The Girl With Arthritis

Very recently, I received an email from a reader. She told me how she's trying to find information on how to manage juvenile arthritis through diet and exercise, but hasn't found a lot. She asked me to write about helping treat arthritis with exercise and diet, and I did so right away. Today will be able diet, and my next post will talk about exercise. This was written with E in mind, but with the hopes others would benefit. Diet There are several ways to help arthritis. Unfortunately, there is no 'one size fits all' diet because different things affect us differently. Some people are affected by things like dairy, red meats, white flour and various other things. The best thing for us  all (chronically ill or otherwise healthy) is to stay away from processed, fatty and greasy foods as much as you can: Eat as freshly as you possibly can, whenever you can. That doesn't mean (necessarily) to buy organically, it means that it's best to eat your vegetables with...

Originally I had another post planned, but last night a friend shared this video from YouTube and I had to share it. I feel that it's very important to not only those who are chronically ill, but everyone. I know some of you won't take the time to stop and watch- I don't blame you, I have tons of things to work on too and don't always have the time or ability (ex. Whilst using a mobile device) to watch. Thus, I'll tell you. A man named Phil Hansen wanted to become an artist and went to art school. Unfortunately for him, he was unable to draw a straight line. Phil's hands would constantly shake. He kept trying though, and would clutch the pen tighter and tighter to attempt to steady his hand. It didn't work, and caused him a lot of pain. Phil would drop out of art school and gave up on his dream of being an artist. Later, he would see a neurologist and was diagnosed with nerve problems, making it obvious why he could only draw bendy lines. When he told...

Recently I was asked who one of my heroes is. That got me thinking about the true meaning of a hero. I'd like to share my thoughts on heroes, as well as one of mine. For lots of people, a hero is a firefighter carrying a small child out of a burning building. Others choose to recognise politicians, athletes and scientists as heros. For me, it's not always the actions that define a hero:  It's  their admirable qualities, that often lead to these brave and moving actions. As a teenager, it can be difficult to find people- heros- to look up to and who are relatable. Which is why Hank Green is a hero to me.  Hank is a famous YouTube Star, most notably known for collaborating with his brother John for the  Vlogbrothers . Hank also has his own line of channels and series celebrating his love of science and Jane Austen novels. My hero is a self proclaimed nerd. I admire that he is simply says what he means and doesn't care what others will say about him. His confi...

Lately I've been trying to cover the topic of depression. This week I posted  Medication Depression , and much earlier I talked about  My Arthritis Depression  discussing the hard time around my diagnosis and early treatment. Today, I decided to talk about what helped me get through it. These things may help you. If you are depressed, please reach out for help: We can only help if you want it. These tips will not get you through it completely; they're merely small tricks to make it easier at times. Everyday, Have Look Forward to Something . Having something to look forward to helps keep you positive. Long term goals are excellent- Promotions, awards, holidays, birthdays and such are great. Short term goals and little things work wonderfully as well. I'm looking forward to the release of the last book in my favourite series in a few weeks, I'm looking forward to seeing some friends tomorrow, I'm looking forward to wearing my favourite winter clothes, and all sort...

When I was going through early treatment for arthritis, I was very depressed. Part of it was due to medication. Very few people realise it, but medicine can affect our mental health more than we think. It makes sense when you think about antidepressants affecting one's mood. What we put into our bodies has a great affect on what comes out, whether it's a good result or a bad attitude. Many medications warn they can cause mood changes or depression. Medicine for autoimmune disease is no different: several of these can cause mood changes. I can't talk from personal experience about many of the medicines, however I can talk about two: Methotrexate and Enbrel. If you're a frequent reader, you may already know that methotrexate did not work well for me whilst Enbrel has. I've taken Methotrexate for two years; one year at a time with a year between. I took it both through subcutaneous injection and orally. Both times I experienced mood changes. The first year I mostly...

I'm going back to school really soon. In a way, I can't wait. I really love learning and I can't wait to see my friends. I'm looking forward to making more friends and my classes. But what I'm not looking forward to is Arthur's reaction. You see, Arthur hates school a lot. After a break with good weather, comfortable chairs and being able to get up and stretch as needed, I already know the first few weeks are going to be torture. Every year Arthur makes adjusting back to school difficult for lots of teenagers, young adults and children. On top of having new responsibilities, getting used to new routines and meeting new people, we also deal with more pain than usual. It tends to get colder when school is back in session, and that can easily bring more pain. Sitting for long periods of time doesn't help, especially when few  practice proper posture in school. Writing more often may also be painful. And of course, everyone is different: Walking around a large...

I think we forget that sometimes it's okay to want to be alone. There are times we really need our own privacy, and it's a very natural thing. Contrary to popular belief, it's okay to need to step away from everyone and just be alone. I think with chronic pain, we need to understand that this feeling isn't depression or anxiety: it's natural. I'm an introvert; I get energy from being alone, rather than a extrovert who gets energy by being around others. There are lots times I prefer being alone, and one of those times tends to be when I'm in pain. Not always, but some of the time I find it easier to cope that way. Being alone allows me to enter my own world and focus on relaxing, which works very well. And of course, there are times a good laugh with a friend helps. When I'm particularly stiff, I like to be alone. Somehow it's easier to walk like a robot easier on my own than when I'm in class and I can feel eyes on me. In some ways although ...