I started righting this post so that I could submit it for September 11 but completly got overwhelmed with work and life that I forgot all about it. So I would like to post it now, since it pertains to every day life.
9-11 was a tragic day and I can remember that day like if it was yesterday. Many people lost their lives, family members and friends due to terrorism. I remember that day because I was one of those EMTs that volunteered to go to NY but because I was in high school at that time I was unable to go. They had sent two EMTs from my squad that day to go to NY and the rest were in Jersey City or located at the train station of Metuchen (Our town). We were to assist the victims coming back by train. Metuchen actually had many commuters that went to work in NY. I can recall so many faces that looked terrified and distraught. People were coming out of the trains with dust and ash all over them. Some limping. Some crying. There was not one single look in their faces that appeared to be okay. Of course what I saw was no where near what the police officers, firefighters, nurses, paramedics and EMT saw in NY. I remember working a 24 hr shift that day and waiting for the others to arrive. The NY medics were sending a lot of patients that needed care over the Jersey City Hospitals. The sad thing was that they had no one arriving in Jersey City, which meant there were no survivors.
This post is to remind us that we should be grateful for our lives. Even though we have a disease we should take each day as our only day and show the people around us that we love and care about them. None of these people who went into work thought that this was going to be their last day. When we go into a car, train or plane, we are never sure if we are going to return. We hear in the news random shootings that occur in schools, restaurants or businesses. People get killed in this country everyday. People get sick and die. I almost lost my life a year and half ago.
I know that I need to appreciate those around me and be grateful for my life and for what I have. It is so easy to complain about life and to treat people badly. I really want to become a person in which can embrace and connect with anybody. I know it is a lot of work to be aware of our attitudes but don't you think it is worth the extra work? If we could watch our emotions and stressors in life, then I think it would make it easier to control this illness. We all want to have happiness in our lives and I believe the way we treat people is one way to be able to achieve that goal. So let us look at our lives, and no matter what we go through, we should be appreciative of the life we have.
I have Lupus. I am grateful for having the experience I have had with you. (Lupus) You have helped me grow to become someone who wants to help others control this disease. I know we will part one day but for now I embrace you. I am grateful and appreciate all the love and support that I receive from my family and friends. I could not do this without you all. Thank you!
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Busy Bee
One thing that I seem to always get myself into is that I end up putting an enormous amount of things on my plate. What I mean is that I keep myself busy, but sometimes I am too busy that I get overwhelmed and stressed. I know for me to continue to move forward to a healthy and non-stressful life is to be able to say no and to just do what is needed.
I went to a nurse's conference a couple of years ago and one of the speaker said "Nurses seem to not know how to say "No". We work our 12 hour shift and if someone needs coverage we end up taking there shift even when we do not want to." She also stated that this is why nurses get burnt out very quickly. In her speech, she made all of us promise that if we did not want to do something, we should express it and say "No, thank you".
I have always been someone who wants to please everybody. Many times I have grind my teeth and went along with something I either did not want to do or did not feel like doing it. I feel a pressure to please people. I am learning everyday that this is NOT healthy. We need to realize that we should spend our time and energy on something that we WANT to do and enjoy doing it. If we continue to put our lives in other peoples decision we end up losing control, feeling resentful and angry. Like I have stated in previous post, emotions have such an influence on our health. You can eat healthy and exercise but if you are always angry, resentful, depressed and so on...You will not recover from your illness.
I am a busy bee, and it is not a bad thing. I just have to make sure what I do is something I am doing for "my sake". I know for myself, I am trying to learn how to be honest to people. It is so hard for me to be honest and to not hurt someone but in the end if I don't do this then I am only hurting myself.
So the point of this post is that we need to enjoy the things we do and to not let people override us. In the midst of our hectic schedules, we need to stop, breathe and appreciate our lives. I believe if we don't do this, then our lives will past us by so fast that we will forget to appreciate the little things in life. I think it is important to help people and take care of people but if I am not healthy then I can not be able to help others. So we need help ourselves before we can help others.
So today I am going to try to the best of my abilities to do what I want and enjoy it. I will not feel pressured by anyone and I will think only positive thoughts. I also start my liver and gallbladder cleanse for this month. It is pretty incredible how I am feeling these days. I barely have pain and when I do I know that I need to rest, take MSM and reevaluate my emotions.
Step by step I believe I will be cured from Lupus. I go see the Rheumatologists this month and I will ask her to test my ANA levels. I will let you all know how it goes. We can get rid of this disease and I know each one of you have that capabilities. God Bless You and have a wonderful week!
I went to a nurse's conference a couple of years ago and one of the speaker said "Nurses seem to not know how to say "No". We work our 12 hour shift and if someone needs coverage we end up taking there shift even when we do not want to." She also stated that this is why nurses get burnt out very quickly. In her speech, she made all of us promise that if we did not want to do something, we should express it and say "No, thank you".
I have always been someone who wants to please everybody. Many times I have grind my teeth and went along with something I either did not want to do or did not feel like doing it. I feel a pressure to please people. I am learning everyday that this is NOT healthy. We need to realize that we should spend our time and energy on something that we WANT to do and enjoy doing it. If we continue to put our lives in other peoples decision we end up losing control, feeling resentful and angry. Like I have stated in previous post, emotions have such an influence on our health. You can eat healthy and exercise but if you are always angry, resentful, depressed and so on...You will not recover from your illness.
I am a busy bee, and it is not a bad thing. I just have to make sure what I do is something I am doing for "my sake". I know for myself, I am trying to learn how to be honest to people. It is so hard for me to be honest and to not hurt someone but in the end if I don't do this then I am only hurting myself.
So the point of this post is that we need to enjoy the things we do and to not let people override us. In the midst of our hectic schedules, we need to stop, breathe and appreciate our lives. I believe if we don't do this, then our lives will past us by so fast that we will forget to appreciate the little things in life. I think it is important to help people and take care of people but if I am not healthy then I can not be able to help others. So we need help ourselves before we can help others.
So today I am going to try to the best of my abilities to do what I want and enjoy it. I will not feel pressured by anyone and I will think only positive thoughts. I also start my liver and gallbladder cleanse for this month. It is pretty incredible how I am feeling these days. I barely have pain and when I do I know that I need to rest, take MSM and reevaluate my emotions.
Step by step I believe I will be cured from Lupus. I go see the Rheumatologists this month and I will ask her to test my ANA levels. I will let you all know how it goes. We can get rid of this disease and I know each one of you have that capabilities. God Bless You and have a wonderful week!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
A Little Sweetness In Our Life
This post is referencing to the previous post "Sugar is Bad". I had posted a list of reasons why sugar is bad and what it can do to your body if it is consumed excessively. In fact in order for the brain to function properly we do need glucose. Glucose is the only fuel normally used by brain cells. Because neurons cannot store glucose, they depend on the bloodstream to deliver a constant supply of this precious fuel.
Now a little sweetness here and there will not kill us or ruin our bodies. There are healthy and natural sugars that we can enjoy without feeling guilty. Remember, everything needs to be balanced in our lives. When I say we should stay away from sugar I am talking about white sugar, processed goods, cans, sodas and candies. Of course in our lives there are occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries that we would like to have a slice of cake. No problem. We just need to remember that too much is unhealthy and that if we want to rid ourselves of our disease we have to be discipline enough to cut out the unnecessary foods in our diets.
I am not immune to cravings and once in awhile I will have some ice cream or something sweet. I just wanted to share with everyone that in order to heal you must find what is the source to your pain. For some, it is too much sugar.
If you are craving some sweetness in your life remember that you can use organic honey, Stevia, blue agave, or Xylitol. Also, fruits have a natural sugar. If you freeze a banana it becomes pretty sweet. If you love cookies or cakes the best thing would be for you to bake them yourselves. At least you have control in what ingredients are being used. Be creative and be healthy.
A little sweetness brings happiness to our lives and there is no problem in having a treat once in a while.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Why is Sugar Bad?
We all know that sugar is bad but why do we continue to put it in our bodies? We need to start thinking that sugar is "poison" and that when we ingest excess amounts of sugar it causes are bodies to become toxic in which creates an environment for diseases and illnesses to occur.
One of the first steps in my recovery was to cut sugar out of my diet. To eliminate unnecessary sweets. It is difficult in the beginning especially if you eat a lot of sugar items but step by step it is important to get rid of it in your diet. If you drink soda, start off by cutting that out of your diet. If you eat cookies or sweets everyday, start off by just eating it 2-3 times a week eventually eating no sweets. If you want to cure your disease then you must cut off the poison that is in your body.
I have listed 76 reasons from a variety of medical journals and scientific publications why sugar is bad and why we must take it out of our diets.(I got this from a Young Living member that posted it on the group info)
1.. Sugar can suppress your immune system and impair your defense against infectious disease.
2.. Sugar upsets the mineral relationships in your body: cause chromium and copper deficiencies and interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium.
3.. Sugar can cause can cause a rapid rise of adrenaline,hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children.
4.. Sugar can produce a significant rise in total cholesterol, triglycerides and bad cholesterol and a decrease in good cholesterol.
5.. Sugar causes a loss of tissue elasticity and function.
