Tag: wellness wednesday

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Diet Eliminating Toxins It's Just A Bad Day Treatments Wellness Wednesday

Ask Juls – Can You Explain Why GMOs Are Bad?

Ask Juls: GMOs | Do you know what genetically modified foods are? This video dives into what they are and how you can start to avoid them! | itsjustabadday.com juliecerrone.com

I talk a lot about GMOs, but do you know what a GMO is? Today’s Ask Juls video tackles the subject!

GMO Video Tips:

1. Look For Organic produce and packaged foods. NOT Conventional. You want to make sure there are no pesticides or worse, genetically modified molecules contained in your food!

2. Avoid processed foods that have Soy, Corn or Canola. READ LABELS! You’ll start to see they’re in E V E R Y T H I N G! Cutting these foods out of your diet is going to have HUGE implications on your health – in a wonderfully,

positive way.

There are SO many DOCUMENTED health risks with genetically modified foods. Cancer, inflammation, autoimmunity, autism, the list goes on and on . . . It’s DOCUMENTED that Monsanto and these biotech companies (AND THE FDA) straight up LIE to us and don’t tell us the truth. It’s DOCUMENTED that a non GMO diet helps manage disease symptoms, helps get rid of chronic conditions and promotes overall well beings of health.

Unfortunately, America is in a really shaky, uncertain state with GMOs.

What's A GMO? Ask Juls: GMOs | Do you know what genetically modified foods are? This video dives into what they are and how you can start to avoid them! | itsjustabadday.com juliecerrone.comRight now there are SO many initiatives out there pushing to LABEL GMOs. You may notice in the grocery store labels that say “NON GMO VERIFIED”. Because some companies are realizing consumers want to know what’s in their food
they’re starting to label their foods. BUT, there are WAY WAY WAY more products that don’t label if they have GMOs or not.

STOP THE DARK ACT - What's A GMO? Ask Juls: GMOs | Do you know what genetically modified foods are? This video dives into what they are and how you can start to avoid them! | itsjustabadday.com juliecerrone.com
BUT, As of July 23, 2015, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the “Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015″ which –if passed in the Senate– would consolidate federal control of labeling initiatives for genetically modified foods. This is a really important video that I’d urge you to sit down and watch. This is not an act we want to be passed by the Senate!!!!!

What Now? After the DARK Act (H.R. 1599)

THIS IS A REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT WE TRULY NEED TO TAKE ACTION ON!!

What's A GMO? Ask Juls: GMOs | Do you know what genetically modified foods are? This video dives into what they are and how you can start to avoid them! | itsjustabadday.com juliecerrone.comBy avoiding GMOs, we’re not only helping our health, but we’re also voting with our dollars AGAINST GMOs. Which is what we need to do.

IRT and Jeffrey Smith wants us to spread behavior change messaging and let people know what’s wrong with GMOs and why we need to avoid them. So I hope that I can help pique your interest to see if a Non GMO diet can help your health.

Don’t believe me? Check out Robyn OBrien’s GMO Labeling: The Mom’s Pledge and her Huffington Post’s 9 Dirty Little Secrets About GMOs.

Want to know something sad?

I had a meeting with a Representative of my District a few weeks back. We were talking about Arthritis issues, but he brought up GMOs and how he truly didn’t believe there were health concerns to be made. IT BLEW MY MIND!!! This Rep. is a doctor, he always supports patients and I actually really respect him for what he’s trying to do. But I couldn’t hold my thoughts when he said that. I guess the look on my face said it all, because he asked me my thoughts because I was clearly disagreeing with him.

 

I won’t lie, I got pretty flustered because everything that I’ve read and learned over the past few years just flooded my brains and I didn’t even know where to start! I went off and definitely gave him my opinion. I don’t know if it did anything, but I really hope it at least made him stop for a second and give it another thought. Here I was, an autoimmune arthritis patient and a certified health coach, telling him that GMOs were horrible for our health and, for the sake of every American, we NEED to label GMOs.

Hopefully my message was heard, but time will only tell.

We need to vote with our dollars.

We need to pick ORGANIC.

WE NEED TO FORCE COMPANIES TO START LABELING GMOS. 

 

So anyways, this started from a simple ‘Julie, what’s a GMO?’ question and spiraled into a full political debate! Hahahaha

Wishing You A Pain Free Day!

