Kefir: better than medicine; plus chocolate pumpkin candy bars

 

  Healing illness from the gut out has always been one of my beliefs. Seventy-five percent or more of our immunity resides in our digestive system. If we can heal our guts, we can absorb the nutrition our body needs to function properly. Seems simple, right? 

Unfortunately, it's not so simple for those of us with fibromyalgia and other chronic illnesses who have majorly screwed up guts. Some things work and others don't. The only thing you can do is keep trying. But Hippocrates was right on with his famous quote: "Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food."

Homemade kefir culturing on counter

Recently, I started making homemade kefir. I had tried it once before but then I broke my wrist. I had to ditch the project. With both wrists intact now, I've rediscovered cultured kefir, one of the most probiotic-rich foods on earth. It may help you beat colds and flu, lessen allergies and asthma, and heal chronic illnesses, like fibromyalgia. In studies, kefir has either done as well as or outperformed antibiotics when treating illnesses. With its amazing medicinal properties, no surprise, its name comes from the Turkish word for “good feeling.”

What really impresses me is this fermented milk drink when homemade contains up to 35 strains of good bacteria and yeast compared to yogurt which has just a few and bottled kefir which has 10 strains plus some unwanted ingredients like sugar and thickeners. It’s a complete food which contains high levels of vitamin B12, calcium, magnesium, vitamin K2, biotin, folate, enzymes and probiotics.

Some of its benefits can definitely help those of us with fibromyalgia. They include:

·         Boosts immunity

·         Fights allergies

·         Supports detoxification

·         Lessens asthma symptoms

·         Heals bowel disease such as  Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

·         Improves lactose digestion.

Wouldn’t it be great if eating a bacteria-rich food like kefir could help you beat illness, like fibro, and feel better overall? Our digestive systems play host to trillions of good bacteria. But we eat poor diets and take antibiotics which wrecks up our perfect balance of good and bad bacteria. All of this leads to digestive issues and immune system problems. 

We don’t want that if we want to be healthy. Kefir can be our medicine too. Studies have shown that kefir whey neutralizes most pathogenic bacteria within 24 hours. 

King Bailey on his favorite blanket

What kefir does the best job of keeping you well? Homemade works best as I have found out. I have been drinking plain bottled kefir for several years with some health benefits but nothing compared to what I experienced after making and drinking homemade kefir. 

My experience confirmed studies I read that showed homemade kefir has strong anti-inflammatory properties which can heal IBS, IBD and allergies. Those of us with fibro know all about those problems.

You can make homemade kefir from cow, goat or sheep milk. You need kefir grains which can be purchased from various websites such as www.culturesforhealth.com. Get a gallon of milk to start. Organic whole milk or raw milk, if available, will work. Follow the directions that come with the kefir grains to start fermenting your own supply of this super food.

One word of caution: you may need to build up your "tolerance" to kefir.  Some people thrive on kefir right from the start and others may need to proceed more slowly. Start with about four ounces or less and build up to eight ounces per day.

Chocolate Pumpkin Candy Bars 

 Here's what you need:

1 cup of coconut oil, melted

4 T. cocoa powder

1/4 tsp. salt

stevia, to taste

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Combine the above ingredients and pour into a 8 X 8-inch square pan, lined with parchment paper. Place in the fridge to firm up the mixture a bit.

You also will need for the pumpkin swirl:

2 T. pumpkin puree

1/4 cup sunflower seed butter or alternative

pinch of salt

a little water to thin out the mixture, if needed

Mix the pumpkin swirl ingredients until smooth. Spoon the mixture onto the chocolate before it completely firm up. Return to the fridge until bars are firm and ready to cut.

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Love healthy fats; chocolate pumpkin fudge

Chocolate pumpkin fudge

There are so many reasons to love my favorite fat--- olive oil. Along with other healthy fats, it can reduce silent inflammation, the root cause of chronic disease; lessen your pain; and help you lose weight, all of which are important to those with fibromyalgia.

Extra virgin olive oil---my favorite fat

You’re probably thinking but how can this be true. Doesn’t fat make you fat? The truth is healthy fat does not make you fat. Our bodies need fat to perform many functions for good health. Our brains are 60 percent fat. Our cells are encased in fat. If we avoid fat, we fail to replenish essential nutrients needed by the body.

