Finding and Curing the Causes of Your Migraines Food Allergy/Bowel and Gut Imbalances Fatigue Brain fog Bloating Irritable bowel syndrome Joint or muscle pain Postnasal drip and sinus congestion and more The testing: Check an IgG food allergy panel and also check a celiac panel because wheat and gluten are among the biggest causes of headaches and migraines. Stool testing and urine testing for yeast or bacterial imbalances that come from the gut can also be helpful. The treatment: An elimination diet -- getting rid of gluten, dairy, eggs, and yeast -- is a good way to start. Corn can also be a common problem. Getting the gut healthy with enzymes, probiotics, and omega-3 fats is also important. Chemical Triggers The causes: A processed-food diet including aspartame, MSG (monosodium glutamate), nitrates (in deli meats), sulfites (found in wine, dried fruit, and food from salad bars) is to blame. Tyramine-containing foods like chocolate and cheese are also triggers. The treatment: Get rid of additives, sweeteners, sulfites, and processed food. Eat a diet rich in whole foods and phytonutrients. Magnesium Deficiency Anything that feels tight or crampy like headaches Constipation Anxiety Insomnia Irritability Sensitivity to loud noises Muscle cramps or twitching Palpitations The testing: Check red blood cell magnesium levels. Even this can be normal in the face of total body deficiency, so treatment with magnesium based on the symptoms is the first choice. The treatment: Magnesium glycinate, citrate, or aspartate in doses that relieve symptoms or until you get loose bowels. If you have kidney disease of any kind, do this only with a doctor's supervision. Mitochondrial Imbalances Fatigue Muscle aching Brain fog Although sometimes the only symptom can be migraines The testing: Checking urinary organic acids can be helpful to assess the function of the mitochondria and energy production. The treatment: Taking 400 mg of riboflavin (B2) twice a day and 100 to 400 mg a day of coenzyme Q10 can be helpful, as can as other treatments to support the mitochondria. Keep in mind that sometimes a combination of treatments is necessary. Other treatments can be helpful in selected cases, such as herbal therapies (like feverfew and butterbur), acupuncture, homeopathy, massage, and osteopathic treatment to fix structural problems. KEEP A MIGRAINE DIARY for several months to help identify triggers. Track your diet, exercise, stress levels, and symptoms. Some common culprits include chocolate, food additives, hormonal fluctuations, weather, and stress. 93% of people with migraines improve when they stop eating their trigger foods. Any food can cause a migraine, but some foods are more closely associated with them. Foods high in chemicals called amines – found in chocolate, aged cheeses, red wine, beer, dairy, nuts, citrus, and beans – commonly trigger migraines. It’s worth trying an elimination diet. A migraine-provoking food could be something you eat in a large quantity, such as a glass of milk or some yogurt, or in small amounts like the dairy in ranch-style salad dressing. Food reactions are difficult to identify because an allergic reaction like a migraine doesn’t always occur right after you eat. It can take as long as 72 hours. If you suspect a food, eliminate that food in all forms for at least 3 months. Then test it by eating it alone. If you have no reaction, you can try eating it again in small amounts. Don’t eat it more than once or twice a week, however. You don’t want that sensitivity to come back. In addition to the foods listed above, the foods found to be most likely to cause headaches are beef, yeast, and sugar (corn and cane). LOW BLOOD SUGAR Keep your blood sugar stable by eating every 4-5 hours and get some protein at each meal. COPPER IMBALANCE Copper can trigger a migraine, especially if you have an abnormal copper metabolism or consume high quantities of this mineral. Some alcoholic beverages, such as red wine, beer, and whiskey are distilled in cooper stills. Some water supplies travel through copper pipes. Foods naturally high in copper include: shellfish, wheat germ, chocolate, soy, and nuts. Citrus increases your body’s absorption of this mineral. Talk with your health care practitioner about getting a hair analysis or other assay of your copper levels. Avoid eating too many of the above foods and beverages and make sure your multivitamin is free of copper. When copper levels are too high, zinc levels tend to be too low. The result of this imbalance can be anything from fatigue to migraines. When you increase your zinc, copper levels come down.

