#And maybe migraines/GI issues

[avoidingdestiny]

Learning most of my family’s minor health issues have links to migraines. Makes me hope we’ll find a cure for those and everything else will go away.

[semiotomatics]

lol. i think ive reached my limit.

[duality-disability]

on the 17th, I see GI & Genetics; and on the 18th, I see our new neurologist.

i'm.. So fucking anxious.

GI is a follow up to discuss test results to see if there's anything causing the issues we've had with our mouth and throat muscles.. which have gotten better as of the past week?

Genetics is new, is an inital intake, and is for some more private stuff, but then i'm also gonna ask to see if they can look more widely at possible genetic causes or predispositions we have that may be causeing our mystery illness

then.. Neurology is the one i'm really worried about.

We want to get MS ruled out, and honestly anything else that he can test for and be able to discount as not a cause of our issues.

So far with the notes we've been making; It's something that causes widespread pain, fatigue, messes with vision, blood pressure issues, issues regulating temperature & heart rate; Causes problems with weakness, numbness, dizziness, balance, maybe even our spacial awareness stuff - Pain with moving body limbs, our eyes, and difficulty with bathroom habits; both joints and muscles also affected. Headaches/migraines..

It's also something that, flares up and then gets better. In a very repeating cycle - But each time it flares, it gets worse. So it's a slowly descending downwards spiral.

it's. All of this shit is pointing to somethng with our nerves. That is the nerve specialty doctor.

I.. i dont want to be told its all in my head again. I'm not imagining my knees buckling from under me or staying up until 6am with imagined pains. Something is wrong and i need it to be found out before it kills me.

Edit: If you've never been in my notes before or interacted with me, please stop attempting to diagnose us based off of 1 post. Thanks.

[foxys-fantasy-tales]

Writeblr Re-Introduction

I never did this quite right the first time. Get ready, cause this may be a long one. May be oversharing, but hey no character limit and I feel like being super in depth in my soon to be pinned post is on brand. -Ahem-

Hello! You can call me Denise. I use she/her pronouns and I am 32 years old (ancient for Tumblr, I know) with a love for writing fantasy and romance with a lot of dark elements and intrigue. My characters can be messy and sweet and that makes them good to me. I have a lot of bad things happen to my characters, but I like a triumphant tale in the end where at least most people are happy or things turn out alright. I really have fallen for each and every one of my characters and feel the world in general needs some hope in conflict. I am bisexual/biromantic, demisexual/demiromantic, and polyamorous, so a lot of my characters are queer in some fashion. I love writing demi characters and polyam relationships the most so far, though it's taking a bit of build-up to get my first series to that point. My partner (married) is non-binary and I have trans and token cis-het friends and more, so I feel I have a good group helping and reading my books so that my characters come off the page as they should, even if I'm writing a label not my own. I'm also disabled, and in two of my three current projects there is a disabled character present. I only found this out a few years ago, slightly before the pandemic (wooo) and I still have no idea what's causing most of my issues even though doctors have proven something is wrong. I may have an undiagnosable condition with no name yet, so please be patient if I'm not quick to respond or post a lot. I have chronic pain, fatigue, GI issues, and migraines. Going to rattle off some ending facts about myself here. I love playing DnD and have an over two year campaign ongoing right now where I play a sorcerer. I adore cosplaying when I can afford it. I'm addicted to Final Fantasy 14. I still play Pokemon. I have been watching anime since I was about eight years old, which was at the same time I began writing my own stories, so I've been in this for a while now. I hope to always keep improving. I have a BA in English with emphasis in Creative Writing, and though it hasn't served in finding me gainful employment, I hope it helps me in entertaining with my words, which is what I always longed for anyway. All of my works have dark themes, and if you buy my books there will always be a specific trigger warning section in the front so you can make an informed decision. So with that out there, let's talk about my works!

Published Works

Arigale: Spite in the Spirit (Aug. 2021)

Status: Complete and Published

Genres: Epic fantasy, Romance, Action and Adventure Audience: Adult, maybe YA Length: Around 170k words

(gray morality, friends to lovers, exploring a new world, critique on religious extremes, multiple ships to sail, magic galore and a practical armory, apparently a hot villain, LGBTQIA+ Rep (still building on in book two), found family, humor and at times dark humor, Multiple POV ensemble cast)

Judith and Chit are called to the lonely tower outside their city with little explanation. The one who summoned them is an old, elven wizard named Maleth, who will send them on a quest to lower their floating city of Arigale to where it once resided. Maleth is intrigued by Judith’s strange form of necromantic magic, yet he is also certain of the anxious young man in training to be a spearman and scholar.

Judith, a bubbly yet mysterious young woman, is eager to accept. Chit remains withdrawn and cautious, a remnant of being raised by the Order that presides over their land. Soon, both discover their meeting with the wizard carried dire consequences. Can they accomplish what has been asked of them and save Arigale by exploring the land below, no matter the lengths they must go to?

Available at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, Indiebound, and Kobo.

First five chapters are available here on Tumblr for preview! Chapter One - Bonds Chapter Two - Blood Chapter Three - Beseeched Chapter Four - Brazen Chapter Five - Betwixt

I also have a book trailer for this one on Youtube and Tiktok.

Works In Progress

Arigale: Bond in the Blood (WIP)

Aesthetic placeholder for now. The cover is in progress!

(Many of the same tropes as listed above, but more darkness and trauma themes than book one had. Another added romance that is friends to lovers to enemies to ??? You'll have to read to find out!)

Status: Drafting (60%)

Genres: Epic fantasy, Romance, Action and Adventure Audience: Adult, maybe YA Length: Not yet complete - Coming 2023

Judith and Chit's journey across the seas to Galavarn was not as smooth as they had hoped for. The standard of living here is much different than what they encountered on the mainland, and the newfound bond between them will be tested. Enigmas run rampant here, along with a woman from Maleth’s past who claims to hold the key to defeating them for good. Unfortunately, this woman has an unruly and strangely apathetic nature to her, along with a profound hatred toward their distant companion on Arigale. 

Meanwhile, back on the mainland, those left behind must bear their own struggles as a stranger appears and insists on taking one of their number with him. This man with red, sunken eyes bears a sharp grudge against Stemoss and worse obligations to a certain deity. 

Secrets of the past will come to light on this desolate isle, and the friends left behind will struggle to not become a cog in a plan devised long before they were even born.

Made to Taste (WIP)

Made this placeholder cover in Canva, may or may not be final

(critique of racial relations and capitalism, LGBTQIA+ Rep, monsters and mayhem, dark boy and maybe not sunshine but optimistic girl, meet cute, Terrible CEO villains, small business owning woman protag, magical races in modern day, first kiss, ferris wheels, cute confessions and fluffy moments mixed with helping one another during awful ordeals, they were roommates)

Status: Possible series in the works. Book one draft is complete and editing begins soon. Book two draft in progress as well.