Julie Cerrone | Spoonie, Autoimmune Warrior, Certified Holistic Health Coach, DoTerra Wellness Advocate, 200 RYT Trainee, Reiki 1, Nutrition Geek, ePatient Advocate, IT Consultant, Pittsburgh Based Practitioner Living the Chronic Life

 

 

 

Want to read a few of my previous GMO posts? Check these out:

5 Reasons To Avoid GMOs!!!!!!!

Are There GMOs In Your Supplements? If you’re not reading labels, I bet there are!

GMOs, Omega 3’s and Omega 6’s – What they are and how they’re all linked together!

 

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Ask Juls Diet Wellness Wednesday

What The Heck Do You Eat?!

Ask Juls - What The Heck Do You Eat? #WellnessWednesday | Spoonie Holistic Health Coach itsjustabadday.com juliecerrone.com

Since my announcement last week, I know you’ve been anticipating my first video, and you could hardly contain your excitement 😉 But the wait is over! Here it is!!!!

Ask Juls – What The Heck DO You Eat?

 

Want to know what my “go to” EASY meals are? Check out this post.

Want to know what my “go to” snacks are? Check out this post.

Don’t know about Enjoylife chocolate? It’s ammmaazzzinngggg! It’s free of the top 8 allergens and it just quality chocolate! Now, you have to eat in moderation because it does contain cane sugar, but there’s no soy, there is no dairy, there is nothing else added to it that doesn’t need to be there! Check out your current stash of chocolate… I bet there’s GMO soy and definitely dairy hiding in your bars, chips or whatever else you may have in your house! I order mine in bulk on amazon. (Here’s an example!) I’m finding that more and more places are carrying this chocolate. Target, Giant Eagle, Whole Foods – Check it out! This is a small change you can make for yourself.

So I ask you, what the heck do YOU eat? Are you eating the right things for your body? Are you giving it the nutrients and fuel it needs to help live your best life?

Wishing You A Pain Free Day!

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Want help on completing your own elimination diet? Check out my self paced, online eCourse!

Elimination Diet 101 Self-Paced eCourse

Or maybe you’d love to work one on one with me?

If you’re in the Pittsburgh area, contact me to see about my next group coaching session! Contact me today!!!

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Ask Juls Wellness Wednesday

Wellness Wednesdays Are Getting A New Twist!

On Wednesdays I like to bring you wellness tips to help you make healthier choices for you and your family – whether it’s helping to heal your chronic condition or just enhance your current state of wellness. I get asked so many questions about what I do on a daily basis that I decided to make short little videos for you!

 

So what is this ‘Ask Juls’ thing all about?

 

Get ready for some great videos! 🙂 And if you have a question you’d like me to answer make sure to comment, tweet, Facebook, Instagram, email or whatever it to me!!!!

Wishing You A Pain Free Day!

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Diet Wellness Wednesday

“Are we allergic to food or what’s been done to it?”

Is our food making us sick? Are genetically modified foods the reason for so many different food allergies & chronic conditions? | itsjustabadday.com juliecerrone.com Certified Spoonie Holistic Health Coach

Is our food making us sick? Are genetically modified foods the reason for so many different food allergies & chronic conditions? | itsjustabadday.com juliecerrone.com Certified Spoonie Holistic Health CoachAs a health coach aka super health nerd, who is constantly watching videos and reading health and nutrition articles, I feel like it’s my duty to make you aware of really good videos that you should watch.

This Tedx talk is one that I think everyone should watch. Parents of children with food allergies, people with food allergies, autoimmunity, “seasonal” allergies, chronic conditions, anyone who’s ever been sick (cold, flu, ear infection) … really, everyone in the entire world (ESPECIALLY the USA) should watch this video.

Robyn publicly asks “Are we allergic to food or what’s been done to it?”. And guess what, she’s eliciting responses from major food companies.

I don’t care if you don’t have food allergies. Because, even if you’ve been tested for food allergies, I’d be willing to bet that the food you’re eating is affecting your health. 100% hands down. NO EXCEPTIONS.

So take the time to watch this and leave your comments of what you think below!

Wishing You A Pain Free Day!

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Autoimmune Diet Wellness Wednesday

Eat This! It’s Full of Vitamin D! #WellnessWednesday

I was sitting in my kitchen watching my brother chow down on Kellogg’s Cinnabon cereal and I started questioning the “Good source of vitamin D” claim the box was making.

