Endometriosis Awareness Month

March is Endometriosis Awareness Month and this topic is near and dear to me since it is a disease that I have and will continue to have since there is no cure.

Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of your uterus (endometrial tissue) is found elsewhere in your body. This commonly includes your pelvic cavity and can also be found on your ovaries, uterus, bladder and bowel. This type of tissue has even been found in random places like muscle tissue and brain tissue.

What is even worse is that this rogue tissue acts like the tissue that’s in the uterus. With hormonal fluctuations of each menstrual cycle the tissue thickens and then bleeds which causes inflammation and pain. The broken-down tissue has nowhere to go, unlike when you shed your uterine lining, so scar tissue and adhesions begin to form. This can cause organs within the pelvic cavity to fuse together, bowel and bladder issues, fertility issues and of course a lot of pain.

Symptoms may include: pelvic pain, painful periods, heavy bleeding, cramping 1-2 weeks around menstruation, painful ovulation, pain with intercourse, painful bowel movements, difficulty with bowels, infertility and fatigue.

The pain can be severe and debilitating.

This not only affects you physically but can affect you mentally and socially.  

It’s estimated that 30-40% of women with endometriosis may not be able to have children, but luckily there are some women who have children without any complication.

Endometriosis affects an estimated 1 in 10 women during their reproductive years, which is approximately 176 million women worldwide as of 2017 figures.

Prior to being diagnosed with endometriosis I had never heard of it or at least that I remembered. So if so many women have it, then why is it such a mystery and why don’t we know more about it?

Due to the “normalization of symptoms” and the variety and severity of symptoms, the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis can take up to 10 years. I say “normalization” because even though some symptoms are common, it doesn’t mean they are normal.

The only way to accurately diagnose endometriosis as of right now is through laparoscopic surgery.

There are 4 stages of endometriosis to determine the severity of the disease, but it does not always correlate with symptoms or pain. Some people who have a minimal case (stage 1) may have severe complications and pain while some with a more severe case (stage 4) may only have a few minor symptoms.

There is no known cause of endometriosis, but there are theories and there is a genetic component. Endometriosis seems to have an immune component as well. Even though it is not technically an autoimmune disease, those with endometriosis have a higher chance of developing other autoimmune conditions.

While there are ways to treat the symptoms associated with endometriosis, there is no cure. Treatment options include pain medication, hormonal therapy and surgery to remove the lesions and scar tissue. Some doctors recommend a hysterectomy, but that will NOT cure nor guarantee the symptoms or lesions will not return.

Laparoscopic Surgery

Getting ready to have laparoscopic surgery to confirm my diagnosis of endometriosis and to excise the lesions.

Even surgery to remove the lesions and scar tissue does not guarantee the symptoms and lesions will not return. Many women have had to undergo multiple surgeries with little relief of their pain and symptoms. If you do decide to have surgery, be sure to choose a surgeon that is skilled in removing endometriosis and one that EXCISES the lesions vs an ablation to “burn them off”. Better outcomes have been shown when the lesions are excised.

In my next post I will be talking about my personal experience with endometriosis and what I have done to keep my symptoms at bay and to heal my body including diet and lifestyle choices that are rarely talked about…so stay tuned:).

References:

http://endometriosis.org/resources/articles/facts-about-endometriosis/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/endometriosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20354656

https://www.healthline.com/health/endometriosis

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28456617

Shift Work & Your Sleep Cycle

Shift work is hard! As a nurse I know what it is like to work 12-hour night shifts and try to have a normal life on my days off. There were plenty of times I stayed awake for over 24 hours so I wouldn’t be missing out on events with friends or family the day after working a night shift. Even now that I’m working 12-hour day shifts, I still struggle to make it to events and time my meals so I’m not eating at 9 at night and going to bed soon after. Don’t get me started on how tired you are after working a stretch of shifts or even 1 chaotic 12-hour shift. You know, the one that turned into a 16 + hour shift that felt like an eternity in hell that drains you so much mentally and physically that you are pretty much worthless for anything productive the next day. Add on the external stressor that most shift workers (nurses, EMTs, firefighters, police officers, etc.) have like sleep deprivation, irregular eating habits, etc. and we begin to tax our adrenal system even more. Night shift is especially hard though because it can really take a toll on our natural circadian rhythm and how our body regulates cortisol and melatonin.

