Translate

Monday, July 30, 2012

ABC News, Dealing With Dystonia

I was searching on YouTube, and found an interview that was done on Dystonia by ABC News. Please watch it on the video bar on the side of my blog, and hopefully you can share it with friends and family members to spread the word about Dystonia.

Sprouting Seeds

After my girlfriend educating me about sprouting, which I've never even heard of before, I researched it and immediately went out and bought a jar and bags of different seeds.
There are so many health benefits from eating sprouts, so I'm excited to give this a try!
I also researched and found out the health benefits of Alfalfa seeds. Since this herb is rich in vitamins and minerals it helps in the dissolving of stones in the kidneys, which I've had issues with in the past! Owwwww!
Below is the jar and the sprouts I grew from the seeds.








Below is the salad where I've added my sprouts and some chia seeds!!!!! Pretty cool, huh?




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Eating Healthy Is Important For Dystonia

I read this article on The Dystonia Spasmodic Torticollis website. Nothing below was written by me. Just thought I would share it with all of you.

http://www.spasmodictorticollis.org/index.cfm?pid=312&pageTitle=WHAT-IS-HEALTHY-EATING-FOR-DYSTONIA


Patient Resource Center



WHAT IS HEALTHY EATING FOR DYSTONIA

The media is full of information touting the perfect diet. It may be called the Alkaline Ash Diet, Mediterranean Diet, the Anti Inflammatory Diet or the Raw Diet.   Since the Royal Wedding we even have the Dukan Diet. All of these diets claim to have the secret to health, long lasting life, prevention of disease and achieving the perfect body weight. Although each of these diet programs have components that are of benefit to health and, in particular, neurological health, the ideal diet need not be expensive nor involve copious lists of do’s and don’ts.( copious lists of allowed and prohibited foods)

WHAT THE RESEARCH SHOWS.

Dr. Gene Bowman, a researcher that has investigated neurological health related to nutrition, aging and the brain has found that there are 3 aspects to diet and neurological health: Less Trans Fatty Acids and Omega 6 Fatty Acids and more Omega 3 Fatty Acids and plenty of B vitamins. Other studies have focused on the effects of excess cooking, browning and frying; even stir frying and baking, which has promoted more raw food diet. Diets high in animal products, meat fish and dairy have been associated with cancer, heart disease and other degenerative disorders.
So how do you eat healthy? Further, how do you choose your food selections and still enjoy eating? I like to call this kind of eating CLEAN EATING.
LESS MEAT, MORE PLANTS:
Maybe you are not ready to become a vegetarian, but you can still benefit by beginning to replace some animal based proteins in your diet with plant based proteins. Plant based proteins include dried cooked beans, such as lentils, pinto beans, chick peas. Other plant based proteins include soy products such as tofu, Edamame’, or soy milk. Even nuts are a good plant protein. You can also create plant protein from wheat in the form of wheat gluten or Seitan. Below is a recipe using Seitan. If you are gluten sensitive, however, this would not be recommended.

EAT MORE RAW, LESS COOKED

When eating foods that are browned by a combination of fat, protein and sugar an end product found to progress aging is identified. An example would be barbeque foods, frying foods, especially meats, French fries, baked rolls and pastries. You do not need to quit eating all of these, but it is best to limit these kind of foods and counteract the negatives from these foods with plenty of raw foods. Make sure to include several servings of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet every day. This can include adding raw nuts to salads or other dishes. You might prepare fresh veggies and fruit with a healthy dip. See the recipe below for one idea.


USE GOOD FATS, LESS BAD FAT

The American diet is full of bad fats. This includes Trans fats that are hidden in many processed foods and often labeled as “Trans Free” This is very confusing to consumers for the law allows products to be labeled Trans Free if they contain less than .5 g of Trans fat per serving. But when you look at the label of what a serving is, it is very easy to over consume the serving size, thus consuming more Trans fats than what is healthy for you. Good examples are snack crackers, chips, margarines and dairy creamers. It is best to limit or avoid these foods altogether. Omega 6 and Omega 3 are our Essential Fats. Omega 6 are found in many oils and salad dressings in addition to snack foods and margarines. Although some Omega 6 is needed in our diet, we often easily eat too much.   Omega 3 is the fat we are often lacking enough of in our diets. It is a little harder to obtain and is the key to neurological health. Omega 3 are found in nuts like walnuts, pumpkins seeds, fatty fish like salmon or tuna, flax oil, canola oil, olive oil, kidney beans, soy milk and tofu.