Eat cherries as often as possible. Consuming 20 a day (about 2000 mg of cherry fruit extract) has been proven to provide more pain relief than aspirin and other painkillers. REGULAR YOGA is a powerful headache cure. EXERCISE – Begin with a daily 10-minute walk, take up a gentle yoga class, or try the slow movement of Tai Chi. Water aerobics and swimming help also. Acupuncture helps with all sorts of pain. Love it, love it, love it! :D CHIROPRACTIC/MASSAGE – both help immensely with pain Be aware that you should wait for any inflammation to subside before starting either. BOOK What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Migraines by Dr. Alexander Mauskop MORE IMMEDIATE CURES SHOWER AND WASH HAIR EPSOM SALTS Soak your feet in warm water with Epsom Salts. Since migraines are triggered by a mineral deficiency, this may help. PEPPERMINT OIL Dilute a few drops of peppermint oil with olive oil and rub the mixture onto your temples. OR A mix of peppermint and lavender oil. 2-3 drops of each rubbed into the temples, back of the neck and on your feet feels wonderful and really helps. TOPICAL CAPSAICIN CREAM 0.025% or 0.075% cream 1-4 times daily COLD COMPRESS on head, face, or throat will lessen the pain SLEEP - Get enough sleep. Your body needs a full night of quality sleep to fight pain. Sniffing lavender oil before sleep can help you. FINAL WORD OF CAUTION If you regularly suffer from migraine pain (especially if you develop auras), be careful of heart attack or stroke. If you have fewer than one migraine a month, you’re 50% more likely to have a heart attack than non-sufferers. If migraines strike at least weekly, you have 3 times the risk of stroke, compared with those who don’t. • Aim to keep your cardiovascular system as healthy as possible. Control high cholesterol and obesity, via diet and exercise • Quit smoking • Limit alcohol intake • Control blood pressure

Melatonin Melatonin - taken at night helps some. Low melatonin in our bodies has been linked to migraines. Melatonin is a natural hormone that promotes sound sleep. It acts as an antioxidant. Early in life, the body produces an abundant supply, but as we age, production steadily declines. Melatonin is helpful for more difficult insomnia. It also acts as a powerful antioxidant; while it shuts the body down, it cleans the toxins and free radicals from cells. But we often do things that keep melatonin from being produced, and that can be deadly. When we stay up late at night or work night shifts, we keep our body from producing melatonin. Melatonin, the antioxidant hormone that helps protect cells from DNA damage, is able to cross the blood-brain barrier, actually breaching the membrane designed to prevent toxins from entering your brain. Because it has been shown especially effective at preventing free radical damage to cell membranes (one of the prime targets of EMFs from cell phones etc.), I recommend taking 3 to 15 mg of melatonin (preferably in a time-release form) daily. If melatonin is taken in the evenings, tumor growth may be slowed. If you’re in the habit of having a late-night snack, a banana would be a good one as it can boost melatonin production. • Start with 1 mg just before bedtime. Take 2 hours or less before bedtime. If this is not effective, gradually increase dosage. Melatonin dosages vary from individual to individual ~ and most do not need the highest dose. Ease into melatonin in increments. • Use melatonin only occasionally. Do not take melatonin every single night • Do not take melatonin during the day. • When you awaken after melatonin-assisted sleep, you should feel refreshed – not tired or groggy. If you do experience grogginess, reduce the dosage. • Do not give to children. Butterbur – Butterbur root is one of the best herbs to prevent migraines. Take 150 mg two to three times per day. A good brand is Petadolex. Make sure the label specifies that pyrrolizidine alkaloids have been removed. Get ones with capsules free of Pas, compounds found in crude butterbur that are toxic to the liver. Xiao yao wan – Migraines are often due to liver qi stagnation – when the liver doesn’t properly clean toxins from the body. This is a blend of plant roots, rhizomes, and mushrooms, believed to help cleanse the liver. Co-Q10 – Two-thirds of volunteers who consumed 200 mg daily cut their migraine attacks in half. B6 helps prevent migraines You don’t need to necessarily take B6 every single night. One way that I know if I have enough B6 or not – if I remember my dreams quite clearly, I don’t take B6 for the next few nights. If I don’t remember my dreams – I take B6. Some people may need up to 250 mg or even special "active" B6 (pyridoxyl-5-phosphate) to achieve the greatest effect. Doses higher than 500 mg may cause nerve injury and are not recommended. Possible symptoms of an oversupply of B6 are night restlessness, numb feet, and twitching. Vitamin B6 is called pyridoxine and it is metabolized through the liver. Pyridoxyl-5-phosphate, or P-5-P, is a co-enzyme form of B6. That is, it turns B6 in your body, and does so without going through your liver. So it’s easy to absorb and is well tolerated. Co-enzyme B vitamins are best absorbed. Look for Pyridoxyl-5-phosphate, or P-5-P on the label as an indicator of the form of the B vitamins it contains.