In a balanced system, cortisol starts to rise in the early hours of the morning as melatonin drops. This signals our blood sugar to rise so we have energy for our bodies to awaken and prepare for the day. Throwing off that natural circadian rhythm is what puts night shift workers at a greater health risk than shift workers in general. What seems like a simple process can lead to a cascade of issues when it is out of sync. Imbalances in cortisol and melatonin can lead to insulin resistance, depression, metabolic problems, higher incidences of diabetes, coronary artery disease and cancer.

So, what can we do about this? 

While quitting your job or adjusting to the same schedule everyday (always staying on a night shift schedule) isn’t feasible for most anyone, don’t give up hope! There are several things you can do to reduce stress on your body and help regulate your circadian rhythm.

Meal planning and prepping

 This doesn’t mean you have to plan gourmet meals either. Just focus on quality ingredients and whole foods. Having healthy meals that are accessible reduces the mental stress of “nothing is open, what the hell an I going to eat…I guess this bag of chips and/or candy bar will do.” Healthy meals also reduce the physical stress that processed foods have on your body such as the lack of nutrients/empty calories, bad fats and blood sugar spike and drop you’ll experience with them. Having an apple (or celery) with nut butter (ideally nuts & salt only) as a snack takes no time at all and it is balanced with protein, carbs and fat. Another simple option is organic sting cheese with some almonds or cashews. Again, hardly any prep. Need a quick and easy meal? Buy a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken.  You can either pair it with a couple cups of roasted veggies or buy a pre-made bagged salad. Shred some of the chicken and put into Tupperware so you can add it to the salad when you’re ready to eat it. Add some extra nuts, seeds and/or avocado and it’s a pretty balanced meal. Ideally look at the ingredients in the salads because they are not all created equal. But honestly, if it is between most any of those salads and a processed meal, the salad should out weight the latter. A lot of times you can find salads on clearance at the store which is a bonus if you are going to eat them right away.  Those are just a few examples. If you do make large meal at home, make extra and put it in the freezer in individual portions so you have a quick grab and go meal later down the road when you don’t have time to prep.

More Food tips…

• Limit processed foods and chose products with real food ingredients.

• An easy way to build a meal is starting with a quality protein, 2 cups of veggies (1/2-1 cup of starchy veggie and 1-2 cups non-starchy veggie) and add healthy fat like avocado, EVOO or grass-fed butter.

• Erratic eating schedule can disrupt the gut microbiome, add stress to your body and blood sugar dysregulation. Time restricted eating can normalize this (eating your meals within a specific time frame).  Add probiotic rich fermented foods & drinks like kombucha, kvass, kimchi and flavored krauts.

• Be sure to pair carbohydrates with healthy fats to help prevent blood sugar spikes and crashes.

• Carb cycling can help you regulate your cortisol levels. This involved eating lower carbs when you first wake up and the heaviest carb meal in the evening or vice versa if you are working.

  • If work at night, eat your biggest meal 1-2 hours before your shift. Lots of protein and healthy fat, not too carb heavy.

  • Eat a balanced light meal snack when at work

  • If you worked that night eat your breakfast 1-2 hours before bed with protein and fat and healthy carbs.  The carbs will lessen the strain on your adrenals and help lower your cortisol levels before going to bed.

Exercise

Exercise is also important in mitigating your health risks. This can even be a brisk walk 20-30 minutes a day. The time of the day when you exercise depends on how your body feels after working out. If it helps you unwind, and you feel relaxed afterwards then exercising after your shift may be best for you. If working out gets you revved up and alert, then it would be best to do it after you wake up and before going into work.  As long as you find a time of the day that allows you to do it consistently (a few times a week) without disrupting your sleep is a win!

