I live with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS) and severe food sensitivities.  This diagnose came shortly after my initial diagnosis of Fibromyalgia.  This is one pain in the butt to say the least.  Most of the sensitivities center around food and chemicals.  All of a sudden most foods became unpalatable.  I found myself living on a diet of meat, beans, and certain veggies for a long period of time.   Furthermore, I was unable to handle most chemicals touching my skin.

​Multiple chemical sensitivity can include a wide range of symptoms, which some people link to their environment. It's also known as “environmental illness,” "sick building syndrome,” or “MCS.” Your doctor may call it “idiopathic environmental intolerance.”

The symptoms people report are wide-ranging. They include headache, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, congestion, itching, sneezing, sore throat, chest pain, changes in heart rhythm, breathing problems, muscle pain or stiffness, skin rash, diarrhea, bloating, gas, confusion, trouble concentrating, memory problems, and mood changes.

Possible triggers that set off people's symptoms vary a lot, too. They include tobacco smoke, auto exhaust, perfume, insecticide, new carpet, chlorine, and such. 

The American Medical Association doesn’t consider multiple chemical sensitivity to be an illness. Nor do they consider food sensitivities a real illness either, but it can wreck havoc on your daily life.  

One issue with having this illness is that you can't go out to eat and enjoy a normal dinner like most people.  You never know you will be affected by what you ingest.  You could be sitting there eating a meal with family and friends, and then wham! All of sudden you are overcome with dizziness, shortness in breath, and a huge amount of disorientation until your body redirects.  That could last a minimum of 20 minutes or days.  

Now I have my menu choices in my head for EACH restaurant BEFORE I sit down to avoid such catastrophes.

But I think the worst of it is the hair salon.  I used to LOVE getting pampered while getting my hair done.  It is a small kuddo in life that most woman appreciate.  You spend your days taking care of others, and then all of a sudden, every six weeks or so, you get someone to take care of you.  

If you are over 40 it is often a necessity if you work.  Being 50 with tons of gray hanging about is not appealing to some individuals like myself.  I pride myself on keeping a few years off by indulging in such a luxury.  

But shortly after being diagnosed, I got my usual highlights.  I get the foil packets and then a bit of low lights to cover the gray around my scalp.  This has NEVER been an issue previously. All of a sudden ten minutes into the procedure, I feel a tingling in my scalp and my heart begins to race.  Within minutes my heart is knocking so rapidly it feels as if it is rattling my chest.  I can see and feel its vibrations as I run to my hairdresser shouting, "I got to get this out! Something is not right!"

Visibly shaken, she says we can just try the "foils" solo next time.  "Great," i think.  "One more thing this illness has taken from me."  

I know what you're thinking, "My goodness!  Live with the gray!"

But when fibromyalgia has taken so much out of your life already, there are just times you say, "Screw it.  I gotta live some how."  But, then again, i also noted if it happened again severely I would HAVE to STOP.

Since then the reactions are less, more mild.  Sometimes they don't happen at all.  But, you can imagine, sitting in that chair doesn't have that warm fuzzy feeling anymore, it is a necessity (to me, of course). It is one thing I draw the line at for myself.

I had thought it was gone all this year.  Then recently on my birthday, trying to get myself dolled up for a dinner, I experienced it again.  Not as severe, but a bit of tingle, and then a pulse rise.  I grabbed my hair tech and she washed it immediately.  Symptoms disappeared shortly afterwards, but I was left with two days of chest tightness, spine swelling, and pain.  I should state for all you pre-med Google searchers, it was not the chest pain of the heart but of the rib cage.

To people who do not experience fibromyalgia, this may seem obscure.  But, when you suffer from this debilitating disease, there are just some things you are robbed of that send you over the edge.  Get you thinking and get you a bit disgruntled.  I felt the need to share today.  It ruined my birthday weekend a bit.

What is the one thing fibromyalgia has taken from you that drives you nuts?  

The role of inflammation in fibromyalgia has been the topic of debate for decades. In fact, the condition used to be called “fibrositis,” which means “fibrous-tissue inflammation.” Due to an apparent lack of inflammation, the name was replaced with fibromyalgia (fibrous tissue and muscle pain) because it was believed to be more accurate. But now many researchers are finding connections with chronic inflammation that may contribute to the pain and fatigue of fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia is frequently referred to as an arthritis-related condition. However, it does not cause joint damage or inflammation, as arthritis does. Nor does fibromyalgia cause damage to muscle and other tissues. Because of this, it was believed that fibromyalgia was not an inflammatory condition.

