Psoriatic Arthritis Journal - 2.5 year Update Page 63

[nicoles]

And more inspiration from the person over at Dr F's forum who I quoted a couple of posts ago.

Just hang in there, the RA plagued me off and on over the months where I could not walk and needed the steroids. By reading and re-reading the good doctors books, writing things down and drinking my arthritis juice (I call it) really makes the difference. I do not feel sorry for myself, that only promotes negative feelings that lead to downfall. I stay positive and tell my mind every morning that I am going to beat this foreign invader by whatever means I have to. Remember that whatever the mind can conceive and believe the mind can achieve. Never say my _ _ _ _, by doing that you own up to it as yours and your mind then keeps it for you and you will never get rid of what attacks. Stay focused, I have all my positive energy focused toward you and the Nutritarian way of eating works. Don't get me wrong, I am not over it yet, but, I will be. I have not been to a doctor in over a year. I just do it and keep positive. Thank you for your reply, I know you will get over your crippling pain. I have confidence in you. Pain, I had it, where you felt you were being pulled apart by both legs. Saying every morning that my mind is in control and that there is no autoimmune in me or any other foreign attackers really strenghtens your mind, makes you feel like conquering the world.
Stay tuff, hang in there. We are all here routing for you.

and this

For those who find it hard to follow Dr. Fuhrman’s nutritional advice, here are some items that might help you out. I know it helped me out.

You have to keep a clear picture in your mind of what you want.
Write down your goals and recite them in front of a mirror 12 times for 2 weeks to re-enforce them in your mind.

You have the power to take possession of your own mind and direct it to whatever ends you may choose. Your only limitations are what you set up in your own mind or what you let others set up in your mind.

You must control your mental attitude. A negative mental attitude will bring you failure. Your mental attitude is the one and the only thing you can control. Your real limitation is what you set up in your own mind and accept. If you stumble, go back and read your goals. You have to go that extra mile and not fear criticism of others. No matter how many times you have failed in the past with other ways of attaining your goals, you can achieve your goals if you keep your mind positive.

WHAT EVER THE MIND CAN CONCIEVE AND BELIEVE THE MIND CAN ACHIEVE.

You are always learning. Remember: “Education comes from within; you get it by struggle and effort and thought.” When you have read Dr. Fuhrman’s books, go back and re-read them again. Why? As Stephen King once said: “Good books don’t give up all their secrets at once.”

Before success comes in any person’s life, he is sure to meet with much temporary defeat, and, perhaps, some failure. When defeat overtakes a person, the easiest and most logical thing to do is to quit. That is what the majority of what people do. Failure is a trickster with a keen sense of irony and cunning. It takes great delight in tripping one up when success is almost in reach. Remember to always keep on going, no matter how hard the going may be.

[moonwatcher]

Hi nicole,

I hope you don't "mind"-- --if I throw a tiny monkey wrench in the notion implied in this lovely person's perspective on how to succeed that the body is nothing more than a drone for the mind. My experience continues to bear out that this is not the case at all. So I will reiterate here that the body mirrors the mind, but the mind also mirrors the body. How many times do we know something "in our gut," and even use that phrase, but the mind overrides that truth? I really think the relationship between the two is more like what Dr. Campbell describes the relationship between nutrients in whole food and the body's ability to assimilate. They work in concert with each other, or are meant to.

I was stunned when I started eating this way the messages about relief from inflammation my body was able to send my mind, and how it slowly began to be able to do consistent work to heal itself, and thus, open my mind up this possibility at a whole other level besides fearing to be sick and wishing to be better. So I experience the body as every bit as wise as the mind. That we don't listen to it is a whole other matter. Nevertheless, the "music" of healing seems to exist in a place where respectful exchange between the two is allowed. Hard to put into words, but thought I'd try.

I know I'll hear something back from you, and others, that will also add meaning to this remarkable phenomenon for me. Maybe a blog post will emerge from it!

xoxoxo

moonwatcher

[nicoles]

hi Moonwatcher!

I don't "mind" at all, in fact I completely agree with you and experienced something quite similar to what you describe!

although I am happy for the poster and appreciate that he has been helped with this attitude, it is a little too...militant?...for me to take on, personally.

Hmm...I am typing awkwardly from DH's iPad right now, so I'll have to expand on this later...

Xoxo

Nicole

[nicoles]

This story about an 18 year old's scientific discovery is fascinating.

[moonwatcher]

That was super cool, Nicole! And thanks for your "mind body" solidarity too!! It's such a fascinating topic, isn't it?

xoxo

moonwatcher

[Debbie]

I do believe I am having some detox going on and probably will for a while. I have two little rashes on my face, one on the left side of my chin and under my left eye. Kind of like little pimples but its really dry. Came up a couple of days ago.

Strange about you having the ammonia smell too. I always had the same thought, where did the cat pee. haha And since having kids I have a very hyper sense of smell, smelling things most don't. Hmmm

[Debbie]

Moonwatcher, I just saw your post for the drumstick. hahaha I remember doing that too. Although it was the Beatles or Beach Boys being debated.

Oat groats can be eaten raw??? Do steel cut oats work?

This looks like something I might make for us on Valentines day evening. The girls don't have school the next day, so a nice special evening would be nice. Of course that will be on top of all the crap they'll be getting at school.

