Psoriatic Arthritis Journal - 2.5 year Update Page 63

[nicoles]

Blarg! Wrote a whole post that disappeared!

Anyway, Michelle! I take it slow. Consistency over large gains in my thing nowadays.

I started just doing the hanna somatics every morning. Then I added doing it every night and morning. Then I added my short walks three times a day.


Now I:

Do Hanna Somatics morning and evening daily.

Walk in the morning from 20-75 minutes daily.

Walk more times as I have time and energy.

Do Pete Egoscue exercises 3x a week/.

Do water aerobics 1x a week (goal 3x/week)

Starting up light weights 1x week (goal=2-3x week)

Starting up Yoga again (since I did too much and crashed last time I was doing it regularly) 1-2 x week (Goal 5-6x/week)

We'll see how all that goes, but honestly I am very happy with myself if I do the H.S. and the walk daily.

Also - Update to Above Post's Update

Jamietwo helped me realize that I forgot to clarify about my sun exposure in my above update.

I live in LA. It is hot, bright and sunny here most of the time. And while I am not technically photosensitive, I am not good under too much sun or heat.

I stick to getting outside in the early morning and later in the afternoon, when the sun is less intense. IF I go out midday, or am in the sun too much, I will:

1) Get a raised itchy rash on my stomach
2) Get exhausted
3) Have joint and muscle pain
4) Get a weird burn-y sensation all over
5)Get a headache
6) Retain water

So I stay out of intense sun and if i have to be out, I stick to shade, don't exert, wear a big wide brimmed hat or carry a parasol, and get cool asap.

[jamietwo]

Wow Nicole! I am really impressed by your exercise regimen! I can be (and am) totally strict about what I eat, but I have always been a sporadic exerciser. On for months, off for months. Thanks for continuing to inspire me!

[lmggallagher]

Hey Nicole:

Thanks for your list of exercises and so sorry about your sun exposure reactions though and the lost post too

You are doing so great on the exercise and have some amazing plans for where you are headed. I haven't adoubt that we'll both get there - maybe in fits and starts at times but it's the slowly patiently thing that you have and I am developing that will win out

I worked on my Exercise Action Plan today, not knowing you had posted this. It kind of has the same components and I forgot the Hanna Somatics as they really interest me. Do they count as stretching I wonder, hum???

I think I only have two things in me a day though, at best and no longer than an hour. Though when I was younger, and starting with and after the Chronic Fatigue (CFS) part of my life, I did about 2 hours and worked too. Somehow I now find this impossible to believe

Weirder yet right now I am feeling very much as I did when I had CFS - as I am having no pain just now at all. Even the knee is backing off??? But the fatigue and fog are overwhelming.

I looked at my Pete Escogue book today and I am wondering if you have figured out any of those aids he uses - like the big foam looking step and regular blocks?

I am hoping to open a cupboard at the Y and find it fulll of those - so far not yet

I am really glad you're getting a water exposure once a week - it just feels like a spa treatment to me and I love to think your getting that same feeling too!!

xoxoxo - Michelle

[nicoles]

Hey you two!

You know, I only started being really consistent with exercise when I fully comprehended that it is as important as the diet. Same with sleep. Then I was like, why am I putting all this effort into the diet and not in other places? Kind of hinders all the work I am already putting into this whole deal!

Anyway, I counted the somatics as stretching for awhile, and don't get me wrong - they are not hard! They are in fact the only thing I can reasonably do in a truly high pain day. And each time I do them, I feel a touch better, even through the pain,so I know they Are good.

So I am running the exercise, sleep and early morning light as another experiment like the ED. To see how much they help me.

Michelle I will take a look at your plan mañana. Yes, I did come up with substitutes for the Egoscue props. For the big block I use a metal folding chair with the backrest punched out. And sometimes steps or yoga blocks, depending on the exercise.

How odd about th CFS-like symptoms. Very bizarre. Boy, wouldn't it be nice if thins were obvious for once?

Xoxo

[lmggallagher]

Thanks Nicole -

Not to worry about checking out my plan until you want to be exposed to the synthesizing methods of my poor fibro fatigue addled brain.

I like took two references posted them and then wheedled to the stuff I want to do already.

I think this is known as cheating!

[WeeSpeck]

Hi Nicole,

I really love reading your approach to your health. You are so disciplined and logical and positive. You have achieved so much from start to present. I have followed your journey from the beginning. The title of your journal drew me in because my husband suffered from psoriatic arthritis. The key word here is in the tense....suffered...not suffers.

You made me believe that if we are serious and adhere over time, we can resolve some of our most daunting health issues. I am happy to report that my husband has been off his psoriatic arthritis medicine for 2+ years with no recurrence of the excruciating joint point that he once suffered. There were days when he climbed out of bed and hobbled around like an old old man. He could not make a fist his hands hurt so bad. No more!

The latest development is that the dry scaly patches of psoriasis on his head, back and legs have cleared up too. His skin has a healthy glow to it now.

Time and adherence. You showed me it could happen and now I have witnessed it first hand.

Seriously, thanks for being here.

[lmggallagher]

Hi Nancy:

Have to add to thanks Nicole of course, but also fantastic about this PA turnaround for your husband.

This is just stunning good news! So happy you shared this and all that you do here - love reading your journal

I wonder how long did it take and were there other things he did aside from diet that helped?

Best to you and yours - Michelle

[WeeSpeck]

Hi Michelle,

I have to say it had to be 100% diet that turned things around for my husband.

I don't want to hijack Nicole's journal, so I will plan to put an entry with his progression in my own journal in the near future. It is worthy to write about I think!

[nicoles]

Wow, Nancy! Thank you for you very kind words, and thank you for the update on your husband. I have to agree with the 100%. Please do post a bigger update, if you are able. Personally, I would not mind if you posted it here, or in your journal, or both! In fact, I think It could even be in Testimonies and Success Stories all by itself!

xoxo

Nicole

[Lesliec1]

I want to hear more about Nancy's husband too! Which plan he followed, exercise etc. i need to hear a good success story.

[nicoles]

This is a wonderful explanation of why we derail our pursuit of better habits.

[nicoles]

I love how this article explains epigenetics and methyl groups visually, even though it has a sensationalist title that disagrees with the article itself in key ways.

Things are pretty good today! Not much else to say. These are the kind of days to savor

Also, this roasted sweet potatoes with mushrooms and shallots recipe (sans the chicken broth and olive oil, mais, bien sur)looks like a wonderful thing to adapt! I believe I might try my hand at it sometime soon...

[lmggallagher]

Hey Nicole:

When I open the link I get a call for artists from Papyrus?

When I open the second link I get a fantastic recipe that not a one of those things I can eat on FODMAPS ED.

But you better believe I will be testing all those things as fast as I can because this grouping of foods sound fabulous!

[nicoles]

OOPS

Fixed that link - I am looking into liscensing my art, and got my browser tabs mixed up.

Sorry about the recipe...one day!!!

[nicoles]

Nice post on the reasons why we procrastinate and on ways to work around them. I think it is applicable to dietary changes, too