure - there is no illness that you can cure by painting as far as I know - this is one of those little things that you can pick up that can go a long way in helping you feel better, and improve your quality of life.
No matter what it is. Be it painting, model building, or even a hobby such as gardening and cooking these can go along way in helping you begin to feel better. Stress is a major factor in everyday life now-a-days, and more so in fibro patients who not only deal with the normal stresses of day to day life, but also the stress of this illness. It has been proven again and again that dabbling in the creative arts can help reduce stress, and start allowing you to feel better.
3) Daily Structuring and Routine
Life is chaotic enough without adding to it! Some days it feels like there is so much going on that you can't seem to keep a handle on anything. When you add in suffering from Fibromyalgia this becomes not only more important but down right crucial!
In this sense a daily agenda, a few lists, and a whiteboard can go a long way. Waking up every morning and making a list of things you hope to accomplish that day, and working that into your schedule between soccer practices and meals can make you feel not only good but accomplished. If you go one further and cross of your list at night you may find that you accomplished all you set out too and more!
Though you cannot be too hard on yourself if you have an "off" day or your fibro flares up too much and you are unable to cross off everything on your list. Don't knock yourself, even people without fibro have a difficult time in completing their lists too!
Remember when creating your daily lists, or structuring your day to make sure that you do not overtax yourself. So many people (myself included) can sometimes feel like they are superhuman and make lists that are just too complicated, or too full to fulfill regardless of how much coffee they drink!
Work some of these items into your routine, follow it daily. Devote enough time just to yourself, maybe here you'll read a book, work on an art project, anything that you like doing. Even if it is just sitting in your favorite chair and enjoying the silence. Always make sure that you include something that helps you relax.
All of these ways will help you reduce stress, and begin to feel better. The most important thing to remember is to move at your own pace, do things your own way, and you'll find that at least mentally you'll begin to feel a lot better, and even more optimistic!

The Dangers Lurking in Your Mascara

Busting The Myth On The 5-Second Rule
Did you know that most mascara contains chemicals associated with developmental and reproductive toxicity? Or that the parabens in your shampoo are linked to cancer? Did you know that the Teflon on your non-stick pan can disrupt your immune system? Did you know that the canned tomatoes you put in your chili tonight are laced with endocrine disrupting bisphenol A? Scary but true.
There are thousands of chemicals that make their way into your body everyday. Most people are familiar with pesticides on our food. Or even the chemicals we breathe in just walking down a busy street. But what about the chemicals in our personal care products, cleaners and on the very chair you sit on?
I've written about chemicals in our personal care products before. Since writing that article, I've done even more research into what those chemicals actually do us. It's not pretty.
Since there are thousands of chemicals we come into contact in a day, let's take just one as an example today. Let's look at polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs. PBDE's are better known as flame retardants. While they provide us safety from being engulfed in flames while we sleep, there is growing evidence they are part of the increasing rates of autoimmune and other diseases. Proponents argue these chemicals have no effect on us because we have such small exposure. Yet the Center for Disease Control tells us that PBDEs may indeed impair the cells of the immune system in animal studies, and can affect the thyroid, liver and brain development. And honestly, when viewed in the totality, our exposure is not so small.
Consider your contact with this single chemical in a single day: your mattress pad, your sofa, your child's pajamas, the upholstery in your car, your office chair, your carpet, your TV, your computer, your cell phone, your e-reader and on and on. Again this stuff, it's everywhere.
So what? Do you really ingest this stuff? Yes. PBDEs are not molecularly bound to the products they are applied to and thus are known to flake off and end up in the dust in our home which we breathe in. A 2004 study by the National Institute of Standards and Technology of 17 homes, found crazy high concentrations of PBDEs in household dust and dryer lint. This dust gets kicked up and we breathe it. Or we drop that organic blueberry on the floor and apply the 5-second rule, popping it in our mouth without a care in the world. While the EPA has gotten manufacturer's agreement to stop producing two particularly potent forms of PBDE, it still leaches out of products manufactured prior to 2004, and still circulates in our water, soil and air.
We Can't Live In A Bubble
I know this kind of information can get overwhelming. But don't throw up your hands just yet. Keep a cool head about you and let's get strategic.
1. Keep it clean. With PBDE's all over the place, it pays to do some deep scrubbing of your house every few months. Remove the dust on a consistent basis and you reduce your exposure. Of course, cleaners contain their own chemicals. Opt for natural cleaners like Bon Ami, vinegar, baking soda or even the awesome essential oil based Thieves cleaners by Young Living oils.
2. Read those labels. When buying your mascara and other self-care products, it pays to know what's in them. Things to avoid include phlates (fragrance), parabens, FD&C color pigments, Quaternium-15, Polyethylene Glycol among others. Of course, you can always shortcut the process and visit the Environmental Working Group's Cosmetics Database to find out what products to use and which to avoid.
3. Don't forget to detox yourself. As you are detoxing your home, don't forget to detox your body. Those chemicals have been storing up and causing your fatigue or even illness. A cleansing diet full of green leafy vegetables, alkaline foods, herbs and spices will promote your detox process and reduce the impact these chemicals have on your current and long term health.