EAT AT LEAST 9 FRUITS AND VEGETABLE PER DAY

Fruits, vegetables and juices should be the hub of your diet. No less than 9 per day should be your goal.   This can often be a challenge. Be creative. Have salad for breakfast, make a smoothie for lunch. See a recipe below for a smoothie. Always be thinking of how you can add another vegetable to a lunch, dinner or snack.

LIMIT MILK –

 Some research indicates that Milk may not be the best food for neurological disease. Indicates that milk consumption is associated with a higher rate of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.   Calcium is important but you would be best to keep your milk to less than 2 cups per day or choose other foods fortified with calcium. Calcium fortified orange juice, calcium fortified soy milk, almond milk or rice milk are good options.

B VITAMINS

- Fruit, vegetables, and whole grains are good sources of B vitamin. Grains can be cooked as a hot cereal such as millet, quinoa, rice or amaranth. Whole grains can also be used as a side dish at dinner such as brown rice, quinoa or whole wheat pasta. Experiment with grains you have never tried before. It is best to diversify—or use diverse types of grains. Mix it up. Brewer’s yeast is an excellent source of B vitamins. Add it to hot cereal, smoothies or other grain dishes. If you do not eat any meat products at all you may need a Vitamin B 12 supplement of 50 mcg per day or make sure you obtain Vit B-12 fortified food equal to this amount.

Spaghetti Squash

Tonight I made spaghetti squash with meat sauce. Very yummy!!!! There was no after guilt of eating a dish full of carbs afterwards.




Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cut the squash in half, and lay it outside facing up on a baking sheet.




After 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, take the squash out.





With a fork, scrape the squash into a bowl. You will see it magically look like spaghetti!









Now pour your sauce on top and enjoy!!!!!





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Saturday, July 28, 2012

The Good China

How many of us never use our good China? We can't wait to get it, but then can't decide which occasion is worthy enough to put it out.

Tonight I'm having my mother's birthday at our house. With a little tossing and turning, I've decided she was worthy! Lol I'm just kidding, I didn't hesitate to dust off my China and make the table pretty for her.

Life is too short to skimp out on the ones we love. Appreciate the loved ones in our lives!



Now that's a table setting!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Smell The Sauce!!!!

Making sauce with meatballs for my moms birthday dinner. It was great being able to lean over and snip fresh basil and thyme from my herb garden. I tell ya, I'm loving my little garden.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Stretches For Cervical Dystonia From LIVESTRONG Website

below is an exercise I found on the LIVESTRONG website. I copied and pasted the post for you to enjoy. None of this was written by me. It was written by Crystal Welch. I know I speak a lot of how yoga has helped me get through my days without feeling tight, so perhaps reading the same thing from someone else will give you more encouragement to do whatever stretches you can to help relieve the tightness you're feeling this morning.


Crystal Welch has a 30-year writing history. Her more than 2,000 published works have been included in the health and fitness-related Wellness Directory, Earthdance Press and Higher Source. She is an award-winning writer who teaches whole foods cooking and has written a cookbook series. She operates an HON-code-certified health-related blog with more than 95,000 readers. Welch has a B.B.A. from Eastern Michigan University.


CERVICAL DYSTONIA EXERCISES

Jul 27, 2010 | By Crystal Welch

Cervical dystonia, known as spasmodic torticollis, is a neurological disorder which causes the neck and shoulder muscles to involuntarily contract and spasm, according to the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation. Exercises can improve posture through stretching and strengthening muscles and help reduce pain, according to the MayoClinic.com. No exercise provides a cure-all. Every individual is different, and needs different treatments. Check with your doctor prior to starting any exercise routine.

