from: http://www.nationalpainfoundation.org/MyTreatment 

Many people living with pain also struggle with their weight. It can be extremely difficult to establish and maintain healthful eating and exercise routines when you are suffering from the debilitating effects of chronic disease or injury. Extra weight can actually worsen the effects of your persistent pain condition, as well as put you at risk for developing other diseases or complications, such as heart disease, diabetes and some forms of cancer. Even if it feels like it’s impossible to exercise or eat well, taking small steps to increase your health by moving more and eating better will eventually help you feel better.

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Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some
kind of battle.

If I want my dreams to come true, I mustn’t oversleep.

Of all the things I wear, my expression is the most important.

The best vitamin for making friends…. B1.
The happiness of my life depends on the quality of my thoughts.

The heaviest thing I can carry is a grudge.

If I lack the courage to start, I have already finished.

My mind is like a parachute…it functions only when open.

The 10 commandments are not a multiple choice.
 

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Imagine getting out of bed in the morning and experiencing so much pain that you can’t even walk to the shower. Consider having to quit your job because the pain is so intense that you can’t endure even an hour of the workday. And now imagine that nobody believes your pain is real because “you look fine.”

That is the painful reality for patients with fibromyalgia, an arthritis-related condition that affects more than six million people across the country, mostly women, and is twice as prevalent as rheumatoid arthritis. Considered one of the most widespread pain conditions, fibromyalgia is largely misunderstood because its causes are not fully known, and there’s no test for it, making a diagnosis very difficult. In fact, it takes an average of five years for a patient to get an accurate diagnosis.

Educating people about fibromyalgia is not only essential for patients to get help they need, but also for the families, friends and co-workers who can’t fully sympathize with a disease that lacks outward physical symptoms.

Recently Illinois legislators have taken notable steps to shed light on fibromyalgia. A resolution was recently passed in the House to proclaim Fibromyalgia Awareness Day in Illinois. A number of state representatives have taken it one step further by hosting community forums to help residents understand diagnosis and treatment options. Recent forums were held in Mokena, Decatur and East Peoria and upcoming events are planned for Arlington Heights and Plainfield this summer.

“I applaud these efforts of our state legislators and encourage them to keep an ongoing dialogue about this disease. The outlook for people with fibromyalgia has never been better, but appropriate treatment programs are only possible with education, awareness and recognition. After all, shedding light on this invisible disease will finally allow millions of people to stop suffering in silence.” Michael McNett, MD Fibromyalgia Treatment Centers of America Hoffman Estates, Elk Grove Village and Chicago

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Working Replica of Noah’s Ark Opens In SCHAGEN, Netherlands

The massive central door in the side of Noah’s Ark was thrown open Saturday for the first crowd of curious pilgrims and townsfolk to behold the wonder. Of course, it’s only a replica of the biblical Ark, built by Dutch
Creationist Johan Huibers as a testament to his faith in the literal truth of the Bible.The ark is 150 cubits long, 30 cubits high and 20 cubits wide. That’s two-thirds the length of a football field and as high as a three-story house. Life-size models of giraffes, elephants, lions, crocodiles, zebras, bison and other animals greet visitors as they arrive in the main hold. A contractor by trade, Huibers built the ark of cedar and pine - biblical scholars debate exactly what the wood used by Noah would have been. Huibers did the work mostly with his own hands, using modern tools and with occasional help from his son Roy.  Construction began in May 2005.

On the uncovered top deck - not quite ready in time for the opening - will come a petting zoo, with baby lambs and chickens, and goats. And one camel. Visitors on the first day were stunned. ‘It’s past comprehension, ‘ said Mary Louise Starosciak, who

happened to be bicycling by with her husband while on vacation when they saw The ark looming over the local landscape. ‘I knew the story of Noah, but I had no idea the boat would have been so big.’In fact, Noah’s Ark as described in the Bible was five times larger than Johan’s Ark. But that still leaves enough space near the keel for a 50-seat film theater, where kids can watch a video that tells the story of Noah and his ark.

Huibers said he hopes the project will renew interest in Christianity in The Netherlands, where churchgoing has fallen dramatically in the past 50 years.

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 by Jonnie Wright

I have no love for you… for I did not pay the ultimate price.

I have no comfort for you… for I am not the Comforter.

I have no safety for you… for I cannot hold you in the palm of my hand.

I have no peace for you… for I have no perfect love.

—————

May you kneel at the cross and receive Christ’s love.

May you be comforted by the Comforter sent by the Father’s love for His daughter.

May you be safe in the cleft of the Rock.

May you have the peace that passes all understanding.

—————–

Take hold of the promises!

Bask in the love!

Live beyond the clichés.

Choose to be comforted.

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National Fibromyalgia Association | Unsubscribe National Fibromyalgia Association. A non-profit 501 (C)(3) organization 2121 S. Towne Centre Place, Suite 300, Anaheim, Ca. 92806 714.921.0150 Copyright ©1997-2007 National Fibromyalgia Association (NFA) All rights reserved.

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The FIT formula – Frequency, Intensity and Time – helps you find out.

Deciding to become a little more active than you are right now leads to improvements in your health and outlook on life as well as to reductions in pain. Walking is the easiest activity to increase, since you already do it throughout the day. But how much more should you do? How often should you do it? How fast should you go? For how long?

