Traveling with a Disability

I'm not sure why we never looked into the options of traveling with a disability. Maybe we just assumed it was too much work, or not really a possibility. Its really funny how we first discovered that it was possible. 

Our accountant has MS and was insistent on telling us about his mobility scooter and how he was able to travel to Hawaii with it. It wasn’t much later that we found a mobility scooter for sale on craigslist. It was used but just what we needed. It has been so useful in everyday life too.

We wanted to take a trip to New York, to visit family and to tour. But my mobility is limited. There was no way I’d make it through an airport, let alone all the walking involved after the airport. I made sure my batteries were charged and off we went for our direct flight from Salt Lake City to JFK.  

Getting through TSA in Salt Lake was a little tricky, but they handed me a wooden cane and I was able to walk through the metal detector. My little scooter was wiped down for bomb residue, all clear! Then on to our gate. We were able to go when they called pre-boarding, and I was able to roll all the way to the airplane door. 

From there getting to our seat was fairly easy, especially since we were able to board before anyone else. I was asked if I needed a chair down the aisle to get to my seat, so if that is a concern for you it is something they can help you with!

A few hours later we landed at our destination and we allowed most of the other passengers to leave before we attempted to get off the plane. My little mobility scooter was ready and waiting fo me right outside the door of the plane. And off we went to our rental car. 

The great part about a mobility scooter like mine is that it breaks down, so we were able to stow it in the back of our rental car. This way everywhere we went I was able to have it with me. 

Now traveling to an older city like New York not everything will be accessible, so check ahead to make sure you will be able to get inside once you get to where you are going. We have been told that there are elevators to the subway, but that wasn’t something we attempted this trip.

Heading home, JFK TSA was a little trickier. Since I was not able to walk through the metal detector on my own they had to do a full body search, and it had to be done by an agent of the same sex. It took a while waiting on the person who could do this for me. 

This time, instead of wipes the scooter was worked over with a handheld bomb sniffer. All clear again and ready to board our plane home! It worked the same as it had in Salt Lake. We were able to pre-board and get settled quickly.

All in all it was a very successful trip! I was throughly exhausted after the trip, but it was an experience to remember. If you are hesitant about being able to travel with a disability, please know that there are options for you! This is why I wanted to share my story, I want more people to know that it is possible to travel despite mobility issues.With a little forethought, preparation and the right tools it can be done!

Finding your Self Worth

Autoimmune disease. Millions of people are affected by this condition, and the numbers just continue to grow. I imagine, since you are reading this, that you are one of the millions affected by an autoimmune disease. 

Approximately 50 million Americans, 20 percent of the population or one in five people, suffer from autoimmune diseases. Women are more likely than men to be affected; some estimates say that 75 percent of those affected–some 30 million people–are women.

Each autoimmune disease is different, but they all take a toll. It takes a physical toll, but it can really affect your mental game. Have you noticed more depression, loneliness and grief since your diagnosis? If so, you are not alone.

But how can you find your self-worth when you have an autoimmune disease?

First, find a support system. This can be different for everyone. For some, your support system may be your spouse or your family. For others, you may need to look outside the box. Find a group to participate in on Facebook, or join a forum that discusses issues related to your specific autoimmune disease.

Second, find things to be grateful for. Keeping a daily gratitude journal can show you how many things you have to be grateful for, despite your autoimmune disease. For example, here's my gratitude for today. I am grateful for:

1. Warmer temperatures outside. (It's been a rough winter).

2. That our new business has been successful this year.

3. The ability to take care of my family despite disability

Keeping a list of at least three things you are grateful for on a daily basis can really help you find your self worth, despite whatever autoimmune condition you may be facing.

Third, find a hobby or a purpose. It could be as simple as crochet or cooking, or you could even start your own blog like I did. A lot of people suffering with autoimmunity are forced to quit their jobs and depend on disability benefits or other income. This can be so discouraging and can really rob you of your joy and self worth. 

Do you have valuable things to give? Knowledge, especially about your specific disease. You can start sharing with others what you have learned, and what keeps you going. 

