The food and mood connection

By Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.

"Can what you eat affect your mood? Can your diet be part of the equation to reduce stress? Possibly. Take a moment to think about what you eat and how it makes you feel. Omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, tryptophan, folate and other B vitamins, low glycemic foods, and chocolate have all been studied to assess their impact on mood. The results are mixed but seem to show an association — though not a direct link — between these foods and improved mood. Of course, these nutrients and foods are part of a healthy diet. And when you eat a healthy diet, your body reaps the benefits. " Read full article at Mayo Clinic

Blogs of comradery*

The people that blog, at Health Zoo, have 1 thing in common - they do something worthwhile and positive in the face of disease - they blog about their condition. This does not mean that every post is cheery and full of smiles and that they gloss over what is happening and don't tell it like it is. No! many times they rant about it, yell about it, cry about it and they get the information out there about what it is really like to have these conditions. This gives us a wealth of information, that is realistic, about many diseases and a real person to turn to for support.

So here you can connect with:
Paula Apodaca at E. is for Epilepsy
Brilliant Mind Broken Body: Living with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
Leeroy Good at Fibro Files
Dannette Rusnak at Fibro Haven Living a Life of Essence in Spite of Illness
Diane J Standiford at A Stellarlife Living a life with Multiple Sclerosis and all the rest
Rheumatoid Arthritis Guy - adventures of a superhero on his journey through chronic pain and debilitating inflammation
Amy L. Hayden at Subjunctive Collapse ...a celebration of life, as it could be, if only...

* Noun 1. comradery - the quality of affording easy familiarity and sociability
camaraderie, chumminess, comradeliness, comradeship
sociability, sociableness - the relative tendency or disposition to be sociable or associate with one's fellows

Over 100 Diseases

100

We are talking about autoimmune conditions: "There are over 100 known and at least 40 suspect diseases. They are chronic and can be life threatening. They usually last a lifetime. The majority of those afflicted are under the age of 35 when first diagnosed. " AARDA Advocacy Issues

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM)
Addison's disease.
Allergic granulomatosis and angiitis or Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS)
Alopecia or Alopecia Areata (AA)
Anklosing spondylitis
Autoimmune chronic active hepatitis (CAH)
Autoimmune hemolytic anemia.
Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP).
Autoimmune retinopathy (AR).
Autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura
Autoimmune neutropenia
Autoimmune Inner Ear Disease (AIED)
Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS)
Autoimmune Lymphoproliferative Syndrome (ALPS)

and that is just the ones that start with A.

itis, what does it mean?

ïtis" is a suffix denoting diseases characterized by inflammation e.g. appendicitis - inflammation of the appendix, bursitis - inflammation of the bursa, tendonitis, rheumatoid arthritis - inflammation of the joints, polymyositis - inflammation of the muscles, dermatomyositis - inflammation of derma or skin and plantar fasciitis. The thing all these conditions have in common is inflammation but it is in different parts of the body.

ïtis" - is derived from Greek which is often used to construct medical terms e.g. "oses".

THE DIAGRAM RELATES TO PLANTAR FASCIITIS

TO YOU

WISHING YOU
A HEALTHY AND HAPPY
NEW YEAR

from

The Optimists Creed

Promise Yourself
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud words but great deeds.
To live in faith that the whole world is on your side so long as you are true to the best that is in you.
Written by Christian D. Larson Influential early New Thought leader born 1874

Reprinted from Fibromyalgia Haven - thanks Dannette

All about Silica

Silica, also called silicon, is the most important mineral for all connective tissues in the body. It is the key to the strength and elasticity of the tissues. It has a healing effect on cartilage, joints and bone health, it supports collagen formation and assists calcium absorption. It is important for the health of hair, skin and nails and it helps muscle tone. Silicon is also necessary for the maintenance of cardiovascular health.

Symptoms of deficiency are weak finger nails and muscles, soft bones, thinning of hair, ageing of the skin and sensitivity to cold.
Food sources of silicon are barley, cucumber, dates, dried figs, lettuce, strawberries and sunflower seeds.
There is no recommended dietary allowance for silicon.
Read about the other minerals at Mineral Health.