Eating our lives away

Every day I hear of someone being diagnosed with illnesses, mostly that will be with them the remainder of their lives. Many of these illnesses are autoimmune diseases that cause the body to not fight sickness and infection as easily as a "healthy" person. I've been telling my family that I am strong in my beliefs that the food we consume daily is causing the health issues we as Americans are facing. The best way to learn, for me at least, is to experiment and do my own research. This is where I started.
All the hype about gluten made me curious about what it is, what it is in, how it supports our daily diet, and side effects of consuming it.  I began doing research and my findings stunned me beyond belief.
Gluten is not the wheat product itself, which is what I wrongly thought, it is however, the protein found in wheat, rye, and barley.  Basically everything we consume contains gluten.  The more I research, the more foods I learn contains gluten. Of course all breads, pastas, cereals, and flours are made with gluten products. These products are the obvious foods but things we would never imagine also contain gluten. From lunch meat to shredded cheese and even cheap coffees contain gluten. Manufacturers use gluten in these products to help the aging process and in the cheese it helps it not stick together like all natural cheeses tend to do when you shred it yourself.
There are people with Celiac Disease that have to stay away from gluten to avoid bone damage and severe effects such as international inflammation preventing the body to absorb nutrients from our food. Others that must avoid gluten are gluten sensitive. These individuals don't necessarily have to stay away from gluten however eating it can cause extreme discomfort and pain. On the flip side, some people need gluten to help the digestion process and can cause celiac symptoms or gluten sensitive symptoms from the absence of the gluten product. Of course I'm not a doctor nor do I claim to know everything about food, what I do know is what I have tried and what my personal finding are.
If avoiding gluten is your goal, naturally gluten free foods are fruits, vegetables, fresh fish, fresh chicken, lean meats, beans, lentils, brown and wild rice, low fat dairy products (I use almond milk instead), nuts, seeds, virgin olive oils, and the list goes on. When grocery shopping keep in mind, the fresher-the better! Beware of boxed food, processed food, and high sugary and fatty foods.
Benefits of cutting gluten include (for some-not all individuals) thinner thighs, reduced belly fat, and even increased energy.
This is what shocked me...gluten, once consumed and in your body turns into a product called gliadin. This product is the biggest problem we have with gluten because once it turns to this, it has the potential to attack organs like our thyroid, pancreas, and other vital organs causing autoimmune diseases such as diabetes, thyroid disorders, and so on. Not only does it cause autoimmune diseases but it can also cause cancer, schizophrenia, and can attack heart tissues causing heart disease.
I feel like doctors should inform patients of the potential gluten has to hurting us, especially if you are more susceptible to these health issues. Do your own research and see what your findings are. You may surprise yourself!
http://paleodietlifestyle.com/11-ways-gluten-and-wheat-can-damage-your-health/

Compromised Immune System

First of all I want to let everyone know I am feeling better from my recent hospital visit however not up to 100% quite yet...thank you for the prayers!
I want to take this time to explain how serious autoimmune diseases can be if you are around aggressive germs. Although I am on my way to remission with my lupus nephritis, I'm not there yet, meaning I'm even more vulnerable to germs. I am a firm believer that if you tell yourself you feel good, you will...same with feeling bad. I try to tell myself everyday, even if I don't, that I feel great.
 I was so thankful when school started back because I got to start working again and pulling my weight financially.  My throat began to bother me but I continued working and telling myself I felt great! Those darling 5 year olds sure do love their hugs and high fives. I finished working the days I was already scheduled and then made an appointment with my doctor to check it out. She said it was allergies and sent me on my way. A few days later my throat became so sore that it felt like I had swallowed razor blades. I called the doctor back an informed her over the phone to which she phoned in new allergy medicine. I ended up going to the naval hospital to the emergency room to get looked at again because I continued to grow worse and ended up missing work because of it. One hospital said I had gotten a fungal infection in my throat due to the bacteria and prednisone use over long periods of time. I wanted a second opinion because they said there was nothing they could do for me. The next morning  I went to the emergency room out in town where I was told I had strep throat and given treatment for that.
I do not remember being this sick with a sore throat ever in my life. Having to wear a mask in the hospital was embarrassing and only being able to whisper made me miserable. I paid a visit to my nephrologist to discuss what is going on and she asked if I had been around germs. Well, yes. I started working again...teaching. She seemed extremely worried and concerned for me which then confirmed my thoughts of a degree change. Having an autoimmune disease makes sickness worse and much easier to catch, at least with the aggressive germs the sweet babies at school carry. I've learned, washing my hands a lot just might not be enough!

What do you wish for...?