HEAD TILTS
Stretching can help your cervical dystonia by loosening your tight muscle fibers. Head tilts can stretch your cervical muscles, according to functionalrestoration.com. Head tilts can be done either with assistance or unassisted. For assisted head tilts, either stand or sit in an upright chair. Stretch your left side neck muscles by placing your right hand onto the left side of your head above your ear. Gently pull your head to the right side with your hand. Hold this stretch for five seconds. Return your head to the original, straight ahead position. Relax for three minutes. Repeat this exercise 10 times. Do the exercise again to your left side. For unassisted head tilts, perform the same exercise without using your opposite-side hand to stretch your neck muscles while moving your head.

NECK AND BACK STRETCH
Stretch your entire spine and neck to help keep your muscles flexible. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Intertwine your fingers and place your hands on the backside of your head. Gently bend your knees as you slowly lower your upper body. Stretch until your head is at knee level. Lower your neck to increase the stretch. Do not pull on your neck. Hold this stretch for 10 seconds. Slowly lift your body up to the original position. Relax for three minutes. Repeat this exercise five times. If you have lower back concerns, do a modified version of this exercise by sitting on a large exercise ball. This will place less stress on your back.

CHAIR YOGA
Chair yoga exercises can help stretch your shoulders, upper back and neck muscles. Do a Hatha yoga posture known as a Slow Motion Dive. Sit upright in a firm, armless chair. Place your hands on your knees. Slowly inhale to fill your lungs. Slowly lower your upper body to your lap and knees while exhaling. Allow your head to hang and relax between your legs. Bend as far as possible. If you are comfortable, increase your stretch by lowering your hands to the floor. Hold your stretching position for one minute. Breathe fully as you stretch. Inhale as you lift yourself with your arms back to the original position. Relax for three minutes. Repeat this exercise 10 times.

DOWNWARD FACING DOG
Do a yoga posture known as Downward Facing Dog to strengthen your shoulders and relax your neck muscles. This posture also helps increase your leg flexibility. Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart. Slowly lean your upper body forward. Instead of touching your toes, walk your hands out two to three feet from your body. Place your palms flat on the floor. Let your neck hang. Keep your elbows and knees straight. Hold this position for 10 to 20 seconds. Slowly walk your hands back to your feet and return your upper body to the original position. Relax for two minutes. Repeat this exercise three times.



Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/185802-cervical-dystonia-exercises/#ixzz21GjwDZdR

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

A Yoga And Meditation Kind Of A Morning

Have you ever been around negative energy that seems to take over your whole thoughts and body, that the very next day you feel so anxious and tense all over?

Well that's exactly what I felt when I woke up this morning. Even though the negative energy came from someone else's issues, I was physically and mentally taking them over. I needed to literally detox this morning and snap back into a serene place.

I did 1/2 hour of yoga, to stretch out all the tightness, and about 10 minutes if meditation. As soon as I realized I wasn't thinking negative thoughts anymore, I stopped.

We need to step away and center ourselves every once in awhile. It's healthy and we all deserve a happy and healthier day!!!!







Rosary beads my husband bought me in NYC. Cool color!!!! They're displayed in our home, to remind me that we're always being watched over. :)





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Monday, July 16, 2012

My Love For Vintage Bicycles

Below are some photos I found on the internet of vintage bicycles! How awesome are they?





































My Little Herb Garden

Here's a photo of my little herb garden. It's not much, but it's there when I need it. :)







Above is my fresh basil I'm waiting to pot, once it roots.







Above is fresh thyme, chives, and mint.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Dehydration and It's Effects on The Muscles of Someone With Dystonia

I found this blog by Robin Wood, who suffers from Dystonia. I thought it was worth posting.