Not all fats are created equally. Omega 3 and 6 polyunsaturated fats are essential. They are not produced by the body. We must get them from our diet as they are a significant part of almost all cell membranes.Olive oil, my favorite, along with flaxseed oil, coconut oil and ghee are some of the healthiest fats.

Sunflower seed butter and coconut oil---also favorites

 Olive oil, however, is in a class by itself. It is neither an omega 3 or 6 but rather an omega 9 with the highest concentration of monounsaturated fats of any edible oils This makes it one of the healthiest oils there is.
 If those aren’t enough reasons, now there is another reason to “hug this healthy fat.”A new study suggests that women can dramatically reduce their risk of breast cancer by following a version of the Mediterranean diet that goes heavy on extra virgin olive oil.


Women who followed such a diet were 62 percent less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer than women who simply reduced the overall amount of fat in their diets, according to the results of a randomized clinical trial published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.


The focus of the clinical trial originally started out to assess the cardiovascular benefits of the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish and olive oil. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups – Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil, Mediterranean diet supplemented with mixed nuts, or a regular low-fat diet. After studying nearly 7,500 people for about five years, the researchers had compelling evidence that those who were on either type of Mediterranean diet had better heart health than their counterparts who weren't.

Researchers also tracked the incidence of breast cancer in the women participants in the study. The results once again showed the amazing benefits of olive oil. The risk of being diagnosed with invasive breast cancer was lowest in women who were on the Mediterranean diet with additional extra virgin olive oil---1.1 cases per 1,000 person-years or 68 percent lower. The highest rate in those women studied was for those who were advised to eat less fat – 2.9 cases for every 1,000 person-years. That compared to a diagnosis rate of 1.8 cases per 1,000 person-years for women who were on the Mediterranean diet with extra nuts.

The women in the extra virgin olive oil, Mediterranean diet group got 22 percent of their total calories from the oil, on average, but getting at least 15 percent of calories from the oil could provide significant protection, according to researchers.


Lesson from this study: women have nothing to lose – and potential much to gain – by eating more like the people in the Mediterranean.

 I use olive oil at every meal, especially as the main ingredient in my salad dressing. But two of my other favorite fats are coconut oil and sunbutter. Here is a recipe for one of my favorite treats featuring these two fats---Chocolate Pumpkin Fudge.

What you need for 5-6 mini-servings:
2 T. pumpkin puree
2 T. sunflower seed butter
2 T. cocoa powder
¼ cup coconut oil
½ tsp. stevia
Pinch of salt
Optional: 1/8 tsp. cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

What you do:
Melt oil and sunflower seed butter in a small saucepan. Add other ingredients and blend. Pour into a small loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Place in the fridge until firm. Cut into pieces. Serve as it is or topped with a bit of chocolate sauce.

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Do seasonal allergies trigger flares? Plus easy frappuccino recipe

Five-lake view while hiking to Ruffneck Peak

Can a change of season with its accompanying seasonal allergies trigger a flare up of your digestive and fibro symptoms? I say a definitive "yes." Every year in May and again in late August to early September, I experience a predictable flare up. Perhaps, you experience the same unpleasant phenomenom. I have searched for answers as to why this occurs but more importantly, how to prevent these flares.  (Please participate in my informal poll on the left-hand side of this page to find out how many experience seasonal flares.)

 Can A Change Of Season Cause a Flare?

People with all kinds of autoimmune diseases, ranging from ulcerative colitis to Graves' Thyroid Disease, have noticed they have a flare when the weather changes in the fall or spring. There is a theory that links these seasonal flare-ups to seasonal allergies.

Allergies are your immune system's response to an allergen. Throw in your autoimmune disease and your immune system goes haywire. Your body may start mistaking things you were okay with before as invaders. The result is the flare up of your symptoms.

I have had flare ups, especially of stomach symptoms, for years in the spring and fall. The fall flare up is the one from hell. I cannot take regular allergy meds so I try to do what I can to minimize these flares---keeping stress low, sticking with my regular routine, eating a clean diet, getting lots of rest. Even so, it is what it is.

