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If you're on a low carb kick, trying to fan out all those extra nasty carbohydrates in your diet, here is the perfect recipe to satisfy your hunger.
Made with fresh ingredients, you can toss together in a jiffy, this is the perfect breakfast to jump-start your morning. 1 (12-oz.) package reduced-fat ground pork sausage 8 large eggs 1/3 cup milk 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon butter 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese Preheat oven to 350°. Brown sausage in a 10-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 10 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink; drain and transfer to a bowl. Wipe skillet clean. Whisk together eggs and next 3 ingredients until well blended. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat; remove from heat, and pour half of egg mixture into skillet. Sprinkle with cooked sausage and cheese. Top with remaining egg mixture. Bake at 350° for 23 to 25 minutes or until set. ![]()
Last week while getting my "steps" in on the PE field I was hit dead on while completing my crossover near the basketball net. I am sure you're wondering "Why would you be in such a remote position knowing you have chronic health issues?"
First let me plead my case. I have been walking this same circular track for eight years. I cross over the basketball net area on the backside of the course, and I am always diligent watching what court the team is rebounding. So I may have looked up in the trees scanning for local birds flocking together in hopes of some early spring weather. Nonetheless, as I circled the spot, I heard a warning yell and immediately felt the pain in the right side of my face which included the nose. The sound was deafening. It was a good, solid shot by a high school senior. My senses were out of whack as I struggled to regain my composure. The electrical circuit that our CNS paths run on became heightened. Pain shot back through my skull. It pulsed down the neck and spinal cord reverberating through my shoulders. My arms and hands began to sting and shake uncontrollably. It's path was relentless, sending tumultuous shocks down to my feet. Everything is 100 times worse with fibro. Swelling began, but not too bad. By the time I got home I was electrified, nerves pulsating throughout my body. I was jittery, nervous, agitated, sick to my stomach, and had symptoms of head pressure and congestion on the right side of my face. I slept 12 hours, woke with the same symptoms and called my doctor. Because the swelling wasn't in need of ice at this point, I asked about the possibility of a concussion. I explained my symptoms. I had no time to circumvent such ideologies on the internet so I relied on my doctor for an explanation. She said, "Were you knocked out? Well, then you couldn't have a concussion." She ordered a CT scan that I was unable to get because my insurance regulated a simple xray first. I knew something was wrong and spent the day arguing with the imagery site and the doctors office to get the approval through. I did get in the next day for an xray that pointed to a small fracture to my nose. But, I had no doctor telling me to take it easy. I was left with the feeling it may be my overactive CNS that is causing all this. Meanwhile I slept 10-12 hours each day for the next four days which sustained the same symptoms. More importantly, I went around my basic tasks, "pushing myself though." It was during this time a friend who also happened to be a retired EMT said, "You have the classic symptoms of a mild concussion." I was beyond pissed. You can be certain I called that doctor's office to voice a complaint. But in the meantime, Dear Reader, I am going to give you a bit of information in case you come into the same scenario so you will not be ringing you hands wondering what to do because your brain can't focus on the internet. What Are Head Injuries? Head injuries are injuries to the scalp, skull, or brain caused by trauma. Concussions are the most common type of sports-related brain injury with an estimated 1.6 million to 3.8 million sports-related concussions a year. A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that happens when the brain is jarred or shaken hard enough to bounce against the skull. This can happen when two athletes collide or when someone falls and hits his or her head. It can also result from being hit in the head with a piece of sporting equipment. In a sport such as soccer, even "heading" the ball can cause a concussion. A concussion causes an alteration of a person's mental status and can disrupt the normal functioning of the brain. Multiple concussions can have a long-lasting, cumulative life-changing effect. You don't have to be hit in the head to experience a concussion. An impact elsewhere on the body can create enough force to jar the brain. You also won't necessarily lose consciousness with a concussion. Concussions range from mild to severe. The effects may be apparent immediately, or they may not show up until hours or even days later. Other types of TBIs are a contusion, which is a bruise on the brain that can cause swelling, and a hematoma, which is bleeding in the brain that collects and forms a clot. A skull fracture is another type of head injury that can affect the brain. Sometimes with a fracture, pieces of bone can cut into the brain and cause bleeding and other types of injury. What Are the Signs and Symptoms of a Brain Injury? Signs of a TBI include:
Indications that a head injury is more serious than a concussion and requires emergency treatment include:
Receiving medical attention as soon as possible is important for any type of potentially moderate to severe TBI. Undiagnosed injuries that don't receive proper care can cause long-term disability and impairment. Keep in mind that although death from a sports injury is rare, brain injuries are the leading cause of sports-related deaths. Symptoms should be closely monitored often with a moderate to severe injury and may require an overnight stay in the hospital. X-rays may be used to check for potential skull fracture and stability of the spine. In some cases the doctor may ask for a CT scan or an MRI to check on the extent of the damage that occurred. More severe injuries may require surgery to relieve pressure from swelling. Guidelines urge doctors to be conservative in treating sports-related brain injuries and to not allow someone who has been injured to return to activity that involves risk of further injury until completely free of symptoms. That usually takes a few weeks. But symptoms of severe injury could persist for months or even years. A person with a moderate to severe injury will likely require rehabilitation that may include physical and occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, medication, psychological counseling, and social support. It did take a week for symptoms to abate. But, there is still a sense of fogginess and slight pressure that makes life activities a nuisance. I'm sure I'd be better off if my prognosis was correct and treatment plan was clear. ![]()
These are the months I feel the most fatigued. I live in Florida and when the sun is at it's lowest and cool air abounds us, I fall into the sickly category. These months are the most common days when a new chronic illnesses abounds and is diagnosed officially.
