2018: Review and Resolution

2018 seemed to go like the speed of light. Maybe I think and say that every year? I've been feeling negative lately which makes it difficult to view the past twelve months objectively, but I'll try!

GOOD THINGS:

DIY house repairs. This year I finished painting the sides of my house, sawed a hole in the roof for added ventilation, replaced a fence post and repaired fence parts, lined the last closet, silver sealed my dormer roof (in blazing 90 degree weather), fixed a gutter (in a thunderstorm), and prepped the garage for painting although didn't quite get to it. I paid absolutely no one money for substandard construction. I'm very proud of myself.

Health care avoidance. I've managed to avoid doctors and medical professionals of all kind for the last eight months. This is after eight months of incompetence overexposure, however, so I plan to avoid any and all for the rest of my life to make up for the trauma.

The Dems. Crazy liberals. Snowflakes. We saw the election of some great people in politics, people destined to change the course of America. People like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who is incredibly capable and intelligent with way more panache and energy than any of the old Republican guard. She's quick with the tweets and is going to kick ass. Also, Beto O'Rourke. I enjoy listening to his speeches. Watching Kamala Harris demand answers from the rapist pig during the Senate hearing made my heart sing. If she runs for president in 2020, she's got my vote. We need a strong woman leading the country. (Why do they call Democrats snowflakes? I've never figured that out. Snowflakes are miracles of nature, every one of them different and beautiful. Ummm....)

My blog. I love conversing with myself. It's great therapy. Thank you to anyone who might wander into it accidentally.

Free stuff, cheap stuff. The garage, yard and estate sales were outstanding this year!!

Jazz. I found a really cool jazz radio station online www.jazzradio.com and I listen to it all the time. Wonderful. So soothing.

New neighbor! New GOOD neighbor. No barking dogs. He removes the leaves from his tree off my driveway. He lets me dump my compost over his cliff. He gives me things. Wow. I forgot what good neighbors are like. I hope he doesn't change. Rathole does that to a person.

Fragrance-free friends. They are few and far between, sometimes in different countries, but I appreciate all the email correspondence, support, and kindness. They don't realize how much they contribute to my quality of life even those who rarely write. When they do it's lovely and makes me feel alive.

Glass on glass mosaics. OMG! Mosaics are so fun...alternating with frustration which kind of adds to the adventure. Patience has never been my strong suit and it is the number one skill one needs to master this art form although I can tell mastery will take me a lifetime. Glass doesn't always do what you want. Still, mosaics have replaced every substandard strategy for entertainment I've attempted as of late out in the middle of no where. The colors are so cheerful and the patterns so beautiful. It has provided me all kinds of joy.

"America"

IN THE MIDDLE:

Mosaics. I really should put mosaics not really here, in between good and bad. First, the tools and supplies are incredibly expensive. Second, my house is a disaster with most of my living room a workroom, the kitchen a process room, and my office a planning room. Just today I looked around for a surface and used the clothes dryer. What a mess!

Living Room. Most of the furniture has been moved out.

One of the kitchen tables. 

The other kitchen table...I've run out of tables. I keep eyeing the large
art tables out in my garage, but they are too heavy to move.
I've tried...twice! LOL!

Third, it is one of the most dangerous crafts I've ever encountered! So far my thumb got infected, swelled and the nerves were damaged for a couple weeks. I lacerated a finger nearly off on a piece of dirty, broken glass which gushed blood for about a half hour. The thumbs and first two fingers of both hands have callouses and scars from all the cuts and the wire I use to hang the mosaics is sharp and pokey which causes bleeding. I found some nitrile surgical gloves that are small, thick and tight and often cover my fingers with bandaids for protection. I also have to wear glasses to protect my eyes from the flying shards of glass and be very careful where I walk since these sharp shards of glass are all over my floors and must be constantly swept or vacuumed. Good god! No one ever talks about the risks and I often wonder if the risks are worth it, but I keep persevering! And of course, I'm pretty sure this is another creative endeavor that will uncontrollably reproduce itself and then get shoved into the back of a closet in a box never to be seen again (keeping all the other art things company). Until then, I'm having fun...and mosaics are still on my "Good Things" list!

Work. I like money. My eyes didn't fail me this year and neither did any other body parts.

Health. Everything seems to be working right now. Knock on wood. Eight months ago this was not the case. I recently read a book called Natural Causes by Barbara Ehrenreich about how we are unnecessarily preoccupied with keeping ourselves alive. As a biochemical researcher, her theory is once we get to a certain age our bodies are TRYING to self-destruct. It's the way organisms work. The older, less capable, less effective bodies make way for the younger so the species survives. Our bodies are not "holistic" as new-age doctors want you to believe and she gives the autoimmune diseases as an example along with inflammatory-based diseases such as Alzheimer's and atherosclerosis where our own cells are bent on destruction. On purpose! The money-making marketing of the health industry wants you to believe otherwise so you'll spend your dollars on exercise equipment, gym memberships, fancy foods, fad diets, and lots of DOCTORS and DRUGS in an attempt to defy the inevitable. There is no such thing as age-reversing. Great book and perspective. Like the author who has decided against future, unnecessary medical visits, I'm done....

BAD THINGS:

Health care. Useless, substandard, expensive, waste of time. This year was the worst. I saw at least a dozen doctors this year before I called it quits: three naturopaths, one functional medicine, three conventional twits, two eye doctors, one gastroenterologist, several radiologists, and one acupuncturist. And the hospital visit. Not one could diagnose me correctly nor offer any relief of any kind for anything.  I've assessed the last twenty years, most of it spent in the throes of MCS, and have realized not one medical professional has ever helped me with anything. NOTHING. The closest was my ex-environmental medicine doctor who provided a diagnosis and understanding, but prescribed "avoidance" as the only remedy. Sorry...not much of a solution, but perhaps the only solution until research gets its ass in gear. I am thankful for books and the internet and the ability to read or I'd be in misery.

People. I have come to the conclusion I hate people. Maybe I always did? I used to think most people were basically good, honest, kind, loyal, caring, but veered toward bad as an exception. I don't believe this anymore. I've always known they were disappointing, but I'm inclined to think they are useless and often evil on so many levels.  In my quest for new friendships and meaningful relationships searching both in my community and online, I've encountered way too much self-centeredness, selfishness, dishonesty, and stupidity. It makes me wonder if I've just become too intolerant. Maybe. Perhaps forgiving and settling for too long and now tired of it? Is this just how our society is now, everyone focused on themselves and what they can get from others? A culture of misery? Trumpism? Or maybe there are just no quality people in Rathole? And after each bad experience it makes me thankful I have the option to be alone. I'd rather be alone than deal with most humans. It makes me think I should get a dog.

Sexism. The Kavanaugh hearing was an eye-opener. We think as a society we have progressed into a civilization that honors all human dignity, but clearly women are still second-class citizens perceived as objects to be used, abused and thrown away. How someone like that can be nominated to the Supreme Court is shocking. But again, look who's president...

Dump. What a failure. What an embarrassment. Every step of the way he lies, manipulates, deflects, and insults. The ultimate immature, unprofessional man-baby. Clearly his agenda is to destroy our country by making us the laughing stock of the world as he spews his hate and ignorance. I pray he is arrested and imprisoned along with his sleazy cohorts and family. I'm sure all those Russian-loving, gullible imbeciles who voted for him are really proud. So shameful. How does anyone vote for such a horrible person without vomiting every time they look in the mirror?

Well, look how wonderful this year was!! I'm feeling less negative now.

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS:

1.) No doctors. Ever again.

2.) Avoid construction workers, although I am planning some plumbing and deck repairs in the near future so I guess I can't completely cross them off my list.

3.) Find some more friends. Although this was last year's resolution and I failed miserably at it, I haven't given up all hope. There must be someone out there who shares my ideals, can be fragrance-free, and wants to have some friendship fun.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Dirty Genes

I just read Ben Lynch's book Dirty Genes. He believes controlling the genetic expression of gene mutations (or SNPs, single nucleotide polymorphisms) is done with diet, stress management, adequate sleep, exercise, and avoiding toxic chemicals. He identifies seven genetic expressions that are either born dirty or act dirty and how each one contributes to a person's personality as well as their overall health. He doesn't think genetic testing is necessary as you can determine which genes are dirty by symptoms. Once you identify which genes are problematic, he describes the good and the bad characteristics for each in detail and tells you how to clean them up. Like laundry. LOL!

Although all the genes work together and interact cohesively, the one gene I found fascinating was the GST which is responsible for chemical detoxification. If this one is dirty, then the person is screwed...or...chemically sensitive. It manages your glutathione levels which control your detoxification levels. Did you know the overproduction of hydrogen peroxide in your body makes your hair go gray? Reverse the hydrogen peroxide levels, and your hair color will return. That was fascinating! And stay away from the herbicide Roundup. It screws with your estrogen levels and overproduction of estrogen creates all kinds of disease. Recently I learned overproduction of estrogen is thought to cause Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. It never surprises me how this is all interconnected. I enjoy getting new pieces of the puzzle.

It was amazingly informative. Some new facts and actions to take for my specific gene mutations include: don't eat leftovers as they create histamine, don't overeat as it negatively affects glutathione levels and methylation processes, avoid fermented foods which are another source of too much histamine, don't eat too much protein and eat only three meals a day, no small scattered meals or snacking. I love new information.

My favorite theory (mantra) is "NO PILLS FOR ILLS". He is all about avoiding supplements! So rare! But he believes if one must take supplements to support a condition, it's important to know when to stop or when they are no longer needed. Supplements are drugs. Taking them too long creates more health issues. He's all about healing with diet and lifestyle. Love it!

Excellent book. Highly recommend it.

Yes, I stole this image off the internet,  from Amazon.com specifically.
I figure I'm promoting the book so all is good.
If not, then let me know and I'll
remove it.

Spicy Turkey Cabbage Wraps (recipe)

I've been reading Amy Myers' books The Autoimmune Solution and The Thyroid Connection. Both good basic books on their respective subjects. Her "Myers Way" diet and lifestyle is very similar to Kharrazian's protocol except she allows sweet potatoes, shellfish, pork and all fruits.  And CHOCOLATE!!! She obviously didn't get the memo chocolate is a gluten cross-reactor. For anyone with weakened willpower for chocolate this could provide a justification for some bad behavior, but not me! Instead, I just lost all faith in her. Still, the books serve as refreshers on how to eat and how to live with an autoimmune disease, and specifically Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. For anyone newly diagnosed, this would be a life saver or at least set them on the right track.

Dr. Myers talks a lot about the failure of conventional medicine and gives all kinds of examples including her own personal story with Graves Disease and hyperthyroidism. Given only drastic options: poison, radiate, or surgically remove her thyroid, and desperate for relief with no other remedies in sight, she had her thyroid surgically removed. It is an atrocity how these conventional doctors are so eager to cut body parts out of us because they are too stupid or lazy to come up with better solutions. Having had my own close call with a butcher recently, I shiver at the thought.

Although I think both of these books are very good resources for newbies, I found them excessively repetitive. Every point she makes she repeats in every chapter, many times. One of the books I listened to it on tape in my car so perhaps this made the repeats more obvious. I kept yelling at the speakers, "YOU ALREADY SAID THAT A MILLION TIMES!" I fought the urge to fast forward with every repetition hoping I'd find new information but knowing I might miss it with each jump. I think if one were to remove all the repetition it would boil down to a very short book. And, she is a pill pusher. For every symptom, she has a corresponding drug that she promotes. Although she's all about removing toxins, she's failed to read the ingredients on her supplement bottles. She also doesn't address when her patients can't take drugs as so few profit-seeking doctors do.

BUT both books she has a whole chapter on recipes that comply with her diet regiment. Since I have recently added ground turkey and cabbage to my diet this one caught my eye. turkey is high in selenium which is a good, supportive nutrient. I've added my tweaks and notes in the recipe instructions below.

Spicy Turkey Cabbage Wraps

Ingredients:
8 intact cabbage leaves
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ginger root, minced
1 yellow onion, diced
10 stalks of asparagus
1/2 lb. ground turkey
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
juice of one large orange wedge (about 2 tablespoons)
juice of 1/2 lime
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped scallions

Fill a large pot half way with water, heat to boil.

In a large skillet, heat oil, saute garlic, ginger, and onion. Add asparagus and cook a few minutes. (I chopped the stalks into one inch pieces. I suppose I didn't have to do this and it might have been better in a wrap with long stalks, but I liked it better.) Add turkey, turmeric, and juice. When almost cooked completely, add basil and scallions. Cook until done.

When water in pot boils, add a few cabbage leaves at a time using tongs. I think to fill eight leaves it would spread the mix thin or make very small wraps. I'd be more inclined to use four and have more filling so it would suffice as a meal. Remove after 30 seconds I left in about 1 minute only because they didn't seem soft enough to roll. Fill with turkey mix, roll, serve. As the rolls sit, the leaves form around each other so they stay together making it somewhat easy to lift and eat.

She said it has a nice flavor and with those ingredients, I had high hopes. Maybe I've been eating too many herbs and spices, but it didn't seem to have much of a flavor at all. It wasn't bad. I think turkey is a bit flavorless anyway. The cabbage roll was messy even though it did stay together. I preferred eating the turkey mix without the cabbage roll, but I think I will experiment and place slices of cabbage IN the mix.

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: A Survival Guide

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: A Survival Guide is a manual for MCS by Pamela Reed Gibson. I remember many years ago when I first became chemically sensitive participating in surveys for this author's research. The copy I finally found is the second edition and was published in 2006.

It's incredibly complete covering everything from statistics, causes, food toxins, medical treatments, alternative therapies, identity loss, support options, and disability among other subjects detailing every aspect of one's affected life. The chapter on therapy is entitled, "If You Weren't Crazy Before You Got MCS, You Are Now." LOL!

The appendix, which is about as thick as the book, cites all her research statistics, This is fascinating and very detailed. Other parts of the appendix list helpful references including healthy options for products.

It's a must-have reference especially for newbies trying to figure out how to live with chemical sensitivity.

You're NOT Crazy and You're NOT Alone

The title of this post should be the mantra of everyone with MCS, however, it just happens to be the title of the latest book on Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. Unlike most other Hashimoto's books that explain in detail what is happening, how it is happening and why it is happening, this one refreshingly addresses the emotional and mental challenges faced by those diagnosed with this debilitating condition.

Naturally I was skeptical. I was anticipating another dry, scientific consumer health book. Yeah, I know about the TSH labs and the T3/T4 conversion and the adrenal connection and the five hundred supplements I should be taking. I even know about the miracle diet. When one has years of first-hand experience with Hashimoto's and has read nearly every book on the subject, finding new information is rare. Most books say the same thing over and over again boring me to tears. I'm very happy to say I actually learned something new with this book and it was surprisingly entertaining! Thank you Stacey Robbins!

Author Stacey Robbins is writing from her own personal experience and right away claims she's not a doctor nor a scientist. She doesn't even pretend she has any authority on the subject other than her years of suffering. She is sharing and that's all. I love people who share! Her writing style is conversational and at times hilarious. The text is broken into short digestible paragraphs and more often single sentences with double-spaced lines for conversational emphasis. It's rather creative and makes the book really easy to read. It feels fun and her stories are often charming, but I have to admit I felt irritated by the style at times. She often babbles and constantly says, "But I digress..."  I also didn't care for the constant references to religion and often found myself skipping over anything that looked like God talk. I skipped over most of the chapter on supplements. Still, overall I liked it anyway. She confesses dietary challenges, weight gain, bathroom traumas, child abuse, crippling exhaustion, and bad doctor experiences. Commiseration is easy and more times than not I was overwhelmed with the feeling finally someone who understands me! Hence the title, You're Not Crazy and You're Not Alone. It doesn't matter if I know thousands of people out there have MCS or Hashimoto's, I always think I am alone with my experiences. I'm really not!

Here are the highlights I found especially enlightening:

She calls bad doctors "Orange Cones". You know, the construction cones that are put out to warn and protect you from dangerous situations. LOL Her advice on how to handle bad doctors...go around them! They are only obstacles on our paths to finding quality information. "Orange Cones don't do the work. They simply point to you, in their bright orange color to 'Go around.'" She suggests as a path to forgiveness to take them "out of the "The Asshole Who Didn't Help Me" category and put them in the "Orange Cone" category". She's heavy on forgiveness which I also found a bit irritating.

Fettuccine Alfredo is a "formula for weapons of mass destruction."

"If you eat that way with Hashimoto's and it's not your last meal, you'll kinda wish it were."

Most people with Hashimoto's have been abused as children and experienced love patterns of rejection.

Perfectionism is a side effect of child abuse, but it is a form of self-rejection.

Most people with Hashimoto's were in a car accident or experienced whiplash just before they were diagnosed. Hmmm...now that is interesting.

People with Hashimoto's don't like water. Sometimes it makes them sick. Consequently, dehydration is a common problem and contributes to EMF sensitivities. Anxiety is a symptom of dehydration.

People with Hashimoto's have severe mitochondrial dysfunction. Our cells aren't working optimally and that makes exercise difficult. Mild exercise is good; strenuous exercise is a trigger for an autoimmune response and it weakens the immune system.

She talks about walking as the perfect exercise for Hashi's people, but she says resist the urge to run. "Let go of romantic notions of what looks good." (Too bad I didn't read this book before I got the bright idea to jog last year! It might have saved me a whole lot of misery.)

Synthroid (thyroid medication) has gluten in it! WHOA!

Flappy, wiggly underarms are a symptom of hypothyroidism and adrenal fatigue! She calls them "lunch lady arms". HA! That's probably not a nice thing to say, but I thought it was funny.

Soy pulls iodine from your thyroid.

People come into your life to give you gifts of information.

She uses bentonite clay for cleansing especially if you eat something bad and need it expelled quickly.

Jin Shin Jyutsu is a Japanese modality of healing, or energy work. It sounds fascinating and I already believe our bodies are total health systems. I need to do some research into this...

She's big into gratitudes. I like people who focus on being grateful.

A lot of her information is directly related to MCS and at times thought I was reading a book on chemical sensitivity. I believe it's all related anyway.

HOORAY!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!