Did you know that if you live in the USA and live above Georgia, you’re more than likely Vitamin D deficient. It’s estimated something like ¾ of the US population is lacking this sunshine vitamin! Knowing this statistic, I was interested if this cereal really was a good option for increasing vitamin D consumption.

There aren’t many naturally occurring foods which contain vitamin d so I knew that this ‘vitamin d’ definitely was an added ingredient in this “food”.

According to the NIH, 
“Very few foods in nature contain vitamin D. The flesh of fatty fish (such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel) and fish liver oils are among the best sources [1,11]. Small amounts of vitamin D are found in beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks. Vitamin D in these foods is primarily in the form of vitamin D3and its metabolite 25(OH)D3 [12]. Some mushrooms provide vitamin D2 in variable amounts [13,14]. Mushrooms with enhanced levels of vitamin D2 from being exposed to ultraviolet light under controlled conditions are also available.

Fortified foods provide most of the vitamin D in the American diet [1,14]. For example, almost all of the U.S. milk supply is voluntarily fortified with 100 IU/cup [1]. (In Canada, milk is fortified by law with 35–40 IU/100 mL, as is margarine at ≥530 IU/100 g.) In the 1930s, a milk fortification program was implemented in the United States to combat rickets, then a major public health problem [1]. Other dairy products made from milk, such as cheese and ice cream, are generally not fortified. Ready-to-eat breakfast cereals often contain added vitamin D, as do some brands of orange juice, yogurt, margarine and other food products.

Both the United States and Canada mandate the fortification of infant formula with vitamin D: 40–100 IU/100 kcal in the United States and 40–80 IU/100 kcal in Canada [1].”

Dr. Mercola is a doctor who I really, really respect and value his research and information. According to an article posted on his site,

“Vitamin D has major health benefits. The best source of vitamin D is from the sun, but you also see many foods fortified with Vitamin D. Unfortunately, milk and other foods fortified with vitamin D often contain a synthetic form called ergocalciferol, or vitamin D2.

This synthetic form isn’t as potent and doesn’t last as long in your body. In fact, synthetic vitamin D becomes toxic in your body at far lower levels. Too much synthetic vitamin D2 may be linked to health problems. A number of studies link synthetic vitamin D2 to irritation of the lining of blood vessels.” You can read more and watch a video here!

 

 

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So Kellogg’s, let’s decode this cereal box.

First off, the ingredients list isn’t the greatest.

Ingredients: Degerminated yellow corn meal, sugar, cinnamon topping (sugar, fructose, dextrose, cinnamon, spice, artificial flavor), whole grain oat flour, whole wheat flour, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, contains 2% or less of salt, natural and artificial flavor, red 40, yellow 5, blue 1, BHT for freshness, yellow 6.

When I read this I thought GMO, GMO, GMO, maybe GMO, maybe GMO, GMO, maybe GMO, GMO and lots of excitotoxins.

So my thoughts on this cereal are…

MAYBE you’re getting vitamin D from this cereal, but is it worth getting it from something that’s literally made from almost all genetically modified ingredients?

I’m gonna go with a big fat NO on this one. Let’s try this – get your butt outside and try to soak up some sun. Even a few minutes each day can help! And that’s the BEST way to get your vitamin D… not from a ‘fortified’ cereal.

Wishing You A Pain Free Day!

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Autoimmune Diet Wellness Wednesday

Natural Peanut Butter, Is It ‘Natural’? #WellnessWednesday

When you have a chronic condition, it’s extremely important that you feed your body the right fuel that it needs. When you add in extra toxins, it makes an already compromised environment even more compromised!

So, natural peanut butter… it has to be healthy, right?

I mean it says ‘Natural’. It has to be all natural . . . righttttttt?

WRONGGGGGGG.

Let’s take a look at this Jiff Natural Peanut Butter.

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When I look at this packaging, the following jump out at me:
  • The word ‘Natural’
  • Contains 90% Peanuts
  • Sugar and Palm Oil
  • Molasses
Not on the packaging, but here’s a post from Snack Girl on the difference between the Natural Jif Peanut Butter and the Regular Ol’ Jif Peanut Butter.
What does the word ‘Natural’ on packaging mean?

It doesn’t mean what you probably think it means. And nope, choosing packages that say natural and all natural reallllllly isn’t choosing the ‘healthiest’ option.