Everyone has dreams and goals, some realistic and some really are just dreams.  My personal goals have been to complete college with a good degree, obtain a good job with great benefits, have a happy husband and beautiful children one day, and many more.  Goals, over time, tend to change with life and things become less important as you once thought they were in your life, such as having my own children.  My goals changed from some of these things I mentioned to focusing on me being healthy enough to help take care of my "broken" husband, as I like to call him as well as keep moving forward with my own life and not have "bad days" with lupus and diabetes. ;) My personal dreams however, have not changed.  I have always dreamed of becoming a model of some sort, working in the fashion industry, becoming a Falcon's cheerleader at some point...the list goes on. 
Now that some of my goals have been modified for my new lifestyle, I feel like I can pursue some of my dreams.  I have never taken the time to focus on me as much as I do now nor have I had the chance to really get in the best shape I could ever imagine.  I have been asked several times by several different people if I was going to start competing in fitness competitions once I get to competing status as far as my body is concerned.  At first I was not even considering this but after thinking about it and talking to a fitness model that I follow on Instagram, I realized maybe competition is just what I need to accomplish my dreams.  Competing will help keep me focused in the gym and out as far as lifting as well as my diet is concerned. I am already extremely disciplined with my diet but who doesn't have weak days.  Competing can help me focus on short term goals now in preparation for the next competition that will lead to me reaching my long term fitness goals in the future.  This can also be something I can do to help make extra money when I go back to school once we move back to Georgia (YAY). 
To become a fitness model, many girls get noticed from competing and are then picked up by different sponsors.  As shy as I am when it comes to things like this, I know that without being embarrassed from time to time and taking chances, dreams will never come true.  I really want to accomplish this dream, not only for me but for other girls that deal with many health issues, like me, or even just need a confidence boost.  I want to be the person people look at and say, "you are the reason I kept going" or "you are my inspiration". I want people, of all ages and lifestyles, to realize nothing will ever hold them back from their dreams as long as they set their mind on the prize and never let anything get them down. 
I plan on keeping my blog family updated on my journey to hopefully accomplish this long time dream of mine and in the end have something wonderful to show for my efforts and hard work.  I would love if my blog family would join me in praying for me and my body during this time to not only focus on this dream but also to not lose focus on the one that gave it all.  God has given so much for me in my life and blessed me beyond my dreams.  I asking Him for help through yet, another journey and hope you will do the same. 

Broccoli Salad Recipe

This blog is a little different...not a full meal recipe but one of my favorite snacks I make to keep in the fridge during the week. Broccoli is a great vegetable to eat regularly for everyone but especially great for lupus patients, leafy greens are key food groups for us! Many people that make this broccoli salad use alternative items than I do, it just depends on what you prefer. Personally, I'm the only one that eats this in my house so one cluster of broccoli is plenty for me.
> Cut the flower head off the stem and chop it all up so there aren't large chunks of broccoli.
I add the following but other options are great too-again it's preference.
> Red onion
> Shredded cheddar cheese
> Chopped tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes)
> Raisins or craisins.
> Almonds (many people use sunflower seeds, walnuts, etc...I prefer almonds)
> Some people add bacon bits (I leave this out because of high sodium in the bacon)

For the dressing:
> Greek yogurt (about a cup- I start with less and add as needed)
> Lemon juice (to taste)
> Honey (to taste- don't put too much or it will make it too sweet)
> Fresh dill (to taste)
> Pepper

I'm terrible at measuring stuff out so I start small with the amounts and work from there depending on how I want it to taste. Mix all this together in a bowl with a lid and eat on it for snacks instead of potato chips or cookies during the day. Enjoy. :)

Selfish vs. Silver lining.

Before verbally hearing the news about the dangers of conceiving I had begun preparing myself for the worst. I thought about, of course, my dreams of carrying a child not coming true, the effect it would have on my husband, and the effect it would have on our marriage. Many times news such as this can drive a wedge between a husband and wife. Thank goodness I have the most wonderful husband that, on a daily basis reminds me that it doesn't matter if I'm swollen from head to toe, breaking out from the medicine like a 13 year old girl going through puberty all over again, or can't personally carry our child, he still, and always will, love me regardless. I struggle with this because I don't always love me so how could someone else feel so strongly about me when they know how I'm feeling?
Given the information the doctor told us and knowing how much my dear husband wants a child as much as I do I often feel selfish. I'm not sure I'm willing, at this point, to risk putting my body through the stress it would undergo with the IVF treatment, with the risks of carrying our own child, and sometimes even the emotional toll it would take with any decision we make. It goes without saying, I obviously want to make my husband the happiest man possible, but at what cost will my body have to pay?
I have always been the type to make jokes and be silly to cover the pain I feel emotionally everyday. Some may see it as me just being positive so we can call it that! ;) I told my husband that the positive of me not being pregnant...he won't have to deal with the hormones that come with pregnancy, he won't have to listen to me complain about my body changing, and he won't have to run out in the middle of the night to get ice cream, or whatever it is I might crave. More positive notes, I can, for once in my life, really focus on me. I can finally take the time to make my diet the way I know it needs to be and the way I want it to be as well as focus on getting the body I have always dreamed of having without anything holding me back, including carrying extra weight to make sure we could conceive. He laughs at my jokes of course but I can't help but feel that I'm still being so selfish because I know his dream as well as mine.
At this point all we know to do is turn to prayer. We pray for God's will in our lives. We have started searching for devotions to help us cope and we have learned to rely on each other. We have to be the strength where the other is weak and pray for each other as well as our future!