What types of things do you do to minimize your flares?

Making toast the rustic way while backpacking

Here's why we may experience flares?


First of all, studies show that most people with all kinds of autoimmune disorders have allergies. So, there is definitely an allergy connection. Many also have bowel, digestive disorders.


When allergies are at their worst (e.g. during spring and fall), our mast cells get activated. They in turn release all kinds of stuff, including leukotrienes. These leukotrienes attract a type of white blood cells called eosinophils.

These special white blood cells are ready to do battle with an invading allergen but in the process they release four chemicals that are toxic to the body. In studies of individuals with IBD (Irritable Bowel Disease), these toxic substances are found in their stools in greater amounts than they are in people without IBD.


Not everyone with autoimmune disorders reports a spring, fall connection to flare ups but there are plenty of us who do.  Studies have also shown that elevated IgE and eosinophil levels directly correlate with the severity of symptoms and the occurrence of relapses in patients with Graves' disease, an autoimmune hyperthyroid disease.

Easy-to-make frappuccino

 I am still dealing with my fall flare up as I am most allergic to sagebrush which is producing pollen like crazy in my area. What am I experiencing? My stomach is super sensitive; my eyes, nose and throat are irritated 24/7; and my pain is worse.

As I mentioned before, I am digging in my heels and sticking to my regular routine. I am especially monitoring what I eat,so I guess I won't be eating one of these delicious frappuccinos for awhile.

Here's what you need to make one:

1 cup yogurt or milk beverage of your choice (I used full-fat, lactose-free yogurt)
1 1/2 T. cocoa
smidge of vanilla
pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup cold coffee

Here's what you do:

Blend the above ingredients in your blender. Pour the mixture into ice cube trays to freeze. When ready to eat, remove the frozen cubes and blend again in your blender. Add a bit of additional cold coffee or milk beverage, if desired, to hasten the blending process.

Enjoy with a dollop of yogurt on top drizzled with chocolate sauce. I make my chocolate sauce by blending 1/4 cup melted coconut oil with 2 T. cocoa powder and stevia, to taste. Use a bit for a drizzle and save the rest to make homemade chocolate chips by hardening the mixture in the fridge.

 http://www.tessadomesticdiva.com/2015/09/allergy-free-wednesday-185.html
 http://www.fibrobloggerdirectory.com/

Traveling with fibro; campers' chocolate fix

Relaxing at Kelly Lake after hiking from campsite

Whatever your traveling passion, it will take extra planning and determination to accomplish if you have fibromyalgia or other chronic illness.

Fur kids enjoy a peanut butter snack

Your traveling passion might range from camping to touring another country.

Fur kids enjoy another peanut butter snack

Wherever you go you will need to start your preparation well ahead of time to minimize the stress involved in getting ready for a trip.As you probably know from personal experience, stress is not your friend if you have fibro. It can cause symptoms to be much worse.

I recently went on my first camping/backpacking trip of the summer. It was a simple trip compared to embarking on a trip to another country but I still had to do lots of prep. Here are some things I learned during the preparation phase of my trip:

• Start well ahead of time. If you don't, there will be unwanted stress that might flare up your symptoms.
• Make sure other people in your traveling party are on the same page and also will start well ahead of time. Those you are traveling with might inadvertently trigger stress if they cause you to be behind schedule.

Campers', travelers' easy chocolate fix

• You will need to take some or all of your own food, depending on your eating restrictions. You might need snacks or even meals, as I did for camping/backpacking. Get started on cooking days, weeks ahead of time.
• Same goes for all your vitamins, supplements. Line them up by day, if possible, to make them easy to take. You don't want to miss a dose.
• Be prepared to fall back on your plans if you or traveling companions are not ready. 

 My trip went well but unfortunately, preparing for a trip when you have fibro is no bed of roses. I laid out a schedule of what to get done every day prior to leaving. I had everything done but all the food prep, etc., can be overwhelming. I guess the bottom line is if you want to get away from home, you just have to go do it.