Sleep and Sleep Hygiene

Melatonin production for night shifters may be lower than normal due to this dysregulation of the circadian rhythm. It’s important when leaving work, if its light out, to have amber tinted sunglasses or ones that block blue light wavelengths. These wavelengths suppress melatonin production which we don’t want to do. These types of glasses can be purchased on Amazon. If you already wear glasses, you can get them with blue wavelength blockers built in. When sleeping at home, you should create the darkest space possible. Black-out curtains are a must and cover digital clocks or anything else that has a light. Remove anything from the room with lights that you can’t cover and also anything that may beep or make noise that could potentially wake you up. A sleep mask and ear plugs may be necessary depending on lights and sounds you cannot control (family members, pets, road traffic, etc.).  A sound machine, fan or other type of white noise can also be beneficial as is keeping the room cool while you sleep.  Avoid the use of electronics or bright screens before going to bed as well.

 When you awaken

Get some sunshine. The moment you get out of bed, if the sun is up, get yourself outside (or in front of a window if it’s the arctic vortex) and soak up the sun. If it is dark, but you are getting ready for work, put yourself in a brightly lit room. You can also get yourself a light machine and sit in front of it for 15-20 minutes to increase cortisol.  These lights can also be helpful with seasonal affective disorder. Talk to your provider about possible need of vitamin D supplementation. With the lack of sun and many health benefits of vitamin D, it may be beneficial.

 Days off work

Some research suggests having a hybrid schedule on your days off. On your off days from work, go to sleep 6 hours earlier than you would on a work day to help transition your body’s sleep schedule. So, you would go to bed at 2am if you normally go to sleep at 8am after working a night shift.

Meditation, Yoga, Gratitude or some other stress reduction techniques

Doing these types of practices regularly can not only calm your system down at that moment but allow your body to react less to stressful situations in general. If you work in the ER or similar situation, you can’t control the outside stressors that are coming in. “Sorry sir, can you wait to have your heart attack or stroke until the next shift?”. There are combative patients, short staffing, family yelling at you, traumas, code blue...maybe all at the same time! This gets your adrenaline running (increasing cortisol and blood sugar) and you go into that sympathetic, fight or flight response, but if you train your body to be less reactive to those outside stressors you can shift out of that mode, back into a relaxed state more easily. Being able to get out of that sympathetic state decreases your cortisol levels, helps regulate your blood sugar better and decreases the inflammatory response on your body that chronic stress creates. I am really enjoying the Insight Timer app. It is free (unless you want to upgrade) and has a variety of meditations you can do in just 5 minutes! EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) tapping is a quick and easy way to reduce stress and anxiety. It uses the same principles as acupuncture and you can learn and do this on yourself quite easily.

Hydration

Water is often the most deficient nutrient in our body.  Staying hydrated allows our bodies and minds to perform optimally. Drink plenty of water between meals and less with your meals. Take your body weight in pounds and divide that by 2. That is how many ounces of water you should be drinking. So, if you weigh 150 pounds you should be drinking 75 ounces of water a day. Add a pinch of sea salt to room temperature water with fresh lemon and drink it when you first wake up. This will make your adrenals happy and kick-start your digestion.  Try to limit caffeine consumption to 1 cup’s worth per day. If you’re the type that drinks a pot of coffee a day, start by weaning yourself down and avoid caffeine in the second half of your day.

By implementing these changes, you are adding more balance to your life, regulating your natural circadian rhythm and decreasing your risk of chronic disease. Making lifestyle changes sometimes takes time and can be a challenge. Whether you’re an all or nothing type of person or you like to take things slow and steady, these are all changes anyone can implement. Talk to your friends, family and co-workers and ask for their support.  This will help give you accountability and hopefully a greater sense of community.

