Artificial Joints and Arthritis

Cooler weather and varying temperatures equate to an increase in my aches and pains.  For me, this is my "creaky" time and when my body requires extra care.  Today’s post is a repeat message from October 6, 2016. Two years ago I worked at Summit County Health Department as a Health Educator. My role required me to work at an outdoor event in snowy Park City on that date. This task led to an experience of “extra ouch” for me…even when I dress well and prepare for the elements, cold is not my friend. Artificial joints are incredibly sensitive to cold temperatures, making the term “chilled to the bone” a very accurate statement.

This week I am promoting my book in Boise, Idaho, and considering relocating to this delightful town. Temperatures are a bit milder this year here in Idaho and in my home town of Salt Lake City, Utah, though a chill is in the air! My soothe methods today include an early morning workout of 25-minutes on the treadmill to increase circulation as well as 30-minutes of strength training for endurance and stamina. Daily exercise provides me with an energy boost and an endorphin rush to better manage pain. A bag of Epsom salts sits near my hotel tub and will ease muscle tension later as I soak before bed and aim for restful slumber. My hotel room in Boise includes a kitchenette, this ensures I nourish well with wholesome meals to fuel my day. Packing my own food when I travel saves me time and money and is an investment in my good health. As I write this post I’m feasting on my post-workout breakfast: Steel cut oats with blueberries, lemon zest, and fresh spearmint, topped with a splash of oat milk and stevia. I’m also eating a sliced pear and toasted pumpernickel bagel (dry). This amount of food will tide me over for a few hours. FYI…I continue to manage a lean weight (132.6 as of today), take only thyroid medication for Hashimoto’s disease, and feel that I have a good quality of life.

Are your chronic health conditions affected by the seasons?  If so, how are you preparing for any weather related symptoms?  Remember that you are in charge of your health - medications and healthcare providers can assist us…though we as patients are in charge of day to day care. Would you like ideas, motivation, and encouragement to better manage pain, inflammation, or weight gain that may increase during cold weather? Contact me and schedule a FREE 30-minute health coaching consultation.  Let's talk.

Be Well,

Tiffany

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Falling Asleep - Staying Asleep

Fall…the perfect season to focus on improving sleep. Darker days and cool temperatures naturally beckon us to a deep state of slumber. Sleep is essential for good health and crucial to those of us managing chronic conditions. For decades I struggled with sleep deprivation. Now I experience the best sleep of my life! Check out the Rest section of my 3 Key Concepts where I share resources and tips that help me to fall asleep and stay asleep. Consult your doctor to see if my resources may help you as well. I find that sleeping between 5-7 hours per night is best for me. Here are a few quick tips…

Cutting down on caffeine - ultimately I weaned myself away completely. Caffeine is a tough addiction though I feel better and sleep more soundly now that I avoid this powerful stimulant. Added bonus is that I no longer experience high blood pressure.

Scheduling relaxation time - sleep rituals and nightly routines guide me towards better sleep. This time can be as short as the time it takes to brush your teeth. I enjoy meditation with healing sounds, guided imagery CD’s, and music designed for deep sleep.

Eating a small plain baked potato or other fat-free starch (my favorite is a small bowl of steel cut oatmeal with blueberries and oat milk) an hour or so before bedtime is warming, eases anxiety or the blues, provides me with 100-200 nutrient rich calories, and helps me sleep more soundly.

Be Well and Sleep Well! ~ Tiffany

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Book of the Day! Get Your Freebie!

Glass Spider Publishing interviewed and introduced me as one of their new authors on July 11, 2017. In the interview I share how and why a personal health crisis inspired me to craft a resource guide, check out the full interview here.

I’m very proud of my book! Would you like this resource guide that contains recovery tips, pain management tips, and resources that apply to nearly any type of surgery? Your chance is coming up this Saturday when my book is Book of the Day!

Online Book Club is showcasing my 4/4 star professionally rated book, Butternut to Bionic: A Resource Guide to Hip Replacement Surgery. One day only - October 6, 2018! Snag a free Kindle copy of my book - for you, for a friend, for a loved one. It’s easy to get your free copy - simply visit Amazon on October 6, 2018, search for my book, select the free Kindle option (remember, one day only!) and enjoy your free electronic copy. No strings attached. Readers are simply encouraged to share their appreciation by posting an honest and candid review on Amazon.

