Karner Blue Recovery
That this beautiful, blue, endangered creature shares my name, makes me irrationally partial to it. Some days I feel kinship with the Karner blue butterfly, as if I, too, am in danger of being wiped out. But there are quiet armies of people devoted to saving this butterfly, from school children in New Hampshire (read more about those Kids for Karners here), to landowners restoring their land with native plantings in Wisconsin (read more about grants for landowners here). And there’s a quiet army of support and help for me (and for you). That there are people who are willing to …
Keep Moving despite Fibromyalgia
People with fibromyalgia will commonly hear the advice, keep moving. But, what does that really mean? When I finally figured out what they meant (it only took fifteen years), I dropped from my highest weight ever (180 pounds) to 135. At various times I have been bedridden, but now, due to gentle exercising, I’m able, on a good day, to walk for an hour. Compared to “normal” people, I’m still technically “disabled,” meaning, I need people to help me (but then, who doesn’t?) I can’t do as much activity as healthy people my age, and I need a lot more rest. …
Build Endurance despite Fibromyalgia
Trust me on this: exercise is important. I apologize in advance for the length of this post–I know you’re busy and often exhausted, so I’m trying to keep my posts to around 300-500 words (no more than five minutes of your time). My “inspiring-people” posts run 800-1000 words (ten to fifteen minutes of your time), because I believe these people deserve a little attention. This post will take fifteen minutes to read, and will require some thought and planning on your part–and, some time to incorporate exercising into your schedule (remember to talk to your doctor about exercising). There’s no …
Clean-out-the-fridge Frittata
My momma done told me…(if you sing these next words to the tune of that famous song, this will be more fun.) My momma done told me…to clean up left-overs (but beware, putting melody to these words will make them haunt you, just like the memory of your mother’s voice sometimes won’t leave you). First, pull some leftovers out of the fridge (you save them, right?) We had tacos last night, and had about a 1/4 cup each of leftover chopped peppers and onions, co-jack cheese, quesa fresca, and cilantro. Also, part of a jalapeño, some canned tomatoes (petite diced), and lurking …
Relaxing Forearm Stretch
Do this right now, it takes less than a minute. Extend your arm (it doesn’t matter which one), palm up, as if you’re a cop motioning traffic to stop. With your other hand, pull your fingers toward yourself until you feel a gentle stretch on the under side of your forearm. Hold for 10 seconds (but don’t hold your breath!) Don’t over stretch. Don’t look at my photo to measure how far to stretch. I’ve been doing this for years and am fairly flexible. Listen to your body. Now, let your hand flop downward from your wrist (like an 18th-century …
Aggravating and Alleviating Factors in Fibromyalgia
In most cases, these factors will help alleviate fibromyalgia symptoms: Restorative sleep Moderate physical activity Warm baths Warm and dry weather and the following factors will make symptoms worse: Non-restorative sleep Fatigue Overwork Physical inactivity Stress Anxiety Cold and damp Managing fibromyalgia can be exhausting, because it involves making lifestyle changes. To help you reduce exhaustion, my blog is, on purpose, only 1/5 specific fibromyalgia help, and 4/5 general inspiration and motivation. The only way I could change my life, was a little at a time. I began by concentrating on alleviating the symptoms–one factor at a time. Then, I slowly …
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Pain: Victor Frankl Calls it an Opportunity
Victor Frankl is an Austrian neurologist, psychologist and Nazi death camp survivor. His book, Man’s Search for Meaning, explains how he found the will to live despite witnessing the Holocaust. The following ideas paraphrase portions of that book: When we find pleasure in beauty, art or nature, it offers us the opportunity for fulfillment. This is easy to understand. This next possibility, however, is harder to fathom: everything we experience, even suffering offers us an opportunity. Pain gives us a chance to achieve something within ourselves, to create a generous and loving perspective, and to realize the true value of life, apart …
Cheap Trick to get your neck to Surrender tension
Every now and then, it’s good to think about where your head is sitting in relationship to your spine. Your brain, after all, weighs about 3 pounds and the skull adds a couple more pounds. Carry around a 5 pound sack of flour, and pretty soon you’ll want someone else to carry it for you. Since it’s not a good idea to have somebody else carry your head around, give your neck muscles a relaxation break from time to time. First, put this thought into your mind: I’m not stretching my muscles; I’m only relaxing them. Next, whether you’re sitting …
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Everyday Greatness
“The great commitment is so much easier than, and can all too easily shut our hearts to, the ordinary everyday commitment.” Dag Hammerskjöld I feel noble when I make sacrifices for something great–charities or campaigns, ministries, missions, art, a quest, a pilgrimage, a career. To make room for the everyday and ordinary, however, can feel annoying. When I’m worn out by the great things I’ve been doing, it requires commitment to do humdrum chores, exercise, eat and share wholesome food, or listen graciously to my loved ones’ everyday concerns. Here’s a stinger, the next sentence of the quote regarding greatness: “A willingness to make the …
Cézanne Instructs Us to Capture Fleeting Moments
“Right now a moment of time is fleeting by. Capture its reality … To do that we must put all else out of our minds. We must become that moment, make ourselves a sensitive recording plate…give the image of what we actually see, forgetting everything that has been before our time.” Cézanne*** Observing and appreciating fleeting moments is one way of saying yes to life, despite everything, yes. I’ve decided to make a habit of capturing these moments. Today I took my camera outside (because walking with my camera forces me to see). I’ve discovered that Seeing the beautiful world, helps: When …
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