There's a sense of control that is regained when you begin the quest of avoiding all the unnatural products that may have contributed to your current  circumstance.  Your body begins to feel healthier and pains and nuances are swept to the sidewalk.  Your outlook becomes educated as your body begins to rid itself of excess chemicals through colds and such.

I've often noted I'm thwarted with a head cold or flu like symptoms whenever I add another natural body cleanser to my routine.  This is due to the excess toxins and mucus in the body as my system flushes these invaders away.  Small microbes discover the excess wastes, morph into other forms,  and go about doing their job - consuming the bodily wastes. While this is happening,  symptoms begin that makes us miserable. 

Commercial brand toothpastes contain caustic and toxic ingredients known to  affect physical health. There's a reason why if it's ingested in large quantities that the consumer is directed to call a poison control
center.

Invaders in Your Toothpaste

Sodium fluoride (aka Flouride) is a toxic chemical used in rat poison. Teeth do  not require fluoride, but fluorine. Fluoride is not a mineral or element, but  fluorine is. Fluorine helps prevent tooth decay. Organic fluorine is found in  Black Walnut Hulls and Miswak (Peelu), although in very low concentrations.

Propylene glycol is an industrial agent. It is commonly used to keep products  moist and is also used in car antifreeze solutions and de-icing solutions for  cars, airplanes, and boats.

Sodium Laurel Sulfate (SLS) is a surfactant and detergent commonly used in  engine degreaser, garage floor cleaners, and car wash soaps. It's also used  clinical testing as a primary skin irritant.

Sodium saccharin is another ingredient in rat poison. In toothpaste, it's a  sweetener.

Polyethylene is PLASTIC.

Blue Lake, FD & C Lake, and all the Lakes are petroleum-derived dyes and  known carcinogens. They are used in your toothpastes to give them color.

I spent my life trying to save a few pennies in abating my financial budget strains.  Yet, I wonder while saving these few cents, had I put my own health in jeopardy?  Buying natural toothpastes costs a few cents more than their counterparts.  When I think of how long a tube can last, I think of how silly I've been in not incorporating this simple luxury into my life sooner. 




 

Often as fibromyalgia suffers we have this relentless feeling that our bodies have failed us.  Failed us in ways that stem from not being able to experience life's rewards as we see fit.  This especially can be found around the holiday season as thoughts of yesterday permeate our minds reaching out for activities that we were once achievable.  Instead, we are thrown into the woes of what we were once able to do, coupled with the fear of over doing it, and being unable to enjoy anything.

From now on when you feel overwhelmed, go ahead, let out a big sigh.  I know that sighing is something we usually do whenever we are bored and gets little notice. But, actually, the act of sighing is more important than you may think. In spite of not being done consciously, sighing has been recognized for having a positive impact on our mind and body, because it is an effective way to release inner tensions and  normalize your breathing rate.

Furthermore, sighing is an instantaneous, natural way for the body to decompress by allowing it to take in more  oxygen and release CO2. When we get to sighing, it means we have decided to let go of our own control for the time being.  This allows us to shift the game plan  or even bend the rules with a little sigh.

When you are ready, sigh audibly – It really does make a difference to the whole body.  In fact, do this several times a day.  And when you're in one of those pain modes remember, "Nothing lasts forever." Your pain may  feel completely different tomorrow.

There seems to be increasing evidence on phosphate additives in foods contributing to pain issues for fibromyalgia sufferers.  While there are many theories as to what factors contribute to fibromyalgia, scientists are noting reduced pain for those who eleminate phosphates from their diets. Some researchers, such as fibromyalgia expert Dr. R. Paul St. Amand in an article for the "Fibromyalgia Treatment Center," believe that phosphates play a key role in the development of  certain symptoms of fibromyalgia.  Dr. Amand is also a fibromyalgia sufferer and has devoted countless hours of research to this Phenomenon.


Phosphates and Phosphate  Metabolism

Phosphates are derivatives of the mineral phosphorus, and are actually types of salt combined with phosphoric acid. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, because phosphorus is present in foods like milk, proteins and grains, most people obtain more than enough of this mineral from dietary sources. In fact, most people acquire too much phosphorus. Your calcium needs increase with your intake of phosphorus, and too much of the latter and not enough of the former can cause poor bone health and conditions like osteoporosis. A buildup of phosphates can also interfere with cellular energy production and is thought to contribute to fatigue and other symptoms of fibromyalgia. A phosphate buildup occurs when your body doesn't excrete enough phosphates out of your body through  your urine; it is thought to occur due to a kidney malfunction, according to the  National Fibromyalgia Association. -Taken From Live Strong

Foods High in Phosphates

Soft drinks, soda drinks,  especially cola or coke and fizzy lemonade
Cordials/fruit syrup  beverages
Chocolate, lollies,
sweets, candy, and anything else with a high  citric acid and sugar content
Ice-cream
Skim milk powder (often added to  processed foods)
Biscuits, cookies, cakes from the supermarket
Tomato  ketchup 
White tuna
Mayonnaise
Fish fingers
Processed cheese, especially soft  cheese
spread
Frozen pizzas
Hot dogs
Processed meats
Baking  powder and
self-raising flour often contains phosphate aerator

Avoid all  foods that list as an ingredient mineral salts, emulsifiers and lecithin.