Genres: Urban fantasy, Romance, Paranormal Audience: Adult, maybe YA Length: Not yet complete - Book One possible in 2023

When Lyra Morley accepted a rough and tumble new hire from her bar, she didn't think he would end up her new roommate in a week. Noel Akatash brings his own debts, and the people holding the accounts aren't to be trifled with. Magical home invasions aside, Lyra is more worried about her business serving the city nightlife any food she can handle all made to order.

Cooking with a halfbreed's sense of smell comes with its perks, and one of them is that she can hide her skills in the kitchen so no one is any wiser about her true nature. The night-only diner called Made to Taste is meant to be a haven for those the city would rather keep buried. Lyra, the pacifist and abstinent dhampir, would fight to keep it safe. Good thing Noel knows a thing or two about being scrappy.

Dream Escape (WIP)

Another aesthetic placeholder for now, but I have a cover in mind

(dreams vs reality, learning to cope, TW: suicidal themes are major part of this book, disenchantment, finding your purpose, joy in the little things is better than no joy at all, painting and artistry used to convey these themes, portal/dreamscape fantasy, Alice in Wonderland vibes, enemies to friends to lovers) Status: Plotting stage

Genres: Urban fantasy, Romance, Drama Audience: Adult, maybe YA Length: Not yet complete - No determined release YET - Standalone novel around 80k words

Emma Reed, 26, has a Master of the Arts and no place to put it but in her desk drawer. Once proud of her accomplishment, the lights quickly dimmed when she ended up living back in her old childhood bedroom at her parents place and flat broke. Helping Adrien with graphics for their streaming or Sarah with banners for her pet business is all well and good, but it's not at all how she imagined scrapping by. When her newest piece is rejected from the gallery she had finally convinced to give her a chance, Emma hits a downward spiral.

When she awakens, she finds herself in a strange new world with a strange man hovering around her. He calls himself Jasper, a dream painter, and quickly proves his prowess at sculpting others' dreams. Emma was in his care, but though he's petitioned her to wake up, she can't. Neither knows how she ended up in this place, but surrounded by the dreams of others quite literally brought to life around her, Emma makes the decision to stay.

Jasper won't let her. For one, if she stays there is no telling how badly that could go for her, or for his hopes of a promotion. Emma goes along with his plan to cart her across this new place, more as a sightseeing tour than the arduous task he finds it to be. Along the way, a bit of the light comes back into her eyes, and he can't help but remember how bright they both used to shine. Dulled and muddied palettes that they both became, can they start over?

Links & Socials

Find out all the info you need for Arigale, with pages for my other works upcoming when they are closer to release dates at my website.

You can support me with my illness and with saving for promotion, editing, and artwork for my writing over on Ko-Fi.

You can also find me being a struggling writer, but also a huge geek who loves DnD, anime, cosplay, RPGs, Otome, and more here on Tumblr and over on my other socials at Twitter, Tiktok, and sporadically on Instagram.

My Tags

I haven't been great at using these, but I'm going to try and be better.

#Arigale - for anything related to my Arigale series

#Made to Taste - for anything related to Made to Taste series

#Dream Escape - for anything related to my standalone titled such

#Writer Woes - for rants or jokes about how hard this can be

#Writer Advice - to take with a grain of salt please

#Mental Mess - when I have a bad mental health day

#Physical Mess - when I have a bad physical health day

#Free Commentary - When I reblog with additions in tags

And I'll of course be using #Writeblr #Booklr and other necessary tags as well when called for.

[tcfkag]

TL;DR - chronic illness and dental anxiety

There is nothing like finally overcoming your inertia, partially due to ADHD and partially due to anxiety (with a healthy side dish of PTSD), to find a new dentist (one that offers sedation dentistry in particular) AND make an appointment AND show up to the appointment.... Only to find out that the x-rays show there are so many issues with your teeth, including a back molar that needs to be extracted (I knew it had cracked or broken at some point in the past, though I'm not sure when, I had at least hoped it was salvageable, and somewhere between 5-10 cavities, such that they didn't even bother doing the basic cleaning because I am going to have to come back to get these procedures done under sedation so they recommended just getting the normal maintenance stuff while I'm "under". Plus, depending on the price and whether insurance will cover some of the cost, the dentist recommended getting Botox injections to help relax my jaw since I have pretty bad TMJ which can trigger migraines. I hadn't known Botox could be effective for TMJ (though I had heard about its use for migraine patients) but if it works, they might get a new Botox customer out of the deal. So now I have to go back for in-erpson appointments at LEAST two more times: once to meet with the nurse/practice manager to go over the planned procedure, get written consent, and also review the estimated cost that won't be covered by my dental insurance, particularly the sedation. Only after THAT meeting can I schedule the appointment. Oh, and the dentist wants to get in touch with my PCP and GI beforehand to confirm there are no contradictions for sedation, so who knows how long that will take. Between a rough year health-wise (physically and mentally), having a two-year-old, moving to a new house, etc etc, I knew my dental hygiene hadn't been exactly A+ levels, but I have to get one molar pulled entirely (I knew it was broken but didn't realize how bad it was), get something like a half-dozen cavities filled, and get the normal cleaning, fluoride treatment, and hopefully treatment for my jaw so that all of the time. Hopefully, spending this much time in the chair doesn't trigger a migraine. Other fun observations from the new dentist: given my immunosuppression and tendency towards gum inflammation, he suggests I use medicated toothpaste from this point on but he also said he saw signs that one of my new medications (or maybe just age) was giving me dry mouth, which encourages the environment that causes things like cavities and gum disease, so I also need a new mouth wash for that too. None of this is ideal, but there is really something about having a bad dentist's appointment that really makes you feel like you're failing at adulthood.

[mischiefmanifold]

can all phys disabled people reclaim the c slur and cpunk? even if u don’t use a mobility aid? for example… I do have pain in my knead that make it hurt to bend down or get up or go up stairs but I don’t have an aid and it only hurts sometimes when I walk… but I also have pots, gi issues, maybe eds, migraines, and other issues… I’ve always been “the sick kid”… me being disabled is seen as kinda invisible to others so I feel unable to reclaim the c slur and use cpunk.. is my experience included in it? Is it okay to?

Sent July 3, 2022

**Disclaimer that I don't know a whole ton about cripplepunk, my advice is always to seek out people who have been in the community much longer than I

I would say that if you have a physical disability that affects your mobility that you can reclaim cripple and be part of cripplepunk.