While your traveling, you might want a simple treat to prepare. You can make my campers'/travelers' chocolate fix dessert at a campground, in an RV or in a motel room, equipped with a microwave and mini-fridge. I prepare the ingredients ahead of time in a ziploc baggie for a single serving.

Here's what you need:

1/2 cup water
1-2 T. cocoa powder
stevia or other sweetener
pinch of salt
dash of cinnamon powder
1 T. gelatin
optional garnish: yogurt of your choice

Here's what you do:
Put all the ingredients except for water in a ziploc baggie during your prep for trip. To prepare, heat your water to warm in small cup or jar, and stir in the ingredients. Set the mixture in the fridge or off in the shade if camping. When ready to eat, garnish with yogurt or chocolate sauce, if desired.

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Chewing your food properly may help with fibro; campers' brownies

My stomach is upset right now because I didn't chew my food properly this morning. It's bloated and gassy, rumbling, and I'm burping. I was in a hurry as many people are when eating. I swallowed big bites which means I won't get the nutrition from the healthy meal I prepared. Swallowing big bites means improper digestion and all the assorted unpleasant symptoms.

Eating too quickly is a big problem for many people but it is a HUGE problem for someone with fibromyalgia. Those of us with fibro don't have robust digestive systems to begin with. Our digestive tract has been damaged; we lack many digestive enzymes; we have many food intolerances; we suffer from bacterial overgrowths; and we have numerous nutritional deficiencies.

And then, here I go gobbling up my meal. Yes, it takes longer to eat a meal slowly but the benefits our enormous for one's health. Chewing slowly is the beginning of the digestive process. By breaking up food into smaller pieces, your food is more easily digested. That's right, we're not snakes. We can't swallow our food whole and then digest it.

Chewing releases saliva which contains digestive enzymes. The longer you chew, the more time these enzymes have to start breaking down your food. All of this makes digestion easier on your body and your body more able to absorb nutrients from the food.

I, of course, have promised many times not to violate the rule: "I will not eat my food quickly." But I've already confessed that I violate this rule when I am in a hurry and/or really hungry.

Every time I violate this rule I am undermining all my other efforts to control my fibro symptoms. Duh! I have a bacterial overgrowth (SIBO and candida). I suppress it by eating the right foods that are chewed properly, not by gulping down my food.

Are you like me? Then, this is what we need to do all the time.

• Take smaller bites of food.
• Chew slowly
• Chew until each bite of food has been liquified or lost all of its texture.
• Finish chewing and swallowing completely before taking another bite of food.
• Wait to drink fluids until you've swallowed your bite of food.
• Don't talk while eating.
• Don't eat with your mouth open as you swallow air.

What do you do if you are crunched for time?

• Eat just enough to alleviate your hunger.
• Save the rest to eat later as a snack.

Campers' brownie

Here's what I'm eating slowly---campers' brownie. You can make it in a skillet over your campfire or on your stove.

Ingredients you will need for one serving:

1 grassfed egg
2 T. flour of your choice (I chose cricket flour because other flours have more fermentation potential)
2 T.  farmers cheese or seed or nut butter of choice 
2 T. cocoa powder
stevia, to taste
pinch of sea salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup plain kefir, yogurt or dairy beverage of choice
optional: chocolate topping and dollops of your favorite seed or nut butter
1 T. coconut oil

Campers' brownie batter

Mix all your ingredients. Heat a skillet and coconut oil.

Cook over medium heat with lid in place.

Look for bubbles forming and batter pulling away from the sides to check for doneness.

Garnish with chocolate drizzle and/or spoonsful of your favorite seed or nut butter.

Serve as a brownie parfait layered with yogurt and more chocolate drizzle, if desired.

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Limit starch for fibro diet; kefir iced coffee

 

Bailey, the cat, enjoys a new lounging spot---an old car seat

Do you experience stomach distress after consuming starchy foods, such as grains or potatoes? You may have starch intolerance which is the body’s inability to completely process carbohydrates (sugars and starches) due to inadequate or absent enzymes needed for their digestion.

Fibro sufferers usually have insufficient enzyme production because of damaged digestive systems due to bowel infections, including candida and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Starch intolerance goes hand in hand with these problems.