6.. Sugar feeds cancer cells and has been connected with the development of cancer of the breast, ovaries, prostate, rectum, pancreas biliary tract, lung, gallbladder and stomach.
7.. Sugar can increase fasting levels of glucose and can cause reactive hypoglycemia.
8.. Sugar can weaken eyesight.
9.. Sugar can cause many problems with the gastrointestinal trac including: an acidic digestive tract, indigestion, malabsorption in patients with functional bowel disease, increased risk of Crohn's disease, and ulceration colitis.
10.. Sugar can cause premature aging.
11.. Sugar can lead to alcoholism.
12.. Sugar can cause your saliva to become acidic, tooth decay, and periodontal disease.
13.. Sugar contributes to obesity.
14.. Sugar can cause autoimmune diseases such as: arthritis, asthma, multiple sclerosis.
15.. Sugar greatly assists the uncontrolled growth of Candida Albicans (yeast infections)
16.. Sugar can cause gallstones.
17.. Sugar can cause appendicitis.
18.. Sugar can cause hemorrhoids.
19.. Sugar can cause varicose veins.
20.. Sugar can elevate glucose and insulin responses in oral contraceptive users.
21.. Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis.
22.. Sugar can cause a decrease in your insulin sensitivity thereby causing an abnormally high insulin levels and eventually diabetes.
23.. Sugar can lower your Vitamin E level
24.. Sugar can increase your systolic blood pressure.
25.. Sugar can cause drowsiness and decreased activity in children.
26.. High sugar intake increases advanced glycation end products (AGEs)(Sugar molecules attaching to and thereby damaging proteins in the body).
27.. Sugar can interfere with your absorption of protein.
28.. Sugar causes food allergies.
29.. Sugar can cause toxemia during pregnancy.
30.. Sugar can contribute to eczema in children.
31.. Sugar can cause atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.
32.. Sugar can impair the structure of your DNA.
33.. Sugar can change the structure of protein and cause permanent alteration of the way the proteins act in your body.
34.. Sugar can make your skin age by changing the structure of collagen.
35.. Sugar can cause cataracts and nearsightedness.
36.. Sugar can cause emphysema.
37.. High sugar intake can impair the physiological homeostasis of many systems in your body.
38.. Sugar lowers the ability of enzymes to function.
39.. Sugar intake is higher in people with Parkinson's disease.
40.. Sugar can increase the size of your liver by making your liver cells divide and it can increase the amount of liver fat.
41.. Sugar can increase kidney size and produce pathological changes in the kidney such as the formation of kidney stones.
42.. Sugar can damage your pancreas.
43.. Sugar can increase your body's fluid retention.
44.. Sugar is enemy #1 of your bowel movement.
45.. Sugar can compromise the lining of your capillaries.
46.. Sugar can make your tendons more brittle.
47.. Sugar can cause headaches, including migraines.
48.. Sugar can reduce the learning capacity, adversely affect school children's grades and cause learning disorder
49.. Sugar can cause an increase in delta, alpha, and theta brain waves which can alter your mind's ability to think clearly.
50.. Sugar can cause depression.
51.. Sugar can increase your risk of gout.
52.. Sugar can increase your risk of Alzheimer's disease.
53.. Sugar can cause hormonal imbalances such as: increasing estrogen in men, exacerbating PMS, and decreasing growth hormone.
54.. Sugar can lead to dizziness.
55.. Diets high in sugar will increase free radicals and oxidation stress.
56.. High sucrose diets of subjects with peripheral vascular disease significantly increases platelet adhesion.
57.. High sugar consumption of pregnant adolescents can lead to substantial decrease in gestation duration and is associated with twofold increased risk for delivering a small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infant.
58.. Sugar is an addictive substance.
59.. Sugar can be intoxicating, similar to alcohol.
60.. Sugar given to premature babies can affect the amount of carbon dioxide they produce.
61.. Decrease in sugar intake can increase emotional stability.
62.. Your body changes sugar into 2 to 5 times more fat in the bloodstream than it does starch.
63.. The rapid absorption of sugar promotes excessive food intake in obese subjects.
64.. Sugar can worsen the symptoms of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
65.. Sugar adversely affects urinary electrolyte composition.
66.. Sugar can slow down the ability of your adrenal glands to function.
67.. Sugar has the potential of inducing abnormal metabolic processes in a normal healthy individual and to promote chronic degenerative diseases.
68.. I.V.s (intravenous feedings) of sugar water can cut of oxygen to your brain.
69.. Sugar increases your risk of polio.
70.. High sugar intake can cause epileptic seizures.
71.. Sugar causes high blood pressure in obese people.
72.. In intensive care units: Limiting sugar saves lives.
73.. Sugar may induce cell death.
74.. In juvenile rehabilitation camps, when children were put on a low sugar diet, there was a 44 percent drop in antisocial behavior.
75.. Sugar dehydrates newborns.
76.. Sugar can cause gum disease.
So do you want a chocolate bar or do you want sugar with your coffee?
The answer should be No, Thank you!
Take control and do what you know is best for your health!
God Bless You and your quick recovery to a wonderful beautiful life!
One of the first steps in my recovery was to cut sugar out of my diet. To eliminate unnecessary sweets. It is difficult in the beginning especially if you eat a lot of sugar items but step by step it is important to get rid of it in your diet. If you drink soda, start off by cutting that out of your diet. If you eat cookies or sweets everyday, start off by just eating it 2-3 times a week eventually eating no sweets. If you want to cure your disease then you must cut off the poison that is in your body.
I have listed 76 reasons from a variety of medical journals and scientific publications why sugar is bad and why we must take it out of our diets.(I got this from a Young Living member that posted it on the group info)
1.. Sugar can suppress your immune system and impair your defense against infectious disease.
2.. Sugar upsets the mineral relationships in your body: cause chromium and copper deficiencies and interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium.
3.. Sugar can cause can cause a rapid rise of adrenaline,hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children.
4.. Sugar can produce a significant rise in total cholesterol, triglycerides and bad cholesterol and a decrease in good cholesterol.
5.. Sugar causes a loss of tissue elasticity and function.
6.. Sugar feeds cancer cells and has been connected with the development of cancer of the breast, ovaries, prostate, rectum, pancreas biliary tract, lung, gallbladder and stomach.
7.. Sugar can increase fasting levels of glucose and can cause reactive hypoglycemia.
8.. Sugar can weaken eyesight.
9.. Sugar can cause many problems with the gastrointestinal trac including: an acidic digestive tract, indigestion, malabsorption in patients with functional bowel disease, increased risk of Crohn's disease, and ulceration colitis.
10.. Sugar can cause premature aging.
11.. Sugar can lead to alcoholism.
12.. Sugar can cause your saliva to become acidic, tooth decay, and periodontal disease.
13.. Sugar contributes to obesity.
14.. Sugar can cause autoimmune diseases such as: arthritis, asthma, multiple sclerosis.
15.. Sugar greatly assists the uncontrolled growth of Candida Albicans (yeast infections)
16.. Sugar can cause gallstones.
17.. Sugar can cause appendicitis.
18.. Sugar can cause hemorrhoids.
19.. Sugar can cause varicose veins.
20.. Sugar can elevate glucose and insulin responses in oral contraceptive users.
21.. Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis.
22.. Sugar can cause a decrease in your insulin sensitivity thereby causing an abnormally high insulin levels and eventually diabetes.
23.. Sugar can lower your Vitamin E level
24.. Sugar can increase your systolic blood pressure.
25.. Sugar can cause drowsiness and decreased activity in children.
26.. High sugar intake increases advanced glycation end products (AGEs)(Sugar molecules attaching to and thereby damaging proteins in the body).
27.. Sugar can interfere with your absorption of protein.
28.. Sugar causes food allergies.
29.. Sugar can cause toxemia during pregnancy.
30.. Sugar can contribute to eczema in children.
31.. Sugar can cause atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.
32.. Sugar can impair the structure of your DNA.
33.. Sugar can change the structure of protein and cause permanent alteration of the way the proteins act in your body.
34.. Sugar can make your skin age by changing the structure of collagen.
35.. Sugar can cause cataracts and nearsightedness.
36.. Sugar can cause emphysema.
37.. High sugar intake can impair the physiological homeostasis of many systems in your body.
38.. Sugar lowers the ability of enzymes to function.
39.. Sugar intake is higher in people with Parkinson's disease.
40.. Sugar can increase the size of your liver by making your liver cells divide and it can increase the amount of liver fat.
41.. Sugar can increase kidney size and produce pathological changes in the kidney such as the formation of kidney stones.
42.. Sugar can damage your pancreas.
43.. Sugar can increase your body's fluid retention.
44.. Sugar is enemy #1 of your bowel movement.
45.. Sugar can compromise the lining of your capillaries.
46.. Sugar can make your tendons more brittle.
47.. Sugar can cause headaches, including migraines.
48.. Sugar can reduce the learning capacity, adversely affect school children's grades and cause learning disorder
49.. Sugar can cause an increase in delta, alpha, and theta brain waves which can alter your mind's ability to think clearly.
50.. Sugar can cause depression.
51.. Sugar can increase your risk of gout.
52.. Sugar can increase your risk of Alzheimer's disease.
53.. Sugar can cause hormonal imbalances such as: increasing estrogen in men, exacerbating PMS, and decreasing growth hormone.