Sorry to hear that he's been suffering with migraines and headaches. Since he's addicted to the Excedrin, I would wean myself off it very gradually. For example, if he's taking 2 daily or whatever, start taking 1 for several weeks. Or, if he's taking a certain dose, do a lower dose. Go off it very, very gradually. Here are some tips that may be of help. As with all natural approaches, you need to be patient - and give it at least 6-12 weeks. If I were to pick just one supplement, I would pick magnesium. If your budget allows however, I would pick more. LONG-TERM RELIEF AND PREVENTION Magnesium A magnesium deficiency is implicated in an unusually high amount of health problems including migraines. A number of scientific studies found low levels of magnesium in people with migraines. Many with migraines have low blood levels of magnesium. Since magnesium is a safe nutrient to take in large amounts, you may want to simply increase your magnesium intake. Take as much as you can without getting uncomfortably loose stools. Start by taking 400 mg twice a day. Take with meals to ensure optimal absorption. And remember that the more calcium you take, the more magnesium you need. Try cutting back on calcium while you increase your magnesium and see how this change affects your migraines. For most people on a healthy diet, 500 mg of each supplement should be enough. But for someone with migraines and headaches, I would recommend more than 400 mg, more like 800 mg or 1200 mg, but no more. If you have symptoms of magnesium deficiency (and most of us do) – if you’re feeling edgy, have muscle cramps, suffer insomnia, crave chocolate, or notice increased urination, adjust your calcium-magnesium ratio, so that you’re taking at least as much magnesium or—ideally—twice as much magnesium as calcium. 400-1200 mg daily of Magnesium is helpful but use according to bowel tolerance. Your body knows how much magnesium you can tolerate from bowel tolerance – take as much magnesium as your bowels can tolerate If you can, add 100 mg of magnesium to your nutritional supplements, and increase it by 100 mg every few days until your stools are soft, but not uncomfortably loose. Take in divided doses and with meals to ensure optimal absorption – preferably more at night Some say to not take magnesium with calcium - I think that that is preferable. Calcium, magnesium, and many other minerals are best absorbed when they are bound to an acidic carrier such as citrate, aspartate, picolinate, or amino acid chelate. Minerals need an acidic base to break down and get used. The most absorbable forms are magnesium citrate, glycinate taurate, or aspartate, although magnesium bound to Kreb cycle chelates (malate, succinate, fumarate) are also good. Avoid magnesium carbonate, oxide, sulfate, and gluconate. They are poorly absorbed (and the cheapest and most common forms found in supplements). Side effects from too much magnesium include diarrhea, which can be avoided if you switch to magnesium glycinate. People with kidney disease or severe heart disease should take magnesium only under a doctor's supervision. Feverfew – this herb treats migraine pain by interrupting its main cause: inflammatory reactions in your head that aggravate nerve endings and cause the blood vessels to expand. When taken daily, feverfew can prevent migraines as well as reduce their severity, duration, and frequency. Be patient. The results can take up to 6 weeks. If you stop taking it, your migraines might return. 500-600 mg of standardized feverfew daily – use a standardized extract or capsules with 0.2% parthenolide –some commercial products have been found to have little or no parthenolide Take 2 equal portions on an empty stomach in the morning and evening. Higher amounts – 1-2 grams – may be needed if you are having an attack Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) – 400 mg daily may cut the frequency and duration of migraines. But you’ll need a Rx for that dosage. Riboflavin has been used to treat migraines for more than 50 years. The amount of riboflavin that’s needed to reduce headaches is much more than you’ll find in any multivitamin, and riboflavin doesn’t work overnight. Be sure you take enough of it and give it at least a 3-month trial. When it’s combined with magnesium and feverfew, it should work more quickly. Omega-3s During a migraine, the tissue surrounding the brain becomes inflamed. Omega-3s reduce inflammation. A good fish oil – such as Carlson’s - Take 4000-6000 mg of fish oil daily with meals for best absorption. After 8-12 weeks, if the migraines have stabilized, you can adjust the dose to 1000 mg per day. Walnuts Chia Seeds