In recent years, multiple studies have revealed several markers of inflammation in people with fibromyalgia, including high levels of C-reactive protein and pro-inflammatory cytokines.

C-reactive protein is produced by the liver. The level of C-reactive protein can be measured in your blood and increases when there is inflammation in your body.

​Cytokines are proteins that are produced by cells which act as communicators in the immune system. There are both pro-inflammatory cytokines and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Pro-inflammatory cytokines promote systemic inflammation and play a key role in persistent and exaggerated pain states.

What Is Inflammation?

Inflammation is part of the body’s healing process. Without inflammation, infections and wounds would not heal. But inflammation can also be potentially harmful. There are two types of inflammation, acute and chronic.

Acute inflammation comes on suddenly from an injury or infection. It presents classic symptoms such as swelling, redness and pain. Acute inflammation is temporary, lasting from a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on the cause of the inflammation.

Chronic inflammation is long-term inflammation that lasts for months and years. It comes about slowly and sets the stage for chronic diseases. Heart disease, autoimmune diseases, neurological diseases, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s, arthritis and many other conditions are linked to chronic inflammation.

The causes of chronic inflammation include poor diet, stress, lack of exercise, chronic infections, and allergens or toxins from food or the environment.

Inflammation In Fibromyalgia

For decades it was believed that fibromyalgia was not an inflammatory condition because it doesn’t appear like most inflammatory disease. Joints don’t look swollen and typical tests for inflammatory markers generally reveal normal or only slightly elevated levels in fibromyalgia. Whereas, diseases such as lupus and arthritis present high levels of inflammatory markers.

Fibromyalgia research has been focusing on the possible contribution of inflammation to disease progression, and is finding some interesting results. We now have evidence suggesting inflammation may play a role, after all.

These are some of the findings:

• Skin Cells – A study from 2010 showed elevated levels of mast cells – which release inflammatory chemicals in response to various triggers – in the skin of people with fibromyalgia.
• Fascia – Another study in 2010 suggests that it could be the fascia (a thin layer of connective tissue) that’s inflamed in fibromyalgia. The research concludes that fascial dysfunction and inflammation may be what leads to central sensitization, which is believed to be a core feature of fibromyalgia.
• Stress Response – In 2012, researchers found that there was an inflammatory state that seemed to be tied to an abnormal response to stress. They were unable to determine whether inflammation leads to stress dysfunction or stress dysfunction leads to inflammation.
• Mitrochondria – In 2013, Spanish researchers theorized that inflammation in fibromyalgia could be the result of dysfunction in the mitochondria (cells that break down nutrients to create energy).
• Brain Inflammation – Scientists have discovered that brain inflammation caused by chronic nerve pain can affect signaling in the regions of the brain associated with mood and motivation. This discovery suggests there is a mechanism that connects chronic pain with symptoms of depression and anxiety.
• Poor Sleep – Poor sleep quality and short sleep durations are associated with higher levels of inflammation. Scientists at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, found in a study that sleep deprivation or poor sleep quality raises inflammation.

​Fibromyalgia Inflammation Treatment Options

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID’s) and steroids are the primary treatments for inflammation. Unfortunately, anti-inflammatory medications have been tested in people with fibromyalgia and do not improve symptoms.
The options we have to lower our inflammation are listed below:

• Massage – Manual therapies that target the fascia may be effective. That includes trigger point therapy (myofascial release) and a deep-tissue manipulation called rolfing.
• Exercise – Exercise can suppress the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In separate studies, gentle exercises such as warm-water exercise and yoga have been shown to reduce cytokines in people with fibromyalgia.
• Supplements – Anti-inflammatory supplements include:
  • Ginger
  • CoQ10
  • Omega-3 Fatty Acids
  • Rhodiola rosea
  • Turmeric (curcumin)
• Diet – Many doctors recommend an anti-inflammatory diet for inflammatory conditions. Although we don’t have research on whether it works for fibromyalgia. I have been following an anti-inflammatory diet for the couple of years and it has helped me.

Conclusion

Although there is no visible inflammation in fibromyalgia, the inflammatory factors are there and they are measurable. Multiple studies have revealed several markers of inflammation in people with fibromyalgia. Preliminary evidence suggests excess cytokines may be responsible fibromyalgia symptoms. These findings are uncovering new possibilities for fibromyalgia causation, as well as treatment options. Hopefully, in the not too distant future, we will have more answers and treatments that actually work. -Shared by FibroDaze

​One of the biggest challenges women face is learning how to care for themselves while caring for others. It requires a delicate balance between what often feels like polar opposites. I’ve spent a lifetime studying self-care. And I’ve come to the conclusion that good self-care is the single most important aspect of our health, period.