Some Outside References Used

https://experiencelife.com/article/the-cortisol-curve/ 

https://drjockers.com/7-ways-prevent-shift-work-disorder/

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ije/2015/591729/

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ije/2015/826249/

https://chriskresser.com/how-shift-work-impacts-your-health-and-what-to-do-about-it/

https://www.healthline.com/health/eft-tapping#bottom-line

Short Ribs

Short ribs with mashed cauliflower and roasted asparagus

Totally drool worthy!

Two things I love are my Instant Pot and short ribs. When I can combine the two to make an amazing dinner…I am a happy gal!

This is an easy recipe that you can throw together with ingredients you may already have in your house. You can always omit the wine to make it paleo and use a different fat like duck fat or coconut oil to make it AIP. Pair this with some yummy roasted veggies and you are set. You could reduce the juices in the pot to make a sauce or thicken it with some tapioca starch to make more of a gravy.

The 40 minutes in the Instant Pot give the meat enough time to start to fall off the bone and be oh so tender. Serve it with a cauli mash and roasted veggie and you are set!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much I my husband and I have.

Creamy Mashed Cauliflower

Creamy Mashed Cauliflower

Shown here with short ribs and roasted asparagus

Who doesn’t like Mashed Potatoes?! I know, right? As much as I love them, I really don’t like all the carbs that go with potatoes. More specifically the blood sugar spike then crash with starchy carbs.

While they aren’t all bad potatoes seem to get a bad rep in the Paleo community too. While they can be reactive and are considered a nightshade, if your body can tolerated them, they can proved a lot of good nutrients like vitamin C, potassium and vitamin B6!

So as a happy medium, I use cauliflower with just a little potato thrown in there for texture:).

To make this recipe extra easy I use frozen cauliflower. Either thaw ahead of time in the fridge or put the frozen cauliflower in the pan. Just be sure to cook out the excess water from the ice crystals.

Self-doubt and Purpose

Hello everyone!  I hope I have found you well. Winter is winding down and spring will be here soon! This weather until late has been dreadful. I don’t know about you guys, but I have been in a total funk.  I’d like to blame it on the dreary winter and recovering from the flu, but I know it is a little more that.  While those have played into said funk, the common denominator of it all is something different. Today I wanted to talk about something that has been heavy on my heart lately. Okay, this is always on my heart, but lately I feel like I am on the verge of a full-on breakdown. No joke. I admit, I am fairly open with a lot in my life though I have not always been this way. As I have gotten older I have come to realize that my sharing provides two things: 1. It is therapeutic. Now, this doesn’t mean that I am going to share any and everything, but it does mean I don’t have to close off the world and just “deal with it” like I have so many times in the past. 2. I have learned that sharing is helpful to others. Just as those have helped me by sharing their journey, I want to help others by sharing mine. While not all of what I say may be relatable to everyone, the hope that I can help just one person and that makes it all worth it.

Today I want to share with you a struggle that a lot of people feel uncomfortable around and don’t like to hear about unless there is a certain outcome, a.k.a. a happy ending.  I’m talking about infertility.  Now, before you think eehh, uncomfortable, no thanks and click off this page please bear with me.  It’s okay to get out of your comfort zone!

When I look back, I didn’t always want to have children. I used to be that girl who didn’t feel the need to raise children in a messed-up world and possibly subject those future children to some of the same misfortunes that I had to go through. I was a little doom and gloom about the whole thing really.  The world had enough kids, enough problems, why bring more into it?  Then as I became older I felt pressured to have children. This was frustrating and it repulsed me from the idea of having kids even more. I’m not sure why being in your mid-twenties without children in the Midwest was such an anomaly.  People would seriously be taken aback when I told them my age, that I wasn’t married and didn’t’ have any children. I apparently was an oddity. Had it not been for my family living in this area, I would have moved possibly as far away from there as possible.  Fast forward quite a few years and I get married. We settle down and the idea of children becomes more appealing. I stop taking birth control and we just see what happens. We actively tried for a little bit and then I got into a second degree accelerated bachelor’s program so we put in on hold again. Fast forward past school and the effort to become pregnant resumes. It’s now going on 6 years since initially trying. There have been countless ovulation tests, pregnancy tests, transvaginal ultrasounds, hormones, fertility drugs, injections, now IUI’s.

