Grey Skin and Red Juice...what

Haha, a kitten different from my normal title themes right?

Sauna Update 
This week I have been trying to get back in the swing of what my routine is supposed to be. That includes, sauna twice a week. Today I only last in the sauna about 20 minutes, which isn't long enough. Usually I do 30-35 min, 130F.
I guess this is a sign I need to be more consistent. It's just been so hot outside, getting in a hot sauna just does not sound fun...but hey, it makes me feel better and that IS fun. So I'll do it.
As long as my mind doesn't forget...which its all to good at.

On another note, I have an interesting story about using the sauna recently. After I get out of the sauna I usually go and take a shower. I use baking soda on my lymph nodes around my armpit to help  clear them out(more on this later), and because baking soda is also an exfoliator it removes dead skin. Here's the odd part, the baking soda and dead skin turned blue...like bright grey almost teal blue. Also there was a lot of dead skin, which Is another unusual thing...
My thoughts are maybe heavy metals coming out after my short sauna hiatus??

My Diet
I'm a diet nut. Not a secret, but I suck at eating. For whatever reason I can't eat much food before I feel extremely full or even nauseas. To avoid either of these happening I have found a select few foods that are easy to make and take little energy to produce, anyone who eats healthy(low sugar/GF/DF) knows these foods are few and far between.
So I tend to get bored with food and start eating junk food that I don't need to be. Not because I want it but because I just get sick of eating the same food day in and day out, over and over.
It's time to get back into healthy eating, consistently. I haven't really been that bad, but I would feel better if I cut the crap out altogether.
So today I made a big glass of juice, two actually. One to drink and one for breakfast when I don't feel like cooking.
Instead of the usual green juice I mixed it up and made red juice using strawberries, plums(from a friends tree, kale, carrots, pomegranate, spinach, and ginger. It wasn't bad, tasted a little odd...but I've made worse lol

Day 3 plus a Bike Ride

Day 3 of my "Feel Better for Christmas Challenge" down!
Today was a fairly good day, yesterday did leave me with some residual fatigue, but otherwise
not much to write home about.

I had a smoothie w/cocoa powder again for breakfast, juice for lunch, and 2 bowls of white chili for dinner.
I made a face with todays juice ingredients :)

It became a little discombobulated when the juicer started working its magic..

Have you bought a juicer out of jealousy yet? I know everyone that is reading this is just about to die for some juice, HA!

But...overall my appetite was more diminished today than yesterday, but I feel like that is because of something I did today....I guess I should explain that..

This afternoon was very nice, not too hot or too cold, the sun was shining, and I was tired of being locked up inside. So I thought to myself "I should go for a bike ride. After all its such a nice day and I could use a little exercise." I dug out the bicycle, pumped up the tires, and decided to go for it.
I knew I shouldn't over do it, so I decided I would only do a mile. I used to do two miles a few times a week, or more. I thought again "Couldn't be that hard and shouldn't take that long?"
Well...I was almost right.

I took off on my bike, feeling like this will be fun for a change. I did the full mile and made it back to the house, still feeling okay. I thought I could even do more, I was smart enough not to, but I felt like it was possible. See that didn't hurt? So close

Not long after making it back indoors and taking the bike back to its resting place, I started feeling it. My legs started killing me, my vision started pulsing, and I became very nauseas...

Naturally I think, maybe I should drink some water, so I go to the kitchen. I think back, before going on my excursion I drank a glass of water with some Calm Magnesium and chia seeds. That shouldn't be a problems, I used to always do this before riding. I should be well hydrated, especially considering it wasn't really that hard of a mile, I think...

I drink some more water and keep going throughout my day. Still feeling horrible, very dizzy and nauseas. I had a few little snacks and some more water(with some pills accompanying it a few times).

I felt my pulse a few times, didn't seem to be that fast. Maybe too slow? I could feel my heart beating though my chest.

Now seven hours later its finally faded, not gone, but faded. Food still feels like its out of the picture(even though I have been eating since the ride) but the dizziness is better.