You may be familiar with lactose intolerance. It is the inability to break down lactose in milk products because the enzyme lactase is lacking.  Starch intolerance is the same and produces similar symptoms including gas, cramps, bloating and diarrhea and/or constipation.


Sixty percent of fibromyalgia sufferers have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and 70 percent have symptoms of IBS. These IBS-symptoms are usually triggered by bowel infections, such as an overgrowth of candida or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Both of these conditons result in an overgrowth of bad bacteria in the gut. Studies show that SIBO occurs in 90 to 100 percent of fibromyalgia patients.

Ingredients for kefir iced coffe

Carbohydrates (sugar and starches) are our body’s primary source of energy. There are three types of carbohydrates: monosaccharides (single sugars), disaccharides (made up of two sugar units) and polysaccharides (made up of complex multiple sugar units). The more complex carbohydrates require specific enzymes to break them down for digestion while simple sugars (monosaccharides) are absorbed directly from the intestine into your blood.

There are two types of starches including amylose (a polysaccharide) and amylopectin (a more complex polysaccharide). Most starchy vegetables (including corn, wheat, oats, barley, many varieties of rice and potatoes) contains 20 -30 percent amylase and 70-80 percent amylopectin. Legumes and some potatoes contain higher percentages (up to 65 percent or more) of amylase. 

Lack of the required enzymes to break down these starches will leave them in the digestive system to cause symptoms of food intolerance. The severity of the symptoms depends on the extent of the enzyme deficiency, and range from a feeling of mild bloating to severe diarrhea. 

Undigested sugars remain in the intestine, which is then fermented by the bacteria normally present in the large intestine. These bacteria produce gas, cramping, bloating, a "gurgly" feeling in the abdomen and flatulence. The distress normally begins about 30 minutes to two hours after eating or drinking foods containing the offending sugar, such as lactose in the case of lactose intolerance. Food intolerance can be confused with food allergies, since the symptoms of nausea, cramps, bloating, and diarrhea are similar.

There is no cure for carbohydrate intolerance. However, one may follow a healing diet where the offending starches and/or sugars are avoided. The Specific Carbohydrate Diet was one of the first eating plans to address carbohydrate intolerance.

 High quality digestive enzymes also may be purchased. They may help with the break down of starches and sugars, and reduce symptoms when used in conjunction with a healing diet.

Mocha iced kefir coffee

We seem to be programmed to want something starchy/sugary so what do you do to curb your craving? I reach for kefir iced coffee. Either plain or mocha does the trick to curb my carb craving.

Plain iced kefir coffee

It's so easy and quick to make and no lactose, if you choose the lactose-free kefir or alternative dairy beverage of your choice.

 Here's the basic recipe:

• Use extra brewed coffee to make iced coffee cubes. Simply freeze the coffee in an ice cube tray. 
• When ready to make your iced coffee, pour about 1 cup of plain kefir over the coffee cubes, added to a glass. Sweetened with desired sweetener.
• For mocha kefir iced coffee, you will need an add-in of 1 T. cocoa powder. 
• Here's a trick for getting the cocoa to dissolve. Pour about 1/8 cup of heated water into your glass before adding other ingredients. Stir in the cocoa powder. Then, add in the coffee cubes and kefir.
• Now, sit back and enjoy!
  
  
  

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Get busy healing your stomach; chocolate modified paleo pancakes

  






.
 I've really been feeling like Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh with this black cloud hanging over his head. Things just haven't been going my way. It started with 100+ degree heat and our air conditioners going out. Yes, that was air conditioners (plural). First, the air conditioner in our car decided to give up the ghost.  Then, the air conditioner in our home decided it too had had enough.

Five weeks later we are getting to know our air conditioner repairmen like family because they visit us so often. We invested in a new system that turned out to be defective from the manufacturer. Then, to top it all off, I got dive bombed in the back of my head by a territorial hawk.The hawk hit with such force I got whiplash and a slight concussion.

I was trying to find the silver lining in this cloud.