Now, before you start analyzing what is wrong and tests my doctor should perform on me…been there done that.  Aside from my endometriosis “nothing” is wrong with me. Everything should be working. My blood levels are all in optimal range, my hormone levels are where they need it be, there are no blockages, etc. I have undergone a multitude of tests, altered my diet, had surgery, consumed and injected myself with hormones and drugs I said I never would. Some of the medication I was taking not only treated infertility, but also cancer-what?!? I feel like there is a lot of pressure on the woman when fertility issues exist. You also start to feel a desperation when your options are dwindling and you have not had any success. Not only are you emotional, but the hormones do not help. The other day I was watching a movie and just sobbing! Ya, there was an emotional element to this movie, but not anywhere near the extent I took it. I’m not talking about some tears running down my cheeks. I was ugly crying, then pair that with an upper respiratory infection so I am uncontrollably coughing and crying!  I’m sure it was a ridiculous site! Luckily, I was home alone so no one had to witness that hot mess. So, what about my counterpart? Everything is fine there too. It’s really frustrating when you clearly have something going on, yet all the tests say you’re fine. Through all of this I have never had a positive pregnancy test. WTH!  While I am grateful that I have not had to go through the pain of a miscarriage in this journey, there is still a loss of hope of not getting that optimism of growing a new life inside of you.

This whole thing has seriously been exhausting. While I have found strength in my relationship with God, I have struggled as well.  I have questioned the existence of my marriage, if we are meant to have children together, am I meant to have children with someone else? Can we just adopt already? It has made me question myself as a woman, as a wife and my purpose in life. While I still struggle with my true purpose I have come to better terms with who I really am and my role here on earth. I will never know Gods plan, but I can try my hardest to do what would be right in his eyes.

So, to occupy myself I stay busy.  I am involved in my church through several committees and side projects. I have this blog, I’m getting certified as a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and I work as an advocate with one of the most progressive companies in the skincare industry. Oh, and my full-time job. While I love doing each of these things, if I am not careful I can get burnt out pretty easily.

Enter my funk.  Everything is accumulating right now and I am exhausted. Physically and emotionally.  I am trying to care and be motivated. I know it will get better, but sometimes it is hard to see that optimistic glow at the end of the tunnel. I would love to wake up with those rose glasses on feeling invigorated and full of energy. That is how I felt last year. Like I was unstoppable and ready to take on the world. I want that person back! Even though I know I won’t wake up tomorrow feeling 100%, I do know I will feel better with each day and I will get there. I can see who I want to be and the steps I need to take to get there. While I don’t know how this journey will end, I will not let it be the end of me. I think it is so easy to lose ourselves in this ideal we feel we need to fit into. Seeing past that and focusing on what is truly important in life allows us to overcome it. It’s okay to hurt, to be lost, to want to give up, but don’t lose sight of what is truly important.

Each day is a new day for growth, strength and recovery. To become a better person, a better partner, friend, and neighbor.  Life isn’t easy and I don’t expect it to be.  If it were we would all be ungrateful and boring in my opinion. So, I am going to chalk up my challenges to character and relatability, and hope that someone who may be going through the same type of thing may see light shining through a dreary sky.

Overcoming Fear And The Choices We Make

Hello everyone!  I hope I found you all doing well. Life has been busy with the holidays approaching. My to do list grows by the minute and I see myself avoiding certain tasks. Do you do that too?! Why is it that some of these responsibilities get put off?  There is such an accomplished feeling getting these tasks done and crossing them off my list, yet I avoid them and move them over to the next day’s list. It’s not that these are difficult items to do, but they are ones that take more mental effort than let’s say the laundry and dishes. Human behavior is so weird like that! I tuckered down and got all the tasks done utilizing Mel Robbins’ 5 second rule. If you have never heard of this concept I recommend you watch this video. Regardless, I recommend watching it, after finishing my post of course ;), because Mel is pretty amazing! The moment you feel hesitation, in anything in life, you count backwards from 5 and then do it. It’s so simple, yet so powerful. Honestly, this has helped me get out of bed some mornings at 4:30 to get my work-out done and of course tackle projects I have been putting off! 