Ways to Personalise a Rise and Recliner Chair

The benefits of owning a rise and recliner chair are well-known as a way in which to support our bodies, limiting muscle aches and pains as well as being a comfortable addition to any living room. The number of illnesses that can become significantly less of a pain with the help of reclining chairs is huge, but nobody wants to look at a chair as simply a clinical solution, it should also be a stylish chair that fits into the decor of your room. Many rise and recliner chair providers have a number of ways in which you can personalise your chair.
Firstly, there are a vast amount of chairs that you can pick from. Each chair has its own particular features, for instance a waterfall style back allows for 3 individual back cushions, some have larger head cushions for a more comfortable feel in that particular area, or you can go for a traditional button back cushion for that timeless-classic look. This is the first opportunity for you to personalise your chair as these are its fundamental designs.
The next step is where the fun really begins! Choosing accessories and material for your chair is where you can really let your personality shine through. These kinds of chair are available in hundreds of different leathers and fabrics, so you can pick whatever material or colour would go best with your living room and fit in with the rest of the decor.
One of the great additions that you can add to rise and recliner chairs is a massage system. The ultimate comfort lies in a massaging chair, and a massage system can really help those aches and pains feel much better, particularly when it focuses on a specific area of the body.
Another technological advancement that is available with some rise and recliner chairs is a full hazard sensor strip. These strips can be fitted around the bottom of the chair, and the moment that a hazard is spotted, such as a reckless pet cat, the motor of the chair will immediately stop and it will then reverse a short distance. This could certainly prevent a few unfortunate accidents from happening!
A little extra that can add the finishing touch to a chair is a head cover or arm covers. These can be matched to the material and colour of your armchair, keeping these parts of the chair in pristine condition as well as adding that stylish look and feel to your reclining chair.

Some Information You May Need to Know About Hospice Care

Many people consider end of life care so their ailing loved ones may spend the rest of their days in comfort. Here is some useful information about hospice services everyone should understand.
Death may be a normal part of life. People may accept this fact, but it still does not make it any less frightening. Patients, suffering from terminal illnesses, usually do not like the idea of spending their last days in a hospital. It may be hard for them to handle the fear or situation without the presence and support of their family. This is why several facilities offer end of life care or hospice service to patients at the final phase of their illnesses.
How hospice service can help the patient?
Hospices view death as a natural process. Their services do not hasten or prevent death. They do not offer any procedures for extending life or curing diseases. Their main goal is to provide comfort to their patients. It aims to give patients quality life until their last days.
Their focus is on the patient and not the disease. They try to make the patient comfortable and relaxed during their remaining days. It is more heartbreaking to see someone suffering or having a hard time as they die. This kind of care will serve as support system to help those who are about to die. It can provide medical services, spiritual resources, and emotional support. Some may provide counseling and therapy.
What are the hospice care settings?
This program may be provided at homes, hospice centers, hospitals, and nursing facilities. This will depend on the patient or the family. In-home hospice care home is a common choice for many patients. They may want to spend their last days in their own home. Others may want to die in a hospital with several equipment attached to their body.
Home hospice care may include a primary caregiver or key team member. This is the family member who has the most time to spend with and take care of the patient. They will be in charge with hands-on care and supervision of the patient. Doctors, nurses, or other health professionals may visit your home from time to time. Home health aides, spiritual counselors, volunteers, and social workers are other people that may help you in the program.
How hospice service can help the family?
Hospice care understands the needs of families and friends. It can also address the psychological issues families may encounter during the suffering and death of a loved one. They may provide bereavement services and counseling after the patient's death. Families can join their programs to help them move on with their lives. These services may help and support the family during their times of grief.

Ayurvedic Treatment - World's Oldest Medical System

Ayurvedic treatment originated from India as a traditional healing system. Ayurvedic treatment is known to mankind for over 5000 years now. Even though it is the oldest treatment in the world it is still quite popular for curing all kinds of ailments. The treatment involves processing herbs and ingredients from Mother Nature and curing illness. Ayurvedic treatment has now become popular outside India as people reap its unique benefits.
Ayurvedic Hospitals and resorts are a popular destination for tourists in India. People buzz around these places to take benefits of the healing nature of Ayurveda. Besides cure, Ayurveda also provides rejuvenation and relaxation therapies. One resorts to Ayurveda for peace of mind and cleansing of toxins from the body.
The benefits of Ayurvedic medicines are metabolic, stress-relieving, beautifying, rejuvenating, and relieving from effects of chemotherapy. The ailments in the body are called 'doshas'. The aim of Ayurveda is to get the person rid of those doshas and balancing them out. The different techniques and procedures used to balance doshas are massage and medicines. Another few techniques include pouring herbal liquid and oil on the body, smearing the body with herbal leaves and powders and using Ayurvedic 'rasayans' or compounds prepared internally.
The exact treatment of Ayurveda is decided after consultation with an Ayurveda specialist. A diagnosis is performed after which the doctor explains the span of treatment and the methods of treatment which the person requires. It is usually a couple of weeks to get a full course treatment and in some cases it may be more, depending on the seriousness of the illness.
The best place of Ayurveda treatment is the state of Kerala in India. Ayurveda doctors in Kerala have good knowledge and most of them are families which are involved in the treatment. These families come from a lineage of Ayurvedic doctors and acquire their knowledge from what their ancestors left behind. Therefore these families have authoritative knowledge if Ayurveda. Kerala is also a hub because Kerala is situated in a good climatic location which is favorable for most medicinal plants and herbs to grow. Ayurvedic treatments are available at ayurvedic hospitals, wellness centers and ayurvedic resorts.
The best time to undergo an Ayurvedic treatment is during the rainy season which is from June to September in India. The atmosphere during this time is cool, and dust free. During this time body pores open and penetration of oils and medicines in the body becomes easier. One must undergo treatment of Ayurveda which is the world's oldest Medical System.