The programming of self-sacrifice leads ultimately to health-destroying sentiments, such as guilt, resentment, anger, and other emotions linked to high levels of stress hormones. Self-sacrifice feels wrong to us on a soul level—our spirit gravitates naturally to joy and happiness.

That’s why self-sacrifice ultimately makes us sick and keeps us stuck in dead-end situations—and why its opposite, self-care, is so essential to living a happy, healthy life. How well we care for ourselves as adult women is determined in part by how well our mothers cared for us (and themselves). Ultimately, however, it’s our responsibility to learn how to optimally care for ourselves regardless of what happened (or didn’t) with our mothers. We refine this process throughout our entire lives.

The key is knowing in your heart that the best way you can care for others is by caring for yourself. I know this requires a paradigm shift for many of you!

Despite what you’ve been brought up to believe, caring for oneself is not an example of a zero sum model (where your gain is someone else’s loss).

Everyone benefits from a woman who knows how to care for herself.

Self-care sustains and enhances the health of all those around you. The flight attendants are right when they say: You have to secure your own oxygen mask before assisting others.

Seven Easy Steps to Better Self-Care

Here’s a simple, up-to-date blueprint for enhancing your health through self-care:

Step 1. Tap into the stream of healing energy regularly.

Your body is connected to a healing stream of energy (also known as chi, prana, light, Source, and God) that you can absorb at will. All you need to do is be aware of it and be open to receive it! This is the basis for the healing power of prayer.

My favorite prayer service is Silent Unity. Silent Unity has volunteers who will pray with you and then pray continuously for 30 days. Tell the volunteer your concerns by phone or email, any hour of the day or night, and they will pray with you.  

Another particularly powerful way to absorb this healing energy is through Divine Love petitions as taught by Robert Fritchie, founder of www.worldserviceinstitute.org. Divine Love is the most powerful energy in the universe. You receive it into your body through your thymus gland, located just below your sternum.

To do a quick Divine Love petition for yourself, sit with arms and legs uncrossed. Now say the following petition out loud:

With my Spirit, and the angels help, I focus Divine Love throughout my system. I ask my Spirit to identify every situation and cause that separates me from the Creator. I release to the Creator all of these situations and causes. I ask that the Creator heal my system according to the Divine will. 

Now, close your mouth, draw in your breath through your nose. Hold it for several seconds. And pulse it out through your nose like you’re blowing your nose. That releases the petition. Throughout the day stay connected to the Divine by saying “I accept Divine Love.”  This practice – which is free to anyone- has been associated with many well-documented physical and emotional healings that conventional medicine cannot explain.

Step 2. Know that you are your own best mother.

Treat yourself like an ideal mother would by talking to yourself in a wonderful, nurturing way and providing for yourself that which you wish you had received from your own mother. For example, say to yourself, “Darling, I see that you’re tired. Why don’t you lie down and take a nice nap. When you get up, we’ll have a nice cup of hot tea” or “I see that you need a break. How about a nice hot bath and a good book.” You get the picture.

Step 3. Do something pleasurable each and every day.

Taking time for pleasure and fun decreases the stress hormones cortisol and adrenalin, which, over time, are responsible for heart disease, cancer, and most chronic diseases such as arthritis and high blood pressure. Plus when you take time for enjoyment, you’ll be able to approach arduous tasks with more energy and a better outlook.

Step 4. Breathe deeply and fully on a regular basis.

Breathing in fully through your nose instantly engages the rest and restore parasympathetic nervous system and helps the body metabolize stress hormones. Put Post-it notes on your phone, your computer, and your bathroom mirror. Write BREATHE in beautiful letters that uplift and remind you to breathe fully.

Step 5. Get support for self-care.

Find a self-care buddy and agree that each of you will hold the other accountable for taking care of herself. Start with my suggestions and add your own ideas. Brag to each other about how well you’re doing and especially how well you are caring for yourself. Plan to call your friend whenever you start to slip into over-care of others.

Step 6. Use the incredible power of no.

When someone asks you to do something you don’t really want to do, say NO! This is especially important if saying “no” makes you feel guilty or unworthy. In most cases this means you’re letting the needs of others overshadow your own. Only you know how much you can handle without over-committing. Over time, you’ll strengthen your “no” muscle and also attract friends who support your need to set healthy boundaries. Remember, saying “no” to someone else usually means saying “yes” to yourself!

Step 7. Don’t wait for permission to start taking care of yourself.