The FIT formula – Frequency (how often), Intensity (how fast) and Time (how long) – helps you find answers. When you walk or do any physical activity, start at a low level and increase slowly. Doing too much too fast can lead to injuries that set you back instead of move you forward. When you’re ready to increase your activity, alter just one part of the FIT formula at a time.

“That way, if trouble begins, such as pain in the knee, it is easier to tell which component of the exercise program caused the problem,” says Sharon Hame, MD, assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery at the University of California at Los Angeles School of Medicine. “Then the problem can easily be corrected and another area of the program advanced,” she says.

TO START: If you can tolerate only a five-minute walk, then start by walking just five minutes two or three days per week, maybe as slow as one mile per hour (mph). If you already walk occasionally but want to make it a habit, walk at least 10 minutes to 15 minutes while maintaining 2 mph or 3 mph, three days per week.

TO INCREASE: Every four to six weeks, bump up your frequency a notch by adding one more day per week. In two months, you should be walking four or five days per week, even if you don’t increase how fast or how long you walk. When you’re ready to make a second increase, choose either to walk the same distance faster or walk a few minutes longer at your usual pace.

If your joints hurt when you walk longer, it’s OK to walk slower while you adjust to your new routine. Remember that it’s not cheating to drop down to an easier level for a while. In fact, a recent study showed that walking at a 2-mph pace still burns calories while producing 25-percent less stress on knees. Lowering your intensity is preferred over decreasing frequency or not moving at all. “I always advise my patients to continue an exercise program but modify it to limit pain and discomfort,” says Dr. Hame.

You know when you need to slow down and when your body can “go the extra mile.” Adjust your intensity and the length of your walk, as necessary, while maintaining your frequency, and you may find you’re walking faster and longer – and reaping more health benefits – before you know it.

http://www.arthritis.org/fit-formula-walking.php

(Arthritis Today, March-April 2007)

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Quick-and-easy tips to restore your mind, body and spirit in minutes.

By Jodi Helmer

You wake up exhausted, and then drag all morning. In the afternoon, it takes several cans of soda for you to be alert enough to slog through a mile-long to-do list. And when the evening rolls around, the only thing you have enough energy for is a date with your favorite sitcom stars.  Sound like a typical day? You’re not alone.
“We have an epidemic of exhaustion in our culture,” explains Judith Orloff, MD, psychiatrist and assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California, Los Angeles. “We need to learn to take charge of our energy levels and tap into practices that make us feel vibrant and happy.”
Instead of dealing with all-day exhaustion and forgoing activities because you don’t have the stamina, learn some tricks for getting an instant energy boost:

Turn up the tunes. Listen to your favorite CD on the way to work, or sing along to “Elmo and Friends” with your grandkids. Researchers have found that listening to music helps boost energy and stimulates positive thinking.

Straighten up. Bad posture can slowly sap your energy. According to the International Chiropractors Association, slouching requires your muscles to work harder to hold up your body, and that can lead to fatigue. Just 15 minutes of reading or typing in a slouched position strains the neck, shoulders and upper-back muscles.

Take a break from work every 30 minutes. Go for a quick walk around the office, get a glass of water or do a few slow stretches to get your blood flowing. Practice good posture by ensuring that your shoulders and hips are aligned, and your head is straight. At your desk, sit in a chair that provides good lower-back support, and keep your knees slightly higher than your hips.

Do a minimeditation. Setting aside time to do minimeditations throughout the day can help when you’re overwhelmed by demands at work, dealing with a needy friend or just feeling stressed about the state of the world. Meditations help refocus your thoughts and create positive energy.
Dr. Orloff, the author of Positive Energy: 10 Extraordinary Prescriptions for Transforming Fatigue, Stress & Fear into Vibrance, Strength & Love (Harmony, 2004), recommends finding a quiet spot with no distractions, sitting in a relaxed position with your eyes closed and taking deep, slow breaths. Focus only on breathing in and out. As outside thoughts enter your consciousness, acknowledge them and then refocus on your breathing. Do this for three minutes.

Wear red. On days when you’re feeling sluggish, try wearing a colorful sweater or scarf for an immediate pick-me-up. Studies indicate that color has a huge impact on energy level. Red, in particular, has been shown to improve mood and alertness.

http://www.arthritis.org/

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Illness and Anger: 3 Steps to Avoid the Spiritual Pitfalls
by Lisa Copen

“When I was finally diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis I was so relieved,” shares Leesa. “Despite knowing I had a long road ahead of me, just having it be acknowledged as a real illness and not all ‘in my head’ was encouraging. But a few months later I realized my temper was showing itself when it would not have before. I was angry. Angry that I was going to have to deal with illness as a young adult, while all my friends still seem to have carefree attitude about life.” Many people are familiar with the book “On Death and Dying,” written by a well-known doctor in Switzerland, Elizabeth Kubler-Ross. The book explains how people deal with any kind of loss, but especially that which they face when coping with an illness. It includes a description of the cycle of emotional stages that people go through in dealing with loss. Anger is the third stage, following the stage of shock and denial.When we discover that we have a chronic illness, meaning an illness we will likely have for the rest of our lives, anger is a natural reaction. So many hopes and dreams seem to be taken from us.Admitting that we have deep emotions about the losses is part of the mourning process. The stages of the grief process differ for each person and how much time is spent there. You may find you breezed through the anger phase the first year for illness, but the second year when you lose another ability, you are angry for months.

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