[oscyllarus]

I suffered from migraines and have my MD, so I can maybe shed some light on stuff:

Yeah they don't teach us stretches. If you want a manipulation (ie, what you think of when you think of chiropractors), you need a D(octor of) O(steopathy). They've only fairly recently started getting taken as seriously as MDs, but they get more training on things like stretches and diet.

What we are taught: the triggers and medical treatments for migraines, such as triptans. They do mention stuff like "change ur lifestyle to avoid triggers" but that's it.

During my neurology rotation, I learned about several things that give some more evidence to these stretches. First - Botox. You can get botox to basically cause a minor paralysis of the muscles in your head and neck.

They don't inject the SCM, but I would guess that's due to wanting to avoid the big vessels in the area, since botulinum toxin + main blood supply = a trip to the ICU. I would guess anything that stretches or massages these points would help.

Second - the vagus nerve. So it does A Lot, but "calm your shit down" is the important bit. There's a device that stimulates the vagus nerve (but it's very expensive and requires a prescription) called the Gammacore. I've tried it and, for me, it took away all the pain associated with my migraines but not the GI issues or fatigue. I am typing this with the beginning of a migraine and the above stretch didn't seem to work for me, but YMMV. There is also a device called the Cefaly which is cheaper (still expensive) and doesn't require a prescription, but I've never tried it and can't attest to it working or how

Last thing - for those who are prone to hypotension or fainting, be careful when massaging your SCM. There's something called the carotid sinus - where the big carotid artery becomes two smaller arteries - which, when you press on it, will drop your heart rate (you have pressure detectors there and pressing on it = increased pressure, which it translates as increased blood pressure, so it tries to drop your BP). On a related note, be careful to not massage both sides of your neck because you can prevent blood flow going into your brain and cause yourself to faint from lack of blood flow (this is unlikely but since you're gonna be putting extended pressure on the area, I wanted to mention it.)

A few things I do that might help:

Cold water or a cold pack on your face - activates the human dive response and forces your heart to slow and your blood pressure to lower.

Massaging the trigger points on my head, neck, and face - I've found that both a vibrating massager or rubbing my knuckles into the spot helps.

Neck, shoulder, and back stretches - especially if your migraine has muscle tension elements to it. Sometimes, if I catch it early, I can hold off a migraine with a good thorough stretch - but I'll be honest, the only things that make my migraines go away fully are NSAIDs and that damn Gammacore.

Okay I’m currently furious that migraines are often so blindly easy to treat and I had to find this out myself at the age of 26 when I’ve been to a neurologist since I was 11 lol so I’m about to teach you two neat and fast little tricks to deal with pain!

The first is the sternocleidomastoid muscle, or the SCM muscle.

This big red section is responsible for pain around the eye, cheekbone, and jaw, as well as some temple pain. Literally all you have to do is angle your head down a little, angle it away from the side that hurts, and then you can gently pinch and rub that muscle. I find it best to start at the bottom and travel upwards. The relief is so immediate! You can increase pressure as you feel comfortable doing so.

Here is a short and easy video showing this in action

The second is a fast and easy stretch that soothes your vagus nerve, which is the nerve responsible for calming you down. The vagus nerve, for those unfamiliar, is stimulated by deep breathing such as yawning, sighing, singing, or taking a deep breath to calm your anger in a tense situation.

You can stretch this out by sitting up as straight as possible (this does not have to be perfect to work) and interlacing your fingers. Put your hands on the back of your head with your thumbs going down the sides of your neck and, while keeping your face forward, look all the way to one side with just your eyes. Hold that until you feel the urge to breathe deeply or yawn, or until you can tell there’s a change. Then do the same thing on the other side. When you put your arms down, you should clearly be able to turn your head farther in both directions. If the first session doesn’t get rid of your migraine, rest and repeat as many times as necessary. I even get a little fancy with it and roll my eyes up and down along the outer edge sometimes to stretch as much as I can.

If you need a visual here’s a good video on it. I know some of the language they use seems questionable but this is real and simple science and should not be discarded because it’s been adopted by the trendy wellness crowd!

I seriously cannot believe I didn’t hear a word of this from any doctor in my life. Additionally, if you get frequent recurring migraines, you may want to see a dietician. Migraines can be caused by foods containing histamines, lectin, etc. and can also be caused by high blood pressure in specific situations such as exercise, stress, and even sex.

If any of this information helps you I’d love to hear it btw! It’s so so fast and easy to do. Good luck!

[cryptidsurveys]

Thursday, November 7th, 2024.

What's one simple pleasure(s) that you greatly enjoy? Waking up to a snow-covered landscape. Cuddling with my cats while cozy in bed. Eating a warm and delicious breakfast. What a nice morning. <3

What are you listening to? The furnace running and the sound of my typing.

Are you in a relationship? I'm not.

What is your opinion on abortion? I'm pro-choice.

Why do you think so many people get depressed these days? There are probably a lot of factors. There certainly were in my own life. Thankfully, I'm doing so much better now and would no longer consider myself depressed.

Last movie you saw in theaters: Wild Robot.

Your heart is beating faster than usual, whom are you standing next to? It would most likely beat that way due to anxiety, so maybe Alex, my sibling, or certain people from my past.

What was going through your mind during your last kiss? I no longer recall.

Why did your last relationship fail? I was deeply mentally ill and harbored a lot of unresolved trauma. I also just don't think we were as compatible as we wished we were.

Do you feel like screaming? Naw.

How are you in general? Pretty good. Looking forward to a relaxing day of housecleaning and baking.

Do you think the world would be a better place without humans? It would be less polluted and there wouldn't be any human-caused suffering, but nature - for all its beauty and abundance - is still an incredibly indifferent, destructive, and oftentimes grotesque force. Eliminating humanity from the equation wouldn't suddenly transform the Earth into a Garden of Eden.

Last dream you had: The first fragment involved the animal shelter. I don't remember much aside from tasks taking an incredibly long time and feeling like I was fumbling around without making much progress. The second dream mainly took place in something of a hospital setting. Reminded me of my eating disorder inpatient days. I was showing Nick (ex-partner) around to the various gaming/activity rooms. There was also a bit of initial estrangement and rekindled romance involved, but nothing too over the top. Mostly limited to hugging, so relatively PG.

What's your favorite drink? Water, coffee, and hot chocolate.

What's love to you? A deep feeling of trust, respect, understanding, etc. Which are also words that are difficult to define, lmao.

How is the weather today? Cloudy, snowy, and 30*F.

Are you in love? I'm not.

What was your favorite cartoon during childhood? I didn't have an absolute favorite, but I watched shows like Doug, Rugrats, Hey Arnold, Spongebob, Dragon Ball Z, Yu-Gi-Oh, etc.

Who is your best friend and why? Oliver.

What is your greatest fear? Losing my dad.