NATURAL: Currently, no standards exist for this label except when used on meat and poultry products. USDA guidelines state that “natural” meat and poultry products can only undergo minimal processing and cannot contain artificial colors, artificial flavors, preservatives, or other artificial ingredients. However, “natural” foods are not necessarily sustainable, organic, humanely raised, or free of hormones and antibiotics. (Adapted from www.sustainabletable.org | © Institute for Integrative Nutrition | Used with permission)

Well, it contains 90% Peanuts! That’s good right?

Yes, yes it is good! I mean, hellllllllllllloooo, it’s peanut butter. You legit make peanut butter by blending peanuts up… so, shouldn’t it be like 99.9% peanuts?

Sugar and Palm Oil

So sugar and palm oil, eh?

In the Snack Girl post above you can learn more about palm oil, but sugar… is sugar natural? Well, it can be. If you notice the ‘Molasses’ ingredient in the list, you’ll see that there is a little bit of sugar coming from a more ‘natural’ source. But let’s look further into this ‘sugar’ ingredient.

Where does sugar usually come from?

There are a ton of sources sugar can come from. Sure, maybe it’s pure cane sugar, but let’s get real. Did you know that pretty much 100% of sugar beet crops are genetically modified? And did you also know that if the ingredient is listed as ‘sugar’ it’s pretty much a sure bet that at least the majority of that sugar is coming from sugar beets? (Read more here from the Organic & NonGMO Report) If you don’t believe me, call the company and ask them where their sugar is from.

So, Jif . . . I have to ask? How on earth do you consider genetically modified sugar to be ‘natural’?

I’d love to know!

nutbutter

What you should look for when you’re looking for a natural peanut butter solution:
  • First off, if you have an autoimmune disease I actually suggest you do not consume peanut butter. I say this because peanuts are actually not considered nuts, but legumes. There are proteins within legumes, grains and some veggies (like nightshade vegetables) which are extremely hard to digest. When you have a normal functioning digestive system, you may be able to eat these foods without any problem. BUT, when you have a compromised immune system – aka, leaky gut – you should really remove these proteins from your diet.
  • “Natural Peanut Butters” usually contain at least 90% peanuts and do not contain artificial sweeteners, colors or preservatives . . . but inspect the ingredients. Just like the Jif ingredients, they claim to have no artificial sweeteners, but to me how is genetically modified sugar NOT artificial? The damage that those genetically modified molecules are doing to our bodies hasn’t been researched in long-term studies.
  • Look for PB that has sea salt in it, if any salt at all.
  • Peanut butters sweetened with honey are great options. If you want your PB sweet, look for AT THE VERY LEAST organic sugar. That way, you know you’re not getting GMO sugar, but organic sugar cane.
  • The best natural PBs contain peanuts and that’s it!

So be on the look out for what ingredients are in your nut butters. The same issues occur with ALL nut butters, not just peanut butters!

Also, think about the jelly you’re putting on your PB&J too 😉 You don’t want jellies that contain a TON of sugar. The best “jellies” are just smashed up fruit! It’s delicious – I promise you’ll love it.

Wishing You A Pain Free Day!

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Autoimmune Wellness Wednesday

Some Crazy Science Stuff . . .

“Every time you have a thought, you have a biochemical reaction — and those biochemical reactions also interact with your immune system,” she says. There are studies, too, that show immune system changes with exercise, meditation, sleep, and even with the micro biome: “Understanding these interactions is a fascinating and important area of research.”   New Study Shows Biological Differences In People With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

 

If you follow my blog or my social media outlets, you already know my fascination with research aimed at the microbiome, epigenetics and autoimmunity. I read the above article and couldn’t agree more – EVERYTHING we do, everrryytthiiinnggggg, causes reactions in our body.

dangerous_question_1_409905What we think and how we perceive situations will cause different chemical reactions in our bodies.

What we ingest will cause different reactions in our bodies.

What we’re around, what’s in our environments and what we put on our bodies all cause different reactions in our bodies.

There are so many different factors to control, it can seem like an overwhelming task of trying to take them all on at once.

I’ve written many posts about these topics – GMOs in your Supplements, Detoxing: What You Put On/In Your Body Medicine Wise, Detoxing: What You Put On Your Body, Detoxing: What You Put IN Your Body… to name a few.

