One of the biggest hurdles to the treatment of chronic illnesses such as lupus, is the fact that the physical symptoms for lupus can also be the symptoms for arthritis, MS, fibromyalgia or a host of other diseases. So while today’s Awesome Person is not a lupus patient, she’s a sister in dealing with chronic ickyness. … Continue reading »
Tag Archives: coping skills
Getting Back Up…Again (and Again and Again and Again)
Lupus limits us enough as it is. But I don’t think it’s our biggest enemy.
Convention is the enemy. The little voice that tells you to stop dreaming, and start settling because you’re a broken human being and shouldn’t expect much. The voice that tells you to be afraid of everything. I know I’m sick of hearing it – what about you? Continue reading »
Lupus Quick Tip: Are You a Summer Lupie or a Winter Lupie?
Similar to other auto-immune/ inflammatory/ chronic illnesses, weather can trigger or reduce certain symptoms. For example, extremes in humidity can make joints more achy and aggravate inflammation (I know it wreaks havoc on my breathing and joints). While it’s no fun to feel like a slave to your local weather service, seasonal weather patterns can … Continue reading »
The Lupus-Friendly Kitchen
Food is medicine. Healthy eating. Eat right! An apple a day. There are oodles of saying, slogans and articles about how important diet is to a healthy life. Even I can’t get away from it – I think food is the most frequent topic I’ve blogged about here. That said, eating healthy is much easier … Continue reading »
Do New Year Resolutions Stress You Out? Try This Instead.
New Year, Old Cycle I’m not going to speculate whether it’s part of American society or just plain human nature, but in general, people like to advance and achieve. Whether it’s looking for a better bargain on shoes, a better apartment (I’d sure love one!), a better paycheck or a better haircut, the bright and … Continue reading »
Your Lupus Holiday Survival Guide
Despite loving how New York City looks this time of year – the gorgeous store window displays, lights twinkling on the bare tree branches and building fronts – I really don’t look forward to the holidays. Tourists pour in, making the streets even more crowded than usual and you end up needing a mace … Continue reading »
Are Your Glasses Pitch Black or Rose-Tinted?
How has lupus turned your life upside down? If you tune into Facebook, the SLE Lupus Foundation asked this exact question today. In less than an hour there were more than 60 comments covering a range of stories and experiences. There was a lot of overlap – many people has similar feelings of frustration, isolation, … Continue reading »
The Value of Lupus Education and News Roundup
Every year (as much as I’m able) my mother and I go to a couple of the SLE Lupus Foundation’s hospital tour lectures. While there are tons of great reasons for actual patients to go (speak one-on-one with specialists, get resources, learn about clinical trials and new medications and be better informed), I think my … Continue reading »
Are You Health Savvy – or Health Obsessed?
Do you routinely DVR every episode of shows like The Doctors, The Chew, or Dr. Oz? When a new study about food pops up on the news, do you change your diet to follow? Are you a walking encyclopedia on various eating styles such as macrobiotic, paleo or veganism? Have you tried every trick on … Continue reading »
Meltdowns: Keeping Your Cool with Lupus
Even though the television says it’s only 85 degrees outside, inside feels like a swampy 96. Such conditions are perfect, so my mother thinks, for scrubbing down the fridge. Even splitting the task and using a mop (those sponge mops are great for this), within a minute I’m dripping sweat and my chest seizes up, … Continue reading »