Unfortunate News

Starting at a young age, a girl dreams of two days, her wedding day and the day she has children. For many years I've always worried about my chances of conceiving, as well as being able to carry my own child safely. Being diabetic and having hypothyroidism, doctors were already concerned with the safety of me along with how safe the pregnancy would be for the baby.  We had began trying to conceive December 2012 and in April 2013 we discovered why it wasn't working when I was diagnosed with lupus. When I was diagnosed with lupus this added an entire new level of concern. There are two types of medicine to help control lupus symptoms, one is safe for young patience still wanting to have children in the future, the other not so safe. Currently, being that I am only 25, the doctors want me to try the "safe" medicine to hopefully have the chance at having a family in the future.
Before even discussing the new dangers of pregnancy with a doctor, Paul and I discussed the many issues we may face in the future and what options we have and want to consider. Of course there is adoption, surrogacy, freezing embryos, and we even discussed not having children at all, which we both agreed we didn't want to not have children. We asked the doctor what her thoughts were about freezing embryos to have stored in case to allow me to still carry our child later, even if the medicine had to be changed. She agreed with freezing and storing the embryos but referred me to a specialist to find out more details. Being a fan of the reality show, Giuliana and Bill, I presented the idea of a gestational carrier, or surrogate. If I can't safely carry our child, we could possibly freeze embryos to later have implanted into another willing and able body to carry for us.
All of these options range anywhere from $10,000-$50,000, which we knew would take a financial toll on us but we were willing to sacrifice to be able to have our dream of a family. We finally met with the fertility specialist and got some not so fortunate news.  First, he informed us of the extreme danger my life as well as the baby's life would be in if I tried to carry myself. Diabetics alone can go into labor as early as 29 weeks, which decreases the chance of the baby surviving, as well as putting my life in great danger to the point it could kill me. Hypertension is dangerous for pregnancy as well and can also cause premature birth and even more issues for the mother. The lupus could possibly flare up mid-pregnancy due to the stress it places on the body causing possible birth defects from the medicine as well as, yet again, premature labor. So what now?
"Is freezing and storing embryos a better route for us to go?" We asked the specialist. He told us we could try but for two perfectly healthy individuals the freezing of embryos is a 50/50 chance of success and ours would be a great deal lower. He told us I would need to get off most of my medicine to retrieve the eggs not to mention the IVF I would have to take could also make me relapse and push me back in accomplishing remission. He told us it wasn't completely out of the question but he would run some test and see if he could even retrieve my eggs.
We had a lot to think about and pray about. Knowing my health issues could be passed down to our children is a major concern if everything else went smoothly. We need a great deal of support and prayer to help us in this decision making over the next few months as we decide what our future would look like.

Merlot Pork Chop Recipe

Cooking with wine sauce is dangerous for individuals watching their sodium intake. Cooking wine is loaded with salt to make it taste better in the food and if you use regular wine to cook with, often times it makes the food have a bitter taste.  Being Italian, many recipes call for cooking wine...so how exactly can I modify these recipes and make it healthy for me to enjoy? My mother-in-law discovered a new line of cooking seasonings and sent us a box full of healthy goodies for us to try. One of the seasonings is a merlot sauce made by Tastefully Simple. this sauce has a full merlot flavor but not the crazy amounts of sodium like other cooking wines.
This sauce can be used on a variety of different meats but remember red meat needs to be limited, or in my case never eaten unless for a special occasion. For this recipe I use pork chops, I prefer the small cut boneless ones the most. After the chops thaw out I poke holes in the meat, shake some minced onions on both sides, and then pour the merlot sauce on both sides. I usually try to let this sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow it to marinate.
While I wait for the meat to soak up the great flavor I start my side items. I like to make baked sweet potatoes with the pork chops and some sort of green vegetable, we will use asparagus for this dinner. Sweet potatoes are full of potassium, so I have to be careful not to have too much, but is also a great fat burning food to assist in losing weight (of course if you don't load it full of brown sugar). I wash the sweet potatoes, put a small amount of butter in some foil, and wrap the sweet potatoes in the foil, the butter helps keep the potato from drying out. I set the oven on 400° for usually about an hour because the sweet potatoes are so large. While the potatoes cook I wash and prepare the asparagus. If you like a crisper texture, place the asparagus on a cookie sheet in a thin layer, season with lemon, pepper, parmesan cheese, and lemon juice and let them bake on 375° for about 10 minutes and then check them. Another way I like to make my asparagus is in a skillet and saute them with basil, garlic, parsley, and pepper. The asparagus doesn't take long so wait until the meat and potatoes are almost finished before you start them to prevent them from getting cold.
To cook the pork chops, we love to use the grill but also have a grill pan that is used on the stove top. It still gives the meat the beautiful grill marks and taste wonderful but doesn't have that grill flavor. The pork chops are not that thick so we keep flipping them until the center is white which usually only takes about 10 minutes total. Lastly, I top my sweet potato with cinnamon, which is also great for many things-like helping lower blood sugar.