Good for you! :D Love this book. There's one character in particular who really made me laugh - the rather shallow one. :lol: Even though the book is not exactly a funny one, she would just make me laugh every time it was her chapter. After Shadow of the Wind, I may very well catch up on some British celebrity magazines - Hello! and so on. I never read such stuff. Only if I'm at the hairdresser's and there's really not much else to read. But these days, since there are no magazines in Grenada anymore, I'll read almost any magazine. One of our guests gave me a whole bunch. Her reasoning in a very strong Scottish accent and in a whisper mind you, "You always have to be aware of the gossip!" Okay .... whatever! Sounds good to me. :)

Woke up too late by my standards to do much. Just some yoga stretches. I don't like working out when others are around. I'm not an exhibitionist and am quite private when it comes to exercise. :glare: You probably don't want to hear this, but I really miss that stage. Mine still come to my lap, but I just babies and toddlers. :) You're a woman and you're entitled to a certain amount of jiggle. :grouphug: :D

I don't know the exact type of magnesium they use, but it should be fine. The reviews seem very good and it doesn't have any artificial colors, etc. in it, so that's a good thing. :) :iagree: with this. Fully agree on all counts. What counts is how she feels and behaves over the long-term. See the big picture. And yes, sun (or even those light things that many people rave about, which we in the tropics obviously don't need) and exercise are essential.

Man's Search for Meaning - Viktor Frankl

Reading has been very slow for me since I only get to read at bed time and by then I'm exhausted. I'm still reading and really enjoying The Shadow of the Wind. The story takes place in Barcelona, a city that I would so love to visit. I read this recently and really liked it. And yes, if you're not enjoying Game of Thrones, I would stop. I don't believe in continuing any book that doesn't do much for me. Life is too short to read stuff that we don't love, IMHO. You probably recall my 10% rule. :D You've given this 10% and more ... just my humble 2 cents.

10-Minute Solution Pilates DVD Congratulations! :D Yes, me too ... I used to run anywhere from 2-4 miles every day for years and years.

EXERCISE is key Do something that you enjoy - even if you don't, once you get into a routine (say after 6 weeks, you'll see amazing benefits). Whatever you choose, it will help. Exercise will calm you down, lift your mood and help with depression. People who exercise for 30 minutes 3 times a week see mood improvements similar to those who take the antidepressant Zoloft. Many yoga poses and the regular practice of yoga help relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety. Take a walk for well-being – walking or just being outdoors helps greatly with depression and anxiety OTHER TIPS Vanilla is calming and boosts serotonin levels in the brain. Just like comfort food, vanilla can bring us back to a place of security and peace. Burn a vanilla-scented candle or inhale the aroma of vanilla beans. Lavender contains linalool, a substance that blocks the stress response in the body and relaxes the muscles. Perfect if you have neck and shoulder pains Add 6 drops of lavender essential oil to your moisturizing lotion. COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY I've heard great things about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. http://www.nacbt.org/whatiscbt.htm MINOR DEPRESSION VERSUS MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER (MDD) Minor depression is a transient and time-limited condition. Feeling blue from time to time, usually in response to a stressful or traumatic life situation – such as: a painful divorce, a scary medical diagnosis, or the loss of a job But if your blues last longer than a few weeks, or if they occur outside the context of a major life change, you may have MDD.