Believe me, no one is going to give it to you, although I know how much you desperately want someone to do so! How well I remember being on call in the hospital watching the nurses give each other breaks. I yearned for one of my colleagues to give me permission to take a break after being up all night. But no one did because the culture of medicine (particularly a surgical specialty) is so macho. I ended up with a huge breast abscess that dissected into my chest wall while I was trying to nurse my first daughter and work full-time. I learned a huge lesson about self-care—and also destroyed my ability to nurse my second child from both breasts!

Taking care of yourself regularly takes courage in our society. Far too many women get sick because it’s the only socially acceptable way to get the self-care they require. I think we can do better, don’t you?

Prepare to be called “selfish” when you start taking better care of yourself. And when someone calls you that, celebrate! (Then call your self-care buddy to brag about it!) After all, taking care of yourself is prevention at the most fundamental level. And it sure beats getting sick. (For those of you who claim that you don’t have time to take care of yourself, think again. Do you really have time to get sick? And will dying prematurely really be the best way to take care of your loved ones?)

Your Body, Your TempleAs you may know by now, you are a Soul. You are not your body. But you do have a body. And it is your job to take care of that body until you leave it. The same way you take care of your house or your car. This is your responsibility—it doesn’t belong to your doctor, your spouse, or your mother. It’s that simple.

Taking care of your body means, first and foremost, having a healthy belief system about what’s possible physically—especially as you move through time. And, you must engage in the physical activities necessary to maintain your physical self.

6 More Ways to Care for Yourself

1. Change your beliefs. Optimal care of your body begins with your beliefs. Every thought you think is accompanied by biochemical signals that move throughout your body. Serotonin, dopamine, and epinephrine are neurotransmitters that affect all areas of your body, and their production is based on what you think and feel. Stressful thoughts filled with anger, fear, or sadness increase stress-hormone levels in your body, which ultimately leads to cellular inflammation—the root cause of osteoporosis, depression, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and cancer. But this isn’t the only way your thoughts affect your health. They can literally determine which genes get expressed! It’s important to know and believe that your body was designed for health, vitality, and well-being for your entire life.

1. Treat yourself like a precious child. Self care is something that our society does not reward us for. In fact, it is often looked down on when someone, especially a woman, takes care of herself. I was reminded of this recently when I was watching my granddaughter, Penelope.   I was cleaning up the living room and realized that she was hungry.  So of course I stopped to take care of her — I would never starve my granddaughter.  Yet, I have certainly done this to myself!  Learning to treat ourselves the way we would a precious child connects us with our Divinity. You can practice this by doing simple things such as using the rest room when you have the urge, or eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are full. It also helps to set out a meal for yourself on a plate and actually sit down and enjoy it versus eating on the run while in your car or standing at the kitchen counter.

1. See your body as a temple for your soul. We are beings of light.  Our bodies are the densest, darkest matter.  When you see your body as a temple for your soul and treat it with love, and kindness and respect, you are bringing light into the darkest area.

1. Make gravity work for you. Sitting for more than six hours a day increases your risk of disease including heart attack, stroke, diabetes, obesity, and cancer. In fact, even if you exercise regularly, prolonged sitting cancels out a lot of the good effects. Standing all day is not the answer. The answer is moving your body through the gravitational field of the earth. Every time you move your body through gravity your body goes through thousands of minute physiologic changes in blood pressure, fluid exchange, hormone secretion, and stresses on bones and joints that help ensure health. So, if you sit at a desk, get up at least six times per hour. But if you can, it’s always best to add in something more such as stretching, knee bends or even squats. And remember, since the soul knows no timeline, it’s never too late to try some activity you have always wanted to do – dance, ride horses, ski, hike – whatever will keep you moving.

1. Take Care of Your Fascia. Fascia is the connective tissue that runs throughout your body. It connects skin to muscle and muscle to bone and every organ in the body. Our fascial network is a secondary nervous system. It can become dense, scarred, and thickened as a result of physical, emotional, or mental stress. Working your fascia regularly through body work, resistance flexibility, yoga, and other exercises can help you release old patterns that are stored there.