I’ve given you suggestions on ways to cut down toxins in your body so that your cells have the fuel they need to properly work . . . but this video does a great job at explaining why reducing those toxins is so important!

Just because you have a genetic predisposition to something, doesn’t necessarily mean you HAVE to have it. By avoiding toxins, and changing some routines, we can start to control our gene expression!

When you give your body the right fuel it needs, then your cells can play the symphony of you PERFECTLY!

Wishing You A Pain Free Day!

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It's Just A Bad Day

GMOs In Your Supplements!

This is a super important post that I hope you read!

th-9I’ve mentioned numerous times before GMOs, but are you looking at your supplements to make sure they don’t include GMOs AND also things you’re avoiding in your diet (i.e. gluten, soy, dairy)?

My sister and I take things extra cautiously when picking out supplements. She’s super critical about making sure there is no soy in her products and we’re both very critical about making sure there are no GMO ingredients in them as well.

For instance, did you know that a lot of vitamin c supplements are made from corn. And what’s one of the top GMO crops? CORN! Therefore, unless your supplement is explicitly stating it’s non-gmo, it’s more than likely made from GMO ingredients.

Two of the biggest GMO ingredients in supplements are soy and corn.

I recently reached out to a supplement manufacturer that I was debating on taking. Their answer was that since most corn is GMO, that their product was not certified non-GMO.

I found the following very interesting in a piece published on Natural Society:

An investigator researching for this piece actually got in contact with NOW, a leading supplement producer. They asked about how they extract their vitamin C products when considering the high percentage of GM corn that currently supplies the industry. Concerned for their health and the health of consumers, worldwide, they wanted to know if they were swallowing GMOs — or at least vitamins derived from GMOs. In response to their inquiry, a NOW team member replied:

 

“All of our C is derived from standard corn not certified to be non-GMO… Many products [in the industry at large] contain soy or corn derivatives which are generally GMO’d. We are motivated towards non-GMO-sourced products.”

 

The NOW Science & Nutrition Group rep then included some information from their Technical Director Michael Lelah, which talks about how NOW is generally opposed to genetic manipulation of the food supply but does not specifically use non-GMO sources for all of their products. The excerpt from Lelah which the rep said was copied from a blog ‘Natural Is Better’, reads:

 

“Genetic Modification: NOW is opposed to genetic modification, because there are real and unknown harmful effects. Unfortunately, much of the world’s supply of corn and soybeans is genetically modified which is why we continue to offer more products that are certified GMO-free.”
Read more: http://naturalsociety.com/supplement-brands-openly-contain-gmo-vitamin-sources/#ixzz3S7lnQ4px

th-8When you’re debating a supplement to take make sure that you ask yourself the following questions:

1. Does the product contain corn?

2. Does the product contains soy?

3. Does the product contain sugar or fake sugar (like aspartame)?

4. Does the product contain gluten, dairy or eggs?

5. Is the product certified organic and/or non-gmo?

If the answer to any of these is YES and number 5 is NO, then DON’T TAKE IT!

It’s not a risk that you should be willing to take.

You may be taking a supplement that is helping your joint pain, but is wreaking havoc on your gut! There is so much research linking autoimmune and chronic disease to gut health, is the supplement actually helping you?

Wishing You A Pain Free Day!

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Want more info?? Here are a few articles to read!

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Are There GMOs Hiding In Your Vitamins

3 GMO Foods Likely In Your Vitamins

Top US Brand of Children’s Vitamins Contains GMOs, Aspartame, & Other Hazardous Chemicals

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It's Just A Bad Day Mental Health Mind Body Connection Wellness Wednesday

2 Tools To Remind Ourselves We’re All The Same

“When you choose the energy of your soul — creating with the intentions of love, forgiveness, humbleness and clarity — you gain power. When you choose to learn through wisdom, you gain power. When you choose to create with the energy of your personality — with anger, jealousy, or fear — you lose power.”Gary Zukav

One of my childhood friends’ brother was in a horrible accident the same week my Grandpa passed away. He spent over a month in the hospital, but is now at home learning to embrace his new life without feeling from his chest down.

His amazing friends and family organized a comedy club night to raise money for him and to say it was a success is an understatement. Sold out is 350 tickets and they had close to 400!

While I was there, my mind was racing. The whole night really just gave me a whole new perspective on things. I know the night was far from about me, but I couldn’t help but really start thinking about my own situation.