NUTRITION Amino acids help the body produce neurotransmitters that affect your mood. The body uses the amino acid L-tryptophan to make serotonin and the amino acid L-tyrosine to make norephinephrine. Amino acids are found in turkey, cheese, chicken, fish, beans, almonds, avocados, bananas, and pumpkins seeds. 3-4 weekly servings of oily fish such as salmon, tuna, or mackerel can lift symptoms of depression – even in cases where drugs like Prozac don’t help. Such fish are rich in DHA, a fatty acid that is also a major component of brain tissue. When DHA levels are high, brain biochemistry works optimally, leading to greater output of feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine. Mediterranean Diet helps reduce the risk of depression – these diets fight inflammation – diets that are high in omega-3 fats from chia seeds, fish oil, and flaxseed oil as well as gamma linolenic acid (GLA) from black currant seed, borage, and evening primrose oils provides anti-inflammatory prostaglandins. These good fats ease depression and offer a whole ton of other benefits Eating a diet high in processed food increases the risk of depression, research suggests. Too much sugar intake can lead to chronic depression. What is more, people who ate plenty of vegetables, fruit and fish actually had a lower risk of depression. They split the participants into two types of diet - those who ate a diet largely based on whole foods, which includes lots of fruit, vegetables and fish, and those who ate a mainly processed food diet, such as sweetened desserts, fried food, processed meat, refined grains and high-fat dairy products. After accounting for factors such as gender, age, education, physical activity, smoking habits and chronic diseases, they found a significant difference in future depression risk with the different diets. Those who ate the most whole foods had a 26% lower risk of future depression than those who at the least whole foods. By contrast people with a diet high in processed food had a 58% higher risk of depression than those who ate very few processed foods. Reviewing beverage consumption in this country, Harvard researchers also link sugary drinks—everything from soft drinks, sweetened teas and lemonade, fruitades, energy drinks, and even vitamin waters—to inflammation. Sugar is the underlying cause of so many disorders—including depression. Magnesium is crucial for the synthesis of serotonin and other neurotransmitters. Magnesium is usually lacking in those with depression. In fact, one study reported “rapid recovery from major depression†after treatment with magnesium, and found that magnesium helped relieve the anxiety and insomnia often associated with depression. Many women have an undiagnosed magnesium deficiency ,which can contribute to anxiety. Get 400-500 mg daily. Magnesium is found in oat bran, halibut, spinach, barley, pumpkinseeds, beans, and artichokes. Zinc is required by the brain in order to produce GABA, a compound that eases anxiety and irritability. Zinc is found in oysters, crab, turkey, lentils, barley, yogurt, and pumpkinseeds. Look for foods that are high in the amino acid tryptophan. This amino acid may help mitigate insomnia and depression by boosting serotonin and melatonin levels in the brain. Whole grains – Fiber-rich foods such as brown rice, oats, and quinoa Sunflower Seeds Fruit – Bananas, mangoes, figs, and dates Tuna, turkey, whole grain crackers, yogurt