54.. Sugar can lead to dizziness.
55.. Diets high in sugar will increase free radicals and oxidation stress.
56.. High sucrose diets of subjects with peripheral vascular disease significantly increases platelet adhesion.
57.. High sugar consumption of pregnant adolescents can lead to substantial decrease in gestation duration and is associated with twofold increased risk for delivering a small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infant.
58.. Sugar is an addictive substance.
59.. Sugar can be intoxicating, similar to alcohol.
60.. Sugar given to premature babies can affect the amount of carbon dioxide they produce.
61.. Decrease in sugar intake can increase emotional stability.
62.. Your body changes sugar into 2 to 5 times more fat in the bloodstream than it does starch.
63.. The rapid absorption of sugar promotes excessive food intake in obese subjects.
64.. Sugar can worsen the symptoms of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
65.. Sugar adversely affects urinary electrolyte composition.
66.. Sugar can slow down the ability of your adrenal glands to function.
67.. Sugar has the potential of inducing abnormal metabolic processes in a normal healthy individual and to promote chronic degenerative diseases.
68.. I.V.s (intravenous feedings) of sugar water can cut of oxygen to your brain.
69.. Sugar increases your risk of polio.
70.. High sugar intake can cause epileptic seizures.
71.. Sugar causes high blood pressure in obese people.
72.. In intensive care units: Limiting sugar saves lives.
73.. Sugar may induce cell death.
74.. In juvenile rehabilitation camps, when children were put on a low sugar diet, there was a 44 percent drop in antisocial behavior.
75.. Sugar dehydrates newborns.
76.. Sugar can cause gum disease.
So do you want a chocolate bar or do you want sugar with your coffee?
The answer should be No, Thank you!
Take control and do what you know is best for your health!
God Bless You and your quick recovery to a wonderful beautiful life!
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Can MSM be your answer to healing?
MSM (methyl sulfonyl methane) is a compound found naturally in foods such as cow's milk, meat, seafood, fruits and vegetables.You can take supplements of MSM but you have to be careful where you buy it because a lot of supplements end up being synthetically made. I buy my MSM at Trader Joes and I also buy Sulfurzyme from Young Livings Essential Oils. This is what helps me be pain free!!
I was listening to a training CD by Gary Young the founder of the Young Living Essential Oils and he had a speaker that wrote a book about the benefits of MSM. He is a neurologists and prescribes Sulfurzyme to many of his patients. He states that MSM is an essential mineral that is needed for the human body. It reduces pain impulses over the pain fibers and damps down the pain impulses. It increases blood flow. It changes the membrane potential to make the environment a healing environment for the cells.
What is great about Sulfurzyme is that you can take as much as you need and there are no side effects. Dr. Gary Young states that MSM is a natural substance and is a nutrient. MSM will not conflict with your pharmaceutical drugs unless you are taking large dosage of aspirins. It is worth taking Sulfurzyme because it is safe. Take the Sulfurzyme with food, or between meals 1 hour before or after the meal. You should take three times a day dosage because once a day is not going to do it. (3 tablespoons a day or double it.)
The powder is much more powerful than the capsule.
We do not have to suffer in pain. For four and half years I suffered with pain 24/7. Pain almost took control of my life. When you are in pain not only are you not able to be active and do what you are meant to do but pain effects your mood and the way you relate to people. How can you show and give happiness when you yourself is in crucial pain. It's extremely difficult to live a happy life when you are suffering with pain.
Ladies and gentlemen, today is the day that you can be pain free. Please try this supplement. I take this powder multiple times a day. When I start to have pain I just mix the sulfurzyme powder with water and drink it. Within the hour my pain has decreased or it is gone. I do have to say though before I started my liver and gallbladder cleanses I took sulfurzyme capsules and I did not feel a difference. But with the powder I have felt an incredible difference.
You must be patient with sulfurzyme, it takes 3-6 weeks to kick in. It will not happen right away but once it kicks in you will feel a tremendous difference in your life. You will be able to move your joints again, and you will smile with tears because you will have no more pain.
I can't guarantee this for everyone but I am just sharing with you my story and the many stories I have heard. I only hope that this will happen to you and that you can feel hopeful to recovery. If you are interested in the product please visit youngliving.com. If you sign up as a member ($40 membership includes 2 bottle of oils(lavender and peppermint) you can get your supplement whole sale price. It's a little cheaper. Just when you sign up you can put my sponsor ID # 745355. You can also e-mail anytime if you have any questions about the supplement I use.
The purpose of my blog is to help people find their path to healing and curing themselves from Lupus. Everyone has their own destination and purpose in this world, but living and suffering with Lupus is not our destinations!
If you have tried everything and are about to give up please try the Sulfurzyme powder. This can and will change your life!!
Much Love and God Bless You!
I was listening to a training CD by Gary Young the founder of the Young Living Essential Oils and he had a speaker that wrote a book about the benefits of MSM. He is a neurologists and prescribes Sulfurzyme to many of his patients. He states that MSM is an essential mineral that is needed for the human body. It reduces pain impulses over the pain fibers and damps down the pain impulses. It increases blood flow. It changes the membrane potential to make the environment a healing environment for the cells.
What is great about the Sulfurzyme powder (MSM) that young living sells is that it contains wolf berries, so it only adds more benefit to your body. Sulfurzyme works great for Rheumatoid arthritis, weight lifters/athletes, animals, pollen-allergies, auto-immune diseases, women who cannot grow finger nails, it is a great anti-inflammatory, it increase the shaft of the hair, releases headaches, fibromyalgia, reflux disease, and helps with muscle pain and tension.
The powder is much more powerful than the capsule.
We do not have to suffer in pain. For four and half years I suffered with pain 24/7. Pain almost took control of my life. When you are in pain not only are you not able to be active and do what you are meant to do but pain effects your mood and the way you relate to people. How can you show and give happiness when you yourself is in crucial pain. It's extremely difficult to live a happy life when you are suffering with pain.
Ladies and gentlemen, today is the day that you can be pain free. Please try this supplement. I take this powder multiple times a day. When I start to have pain I just mix the sulfurzyme powder with water and drink it. Within the hour my pain has decreased or it is gone. I do have to say though before I started my liver and gallbladder cleanses I took sulfurzyme capsules and I did not feel a difference. But with the powder I have felt an incredible difference.
You must be patient with sulfurzyme, it takes 3-6 weeks to kick in. It will not happen right away but once it kicks in you will feel a tremendous difference in your life. You will be able to move your joints again, and you will smile with tears because you will have no more pain.
I can't guarantee this for everyone but I am just sharing with you my story and the many stories I have heard. I only hope that this will happen to you and that you can feel hopeful to recovery. If you are interested in the product please visit youngliving.com. If you sign up as a member ($40 membership includes 2 bottle of oils(lavender and peppermint) you can get your supplement whole sale price. It's a little cheaper. Just when you sign up you can put my sponsor ID # 745355. You can also e-mail anytime if you have any questions about the supplement I use.
The purpose of my blog is to help people find their path to healing and curing themselves from Lupus. Everyone has their own destination and purpose in this world, but living and suffering with Lupus is not our destinations!
If you have tried everything and are about to give up please try the Sulfurzyme powder. This can and will change your life!!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Stones, stones and more stones
The last couple of weeks I have been feeling more tired and my pain has increased. Some nights I felt that it was so difficult to even walk. I was sticking with my diet and taking my supplements. I did notice that I was stressed at times and I also was so upset with a friend's action that the next day I began to be in pain. So I put the two together and realized that my emotions also effect my condition. I spoke with my mom and everything became more peaceful inside. It is amazing how our emotions can play such a huge factor in our well being. After I noticed that, I try to be less angry and bring peace within myself. Handling stress is very difficult for me and I am learning everyday how to handle it the right way. Typically I get angry or frustrated and I know this is not good for me. And it doesnt help my marriage either. I am trying to find something that I enjoy that can become a stress reliever. Everyday is a new day and a day that I can learn from my mistakes. I am not perfect, but I am trying to become the person I am meant to be.
I did a liver and gallbladder cleanse this past weekend and ever since the cleanse I feel so much better. I have more energy and I feel that I am not in as much pain. I was so shocked with the amount of stones that came out. This will be my 5th cleanse this year and I have to say this time I had the most ever. Some of the stones sizes were as big as a dried prune. I couldn't believe that all those stones came out of me. I had at least several hundred.
I do question myself why I have so many stones especially because I do not eat fried or fatty foods. Either way it is so important to do cleanses and rid yourself of toxins. I believe this is what is helping me recover and I think this is my step to curing myself. Please, if you have not done so yet please get the book The Liver and Gallbladder Miracle Cleanse: An All-Natural, At-Home Flush to Purify and Rejuvenate Your Body by Andreas Moritz. You can get this on amazon for $9.00.
It takes discipline and motivation to be able to want to cure yourself. No one wants to live their lives with a disease and we have the capabilities to overcome anything. I will do another cleanse in three weeks and I can't wait to see what will come out. I feel when I am able to do this all the supplements and nutrients I take is able to absorb in my cells and is turning my disease around.
I have a question for you:
Have you ever done a liver and gallbladder cleanse?