My joy is found in building websites and maintaining blogs like this one. For example, I mentioned that we started a new business in my gratitude list. We started a custom furniture and metal fabrication company called Carbon and Grain, LLC. 

My autoimmune disease has taken some of my physical ability, so I won't be building or delivering furniture. But I was able to find a way to contribute despite my disability, I built the website for our business. This gave me a sense of worth in our new company.

It may take a bit of brainstorming to find your hobby or purpose. What are you good at? What do you already know how to do? What have you been dying to learn how to do? Make a list and start narrowing down your options.

Keeping your self worth is so important. I hope these tips help you find and keep your sense of self worth despite dealing with an autoimmune condition

The Biggest Loser Inspiration

The Biggest Loser is one of those shows that I just can't get enough of. But I have to admit, in the past it was just good entertainment. I'm not anywhere near obese, not even overweight. At 5'6" I'm 130 on a bad day. So my usual habit was to plop down to the latest episode of the Biggest Loser with a nice bowl of ice cream, maybe a bag of chips. But more recently I have found inspiration and personal application to the amazing things the contestants are able to achieve.

I have to be honest about something, and it may come across harsh at first, but I needed to be honest about it with myself. It used to make me angry when people had trouble walking or accomplishing daily tasks due to being overweight. I would say to myself, it's not fair. They could lose weight and be fine, I can't ever do something like that and feel good. But only in the last year or so did I realize how wrong I was. I am facing the same mountain they are. Whatever the reason is that someone gets to the point of being overweight, whether it's a loss in the family, depression or just lack of self control, I can relate! I am emotional eater. I attach to sugary items when things are just not going my way. And I am killing myself and my body with these foods. Sugar aggravates inflammation and in turn aggravates MS. And I know better! We will just add gluten and dairy in to the mix here too because they are usually in the comfort foods I reach for. All of these things can create havoc for someone with MS, like myself! I really needed a reality check. I was no different than these people I was "jealous" of. I can change my diet and lifestyle and it can change my future.

So now that I have been through the process and panic of drastically changing my diet, I am inspired by people who do the same for various reasons. This season I was rooting for Danni, she was all alone on her team for quite a while. But she achieved what no one, not even Jillian Michaels, expected. She became the Biggest Loser!

What is your challenge overcome when making change in your life?

Back on Track

We're slowly getting back on track. I can't tell you how much easier it is having the whole family on board with me! And so far, only five days in, I am shocked at the results we have seen so far. We are juicing just once a day for now. In the past I have complained about the true cost of juicing and trying to find ways to make it affordable, well I think I found my new best friend in this regard. Costco! Do you have a Costco in your area? Honestly I had no idea they had such an amazing produce section in their store! We purchased loads of fresh fruits and veggies, some of them even organic and spent under $100. I was shocked at what we were able to buy. Not to mention the amazing steelhead salmon and whole chickens we picked up too. Costco is my new favorite store.

So what results have we noticed? For me personally I can tell you that I have been getting rid of some massive parasites!It's not always a pleasant topic, talking about what comes out you when juice. Really, some of what I have seen has been terrifying, but terrifying that it was inside me and I am so happy to be flushing it out of my body. I'm not sure what has suddenly killed these parasites, that wasn't something I was expecting. But I am so thankful for the energy boost I have gotten since getting them out of my system. My husband is experiencing some massive detox symptoms, achy muscles and itchy skin. And while these symptoms are unpleasant we both are excited at what it means, and what our body is getting rid of.

We also have overhauled our diet. I have cut out gluten, dairy, sugar and legumes. I have to say I am so much prouder of the dinners I am putting on the table, which are loaded with veggies and did I mention tasty?! Our food has been so much more tasty than ever before, good quality food is so good. My goal is to load at least 50% of the meal if not more with veggies, then the rest is lean protein and starch. And if I can manage it as much raw veggies as possible. Even my almost two year old son has been enjoying dinner more, I cannot believe how much more he eats.He was very upset that he doesn't get milk first thing in the morning anymore, but he helps us juice and that has been fun and exciting for him. I am all about getting him fully involved in this process. Today he stood on the counter and used the plunger/prodder thing to help the veggies through the juicer, with Daddy's help of course. I truly believe that doing this as a family has it's own health benefits, the teamwork and support is amazing.

