Collagen production decreases about 1% a year after age 20.
Let’s talk collagen for a minute, shall we? Collagen is the body’s most abundant protein. You need it for healthy skin, nails, hair, bones, ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Our collagen production decreases about 1% per year after age 20, so supplementing collagen can help you fight wrinkles, bone loss, and joint pain. As someone who knows all of these things from living with fibromyalgia and osteoporosis I have been using a collagen supplement for a few years now.
Chronic stress can cause extreme duress on the fibro body and your adrenal system.
Managing my fibromyalgia is a careful balancing act of self-care. This involves eating healthy, getting adequate sleep, working out, and taking time for me. Living with fibromyalgia means that normal, every day stressors can place an additional hardship on the fibro body. So when you are faced with an extended period of stress – bad flare or other health crisis, work deadlines, family emergencies, or simply just getting through the holidays – you can place an extreme amount of duress on your body and your adrenal system.
“Adrenaline is a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands, especially in conditions of stress, increasing rates of blood circulation, breathing, and carbohydrate metabolism and preparing muscles for exertion.”
You can feel this when your heart starts to race or your hands or body sweats. Adrenaline is also responsible for that fight-or-flight mechanism that can give people extraordinary strength in times of crisis. And an over-exposure to the stress hormones can tamper with your overall well-being.
Continue reading “6 Ways to Cope with Stress when you Have a Chronic Illness”There’s nothing like smelling coffee first thing in the morning, and holding that cup of steaming, hot, luscious, black elixir.
I considered naming this post “For the Love of Coffee” or “To Coffee with Love.” To say I love coffee is an understatement. I love the smell of coffee. I love the taste of coffee. I love the act of brewing coffee: I own an automatic drip coffee maker, a french press, a cappuccino machine, a pour over coffee dripper, and a coffee grinder for grinding my own beans. I like coffee hot, iced, black, lattes, cappuccinos, espressos, and sometimes I make bulletproof coffee or even splurge with an Almond milk White Mocha or Vietnamese style coffee. Tiramisu is one of my favorite desserts, and mocha almond fudge is one of my favorite ice cream flavors. So suffice it to say, I love coffee. Not to discriminate against tea. I am a fan of tea as well, and have a well stocked supply of flavors and teas with different therapeutic benefits, but coffee is my morning jam. ❤ So cutting back on how much I drink hasn’t been easy.
Continue reading “The Correlation between Caffeine and Pain”
It’s a cold Sunday morning here in Texas. I am alone in the house, and it is quiet except for the wind. I am sitting here enjoying my coffee and trying to tackle my overflowing To Do list that has gotten a wee bit out of control this week. Too many unchecked items!! The last several days at work have been crazy and my evenings have been filled with functions and fund-raisers. I haven’t had quiet time like this in quite some time it seems.
I have had this particular blog post on my list to write for months now. Yes, months. But how do I write about doing something I myself am not always able to do? And that is to make sure I am getting a healthy dose of Vitamin R. Continue reading “Why We All Need Vitamin R”
My Inspired Fibro Life 