1. Feel Your Human Emotions. Being a spiritual being on a human journey requires that we feel human emotions. But, with spiritual practices becoming very popular, so too is the practice of taking a “spiritual bypass” to avoid dealing with painful feelings, unresolved wounds and developmental needs. A spiritual bypass looks something like this: “It’s all good.” “Everything happens for a reason.”  “Spiritual people don’t cry or have negative feelings.” “If you feel sad, you’re not spiritual enough.” While this may seem better than using alcohol or drugs, it has the same effect. Being a human being on a spiritual path requires that you are present in each moment for all of your feelings without letting those feelings define you.  Now, this does not mean that you want to stay in a perpetual state of anger, victimhood, grief or sadness.  These emotions lower your vibration.  It simply means you allow your emotions to surface and embrace them fully without judgment, and then allow full expression of those emotions safely.  That is the only way to deal with them successfully. Your soul actually learns from this process of deep awareness and release. (Every other approach — drugs, alcohol, spiritual bypass — just digs them in deeper.)  - Dr. Christiane Northrup

I stumbled upon this recently after coming to terms with an unforeseen calamity of fibromyalgia - weight gain.  Weight gain is usually attributed to the well-known side effect of over eating.  But, if you are a patient of fibro you know too well that this is not often the case.  After all, who can stuff their face when every fiber of your body is in ache mode?

There are many theories as to why weight gain is attributed to fibro.  One component stands alone - stress.  Stress is attributed to weight gain.  And stress is immortalized in every fiber of those who suffer from the illness.  There is stress about life and keeping up with it.  Stress about paying bills, stress about your job (if you are working). Stress about family.  Stress about eating.  Stress about pain (that is constantly there).  Stress, stress, stress, it's no wonder fibromyalgia suffers pack on 5-10 lbs. per year annually.

With all this stress comes frustration, apathy, and disgust.  You know that feeling when you try on an outfit you haven't worn for awhile and the button can not be fastened. Despite the fear you feel each day, there is that never ending question, "What are you doing to yourself? Why can't you get this under control?"  The sad point is that no matter how hard you try, and how less you eat, there's no reward.  This is a constant circuit disputing our lives. 

So I came upon the article below.  Take a moment and give it a try.  Dr. Northrup promises a new beginning if you follow her simple plan.  I've been working on it a week and have lost 3 lb. Most importantly I'm beginning to feel my heart swell with love again.  Love for those around me and most of all love of me. Best of luck to  you, too! Get out of that funk!  

For many, many years, I have said affirmations every day. They work along with the Law of Attraction and help to change your vibrational output. Because of the Law of Attraction, this vibrational output draws the people and circumstances into your life based on your thoughts and beliefs. They can be used for every area of your life. So if you are about to embark on a new career, if you want to begin to live a healthier lifestyle, or if you want to update or upgrade your relationships, and so forth, I suggest saying affirmations. It’s a subtle but powerful way to receive support from the universe—plus it feels good. And that is the beginning of all positive changes! When you can hold the feeling that an affirmation brings, it will change your point of attraction for the better.

It’s as simple as repeating twice a day into a mirror everyday for 30 days: “I accept myself unconditionally right now”.

Additionally here are some more of my favorite affirmations you might wish to try to encourage new beginnings, happiness, joy, and prosperity.
​

• I am health, strength, peace, happiness, and prosperity.
• Divine love, expressing through me, now draws to me all that is needed to make me happy and my life complete.
• My life is unfolding perfectly, in ways that are enchanting, exciting, and uplifting.
• I love taking care of my body. My body responds so beautifully to this care.
• I am magnetic to wealth and health.
• When I say YES to myself and my needs, my energy always increases and I feel wonderful.
• I awaken each morning feeling the promise of a new day and a new beginning.
• I love moving my body. I love getting stronger and more flexible every day.

-Christine Northrup - MD

Well, the benefits are in! Recently, I shared a routine oral hygiene experiment with Pursonic Oral Health Care.  If you can donate four minutes a night to daily oral  health care you can improve the overall health of your gums and teeth.  I decided to try this course for five months.  By then a routine yearly check up would be in order.  

My previous yearly exam left me stupefied.  I walked out with a bill over $4,000 which included a crown and a bridge.  To make matters worse, when my bridge was complete, my dentist informed me I would also need buccal fillings on four teeth.  These teeth had recessed gum lines that were exacerbating cavities.  That meant an additional bill over $400.  I simply didn't have it, my  credit cards were tapped out.

Why had my mouth deteriorated so badly due to my fibromyalgia?  I never had terrible issues such as this before I embraced a chronic illness. Now yearly exams showed progressive deterioration on ALL teeth in my mouth.  What could I do to prevent this?   

I decided to become more proactive to benefit my oral health.  I went on a limb and purchased the Pursonic oral irrigator and electric toothbrush.  With prices advertised below, what could I lose?  It was definitely cheaper than investing another $400 for newly needed cavity fills.  I had read that healthy teeth can remineralize by better care.  The body can health itself. I was on a mission!