Everyone has given great advice. Some more to share. Sorry if some of these have been mentioned already. Sorry to hear that your dd (and of course, you) are suffering. :grouphug: BOOKS THAT I LOVE Positive Thinking Every Day by Norman Vincent Peale Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl – if I could, I would give a copy of this to almost every friend and acquaintance Some books that may be of help. Never read them, but have heard very good things about them. The Mood Cure - she gives very practical and detailed, individualized info. - Here is her site. SUPPLEMENTS I always believe in a healthy diet first and foremost. Supplements come after. I've tried and taken most of these. Not all. I don't take supplements every single day. I usually like to give myself a break 1-2 days a week. I also take a break from certain supplements for a month or so at a time. The body, otherwise, becomes overly efficient and the supplement, I find, is not as effective, as when I take a break from it. A good fish oil – such as Carlson’s - A recent large study found that rates of depression were nearly 30% lower in people who regularly take fish oil, probably because of the healthy omega -3 fatty acids it contains. Vitamin D3 – Mood swings, depression, and bipolar disorders are all linked to a Vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D helps normalize brain function. Take 2000-5000 IU daily. If you're under 50, take at least 2,000 IU per day. If you're 50 or over, take at least 5,000 IU per day of vitamin D3. Always take your vitamin D with a fat-containing meal to ensure absorption. Your need for vitamin D3 is affected by age, skin color, and the severity of any deficiency St. John’s Wort – 300-1000 mg To raise serotonin levels Help relieve chronic insomnia Help relieve mild depression – especially if you’re healthy and not taking other medications. Because this herb can sensitize the skin to sunlight, take it in the evening after the sun has set. Magnesium – depression and anxiety are symptoms of a magnesium deficiency Magnesium is crucial for the synthesis of serotonin and other neurotransmitters. Magnesium is usually lacking in those with depression. In fact, one study reported “rapid recovery from major depression” after treatment with magnesium, and found that magnesium helped relieve the anxiety and insomnia often associated with depression. Many women have an undiagnosed magnesium deficiency ,which can contribute to anxiety. Some say to take equal amounts of calcium and magnesium. For most people on a healthy diet, 500 mg of each supplement should be enough. If you have symptoms of magnesium deficiency (and most of us do!) – if you’re feeling edgy, have muscle cramps, suffer insomnia, crave chocolate, or notice increased urination, adjust your calcium-magnesium ratio, so that you’re taking at least as much magnesium or—ideally—twice as much magnesium as calcium. 400-1200 mg daily of Magnesium is helpful but use according to bowel tolerance. Your body knows how much magnesium you can tolerate from bowel tolerance – take as much magnesium as your bowels can tolerate If you can, add 100 mg of magnesium to your nutritional supplements, and increase it by 100 mg every few days until your stools are soft, but not uncomfortably loose. Take in divided doses and with meals to ensure optimal absorption – preferably more at night Some say to not take magnesium with calcium - I think that that is preferable. Calcium, magnesium, and many other minerals are best absorbed when they are bound to an acidic carrier such as citrate, aspartate, picolinate, or amino acid chelate. Minerals need an acidic base to break down and get used. The most absorbable forms are magnesium citrate, glycinate taurate, or aspartate, although magnesium bound to Kreb cycle chelates (malate, succinate, fumarate) are also good. Avoid magnesium carbonate, oxide, sulfate, and gluconate. They are poorly absorbed (and the cheapest and most common forms found in supplements). Side effects from too much magnesium include diarrhea, which can be avoided if you switch to magnesium glycinate. People with kidney disease or severe heart disease should take magnesium only under a doctor's supervision. GABA CALM – take sublingually before bedtime or a few hours before sleeping 100-500 mg daily Try to avoid eating or drinking anything for 20 minutes before and after taking this YOU LACK GABA IF YOU: • Frequently experience back pain or muscle tension • Worry excessively • Often feel nervous, jumpy, or anxious • Sleep problems • Stress-related physical symptoms: headaches, IBS, and muscle aches • Elevated cortisol levels which can lead to belly fat • Are an emotional eater GABA is the brain’s natural calming agent. • Helps de-stress • Relaxes muscles • Suppresses cravings and helps curb emotional eating. • Anti-depressant • Helpful for day-to-day anxiety 5-HTP Helps with: • Sleep problems – quality and duration • Emotional eating and evening cravings – helps suppress appetite • Anxiety and depression as it increases serotonin levels • Melatonin production • Serotonin production Best if taken sublingually - opening the capsule and pouring the contents on your tongue. Try to avoid eating or drinking anything for 20 minutes before and after taking it. No more than about 3 capsules a day – can safely take up to 400 mg per day – although most need less. Loses its efficacy if taken every single day – best if you take breaks – sometimes alternating days – and sometimes take a break for an entire month or so It may take 1-2 weeks to notice any effects and up to 6 weeks to notice the full benefits. Be cautious about taking this if you’re on anti-depressants Zinc is required by the brain in order to produce GABA, a compound that eases anxiety and irritability. 25-50 mg per day DO NOT TAKE MORE THAN 100 mg Use zinc gluconate lozenges or OptiZinc for best absorption According to a study, women who took a daily zinc supplement in addition to a multivitamin for 10 weeks experienced significantly less anger and depression than those who took only a multivitamin. The Bach Flower Remedies represent a form of psychotherapy in a bottle, a noninvasive modality to address negative emotional states like: • Anxiety • Depression • Impatience A Welsh homeopath, Dr. Edward Bach recognized in the 1920s that, if herbs have healing powers, so must flowers. Over many years, he experimented with numerous flowers and trees to create a total of 38 plant-based Bach Flower Remedies. Bach Rescue Remedy is used in many emergency rooms to help alleviate trauma. Centuary is useful for boundary issues, especially for people who give too much of themselves Impatiens is good for irritability and short tempers. Oak is for those determined types who struggle on (despite setbacks) through adversity or illness. Rock water can ease tension for those who tend to be hard on themselves.