Need some gluten, dairy and sugar free recipe ideas? Check out my Pinterest board:
http://pinterest.com/megatari/sugar-gluten-dairy-free/

Moving On

Good morning! It's a beautiful day here in Idaho today, and I hope that wherever you are today is as beautiful as it is here! This spring weather leaves me energized and ready to face the world. I'm moving on from the negative emotions I felt when I found out my mom was diagnosed with MS.

The upside of the bad news is that my husband has jumped on board with both feet. He's ready to tackle our eating habits and support my diet fully! We both have realized our need to protect and train our son, especially with the second MS diagnosis in the family! I feel like we've been on the right track so far, we didn't vaccinate our son. This might sound extreme to you, but did you know one of the LISTED side effects on the Hep B vaccine is Multiple Sclerosis? This vaccine is one normally given at birth. With the risk ratio my son is currently facing, I'm not willing to take those chances.

So where do we start? Well I'm starting with the Best Bet Diet. Have you heard of it? The main idea is to eliminate gluten, dairy and other allergenic foods from your diet. I also am removing added sugars and for now coffee. The Best Bet Diet was designed by Direct-MS, an organization in Canada. Many people have seen amazing results, but there is only anecdotal evidence at this point, clinical trials have not been complete for this diet. I don't really see the downside of it though. What could it hurt?

MS medications on the market today slow the occurrence of relapses, but do not slow the course of the disease. Tysabri can even cause a severe and deadly brain infection. Side effects of eating healthier? More energy, better elimination of toxins, weight loss, overall feeling of well being, plus reducing relapses, possibly slowing the course of the disease, and possibly preventing it for those who may have genetic factors that could cause them to have MS. So I am choosing healthy eating with the support of my family.

I am going to be doing an overhaul of my blog, and I'm very excited to share new things with you. I am hoping to be blogging a lot more frequently and giving you reviews of products, recipes and supplements to help reduce the symptoms of MS! Thanks for reading!

Are you a Pinterest addict like me? Follow me here:
http://pinterest.com/juicingmyms

Want more info about the Best Bet Diet? Check out their YouTube page:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL613704CEE5997BD6

Low Dose Naltrexone

I know, you're shocked at two new blog posts so close together right? I had a friend email me this morning about a product called low dose naltrexone. I wondered what this was because this friend knows how I feel about drugs for MS. So I started to do a little research and watch a few videos, and learn a little more about this product that has helped so many with all sorts of diseases including MS. As luck would have it there were no doctors listed in Idaho that prescribe it regularly, not wanting to have to convince a doctor here to prescribe it I decided to email a few of the listed doctors in the closest state (Oregon) to see what it would take to get a prescription. I am still waiting on a response but I was so excited about the possibility this may hold that I wanted to share it with you and get the word out about this.

I am not promoting anything, the information was just so new to me and the results of people with MS were so dramatic I was frustrated I hadn't heard of it sooner. And to top it all off it only costs about $1/day, a stark contrast to the usual drugs that are prescribed for MS.

Find out more! The site that was most informative to me is: http://www.ldnscience.org

It's a Crazy Life

It has been a crazy couple of months! Life has been anything but chill lately. My husband and I bought a house, and while that should be one of the most exciting things in your life, it has been a headache! We bought a short sale and quickly discovered what an oxymoron that is! Short sales typically take about 90 days from start to finish, ours took 117 days! Our entire summer has been consumed with buying this house, and due to some water damage that happened during the 117 days we immediately had to remodel the kitchen!

The moral of the story? I haven't been keeping up with anything I should be, let alone juicing or blogging. Our kitchen has been out of order for over a week now, which means we are eating the quickest easiest food possible, and a lot of times that has meant takeout. I am definitely feeling the effects. Bad diet combined with stress is a horrible combination for MS. I am definitely ready to jump back on the healthy bandwagon and get on track!