Writing this blog post is one of those tasks that I have put off for over a month.  Seriously, that is ridiculous.  What was holding me back? I had started a handful of posts on various topics and then left them to gather dust in a file. I was always questioning my writing and content. Is the post good enough? Do I really want that topic to be my first post? Am I getting into too much personal detail? Blah, blah, blah…excuse after excuse. 

Honestly this whole blog thing is really scary. 

For one, I am not a strong writer and I’m terrible at proper grammar. Throughout college 2.0 (this is when I went back to school as an adult) my husband was my proof reader for all my school papers and there was a lot of red ink when he was editing!  While I would love for him to proof read all my blog posts I know that won’t happen. I mean, it’s the last thing he wants to be doing. You can’t blame the guy. So, it is what it is and my poor grammar is what you are going to get. Aside from my challenges in the grammar department, it is scary putting yourself out there for the world to see (okay for the 3 people maybe reading this!). Regardless, it is still terrifying.

I fear I am not qualified.

There are times when I think I could have a PhD in life and still feel this way.  The perfectionist in me feels like I could always strive for more; as if I need to know the answer to every question. The unknown can also create an anxiety that can hold you back. Fear can cause us to retract when really, we should fight. As much as I try to get out of my comfort zone here and there, getting beyond that zone can be intimidating. It’s not our safe routine where the outcome is predictable. But, staying in that safe area won’t push us or allow us to grow. To overcome this fear, I need to remind myself: 1. I have 1st hand experiences adapting to a healthy lifestyle and understand the challenges that can present, 2. I extensively research everything making sure it’s backed by sound evidence (can we say OCD?) and 3. I am getting certified in holistic nutrition and consultation. I already have 2 bachelors degrees with one being in nursing and I already have consulted friends on healthier lifestyles. So, let me remind myself, I AM qualified.

I care too much about what people MIGHT think.

This is something I have gotten better at. While I still have self-doubt at times, I just remember to put God first and trudge forward. I know some people think I am a little crazy in my thinking, my take on the world, personal health and eating habits. Guess what? We all have our opinions and you can have your own. I am not jumping the band wagon because this is the popular thing to do. Let’s face it…It isn’t easy to eat gluten-free living in a small town in the Midwest, let alone trying to stick with an anti-inflammatory diet. I have been questioned by friends and family about my choices and reasoning for my decisions and honestly, I am done explaining myself and that’s ok. I am open and honest and will continue to do so. I chose this lifestyle because it is backed by research, my mind has more clarity and I feel healthier than ever.

We all have a choice.

We all have choices to make in life. We choose how to live, what to eat, what to believe in and how to react in circumstances among other things. I choose to be an advocate for healthy living and to speak out and be a voice for those who may feel unsure or like no one is listening. I choose to be a voice for a cause greater than myself, to help others, to give them hope and a community for support. I know what it is like to feel lost, have despair, to be overwhelmed and to not even know where to start. My hope is to help someone in need because helping just one person find the path the health and happiness will be worth everything.

So here is my random, rambling blog post full of errors and run on sentences. It may be vague and it may not make sense to a lot of you who may not know me, but it is what it is and it is done. Getting over this hump will allow me to write more freely and more focused in the future. I am all about baby steps to making lasting change. Anyone remember “What about Bob?”. I used to love that movie! Anywho, this is my baby step towards a rewarding future and helping others.

So here I am world (aka you 3 reading this), getting out of my comfort zone, doing something that terrifies me, taking it one step at a time, creating thought into action.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 GO!

First Blog Post Coming Soon!

Stay tuned...