Natural Foods that Contain Phosphates

Egg yolks 
Milk
Nuts
Wheat germ
Soybeans and their by-products
Peas 
Beans
Lentils
Corn
Mushrooms
Oats
Cocoa beans (chocolate)
Sweet breads - liver, brains, kidneys 

Be a label checker as you peruse your local grocery.  Try to get all packaged foods void of phosphates this week.  Take note if these reduce your symptoms.

At this point in time I'm certain you noticed a direct correlation on your well-being and your body's response to pain.  When you are in a state of euphoria, your body compensates and enhances your pain mechanism reducing flare ups.  Living in chronic pain can be overwhelming some days, but there are steps you have at your fingertips to reduce these occurrences.

 Many fibromyalgia patients have a history of chronic stress, often due to overloading their schedules and taking on too much responsibility for other people such as family members. A high number of fibromyalgia patients are young women who have “Type A” personalities and who lead ambitious, busy,
stressful lives. Men with fibromyalgia often have worked in jobs that have resulted in physical job-related stress.

For fibromyalgia patients, stress can also make the condition worse and can trigger particular physical symptoms. People who suffer from fibromyalgia often have trouble knowing their personal limitations, which can make it hard for them to know when they are in danger of overexerting themselves. When fibromyalgia patients physically overexert themselves, this can often lead to increased stress, which results in increased pain.

A vicious cycle can easily develop because pain can lead to more stress, which, in turn, can lead to more pain. For this reason, stress management is a key factor in alleviating fibromyalgia flare ups.  In order to do so, we must learn to relax, and learning comes easily if you understand Deep Belly Breathing.  Deep breathing can clarify your mind, and get you back to center stage quickly.  It can be done THROUGHOUT
the day, EVERY DAY.  Follow the guided steps below and seek peace again.

Begin by getting yourself some stickers, such as those rounded bingo stickers.  Find your favorite color.  That rounded marker will be your best friend in upcoming weeks.  Begin placing those rounded markers throughout your life.  On your dash, computer, kitchen stove, door way, and such will remind you when and
where to do your Deep Belly Breathing.  This little indicator will make your thoughts shut down for the moment as you begin a few deep breaths.  The most amazing thing is this little exercise will bring you immediate relief.  Go ahead, give it a shot, and regain clarity.


Deep Belly Breathing Guided Practice

1.  Begin by lying in a comfortable position away from family and friends.
2.  Place one hand on your chest and one on our stomach.
3.  Breathe, notice if you are a chest breather.  If so, you are harboring stress daily and not letting the body let go.  Breathe deeper until you feel your stomach rising.  This is the essence of Deep Belly Breathing.  Take note and breathe this deep when you do the exercise elsewhere.
4.  Inhale for the count of five and exhale slowly to the count of ten.  Breathe in and out slowly, deeply, evenly. 
5.  Repeat four times.
6. During this exercise get a favorite image: a beach, the woods, a field of flowers, Paris.  Place yourself there while breathing.
7.  Imagine the waves or wind taking out the stress each time you exhale depending on your place of choice.

*Do this anywhere.  When you look at your sticker, and feel stress, begin to breathe and imagine.........

I just had personal revelation I felt compelled to share.  My probiotic supplement ran out unexpectantly and due to ordering a bit late, I was without my morning supplement for almost a week.  For those who have sensitivities to medicines and food, you know full well that introducing even an old substance back into your dietary track can be tricky and cause uncomfortable side effects. 

I thought best to wait till the weekend when life is not too demanding to begin taking them with my usual full glass of water in the morning.   This would give my body time to adjust when Monday morning rolls around again.  What I found during that week delay was just short of amazing.  A few days into no supplementation, my body began to produce slight pains.  These pains were something I was unaccustomed to feeling these last few months.  As the week further progressed, I felt a heavy pressure in my chest and back, intermittently, throughout the day.  In fact, as the days rolled on, it became quite painful.  It felt as though I was coming down with a bronchial infection.  I could feel the heaviness of my own labored breathing as my body began fighting off a massive infection.  This was not fibro pain, this was the feeling of coming down with something only the flu season brings.

What follows next is just short of amazing.  I started the probiotic again right before the weekend ensued, and within a day began to feel symptoms subside.  I immediately felt uplifted and went about the last few days of my week with little symptoms left.  This may not surprise you, but there is recent research that links immune difeciency disorders to the gut.  Helping my body produce a natural defence against unhealthy bacteria seems natural.

"Probiotics are similar to live microorganisms that normally live in the human digestive tract. Intestinal bacteria are important in keeping the digestive system healthy  and working properly. When bacterial colonies are damaged, for example by  therapy with antibiotics, the result may be diarrhea or other digestive 
disorders. Eating foods rich in probiotics or taking supplements containing probiotics may help keep the gastrointestinal tract healthy and may provide protection from harmful bacteria, according to MayoClinic.com."  http://www.livestrong.com/article/281399-list-of-probiotics/#ixzz2BAOWX5Ry