What is on your mind right now? Mostly animal shelter stuff and how to stay safely separate from some possible drama. I don't want a repeat of last time, so I'm going to have to set boundaries even if it upsets some people (or one person in particular - everyone else should be chill about it).

Do you have any addictions? Smoking.

Have you ever done drugs, if so, what? Yeah.

Do you enjoy watching Family Guy? I did when I was younger, but I doubt I would enjoy it now. It's just not my cup of tea.

What is it that you really want right now? No more migraines. It's the biggest missing puzzle piece in my life right now. Without them, I would have almost no reservations about applying to the animal shelter.

Are you deep? Well, I'm not shallow…but there are far deeper thinkers than me out there.

What is your opinion of God? Is he real? I choose to believe in God. But is God real, and what is God, actually? I have no idea.

Do you and your best friend have funny nicknames for one another? Not really.

Are you a parent? I'm not.

Who would you like to be for a day? Maybe a climber summiting Mount Everest. I am aware of all the issues and controversies surrounding it, but since we're talking impossible hypotheticals here…yeah.

Is there a member of the opposite sex that you can tell anything to? I can tell pretty much anything to my therapist.

What are some bands that you've seen live?

Who is your favorite person? My dad.

What is your favorite season? Autumn. The early days when the leaves are just beginning to change and there's only a whisper of a chill in the air. The middle days when the leaves are in full transformation and the nights are longer and cozier. And the later days when the trees are mostly barren, the cold and frost are constant companions, and the snow begins to fly.

If you would get the chance to relive your past, would you do differently? Like my whole life or just specific parts of it? Would I magically know then what I know now? It's just weird to imagine being a baby and possessing all of my current knowledge and experience…

How? There are all kinds of things I would do differently…or might never experience at all. I don't know how dramatic the "butterfly effect" would be, but at some point I would inevitably break with my original trajectory and wind up in unknown territory. Honestly, though, I would prefer to work with the life I have.

Do you know who Kurt Cobain is? Yeah.

What about Ben Moody? Yeah.

How is life for you? I would say it's mostly good. It has its challenging and painful aspects, but they're tolerable.

State something about yourself that no one knows? Hmm.

Do you have any pets? What are their names? I have three kitties named Esther, Karenna, and Lacy.

Last joke you heard, did you find it funny? Slightly.

What is your favorite recent memory? Hiking along the Carhart trail with my dad. Such a quintessential cloudy autumn day brimming with nostalgia.

Do you like to cuddle? Yesss.

What is the most important thing to you in life? My loved ones, my cats, volunteering, growing/healing, learning how to create and protect a sense of peace.

What is your favorite movie?

What's a song(s) you can relate to?

Have you heard of Postsecret? Yeah.

Whom do you look up to? My dad, staff at the animal shelter, my therapist, etc.

Where and with whom did your last hug take place? I think it was at Chili's. My mom and I hugged after we went out to eat.

Do you want children someday? No.

What would you name them?

If you could represent a sin, what would it be? Sloth or envy.

Do you enjoy horror movies? Yeah.

Do you believe in ghosts? I'm not sure. Even though I'm fascinated by the paranormal, I sure am something of a skeptic.

Would you ever go bungee jumping? Maybe if the opportunity presented itself, but it's not something I would seek out.

If you had 13 million dollars, what would you do with it? Probably just save it and use it as necessary. I can't see myself changing my lifestyle very much.

Are you waiting for someone to message or text you? I just checked my text messages and saw one from Iris (manager). She asked if I was coming in today/couldn't remember my usual days. I told her my schedule and said I would be happy to come in if needed, so now I'm just waiting for a text back.

Do you tend to hide your true self? Yeah.

Do you have a lot of friends? Just one best friend.

What's the last time you laughed really hard? A few weeks ago.

Are you looking forward to anything? Yes.

[justkeepstimming]

Autism and Epilepsy

Here’s your friendly reminder that autism and seizures sometimes go hand in hand. Not always, but sometimes it does.

Had an ambulatory EEG this past week, and I was very annoyed at it. I thought it wouldn’t show anything, and it wasn’t worth the sensory nightmare for three days. Not really something I was excited about, but I pushed through it – trying to figure out ways to keep my sensory system regulated. My weighted blanket was a lifesaver for this one.

I haven’t been feeling very well, but shrugged it off because I have things to do. I figured since I was taking my seizure medication, I should be good. Right?

And then yesterday, we got a call from the neurology office. Turns out it was abnormal – and I also had a 20 minute episode. They want me to come in to see the doctor, so they can discuss all of the results with me.

I guess maybe that explains why I’ve been so disoriented and tired lately. I’ve been a lot more overwhelmed and dysregulated – and it shows.

_

Sometimes our “behaviors” are actually because of medical reasons. It can be hard to explain how we’re feeling, and it can also be hard to realize that something is wrong too. Professionals don’t always realize this, and push families to “fix” the behaviors – instead of taking the time to rule out health issues.

A kid hitting their head? Could be migraines, post-seizure, an ear infection – or maybe even flashbacks from trauma.

Toileting troubles or accidents? Urinary tract infections, incontinence medical conditions, and GI problems can all play a role in it. Not to mention interoception!

Not paying attention or daydreaming? Sometimes that’s actually an ‘absence’ seizure.

And when it comes to families trying their best to figure out what’s happening? The system is complicated.

It can be hard finding specialists who understand autism, getting insurance to cover it, and doctors that take your concerns seriously. Parents have to deal with gaslighting, accusations of overreacting, and more.

And when you’re autistic yourself?

They take you even less seriously, especially when we have trouble explaining how we feel and what’s wrong. We’re seen as “unreliable narrators” or incompetent of understanding our own bodies and brains.

The medical field definitely has some work to do.

-Courtney Johnson, @justkeepstimming

[marvellousstawler]

Mon 16 Oct 2023

The busiest week of my entire year (work-wise) just concluded, so, cut me a break, Present Marvo. I haven't even opened my PAX-haul.

Art *cricket noises*... Apparently due to a migraine-addled nostalgia nosedive into Yu-Gi-Oh! YouTube I have learned that I've been Mai Valentine kin-assigned since age eight and cannot divest myself of the need to draw fanart of her. So I guess I'll add that to somewhere on this too-long, unmoving list of incomplete art pieces.