What has been your experience?
We will not live our lives controlled by Lupus but we will control our own lives Lupus free!! That is my goal and my priority!
May God Bless You!
I did a liver and gallbladder cleanse this past weekend and ever since the cleanse I feel so much better. I have more energy and I feel that I am not in as much pain. I was so shocked with the amount of stones that came out. This will be my 5th cleanse this year and I have to say this time I had the most ever. Some of the stones sizes were as big as a dried prune. I couldn't believe that all those stones came out of me. I had at least several hundred.
I do question myself why I have so many stones especially because I do not eat fried or fatty foods. Either way it is so important to do cleanses and rid yourself of toxins. I believe this is what is helping me recover and I think this is my step to curing myself. Please, if you have not done so yet please get the book The Liver and Gallbladder Miracle Cleanse: An All-Natural, At-Home Flush to Purify and Rejuvenate Your Body by Andreas Moritz. You can get this on amazon for $9.00.
It takes discipline and motivation to be able to want to cure yourself. No one wants to live their lives with a disease and we have the capabilities to overcome anything. I will do another cleanse in three weeks and I can't wait to see what will come out. I feel when I am able to do this all the supplements and nutrients I take is able to absorb in my cells and is turning my disease around.
I have a question for you:
Have you ever done a liver and gallbladder cleanse?
What has been your experience?
We will not live our lives controlled by Lupus but we will control our own lives Lupus free!! That is my goal and my priority!
May God Bless You!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Your Turn
This post is for those who are interested to turn your situation around, to take control and to live a life free from Lupus. It is possible! Just like all my previous post, I have stated that if you put your mind to it and you make the right steps you will see a difference in your life. I am sure no one likes to live with Lupus and this is why we have to take it in our own hands to heal ourselves. We have that ability and power to do so. Some of us cannot wait for researchers to find a cure, and others can't stand the side effects of the medication so now you have to make your own research and your own cure and speaking from my experience, I am on that exact path!
I just came back from a 10 day trip from Alaska. I went kayaking, hiking, fishing, and flew on a small plane through the mountains. A year ago, I would never have imagine myself to have done everything I did. The last day on our trip we hiked a mountain call flat top that was 3,200 feet, and as we arrived at the summit we had to do a lot of rock climbing. At one point I felt, "Am I capable of this?" or "Should I turn back?" but I continued on. When I reached to the top I felt amazed and grateful for God giving me the chance to be able to enjoy this moment. The moment in which I can experience my life without pain and suffering.
I do have to admit the next day I was sore and my joints had some pain. But I drank a lot of Sulferzyme powder and by the evening I felt much better. I ended up hosting a Memorial bbq the next day and started work afterwards. I still feel great but I still have to learn not to over work myself. I am still learning ever day how to take care of my body.
It is in our hands for us to heal ourselves. I know we have the capability to cure ourselves. I would like to ask those out there who are suffering from Lupus; Do YOU want to be cured? If so, then it is important for you to make the right steps. Test your body and try to notice if certain foods make your symptoms worst. How are your emotions? Are you depresed, angry, stressed? How do you deal with stress? Evaluate yourself, only YOU know what and how your body reacts. By doing research on yourself you are taking control of your lfe. Once you know what makes your symptoms worst, then avoid it. Think "I am healed, whole and complete". Find peace and harmony.
I know it is easy to say then to actually do it but our lives is worth the effort. Please let me know how you are doing, and if you have any questions on the supplements, oils or diet I use please leave a comment and I will get in touch with you.
Thank you for reading and enjoy some pics from Alaska!
I just came back from a 10 day trip from Alaska. I went kayaking, hiking, fishing, and flew on a small plane through the mountains. A year ago, I would never have imagine myself to have done everything I did. The last day on our trip we hiked a mountain call flat top that was 3,200 feet, and as we arrived at the summit we had to do a lot of rock climbing. At one point I felt, "Am I capable of this?" or "Should I turn back?" but I continued on. When I reached to the top I felt amazed and grateful for God giving me the chance to be able to enjoy this moment. The moment in which I can experience my life without pain and suffering.
I do have to admit the next day I was sore and my joints had some pain. But I drank a lot of Sulferzyme powder and by the evening I felt much better. I ended up hosting a Memorial bbq the next day and started work afterwards. I still feel great but I still have to learn not to over work myself. I am still learning ever day how to take care of my body.
It is in our hands for us to heal ourselves. I know we have the capability to cure ourselves. I would like to ask those out there who are suffering from Lupus; Do YOU want to be cured? If so, then it is important for you to make the right steps. Test your body and try to notice if certain foods make your symptoms worst. How are your emotions? Are you depresed, angry, stressed? How do you deal with stress? Evaluate yourself, only YOU know what and how your body reacts. By doing research on yourself you are taking control of your lfe. Once you know what makes your symptoms worst, then avoid it. Think "I am healed, whole and complete". Find peace and harmony.
I know it is easy to say then to actually do it but our lives is worth the effort. Please let me know how you are doing, and if you have any questions on the supplements, oils or diet I use please leave a comment and I will get in touch with you.
Thank you for reading and enjoy some pics from Alaska!
Friday, April 29, 2011
Food Matters
I though it was very interesting when I was first diagnose with Lupus I asked my Rheumatologists "Is there any foods that can trigger or make my symptoms worst? Is there any foods that can be beneficial?" She said "No, it does not matter what you eat but you might want to stay away from caffeine".
But the reality is that FOOD MATTERS BIG TIME!!
It has been about 6 months in which I realized that there is a major difference on the way I feel when I do not eat right for my body. I actually did a test on myself. In October 2010, I was still on medication and for one week I ate a diet which consisted of wheat, tomatoes, peppers and other food items. I still stayed away from fast food and sugars but I wasn't being extra careful. I was still in pain even with the prednisone. Then I cut those food items out. I followed this book called "Arthritis-Fight it with the Blood Type Diet" by Dr. Peter D'Adamo, so I eat what a blood type O positive should eat and what I should stay away from. Somethings that you may think is healthy may actually not be good for your blood type. For me I had to stay away from wheat, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggplants, processed foods, and much more. In fact, red meat is excellent for my blood type and it is an anti-inflammatory. I was so confused in the beginning of my diagnoses because I was reading that red meats cause inflammation and how you need to stay away from red meats and I actually did. But what I realized is that for some people red meats may not be good but for others it is beneficial. When I talk about eating meat, I am referring to eating meats in which the animals have been grass fed, no antibiotics or hormones. The meats I eat I get at Whole Foods or Trader Joes. Meats can be expensive so you do not need to eat meats everyday. There are many plants in which you can eat that have as much or even more protein then a piece of steak.
Hippocrates held the belief that the body must be treated as a whole and not just a series of parts. He accurately described disease symptoms and was the first physician to accurately describe the symptoms of pneumonia, as well as epilepsy in children. He believed in the natural healing process of rest, a good diet, fresh air and cleanliness. He noted that there were individual differences in the severity of disease symptoms and that some individuals were better able to cope with their disease and illness than others.
I would like to quote Hippocrates by saying "Everyone has a doctor in him or her; we just have to help it in its work. The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well. Our food should be our medicine. Our medicine should be our food."
Now what are your thoughts?
* Has anyone tried changing their diet and noticing a difference?
* Do you think that your diet may have an impact on the way you feel?
But the reality is that FOOD MATTERS BIG TIME!!
It has been about 6 months in which I realized that there is a major difference on the way I feel when I do not eat right for my body. I actually did a test on myself. In October 2010, I was still on medication and for one week I ate a diet which consisted of wheat, tomatoes, peppers and other food items. I still stayed away from fast food and sugars but I wasn't being extra careful. I was still in pain even with the prednisone. Then I cut those food items out. I followed this book called "Arthritis-Fight it with the Blood Type Diet" by Dr. Peter D'Adamo, so I eat what a blood type O positive should eat and what I should stay away from. Somethings that you may think is healthy may actually not be good for your blood type. For me I had to stay away from wheat, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggplants, processed foods, and much more. In fact, red meat is excellent for my blood type and it is an anti-inflammatory. I was so confused in the beginning of my diagnoses because I was reading that red meats cause inflammation and how you need to stay away from red meats and I actually did. But what I realized is that for some people red meats may not be good but for others it is beneficial. When I talk about eating meat, I am referring to eating meats in which the animals have been grass fed, no antibiotics or hormones. The meats I eat I get at Whole Foods or Trader Joes. Meats can be expensive so you do not need to eat meats everyday. There are many plants in which you can eat that have as much or even more protein then a piece of steak.
For example Spirulina is a type of blue-green algae that is rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, and carotenoids (a type of antioxidant that can help protect cells from damage). It contains nutrients, including B complex vitamins, beta-carotene, vitamin E, manganese, zinc, copper, iron, selenium, and gamma linolenic acid (an essential fatty acid). It is one of the most rich whole foods out there, and if you drink it as a powder it absorbs faster and retains in your cells then most cooked foods.