One of two nice hawks living in my backyard---not the dive bomber hawk

Then, I realized how fortunate I am to have a nice pair of hawks living in my backyard (not related to the divebomber). They are a beautiful site to see and hear every morning. And they don't dive bomb anyone.

Modified paleo chocolate crepes

Finding the silver lining when you have fibromyalgia also can be challenging. But finding the right healing diet  for you can be a pretty important step in getting your life back on track if you have fibromyalgia or other chronic conditions.

I have tried numerous healing diets thinking that I had to follow them exactly as written or I wouldn't get the good results I sought. I have found that healing diets (such as paleo, paleo autoimmune protocol, specific carbohydrate, etc) all need tweaking to suit the individual because there is no one way to eat that is perfect for everyone. After all, we humans are 99.9 percent similar but that 1/10th of one percent makes a huge difference. 

I call my diet a modified paleo diet, most of the time.Why did I pick the paleo diet? The paleo diet focuses on whole foods and has a good track record for helping to reverse auto-immune symptoms. In a nutshell, the diet includes plenty of meat, seafood, vegetables, fruit and nuts, and avoidance of toxic foods like sugar, processed foods and hard to digest foods like legumes, dairy and grains.

For me and others with fibro, some problems would immediately emerge if this diet were followed exactly as written. Most individuals with fibro have bacterial infections in their guts like candida and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and resulting IBS symptoms.

We can't or shouldn't eat much fruit and hardly any nuts/seeds because of digestion problems. Starchy vegetables also are a problem because they also are hard to digest. We want to eat foods that digest easily and don't stick around and cause more bacterial overgrowth problems.

That's where "gray-area" foods come into the picture. Contrary to the paleo diet, I incorporate safe starches like white rice and certain types of potatoes in small amounts. Rice actually has existed for 130 million years (127 million years before humans). Wild rice also was eaten by paleo people. 

Jasmine rice is a good rice for people with SIBO like myself and others with fibro because it digests quickly and prohibits bacterial overgrowth. I always serve it as part of a nutrient-packed meal.

Mixing the eggs, cocoa, farmer's cheese and other ingredients.

Another "gray-area" food is dairy. The major problem with dairy for most people is lactose because many folks lack the digestive enzyme, lactase. Only 40 percent of humans keep this enzyme past childhood largely because of ancestry. But why give up dairy if you can keep the benefits without the problems? Dairy is an excellent source of calcium and Vitamins A, D and K2, the later which are difficult to find in other foods. Serve lactose-free dairy in the form of ghee, cheese, yogurt and kefir.

Preparing the pancakes (crepes) for the oven.

I incorporate dairy in my modified paleo. I use lots of homemade yogurt, kefir and farmer's cheese. I used some of these ingredients in these Chocolate Modified Paleo Pancakes.

Or cook them in a skillet

Here's what you need for 3 large pancakes or four small:

2 whole organic eggs
1 T. farmer's cheese (substitute almond flour if can tolerate)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
pinch of sea salt
2 T. cocoa powder
powdered stevia
 2 T. water
1 tsp. grassfed gelatin

2-3 T. coconut oil
optional filling such as homemade frozen yogurt
optional chocolate topping

Pancakes fresh from the oven

 Prepare the pancakes this way.

Mix the first seven ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin on top and allow to absorb.  In the meantime, heat your oven to 400 degrees if doing the oven route. The crepes take about 12 minutes to bake. For the skillet method, melt about 1 T. of coconut oil in the pan before cooking each crepe.

Fill the crepes with "ice cream"or yogurt or whatever you want. I make frozen yogurt by semi-freezing some of my homemade lactose-free yogurt. Or sometimes I pop it into the ice cream freezer.

 Top with homemade chocolate sauce made by mixing 2 T. of cocoa powder in 1/4 cup melted coconut oil. Add a pinch of sea salt and stevia and vanilla.

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Giving up---not gonna happen; SCD mock dove ice cream bars

 
Dealing with fibro is not for wimps. You can feel like you're beginning to win the battle one day and the next day, forget about it. You begin to feel like your life is a "house of cards." One little change and you may feel like everything you've done was for not.