To find this delicious sauce plus other great seasonings that are healthier visit:
http://www.tastefullysimple.com/web/dmajkowski

When I grow up...

In high school, individuals are asked to think about their future and make huge decisions at such a young age. Where will you go to college, if you decide to go that route, what will your major be, what job are you hoping to acquire after college, what does the future look like to you and what goals are you wanting to achieve? Of course seven years ago I did not see my life where it is now. I decided I wanted to go into the fashion industry, probably in marketing, hopefully be working for my Bloomingdale as a buyer, or something very lavish where I live and breathe all things fashionable. Once in college and coming up on the time to declare my major I realized I needed to focus, think realistically, and really think about what my short and long term goals were. I've always enjoyed helping people, working with children, and obviously fashion. I decided to study early childhood education because I realized I could help students learn, possibly be the only positive role model in their lives, and hopefully help change their mind about school and learning-so many children have learned to dislike school and learning and I even became one of these students at a young age, why not change this?
During my last two years of college I had the opportunity to work with some of the most amazing teachers Coweta County had to offer and learned so much from each of them. The last year I was able to stay with the same teacher the entire school year and considered her my mentor. She was a veteran teacher and I knew I would learn so much more from her, even more than I already had learned. After college I wasn't able to have a job lined up due to the uncertainty of where I would be living while my future husband was deployed. I decided to substitute while he was deployed and then moved to North Carolina, where I was hired on with DODEA as a substitute in dependent schools. I worked with special needs often and was working with Pre-kindergarten through second grade students. I absolutely loved working with the special needs children to the point they became my "babies". I became sick a week before the school`s spring break and was hospitalized for almost the entire week of spring break. I wasn't well enough to finish the school year with substituting but was still on the list for the next year. When discussing work with my doctor she informed me that I could go back to work, which I was afraid my new found illness would hinder me, as long as I wasn't around small children because of the auto-immune disease. WHAT? Working with small children is my job, what my degree is in, and what I love. So what now...?
Thankfully, I am well enough to start back substituting this new school year but I am considering going back to school for a career change. I have had several months and a lot of time to really think about what I want to be "when I grow up" and  how my goals, short and long term, have drastically altered. But what exactly can I do that still allows me to help people and not expose myself to the germs the young children can give me? Then I remembered how frustrated I got during each diagnosis because no matter what dietician I met with, I left feeling as confused as I was before the appointment and still didn't know what I could and couldn't eat. So this is one option, I can help patients like me come up with a healthy new diet hopefully allow these patients the confidence that I lacked with eating. Another option I considered was to study physical therapy. After watching my sweet husband deal with all of his war related health issues and having to visit physical therapist for months at a time I realized they help people restore their body to the condition it was before, or as close as they could at least. Many of these options I consider would take an extended amount of school again but I am willing to do what it takes to accomplish a new goal that is safe for me to live in everyday.
Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated for this as well. :)

Is Anything too Hard for God?