So what do I eat? I am not perfect so there are days where I want to go out to a restaurant and eat something that I know would not be the greatest but I try my very best. And I enjoy what I eat! I am aware of what I put in my body. Every morning I drink a fruit shake which consist of a banana, pineapple and apple. I use soy milk(Non-GM) or water and add 2 scoops of BOKU super-food. I also take a whole food source supplement, omega-3, MSM, and Sulferzyme. (All most all my products are from Young Living)
Lunch is where I either eat left overs from last night or I make a sandwich with spelt bread, meats or cheeses ( from a health food store) or a salad I made. If I do go out, I am typically careful with what I get.
Dinner-I make everything from scratch. We do not have a microwave. In fact, you should probably get rid of your microwave. (I am smiling at you because for some it is very difficult.) Microwaves kill every nutrient in your food, so your cells are not retaining anything. They say when you cook your food you lose 70% of the nutrient value so imagine if you microwave your food!
I typically cook vegetables (For example: onions, spinach, kale, garlic, broccoli, ginger, artichokes, green beans), have rice, pasta(gluten free), quinoa, make salads(Romaine lettuce, parsley, raw spinach, raw baby broccoli, raw portebello mushroom), red meat or chicken once in awhile, eat fish but I for the most part never eat anything premade, boxed (such as hamburger helpers) or canned. I stay away from as much processed foods or can items as possible. Many times those food items have no nutrient, and are high in fat, salt and sugar.
People say it is expensive to eat healthy but in fact if you cut yourself from half the foods that you should not eat such as chips, soda, junk food, sweets, boxed or canned foods and buy more fresh produce it ends up being about the same. I know how it feels to work and not be able to save or to be on a tight budget. I have been there! But would you rather spend that little extra on buying healthier foods or live a life with a disease, cancer or die young?
Another thing I do is cleansing. Releasing toxins from your body is absolutely necessary in order to be able to retain and absorb good nutrients. I do liver/gallbladder cleanse, colon cleanse, kidney cleanse and I try to drink lots of water. Before you do any kind of cleanses you should get books about it. One book I highly recommend is the The Liver and Gallbladder Miracle Cleanse: An All-Natural, At-Home Flush to Purify and Rejuvenate Your Body by Andreas Moritz. I believe this is what is making a difference in my overall health.
You can start eating healthy and putting vital nutrients in your body but if you are filled with toxins (in which we all have toxins) then your body will not be able to absorb it.
So there are two things to do: CLEANSE AND EAT RIGHT.
Another thing I do is cleansing. Releasing toxins from your body is absolutely necessary in order to be able to retain and absorb good nutrients. I do liver/gallbladder cleanse, colon cleanse, kidney cleanse and I try to drink lots of water. Before you do any kind of cleanses you should get books about it. One book I highly recommend is the The Liver and Gallbladder Miracle Cleanse: An All-Natural, At-Home Flush to Purify and Rejuvenate Your Body by Andreas Moritz. I believe this is what is making a difference in my overall health.
You can start eating healthy and putting vital nutrients in your body but if you are filled with toxins (in which we all have toxins) then your body will not be able to absorb it.
So there are two things to do: CLEANSE AND EAT RIGHT.
I think it is so vital to educate yourself about the things you put into your body. It is not just what you eat but it is also the products you use to brush your teeth, shampoo your hair, wash your body, clean your house, and what you use outdoors. We have grown up in a society where it is so common to buy a chemical product and spray it all over our homes. I use to do this myself. But what you need to know is that your body will absorb these chemicals in which it becomes a foreign object in your body which your immune system at one point will not be able to fight it, instead your immune system will attack itself. These chemical will become toxins. We would never think to drink chlorox but why do we use our hands to clean and scrub and breathe it. Our skin is an organ and it absorbs all the chemicals we use.
We are poisoning ourselves and that is why the cancer rates and many diseases are increasing.
This is not my own opinion, there are people who have done research, written books and made documentaries. You can ignore this fact, but do not say you do not have control over your health. Everything you do, you eat and how you think will effect your overall health. I have been off the prednisone since November and I feel better than I was when I was on medication. My first step was to study what my body needs and doesn't need.
I would like to quote Hippocrates by saying "Everyone has a doctor in him or her; we just have to help it in its work. The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well. Our food should be our medicine. Our medicine should be our food."
Now what are your thoughts?
* Has anyone tried changing their diet and noticing a difference?
* Do you think that your diet may have an impact on the way you feel?
Thursday, April 14, 2011
One year ago...
On April 16th, 2010 I was hospitilized in Edison, New Jersey. I was about 88lbs, wheel chair confined, slept all day due to the fatigue, in extreme pain and unable to dress, groom or prepare meals. The most simple task such as cutting your nails or combing your hair, I was unable to do. I had left Ohio on the 9th of April, and went to NJ so that my family could help me. The following three weeks of my life I will never forget. I will never forget what my family did for me and what they went through. I will never forget all the prayers, concerns and love that I received from all over the world. I will always remember the community of families and friends in Ohio and New Jersey who came to visit me in the hospital, who sent cards and flowers and especially their prayers.
I was in the ER for 11 hours when they finally admitted me. I was not taking any medications at the time. I had a severe Lupus exacerbation. They admitted me to a cardiac unit in which a friend of mine was working on. It was always nice to see her smile when times were difficult. My blood test showed that my RBC were a level 7 (normal level 12-16). My inflammation levels were through the roof. My liver and pancreas enzymes were abnormal.
I had to have three blood transfusion at this time. It was 6 days into my admission when a nurse came in the room, looking all concerned and ask me how did I feel. I remember saying I felt good. At that time they had put me on Hydrocortisol and for a little while my joint pain had some relief. She said, " Well your heart rate has been below 50s and it looks like you are showing that you are having secondary AV block. (Second-degree AV block is a disease of the electrical conduction system of the heart. It refers to a conduction between the atria and ventricles.) So they rushed me to the ICU. They decided to transfer me to Robert Wood Johnson Hospital, which is known to be one of the best cardiac hospitals in the country. I was in RWJH ICU for 4 days with my heart having PVC, and my blood pressure was all over the place. They had mentioned that they might have to put a pace maker in but because I was young and asymptomatic the cardiologists wanted to hold off for a couple of days just to observe. My heart eventually started to improve but then I ended up with severe pain in my abdomen in which caused me to scream in agony. They did multiple CAT scans and noticed that my pancreas and liver were inflamed, and that I had fluid in my abdomen. I ended up having a paracentesis done, and having about 300cc of fluid drawn.(this is when they stick a large needle in your abdomen to extract the fluid) I remember half the time I was drugged up with dilaudid. Also, my veins were so small so it was so difficult for them to put an IV or do blood draws that I ended up being poked 10-13 times a day. While in the ICU, I decided to finally accept in putting a PICC line. (It is long, slender, small, flexible tube that is inserted into a peripheral vein, typically in the upper arm, and advanced until the catheter tip terminates in a large vein in the chest near the heart to obtain intravenous access) I was so overwhelmed. I had so many tests done, about 8 physician specialists, and so many things happening to my body. My body was shutting down, and I was shocked.
During this whole entire time, I never feared about dying. Death never crossed my mind. I felt an enormous amount of love from my family. They were with me around the clock. I was never alone. I have two brothers and one sister. I also have a sister-in law. My husband eventually came a week later for a couple of days. Each one of them including my parents did rotating shifts. I will always be forever grateful for them. They held my hand as I was getting needles poked numerous times a day, was there at night when I needed to go to the bathroom and was there cleaning my body. I can not thank them enough.
I was in the hospital for two weeks and I can still remember like if it was yesterday. Now I am working full time, preparing to have children, going to Alaska in May and loving my life to the best of my abilities. I was put on prednisone and plaquinil. I have been off the medications since February and I feel better than ever. The medication probably saved my life at that time but I never saw it as my way to recover from Lupus. When I was on the medication, I gained a lot of weight (which for me I needed to gain weight but I gained a little more than I wanted to), had mood changes, difficulty making decisions, and was confused. I said to myself, I will only take the medication until my immune system was under control. It took me 9 months to be able to get off the medications. I would probably still be on the medication if I did not change my diet, and my thoughts. I think diet plays an extreme factor to your recovery. I noticed when I ate a cookie or ate spaghetti with tomato sauce, that the next day I would be in pain, even with the medications. That is when I bought a book called "Arthritis-Fight It with the Blood Type Diet" by Dr. Peter J. D'Adamo. I try to follow the guidelines to the best of my ability and it has worked for me. I eat a gluten free, and I eat for a Type O blood type. I stay away from processed foods, sugar foods and fast food. I believe this has helped me tremendously.
There are also many other things but the first step is to put in your body the right types of food. We have that control and it is important if you want to get better to start with that basic idea.
My story of recovery is long so I will end it with this note; Don't be scared to try everything. If you want to live, like I did when I was in the hospital, You will Live. There are so many people out there that have incredible testimonies of surviving cancers, diseases, and much more. If they can do it, why can't we?
My next post will be about some of the things I am using everyday to assist in my healing and curing of Lupus.
This is a special note to the ones that were with me during my difficult times. I love you all and I will never forget. You are what keeps me alive everyday and what makes me want to become an amazing women.