“Love yourself—accept yourself—forgive yourself—and be good to yourself, because without you the rest of us are without a source of many wonderful things.”

~Leo F. Buscaglia

Almost a year after my symptoms first started, I spent 98% of my day lying in bed.

I was in so much pain.

No one could help me.

I was so inflamed.

I gained weight.

I couldn’t put any weight on my leg.

Everything in my life was spiraling down the toilet, fast.

I definitely went through a period where I wished for a different life. Of course I wished that none of it was happening, but I went through very dark times where I wished that I could just have my leg cut off or that there was something wrong with me severe enough that I could either be treated or I knew there was a suffering timeline that would end relatively soon.** I hate thinking about that, and I hate even saying it more, but it’s the truth. My parents would get so mad at me for saying it. And looking back on it, I now feel very ashamed that I thought that way. But, throughout that horrible time in my life, I always knew, subconsciously, one day I would be better again. I couldn’t see it coming soon, and 2 years later I’m still working towards that goal, but I know in my heart it will happen one day. I’m not saying that my friends brother and I are in the same boat, but I totally understand how he feels.

I understand what it’s like to have a ‘go-go-go’ paced life taken away from you.

I understand what it’s like to have everyone else in your life go on living their lives while you’re stuck in one place.

I understand what it’s like to lay awake at night praying so hard that you’d wake up the next day and it would turn out to all be a nightmare.

I understand, therefore I couldn’t help but start to compare our stories.

I couldn’t help but think how I know at sommmmme point in my life I will drop my crutches and be able to walk again. I don’t have to spend my life in a wheelchair. Yes, my autoimmunity causes me severe fatigue and malaise which hinders my daily activities, but if I pace myself I can still do bits and pieces of what I want to do.

After the event I couldn’t fall asleep right away. My mind just kept racing and racing and racing. Thinking about where I’ve been, where I am now and where I have my sights set. And soon enough, I was crying.

680f1f8cc659ab1734ef1543bcbf240bOne thing about the chronic illness community is there’s always someone online that will listen and support you. I began talking with my friend @abrewi3010 and my mindset began to completely shift.

He said: “I think it’s human nature to compare with each other. The good thing is there is no such thing as different lives, there is only life. In the end we all want to smile, love, explore, etc.”

Wow. Alan can be deep sometimes! 😉

But seriously, “The good thing is there is no such thing as different lives, there is only life. In the end we all want to smile, love, explore, etc.”

I don’t think there is one objection you could make to that statement. No matter what our situation is we all want to be happy, make relationships, have fun with friends and family… we all want to experience life.

When you look at it that way, it’s hard to see how different lives can be.

I’m not sure if you’re familiar with the ABC show Forever, but last week Henry Morgan (the main character) had a great monologue…

“Our body feels pain to warn us of danger, but it also reminds us we’re alive. That we can still feel. That’s why some of us seek it out, while others choose to numb it. Solitude has always been my analgesic of choice. But what if feeling nothing is the worst pain of all? What if the sharing of pain connects us to others and reminds us that none of us is alone? As long as we can feel.” — Henry Morgan, Forever S01E08

I specifically really like the “What if the sharing of pain connects us to others and reminds us that none of us is alone? As long as we can feel.” line.

If we all want the same things in life, if we all feel so we can connect to and with each other – then we’re all in the same boat. Right???

We’re all together in this thing called LIFE.

Chronic illness or injury can make us feel that we’re alone on an island with no one around who understands what we’re going through. When you begin to feel like this, pull out these 2 RIDICULOUSLY POWERFUL tools and remember what Alan said, “The good thing is there is no such thing as different lives, there is only life. In the end we all want to smile, love, explore, etc.”

Love

 “You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection.”  Buddha

I’m sure you’ve heard me say this before, but I love love love love love the affirmation ‘I am Love’. It truly is the affirmation that has stuck with me and governs my life. Whenever I am in a negative or disappointing situation I start to repeat this affirmation in my head. I have found that when we approach life with love, not only for ourselves, but for others as well, we can see a HUGE shift in our thinking and our attitudes.

The other day I was reading an article on the 9 Lessons On Loss, Forgiveness and Healing. The following is an except from it and I just think it truly speaks to why we should always choose love.