Writing This week I had maybe the worst idea for a 'story' ever conceived, and somehow, against all odds, it already has three 'chapters.' You may remember from last week that I mentioned I play D&D, in 2 campaigns. One of those campaigns is on hiatus, during which time I have, completely against my own wishes, become obsessed with my own bard. To offset this bardless existence I now endure (rather than write the much more useful faction-guide from her perspective), I decided to interview her. Thrice. Writing on my phone in a three-day-long hyperfocused stupor on lunchbreaks, commutes and in waiting rooms. The worst thing about it is that the unfolding dynamic between the interviewee and her interviewer (which, I'll remind you, is literally myself) is genuinely compelling (at least to me) and I'm honestly unsettled by the blatant egotism of that. I wanted to avoid becoming the kind of author who is THAT obvious with their self-inserts in a fictional context, but honestly, it was inevitable. And hey, it's better than no writing. Not that I need've worried, because it turned out through some miracle that I actually did have enough energy to add to TDD's opening act outline AND refine its magic system a little. So, wow? Go me? Don't know how you did that considering how many early crashes you've had this week but, Kudos, Past Self. (Ugh, see? Egotism inevitable. Guess I'm not much of an...elegant egotist? Eh? Ehhhh? Because Mai from YGO, she uses that, that card in the...Anyone? Nah, me neither).

Reading *tumbleweed bounces feebly across an empty highway*... Just this evening I went to a comic store to try and sell some old stuff that's no longer to my taste, only to learn that they don't take single issues. So I thought I might give them to any unhoused people I meet who might want one, just to break up their day and give them something different to read. Like, they're good comics, they're mostly DC, they're just a bit frayed and also not my thing. If I get no takers, I'll put them in one of those street libraries where you can take so long as you give; not enough libraries in general stock comics anyway. Also, while I was at the store I picked up a brochure for a cool scavenger hunt for street art comic panels around Melbourne laneways. It's basically the most Melbourne thing ever, only thing that could make it more so is if some of the panels turn out to feature coffee and/or jazz. Also I learned there are more comic stores in this city than I thought. Apparently if you complete the scavenger hunt you can get free comics at the partner locations, but I'm just keen to meander around Melbourne to look for art, honestly. If you're in Melbourne and you want to take part, you can pick up one of the brochures at most comic stores in the CBD, and scan the QR for more info.

[figjelly]

Wonder of wonders, I'm sick. Aaaaagain. Maybe April will be a sick-free month 🥲 I've been in and out with the same issues since late November. I had covid back in July of 2022 and never before in my life have I've dealt with something like this so I'm chalking it up to possible post/long-covid issues. I have my annual in April and will mention it to my nurse. It's annoying that having a sorta immune disorder doesn't allow for the same level of care as having a Definite and Diagnosable Issue can often open doors for (it's all the same umbrella of disability, not the Oppression Olympics).

Having just the connective tissue problem in my case just means that the majority of my complaints are shoved off as just a cold or just the flu or antibiotics will help. Nothing does help but time to rest. I basically get an on and off again fever, muscle and joint pain, headaches (not touched by my migraine rescue meds), severe congestion, sore throat (with moderate to severe laryngitis), and gastro issues (I don't know why poop is so private. GI and gastro are more polite than Anyway My Fucking Intestines are Wrecking My Life Up kthx). Note to self: think about poop, poop in relationship to culture, and taboos about poop. Also, the word poop is objectively funny. End note.

SO, I was able to get through work yesterday. Went to my scheduled 3.5 hrs of work at job #3 today but it wiped me out such that I had to call into job #2. I'm hoping the rest will get me through jobs #3 and #1 tomorrow.

[roguemonsterfucker]

update again

i've been feeling a lot better

the main issue has not resolved but it was causing a lot of side issues that i feel i now have under control

my migraines and strange headaches may have been a sinus infection, so i'm taking antibiotics for it. i barely get any pain in my head at all lately so that's great. i even was able to play theHunter for a bit, though it did give me some eye strain so I didn't play long.

my primary heart issues may actually have been from gas/pressure from my digestive system making my normal heart issues (I have an un-diagnosed heart condition that acts up sometimes anyways) worse. Adjusting my diet helped with that for a while, but cutting out so many foods made my low blood sugar be an issue again, so I added those foods back in and low and behold... the heart problems started again. but I've actually found that simply taking gas-x seems to really help with that. sorry i know that's all TMI lol. My heart is still acting up, but that's to be expected since I am ill and already have heart problems. But at least i'm not just constantly having chest pain and heart palpitations.

The main issue, which is my digestive system/intestinal tract, remains unresolved and unimproved. I still have a month and a half to wait to see a GI specialist. For a while, I wasn't thinking I'd survive that but with all the changes I've made, maybe I can.

i'd love to know why i constantly feel like i'm dying 🙃

[notabled-noodle]

i hope this isn’t a bad question and I know u can’t dictate who says and doesn’t say slurs but can u explain a bit about the c slur and it’s history? I just want to be educated a little more on it from someones who reclaims it! I’m physically disabled (fatigue, pots, chronic pain in knees and places, other disorders and chronic illness even (maybe)gynecological and gi) I’ve always been “the sick kid” and it’s also hard/painful for me to go up stairs and bend down and walk sometimes.. migraines..and am overwhelmed with fatigue… yet still invisibly disabled in a way. and I was wondering if the slur pertains to me… to physically disabled people. I want to make sure I’m not doing anything harmful if I reclaim it or say it bc i was typing out your username and thinking abt it.

I’m fairly new to reclaiming the word cripple. I actually decided to do so after reading this article, back in February last year.

“cripple”, like many words, was used as a medical term for someone who had lost use limbs, or was unable to move properly due to disability. as a cane user, this definitely includes me — but I’d like to point out that the definition has broadened significantly, and that it’s not only people with mobility issues who use the term, or who have had the term used against them.

it evolved into an offensive term the same way any term for any oppressed group becomes offensive… socially, disability is considered a bad thing, and people think it’s appropriate to compare two “bad things” to each other, so… it’s a derogatory term because abled people think that being disabled is one of the worst things you can be.

and it’s being reclaimed for the same reason as any other derogatory term — to take power back from the people who think that our community is bad or wrong or lesser.

I hope this helps, and that it makes sense!

[my-wayward-son]

A Rant about Things

TW for mental health talk.

----------

So. I haven't updated this blog in a while. I'm sorry. I've been posting a few health/life updates to the other blog along with my creative content, so if you follow me over there, you know how things have generally been going, which is... spotty.

Here's the latest conundrum:

My roommate (the one who's kind of head of household) had surgery for severe kidney stones in mid-November. She was way out of commission, in a ton of pain, advised by her doctor not to bend over, the whole nine yards. The surgery... didn't exactly work out as planned. (I completely understand this; my colectomy last year had me in the hospital approx. a week longer than originally quoted, tons of complications, etc.). But when she was still spending all day in bed going on a month later... I couldn't help being a little... perturbed, I guess? Even after my colectomy, for which I had an epidural, for fuck's sake, the nurses had me up and walking the halls of my ward before I was conscious enough to remember doing it. I was on this really strict PT/physical recovery plan, and there's kind of something to be said for it. Everybody's different, and I probably shouldn't be making comparisons, but... IDK.