My Husband
Derflinger Family
Masuda Family
Choi Family
Kitaguchi Family
Bair Family
And to the community in Ohio and New Jersey
I was in the ER for 11 hours when they finally admitted me. I was not taking any medications at the time. I had a severe Lupus exacerbation. They admitted me to a cardiac unit in which a friend of mine was working on. It was always nice to see her smile when times were difficult. My blood test showed that my RBC were a level 7 (normal level 12-16). My inflammation levels were through the roof. My liver and pancreas enzymes were abnormal.
I had to have three blood transfusion at this time. It was 6 days into my admission when a nurse came in the room, looking all concerned and ask me how did I feel. I remember saying I felt good. At that time they had put me on Hydrocortisol and for a little while my joint pain had some relief. She said, " Well your heart rate has been below 50s and it looks like you are showing that you are having secondary AV block. (Second-degree AV block is a disease of the electrical conduction system of the heart. It refers to a conduction between the atria and ventricles.) So they rushed me to the ICU. They decided to transfer me to Robert Wood Johnson Hospital, which is known to be one of the best cardiac hospitals in the country. I was in RWJH ICU for 4 days with my heart having PVC, and my blood pressure was all over the place. They had mentioned that they might have to put a pace maker in but because I was young and asymptomatic the cardiologists wanted to hold off for a couple of days just to observe. My heart eventually started to improve but then I ended up with severe pain in my abdomen in which caused me to scream in agony. They did multiple CAT scans and noticed that my pancreas and liver were inflamed, and that I had fluid in my abdomen. I ended up having a paracentesis done, and having about 300cc of fluid drawn.(this is when they stick a large needle in your abdomen to extract the fluid) I remember half the time I was drugged up with dilaudid. Also, my veins were so small so it was so difficult for them to put an IV or do blood draws that I ended up being poked 10-13 times a day. While in the ICU, I decided to finally accept in putting a PICC line. (It is long, slender, small, flexible tube that is inserted into a peripheral vein, typically in the upper arm, and advanced until the catheter tip terminates in a large vein in the chest near the heart to obtain intravenous access) I was so overwhelmed. I had so many tests done, about 8 physician specialists, and so many things happening to my body. My body was shutting down, and I was shocked.
During this whole entire time, I never feared about dying. Death never crossed my mind. I felt an enormous amount of love from my family. They were with me around the clock. I was never alone. I have two brothers and one sister. I also have a sister-in law. My husband eventually came a week later for a couple of days. Each one of them including my parents did rotating shifts. I will always be forever grateful for them. They held my hand as I was getting needles poked numerous times a day, was there at night when I needed to go to the bathroom and was there cleaning my body. I can not thank them enough.
I was in the hospital for two weeks and I can still remember like if it was yesterday. Now I am working full time, preparing to have children, going to Alaska in May and loving my life to the best of my abilities. I was put on prednisone and plaquinil. I have been off the medications since February and I feel better than ever. The medication probably saved my life at that time but I never saw it as my way to recover from Lupus. When I was on the medication, I gained a lot of weight (which for me I needed to gain weight but I gained a little more than I wanted to), had mood changes, difficulty making decisions, and was confused. I said to myself, I will only take the medication until my immune system was under control. It took me 9 months to be able to get off the medications. I would probably still be on the medication if I did not change my diet, and my thoughts. I think diet plays an extreme factor to your recovery. I noticed when I ate a cookie or ate spaghetti with tomato sauce, that the next day I would be in pain, even with the medications. That is when I bought a book called "Arthritis-Fight It with the Blood Type Diet" by Dr. Peter J. D'Adamo. I try to follow the guidelines to the best of my ability and it has worked for me. I eat a gluten free, and I eat for a Type O blood type. I stay away from processed foods, sugar foods and fast food. I believe this has helped me tremendously.
There are also many other things but the first step is to put in your body the right types of food. We have that control and it is important if you want to get better to start with that basic idea.
My story of recovery is long so I will end it with this note; Don't be scared to try everything. If you want to live, like I did when I was in the hospital, You will Live. There are so many people out there that have incredible testimonies of surviving cancers, diseases, and much more. If they can do it, why can't we?
My next post will be about some of the things I am using everyday to assist in my healing and curing of Lupus.
This is a special note to the ones that were with me during my difficult times. I love you all and I will never forget. You are what keeps me alive everyday and what makes me want to become an amazing women.
My Husband
Derflinger Family
Masuda Family
Choi Family
Kitaguchi Family
Bair Family
And to the community in Ohio and New Jersey
Sunday, April 10, 2011
The Cure is within Ourselves
I received my blood test results on Friday and as I was reviewing it, I felt a sense of excitement and joy. Everything was in normal range. My inflammation was normal, and so was my anti-bodies. I decided to call the physician office to speak with a nurse about the blood results. I was wondering what did this mean? Was I in remission? As the nurse was looking over the results, she said to me "It just means you are not showing any symptoms, Lupus never goes away. The doctor will see you in six months and if the blood test are the same, then she may announce that you are in remission."
The words "Lupus never goes away" stuck with me for a while. I realized that there are 1.5 million Americans diagnosed with Lupus and about 5 million worldwide. Systemic lupus accounts for 70% of Lupus cases. I wonder how many of those millions of people believe that it never goes away. If that is what the doctor says then it must be right. I don't believe it!
We have the capability to cure ourselves. Doctors have an idea of how you get systemic lupus but they are not certain. Some say it is due to stress or a retro-virus, and others are just puzzled. Each of us who has this disease should look at our lives and should do a personal evaluation. When did the symptoms arise, how, what kind of environment was I in, how did I feel, what are my thoughts like, do I love myself or feel loved, and determine if there is a connection. A lot of diseases are affiliated with our mind concepts of ourselves and also what we put into our bodies. The mind and body work as one. You can not heal your body if you do not set your mind to it.
Just thinking positive thoughts for one day is not going to heal you from Lupus. This is an everyday challenge and many of us who have Lupus are on different levels of severity. Some are on dialysis, had organs removed and some may have the rash on the face, but know wherever you stand you have the potential to take control. Don't let the disease take over your life and believe that you have that capability to cure yourself. It may take 6 months to years of working hard to heal yourselves but if you made those first steps then you are on the right path of recovery.
I believe the cure is within ourselves, and I can't wait to share with you when I am Lupus free. I try to do my best by loving myself, being patient, letting go of anger and determining myself to be Lupus free. I can not do this all by myself. I need a higher power as well. You have to believe that there is a spiritual force out there that can bring light into your life. We have to feel and accept that we are loved by others and to use that love to give us energy to heal. God has the incredible power to give us the love and energy to cure ourselves but we also have to take responsibility. I don't believe you can just pray and hope that God will take care of everything. I believe He will guide us, and show us the way but we have to take our lives in our own hands. We have to make that effort to heal ourselves, and we can do it.
The words "Lupus never goes away" stuck with me for a while. I realized that there are 1.5 million Americans diagnosed with Lupus and about 5 million worldwide. Systemic lupus accounts for 70% of Lupus cases. I wonder how many of those millions of people believe that it never goes away. If that is what the doctor says then it must be right. I don't believe it!
We have the capability to cure ourselves. Doctors have an idea of how you get systemic lupus but they are not certain. Some say it is due to stress or a retro-virus, and others are just puzzled. Each of us who has this disease should look at our lives and should do a personal evaluation. When did the symptoms arise, how, what kind of environment was I in, how did I feel, what are my thoughts like, do I love myself or feel loved, and determine if there is a connection. A lot of diseases are affiliated with our mind concepts of ourselves and also what we put into our bodies. The mind and body work as one. You can not heal your body if you do not set your mind to it.
Just thinking positive thoughts for one day is not going to heal you from Lupus. This is an everyday challenge and many of us who have Lupus are on different levels of severity. Some are on dialysis, had organs removed and some may have the rash on the face, but know wherever you stand you have the potential to take control. Don't let the disease take over your life and believe that you have that capability to cure yourself. It may take 6 months to years of working hard to heal yourselves but if you made those first steps then you are on the right path of recovery.
I believe the cure is within ourselves, and I can't wait to share with you when I am Lupus free. I try to do my best by loving myself, being patient, letting go of anger and determining myself to be Lupus free. I can not do this all by myself. I need a higher power as well. You have to believe that there is a spiritual force out there that can bring light into your life. We have to feel and accept that we are loved by others and to use that love to give us energy to heal. God has the incredible power to give us the love and energy to cure ourselves but we also have to take responsibility. I don't believe you can just pray and hope that God will take care of everything. I believe He will guide us, and show us the way but we have to take our lives in our own hands. We have to make that effort to heal ourselves, and we can do it.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
A Beautiful Life
When I was five years old, I had a dream that I was a nurse who lived in Africa. I was helping children all around me. When I woke up, I knew I was going to be a nurse and I have ever since wanted to live in Africa. In 2008, I went to Kenya with a non-profit organization called Woman's Federation for World Peace to paint and fix the cement flooring in one of WFWP schools. I plan to go back to Africa soon. In 2009, I passed my boards and became a Registered Nurse.
One of my idols is Florence Nightingale. She was born into a upper class, British family in Florence Italy. Inspired by what she took as a call from God in February 1837, Florence made a decision to enter nursing in 1844, despite the intense anger and distress of her mother and sister. She rebelled against the expected role for a woman of her status, which was to become a wife and mother. Nightingale worked hard to educate herself in the art and science of nursing, in spite of opposition from her family and the restrictive societal code for affluent young English women.
