Lifestyle

Day Four Think Spring

April 18, 2018

Popcorn, mineral water, and a summer-themed movie are perfect for Day Four of the Think Spring series

Day Four Think Spring is so needed right now. It is brutal outside. It is snowing like crazy with little visibility. It would be a beautiful winter wonderland if it wasn’t supposed to be springtime. By the time tax season is over, we are usually wearing lighter jackets and spotting pops of color as the tulips and daffodils start to bloom.

That is why Day Four Think Spring is all about popcorn, mineral water and a summer-themed movie. It allows us to cuddle up warm and cozy, but still move our thoughts further along the calendar! It is “hump day”, so I decided we would keep it simple with an easy to prepare snack and tune into a movie right in the comfort of our own abode.

We are actually going to watch old videos of past summer vacations. As I was picking out a summer-themed flick, I decided nothing could beat watching old vacation videos. We will be watching hikes in Yosemite and Yellowstone Parks. I can’t wait!

It is all about getting our minds off the winter weather and hastening the arrival of spring. I can’t do anything about mother nature, but I can plan an enjoyable distraction to occupy our thoughts tonight.

My husband isn’t a snacker, but I am. I like popcorn because it is readily available, low in calories and a source of fiber. Mineral water with a squeeze of Meyer lemon will be a great beverage to pair with the popcorn. It also creates a movie theater vibe, which is kind of fun. We need to manufacture as much fun as possible to get us through what hopefully is winter’s last hurrah! And that is using Arthritis Wisdom!

We would love to hear your suggestions to help us Think Spring! Leave them in a comment.

Take good care. XXOO Cathy

3 Healthy Welcome Home Traditions

March 29, 2018

3 Welcome Home traditions have been changed to healthy options, but the one batch of chocolate chip cookies still shouts “So glad you are home”!

I’ve changed 3 Welcome Home traditions to healthy options keeping with the management of my rheumatoid arthritis (RA). I may be the only one in the family with RA, but everything I do to help keep the inflammation under control is really good and beneficial for the whole family.

Once our son lets me know he is coming for a visit, the planning and preparation fun begins. I like to spread the preparation out over several days. It is sweet anticipation! I will freshen his bedroom, plan meals and grocery shop. The meal planning and grocery shopping is where I’ve changed traditions the most. I’m becoming better at planning meals to include plenty of leftovers to minimize the need for snacks. That helps to limit preservatives, added sugar and added salt. I prepare everything fresh so I know what is in every part of the meal. It has taken me time to figure out favorite recipes everyone likes and the amount to make to allow for the desired leftovers. My goal this visit was to eliminate any pizza deliveries! If I had great options in the refrigerator, there would be no need to order out.

It is tradition I have a pot of chili waiting at the time of arrival. I use the recipe from childhood, but now include organic mushrooms and green peppers for added variety of vegetables. I find myself trying for five different vegetables in my recipes, aiming to add flavor and nutrients without changing the dish so it has a trying-to-pack-more-nutrients-where-I-shouldn’t-pack-more-nutrients taste. As our son says, It must be edible! Chili is a great way to ensure leftovers for the next day.

My family doesn’t tend to snack if I have satisfying meals for them. Also, they do not want dessert if I have satisfying meals for them. I was a dessert fanatic before I was diagnosed with RA, so I thought my whole family loved dessert. I also enjoyed baked goods to munch on and candies to grab and snack on. What a revelation I was the only one with the sweet tooth! So the only treat I bake is the one batch of chocolate chip cookies. The smell just shouts “Welcome home, we are so happy to see you”! I figure the warm-fuzzy feeling is a boost to our immune systems!

Here are the 3 healthy traditions I’ve implemented:

A bowl of pistachios instead of a bowl of chocolates on the counter.
Plenty of ice cold water bottles in the refrigerator instead of sport drinks.
Mineral water with a splash of fruit juice instead of Mountain Dew.

These are very small changes, but they make a big healthy difference. I would be refilling the chocolates often in the past. We would have cases of sports drinks and Mountain Dew in the extra refrigerator. By offering these 3 substitutes, no one even notices the missing sugar load. We go through a lot of bottled water, and that is a very good thing. I refill the pistachios for a few days and then when the bag of nuts is gone, I put the bowl away.

It is interesting to me how our diet has changed without missing the unhealthy parts. It does take planning and preparation, but it is more satisfying. I’d say that is using Arthritis Wisdom!

We would love to hear of healthy traditions you have implemented in the comments below!

XXOO Cathy

3 Colonoscopy Prep Tips

March 21, 2018

3 easy tips to help you tolerate the dreaded colonoscopy prep

One in every 18 North Americans develops colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of death due to cancer. Nearly all colorectal cancers arise from benign growths called polyps. Because of this, colorectal cancer can be prevented. Polyps are common in people over 50 years old. That is why a colonoscopy is recommended once you turn 50 years old. The colonoscopy is a way to find, identify and remove polyps, therefore preventing colorectal cancer.

I recently had a routine colonoscopy. The week before the procedure I followed my colonoscopy prep instructions very carefully. I did so because I didn’t want to have to redo it!

The day before the procedure was my clear liquid day, which I wish I would have better planned how I could make it more rheumatoid arthritis (RA) friendly. I have a very strong gag reflex, so downing the obligatory clear liquids for my breakfast and lunch was difficult to say the least. And the salty prep was also a challenge. A lot of salt makes my joints ache, so that part was already going to push the envelope with my joints. I didn’t need to add insult with added sugars!

Here are my 3 suggestions to make the clear liquid prep day go more smoothly.

Tip Number One: Make your own popsicles by freezing white grape juice. The fluid was more easily tolerated by eating a popsicle here and there between drinking the allowed fluids. The marketed popsicles contain preservatives and too much sugar, especially the high fructose corn syrup that makes my joints hurt. You can freeze the juice in an ice cube tray or purchase popsicle molds at a department store or kitchen specialty shop.
Tip Number Two: Sip the salty prep solution using a large sized straw to bypass as many taste buds as possible!
Tip Number Three: The prep made me chilled, so I took a number of showers. To help prevent my skin from drying out, I used a shower oil. You need to have a nonslip bath mat in the shower as the oil can make things slippery! The warm shower was the only way I could deal with the chill.

Having RA makes me more cognizant of preventive medicine. I want to stay ahead of any potential problems. Having a routine colonoscopy is part of my healthcare plan.

There are some things we can do to help prevent polyps. They are lifestyle habits we can incorporate into our day-to-day life. Eating a high-fiber, low-fat diet reduces the risk of polyps. Do not smoke and limit your alcohol intake. A moderate exercise routine can help reduce the risk of polyps, also. All of these lifestyle habits are beneficial for managing our RA, too!

I will certainly keep these 3 tips in mind the next time I do my colonoscopy prep. This is an example of how I live and learn. Until I went to the grocery store to pick up my clear liquids I didn’t even think of the added sugar load. I knew I had to add some interest to the fluid intake by eating ices and popsicles. The salty prep solution was necessary, that is how it works, but I needed to consider ways I could limit any added sugar and preservatives. I hope these tips help you with your prep!

As a necessary note: I am not getting any compensation for any products I am suggesting.

Take good care! XXOO Cathy