Lets Talk Muscles ~ Looking Beyond The Brain

Posted by Robin Wood on June 30, 2008 at 10:01am

The earth is composed of over 100 elements, the most abundant of which is oxygen. Oxygen is essential to the survival of all living matter. Take away our supply of oxygen for just 4 minutes and death is almost assured.
A spasming muscle prevents blood flow; when the muscle is not receiving enough blood, the muscle is also not receiving enough oxygen. In an athlete, a lack of oxygen to an over worked muscle will severely hamper performance by causing an increase in lactic acid in the muscles and a loss of overall energy causing them not to perform well. In a Dystonian, the loss of energy from sustained spasms causes fatigue, fatigue brings Dystonia and thus you have a vicious never ending cycle.
Without sufficient oxygen, your muscles will reduce glucose into lactate and release hydrogen ions into the muscles which then leads to pain, soreness, burning sensation and fatigue. The pain is caused by ischemic muscle tissue. Ischemia means the muscle is lacking proper blood flow. Blood flow is essential in removing lactic acid from the muscles which is secreated into the blood flow.
Often times Dystonia causes muscles to go into sustained spasms for extended periods of time, ie: days, weeks, months. Dystonia can also effect any muscle or muscle group. For many relief of spasms is obtained thru medication, botox and DBS, however for every 3 that are treatable, 1 is not.
Water and Muscle
Water is the body's primary component. In order to move muscle, you need water. Muscle is considered an active tissue and water is found in the highest concentrations in active tissue.
Muscles are controlled by nerves. The electrical stimulation of nerves and contraction of muscles are the result of the exchange of electrolyte minerals dissolved in water. When You are dehydrated Your muscles are deprived of electrolytes. Blood flow to working muscles is also significantly reduced with dehydration.
Without enough water, your muscles are not getting enough electrolytes. Muscle strength and control are weakened.
Water also helps out with the lubrication of your joints. Water is an ingredient in the makeup of the synovial fluid, which is the lubricating fluid between your joints. Joints that spasming muscles can put strain and stress on.
Water and Hydration
You've more than likely heard this before ... you can live for days, weeks, and even months without food, but 2 to 3 days without water could kill you. In Arizona, it's more like 2 to 3 HOURS without water could kill you! OK, a bit of an exaggeration (unless a person started out dehydrated and exercised in the heat for 2 or 3 hours in which case heat exhaustion and death could be very real outcomes) but I would bet money that a majority of people reading this right now are not properly hydrated. Especially in Arizona, people tend to walk around in a constant state of dehydration.
What is hydration / dehydration ? Not an easy question, because it will diffesr from person to person. I tend to think of hydration status on a continuum, with people usually falling somewhere in between. On the average, water makes up 60 - 70% of your body weight. The range is due to the fact that different cells contain different amounts of water. Muscle cells, for example, are 70-75% water whereas fat cells are only 10-15% water. Therefore, a muscular person will have a larger percentage of his/her body weight coming from water.
Dehydration is usually expressed as the loss of a certain percentage of one's weight. Scientists define dehydration as fluid losses greater than only 1% of body weight. Water is lost first from the blood which is 90% water. If water deprivation continues, cells will start to lose their water content. Dehydration can become fatal when 9-12% of your body weight is lost via water.
Being properly hydrated is important; in saliva and stomach secretions it helps to digest food. In blood, it helps transport nutrients and oxygen to all the cells of the body. In body fluids, it helps lubricate joints and cushions organs and tissues. In urine, it carries waste products out of the body. In sweat, it removes body heat generated during exercise
Drinking plenty of water is also important for healthy skin. Another interesting fact: sometimes our body confuses a thirst signal for a hunger signal, which is why drinking a glass of water before a meal or snack is a common weight management tip.
Our bodies are constantly losing water. The most obvious way is through daily urine output. If you exercise, you sweat. Studies of athletes have shown sweat losses of 2 quarts per hour while exercising! Most of us will lose less than that on our daily walk/run, but sweating is still a large source of water loss. Even when not exercising we are losing water through our skin - this is called 'insensible losses'. Other insensible losses are through respiration and feces.
Another reason we have a hard time staying hydrated is that our thirst mechanism has a sort of lag time. Once we are thirsty, our bodies have already reached the point of moderate dehydration, and it becomes more difficult to replenish the fluids to the point of hydration. It takes 24 to 36 hours for your body to fully rehydrate from low hydration levels. You are not hydrated until fluids are absorbed into your body tissue.
The best way to tell if you're hydrated is to monitor your urine. You should be urinating a significant amount regularly (3-4 times) throughout the day. If your urine is pale yellow or clear in color you are drinking enough. If it is dark yellow and odorous, get a big glass of water and start guzzling! Keep in mind that a vitamin pill will also make your urine dark - so it is possible to have dark urine and still be hydrated.
The first sign of dehydration is thirst. Other signs of moderate dehydration are low grade headache and fatigue. Severe dehydration is accompanied by nausea, chills, increased heart rate, inability to sweat, and lightheadedness. At this point, medical attention is warranted.
How much water You need again, it depends on who you are. A rule of thumb that you may have heard is no less than 64 oz. per day. That's about 8 glasses of water per day if you prefer to think of it that way. This amount would probably be adequate for someone who lived in a temperate climate and was totally sedentary. When you add exercise and hot weather, your fluid needs increase significantly. It would be a good idea to add at least two more cups if you live in an intemperate climate.
Water needs are also related to how many calories you burn daily. You need about 1 ml of water for every calorie you burn. So, if you're very active and burn 3000-4000 calories per day, you would need 3-4 liters of water (13-17 cups)! Another rule of thumb: if you exercise, weigh yourself before and after your workout. For every pound lost, drink at least 2 cups or 16 oz. of water. It's also a good idea to get 1-2 cups of fluid 15-30 minutes before you workout.
It is very important that you keep your body well hydrated. Even a small, temporary shortage of water can impair your body's functions
In addition to drinking plenty of water, adequate salt intake is needed for proper hydration. Salt, a natural anti-histamine, keeps water from being excreted and balances the intracellular and extracellular 'oceans' within us. Salt is also necessary for extracting excess acidity (in the form of hydrogen ions, oxidants from ATP production) from cells. In addition, salt is used by the body to balance blood sugar levels, to clear mucus and phlegm from the lungs, to aid absorption from the intestinal tract, to support nerve cell activity, and to strengthen bones.
Signs of Dehydration
Thirst
Loss of Appetite
Dry Skin
Skin Flushing
Dark Colored Urine
Dry Mouth
Fatique or Weakness
Chills
Head Rushes
If the dehydration is allowed to continue unabated, when the total fluid loss reaches 5% the following effects of dehydration are normally experienced:
Increased heart rate
Increased respiration
Decreased sweating
Decreased urination
Increased body temperature
Extreme fatigue
Muscle cramps
Headaches
Nausea
Tingling of the limbs
When the body reaches 10% fluid loss emergency help is needed IMMEDIATELY! 10% fluid loss and above is often fatal! Symptoms of severe dehydration include:
Muscle spasms (as if Dystonian's don't already have enough of this going on)
Vomiting
Racing pulse
Shriveled skin
Dim vision
Painful urination
Confusion
Difficulty breathing
Seizures
Chest and Abdominal pain
Unconciousness