Then, around December 10-ish, I came down with this awful fever. Urgent Care was necessary, rapid COVID and flu tests negative, UTI diagnosed, antibiotics prescribed. I went to see my GP, and she thought I probably had a virus as well, like rhinovirus or similar, as I'm immunosuppressed (low IGG, H&H, etc.). I spent a good 4 or 5 days completely blitzed and unable to stay awake because my body was really confused and expending so much energy attacking the illness. Now it's going on 3 weeks later, and I'm still not 100%. My J tube feeding rate is at 33 (my usual is 60), so I'm getting about half my normal amount of nutrition, as well as missing out on a good deal of fluid intake. My head is perma throbbing, maybe due to dehydration, and maybe because I've outgrown/become immune to my migraine and headache preventatives. My neuro is trying to get me on something else, but insurance is still pondering (Happy Holidays, everybody). I'm still having flashes of fever/nausea/lightheadedness. I hate it.

To make matters worse, I had a serious issue with my J tube around Thanksgiving (the inner balloon failed, and it became non-functional for several days). Since it was replaced, the stoma has been weeping bile around the neck of the tube. Even though I've been coating the area in basically every barrier cream I can find, it's created a huge chemical burn that hurts like mad, especially when I bend over. It seeps through gauze, tube pads, and my shirts, requiring changes multiple times a day. The tube was kind of poorly placed using an old fashioned technique and a peg, so to some extent there's nothing we can do about it, but this is an unacceptable situation for long-term living. I see GI in late January. We're seeing about moving it up, but that's probably not possible.

With my current health situation, I've been really frustrated with, well, life. I don't do well with not doing well, and physical pain/discomfort tends to bring on issues with mental health (hopelessness, etc.). I have some past trauma that happened in conjunction with physical illness, so that kind of makes me feel, like, desperate? Like if I can't feel better right now, I never will, and I may as well give up? I know that attitude is incredibly unhelpful to me and everyone/everything in the household, and I feel really guilty for having it. It puts me in a bad mood and makes me teary and exhausted and reclusive.

Additionally, with the current health situation (and the holidays, people coming over, etc.) I've been falling way behind on my obligations and chores. DD has been picking up my slack, which has been super unfair, since she does basically everything else around the house as well. The roommates generally refuse to do anything anywhere anytime, including preparing their own food, doing their own laundry, feeding their own pets, throwing away their own trash... the list could go on. (One of them works full time and is in the beginning stages of college, and the other, well, is pretending to still be incapacitated post-surgery.). Sorry for my judgement. I think it would be reasonable (tell me if I'm totally off base, here) if the kidney stone roommate could pick up a few gentle tasks, like emptying the drainer basket beside the sink (this can be done completely from a standing position) and picking up recyclables from the living room sofa (um... yeah... that's a thing that actually has to be done). But, no. It's a pipe dream.

I'm working on a daily schedule/chore chart for myself so I can 'do better' whilst also writing in my weekly lab draws, ballet class (assuming I have enough energy), and the appointments with cardiology, neuro, GI, urology, derm, the GP, etc. I am really grateful to DD and the roommates for allowing me the time and providing support to manage my health. I'd honestly probably not be alive if I still lived alone-- I wouldn't have known what symptoms needed urgent medical attention or how to ensure I got everything I require to stay healthy. Not that I'm especially healthy rn...

Let me put the home situation another way, just to show how nuts it is. The kidney stone roommate never, ever says hello to me first. She claims she does, and that I ignore her, but I know I don't, because I literally had to learn how to socialize (autistic kid who formerly lived alone, remember?). I purposefully say 'hi' to her when she comes downstairs from bed in the morning (usually afternoon). She generally yawns in reply, with a few random speech sounds mixed in. I think it's rude. She usually plops somewhere, and I'm usually rushing around picking things up trying not to offend her that my stuff/the kids' stuff is in her way. She never asks how I am or how I'm feeling, even though my health has been shit. I quite literally walk into the living room each evening with a box and ask for her to put her empty bottles and cans (soda and flavored water, usually) in it so I can walk it outside to the recycling bin. Sometimes she can't find/reach them all and I find them in the morning hiding between the couch cushions.

All of this happens on the daily, and we're all still on 'good' terms. We're all taking our assorted pharmaceuticals to stay an even enough keel. I'm trying to lay off the sedatives and build up my energy level during the day. Focus more. Play with the kids. Cuddle the cats. But life is fucking hard. Sometimes I'm banging my head against the wall, and sometimes I'm quite content to take a breath and work on the laundry with the dog pinning me between the basket and the wall.

My kid is having a fit right now, and we're going to see Spider-Man at the theater this afternoon. That about sums it all up. I'm sorry. Thanks for listening.

[idunnowatimdoin]

There Are Only Three Steps I Care About and Love Isn't One of Them || Chapter 1 (Snippet)

So I started writing a medical school AU of our two favorite bois. Here’s a small preview of what I’ve got so far. Lmk what y’all think!!

“You’re joking.” The acerbic tone of his voice would make weaker men cower in fear – has done so on many occasions in fact! 

It doesn’t even phase Qui-Gon’s serene smile. “Of course not, my young padawan. Why would I joke about something as important as this?”

“I told you to stop calling me that. We’re not in a fucking movie, Qui. And this is serious!” Obi-Wan growls, slamming his hands down on the table where Qui-Gon sits calmly and flipping the folder he’s holding open and around so the other can see. “When I told you I wanted a non-traditional student as a Little, what in the ever loving fuck possessed you to think that this is what I meant?”

Qui-Gon glances down at the folder as though he doesn’t know exactly what’s inside it – as though he isn’t the (former) president of the Big-Little Club mentorship program and in charge of setting up all the first year medical students with their second year mentors. The bright beaming smile of one Anakin Skywalker shines up at him. The older man takes a few long moments of silence to skim over the file before looking up at the other, fuming, man with an arched brow. “I don’t see what the issue is.”

“The issue,” Obi-Wan snarls, “is that I was looking to get someone more like us non-traditional: older, coming into medicine as a second profession, struggling to get back into the swing of studying after years away from academia. Instead you gave me a twenty-two year old, fresh from college, pretty boy. He skipped grades because he was that smart, Qui. He didn’t even take a gap year! He’s as traditional as you get!”

If anything, Qui-Gon’s brow arches ever higher. Obi-Wan gives serious thought to shaving it off while the man sleeps. “Perhaps if you looked closer, you’d have seen why I picked this one for you. I assure you, my young apprentice, he is far from traditional.”