Florence Nightingale's most famous contribution came during the Crimean War, which became her central focus when reports began to filter back to Britain about the horrific conditions for the wounded. Nightingale arrived early in November 1854 at Selimiye Barracks in Scutari (modern-day Uskudar in Istanbul). She and her nurses found wounded soldiers being badly cared for by overworked medical staff in the face of official indifference. Medicines were in short supply, hygiene was being neglected, and mass infection were common, many of them fatal. There was no equipment to process food for the patients.
At the beginning of the 20th century, it was asserted that Nightingale reduced the death rate from 42% to 2% either by making improvements in hygiene herself or by calling for the Sanitary Commission.
She was an incredible women who embodied Hope, Courage, Vision and Will! I believe that we are able to achieve almost anything if we live our lives with these four components. An article I read about Nightingale says "she began with Hope—the scaffold of being and oxygen for the soul. She believed in the meaning of human life, giving people permission and urging them to believe in the better part of themselves"(Goertz, 2010, p.69)
That is what Hope is, it is the oxygen for our soul. We have to take our lives in our own hands. We only have one life and we should believe that we have the potential to heal ourselves, and to become great beings. I live everyday with the hope that I will be cured and the hope that I can become the best person that God made me to be. Without hope we cannot breathe, we cannot heal, and we cannot live. It is so vital that we incorporate this in our lives.
The article continues to say "She also demonstrated its twin, Courage—the fuel that renews the energy of hope. Every new departure of human mind and spirit is an act of courage—arising from a life of authenticity" (Goertz, 2010, p.69).
Courage is what will make us continue to fight this disease. We need to embody courage so that we can have the energy to believe that we can heal ourselves. You cannot live without courage, because if you did you would never achieve anything. It takes courage to be able to go to work, go to school or raise a family. I know that I have to have the courage to be able to do whatever it takes for me to be healed. Taking medication is not the solution to healing and curing myself but I have to have faith and courage that I can do with out those medications.
"Nightingale had Vision—wings that carry us to new realms of possibility. We are lifted beyond rationality, propelled into a compassionate response to issues of the times" (Goertz, 2010, p. 69).
I have a Vision that I will live free from Lupus. I try to remember to look at myself in the mirror every morning and say "I am free of Lupus. I am incredible, I love myself and I empower myself. I control my life, not Lupus!" Without vision, we are not able to go the distance. We need to have a vision of peace within ourselves and a vision where we live a life of beauty!
"She also had Will—the intention to follow through on her compelling vision with commitment
and passion. She was tirelessly inspired to shape new order as an artist molds clay into an exquisite
work of art" (Goertz,2010, p.69).
When we make our vision for our life we have to be determined to follow through and make that commitment. I see myself free from Lupus but I just don't think it, I live my life as if I were free of Lupus. I am committed to healing and curing myself so I eat a gluten-free, no sugar, low fat, blood-type oriented diet. I take my Omega-3, MSM, Sulferzyme powder, Essentialzyme, Vit C, Cholrella, and my essential oils. I do a gallbladder/liver cleanse every three weeks until I stop having stones come out. I exercise, I try not to complain and live my life with a mindset to serve others. I have the power and the will to heal!!
Life is beautiful and sometimes life throws us something that is unexpected, but we have to live life step by step by becoming the beings we are meant to be. Lupus stinks but Lupus has brought connection, desire, and inspiration to my life.
I will not look Lupus in the eye and curse it out but instead I will embrace it, thank it and say goodbye!
Thank you for reading. God is with you!
If you would like to know where I get my supplements you can check out youngliving.com or e-mail me.
References
One of my idols is Florence Nightingale. She was born into a upper class, British family in Florence Italy. Inspired by what she took as a call from God in February 1837, Florence made a decision to enter nursing in 1844, despite the intense anger and distress of her mother and sister. She rebelled against the expected role for a woman of her status, which was to become a wife and mother. Nightingale worked hard to educate herself in the art and science of nursing, in spite of opposition from her family and the restrictive societal code for affluent young English women.
Florence Nightingale's most famous contribution came during the Crimean War, which became her central focus when reports began to filter back to Britain about the horrific conditions for the wounded. Nightingale arrived early in November 1854 at Selimiye Barracks in Scutari (modern-day Uskudar in Istanbul). She and her nurses found wounded soldiers being badly cared for by overworked medical staff in the face of official indifference. Medicines were in short supply, hygiene was being neglected, and mass infection were common, many of them fatal. There was no equipment to process food for the patients.
At the beginning of the 20th century, it was asserted that Nightingale reduced the death rate from 42% to 2% either by making improvements in hygiene herself or by calling for the Sanitary Commission.
She was an incredible women who embodied Hope, Courage, Vision and Will! I believe that we are able to achieve almost anything if we live our lives with these four components. An article I read about Nightingale says "she began with Hope—the scaffold of being and oxygen for the soul. She believed in the meaning of human life, giving people permission and urging them to believe in the better part of themselves"(Goertz, 2010, p.69)
That is what Hope is, it is the oxygen for our soul. We have to take our lives in our own hands. We only have one life and we should believe that we have the potential to heal ourselves, and to become great beings. I live everyday with the hope that I will be cured and the hope that I can become the best person that God made me to be. Without hope we cannot breathe, we cannot heal, and we cannot live. It is so vital that we incorporate this in our lives.
The article continues to say "She also demonstrated its twin, Courage—the fuel that renews the energy of hope. Every new departure of human mind and spirit is an act of courage—arising from a life of authenticity" (Goertz, 2010, p.69).
Courage is what will make us continue to fight this disease. We need to embody courage so that we can have the energy to believe that we can heal ourselves. You cannot live without courage, because if you did you would never achieve anything. It takes courage to be able to go to work, go to school or raise a family. I know that I have to have the courage to be able to do whatever it takes for me to be healed. Taking medication is not the solution to healing and curing myself but I have to have faith and courage that I can do with out those medications.
"Nightingale had Vision—wings that carry us to new realms of possibility. We are lifted beyond rationality, propelled into a compassionate response to issues of the times" (Goertz, 2010, p. 69).
I have a Vision that I will live free from Lupus. I try to remember to look at myself in the mirror every morning and say "I am free of Lupus. I am incredible, I love myself and I empower myself. I control my life, not Lupus!" Without vision, we are not able to go the distance. We need to have a vision of peace within ourselves and a vision where we live a life of beauty!
"She also had Will—the intention to follow through on her compelling vision with commitment
and passion. She was tirelessly inspired to shape new order as an artist molds clay into an exquisite
work of art" (Goertz,2010, p.69).
When we make our vision for our life we have to be determined to follow through and make that commitment. I see myself free from Lupus but I just don't think it, I live my life as if I were free of Lupus. I am committed to healing and curing myself so I eat a gluten-free, no sugar, low fat, blood-type oriented diet. I take my Omega-3, MSM, Sulferzyme powder, Essentialzyme, Vit C, Cholrella, and my essential oils. I do a gallbladder/liver cleanse every three weeks until I stop having stones come out. I exercise, I try not to complain and live my life with a mindset to serve others. I have the power and the will to heal!!
Life is beautiful and sometimes life throws us something that is unexpected, but we have to live life step by step by becoming the beings we are meant to be. Lupus stinks but Lupus has brought connection, desire, and inspiration to my life.
I will not look Lupus in the eye and curse it out but instead I will embrace it, thank it and say goodbye!
Thank you for reading. God is with you!
If you would like to know where I get my supplements you can check out youngliving.com or e-mail me.
References
- Bostridge, Mark (2008). Florence Nightingale: The Woman and Her Legend. London: Viking.
- Gill, G. The extraordinary upbringing and curious life of Miss Florence Nightingale Random House, New York (2005)
- Goertz, Joellen. (2010). Reflection in Transformation Leadership. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 14, 68-69
- McDonald, Lynn ed., Collected Works of Florence Nightingale. Wilfrid Laurier University Press
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Hope
One can not get healed if they do not have hope and believe that they can be cured. When I was diagnosed with Lupus I remember thinking about what I was going to do. I knew I did not want to take the medication for it because I hated the side effects, and I also knew that taking the medication was not the solution to my problem. I felt like I had to find another way. Everyday when I wake up, I say to myself "I will cure myself of Lupus. I have control of my life, this disease does not have control of me!" I have hope and know that I will not live my life with Lupus. It took me several years to come to this conclusion. I tried doing a lot of research first to have a better understanding. I tried so many different types of natural supplements and healing approaches, but what made things start to turn around were my thoughts about myself.
I was going through Half Price book store when I came across a DVD called "You can heal your life" by Louise Hay. I DO NOT believe that this was a coincidence. It was only $3.00 so I bought it. That $3.00 was worth a million dollars on how it changed my perception of myself. I guess I always knew that your thoughts have an impact in your life but I had never put it into action. I always hated myself for my past actions, looked at myself as unworthy, and never felt comfortable within myself. After watching this video, my spirit was lifted. I felt that she was speaking to me. I started to change my perceptions and views. It was difficult to do but I knew I had to do it if I wanted to make the first steps in healing myself.