My Own "Avocado Morning Explosion"

I hate taking my every day vitamin. I can't wait till I'm finished with the bottle, so I can buy a smaller and better tasting one. The ones I take are the size of a horse pill, and taste and smell like horse! I decided to put my vitamin in my shake this morning.



1 hand full of crushed ice
1 cored apple-leave skin on
1/2 cup fresh avocado
1 nasty vitamin
1/2 cup of blueberries

Chop it all in blender and enjoy!!!!!




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Photos I Took From The Planting Fields On Long Island


























- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

What the....?

What the heck are these pods that are hanging from one of the trees in my yard? They're only in a certain section.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Today's Brunch

I made this healthy brunch this morning! Good start to my day...will give me the energy to clean my house today. Ugh cleaning! lol



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Citrus Veggie

Another great recipe from Montel Williams' site for his juicer.





Ingredients

1 lb. carrots
2 oranges
1/2 lemon
4 leaves green leafy lettuce
1 stalk broccoli

Directions
6 Share

1. Attach juice blendor you have at home to Base and rotate clockwise to lock in place.

2. Add all ingredients into the Pitcher. Secure and lock Lid and Cap in place.

3. Press ON button. Press RUN button. Increase the speed to 8 until blended.





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Ninja Kitchen System 1100 Blender And Food Processor

Cranberry Carrot Juice

Here's a healthy drink I found on Montel Williams' website for his juicer. We all know that he suffers from Multiple Sclerosis, and he changed what he now puts in his body.