Love: so much better than hate. You have the capacity to love everyone, no matter what has happened, and even if the gesture isn’t given in return. Give openly. Receive gratefully. Walk on compassionate ground. Think of compassion as something that’s always with you, like the earth beneath your feet, instead of a “good deed’ you have to achieve every day. Let the path guide you. Feel free to make your own.Realize yourself. You deserve love and kindness too so give it to yourself. Let go of any guilt about being selfish. Enrich your heart. It beats for you.

Here are some great articles which can help you start choosing love:

How Do You Actually Learn To Love Yourself?

21 Tips To Release Self Self-Neglect and Love Yourself in Action

How To Boost Your Mood In 20 Seconds Or Less

How Do You Actually Learn To Love Yourself?

 

gratitude

“We tend to forget that happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something we don’t have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.”Fredrick Koeing

SilviaMordiniThere are so many ways to show gratitude, and just as it is with love, gratitude isn’t ONLY about giving gratitude for other people and things BUT GIVING THANKS FOR YOURSELF TOO! All aspects of giving gratitude are important. We tend to see around Thanksgiving time so many statuses and Facebook messages about how people are thankful for X and couldn’t get by without Y, but when’s the last time you showed yourself that same thankfulness? When’s the last time you told yourself you were proud of something you accomplished or did? when’s the last time you stood at the mirror and complimented yourself? You may laugh at the idea, but it’s something that Louise Hay stresses in so many of her books. Repeat your positive affirmations and compliments, to yourself, in the mirror!

At the end of everyday I always run back through my day and give thanks for what I have, did, ran into, etc! It can REALLY put a bad day in perspective. For instance, maybe it was a bad pain and fatigue day and I didn’t really make it out of bed. BUT what I can be thankful for is the heating pad which helped keep my joints and stomach warm, my Mom for making me a cup of tea, for my friend texting me a funny story just at the right moment and I can especially be thankful to myself for remaining calm and not getting all worked up about it.

Make sure you give thanks to everything and everyone, including yourself, in your life.

Here are some great articles which can help you start practicing gratitude:

How Gratitude Can Calm Nerves And Make You More Effective

Scientific Proof That Being Thankful Improves Your Health

How to Start a Gratitude Practice to Change Your Life

Turn Pain To Joy: 11 Tips For A Powerful Gratitude Journal

The mind is an extremely POWERFUL tool. If we begin to control how we perceive stress, emotions, situations, experiences, people and things in our lives we can really begin to have control over our complete happiness. A ‘positive’ attitude won’t ‘cure’ a chronic illness, but it most definitely makes it easier to battle the challenges of everyday life.

IMG_0983-0.JPGWe all deserve to be the happiest we can be, but sometimes we forget the foundation of happiness. Love and gratitude are two of the basic pillars of happiness and no matter WHAT is going on in our lives we can find SOMETHING to love and be grateful for.

I may not be able to have any impact on my friends’ brother’s situation, but there are things that I CAN do.

I can send him love.

I can send myself love.

I can give thanks for all I have and can do.

I can send thanks to him for all that he has and can do.

And the list could go on and on . .

I challenge you to find a situation where love and gratitude can’t be found . . . I guarantee you’ll be looking for a lonnnggggg time.

Wishing You A Pain Free Day!

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**Note: I never thought about harming myself or anyone else for that matter. If I had, I would have hoped someone would have suggested I go to see a professional. If you have feelings like this, please don’t be ashamed, speak up and get the help you need. Depression and anxiety go hand in hand with chronic illness. You’re not alone!

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It's Just A Bad Day Medical Conference Mental Health Mind Body Connection National Psoriasis Foundation Wellness Wednesday

Bittersweetness

Last week I had the amazing opportunity to attend a social media summit sponsored by Celgene. They so graciously invested in me, to help build up my medical knowledge around psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and even had one of the co-founders of blogHer give a presentation on increasing social media presence.

As many of you know, the year prior to going out on disability I was living in Manhattan. Or more so playing in Manhattan haha! After my lease was up I had decided to move back to Pittsburgh because of a variety of reasons. At the time I really questioned if I was doing the right thing, but the universe definitely was guiding me in the right direction. Very shortly after, my leg blew up, I was in surgery and out on disability aka relying on my family for everything.