I did want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support! I have gotten some amazing responses through this blog and I am more than appreciative, so thank you for writing and thank you for reading!

No (sham) Poo Update!

Just wanted to drop by and tell you how my No Poo experiment is going. I have to admit there have been many times I miss my happy bubbles that are the result of commercial shampoo. Times when I want that silky smooth feel that commercial conditioner leaves after you rinse it out. Using baking soda and apple cider vinegar does neither of these things. But it is a VERY cheap option for hair care and removes all weird chemicals and harsh additives from your hair care routine!

I think my transition period was about three weeks or so. I'm not really sure if it was a transition period for my hair or my brain. It did take a little bit to figure out how best to wash my hair this way. At first I had a bit of an itchy scalp. I did some research and discovered adding some tea tree oil to the "shampoo" bottle would help. I haven't done this yet, honestly I think my problem was not getting the baking soda mix everywhere. The baking soda absorbs oil and dirt. I switched to getting my hair wet with the baking soda mix first instead doing this first with the shower head. This way I knew what had "shampoo" on it and what didn't. This helped immensely with the itchy scalp problem. Second problem I encountered was my hair feeling oily and heavy shortly after showering. After further reading I found that the problem may have been that I was using too much apple cider vinegar mix! What I read suggested spraying it only on the ends of your hair. I have extremely short hair, so this was difficult!! But since ACV is what makes your hair super shiny I now spray the ends and a quick spritz to the top of my head, the area that shows the most! This probably addressed my third problem as well. I felt my hair was dull and brassy, but after figuring out how ACV works it seemed to solve the problem. I discussed what I was using with my hairdresser, she confirmed how amazing ACV is for hair!

If anyone out there is considering this I highly recommend it! Just make sure you realize it may take some time to get it just right. There are many suggestions of containers to use to dispense your  mixes, since they are mostly water I use spray bottles and really I think this is the easiest way to do it! At first my husband was very concerned about the vinegar smell in the bathroom, but it is only really noticeable when you first spray it on. I also added a few drops of doTerra Wild Orange essential oil to both the baking soda mix and the ACV mix to give it a happy smell. I will admit there have been times when I want to resort back to the happy bubbles but I think I have finally found my own happy place with this method!

Any one out there trying this or about to start?!

Where Does the Time Go?

It's been awhile since I have posted and it was a crazy month of March, we've been so busy that I haven't had time for anything else! April doesn't seem much slower. Spring seems to get everyone up and going again. My reality check today about how fast time flies, is the fact that my little boy is one year old today! I look at him in disbelief that it has really been that long. It seems as if it was just yesterday that I was giving birth to him right here in our living room.

For a long time I didn't want children. I was afraid of not being able to be the mom I wanted to be, instead being a mom with a disability. After talking to quite a few of my friends about it, they had convinced me that children adapt to the situation, even better than adults. I must admit I wouldn't change the decision we made for an instant. But it hasn't been easy. My health followed the typical path, 6 months after my son was born I started crashing. And I am still fighting to get back my health and feeling of well being. My son on the other hand has adapted well. I think he would be the kid who is constantly attached to me, as a baby he would not let me put him down. But now that he is bigger and heavier (and can walk on his own!) I cannot physically carry him everywhere with me, and he seems to have accepted this fact, begrudgingly.

On a positive note I have been feeling better the last few days! I am not sure what the reason is since I have changed a couple things lately and the weather is nicer, but no matter, I love feeling better!! Hope all of you are loving this spring weather like we are!!

Juicing without a Juicer

So recently I dropped and broke my juicer, it was a very sad moment. I have had this juicer for about 8 years, but hadn't really used it. Finally when I realize how much I need to be using this machine to juice instead of collect dust I break it!

Not having the money to buy a new juicer immediately I had to find another option. I found a video on YouTube called juicing without a juicer, he uses a blender and then strains it through a paint strainer bag. A lot of 'professional' juicers would tell you this ruins the juice, since the blender heats it up. Since the juicer I dropped was a centrifugal juicer I didn't really see the difference. Plus I was using a Ninja blender, which means the motor is on top of the blender instead of underneath, and I thought maybe that would help keep everything cool and raw.