Strong...how do you define this word? Physical strength? Mental or psychological stability? What about tough? I've been told I am strong and tough however some days I feel like the weakest and most selfish person I know.
With lupus, everyday can present a new ache or pain, new levels of exhaustion, and often times great fear of relapse. Many people do not realize how extremely painful lupus can be. The disease itself attacks your organs, sometimes focusing on one particular organ alone. Certain movements and activities can sometimes cause unexplained pain. When I was first diagnosed and starting my medicine I had terrible pain in my feet, ankles, an  elbows. The pain was so severe I could barely walk at some points but would go as fast as it came and I would be able to walk fine a few minutes later. My elbows would hurt so bad that brushing my hair would kill me and vacuuming was out of the question. Lately, working out has made the pains go away however, while I've started to increase the weight I've experienced excruciating  pain under my ribs to the point of being doubled over. This alone scared me to the point of tears because of fear that the lupus is relapsing. This pain I have been experiencing is identical to the pain I had before I was diagnosed but never went to the doctor about. How do you explain some random pain that you aren't really sure where it is exactly or what causes it to a doctor? And just because you have a pain doesn't mean you run to the doctor every time. Many times we have unexplained pain and discomfort so I just told myself that's all it was. This time I knew better. I called my doctor after three days of the pain during lower body workouts with my concern. She said she's worried about exhausting myself to the point it can push me back in my remission. One word came to mind, SCARED!
The religious side of me knows nothing is, nor ever will be too hard for God but the flesh, human side of me struggles with the understanding of his purpose many times. It's a humbling thought to know I have been part of God's plan and upper story from day one, as small and "unimportant" I am to this world but I have to remind myself I am important and part of the great master plan for a reason.  As hard as it is to swallow, diseases and illnesses all happen for a reason and I'm excited to see what the future holds for me and my life. I've had so many people tell me that God can heal me and can cure my body of all these autoimmune diseases...as strange as it may seem, I feel like God doesn't want me "healed". Sometimes it's hard to wrap my mind around the fact that he can, although I know it's possible, but I feel like I'm a better witness and story for him with these issues and struggles I deal with on a daily basis.
Daily I pray for guidance and daily, I feel like God has provided more opportunities than I could ever imagine on my own, whether it be to just make it through the day without having a pity party, which does happen-not often but it does, or by giving me the opportunity to help someone with my story.
I love reading and have begun searching for really great devotions to help me when I'm having a weak moment. One great friend has already recommended one. I would appreciate your feedback as well! :) That's all for tonight. Goodnight!

Lemon pepper recipes

With my recipes, I use my Paula Dean skillets almost every night and sometimes all three sizes. If you don't have a good set I highly recommend investing in some great pans because it can determine how your food turns out. 🍳 Most of my recipes take about 25 minutes for preparation and cooking time total which is great because my husband doesn't eat the same thing. I usually cook two separate meals every night.
Lemon pepper is a very common seasoning for many types of food like wings, fish, chicken, etc...the only problem, it's very high in sodium. For people with hypertension, this is a problem! Also, if you are trying to lose weight too much sodium in your diet makes you retain fluid which, in turn makes the scale read higher 👎. My recipes using lemon pepper are modified for people trying to lower blood pressure, lose the water weight, and still be able to have that yummy lemon pepper flavored food! 🍋
First, decide what type of protein you want, my personal favorite is tilapia but I also use chicken, salmon, and flounder sometimes. Use all natural extra virgin olive oil in the bottom of the pan with the protein, some lemon juice, and fresh ground pepper to taste. If you want to still use the delicious lemon pepper seasoning, use only a pinch and sprinkle on each size of the protein...very lightly though. I also put garlic powder or fresh garlic on top along with fresh basil, from my garden, and parsley flakes. I usually cook the protein on medium heat and let it get a nice golden brown color on each side. Just because you can't have sodium doesn't mean your food has to be flavorless!
While the protein is cooking, I start my veggies. My usual vegetable choice consist of zucchini and squash but if I have asparagus, snap peas, okra, bell peppers, etc...I throw all of it in there with the all natural extra virgin olive oil again. Remember, the more color on your plate the better it is for you! To add some extra flavor I also use garlic, sweet Vidalia onion, basil, parsley, lemon juice, and fresh ground pepper. I let my veggies sauté until they are tender and starting to brown. You can also use this same recipe but add a lid and a little water to the pan. This will steam the veggies rather than sauté them. If I have cherry or grape tomatoes, when the vegetables are almost done, I throw a few in the pan and roll them around to get the great flavor on them but don't leave them in as long. They get a nice roasted flavor without making them soggy or tomato paste.
Lastly, presentation is key. Humans eat with their eyes first and decide before the first bite if they will like it or not. My food pictures turn out great because I take time to arrange the food in a way the person eating it can't wait to dig in. The last step before serving the dish, I top it with a little sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and voila! Dinner is served. Enjoy 🍴

