063009

Hey there. It's a rough week, I won't lie. I have been working 12 hour days and many of them. It's tough to try to exercise when you've been on your feet for 12 hours and your knees throb. How exactly do you tough it out?

I don't know how I'm supposed to lose weight when I can't exercise.

I do know this though. Since I have been eating better and taking all of those fabulous heartburn inducing supplements, my ability to recover from those tough days is much better. I notice that within 12 hours, my body is back to good. That used to never happen. I also notice that if I get bruises (common when you work in retail), they heal very quickly.

I turn 46 this week. I stoppd dying my hair this year to celebrate. I don't want to feel old but I'm proud to be older. Wouldn't give you a nickel to go through my 20's again, that's for sure. I'll take older, droopier and smarter any day. :-)

Sharon

062309

061309

Today is my brother's birthday. He would be 51. I can't imagine him with grey hair. I can't imagine him aging. To me he will always be young and sill. That's a good thing. Happy Birthday you big goof.

I have been taking the following for 3 days now: alpha lipoic acid for decreasing the accumulation of free radicals (compounds that damage cells) in cells; coenzyme Q10 for helping the mitochondria convert food into energy and protect cells from free radicals; acetyl-L-carnitine to decrease wear on organs and stop free radicals from damaging cells; niacinamide to slow inflamation; DHA & EPA to slow cartiledge breakdown and decrease inflamation; glutathione for detoxification of cells; MSM to reduce arthritis symptoms, SAMe to reduce inflamation; glucosamin and condroitin to reduce inflamation; other basic vitamins.

It's quite the list! I purchased a big pill organizer, split it up into morning and evening vitamins, and away I went. I have continued to limita sugar and really only eat fresh foods.

My rare indulgence this week was my daighter's recital cake. She was so pretty in her recital costumes. I remind myself who I am doing this for besides me.

060809

So how did I get arthritis? I probably have had it for a while but I've gotten older and heavier in the last several years and that increased it. I had a car accident three years ago and it especially began to hurt after that.

My knees were the first to hurt. I had bad knees as a child, dislocating several times. My MRIs show degerative disease, arthritis. I just feel them hurting when I am on them too long. My research says that I can reverse this.

I have had injections twice now of hyloronic acid. I have had multiple steroid injections in my knees, back and shoulder. I have taken countless numbers of ibuprofen and Aleve. I have taken prescription pain relievers when needed.

I had a herniated disc and surgery on it almost 2 years ago. I still have arthritis in my spine but it is mostly under control.

That's enough medical history.

I have lost 5 pounds!!!!!

I ordered a multitude of supplements from Vitacost this week. I will post when I begin to take them. It should be interesting!

060409

Wow! Yesterday was the last day of school. My daughter got to go to the beach today with Daddy while worked. I need to get on that program.

I finished my book last night. Now I am going to gather some more nutritional supplements that will help me concur my arhtritis. I need alpha lipoic acid, coenzyme Q10, L-Carnitine, N-acetylcysteine, acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR), miacinamide, more DHA & EPA, vitamins C, D, E, B6, B12, folic acid, selenium, gluathione, Glucosamine & Condroitin, MSM, and SAMe. I do get some of this some my current multi vitamin for arthritis, but I want to go at this full force.

I feel ok today, not too achy. I worked in the office all day today so I didn't have to walk on the super hard concrete floor all day.

I am soooo proud of myself for sticky to it so far. I haven't had any processed sugar or cleached flour or other processed foods all week. You would think I would have crazins but oddly I do not.

I was very lucky today, though. Ted made a great dinner tonight of broiled fresh fish and asparagus. It was really delicious.

He is rooting for me all the way as is my daughter.

On a sad note. This morning I was rushed to get ready for work and my daughter made my lunch for me. We always write notes when we make each other lunches. She wrote in the note, "I hope you have a great day at work. I hope you are not hurting too much."

How sad is that that that's what she thinks of, Mommy's current pain status.

I do come home every evening and deal with what ever the day's work did to my "pain status". It's hard to work all day at a very physical job, walking back and forth on hard floors all day and being on your feet. Hopefull, as I lose weight and this journey profresses, I won't have this for ever.

Shaz

060209

Here's me today. I hope I look a little better than a few days ago.

060109

You know, I may just pull this off. It's 5am on Monday morning. I am getting ready for work. I slept mostly through the night pain free! I don't have any pain right now.

That never happens to me! I have become accumstomed to taking a half of a low dose pain medication (yet still a narcotic) to sleep through the night most nights.

For 2 days, I can really say that I have managed to stay away from processed foods. I also dared to step on the scale and have lost 2 pounds.

Last night we visited my sister-in-law, whose in'laws are in town. They had lots of luau food. I had a huge plate of salads and healthy things at dinner and lots of fruit for dessert. Ted had made a fruit bowl. It was funny how everyone went after that fruit! I had a couple of glasses of wine, staying away from slushy drinks or sodas. It was not difficult to eat healthy and still have a good time.

This could be very cool but I am still at the beginning.