Healthy OMS Breakfast

It can be a struggle to find interesting things to eat so I have decided to post some pics of what I eat in the hope of finding others who eat this way & being able to share!

 These are 3 vegan pancakes topped with strawberry, blueberries, backberries and passionfruit. Garnished with fresh mint and drizzled with rice malt syrup.

The blackberries my husband picked for me & the mint & passionfruit are from my garden. I used wholmeal flour in the pancake recipe but I normally use gluten free flour, this recipe uses little flour so, for me, it didn't matter.

It was a lovely start to my Saturday & certainly not my everday breakfast, it is more of a 'special thing'.

What is on your OMS menu?

Exercise woes

I was doing great with jogging I thought, I had been jogging intervals with walking & sprints. Then I switched to a more level track & found I could jog for 30 minutes. I was excited & proud of myself, I really enjoyed it too. So I jogged each morning until I notced my ankles hurt. At first I stopped & did some ankle rotations then kept on, determined to jog all the way.  When that didn't work I jogged & walked intervals for a day or two & the pain seemed to be gone. I had another go & after stopping for some ankle rotations I had a great jog & actually went further than I had been, I loved it.
The rest of the day my ankles hurt. So I had a couple more days resting them, I rode my bike instead & did kettlebell exercises. My knee twinges sometimes when I ride, so I had another go at jogging & walking. I felt good so I went for 70 mins. Later that day I did some kettlebell work & took a short bike ride with my son. The we went for a family walk. 
I slept poorly & was longing for a pillow to prop up my sore ankles in the night.
I made a plan to swim today. I even got my bathers & gogles out, but I find swimming a chore, so that didn't happen.
Next I blamed my shoes so I ditched my orthotics & went for a short gentle stroll, my ankles hurt part the way into that & are still hurting.
Do I simply need new orthotics or should I buy the over the counter ones? My ones seem to be tipping my foot outward, the same foot with the sore ankle.
Are my new shoes part or all of the problem?
Is it simple that I am new t jogging & my muscles & tendons are adjusting & its a bit painful for now?
I want to know but I don't want to go to the usual chain of appointments to find out.

Today I went for a short stroll, had a lie down with a book & have rested some. I am tired from a poor nights sleep & a worn out body that has a few overuse pains right now.

Tomorrow shall be a better day & yes, I actually plan to get to the swimming pool.

Be well!

OMS at 3 months

I've been on OMS for 3 months now
 I am still adjusting to the program & find myself having to work at fitting in my meditation, sunshine, exercise & eating well daily. But it is not without reward.

Meditation is something I took up 3 years ago & I had found it to be invaluable as a pain management tool from the beginning. I love meditation and rarely miss a day. I rarely miss it as I crave it, need it & want to do it & always feel better for it. It is a daily habit now & I will drop other things to rest/meditate as I found I function so much better when rested. I am listening to Ian Gawler audios in the car which I have found to be really encouraging and so helpful. I used to pray a lot but find meditation helps resolve emotional issues more effectively, I am totally hooked!

Sunshine! I have been supplementing Vitamin D for about 5 years. My level was checked after I started and was between 30 - 50, I think. I was tested earlier this year & after sunbaking last summer & upping my supplementation I got to 97. Fairly slow progress I thought. Then I had it checked again this month & was delighted to see it had gone up to 137! I love to lie in the sun on a bbig pillow read in my back yard, I find it relaxing & a little addictive. Still aiming for 150 & hope to get there soon.

Exercise. I have had to exercise for pain management for the last 9 years, my body feels better when it moves. I have trouble sitting & this year my back went bung & I am left with a dogy left hip thing that twinges at times & had me sitting on a exercise ball, the only comfortable way to sit for a resonable lenth of time.When I adopted OMS I read that exercise was important & have increased my efforts accordingly. I jog now, I have added in kettlebell workouts (short ones) and like to spend at least 1 hour a day jogging and or cycling. I love it! Time constraints are an issue but as it is Summer I have been rising early & going before the family arise. My best effort has been a 30min non stop jog, proud of my efforts there! Initially I couldn't jog as it hurt my hip thingy, so I modified my technique & have worked with my body & walked when I got sore.