Note to self-still no exercise..

Christmas has Begun!

Thanksgiving is now over, the Christmas season has begun! More radio stations are playing Christmas music, the neighbors are putting up their decorations, and I am starting to get excited :)

I, being chronically ill, usually feel worse in the colder winter months. Its cold, I stay inside, and overall it is just a more stressful time for me. December through March or so are the worst...This year, I want to make this change. I have plans this December, I don't want to feel nasty and depressed.
I have decided to challenge myself. Beginning today I plan on making sure I do everything I can from diet to detox to supplements, to feel better for Christmas.

In one of my previous posts I mentioned that me and food, don't get along well. Its not that I don't like eating, my stomach just doesn't like food...I eat all the time, I just don't seem to absorb it.
Juicing has always been my best food in the past, if I juice consistently I can guarantee I will feel a little better. Sometimes a lot better, sometimes just less dead. Either way, I take it :) better is sometimes the only option with this disease.

Starting today, I am going drink at least one homemade juice daily, drink a protein shake daily, and consume 3 healthy meals a day made from whole foods. I know this will make me feel better, even if its just a little bit.
I am going to post recipes and tips on how to eat healthy, even on the crappy days when I don't want to get out of bed. I want to feel good at least one day before the year is over, and by gosh I am going to make it happen!!

So here it is, the beginning of Operation feel good for Christmas.
Broccoli, sweat potato, zucchini, apple, lemon, and Brussels Sprout juice!

Yum! :)

 

This is just the beginning, I will have more to share later on!

 

I also want to challenge anyone else suffering from chronic illness. It can be anything, doesn't have to be juicing daily or a diet change. I just want to challenge others to do what it takes, just for a few weeks so they can get a short break from the extremes of our sickness. While I totally recommend a healthier diet and juicing for anyone with any ailment, its just not an option for everyone. Smoothies, soups, beans, and nuts are other great foods to ensure a better diet, just a thought for anyone who is considering the challenge and does not want to buy a juicer.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!! I did, I wasn't too symptomatic and I did a little more than take up space on the couch. Not much more, but more lol

I knew I was going to be loading on the junk food today, so yesterday I made sure I drank plenty of homemade juice and smoothies, I call it pre-detoxing. I wasn't too bad, but I'm sure I will be feeling the sugar load tomorrow...
Do you guys do this? I don't know how much merit it has, but extra nutrients will hopefully keep me ahead for when I eat junk. Just a thought

Recently I started reading this blog, It is written by a Canadian mother of three who struggles with lyme disease and babesia. She has had to travel from Canada to San Francisco for treatment. She has been writing this blog since 2007. I started reading it last week, starting at post #1. I am up to 2009, hoping to read another year of posts tonight. I usually wait to share a blog until I am totally up to date, but I just had to share it :) This woman is hysterical, even though she is obviously struggling and suffering she has something funny to say about it. That's great, I always try to find the bright side and make a joke, but it can be hard. Props to Shannon!!

Since it is Thanksgiving, I guess its a good idea to reflect on just a few things I am thankful for-
Being as healthy as I am, it could be worse
Finding an LLMD I am comfortable with and I trust, even though I haven't been yet
I have great friends I can talk to if I ever have an extra lymey day, online and in person
A great family
and of course this blog, which gives me a place to vent and hopefully provide some sort of benefit for someone else


Happy Thanksgiving!! Watch out for black Friday tomorrow, I have a feeling a few people will be making the news just because they wanted something $5 off.. .

Frosted Lemonade!

Yesterday I made  a lemon slushy, so I decided to take pictures and make  my first recipe post!

Ingredients-
Fresh Lemon Juice
Ice
Stevia Sweetener
Peppermint oil

This was very simple to make, I juiced 2 lemons.

 

Then added in a few drops of peppermint oil, 2-4 depending on how much peppermint you prefer.

Last I filled the cup with ice and added 1teaspoon of Stevia.

I used the Magic Bullet blender to mix it.

 

                                                         Here is the final creation!!

Enjoy!