This year I've tried something different. Besides placing coconut oil in my shakes, I've taken to the habit of ingesting a teaspoon twice a day. This is only during the months of December to March when rain clouds obstruct my view from my outdoor hammock and grounding. So far, so good. No sickness to take of note of and the fatigue is not as bad. Remember, you must consume cold pressed extra virgin coconut oil. Once I am reunited with my sun, I will resort back to just my smoothies in the morning. I will keep you posted after I've reached the end of March. While coconut possesses many health benefits due to its fiber and nutritional content, it's the oil that makes it a truly remarkable food and medicine. Once mistakenly believed to be unhealthy because of its high saturated fat content, it is now known that the fat in coconut oil is a unique and different from most all other fats and possesses many health benefits. Coconut oil has been described as "the healthiest oil on earth." Published studies in medical journals show that coconut, in one form or another, may provide a wide range of health benefits. Some of these are summarized below: * Kills viruses that cause influenza, herpes, measles, hepatitis C, SARS, AIDS, and other auto immune illnesses. * Kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, gum disease and cavities, pneumonia, and gonorrhea, and other diseases. * Kills fungi and yeasts that cause candidiasis, ringworm, athlete's foot, thrush, diaper rash, and other infections. * Expels or kills tapeworms, lice, giardia, and other parasites. * Provides a nutritional source of quick energy. * Boosts energy and endurance. * Improves digestion and absorption of other nutrients including vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. * Relieves stress on pancreas and enzyme systems of the body. * Improves calcium and magnesium absorption and supports the development of strong bones and teeth. * Reduces inflammation. * Supports tissue healing and repair. * Supports and aids immune system function. * Helps relieve symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome and FMS. * Has no harmful or discomforting side effects. * Is completely non-toxic to humans. ![]()
Those who deal with chronic pain issues need a bit more guidance than your average Joe. For those sufferers, friends and family members often leave an unintentional deaf ear when needed the most. It is not that these individuals intend to leave us astray, but rather they can't fully comprehend the daily tasks of trials and tribulations that leave us drained and anxiety ridden.
It is at these times that prayer is most needed. By allowing your life's path to be by guided by God takes the onus of control off your back. As you well know, life offers no control. If we have control for the moment, it is often fleeting, leaving us without a moment's notice. After all, there are times in life we must go with the flow, drift on the river of intent, and hope it leads us to peaceful grounds. By questioning and admonishing what is happening to us only leaves us with a life of regret. And, as you well know, stress causes more pain, and that you can do without. Put your pain in someone's arms, allow your life to be guided, ask God to come in, and pray each moment you need him most. You will be amazed at how often your prayers are answered and peace is blessed upon you. If you need some spiritual inspiration, God's Message Today offers a Monday's Blessing Blog. I write this blog, too, as an outlet to aid my own spirituality. I realized at the onset of this illness I needed a higher power to get through life's daily nuances prayer has amazing attributes and can help you battle that fire in our souls. Dr. Mehmet Oz offers this advice, "Regardless of what motivates people to pray, there's no denying that a lot of people do it. One study shows that 36 percent of people use complementary and alternative medicine, but that number almost doubles when prayer is included in the definition. Those respondents say they use prayer for their own health and to help others. Even more telling: Of those people who said they prayed for health reasons, 70 percent said that prayer was helpful. Why? Seems like it may work through several different mechanisms:- It relaxes: A form of meditation (no matter what your religious preferences), prayer helps to slow breathing and brain activity, and reduces heart rate and blood pressure. All relaxing, all good. - It's positive: Let's face it. When you pray, you typically don't finish feeling like you want to rap somebody's ankles with a wooden spoon. You leave being filled with peace, joy, and other emotions that are worthy of being printed on holiday cocktail napkins. There's some evidence that these emotions lead to positive physiological responses throughout the entire body. Our stress hormone levels prepare for a peaceful existence. Perhaps more importantly, our immune system becomes less agitated so chemicals like proinflammatory cytokines, which act like kerosene on a fire, are not driving our joints and arteries to overreact to every biologic stress inside us. The result: A less inflamed, more beautiful place to live.- It's better than nothing (i.e. the placebo effect): I'd be remiss in my reporting if I didn't say that some of the benefits derived from prayer can simply be accounted for because the person feels like it's helping, whether it's physiologically helping or not. Placebo effects have been shown to account for 70 percent of the benefit in some procedures. My stance here is that thinking you're doing something to help yourself is a big part of prayer anyway." He recommends reading You Being Beautiful. |
AuthorValerie utilizes an extensive amount of research producing this blog. Categories are purposely set up in stages, rather than topics, so you can easily implement one step at a time. Archives
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