Eating well! My biggest hurdle. I first encountered this program after a dietician told me about it some 5 years ago, maybe I knew about it before then but I felt that it wasn't for me. I was following a diet for SIBO, the low FODMAPS diet & I found that really constricting. I wasn't about to take on a new and even more limiting diet unless I had another relapse. I didn't have another relapse the MS just progressed & invaded my life, making it difficult to plan or shop and made thinking really challenging. When I saw the MRI of my brain I had to act! Once I read Hapy Healthy Gut by jennifer Browne I changed my diet overnite! I am still learning but I am loving this way of eating. Someone asked me if I found it hard & I siad no, being in pain & feeling lousy for 9 years is hard. That is my truth! I enjoy all the vegetable & they taste better & better. I am wheat free still but am open to that changing in the future. I can tolerate most fruit well, yesterday I ate 500grams of cherries (oops). So eating this way I actually have more variety in my diet than before. It is opposite to how I thought it would be & I am noticing benefits of this lifestyle already.

10 benefits so far!

1. No constipation.
2. More energy
3. I am off bactrex, fish oil & laxatives, hooray!
4. I am thinking clearer & have noticed my memory improve somewhat.
5. I have lost 12 kilos
6. I sleep really well
7. I have identified problem food that give me fatigue, instant coffee & soy products which are easy to avoid.
8. My feet are feeling better 
9. I am beginning to express my feelings in appropriate ways rather than keep them in & have them affect my body.
10. I enjoy cooking and eating a whole lot more & still get to be creative.

Merry Christmas.

Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis

I was at the nuerologist for my annual checkup recently and was being checked over thoroughly by the registrar. She found some altered sensation in my right leg that did not impact function at all, unless you included my bad attitude that came with it. I was strongly urged to commence yet another MS drug, my best effort was to say I would think about it.

I took the brochure to read. What is with the pictures in thoe brochures & what do they have to do with MS? Anyway, I'm not going to take the drugs.

I was in the library the following week & a book caught my eye called Happy Healthy Gut by Jennifer Browne.

I had a copy of Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis by George Jelinek and had read Recovering From Multiple Sclerosis too & had promised myself that I would switch to the program if I had another relapse. The problem was that I also had digestive issues, which is why I was so excited about Happy Healthy Gut when I picked it up. Jennifer Browne said in her book that a vegan diet could correct digestive issues & the book is full of personal stories.

I went to the nuerologist Tuesday,  the following Wednesday I read Happy Healthy Gut then switched to the recovery program Thursday! It is now a month and a day later & my digestive issues have settled right down. I have had them for 9 years & after so much pain & trouble I am still scared, but I am trying something new every few days & so far it has all been good.

So far my improvements have been

• More energy. As long as I don't overdo the snacking I have had heaps of energy and enjoyed exercise much more than I had been.
• No constipation. I stopped laxatives after 1 week & all has been well!
• As I have stopped coffee, I drank copious amounts of decafe, I am no longer looking for the loo everywhere I go. That is pretty awesome too. My new favourite drink is licorice tea.
• No boils. I was getting them with my menstral cycles and this time I got no new boils which I am also excited about. 
• General improvement in cognitive function. Its early days but I am able to recall things quicker and with more clarity I feel.

• Lessened MS symptoms. My relapse was minimal but the tingling in my right leg is greatly decreased and is now barely noticeable unless I really focus on it being there, which I don't of course.

I look forward to even more improvements and no new relapses.

Healing SIBO

I have been reading and applying You Can Heal Your Life by Louise L Hay, listening to her audios (a lot!) and in my mirror work I found that I really wanted to be cured of SIBO.

That was Tuesday morning & I was on my way to a Kinesiology appointment. It did come to mind to mention the SIBO during the appointment yet I was fearful that my muscular issues would then not be resolved, I needn't have been. In hindsight maybe muscular issue also caused SIBO.

That night I came home & wrote out the relevant affirmations. I have done this daily & will increase it to twice daily.

I began EFT & shall tap on every emotional memory (or movie) that comes up.

Huge bonus for me was that yesterday I talked with a lady I know & she was healed of SIBO. It is possible & my healing is on its way!

I have this weekend to get right into it & I'm looking forward to it!

I also saw on a recent episode of Catalyst called Gut Reactions, in the 2nd part they mentioned feacal transplants then how they hope to replace that with strong, targeted pills full of healthy bacteria. An oral treatment, much more appealing! I began a course of them last night (imaginateively).  I shall take them as long as needed, I'll take them daily during meditation and visualise they golden tablet doing gret restorative wonders in my gut.

I am looking forward to my new daily treatments & the awesome results they shall deliver!