Be Well and Happy Reading! ~Tiffany

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Active Aging...My Steps to Success

Heads up…this post is over 4 paragraphs long! Settle in and share 7 minutes or so with me and read on. I promise it will be a good use of your time! My photos from summer travel speak volumes…I am a medical miracle and I am grateful to have the quality of life I have today. Today’s blog falls in line with Active Aging Week, which I find a bit amusing since I look at the literal sense of those words. After all, if I am NOT aging, then I AM NOT breathing.

I understand the marketing side of things and know that buzz words (like Active Aging), blurbs, or sound bites catch the pubic eye and are designed to grab our attention. Though most marketing is simply a gimmick to sell you something that you may or may not need or want. Health information and health education is tricky to market. My health and wellness blog is only valuable when it is meaningful to you AND you are willing to apply that information to your life. I’ve spoken to an alarming amount of people lately who tell me they do not care about their health. I find this attitude deeply disturbing and know I cannot help them. I care deeply about my health and how it shapes my future. Does your health matter to you? If so, you’re in the right place.

You are in charge of your behavior and making healthy lifestyle changes. Coaches, educators, and medical professionals have valuable skills and knowledge that can assist and empower you to age well and improve your life. And I for one, take that job very seriously. Those of us in the health field can suggest any number of resources, tips, or tools to help you better manage your chronic conditions and feel your best…but at the end of the day, YOUR ACTIONS AND CHOICES make a profound difference in how well you age, how you feel, and how you look. For example, on paper you might read my medical history and consider me a complete train wreck. I have a number of health concerns to manage. The majority of adults over 30 in this country are in the same boat. Health concerns show up or we are born with them…though the majority of chronic conditions are manageable, some are even preventable! I apply my 3 Key Concepts consistently. Here are just a few of the benefits I experience:

  • I avoid pain medication. This saves me money and from the side effects of opioids and over the counter products. Ibuprofen is even a last resort for me since it bothers my stomach.

  • I fall and stay asleep on my own, without the use of medication nearly every night. Sleepless or restless nights sometimes happen, I do my best to prevent them.

  • I maintain a healthy blood pressure and low cholesterol reading. This also saves me money since I no longer need medication, and again, avoid those prescription side effects. My heart doesn’t race, I do not feel agitated, I feel calm and relaxed nearly all the time. I do my best to manage stress before it harms my mind and my heart.

  • I am slowing the progression of arthritis and bone loss due to maintaining a lean weight and exercising regularly. I eat a whole food plant based diet and know that my food provides me with delicious, quality nutrients. I also add vitamin D (typically through sunshine) and B-12 (a nutrient made by bacteria) for protection.

  • I manage my thyroid condition by taking medication as prescribed, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, and seeing my doctor regularly.

  • My skin is clear and free of blemishes. As a 53-year-old woman I am complimented on my youthful appearance. This is diet related. I am not adding harmful toxins to my body any longer which allows my largest organ, my skin, to look its best! I ate poorly for many years and it showed up in my face, my body, and on my skin. I changed my behaviors and you can too…it is never too late to improve your health.

Thank you for reading this far…we have now actively aged together! Take good care of yourself. If you are seeking individualized support check out my coaching services or appointment availability for therapeutic bodywork.

Be Well! ~Tiffany

Questions or comments? Contact me: tiffany@andersontherapeutics.coms

Laughter Therapy...You Need This!

Tuesday night I laughed and laughed listening to political satire during an Evening of Cosmic Comedy. This fundraising event showcased the wit and talent of Swami Beyondandana…(otherwise known as Steve Bhaerman). Steve’s website is titled Wake Up Laughing, which reminded me that it had been too long since I enjoyed a good belly laugh. Kids laugh all the time…I was missing out! This event reminded me that I’ve been taking myself a bit too serious lately. Time to lighten up! :)

Political humor might not be your cup of tea, though it was just what I needed to ease stress, release tension, and calm my pain. You may already know that laughter is a terrific pain killer - due to endorphin release. If you didn’t know this, or want to learn more, check out the work of Norman Cousins or Patch Adams. Better yet, put the “laughter as best medicine” theory into practice and find ways to laugh every day. Laughter is a tool - both therapeutic and healing. After enjoying the two-hour comic shtick I felt lighter, my arthritis and joint pain was barely noticeable, and I slept like a ROCK!!!