Dreaded Doctors

Let's be honest, no one likes going to the doctor, especially when usually it only means finding out more bad news. Well today had a follow up with both, my rheumatologist and nephrologist, both in one day, YIKES! Luckily, the rheumatologist, my lupus doctor, said all my lupus levels were normal and I wouldn't have to see her again for three months! Thank goodness! I then went to my nephrologist, which manages my kidney disease (I really don't mind seeing her at least), and she had pretty good news as well. I have been extremely anemic for quite some time, which, if you don't know, can cause you to feel tired all the time...I am finally in normal range for my iron count! Hallelujah! About two months ago, my potassium levels were dangerously high to the point that, while I was in California for a wedding I had to immediately find a lab to draw more blood to recheck the levels...my potassium level is better than ever at 3.9 now! My creatinine and kidney function were also normal...except one problem....my protein count has gone back up to over 2,000 again, which is what it was about four months ago before going into partial remission. The doctor didn't seem to be as concerned as I was about this reading because she said it can be caused from working out as much as I do. As long as I don't begin to swell again or feel bad the protein isn't as concerning she said. The levels will be checked again in four weeks to find out how the protein levels are and hopefully we see improvement. To be in full remission from kidney disease my protein level has to be around 500. About a month and a half ago it was at 800. I know everything happens for a reason, I just wish I could understand things sometimes. Good news, I still feel better than ever, still going to the gym everyday, and still eat clean. If you don't take care of yourself, you are the only one that will suffer and feel bad. I tell myself this all the time when I really don't want to take 19 pills a day or I just want to eat something bad...it will only hurt myself!
That's all for today! Recipes of my favorite meals soon to come!

Healthy Habits...Part 2

Lets talk about that oh so difficult topic for many people...exercise! Finding the motivation to work out on your own can be like pulling teeth sometimes, even with a workout buddy to hold you accountable! I used to have excuse after excuse why I couldn't make it to the gym like, I don't have the money for a membership, my sugar always messes up when I workout, I don't want to go by myself, etc...I'm sure many of you can relate with at least one of those!
 Once I was diagnosed I knew my life would be changing forever, in some ways to keep me alive, some ways to make me feel more comfortable while completing what used to be easy tasks, and some for my own selfish reasons. Exercise, of course has many great benefits. The biggest reasons to exercise for me are for stress relief, natural anti-depressant, and self-satisfaction in the way I see my body changing from week to week.  Once I got a better idea of things I should eat and making grocery lists, I decided working out should be my next healthy habit to add to my new life.  I began following many motivating blogs and looking on Pinterest to give me ideas of new workouts to try.  My husband set up an appointment with a personal trainer at our gym for me and I was on my way to my new and improved body and outlook. After I worked with the trainer for one day I was so sore I could barely move for the next four but didn't stop going to the gym. [Always remember, if you don't workout the soreness it will get worse and then you will have to deal with it all over again next time you work out.] I continued the workout the trainer showed me until it was no longer challenging to me, at this point I had to change my routine.  I have learned if I continue to change up my workout routine and "shock" my body and muscles, I will continue to grow and see improvements and changes in my muscles. We are creatures of habit by nature so change is hard sometimes, especially when we aren't sure of what to do...luckily the Internet is full of assistance for many different things, including workouts. Personally, I like to do circuits, and rotations of workouts.  I usually stay on a three day rotation but change up the type of workouts I do to focus on the different areas.  For example: I always start with a cardio warm up- treadmill, elliptical, stair stepper, etc...
Day 1: chest and triceps, lower body, and tabata timer for abs
Day 2: extra cardio, back and biceps, tabata timer and weighted obliques for abs
Day 3 shoulders, lower body, and tabata time for abs
For once in my life, I can focus on getting and feeling better than I ever could in my life.  I am currently not working due to summer break and not going to school, which I used so much as an excuse in the past.  I have a wonderful support system that helps keep me focused on my goal and tons of motivation. Nothing will stop me from reaching my goal. Some day I feel weak from lupus but I have learned to wait a little while and try again later in the day or do a less strenuous workout.  Never give up on a dream and set your focus on your goal. After all, you are the only one you will let down! Makes yourself proud of what you did! 

That Healthy New Hobby

As you read in my last post, my healthy eating habits led to me starting a new hobby. This, as you also know, eating healthy gets extremely costly at times and can make it somewhat discouraging when you see the grocery bill every two weeks continue to grow. I was eating zucchini and squash on a daily basis, my visits to the store became more frequent and my wallet continually got "lighter" and "lighter".  At this, my husband thought of planting our own garden with the things we use the most to cut back on having to spend so much. I somewhat chuckled at the thought because, well lets just say I have worse than a brown thumb, at least with flowers! He understood my concerns with possibly spending all this money to start a garden and watching it shrivel up and die in a matter of weeks but gave me confidence that he would make sure to attend it daily until it was healthy enough for me to care for it. Thank goodness I let him talk me into this! My new garden became my baby that I enjoyed just walking around and looking at every few hours. I enjoyed my quiet time outside in the sun while listening to God's creatures and enjoying what God had allowed to grow in my very own backyard. What started out as very weak tiny plants that I had little confidence in became very productive large plants that had to be replanted twice due to the massive plants they became. I began getting so much from my zucchini and squash plants that I was able to freeze three gallon size freezer bags full and still have some coming in. My tomato plants were, and still are, so successful that we could make homemade healthy tomato sauce and even give some to a friend that needed some fresh veggies.
Of course all good things must come to an end...but not yet! I though I had seen my last zucchini and squash for the year due to nasty squash bugs sucking the water and nutrients out of my healthy garden but I wasn't giving up that easily. A quick visit to Lowes to get the miracle Sevin Dust and lots of watering brought my garden back to producing again! I'm so thankful for what God has allowed in my life and my little backyard. I can't wait to see what the future holds nor can I wait to plant a "real" garden at my forever home in Georgia that I can share my produce with my friends and family!
Healthy Habits -Part 2 coming soon! ;)