Anxiety & Self Critisism

Heavy title huh?

I had a light bulb moment yesterday in the quiet moments after work.

It went like this.

I had corrected someone again, and was wondering why I did that. I teach cooking to primary students & the adult helpers are vital to the classes & thier success. I had noticed that I regularly correct the helpers & was mortified that I could do such a thing. We are in great need of all the help we can get. It just didn't make sense to me & I was pondering it.

Were this someone elses problem I would have said (& thought) imagine how it is for them, knowing their thoughts too would be critical of themselves. Aha...

I had also been pondering a boy in our basketball team. He joined this season & was instantly a great player who scored lots of points. He had watched lots of games on the TV and believed he could do it, then as the weeks went on he scored less & less, sometimes even not scoring at all. To me he is a living example of belief in action and also of doubt creeping in & seeing its unproductive effect.

I finished a series of sessions with a good psychologist on Monday & felt great. I was confident & breezed through the days even though my main support person, my live in partner, was away. He words of praise & encouragement bouyed me through the days easily.

Thursday is my work day & said partner was home again Wednesday, I was tired & had woken with anxiety driven thoughts in the night, very critical & oft repeated words of destuction inside my own head that had been going on for some 6 years.

I had also been listening to Eckhart Tolle on audio CD in the car. The audio quality is poor yet I enjoyed what I did hear and it bought me some peace & a new perspective.

Point is I am a thinker & always look for ways to fix my problems. Anxiety has been a problem for some years now, it comes with MS & SIBO & Graves disease. That is why I was back at the psychologist to get yet more coping stategies.

My aha moment...  So as I sat reflecting on self critisism the thought came to talk back to it, over the top of it & on purpose to myself in words of praise & encouragement rather than let the inner critic talk freely. I decided to be proactive & felt myself rise up.

I am seeing already the effects of the critic on my kids & I don't like it. I asked myself about helping my younger child & came up with extra touch & finding ways to laugh together. That gave me confidence in my inner wisdom.

Think positive. Speak words of praise & power to myself over & over on the issues that anxiety has raved to me on, it has ranted and sought to annihilate me. It didn't win. I am dusting myself off & regrouping to forge ahead with y new positive mindset. I can think positive, its the same as thinking negative only with a smile and worthwhile results.

I can do this. Anyone can.

I have been reading self help books for 20 years, listened to so many audio books & repeated affirmations. Now I simply chose to think positive as I finally have had enough of anxiety's unrelenting rants and destuctive voice that I am not going to leave it unanswered. I am a good person & a caring mother, wife, employee, daughter and I choose to think positive and believe in myself.

A book that helped make this real is the Farmers Wife by Rachael Treasure, its a story not a self help book. Yet is also a roadmap for change & now I am seeing it play out in scenes from Offspring to Winners & Losers. I love it.

Women rise up! Be your own greatest fan and cheer yourself on every step of the way. You are powerful and capable and have much to add to the people around you. You make a difference and you are an overcomer. You can do it.

There is an energy that comes with these empowering thoughts. I love it.

I read in overcoming MS about doing work on yourself, I didn't hink that applied to me. I was wrong. I began meditating in May 2012 and have been discovering things abot myself since then. Yesterday I was replying to a forum when I became aware of my limitations & how MS has been affecting me for the past 20 years or so. The times when I have put my heart into something and then been physically exhausted for long perios afterward. It is a pattern that has followed relationshop loss, job stress & church, family & becoming a parent. I was not really aware of my limitations until I wrote out a reply about me being a stay at home Mum & why I am. I think it is of great benefit to the children and I don't have the energy to work and be a wife, parent & housekeeper. I just don't and that is OK. This is where I am and I can do heapd but I can't do everything and I am OK with that. I don't even want to do everything, I need a lot of sleep and rest. That is OK and it is what I need not what I expect of everyone.
With the Olympics I am have been painfully aware that they are made of different stuff than me. I have tried in the past to push myself & it has not worked for me. I need to work with how I am made and not against it. I find that liberating.

ovemberr 2011

Well its one step forwards then fall backwards! I had an MS relapse. It has made me feel nauseous and interfered with my vision. While it is uncomfortable I do not have any pain & I can see, just not as well as before.

today I am going to the nuerologist & he wants me to start on the new oral medication that has just come on the pbs, I think I might! I do like to be able to see, drive, read and function.

The tricky part for me is the was the symptoms fluctuate throughout the day & night. I felt almost normal before bed last night, but unwell in the night. MS is a strange companion.

