In autoimmune diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the immune system misfires by erroneously attacking healthy cells as if they were foreign agents, or antigens. Normally the immune system defends the body against antigens—like viruses, bacteria and toxins—that can cause damage to the body after invading it. In autoimmune diseases, benign and healthy parts of the body also become … [Read more...]
We use our eyes almost every waking moment of our lives. They are literally our windows to the world around us. So why do so many of us neglect proper eye care? Taking our vision for granted, many things we do—or don’t do—can have long-lasting effects on our eye health. Why Women Need to Worry About Eye Health A 2012 study, Vision Problems in the US, found that 66 percent of subjects who were … [Read more...]
Living with chronic illness for so many years, I’ve learned what it takes for me to not only survive but also thrive. Self-care is at the very top of the list, and it encompasses so many things—from eating right, exercising, getting enough sleep, listening to your body and pampering it when it needs it, as well as making sure you have a strong support team. Having a knowledgeable doctor who … [Read more...]
Toward the end of 2013, I was looking for more tools to not only help me serve clients as a health coach, but to also become a part of my own healing regimen. I had studied and become certified as a holistic health coach, specializing in nutrition at IIN. I had studied as a women’s fitness specialist with NASM. I had even taking the first steps toward getting certified to teach various mind-body … [Read more...]
Though it didn't get nearly as much of the spotlight as National Wear Red Day yesterday, National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day also took place on Feb. 7. The day was started 14 years ago to bring much needed attention to the disparity in education, diagnosis and treatment of the HIV epidemic in blacks and African-Americans. Why single out black people with HIV/AIDS? According to the Centers for … [Read more...]
In the year and a half that we’ve been together, I’m managed to keep this part of me hidden from my love. It wasn’t a conscious decision for me to hide it from him it just turned out that way. He just happened to catch me in mostly good spell. And while I had occasional flare ups outside of his company, I had never showed signs of my movement disorder, dystonia, in front of him. That’s not to say … [Read more...]
The last couple weeks have been landmark ones for me in terms of marking progress in my healing journey. Last week, I began the move into my first home away from my parents in several years. This past Wednesday, I made a trip to the DMV and came away with my license to drive again after 3 1/2 years. These two things alone are huge indications that, after a harrowing journey that sometimes seemed … [Read more...]
As late spring slides into mid- to late summer weather this week here in Connecticut, I am beginning to be blinded by that bright light of revelation: The sun is still not your friend. With temperatures in the high 80s and the bright, sunny days an appealing alternative to the dreary, dark and wet days of last week, I can’t help but want to spend time outside. It’s a perfect time to do yoga in … [Read more...]
Last week, researchers from three different studies reported in the journal Nature identified an association between dietary salt and the development of autoimmune disease. This precedes a study published yesterday that links the consumption of processed foods with an increased risk of early death due to cardiovascular disease and cancer. According to the Voice of America, researchers were … [Read more...]
Unlike most of my peers, I spent the majority of my twenties living through the physical and emotional rollercoaster of a mysterious chronic illness that literally turned my life upside down. At my lowest point, I had suddenly and inexplicably lost 12 percent of my body weight, couldn’t walk the short distance from the front door to my mailbox, was living with unceasing muscle spasms and constant … [Read more...]