An old routine from an old book - very Jane Fonda-ish and very British - a book that I got back when I was in high school - been too long and I love this workout. I had this book, but somehow it got lost with all my moves since the '80s. I don't need it anymore, but I would love to have it again. Sometimes, I just like the older stuff. I hear you. I'm loving what I have so far, although I haven't actually done them all, but I have looked through them. So excited. :) Sharing this from my one of favorite authors.

:iagree: :iagree: :iagree:

and type in "Let it Snow" - watch what happens and enjoy. Then try wiping one of the screens with your cursor. :D

I want a shirt with your avatar on it, simply because I LOVE your avatar. Love chubby babies. :D

:iagree: Thank you for sharing this. I never, ever had the hear to let mine cry it out. There was one night in particular where dd woke me up every 15 minutes. It was hard. I have no regrets.

I know that I'm driving everyone nuts with all my workout questions. I'm sorry :tongue_smilie:. Christmas is coming Negin's getting fat Please put a penny in her cashmere hat :smilielol5: Well, the New Year is coming and I'm planning ahead for workouts. :) Having lots of choices is overwhelming to say the least. I would greatly appreciate your thoughts/comments/feedback on all this. NEED HELP MAKING A PLAN I would like to make a workout plan. I'm thinking of alternating barre workouts with a whole bunch of other stuff on alternate days. Not sure if I should do it like this: Option 1 Day 1: Barre OR Callanetics - alternating Day 2: ANYTHING else from list below – alternating - that is: pilates, yoga, rebounding, cardio, swimming, weights, walking, maybe Kettlebells, you name it ... According to Burr Leonard on the bar method site you can do barre 3-5x a week, since it's a gentle exercise. The more you do barre workouts, the better the results. OR Option 2 Day 1: Bare OR Callanetics – alternating Day 2: Pilates OR Yoga (alternating) Day 3: Other Workout (not barre, pilates, yoga - but cardio, rebounding, swimming, etc.) This option would give more variety and a greater chance to include Pilates/Yoga, which are very beneficial, and which I love. I guess my question really is: Should I do Barre/Callanetics every OTHER day or every 2-3 days? BODY TYPE I would love to have a leaner-looking body. I tend to bulk up quite easily – mostly in my shoulders and upper body, but also it can happen in the thighs. When I’m at my ideal weight or shape, I’m an hourglass. When I gain weight, I’m much more of an apple. My triceps and my core are my biggest problem areas. I really dislike those areas of my body. BARRE METHODS & CALLANETICS Just recently, I’ve gotten several ballet-based/barre DVDs and I also am slowly building up my Callanetics collection. I'm thrilled. From all that I've heard, these are great for leaner looking bodies. Just fabulous workouts overall. SWIMMING I absolutely love swimming and used to swim daily. I won’t swim daily anymore, for 2 reasons: 1. Can’t fit it all in – there’s only so much time I have available for working out (usually 1 hour maximum) 2. I fear that swimming too often may bulk my upper body further. HEAVY CARDIO AND KICKBOXING TYPE WORKOUTS I’m not particularly good at these and struggle with how fast they are. I’m no longer into all the shouting and yelling in some of them. Life is too short to be yelled and screamed at. However, I keep reading how good these workouts are for the core and obliques – my problem areas. The gentler ones by say, Kathy Smith or Denise Austin – are fine. Even some Billy Blanks, I like also. I get frustrated at some of the more complicated kickboxing workouts, since I’m not very coordinated or good at it. There is a dread factor with these. KETTLEBELLS Never done them and am intrigued by them. I think that some have mentioned that they don’t lead to as much bulking as regular weights. Is that true? Again, I would prefer lean and less bulk. LESLIE SANSONE Did her for years and years. Fine as a back-up workout. Same old, same old … I like her just fine, but cannot do her too often. JILLIAN MICHAELS I have 3 of her earliest DVDS. Effective, but I don’t care for her style and meanness. Dread factor involved, but I will do them. REBOUNDING Absolutely love it. YOGA AND PILATES Love these so much also. Yoga, I've done for years and years. Pilates, I'm new to. I have read many times that yoga helps a lot with emotional eating. This is something that I always need to work on. BOSU AND BALANCE WORK I’m getting older and balance is a concern of mine. I have a BOSU ball and need to use it more often. Simple as that … THINGS THAT DON’T APPEAL TO ME Cathe Friedrich Jillian Michaels T-Tapp – I wish I could learn it, but I’m quite sure I’d be a T-Tapp flunkie. Excessively heavy cardio Sorry to be over-thinking all this. I'm not into changing my rotations every month or so. I want a plan over the long-term and I want to stick with it. I would prefer to avoid making new plans every month or so. I know that I am a bit OCD, to say the least :rolleyes:. I love to plan and organize, as you can probably tell by now. I'm trying to decide which of the 2 options would be better. Would greatly appreciate your thoughts on which of these two before I drive myself and everyone here nuts! Thank you so much. :)