Healthy Habits...Part 1 :)

During the process of finding out my diagnosis I was told I had entirely too much protein, potassium, and needed less sodium in my body. As most people know, almost everything consist of at least one of these three ingredients. This meant big time changes in my diet. At first I was totally confused as to what I could and couldn't eat, not to mention I didn't have much of any kind of appetite. This is where I started researching and putting all the "what not to eat" list from the doctors together to come up with a diet that I could live with as far as cravings as well as work with my newest health issues. I've always loved mostly any kind of fruit and vegetable so you would think it would be easy...not so much. Almost every fruit that I completely love has high levels of potassium in them as well as many of the veggies I enjoy. Every tropical fruit was out of the question, of course bananas, avocados, sweet potatoes, and the list continues. Even coffee has potassium in it so, while I could continue to have my one cup of black coffee every morning, that's the only cup I could have the whole day, so it had to count! I come from a large Italian family, which, of course means lots of pasta and heavy carbohydrates and lots of salt and seasonings. This took a toll on my grocery list being that a quick pot of spaghetti was one of the easiest things I could fix up along with stuffed shells, and of course pizza.  No more of any of that, at least the way I was used to.  I was told my blood pressure would get out of control again and I needed to avoid the sodium as much as possible. Now on to protein. Of course when I thought of protein, I would think meat, steak, chicken, fish, etc. Obviously these types of food have protein but what many people don't realize is what else contains protein.  Many veggies also contain protein, beans, and nuts are also examples. I thought, goodness, what CAN I eat??
While my doctors were helpful in telling me what to stay away from, they were not going to make me a diet plan with breakfast, lunch, and dinner...this was my turn to learn about food, my body, and my disease.  I learned that organic options along with gluten free foods are great for lupus patients, many different types of fish, especially salmon, is wonderful for lupus (just have to be careful on the size of the fillet due to high amounts of potassium in the salmon), dairy free profits were better options, and, thank goodness, fruit! I began my pantry and refrigerator makeover. The chocolate candy and cookies were replaced with all natural dark chocolate chips, dried fruit, and lots of fresh fruit.  The bags upon bags of chips and crackers were replaced to gluten free bagel chips, gluten free pretzels, and gluten free rice cakes. My fridge and freeze went from steaks, pizza, and ice cream to be transformed into salmon, tilapia, chicken, and lots of zucchini, squash, tomatoes, and the list goes on.
I do not claim to have a perfect diet nor do I claim to have everything figured out of what to eat and not to eat. Every day is a learning experience and its a wonderful journey. I've learned gluten free options make me feel better than foods that contain gluten.  I've also learned cheating only hurts myself and in turn makes me feel worse.
As many of you know, this diet doesn't come cheap or easy! This was the start of a new project and newest hobby that I can forever enjoy!

"The L Word"