My products were soon delivered, and I took quick note on the recommendations.  The oral irrigator allowed 30 seconds for each area of the mouth.  That was easy, there are four parts of the mouth - total care time only two minutes.  The electric toothbrush boasted the same. "Total nightly care should be only four minutes," I thought.  Well, four minutes can seem like eons when you have a busy household that nightly routines don't fit perfectly into the picture.  Nonetheless, I committed.  I was going to complete this routine for five months, every night, until my next yearly exam.  

Time flew literally as it always does. Before I knew it my oral evaluation was upon me. To tell you I was nervous at my exam was an understatement.  After all, I could be walking into a larger bill if my cavities decided to eat through my enamel and cause more damage.  Keep in mind, I didn't have the money to fill them five months ago.  

In the chair, feeling uneasy, my dentist began to probe my mouth.  "Hmmmm," he noted here and there.  

"Great," I thought.  "This is it, they've drilled themselves further into my gum line and now I need more extensive care."  I've heard, "Hmmmmmm" numerous time these past five years.

"Well," he continued. "I don't know what to say.  You're teeth are in the best health I've ever seen them. I'm going to re evaluate those buccal's I wrote months ago.  I'm surprised you didn't have them filled."

"What?!!" I thought.  Re evaluate? He has NEVER re evaluated a costly treatment.  I sat for another ten minutes, wondering what was happening, and was then handed a bill with NOTHING on it but the cost of the exam.  The dental assistant asked me to grab my things and meet her up front.  

"Wait!" I exclaimed.  "Can you give me a few moments?  Do I still need to complete the buccal fillings like my last exam stated after my bridge was fixed?" 

"No, not at this time.  The doctor feels that they are not present at this moment," she stated.

"Wow, wow, wow," my mind was reeling.  "It worked!" was all I could think.  In five years, every bill had FURTHER treatment needed.  There was always a long list of suggestions and needs.  I quickly breathed a sigh of relief and handed over my credit card for the exam and oral cleaning.  

Four minutes each night now seems like seconds donated to a healthier lifestyle.  To make matters more interesting, I am always in awe of how fresh my mouth feels.  It's like stepping out of the dental hygienist chair each night before I hit the sheets.  

It never fails.  You are in an enormous amount of pain and confusion and your doctor says, "Not to worry.  Let's get some blood work done and see what may be going on this time."  If I had a dollar for each time I heard this, I'd be rich.  

Yet, most importantly- like a trusting puppy, I go EACH time to have my blood drawn only to find out my levels may be just slightly elevated.  Why can't so much pain be seen and defined under the microscope? I certainly feel like I'm harboring something volatile! That is a question that may never be answered completely until science advances, I'm certain.

On the other side of the coin,  my recent self-acknowledged near death experience, can be reasoned that I'm not on death row after all. It doesn't help with the recent harrowing experience, but at least I know from a routine blood panel that my organs are not shutting down, nor do I have that cancer that I was sure was taking over.  

So what do routine tests show us?  

​Blood tests help doctors check for certain diseases and conditions. They also help check the function of your organs and show how well treatments are working.
Specifically, blood tests can help doctors:
​

• Evaluate how well organs—such as the kidneys, liver, thyroid, and heart—are working
• Diagnose diseases and conditions such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, anemia, and coronary heart disease
• Find out whether you have risk factors for heart disease
• Check whether medicines you're taking are working
• Assess how well your blood is clotting

Complete Blood Count

Doctors often order a complete blood count, or CBC, as part of a routine or yearly exam. A CBC measures the amounts of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and iron in your blood. This test can detect anemia, inflammation, infections and bleeding disorders. A CBC can also help the doctor determine if medications that you are on need to be adjusted.

Blood Chemistry Tests

A doctor may order a basic metabolic panel, or a BMP. This is a series of tests that is run on the plasma of your blood. These tests measure how much glucose and calcium is in your blood, and whether you have the right amount of electrolytes and minerals in your blood. A BMP can detect diseases such as diabetes, cancer, bone disease, kidney disease and other disorders. Some tests require that you fast beforehand, and others don't. Ask your doctor if you are unsure.

​Blood Enzyme Tests

Enzyme tests can show your doctor whether you have damage or disease in various organs of the body. A creatine kinase, or CK, test can help your doctor determine if you've had a heart attack. A troponin test is another test that can indicate a heart attack. Creatinine tests measure kidney function. Liver enzyme tests can help a doctor rule out or diagnose liver disease. These also help to determine whether a medication may need to be adjusted or eliminated if it is causing liver damage.

So, In actuality, you are being tested for a whole host of issues that could wreck havoc on your delicate system if not noted early on.  I know this may not be a comfort as to why you are experiencing such waves of pain and confusion, but at least you know for the moment life will go on.  And even this small sliver of hope allows us to move forward.  