Groaning, Obi-Wan makes sure to drag his chair back with a loud screech against the tile of the floor just for the satisfaction of watching Qui-Gon’s involuntary wince. Good. He slips into the chair opposite from him and spins the folder back so he can look at it, eyes scanning over the document with new intent. If Qui-Gon says there’s something there, there has to be. The guy may be a right git, but he’s not an outright liar. Most of the time. 

Anakin Skywalker. Age: 22. Hometown: Tatooine, Arizona. Undergraduate Degree: Mechanical Engineering, B.S. from Cal Poly Pomona. Hobbies: Taking things apart and putting them back together again, fixing things, building things, cars, racing ♡♡♡, baking Interesting Fact About You: I built my first robot at the age of nine. He was really dumb, but Mom loved him. His name was C3PO and he shorted out any time you tried to get him to do anything, but Mom kept him around anyways. Why Did You Go Into Medicine: While I was away at college, our house got broken into. Some thugs beat up my mom and stole everything we owned. I barely made it to the hospital before she died. I remember standing against the wall while she coded, feeling absolutely helpless as the crash team tried to resuscitate her. I never want to feel that helpless again. What Do You Want Out of This Program?: To learn how the fuck to study medicine. I have an engineer brain so I feel like all this stuff is a foreign language to me? Like I’m running Python but everyone else is over here using C++. Poor analogy because that’s more c-sci than engineering, but whatever. Basically I need help. Please. The academic advisors didn’t do shit and the teachers and office hours aren’t useful at all. So… You’re my only hope. 

And on second reading it seems less infuriating and more… endearing? Maybe. It might just be because he’s gotten the chance to rage at Qui-Gon out of his system so he can look at the application with clarity and see just how non-traditional this Anakin Skywalker really is. 

For one thing, he’s young. Younger than most applicants. He had to have skipped at least two grades to be here at twenty-two. And he’s an engineering major. That’s about as non-traditional as Obi-Wan’s philosophy major, as Qui-Gon’s MBA. The rest of it builds on his overall image of “non-traditional student,” but it’s the last question that really gets Obi-Wan, that seals his fate. Qui-Gon fucking knew it would, too, the asshole. It’s probably why he picked Anakin to be Obi-Wan’s Little, because he knows Obi-Wan’s weaknesses too well after a year acting as his Big. That bit about learning how to study? And it feeling like everyone else was speaking a foreign language? Feeling completely lost and helpless because all the other resources that were supposed to help you just weren’t panning out and this mentorship program was your last hope? Obi-Wan had been there last year. So he knows what Anakin’s feeling, what he’s going through. And it’s why Qui-Gon knows he’s going to accept, going to take Anakin on. 

He sighs, pinching his nose in frustration before looking back down at the smiling face of one Anakin Skywalker. “Did you really have to pick someone so attractive?” he finally sighs, looking up at Qui-Gon in resignation. 

Qui-Gon – the bastard – just chuckles. “If you’re going to spend the next year mentoring him, he might as well be someone you enjoy looking at. It’s part of why I picked you.” Then he has the gall to wink. 

The poor crowd of first years eating their lunch in the common area really have no idea how to react when Obi-Wan upends the table and launches himself at the third year student, Qui-Gon laughing the whole time. 

-

In the end, it takes Obi-Wan two days to actually reach out to Anakin. Not because he’s scared or anything because he’s not. It’s because Dr. Che’s GI anatomy review lecture had reminded Obi-Wan just how much he didn’t remember from first year anatomy-physiology lab and he’d deep dived back into his old anatomy notes and panic-blacked out midway through flipping through his Thieme “Atlas of Anatomy” textbook, only surfacing back up when Bant literally tugged him by the ear away from the dorm study space back to his room. So two days later, his under eyes are a bit darker than normal (but that’s pretty much a given in med school and no one even spares him a second glance) when he shoots Anakin a text.

[Message: To: Anakin Skywalker] Hello, this is Obi-Wan Kenobi. We were paired as part of the Big-Little program. I am reaching out to ask when you would be available to meet so that we could discuss further what you would like to get from this program and how best I could assist you to succeed in medical school. Please let me know at your earliest convenience.

Message sent, Obi-Wan tucks his phone away and makes his way to his locker so that he can grab his other notebook for Professor Koon’s physiology lecture. The man tends to like more… hands on demonstrations and Obi-Wan has taken to storing all his belongings except the essentials in his locker for the duration of Professor Koon’s lectures just in case. 

His phone buzzes in his pocket, cutting off a second later to start buzzing anew. This continues again and again before he finally pulls it out and flicks it to life. 

[Message: From: Anakin Skywalker] Omg!!

[Message: From: Anakin Skywalker] I didn’t think you were ever going to text me

[Message: From: Anakin Skywalker] Hi!!

[Message: From: Anakin Skywalker] Wow your text sounds so formal like an email

[Message: From: Anakin Skywalker] Are you free for lunch today??

[Message: From: Anakin Skywalker] Sorry for the rush but like

[Message: From: Anakin Skywalker] We have a quiz Friday and

[Message: From: Anakin Skywalker] I have no idea how to study for it

[Message: From: Anakin Skywalker] So if you could help me that would be 

[Message: From: Anakin Skywalker] AMAZING

[Message: From: Anakin Skywalker] Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi

[Message: From: Anakin Skywalker] You’re my only hope!!

Obi-Wan stares for a moment at the veritable wall of texts that completely blocks out his original message. He feels a migraine coming on. This is looking like it’s going to be a very, very painful year indeed.

[jchakrajc]

Psycho-Neuro-Immunology

 

Psycho - thoughts and emotions

Neuro - brain and nervous system

Immunology - the study of the immune system

Psychoneuroimmunology is a relatively new study on how the mind influences the immune system. There is conclusive research that indicates that our thoughts and feelings have a direct affect on our immune system function. The aim of this article is to breakdown this science into a simple to understand format with practical applications.

Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI for short) is a study of the Mind-body connection. PNI researchers study how our emotions and thoughts impact:

- The brain

- Hormones (endocrine)

- Nervous system

- Immune system.

Your thoughts affect your immune system. It can work the opposite way as well —-changes in the immune system create changes in your nervous system which lead to changes in your emotions. Quiet simply put stress and unhealthy eating habits can influence how you think and feel. 

PNI research is concerned with the subtle interactions between our nervous, endocrine and immune systems and disease. The interaction between the different systems are complex but can be explained in a simplified manner.

For example, if you are experiencing fear, anger or other emotions that may increase your stress level, then these unsettling thoughts are picked up by the brain. The brain then stimulates the endocrine system to release hormones that have an adverse effect on the immune cell’s ability to divide. This causes a decline in immune function which may result in your becoming more susceptible to illness.

Simply put - your mental state affects your immunity. Research today is beginning to unravel the complex connection between your psychological state and your immune system.