The first time I tried juicing with my blender I did it just as the video showed, I added water to the mix to help get things blended. I hated the extra water, it really ruined the flavor of the juice. So the next time I tried it, I added my veggies in a certain order and it minimized the need for extra water. I added the cucumber first, cucumbers are so full of liquid. Then I added the kale leaves that I had ripped into a smaller size. Next were the apples, to help weigh down any kale leaves that weren't blended yet. The result was a juice very similar to the juice that came out of my juicer. I didn't have a paint strainer bag or a nut milk bag so I decided to use an old t-shirt. It worked perfectly!

Norwalk Juicer

So I am still on the hunt for a new juicer. I want to make sure I am buying a juicer than can hold up to daily juicing, and multiple daily juicing. There are so many kinds of juicers and opinions on which ones are best. A friend of mine suggested getting the Norwalk juicer, which is recommended in the Gerson Therapy, but these juicers are $2,500.00!! A little bit out of my price range.

The Norwalk juicer did get me thinking though about looking at masticating juicers instead of a centrifugal juicers, my biggest reason is because they do a better job with leafy greens. I want my juices to consist of a large amount of leafy greens! I think I have finally decided on the Kuvings multi-purpose masticating juicer. It's at a reasonable cost, on Costco's website anyways, and it has great reviews.

The other upside of buying the juicer through Costco is that they make returns super easy. I don't want to drop a ton of money and have something go wrong, I think half of all the reviews I have read on any juicer show that all juicers have unexpected malfunctions! What were your deciding factors when you bought a juicer? Did you get a centrifugal or a masticating juicer?

Best Ever!

I had the best visit ever with my ND today. I entered my appointment a bit apprehensive, I had been doing extensive research online about alternative therapies and supplements for my condition and symptoms, and I was worried to tell her about all of the new things I was trying. I guess it's the preconceived notion that all doctors hate patients who research their symptoms online, even a dentist I worked for hated it when patients came to him, telling him what the problem was and what the solution needed was. Well I was far from the truth on this idea.

"I'm so proud of you," she said, "you're taking the initiative with your own health!!" I was so shocked that everything I was doing was spot on for me, and with some tweaking I was even able to eliminate a couple of other things I had added into the mix. I think it is the first time she has been ecstatic with me, normally I am getting a lecture about my daily water intake, which has gotten a lot better by the way. I guess I tend to forget the major differences in attitude between medical and natural doctors. But this is why I love my ND. I do have a special connection with her though, she is also a midwife and delivered our bouncing baby boy almost a year ago in our home.

I came home feeling better in all senses of the word. Not only had we made some progress with supplementation for my symptoms but I had made her happy and in turn made myself feel good about what I was doing for myself. She applauded the juicing and added that since I am always in need of protein I could add sprouts to the mix to aid with this. Compliments AND suggestions, I now feel empowered to continue on this journey of sacrifice and reward.

Hungry for Change

Have you guys seen this trailer? I am so excited to watch this documentary, plus I love Joe Cross! Watch the video and follow the link to sign up for the free worldwide screening online!!

If Nothing Changes, Then Nothing Changes

It took me a while to realize how self destructive I had become. I knew the things I needed to change, like my daily intake of massive amounts of sugar. I didn't want to change, wasn't willing to make the sacrifice. Well I have to say that juicing has changed my life! I am only drinking one juice a day, and not even making the full recipe, and I am seeing wonderful results in my attitude and physical symptoms!

I saw a quote the other day online that said, 'if nothing changes, nothing changes.' This hit me like a ton of bricks! Wow, this is me!! I am not willing to change simple things, but I am complaining about my pain and lack of mobility daily! So that's when I finally decided to change! And I am feeling better, the changes were worth it!

Now I'm not saying I have completely quit sugar cold turkey, but I am definitely eating a lot less than I am used to. And I cannot wait to be able to do the full on juice cleanse.

For more information about the beginning of my journey check out the beginning of this blog at http://juicingmyms.wordpress.com/