We should all start to be more conscious as to what we are putting in our bodies, especially people with Dystonia. Our muscles will start to feel better by having the nutrition and hydration that they need.

Why not give it a try and see how different our body starts feeling when it starts reacting to all the vitamins and minerals we are consuming.




Cranberry Carrot

Servings
Ingredients
2 lb.s carrots
1/4 cup(s) cranberries
Directions
Share

1. Attach HealthMaster Pitcher or juice blender you have at home to Base and rotate clockwise to lock in place.

2. Add all ingredients into the Pitcher. Secure and lock Lid and Cap in place.

3. Press ON button. Press RUN button. Increase the speed to 8 until blended.

Share and Enjoy:

Nutritional Information
Cranberry Carrot
Servings Per Recipe:
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 380
Total Fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 630mg
Total Carbs: 90g
Dietary Fiber: 27g
Protein: 9g


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Healthy Yogurt Dessert

My snack today...

1/2 cup of non fat plain yogurt
1/4 cup of grapes
1/4 cup of blueberries
2 tsp of honey












- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Positive Mind, Positive Body

I've found some great blogs and sites that have cool recipes for snacking on. I know theres nothing better than popcorn, but have you ever tried to bake a cauliflower that was drizzled with olive oil and sea salt? I found this on a blog from a health coach, and it's awesome!

Ingredients
1 head cauliflower
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Cut out and discard cauliflower core and thick stems. Trim remaining cauliflower into florets the size of golf balls. In a large bowl, add cauliflower, olive oil, and salt. Toss thoroughly.
Spread cauliflower on a baking sheet (lined with parchment paper, if available, for easy clean-up). Roast for 45 min- 1 hour, or until much of each floret has become golden brown. (That’s the caramelization process converting the dormant natural sugars into sweetness. The browner the florets, the sweeter they will taste.) Turn three or four times during roasting.









- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Stepping Stones...







Life is full of stepping stones. Some walk on them and never venture off for fear of taking a risk, some may skip a couple of stones because they're always in a hurry, and then there some that every once in a while stumble in between the stones but somehow manage to start walking on them again.
Here's the thing, these stepping stones will always be in our lives, so never get down on yourself if someone gets to where they want to be in their lives any quicker or easier than you have. Just concentrate on the stones you're stepping on, not theirs, and enjoy your life!!!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone



In My Backyard

Drinking tea and looking outside into my backyard, these flowers made me smile this morning.








- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Life's A Beach

Sitting in my beach chair and listening to the sound of the waves crashing in the ocean. There's an instant sense of calmness I'm feeling at this moment. My thoughts are peaceful, and my muscles are soft. It's a good day!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Eating Healthy!

I've always tried to eat healthy, but at times too healthy wasn't working for me. I'm serious. I would cut so many things out of my diet which left me nothing to eat but salads all day long.
I took notice how my blood sugar would drop so low that I could actually feel my hands shake, my body feel weak, and my mood swings would be horrible. Oh, you didn't want to be around me when my sugar levels drop! Lol I become a mad woman!
With this all being said, I've decided to change my diet by just concentrating on the portion size of my meals throughout the day. It's been three weeks now, and I feel absolutely wonderful. My sugar levels are more balanced and I'm not starving myself anymore with what I thought was healthy dieting. The more I kept carbs and sweets away, the more my body craved them. Look at today's lunch...one turkey burger, onions, tomato, and lettuce! It was delicious!!!!