Feel like I need to learn againwhat I can do for my own wellness, which is a good thing.

Here we go again!

After trying the paleo diet for 6 - 9 months, struggling a sugar addiction all the while, I ended up with another bout of SIBO, constipation and outrageous heartburn and amine intolerance! Not fun.
I did not feel like a failure to quit as it just wasn't working.
Now I am eating bread & rice and can enjoy a lot more variety in my diet, within some unfortunate boundaries.

I am still having trouble with heartburn & constipation (periodically).

I have been seeing a naturopath and she now thinks I may have heavy metal poisoning, I cam e home with the pathology forms to get tested at my convinience...here we go again!

Feeling lousy again!

Have been having ongoing problems with energy levels, fatigue, constipation and I had another lot of hives in the last few weeks.

Not fun.

Have been to the doctor. He wrote out some laxatives to try.
Have been to the naturopath and I told her I thought I was having trouble with the SIBO. That was last week but now I am not so sure.
Have, today, been & had Bowen therapy. The practioner has a gluten & dairy intolerance, breaks out in rashes & is interested in all things diet & health.

I think I am overloaded with amines, again.

I went on the low chemical diet & that cleared up my reactions, so promptly forgot about it. It's back!

Time for me to go on a low chemical (amines specifically) diet and set myself some guidelines I think.

Looking forward to feeling better, again.

Jaw & hand pain...OOOwwww!

I waas at the doctor last week & told hime of my jaw pain. It hurts, aches actually, on the right side. I has been getting worse recently& my right hand also aches. My upper middle back hurts too, what is going on?

I have sleeping with my fist clenched under my pillow on my right side, that is what is going on! I have also been attempting to read 50 books in a year.

Sleeping is causing the

Reading!

This year I have been attempting to read 50 books! I like reading & have enjoyed some 22 books so far, but..

The way I sit while I read causes me upper middle back pain. Drat. I either need to find a new way to posture myself while I read or read less.

What would you do?

I've tried physio, massage and perscription drugs.

How does one learn to sit and read another way?

I lost something along the way...

I was talking with some Mums yesterday & one was hanging it on the other & they were laughing. Pretty normal stuff. I am overly serious and after years of my attempted jokes back firing I don't have the confidence to be playful like in conversation anymore. Whether things are as I think I am not sure, my dialogue internally is negative and that, not situations or confrontations with people, is the bigger problem. I have certainly had some reactions from people, but not many, and not enough to leave all bent out of shape.

Have I lost part of me?

The fun lighthearted part?

Where has it gone & can it be coaxed back?

I'd just like the voices in my heard that go over everything I do & say to 'shut up' for a while so I can relax and be me. They don't serve me they harm me and tell me I am not normal, creepy, a pest, a bit weird etc. Enough!

Where is the off switch please?

Cancer & Goal setting

CANCER
I was talking with my husband yesterday when he switched channel to avoid a sad ad that sees a little boy left by his Mum & then goes on to see him there alone & crying amidst the people. The point being that what about those who love you when you die from cancer due to smoking. I got thinking, the only person I knew who died of a smoking related death died some years AFTER quitting.

Bonnie was a simple lady who had lived a hard life but loved with everything in her. My path crossing Bonnies was a great blessing to me. Most notably was the conversation I recall when she was in hospital. Bonnie how are you? O Karen I'm no good 9or words to that effect). For some reason her honesty about her situation really stayed with me & has endeared me to her all the more. Bonnie was a Christian and was a passionate worshipper, her child like faith and genuine character have touched me again even as I recall her. It is a loving memory that warms my heart.

GOAL SETTING
I have been setting goals for some time as my doctor said I was gaining weight, I got to just over 100 kg's.
I set a goal for myself of 70 kgs and that was December 2009. Come mid 2010 I was just under 80kg's and had settled there & was no longer trying to lose weight. Comments from my family & friends influenced me & I just gave in to my love of food & indulged. Now it is April 2011 & at the end of March 2011 I was 82.5kgs and that is no longer OK. I have reset my focus on 70kgs and have been eating only til satisfied, like I did last time to lose weight and hope to see good results. I have more energy and am generally more positive as I have taken ownership. I also see that I had been indulging in self pity in regards to health issues rather actually doing something about them or even something for myself. No more.
My first goal is to be 81kg by 30th Aprl 2011
Then lose 1 kilo a week until I am 77kgs by 25th July 2011, my 42nd birthday.
Big picture goal is to be low 70's to high 60's by 30 April 2012.