The Immune System:

The immune system is a complex network of cells and proteins that defends the body against infection.

The body’s protective unit - first line of defense.

The immune system protects body against alien bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites (invaders).

Destroys invaders using an army of white blood cells, natural killer cells and T-cells.

Promoting good gut bacteria is the key to a strong and potent immune system. 

The immune system is comprised of organs, tissues, cells and cell products that all work together to fight harmful substances like the pathogens that cause infection and disease. 

If our lives are greatly influenced by the hormones of stress, then the natural function of the immune system is suppressed, which leaves us more prone to illness or disease. 

When stress is prolonged or unrelenting, it becomes known as chronic stress. Chronic or bad stress can be detrimental to mental and physical health. Constant worrying about things like family or problems are examples of chronic stress. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is another form of chronic stress.

The immune system is a collection of billions of cells that travel through the bloodstream. They move in and out of tissues and organs, defending the body against foreign bodies (antigens) such as bacteria, viruses and cancerous cells.

The main types of immune cells are white blood cells. There are two types of white blood cells:

- Lymphocytes 

- Phagocytes

There are two types of lymphocytes:

B cells - produce antibodies which are released into the fluid surrounding the body’s cells to destroy the invading viruses and bacteria.

T cells - if the invader gets inside a cell, these (T cells) lock on to the infected cell, multiply, and destroy it.

When we’re stressed, the immune system’s ability to fight off antigens is reduced. That is why we are more susceptible to infections.

The stress hormone corticosteroid can suppress the effectiveness of the immune system (e.g. lowers the number of lymphocytes). 

Healthy Mind Vs Stressful Mind

Being positive and having a healthy perspective could be the difference between longevity and disease. Every thought you have produces a chemical which signals the body to feel exactly the way you are thinking. In turn your thoughts will generate feelings, and your feelings will generate thoughts. This creates a vicious cycle — being mindful of your thoughts in the morning could be the difference in what type of day you have.

The release of stress hormones is the result of a number of complex and interacting factors such as the interaction between the stressors and our perception of the stress. How we perceive an event plays a very significant role in whether the stressor triggers our stress response or not. 

One of the most important factors of stress management is the role that our perception plays in stress. Most people believe that it is external stressful situations or people that cause their stress. But this is not accurate, if it were everybody who was exposed to a particular stressor would be affected, which is not the case — we all react to “stressful” situations differently.

For example; if our perception is influenced by pessimistic thinking style, the potential event will be perceived as more of a threat than say another person exposed to the same potential stressful event but who has a flexible, non-rigid, optimistic thinking style.

How you perceive reality effects not only your physiology but also your health and wellbeing.

Stress can cause unhealthy behavioural coping strategies such as:

Drinking 

Smoking

Drugs

Gambling

Shopping

Eating 

Stress is also linked to:

 Headaches (migraines)

 Infectious illness (viruses)

 Cardiovascular disease

 Diabetes

Asthma 

GI issues (gut health)

Auto immune disease 

”Your cells will either be in a state of growth or protection and if your mind is ‘stressed out,’ then your cells are in a suppressed state, a.k.a breakdown mode—which will leave your body wide open and more susceptible to illness or disease.” ~ Bruce Lipton

Chronic stress:

Creates chronic inflammatory conditions.

Suppresses the smooth operation of the digestive system.

Lowers the immunity of those who otherwise have a healthy immune system.

When long-term stress becomes chronic, high levels of cortisol (stress hormone) begin circulating in the blood for an extended period of time. 

All you need to know is that excessive amounts of CORTISOL run HAVOC in your body system.

We can reduce our stress levels by changing our thinking habits — outdated negative perceptions can lead to distorted thinking patterns which can paint events much worse than they actually are — keeping the vicious cycle of stress turning. 

Our perceptions can be shaped by past experiences — perceiving reality through the lenses of the past. Let’s face it not all of our experiences have been full of joy and love, so it’s critical to identify the perceptions that are outdated and change them to healthy ones.

Stress Management Tips...

Keep a positive attitude.

Accept that there are events that you cannot control.

Be assertive instead of aggressive. Assert your feelings, opinions, or beliefs instead of becoming angry, defensive, or passive.

Learn and practice relaxation techniques meditation, deep breathing, mindfulness & excepting term of ur current life.

Exercise regularly. Your body can fight stress better when it is fit.

Eat healthy, well-balanced meals.

Learn to manage your time more effectively.

Set limits appropriately and learn to say no to requests that would create excessive stress in your life.

Make time for hobbies, interests, and relaxation.

Get enough rest and sleep. Your body needs time to recover from stressful events.

Don't rely on alcohol, drugs, or compulsive behaviors to reduce stress.

Cells can transmit and receive non-physical packages of information that influences their behaviour. 

Think about it - a stressful state changes the heart beat to be erratic which sends out pressure waves (informational waves of energy) to signals cells to change their behaviour (emergency state).

Stress disrupts all the major organs in the body that contribute to having a disrupted energy field.

When you are stressed, the cells in your body will be given information that keeps them in a protective state.

"Cells are either in a state of growth (harmony) or protection (stress) — they cannot be in both."  

Our conscious minds have the power to influence cell behaviour — cells respond to thoughts — the stronger the emotional charge behind the thought, the more cells react. 

Factors that influence cell behaviour:

• Stress 

• Diet

• Exercise

• Sleep 

• Perception  

• Mind set 

• Emotions

How you process and define different aspects of your life ultimately signals your cells to be in a state of growth or protection. 

Learning to consciously harmonise your mind and body will enable you to upkeep the integrity of the cells in your body.

Question:

How does my mood effect my immunity?

Answer: If you regularly experience low vibrational emotions such as fear, anger or other emotions that may increase your stress levels, then it will be extremely difficult for you to maintain balance within the systems of the body. 

Low vibrational emotions will begin to disturb your thoughts because the brain will pick up on the emotional feedback from the body. 

The hormonal system in the body (endocrine) is a major player when it comes to maintaining a healthy balance. Stress disrupts the natural order of the endocrine system resulting that can result in chemical imbalances. 

There are many medical conditions that remain a mystery to doctors and science that maybe caused by chemical-hormonal imbalances in the body. If the adrenal glands are overactive (stress hormone glands) then the other glands suppressed from their natural function.

The adrenal glands are taking up all the energy to activate stress hormones which suppress the other glands from naturally maintaining chemical/hormonal balance in the body. 

MEDITATION IS MEDICATION

Meditation induces the relaxation response in the body which allows the body to reset and balance — creating coherence within all systems of the body. The relaxation response is our physical way of reversing the effects of stress and the physical stress response.

Individuals with high levels of stress should adopt a regular meditation practice to restore balance back in the body.