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It’s October here in New York and I can already feel the chill in my bones. Not a good feeling for anyone, but especially for fibromyalgia sufferers. The thing is – I know it’s going to be a long, cold, winter, but what am I supposed to do, curl up in the fetal position until May?

I can’t do that and neither should you. In the winter months it’s especially important for you to move.  You must keep that blood flowing and keep those muscles and joints loose. Now, exercise won’t be as easy or as comfortable as in the summer months, but it’s just as important to your fibromyalgia treatment. Your two biggest obstacles will be motivation and the cold weather.

So here are 3 quick tips to put you on the fast track to exercise and health this winter, you can do it!

Who has the motivation to exercise in the cold?  No one. The secret is to look past the winter. Don’t concentrate on the winter months.  Instead begin to prepare your body for the spring/summer that is coming. Where do you want to travel this coming summer? What activity have you wanted to do for a while?

Go to your calendar, mark the date, and exercise towards that goal.  As you exercise, picture that goal clearly in your head, focus on it, and believe it. Your mind will always look to accomplish what you truly believe in.

Your second road block will be the cold temperature. In the summer months I like to exercise in the early mornings. Winter – not so much. The winter mornings are always nice and chilly, not a good time to exercise. So instead I will get in my workouts after I have been up awhile and loosened up a bit. What usually helps? About a cup or two of Green tea. Not only will it warm you up but the little caffeine it has will give you the extra boost you need to get moving.

No sunlight? Don’t forget your vitamin D. Vitamin D is bountiful in the summer months as we soak it up from the sun. In the winter it’s a little harder to feel the sun. A good vitamin D supplement should help keep your immune system nice and strong. Exercise will not only keep your body loose this winter, it will also strengthen your immune system.  Fibromyalgia plus a cold is never a good thing.

Bonus Tip: It’s called the “Law of Expectation”.  It means focusing on expecting good things in your life. Forget about expecting more pain and fatigue. Make an effort to expect good health and a bright future.

As always, remain positive this winter and know that summer is just around the corner, so start planning…

Eric Suarez, CPT.

www.fibromyalgia-fitness.com

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Eric Suarez is a Certified Fitness Trainer and the owner of Valiant Personal Training in New York. He is the founder www.Fibromyalgia-Fitness.com and the author of new book -Fibromyalgia Fitness, 12 Weeks To A Healthier You!  He is offering a discount on his book to MLWT members and I will be posting more information about those details here very soon.

Since 2008, Eric has been helping fibromyalgia sufferers gain control over their symptoms by using simple functional exercises and healthy eating.  You can contact Eric directly at eric@fibromyalgia-fitness.com  and follow him on Twitter at @Fibro_Fitness.  Stop by, consider signing up for his e-newsletter and be sure to say hello.

Yesterday, I hosted an Independence celebration. Not only for our country’s independence from England, but also as a send-off party for three of the five high school graduates on our street corner.  The boys couldn’t make it, but the three girls and all their siblings (who also are all girls), enjoyed their transitioning from the kiddie table of life to the adult table. 

 As I scurried around making sure all my guests had food, beverages and an enjoyable visit, I:

• slammed my shin into a chair and the door of the dishwasher
• smashed my finger while closing a cupboard door
• hit my head on the deck when underneath while getting the folding chairs
• bit my lip while eating 

And the pièce de résistance? 

Nine of my piggy’s were being cooperative, but the big one on my right foot wasn’t paying attention and jammed itself into a deck stair.  You should see the glorious colors it boasts today for its miscalculation.

You may be asking what my clumsiness has to do with lupus or Independence Day.  Well, it certainly illustrates what a lack of mindfullness can lead to. 

How many times have I been bewildered listening to my mom complain about stubbing her toe on the same table she did the day before?  Over the years, I was unable to fathom why someone would keep doing that over and over again!  She knew the table was there and had the broken toes to prove it.  Yet, she continued.  I am beginning to realize, now, that it isn’t about not knowing where the table is at all.  It is about how our bodies and our brains tend to lose a sense of cooperation as we age.  We know in our minds that the table is there, but the communication with our toes gets lost somewhere in the translation as life, medications, and aging catches up with us. 

I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately about kinetics , aging and our brains and symptoms of health trouble.  That’s mainly because I want to learn as much as I can to care best for my aging mother.  However, as I continue to read and learn, I’m developing an understanding that all of what I’m preparing for applies to me, too.  I’m not as young as I once was, but the increasing bouts of clumsiness are pointing to some of my life’s influences that I am letting get the best of me. 