Praying right now. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

Yes, and I always want to tell you how much I love your posts and really love your avatar. As you probably know, Malcolm X's mother was a Grenadian. Just a little tidbit and thought to share. Dh and I love Malcolm X. I used to live right across the street from where he was killed.

Yes, he will be missed. So sad. RIP. Thanks, Spy Car for starting this thread. I wondered if anyone was going to.

2 Miles of Leslie

Nine Steps to Treating Autoimmune Disease 1. Check for hidden infections -- yeast, viruses, bacteria, Lyme, etc. -- with the help of a doctor, and treat them. 2. Check for hidden food allergens with IgG food testing or just try The UltraSimple Diet, which is designed to eliminate most food allergens. 3. Get tested for celiac disease, which is a blood test that any doctor can do. 4. Get checked for heavy metal toxicity. Mercury and other metals can cause autoimmunity. 5. Fix your gut. Read up on Irritable Bowel Syndrome. 6. Use nutrients such as fish oil, vitamin C, vitamin D, and probiotics to help calm your immune response naturally. 7. Exercise regularly -- it's a natural anti-inflammatory. 8. Practice deep relaxation like yoga, deep breathing, biofeedback, or massage, because stress worsens the immune response. Treat the underlying causes of your illness and you will begin to experience vibrant health once more.

This, from Peela, who knows her stuff, and whom I really and truly miss: All skin conditions (except an outright rash related to poison ivy sort of thing) originate from an internal condition, especially relating to the liver. The liver is our detoxifier, and if it struggles, toxins are expressed through the skin (that is a simplification but generally true). In naturopathy, you go to the liver and help it along if you want to deal with skin issues. Considering all the trans fats and chemicals in our modern diet, (and how they affect the liver) and the quality of many people's diets, most skin conditions are definitely related to our modern day environmental and dietary conditions. Psoriasis is very related to stress. I think we are chronically stressed in our society and that has a profound affect on our systems. Finding ways of reducing stress is essential. Acupuncture, yoga, deep breathing, regular exercise - these should all help. Acupuncture is fabulous. It should really help with both your symptoms. Psoriasis is an AI disorder Autoimmune diseases include: Rheumatoid arthritis Lupus Multiple sclerosis Psoriasis Celiac disease Thyroid disease These are all autoimmune conditions, and at their root they are connected by one central biochemical process: A runaway immune response also known as systemic inflammation that results in your body attacking its own tissues. Autoimmunity occurs when your immune system gets confused and your own tissues get caught in friendly cross-fire. Your body is fighting something -- an infection, a toxin, an allergen, a food or the stress response -- and somehow it redirects its hostile attack on your joints, your brain, your thyroid, your gut, your skin, or sometimes your whole body. Interestingly, autoimmune disorders occur almost exclusively in developed countries. People in poor nations without modern amenities like running water, flush toilets, washing machines, and sterile backyards don't get these diseases. If you grew up on a farm with lots of animals, you are also less likely to have any of these inflammatory disorders. Playing in the dirt, being dirty, and being exposed to bugs and infections trains your immune system to recognize what is foreign and what is "you." Unfortunately, many of the conventional treatments available can make you feel worse. Anti-inflammatory drugs like Advil, steroids, immune suppressants like methotrexate, and the new TNF-alpha blockers like Enbrel or Remicade can lead to intestinal bleeding, kidney failure, depression, psychosis, osteoporosis, muscle loss, and diabetes, not to mention overwhelming infection and cancer. When used selectively these drugs can help people get their lives back. But they are not a long-term solution. They shouldn't be the end of treatment, but a bridge to cool off inflammation while we treat the root cause of the disease.