I have rewards for milestones like a facial, pedicure, reflexology and a trip to Peninsula Hot Springs, which I have been wanting to go to for some time.
Other rewards are trip to art galleries & shows, long walks, gardens, a good book
& coffee (with a friend of course). Not forgetting new clothes along the way.

The hot springs may make a good birthday reward, we can all go!

This is for life, I can do it and I am worth it!

Off for a walk in the sunshine now!

Thinking well...

I have been reading & doing a course & one of the facillitators keeps using the word 'ruminating'. I have thought about this without deliberatley doing so. I have come to the idea that I am worse off for thinking so much about my health. Thinking over & over that there must be something else wrong cannot be helpful.

So I need to change my thinking.

That is the first step to change (so I hear) acknowledging the need for change.
I need to change!

What are the benefits of changing my thinking?
I don't put energy into feeling unwell, mental energy.
I will talk about my health less, leaves me more time to talk about other things.
I will have more energy for other things & (hopefully) others!
I can focus my thoughts on how to 'feel' better.
Finally, who knows I may even feel physically better.

Playin Jane!

Invincible!

Well after a good nights sleep, a successful shopping trip and stepping out & phoning a friend & inviting another out for a picnic I thought I was invincible, I was wrong! Of course!

I woke slowing and got into the housework, washing, mopping, weeding, vaccuming, cleaning showers, wiping tables and on it goes. I didn't even finish the mopping. By 11am I was yelling at my kids, no a good sign.

I was slightly late for their school orientation, adding more tension. When I visited with
my parents in the afternoon I just sat there. I could hardly even talk & my memory didn't function properly either. I would like to have longer lasting energy, but the reality is that I do not.

Yesterday I saw a job advertised & was considering applying, today I am wiped out from some house cleaning by 11am. I need to get a realistic view of myself. I'd rather think I am OK!

So, what does a realistic view mean; I need to spread my work over the week, have a daily rest time, make time to sit and relax, not try to cram too much activity into one day...keep it simple & stressfree.

Hope I learnt something today.

I don't feel good stressed, running late, yelling or tired.

A Social Life

I need a social life, I don't have one. I am well short of friends other than family and have often felt sad about it & now it is time to act...misery seeks company? No, I need to reach outside myself and be a friend to others and keep at it until, well until forever!
Might have to join some stuff too, put myself out there. Not comfortable but neither is feeling alone, I have tried doing nothing & that didn't really work out fruitful so I need to try something else.

What should I join first?

The Giving of Thanks!

I am grateful that we did not end up in a full blown financial crisis before I came to my senses!

I am grateful for my husband & kids, & that they are healthy and bright.

That my husband is a hard worker who has fully supprted me while I have been a stay at home Mum, being unwell & working volunteer.

I am grateful for the financial help of family that has enabled us to purchase a home.

I am grateful for internet access where I can learn about so many things & keep in contact with friends & family all from the comfort of my own home...it is amazing!

I am grateful for the kindness of others, like a lady visiting with me this week even though her troubles are many, she thought of me. Amazing!


I am gratful for podcasts, I love to learn through audio and podcasts keep me stimulated, interested and aware. Amazing!

I am grateful for many Mum who helps me in so many ways, so does my Dad. Amazing! That should be near the top of my list.

I am grateful for my sister. She inspired me through her weight loss and maintenence that I too could have a lifestyle change. She has a positive can do attitude with most things and has raised 4 great kids. Amazing!

Hope that inspires you to think of things/people you are gratful for too!

Tired

I have had a cold for the past wek or more & have been so very tired during the day but have failed getting to bed early. Why is this so? I intened to but usually get distracted by the TV (when I go to say good night to hubby watching it) or the computer (particularly as I have trying to blog daily). But I need to extra sleep!
So I am off for a good nights sleep, now that is Paleo.

Good night!

Joint pain

Awoke this morning with joint pain, a forgotten symptom that I had gone to the dieticain with & that an amine free diet resolved. So was is caused by pork, increase of green vegetables or taking some decaf tea this week? I had it quite bad after my second child and it could be any of those three. I am loathe to eliminate them all & start over, it just takes so much time! I am thinking tea the most likely, though I don't know why perhaps it is related to the tannins? I''ll google it.

Lovely weekend here, hope you made good use of yours.