I am writing this blog post nearly 24 hours after the program (editing & posting it today) and I still feel the benefits. I’m experiencing long term relief from chronic pain/stress/tension (while still working/dealing with life) and I didn’t take a pill to feel this way! I encourage you to be a proactive patient and invest in your self care. Partner with your medical providers to better manage your chronic conditions…you have more control over your health than you may realize.

Be Well! ~Tiffany

Courtesy Pixabay: A-Maze-Zing Laughter figures. Each face happens to be a self-portrait of the artist Yue Minjun. Work installed 2009, Vancouver BC.

Courtesy Pixabay: A-Maze-Zing Laughter figures. Each face happens to be a self-portrait of the artist Yue Minjun. Work installed 2009, Vancouver BC.

Potatoes - Foundation of a Healthy & Simple Meal

I had been eating potatoes long before I discovered Dr. McDougall and decided to follow his free program outlining the basics of The Starch Solution. At first, I was skeptical and had a hard time believing it could be this simple to feel better, maintain a healthy weight, better manage my chronic conditions, and even drastically reduce my need for prescription medication. Though it worked for me in more ways than I could ever imagine. Family, friends, and my medical team watched me struggle through a health crisis that nearly took my life. Today I feel amazing and couldn’t be more pleased with my quality of life.

Mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, fries, roasted yams, hash browns, and even cold boiled potatoes are a few of my favorite ways to eat this delightful tuber. I could have saved myself a lot of money and grief over the years had I realized that a humble, affordable potato is a nutritional powerhouse. That is, if it is prepared properly and eaten without oil. Read through my wellness blog, my book Butternut to Bionic, and the Nourish section of my website and you’ll notice that this starchy food takes center stage in my life. Coworkers rarely see me without a potato at break or at meal time. Below I share photos of my favorite potato based meals (you’ll see other favorite starches like corn/rice/oats/grains etc on my website) plus a video of Dr. John McDougall. He is the expert and his work has profoundly changed the quality of my life. I am forever grateful! I even had the privilege of meeting him in person last year at a McDougall Foundation 3-day intensive in Santa Rosa, California. Check out this video to better understand how a simple change in your meal plan could improve your life.

Be Well! ~Tiffany

Feel Achy and Sore? Reach for Ice...

Living with both chronic conditions and artificial joints means that I experience aches and pains day after day. I choose to manage my pain without prescription medication both at home and on the road. I recently spent a few days in the mineral pools of Glenwood Springs where I soaked away my aches and pains in the soothing, therapeutic water. Today, I return home from a trip to Seattle where I focused on morning exercise, stretching, and elevating to manage creaky hips and swollen ankles.

While managing day to day aches at home, my preference is to reach for ice. I also pack instant cold compresses when I travel. The excerpt below from Butternut to Bionic: A Resource Guide for Hip Replacement Surgery, shares my suggestions to use ice as a way to manage pain and inflammation. On page 73, I share affordable ice pack options that you may have at home already such as frozen peas, juice cans, gel packs, and rice packs.

Chapter 4: Pain Management-Before, During, and After Surgery, excerpt pg. 72

"The thought of cooler temperatures may not spring to mind when you are in pain. Ice is your friend and is much more effective than dry or wet heat for inflammation and pain relief. I certainly wouldn't dissuade you from soaking in a hot tub or mineral bath for comfort and relaxation when you are able, though to decrease swelling and quiet pain, ice is by far the preferred method. Ice packs should never rest directly on the skin. To avoid skin damage such as frostbite, always place a boundary, such as a towel or blanket, between your skin and an ice pack. Ice packs come in a variety of sizes and forms to treat large and small areas. Ice brings quick relief--the rule of thumb is to use ice packs for a maximum of five to 15 minutes."

Be Well! ~ Tiffany

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