One of my roommates in NYC, he was a great friend from high school, had an ACL surgery last year. If you’ve had the procedure done you know that it can be a challenging recovery. Add in the stress of crutching around NYC for everything into the mix!!! *whew* I give him so much respect for making it through that. And I have so much respect for the thousands of individuals who do it everyday in the big apple. While I was there, I loved loved loveeedddd the fact I didn’t need a car – that I could get everywhere and anywhere quickly and easily. That becomes an extreme disadvantage the moment you can’t walk.

Day-1-e1398278567835Where I stayed in SoHo was about 2 blocks away from where my favorite store is located. I was so excited to go and buy a few new things for my winter wardrobe. (I mean out of all of Manhattan what are the chances I’d be THAT close? How could I not go??) The social media summit was held one block over, the opposite direction, of the hotel at the New York Genome Center. It was very easy getting there in the morning and I had a great day. On my way down the elevator that morning I actually started talking with a man who ended up being one of the participants of the summit! (You can find him at Psoriasis Campaign for a Cure!)

The day was absolutely wonderful, definitely spurring off a few different blog posts from information covered during the sessions (stay tuned!). After we were done I knew I wanted to go and hit up the store before meeting up with a friend for dinner. I was loosing steam, but I knew if I powered through it I could make it.

Crutching down the city blocks was most definitely a different experience than walking. Usually I would get irritated stuck behind a slow moving person in the crowd, but during this walk I actually welcomed it! Luckily it was a Tuesday night and NOT the weekend, so it was busy, but not ‘Saturday afternoon’ crowded.

By the time I made it to the store I was pooped. As I looked around, my energy levels dropped so low that trying clothes on became a chore. Usually I wanted everything and anything in the store, but I only grabbed about 5 things to try on. As I stood in the dressing room, trying on an adorable top, I couldn’t help but think ‘this blows‘. I was used to getting up on a Saturday morning, walking miles and miles during the day shopping, exploring the city, trying new foods and then going out at night with friends. How could walking, or crutching rather, the few blocks over to Broadway tire me out so much that I didn’t even want to try on all the cute clothes at this store?

What was going on in my life? What had my life become?

Can any of you relate to this? After our immune system becomes overactive, our active lifestyles tend to decrease. Sure, after walking all those miles my knees would be sore, my feet would hurt, or I’d need a nap, but come on – when could I NOT try on clothes? (I’m always up for shopping haha)

After our immune system becomes overactive, our active lifestyles tend to decrease. #autoimmuneArthritis

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After I checked out and began to crutch back to home base, I took a different way, walking down a street that I used to love to check out the little restaurants and cafes. I think SoHo is one of the cutest places in the city. On the weekends, the SoHo section of Broadway is crazy busy with tourists and locals shopping. But that evening, walking down Spring and Thompson, the weather was perfect, it wasn’t too crowded and everyone seemed to be in a great mood. I took a deep breath and soaked it all in. In THAT moment everything was perfect, maybe not so much a few moments before, but in that moment I was in the SoHo I loved. I was enjoying my time being there. I was loving life.

gabbytweet44Life is about being in the moment. Sure, comparing this trip to my routine walks through SoHo a few years back was like comparing apples and oranges, but in that moment there was nothing else I needed. There are so many times within chronic illness we become lost in our thoughts and our thoughts begin to poison our bodies. By focusing on what I DID do and not what I DID NOT do, it helped me to be happy and excited about my trip.

And of course, no big surprise, but I didn’t want to go home haha (do I ever?) I swear I could just travel the world for the rest of my life and be happy.

This wellness Wednesday, I want you to focus on the here and now.

NOT where you were last year this time.

NOT what you used to do before you were ‘sick’.

But, focus on what you’re doing now.

Focus on the small miracles that occur in your life everyday. (because they do happen! everyday!

“Throughout my journey of spiritual growth, one message from A Course In Miracles that always resonated with me deeply was ‘Only the mind decides on what it would receive and give.’ This point reminds me that in any given situation I have the choice to perceive love or to perceive fear. Through the daily practice of choosing love over fear, eventually love became an involuntary response. Of course, my fearful ego sneaks up on me often, but through perseverance, the loving voice now speaks louder.Gabrielle Bernstein #MiraclesNow

Today I’d like to ask that you repeat a mantra that Gabby gives in her book to help practice the principle of choosing peace and affirming your commitment to miracles: I choose to see peace instead of this.

I choose to see peace instead of this. #MiraclesNow

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Eager to see how this affirmation plays out in your life. Leave comments on how it goes 🙂

Wishing You A Pain Free Day!

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