I'm in love with my new machine my dentist recommended.  In fact, I can't imagine life without it at this point.  To think I spent so many years flossing, several times a day wondering if I'm ever going to be able to keep my mouth healthy and clean.  Don't get me wrong, it is still essential to floss due to penetrable bio films, but this handy contraption makes water flossing a breeze. In fact, I USE IT several times a day because it is quick and easy, and most importantly leaves my mouth amazingly CLEAN.  

When I chose flossing alone, I could often feel smaller particles left behind from the usual string.  Not many, but sometimes the crevices near my crowns and bridge felt tainted, not squeaky clean as when I have my periodontal treatments. I can tell you, this device makes me feel as though I stepped out of the dentist office each time I use it.  And, most importantly, it is much easier then spending those minutes going around those teeth several times attaining that perfect cleanliness that becomes more difficult after you've had major dental work done.  
Oral irrigators or water jets work by using pressured water or mouthwash to dislodge biofilm (plaque) from gaps between the teeth, around the gum margin and into periodontal pockets. An oral irrigator can also be used on orthodontic appliances and people who have crowns and bridges. Oral irrigators were first invented as an alternative to dental flossing as many people found it difficult to use floss as they could not reach areas in the back of the mouth. This led to people flossing infrequently and subsequently plaque biofilm would build up on their teeth. It is the build up of biofilm from remaining food particles in the mouth that contributes to dental cavities, bad breath and gum disease.

There are two main benefits of using an oral irrigator. Firstly, the device is an easy and effective way of cleaning your teeth as the water streams can reach far back into the mouth and in-between the teeth themselves. This is because the handles on irrigators are ergonomically designed and they have angled nozzles which allow you to access all areas of the mouth. And, you do not need to use irrigators for a long period of time before they are effective. Just a 60 second blast is enough to clean teeth in all areas of the mouth. Secondly, studies have shown that by using an irrigator along with your daily brushing twice a day, you can remove 99% more plaque than if you only used a manual toothbrush. And further research suggests that using an irrigator improves gum health by up to 93%, compared to brushing alone. It also helps to significantly reduce gingivitis and calculus after only 2 – 4 weeks of use.

It is thought that it is the pulsating action of an irrigator that is key to what helps clear dental debris and food particles. Although the streams of water are gentle and un-invasive, the powerful and targeted action of the water jets does work well to disrupt the most difficult to reach areas of the mouth. By using a powerful miniature pump to send pulsating streams of water through a plastic tip to clean the teeth, debris is efficiently swept away from over, between and under the teeth and at the same time works to stimulate gum tissue. By incorporating a regime where you use an irrigator to first remove biofilm and food debris, you are ensuring that your teeth are effectively plaque free before you progress to brushing with fluoride toothpaste.

Click on the image below to find the PURSONIC at Walmart for less than $42. I chose this one and find it is wonderful with adequate PSI for teeth cleaning after careful research.  Best of all, it won't break your bank!

​Exercise may lower the levels of muscle metabolites that can trigger pain in fibromyalgia patients, according to a new study.

The study, “Increased Interstitial Concentrations of Glutamate and Pyruvate in Vastus Lateralis of Women with Fibromyalgia Syndrome Are Normalized after an Exercise Intervention – A Case-Control Study,“ was published in the journa lPLOS ONE.

But because the normalization of metabolites was not enough to successfully reduce all pain among participants of the study, researchers suggest that fibromyalgia pain results from changes in muscles and communications in the brain.

Increasing evidence from previous studies had linked brain and spinal cord neuron signaling to pain in fibromyalgia. Additionally, it has been suggested that muscles hold many factors that could potentially increase pain sensitivity, but few studies had investigated how they muscles relate to the disease.
Because exercise is reported to reduce pain in fibromyalgia, researchers at Linköping University in Sweden sought to explore molecular changes that might bring about such improvement.

The team recruited 29 women with fibromyalgia and 28 healthy volunteers. Concentrating on the participants’ largest thigh muscle, the researchers measured a range of muscle factors using a method called microdialysis, which can measure metabolite levels surrounding muscle cells.

Researchers also examined overall body measurements, blood pressure, level of psychological distress, and aspects of quality of life. Additionally, they established the number of tender points, duration of pain, pressure pain threshold, and physical capacity.

Tests at the start of the study showed that women with fibromyalgia had higher levels of glutamate (known to be involved in pain signaling), pyruvate, and lactate.