So what now? What does Lupus Nephritis mean and how is my life going to be effected?
Stage 4 lupus nephritis is basically lupus with stage 4 of 6 kidney disease. My kidneys weren't bad enough for dialysis, thank goodness, but I wasn't sure just how bad they were or what treatment I was going to face. I was referred to a nephrologist to monitor my kidney function and to hopefully help with some of the lupus symptoms, although she was unable to help with the severe pain caused from this disease attacking all of my organs. I was put on about 25 different pills a day consisting of kidney function assistance, blood pressure medicine, etc, but the worst of them all...steroids. The doctor warned me of the awful side effects of the steroids and what to be aware of. I began wondering if lupus or the side effects of the medicine was going to be worse. She said it would make me crazy, gain weight, have stretch marks, make my body insulin resistant (which is terrible for diabetics obviously) and the list goes on. Being the petite person that I am I freaked out about the weight gain and stretch marks. As if my life and diet hadn't had to change enough already, I made sure my meals were very small and extremely healthy even more so. I invested more time in focusing on myself and daily soaked myself in organic coconut oil to prevent the dreaded stretch marks she mentioned. About a week after being put on the medicine I began swelling so much that I gained 20+ pounds in water weight. My entire body was so swollen that when I would even bend my legs I could feel the skin stretching to the point it felt like it was ripping. My two pound dog would stand on my leg and leave a foot print for about 10 minutes just from the water my body was holding. I was swollen in places I never knew could swell. Along with not feeling well, this swelling made me feel completely down about myself and unattractive more than ever. Thankfully, my kidneys showed improvement and I was able to begin taking lasix- water pills- to help with the swelling.
I was then referred to a rheumatologist to help with the pain caused by lupus and other symptoms, such as hair loss and exhaustion. The medicine she gave me began working about a week after starting it and has been a life savor. My joints weren't popping as bad and sleep wasn't as painful, although still difficult most nights.
I began to lose the water weight and once it all was gone I actually weighed less than before I got sick, thanks to the healthy food I was now eating and how much attention I was paying to my eating habits. The nephrologist slowly began to lower medicine doses, including the steroids, but not taking me completely off any of them, not yet at least.
Thankful for my faith and a praying family, I am in partial remission only four months into my treatment. My doctors were all surprised about my progress and how fast I was reacting to the medications. All I can say is its all because of faith, prayer, and a lot of fight in me with the support of great family and friends.

My History

Happy, go lucky, cheerleader for years began losing weight at age 11, which I didn't have to lose.  In June, 1999 I was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes (type 1 diabetes) and told I would forever have to depend on some form of insulin, either by shot or insulin pump- which is inserted with a needle every three days. For those of you that don't know me, having to take a shot or be given a shot was about as bad as having my arm shot off- at least that's the way I acted then. I spent a week in the Scottish Rite Hospital in Atlanta learning how to eat, when to eat, how to administer my own shots, and where to go from there.  For a year, doctors closely monitored every bite of food I put in my mouth and all my blood sugar readings. I proved to be responsible enough that I was approved to get an insulin pump. What a blessing it was and still is! (An insulin pump is basically an external pancreas that, along with my doctors help, I am able to control the amount of insulin my body receives). Although I had blood sugar drops and spikes still, I did not let this stop me from being happy and keeping my head high. I continued to cheer on two different squads at one point and kept going strong.
Like any auto-immune disease, sickness gets you down longer and faster.  I suffered from serious migraines frequently, stomach viruses often, fluctuating weight gain and loss, and many days I felt completely exhausted. After discussing these issues with my doctor and various blood test I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism around age 18- a second auto-immune disease. Luckily, this can be controlled with routinely taking a pill, getting blood work done, and close monitoring from the doctors. Unfortunately, I wasn't the best at keeping up with my medicine so my hair would fall out by handfuls, headaches continued, exhaustion kept creeping up when I needed energy most, and overall feeling well was hit or miss.
I completed college and graduated with my bachelor's degree in early childhood education in May 2011 and married my best friend in July 2011- which deployed to Afghanistan five days later for his forth deployment.  Once my marine returned to the states, I moved all our things from Georgia to North Carolina to begin our lives together. While missing my family and friends daily was a struggle, I enjoyed establishing our marriage, working together, and learning who I was even more...including taking the time to take better care of myself and my husband that also suffers from many war related issues.
Thankful for the move, I finally found a great group of doctors that worked well with me to get my diabetes and thyroid disorder under control and I began feeling better than ever, with the exception of the occasional high blood pressure, which was a new an unexplained issue.
Toward the end of 2012 I began suffering from those wonderful migraines again but way worse than before and exhaustion to the point of not being able to get out of bed for an entire day. In March 2013 I was enjoying a chilly day on the beach with my love and noticed my left foot swelling. For people with diabetes, this can be dangerous. After about a week of the swelling not going down my husband took me to the naval hospital to have it looked at.  There, my blood pressure reaches 198/145 and I was spilling so much protein in my urine that it wouldn't even read on the medical charts. I was released from the hospital after they regulated the BP and was given an inhaler and steroid pack for pneumonia. A few days later I continually woke up every few minutes gasping for air and feeling purely awful with no explanation other than having pneumonia. This completely freaked my husband out to the point he immediately called my doctor and took me to the hospital out in town. I spent a week in the hospital having tons of blood drawn and a kidney biopsy before being release, still with no explanation of what was wrong with me.  In April I got a call from my doctor with the news that I had stage 4 lupus nephritis, the third auto-immune disease. To me this meant a slow painful death from what I had recently heard. I was so upset I could only hand the phone to my husband and walk away. This was the start of our lives changing forever, and I wasn't sure I was ready for this kind of change...or ever would be ready for that matter!