The thing about a fibro body is that it's not very forgiving of anything. Stress, less sleep, going off your eating plan, not stretching, working too hard or long, poor posture, sadness---just about anything can affect how you feel. Most people without fibro can recover from these things without missing a beat if they occur over a limited time frame. That's not the case for those of us with fibro. It's going to take you digging in your heels and redoubling your efforts to recover from what seems like normal life events, especially if they were ongoing.

Do you remember the "changeling" Odo in the TV series Deep Space Nine? Odo was a shapeshifter, meaning he had the ability to morph into just about anything. I think fibromyalgia is kind of like a shapeshifter. At least for awhile, you never know what to expect because you can't count on your immune system to reboot itself.

However, you can get to the point where you are feeling pretty good the majority of the time if you hang in there, stick with your plan and are willing to embrace change if needed. It's cliche but "don't give up." You can call it anything you want---willingness to change, roll with the punches, flexibility. It all boils down to you and how resilient you are each time fibro hands you a setback.

My story is like that of most fibro sufferers. I've had to bounce back so many times I've lost count. That's why I say I'm like a changeling.


Here are some of my all-time hardest changes I've made:

• Eating organ meats (liver). Organ meats from grassfed animals are rich in vitamin B12 which fibro sufferers are low in. I'm still "squeamish" every time I open a package of liver but I try to eat some everyday.
• Correcting my posture. I started working on this two years ago when I realized the connection between poor posture and my pain level. Short, tight, contracted muscles (fibro sufferers have them in abundance) make poor posture and an unbalanced body happen. You want to be lengthening those muscles constantly because contracted muscles press on nerves and joints which create pain. It's no easy task but you will feel the benefits.
• Letting other people help me. There are some things that are just bad for me to do. e.g. lifting, hoeing the garden too long, standing in one place too long, sitting too long, staying out in the heat too much.  I'm a doer but some things I just cannot do without help.

I've made these changes and more. Some of the changes are ongoing like the posture and muscle rebalancing. It's something I do and remind myself to do everyday. It's made a huge difference in how my body feels. I don't pity myself because I have to do this. Hey, even Olympic athletes spend 1/5 of their training time working on stretching and flexibility. It's not just fibro sufferers who need to lengthen and stretch themselves out daily.

The point is I'm not gonna give up. I've wanted to give up many times but then I think, do I really have an option?  Every day presents us with a new opportunity. I had a teacher in high school who used to tell us "quit trying to blame someone else, e.g. your parents, for your problems. You are in charge of how you react to whatever life throws you way." I've never forgotten her words and they guide me every time life hands me a lemon.

Mock dove bar minus the bite I've already taken

Now, this mock dove bar is no lemon! I've had to change my way of eating to a hodgepodge of  the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), paleo and low fermentation diet. Fortunately, this way of eating does not exclude frozen dessert  bars made with low fermentation ingredients.

Here is what you need for this easy-to-make ice cream bar: (makes 4)

For the ice cream:

3 cups plain yogurt of your choice (I used 2 1/2 cups homemade, lactose-free SCD yogurt made from 2% organic milk + 1/2 cup plain Fage Greek Yogurt)
1/4 tsp. vanilla bean powder
1/8 tsp. sea salt
2-3 droppersful of vanilla liquid stevia or substitute sweetener of choice
four paper cups or other containers
optional: popsicle sticks

For the hardshell topping:

2 T. cocoa powder
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 tsp. vanilla powder
optional: dash of cinnamon
1/8 tsp. sea salt
stevia, to taste

Here's what you do:

Blend all the ice cream ingredients in your blender. Pour into an ice cream freezer and churn into ice cream. As an alternative, you can simply freeze the mixture in four small containers such as paper cups. Once the ice cream is done churning, scoop the mixture into four paper cups. Place in the freezer to firm up the ice cream bars.

While bars are firming up, make your hardshell topping. Soften the coconut oil in a bowl in the microwave or in a pan on the stove. Stir in the other ingredients until blended.

Remove the bars from paper cups; discard the cups; dip the frozen bars one at a time into the chocolate mixture. Redip as needed to get an even coating. Return the bars to the freezer. When ready to serve, remove from the freezer up to an hour ahead of serving time. 


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