Before we can find a cure or a solution for this type of disease, there are issues that we must first resolve within ourselves. We have to believe that there is a higher power within us that will help us and will always love us. We have to believe that we are important, we are incredible beings and we are all here for a purpose. My first step in healing myself was to first let God dwell within me, then it was to believe in myself and to love myself because I am worthy of that love. I needed to bring peace, and harmony in my body. I had let go of many resentments, anger and frustrations. In the book "You can Heal your Life" by Louise Hays, she states that there are negative and positive affirmations for almost any disease out there. When I read the affirmation affiliated with Lupus I was able to connect to how I was feeling. What I learned from this book was to think and to say everyday that "Life loves me, Life loves me".
So what I want to share is that instead of waiting for your disease to control your life, please take control. Your mind is the subject of your body and loving yourself and believing in yourself is the first step to becoming healed. I am still learning everyday to love myself and to find a harmonized spiritual connection to my healing.
Since having Lupus I learned that my thoughts are the most powerful force I own, and that is why I have Hope that I can heal myself.
I was going through Half Price book store when I came across a DVD called "You can heal your life" by Louise Hay. I DO NOT believe that this was a coincidence. It was only $3.00 so I bought it. That $3.00 was worth a million dollars on how it changed my perception of myself. I guess I always knew that your thoughts have an impact in your life but I had never put it into action. I always hated myself for my past actions, looked at myself as unworthy, and never felt comfortable within myself. After watching this video, my spirit was lifted. I felt that she was speaking to me. I started to change my perceptions and views. It was difficult to do but I knew I had to do it if I wanted to make the first steps in healing myself.
Before we can find a cure or a solution for this type of disease, there are issues that we must first resolve within ourselves. We have to believe that there is a higher power within us that will help us and will always love us. We have to believe that we are important, we are incredible beings and we are all here for a purpose. My first step in healing myself was to first let God dwell within me, then it was to believe in myself and to love myself because I am worthy of that love. I needed to bring peace, and harmony in my body. I had let go of many resentments, anger and frustrations. In the book "You can Heal your Life" by Louise Hays, she states that there are negative and positive affirmations for almost any disease out there. When I read the affirmation affiliated with Lupus I was able to connect to how I was feeling. What I learned from this book was to think and to say everyday that "Life loves me, Life loves me".
So what I want to share is that instead of waiting for your disease to control your life, please take control. Your mind is the subject of your body and loving yourself and believing in yourself is the first step to becoming healed. I am still learning everyday to love myself and to find a harmonized spiritual connection to my healing.
Since having Lupus I learned that my thoughts are the most powerful force I own, and that is why I have Hope that I can heal myself.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
My journey with Lupus
When one is told that they have a chronic life disease many react that they have lost their lives. The disease ends up controlling their life and people feel a sense of hopelessness and despair. This blog is a reflection of my life with Lupus. I was officially diagnosed with Lupus in October 2007, but started having symptoms September 2005. I was 21 years old when my life with Lupus began and it has since been a difficult but life changing journey.
Let me explain to those who do not know what Lupus is. This explanation is from the Lupus Foundation of America's website. Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body (skin, joints, and/or organs inside the body). Normally our immune system produces proteins called antibodies that protect the body from these invaders. Autoimmune means your immune system cannot tell the difference between these foreign invaders and your body’s healthy tissues ("auto" means "self") and creates auto-antibodies that attack and destroy healthy tissue. These auto-antibodies cause inflammation, pain, and damage in various parts of the body.
Lupus can range from mild to life-threatening.
I had just started my life being a newly wed and just moved to Ohio. I started going to college studying nursing and working three jobs. I lived with my in-laws where there were seven of us living in a small apartment at that time. Life was not easy. I was trying to find my new way of life with my husband. As most can imagine, moving to a new place, living with a new family and being a young married couple was not easy and it was difficult.
It was about six months later after the move from NJ to Ohio that I started to feel the "symptoms". At that time, I had no idea what was going on. I just had pain in my knees and elbows. I was a waitress at a restaurant called Max and Ermas. It started to become difficult to carry the plates and I started to feel exhausted all the time. I did not take this as a sign to slow down but instead I got another job and continued taking classes. It was around March 2006 where I decided to quit Max and Erma's because my pain in the knees and the elbows became worst. I couldn't extend my elbows and I was having trouble walking up and down the stairs. I started to lose my hair and became more exhausted. At the time, I did not have health insurance so I did not go see a doctor. I started to lose weight, have more pain but this time it was to my other joints such as my fingers, hips and shoulders.
I went to a massage therapist, chiropractor, and even tried acupuncture. Nothing seemed to work. It was around October of 2006 where I couldn't handle the pain and I needed to know what was going on. So I went to a free clinic. Waited several hours to get in, then several more hours to be seen by someone. That is when they took some blood work. A week later they called me and said that my platelet levels were 50,000 (normal platelet count is 150,000-450,000) and they wanted me to come back in to take some more blood work. This time I did not have to wait. They took some more blood. I told them that I would be out of town for the next couple of weeks so I would not be able to follow up with them. It was about a week later, I was in NJ at that time and was planning to go to Israel for a peace assembly conference when I received a call from the clinic. They sounded paranoid and said that my platelet levels were 38,000 and that I should go to the emergency room immediately. They were worried that I would have a brain hemorrhage. I remember listening to them about going to the ER but the whole entire time when I was in the ER, I could not stop thinking about my medical expenses since I did not have insurance, and I also was not a NJ resident anymore. I waited 5 hours to get a room and the doctor saw me for two seconds and told me I should be admitted. They had told me that my platelet levels were 42,000. I thought "it has not gone down, and I can not afford this" so I told them that I was discharging myself. This all happened during a weekend, and by Monday I had to cancel my trip to Israel. I made an appointment to see a Rheumatologist in NJ before I left back to Ohio. They did a simple blood test in the office my platelets were about the same, but he checked my anti-body levels.
That is the first time I ever heard about Lupus. I can remember the exact words he said. "Kayo, I believe you may have a disease called Lupus. Have you ever heard about it?" I replied "No". "Well", he says "it is a chronic anti-inflammatory disease that effects your joints, and organs but it can be manageable. That is why you are probably feeling the way you are. But you will need to take some further test when you go back to Ohio to confirm that this is what you have". I remember I didn't know exactly what to think. I was not aware of what kind of journey this disease was going to take me. I just remember thinking "What am I going to do?"
I had just started my life being a newly wed and just moved to Ohio. I started going to college studying nursing and working three jobs. I lived with my in-laws where there were seven of us living in a small apartment at that time. Life was not easy. I was trying to find my new way of life with my husband. As most can imagine, moving to a new place, living with a new family and being a young married couple was not easy and it was difficult.
It was about six months later after the move from NJ to Ohio that I started to feel the "symptoms". At that time, I had no idea what was going on. I just had pain in my knees and elbows. I was a waitress at a restaurant called Max and Ermas. It started to become difficult to carry the plates and I started to feel exhausted all the time. I did not take this as a sign to slow down but instead I got another job and continued taking classes. It was around March 2006 where I decided to quit Max and Erma's because my pain in the knees and the elbows became worst. I couldn't extend my elbows and I was having trouble walking up and down the stairs. I started to lose my hair and became more exhausted. At the time, I did not have health insurance so I did not go see a doctor. I started to lose weight, have more pain but this time it was to my other joints such as my fingers, hips and shoulders.
I went to a massage therapist, chiropractor, and even tried acupuncture. Nothing seemed to work. It was around October of 2006 where I couldn't handle the pain and I needed to know what was going on. So I went to a free clinic. Waited several hours to get in, then several more hours to be seen by someone. That is when they took some blood work. A week later they called me and said that my platelet levels were 50,000 (normal platelet count is 150,000-450,000) and they wanted me to come back in to take some more blood work. This time I did not have to wait. They took some more blood. I told them that I would be out of town for the next couple of weeks so I would not be able to follow up with them. It was about a week later, I was in NJ at that time and was planning to go to Israel for a peace assembly conference when I received a call from the clinic. They sounded paranoid and said that my platelet levels were 38,000 and that I should go to the emergency room immediately. They were worried that I would have a brain hemorrhage. I remember listening to them about going to the ER but the whole entire time when I was in the ER, I could not stop thinking about my medical expenses since I did not have insurance, and I also was not a NJ resident anymore. I waited 5 hours to get a room and the doctor saw me for two seconds and told me I should be admitted. They had told me that my platelet levels were 42,000. I thought "it has not gone down, and I can not afford this" so I told them that I was discharging myself. This all happened during a weekend, and by Monday I had to cancel my trip to Israel. I made an appointment to see a Rheumatologist in NJ before I left back to Ohio. They did a simple blood test in the office my platelets were about the same, but he checked my anti-body levels.
That is the first time I ever heard about Lupus. I can remember the exact words he said. "Kayo, I believe you may have a disease called Lupus. Have you ever heard about it?" I replied "No". "Well", he says "it is a chronic anti-inflammatory disease that effects your joints, and organs but it can be manageable. That is why you are probably feeling the way you are. But you will need to take some further test when you go back to Ohio to confirm that this is what you have". I remember I didn't know exactly what to think. I was not aware of what kind of journey this disease was going to take me. I just remember thinking "What am I going to do?"
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