Oh and the date syrup, if I cant find it what else can I use?

[nicoles]

Yes, Moonwatcher, mindbody stuff and experiences is so fascinating! When I think of how my unconscious mind can regulate and control hundreds of thousands of bodily and cellular processes, I want to just have my conscious mind step aside and get out of the way!

Debbie, it is wild how we both have the smell thing. So much is happening that no-one really has an explanation for yet, if ever. I totally believe you'd have a detox after embarking on your 21 days! These things seem to have layers and layers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Speaking of detox, I have been having an interesting experience over the last week or so. For years, certain of my muscles seem to always be tight. I don't know if that is because there is some slight inflammation at the tendons connecting them to bone (called enthesis, it is a typical symptoms of PsA), or if it is from lack of movement, or if it from me unconsciously avoiding a painful movement, or what, but they just refused to budge, no matter how I stretched.

Then, over time, some would give way. This was happening slowly, yet steadily, with some ups and downs, so I figured I could just trust that this was a part of the slow healing and leave it at that, not try to force anything too fast, just do gentle stretching and give them the chance to let go in their own time.

So things were progressing and I was getting into some really deep muscles* and pushed it a little. And each day directly after I'd do that, I'd either get reaaallly tired, and need to nap, on top of sleep 10-12 hours that night, or I'd have a bad flare-up, unlike anything in recent months. Or both! And the second day after that, I'd feel back to normal.

Made me wonder if the lack of circulation from the tightness, in combination with the stretching increasing the circulation, released old stored junk back into my system for me to process, or detox, from.



*The psoas in particular, a very deep hip flexor that is also somewhat atavistic- during stressful times it tenses, as though to bring your knees up to your chest, as an ancient instinct to protect our inner organs when danger was present. Nowadays, all the sitting we do shortens it anyways, plus the stress we feel (which might have no direct physical impact on our inner organs yet the psoas, aka iliopsoas - really two muscle groups, the psoas and the iliacus- still tightens) causes this hip flexor to tighten, and it can cause knee, lower back, ankle and shoulder pain, which can then refer to other joints. So it is a biggie! Pete Egoscue is big on releasing the psoas as a goal of primary importance. for all types of pain relief.

[nicoles]

And, not really on the subject, but wonderful in its cuteness, poignancy, and humor, plus imagination, is this.

[nicoles]

Ugh. Stress and frustration. Just venting here a moment.

We found out today the real reason behind DH getting fired. He was trying to communicate with his boss through emails because she was crazy and irrational. But crazy like a fox. She got hip to that, and fired him essentially because she felt he was documenting her. Which he was, of course.

Anyone have any good insights into how to protect yourself from a crazy boss without coming off like you are documenting them? I am at a loss. Unless there is no really good answer to that.

Oh well. I don't have a good mind for corporate politics at all, and I find that information ( the real reason he was fired) both reassuring (at least he was not fired for incompetence!) and terrifying (there is no safe and reliable way to protect yourself from people - not that this is news, but still.)

Stress has been tiring me out a lot lately. Sleeping 12 hours a night, and needing to - if I don't I have pretty high pain levels. If I do sleep a lot, I am reasonably OK. I guess that's what needs to be done. Sleep as needed.

[eri]

Wow. Just wow. No advice, but lots of *hugs*

[Lesliec1]

That stinks! What was the "reason" they gave for firing him? I guess it doesn't matter. Businesses can do almost anything they want. I get physically ill when I remember some of the awful bosses I've had in the past.

Honestly the way to get along with a bad boss is to suck up. Which makes your life hell anyway. If you've ever known any suck-ups in a job, they seem the most unhappy of all. So it's a lose-lose. You just have to move on really. So when he finally gets to look back on this whole episode, he'll be glad he was released from that pit of doom.

Your stress is from just everything I assume? I'm glad you are able to sleep at least.

[nicoles]

Thanks Eri! *hugs* right back atchya!

Leslie: Pit of doom Exactly!

Thanks for the commiseration! Yup, it stinks. The real "reason" for the firing is mutual-not-getting-along-well, but in a more succinct phrasing that what I just came up with. But yeah. They can pretty much do whatever they want, and DH's HR rep is besties with his horrible (soon to be ex!) boss, so even more so.

It does seem like the last two people who worked in this position were suck ups, and they were miserable. Getting out is indeed the best solution.

Yes, my stress is from this, plus my Dad is having heart surgery next Thursday, and we are 3,000 miles apart. Should be fine but I worry. And, we are two weeks away from DH being jobless, and not two months; the closer it gets, the scarier it gets.

I am glad I can sleep, too. Not much else I can do, really, except take care of myself and keep plugging away at my own forays into additional income.

[nicoles]

Interesting article about the appendix.

In 2007, Parker and his colleagues suggested that the appendix has an immunological role, acting as a "safe house" for beneficial gut bacteria. These bacteria help train the immune system and can prevent diseases by outcompeting dangerous pathogenic bacteria—but there are times when the dangerous microbes gain the upper hand and overrun the gut. The researchers reasoned that when this happens, the beneficial bacteria could retreat to the safety of the appendix, which remains unaffected. Once the immune system has beaten the infection, the beneficial bacteria emerge from the appendix to quickly recolonize the gut.

[nicoles]

Tee Hee