After a 15-week exercise intervention focusing on resistance training of the legs, fibromyalgia patients had significantly lower levels of the metabolites glutamate, pyruvate, and glucose in their thigh muscles than at study start. Pain intensity levels among patients had also dropped. There were no such changes in the control group.

The team found that the decreased pain intensity after the exercise intervention correlated with lower levels of pyruvate and glucose, indicating that changes in muscle metabolites likely produced the positive effects of exercise on pain.

“This study supports the suggestion that peripheral metabolic and algesic muscle alterations are present in FMS [fibromyalgia syndrome] patients and that these alterations contribute to pain. After an exercise intervention, alterations normalized, pain intensity decreased (but not abolished), and strength and endurance improved, all findings that suggest the effects of exercise are partially peripheral,” according to the report.

Because all patients still experienced pain after the intervention, the researchers believe that fibromyalgia pain may be the result of factors associated with both the brain and muscles. - Shared Fibromyalgia News Today

Many people find fibromyalgia help through natural treatments — about 90 percent of those with fibromyalgia have tried some form of them. Because there are few clinical studies on most of these treatments, the only way to see if any work for you is to try them. Talk to your doctor about what might be most appropriate for you.

Vitamin D as Fibromyalgia Treatment
Both vitamin D and magnesium levels have been found to be low in people with fibromyalgia, but as of yet there is no evidence that taking vitamin supplements are an effective fibromyalgia treatment. Vitamin D, known as the sunshine vitamin, does have some effects on nerve and muscle function, and some studies have suggested that low levels of vitamin D may be associated with chronic pain of fibromyalgia. In a small clinical study published online in the January 2012 issue of Pain Medicine, fibromyalgia symptoms improved in 30 women after 8 weeks of vitamin D supplementation. However, other researchers have failed to find any association between fibromyalgia and vitamin D levels.

Help From Acupuncture
Acupuncture is one of the oldest forms of treatment for chronic pain and is based on ancient Chinese medical practices. There have been several studies on the usefulness of acupuncture in treating the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Three studies support the use of acupuncture combined with a pulsed electric current, a treatment called electroacupuncture. Although this fibromyalgia treatment seems to relieve pain, the results are not long-lasting.

S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe)
 SAMe is a naturally occurring substance throughout the body and involved in many of the body’s processes, its role as a pain reliever has been studied. SAMe has been shown to relieve depression and the chronic pain associated with osteoarthritis. Some studies show that taking SAMe may reduce fibromyalgia symptoms of pain, fatigue, and stiffness. The studies supporting the use of SAMe for fibromyalgia help are small, and not all have found a benefit. More research is needed. SAMe is not found in food, but can be taken as a supplement in the form of a tablet.

Massage Therapy
Massage therapy is another alternative pain treatment that is one of the most commonly tried for fibromyalgia. The benefits of massage are hard to demonstrate in a clinical study, but it does seem to be helpful for many types of muscle pain, including fibromyalgia. Massage is generally safe. It may certainly relieve tightness and promote relaxation, but it is not likely to provide any long-term fibromyalgia help.

Capsaicin Application
Capsaicin comes from pepper plants and is considered a natural pain reliever. It’s the active ingredient in a variety of over-the-counter sprays and lotions. When applied to a painful area of the body, it stimulates the release of a body chemical called substance P. As substance P is depleted, the pain sensation seems to decrease. Capsaicin has been used for chronic pain in diabetes, cancer, and cluster headaches. It may also temporarily relieve fibromyalgia pain.

Biofeedback
Biofeedback is an alternative therapy that uses the mind-body connection to help you learn to control your chronic pain with the power of your mind. The feedback may come in the form of muscle tension, skin temperature, or brain wave measurements. Biofeedback is helpful for many painful conditions when it is used along with other therapies. There are not enough good studies to say for sure whether biofeedback is an effective fibromyalgia treatment yet.

Chiropractic Manipulation
Chiropractic medicine is an alternative form of treatment that uses spinal manipulation and realignment to relieve pain, improve function, and promote natural healing. Chiropractic has been studied in many chronic pain conditions. Most studies suggest it may be effective for relief of back, neck, or headache pain. As far as fibromyalgia help, the National Institutes of Health state there is insufficient evidence to recommend it.

Melatonin Hormone
Melatonin is a natural hormone found in the body, thought to be involved in promoting sleep. Melatonin in pill form is often used as a sleep aid, but it has also been used for depression, chronic fatigue, and fibromyalgia. Again, the experts say there is not enough evidence to support its use for the chronic pain of fibromyalgia. However, many people do get fibromyalgia help from natural and alternative treatments despite the lack of research support. If you want to try one of these fibromyalgia treatments, always check with your doctor first.