The reason why I'm sharing this with you guys/girls, is because our diet effects not only our weight, but everything in our body. The vitamins and minerals that I'm getting from all the vegetables I've been eating are calming to my nervous system.
In an article from Livestrong;
"Your body is capable of performing thousands of chemical reactions, complex movements and vital functions that make your life possible. The nervous system, which includes your brain, spinal cord and your nerves is the master control system of your body and is responsible for controlling these functions. The foods that you eat each day, supply your body and your nervous system with the vitamins that it needs to function optimally."
"Dystonia is a neurological movement disorder that causes involuntary muscle spasms and contractions. The exact cause of dystonia varies, but genetics, strokes, oxygen deprivation, infections, medication side-effects, brain tumors, nerve damage, brain injuries and certain medical conditions appear to contribute to this condition. Symptoms include distorted posture, rapid blinking, an abnormally twisted neck, slurred speech, muscle cramps, difficulty swallowing and inability to walk properly. Treatment generally consists of oral medications, deep brain stimulation and surgery. Along with your prescribed treatment plan, a variety of vitamins may help reduce the effects of dystonia and improve your quality of life."
I could only wish that vitamins and minerals could heal whatever went wrong and caused my CD, but I believe that by making exercise and eating healthy a new life style for myself, I can only be doing good for my body. Maybe I'll also become more calm, which will help my muscles relax naturally in their own.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Happy 4th of July

Enjoy today. Keep yourself surrounded with friends and family...the ones you enjoy! Lol Life can be stressful enough to waste time and energy being around people who don't add value to your life. You should be eating, laughing, and relaxing today. So when you grab your plate and drink, squat down next to the people who you enjoy being with!!!!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Monday, July 2, 2012

I'm a Good Mom

After doing a bike ride this morning, I took my son out for a bike ride to Eisenhower Park....I'm about to pass out!!!!! Lol. Check out the pond we road up to. Breathtaking, right?












- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Bike Ride On Jones Beach Bike Path

Biked on Jones Beach bike path this morning, then rested in the park. An amazing start to my day!!!!






Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sunday, July 1, 2012

A Must Read! Emotional Trauma Related To Cervical Dystonia?

I came across a blog about how emotional trauma can be a huge contributor in forming cervical dystonia in certain people. It's a whole different read to all the other articles printed on what may be contributing factors of cervical dystonia. Keep in mind that there still is no known cause as to how people get cervical dystonia, so be open to what you're going to read and you will see that it does make a lot of sense! Yes, I majored in psychology, so perhaps it may make a lot more sense to me that emotional trauma may have played a part in my cervical dystonia than others who care more about what physical trauma happened in their life that caused their cervical dystonia. Whichever, you HAVE to read this article. I put the website on the side of my blog so you can just click and get into it.

http://curecervicaldystonia.com/perspectives/

Below is just a little part of the article....


"Human beings apparently have the same problem as captured animals, possibly because we live in a cultural cage. So after entering the freeze response in the face of threat, we humans are rarely able to discharge the survival energy, which gets stuck in our system: we become traumatized. So, as I see it, the ‘average’ CD patients have experienced childhood trauma, even if they don’t remember it. Then followed a lifespan with accumulating trauma. Suppressed anger played a major role in their lives. Around adolescence, they probably started to suffer from anxiety, or phobias, or depression, etc.  Meanwhile, their personality developed as one with a tendency to perfectionism, workaholism, obsessive control, structurizing everything, pleasing others, etc. Forward head posture started to show as a sign of low self-esteem. Later, the disconnect from their bodies became more obvious: they were living in their heads, always working hard, not really able to celebrate their successes, not able to truly feel their emotions, not able to express their true self. And always giving priority to the interest of others. Typically in their thirties, the trauma became more physical. Many CD patients have experienced injuries to the head and neck prior to onset of the symptoms. The symptoms themselves were onset during or just after a period of severe stress. At that point, being around forty years old, the system had accumulated a lifetime of arousal energy and suppressed anger, and couldn’t take it anymore. The entire spinal structure definitely lost balance and collapsed, causing malfunction in the brain-body communication, leading to the symptoms. And those symptoms could very well represent – at the biological level at least – the perpetuated orienting reflex that occurs in the face of a threat. So there they are: out of balance, out of control, having to slow down and make their worlds smaller, social embarrassment, etc. Their bodies have had enough and tell them that they finally need to start looking after themselves.

Not all CD patients are alike of course. It might very well be that there are CD patients without actual childhood trauma, but with later trauma that was severe enough to trigger the symptoms. Others may have triggered their symptoms by getting poisoned or by taking neuroleptics. Those drugs are of course enhancing the effect of any dissociative state, since they are designed to split off even more of our reality."




Yoga Funnies

At times this photo says it all!!!!











- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone