Working Hard for Health

What can I attribute to my recent surge in good health??

Today I had my monthly (dreaded) appointment with my rheumatologist.  Typically, my appointments are loaded with bad news– abnormal lab results, high blood pressure, more inflammation, and a labeling of “remains disabled”.  This afternoon, however, my doctor had quite the opposite to say!   “You’re in the best health I’ve ever seen you,” he remarked, “Whatever you’re doing is working… keep it up!”  I was more than thrilled by his words.  I know that I’ve been feeling great over the last few weeks, but to have the confirmation from my doctor that things are looking up felt even better.  It was the first doctor appointment I’ve had in quite a while that left me feeling optimistic about living with lupus.  I know I’ve got this terrible disease, but there are things I can do to keep it from dictating my life.

My rheumatologist’s remark, “whatever you’re doing is working”, really got me thinking.  What have I been doing that’s put me on a healthy path?  I know there’s quite a few things I’ve changed about my lifestyle in an attempt to “get healthy”, but it’s hard to say what really caused these recent healthy weeks.  Perhaps it’s a combination of all my efforts that’s got me on the right track.

My biggest adjustment to my lifestyle has been my diet.  Going gluten-free, meat-free, and dairy-free has been more than challenging– especially when I sat down to Thanksgiving dinner.  But I truly believe it’s kept my inflammation and blood pressure down.  Going easy on the alcohol has also greatly helped my health.  Without the booze, I’ve slept better and had more energy during the day.  Though I haven’t completely cut out the wine (especially around the holidays), making an effort to reduce my alcohol consumption has greatly helped my body.  After my liver suffered inflammation during last month’s flare, I’ve opted to go easy on the martinis this holiday season.

Besides my diet, there are a few other things that I believe have contributed to my good health.  Though I typically exercise an hour a day, recently I’ve changed some things about my workout routine.  I’ve incorporated more strengthening exercises into my workout.  Perhaps I’m having less pain due to the fact that my muscles around my joints are stronger.  This is thanks to my use of free weights, as well as ab and back exercises.  I’ve even felt strong enough to run again recently!  I haven’t been able to run in 2 years because of my joint pain… and now I’m back to running (short distances) every other day.  Maybe my exercise has aided my pain reduction, lower blood pressure, and overall boost in energy.

I’ve also taken time to myself to just relax.  I’ve attended mediation classes at a local yoga studio.  I’ve treated myself to a thai message.  I’ve had the luxury of going to bed early and sleeping in late.  I’ve let myself take a short nap in the middle of the day.  I’ve focused on the things that make me happy.  And, finally, I’ve surrounded myself with supportive friends and family.  Perhaps cutting out stressful activities and people has made more of a positive impact on my body than I have realized.

All in all, I’m pleased with my recent health trend.  I’m not sure how long it will last, as I’m always hesitant of yet another flare taking over.  But all I can do is continue my hard work towards health.  It’s comforting to know that my efforts have finally paid off– even if it doesn’t last forever!

A Lovely Bunch of Coconut Waters

Delving into my discovery of coconut’s healing powers…

Several years ago, I experienced a warning sign that something was beginning to go wrong in my body.  I was constantly feeling weak, nauseous, and fatigued.  As I searched for answers from doctors, my blood work began showing that I was low on sodium, and occasionally low on potassium.  In other words, my electrolyte levels were all out of whack.  And being as sensitive as my body is, it doesn’t take much for my system to become off balance.  At one point, my electrolyte levels became so off balance that I wound up being hospitalized in the ICU.  I had to get massive infusions of sodium to replenish the electrolytes in my body.  YIKES!  Ok, this is definitely an extreme example of what can happen if we don’t stay hydrated and chemically balanced… but I’m here to tell you that maintaining a balanced body chemistry is KEY to feeling healthy and strong.

After my surreal experience as a way-too-low-sodium hospital patient, I solicited the advice of a nutritionist.  I needed to find a way to ensure that my extremely off balance system would never return!  My nutritionist offered me some excellent advice: drink coconut water every day.  Her advice seemed easy enough, so I figured I’d give it a try.  But when I found out how incredibly pricey this supposed “healing drink” was, I sort of blew off my nutritionist’s recommendations.  Instead, I went for sports drinks, such as gatorade and powerade.  These drinks did help to restore my electrolyte levels, but they were loaded with added sugar, preservatives, and a long list of other unnatural chemicals.  It wasn’t until my move to Los Angeles that I really became sold on coconut water.  I saw another nutritionist that just raved about the healing powers of coconut.  (And I found that the LA prices were much more reasonable than those in NYC!)  She urged me to continue drinking coconut water to keep my body in balance.

Of course (being the stubborn patient that I am), I never fully trust any professional advice before first researching it on my own.  So I started my internet search about the health benefits of coconut water.  The brand I drink most often (because it is relatively inexpensive and contains no added sugar) is Zico.  One bottle of Zico contains five essential electrolytes: potassium, magnesium, sodium, calcium, and phosphorus.   Additionally, it contains only 60 calories and no fat, cholesterol, or added sugar.  After digging deeper, I found that coconut water also contains a number of B-complex vitamins.  It’s also used a treatment for diarrhea and dehydration, as it quickly replenishes electrolytes as it hydrates.  And the best part is, it comes straight from the core of a coconut– not from a hodgepodge of synthetic flavors and colorings.

In addition to the known health benefits of coconut water, I can say that it honestly makes me feel better.  Whether I feel a cold coming on, feel dehydrated from a night of too many martinis, or just finished a tiring workout, coconut water feels like instant rejuvenation.  I’d also like to add that the chocolate flavored coconut water satisfies my sweet tooth craving– and is a much better option than downing a glass of chocolate milk!  I definitely recommend trying a glass or too.  Give up the gatorade and switch to a hydration drink that’s all-naturale!