Well, That's A Pain! (THE Series, #1)

One major event that happened on 2011 was a diagnosis. Now I know you all are thinking, "I knew she was diagnosable, but not that kind of diagnosis. No, this diagnosis answered quite a few medical questions but also handed me a lifelong disease. I was diagnosised with Psoriatic Arthritis. What's that?? Let me tell you, condensed version. . . .

It is a cousin to Rheumotoid Arthritis, similar in its potential to be debilitating. It's painful and I have been put on limited physical activity (such as exercise). I take some pretty strong medications to try to enter remission and stop the progression of the disease. Some days the meds are worse than the disease, but for the most part it's all good. In March we'll see if these meds are working if not, injectables will be started. And no, I don't have psoriasis, just the arthritis. . .go figure.

While its rather painful some days and frustrating, I refuse to stop and allow the disease to control my life. I follow orders (mostly), take the medication and I'm not doing structured exercising but I'm not driving myself through Target (not that that is bad if you need it, but I'm not there. . .yet) either. I refuse to be a victim of a disease, I will go down swinging!

But, this post is not about what happened, entirely. . .its about this year. This is a post about what steps I'm taking this year to reclaim my health. BIG faith in Jehovah Rapha (God the healer of all your diseases) combined with a trust that if He chooses not to heal me, I know He will give me the strength to persevere. Either way He is for me!

But I'm doing my part for my health, here is just a few positive changes I'm making:

• Moving to a 95% plant based diet. Yes, that is basically vegetarian. I'm not committing to never having another turkey burger or some yummy curry chicken, but it will be few and far between.
• I have committed to this year FINALLY smashing my addiction to Dr. Pepper. Every year I have given up soda and sometimes for months and months, but somehow I always go back. It is bad for me, there is no good thing that comes from soda, so it's time to go our separate ways for good.
• Be a good patient and follow doctors orders while trusting in the Great Physician.
• There are more, but I'm trying not to be to listy.
  

I am believing for great health this year! Believing for healing or remission, a lifting on the ban of structured physical activity and to end this year in better health than I am today. God is able, my faith is great and I am committed to doing my part.

"Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.~~Psalm 103:1-5

"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."~~Isaiah 53:4-5

"And he cried to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the LORD made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, saying, If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, your healer.”~~Exodus 15:25-26 (There is so much good stuff in these two scriptures, I could do 5 posts on them, but another time. Just know these scriptures in Exodus are POWERFUL)

I have faith in Jehovah Rapha first. . . the doctors are just here to see the miracle.

Stir and Crazy, Yes We Are!

Well we here in the midwest welcomed February by having a blizzard. I am intensifying my prayers for an early spring. I have had enough snow to last me two years. Two years!! Needless to say the kids and I are going a little mad. We were stuck in the house ALL LAST WEEK with the plague and we got well just to be stuck again. Just call us stir crazy. As soon as we can safely go out we will, I don't care if it's just to the grocery store!

Anyhoo, onto less depressing topics. Kinda. It is February, so you all know what that means?? It's Heart Health Awareness Month! New stats for this year say that 41 million women have heart disease and that more women will die from it than men. Its the leading cause of death in women in USA, not cancer. See what I mean about it only being kinda less depressing. There is good news in this post, promise!! The good news here is that we can reverse these numbers. We can stop the death toll from going up so rapidly. We can get healthy, eat healthy and take care of us. That's right I said us! While I'm all for being a giving person, there are things I have to do for me because it makes me a better wife, mom, pastor's wife, saint, daughter~~fill in the blank with whatever you want. Doing for me makes me better for them.

So this month I am challenging all 10 of you to do things just a little healthier. I am still going to post my heart health tips but this month I am also going to commit to losing 10 pounds during heart health month (this should not be hard considering I am already losing weight)! I challenge us all to make healthier choices, cook healthier options, exercise and if you need to shed some unwanted pounds do that too. If you are going to commit to doing something healthier this February, blog about and let me know!! Maybe I will even get technical enough to get a linky going. Who knows??

Heart Tip: So most of the country is still in a deep freeze and I know my favorite hot drink in the winter is tea. Conveniently my favorite cold drink in the summer is iced tea. Green tea is an amazing little drink. It can be served cold or hot and tastes great either way. It is packed with powerful antioxidants that lower cholesterol and possibly lower blood pressure. It is a heart healthy drink that tastes great!! Organic green tea is good for you. It warms you up in the deep cold and is a refreshing drink if you are lucky enough to be in warm weather now. If you enjoy a nice cuppa joe for the caffeine, a better more healthy source of caffeine is green tea! My favorite is pomegranate green tea!! Give your heart a boost and have some green tea!!

Friday is Wear Red for Women day!! I hope that I actually get to go out of the house on Friday and if I do, I'll be in red!! I will also do what I have never done on this blog, I will post a picture of me, in red. Throw on a red t-shirt or sweater (again whatever your temps may be) and Go Red!!