I know this is a Canadian senior-focused site , but it breaks down some of the more common reasons for clumsiness and you will see how much of this applies to us at any age, lupus involvement or physical condition.  This article also gives us some pointers on what we can do to prevent it, which brings me back to that independence and the postponement for this Wednesday’s gathering. 

Accidents happen and my day yesterday doesn’t necessarily mean that there is anything seriously wrong with me.  However, I am beginning to notice some trouble in maintaining my mindfullness and focus during the day.  When we are younger and/or not under the influence of stressors and meds, paying attention is so much easier.  We don’t realize how much work it takes to be that way until we have days like I did yesterday.   I do know that I won’t be able to support my mom’s (or my even own!) independence if I don’t start intentionally building some cognitive strength along with my physical strength.  To get through our days safely, we really do need both to be on board.

So, once my toe heals, we will be having that Target Practice gathering…if for any reason, to better avoid days like my yesterday.

 Hope you all are enjoying your weekend without any injuries, pain or discomfort~ take care!

“Here’s a few details from the instructor about the next Scleroderma Support Group meeting featuring a Pilates presentation by Mckenzie Petterson (photo attached) at 10am Saturday, May 8 at Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital (Wistar Morris Room on 1st floor), 1015 NW 22nd Avenue, Portland, OR. 

The Support Group meeting and presentations for Portland and SW Washington are always free and open to the public.   

1. No pillow necessary. Comfortable clothes preferable (no jeans). 

2. The Pilates will be tailored to scleroderma patients. 

3. Attendees will not need to move around a lot.  We will either sit in their chair or stand (probably both). 

4. I will make a short “workout” for them that will be passed around.  I will include a few anatomy pictures as well that we will go over. 

5. People should be expecting to listen to a short history of Pilates and an explanation of what it is. I’ll also give a little personal history of myself and why I do what I do. I’d like to also take a look at the anatomy pictures before we move. We will then do seated breath work. I’ll probably go through a few exercises focusing mainly on range of motion and core stability. I’ll also bring in spiky balls which I have found very helpful with a few of my clients that deal with joint issues.     

Mckenzie Petterson opened Moving Moxie Pilates in 2008 after training with the Core Dynamics Pilates program. Her love of Pilates started in 2002 when she realized the amazing impact it made on her body and overall health. Mckenzie’s ultimate goal is to see a smile on everyone’s face as they make their best effort in class, be it a group mat class, duet or private lesson. Kenzie was trained by Core Dynamics and is PMA certified and utilizes every opportunity to continue her development as a Pilates instructor and small business owner.”

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

I picked out a beautiful 2000 piece puzzle of Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany for my mom this year for Christmas.  It has been years since I did one and thought that it would give us something fun to do together.  The together part is working out fine, but the “fun”?  We’re still waiting for that to kick in.

As I painfully search for pieces with the exact patterns, shapes, images, etc., I hunch over a disaster that frustrates me into a punishing backache.  I have it set up on a table in our house that takes up the most part of our family room.  There is no way to walk by the thing without looking at the embarrassing lack of progress and returning to that hunched position with a dire need to redeem myself by finding “just one more piece.”  After about an hour of work and 15 minutes of trying to stand up straight, it occurred to me that this death wish of a ‘gift’ feels uncomfortably familiar.

The new year is upon us and, although I resist at the start, I usually end up with at least a few ‘resolutions’ or goals that I put out into the Universe hoping I make my way to them within the next 365 or less days.  “Hoping” is the operative word there.  Every year, I tend to look at the entire year all at once, in all of its possibilities.  And, every year, I find myself overwhelmed with all of the work involved.  Unlike the puzzle, I shudder recognizing all the pieces of my life floating around looking for a place to belong.  I lose steam quickly and create some pretty amazing excuses, distractions and impressive cases of sudden amnesia—all in an effort to completely avoid getting anywhere in my big picture.

The thing is, my life is consumed by these unmet goals or resolutions just like that table is fully present in my family room. I can’t get through a day without noticing how little progress I’m getting to something that really could be beautiful, too.

Now, this doesn’t mean that I don’t accomplish things, because I certainly do.  What I’m not happy with is that they aren’t the ones my heart is aiming for and are often downsized for various reasons.  For the last two years, I’ve come up with some general goals allowing myself to ease up on some of the pressure in completing them.  That hasn’t been working out.  I’ve noticed lately several people talking about choosing only one word to focus on for your year, giving yourself something to look for in every day whether it be peace, joy, laughter, gratitude, and so forth.  The only work would be to find something in every day that reflects the word you choose.

I don’t trust myself in doing that.  I have been generally stating goals such as “better health” or “get in shape” thinking that they cover the bases. In reality, they leave me off the hook and unmotivated.

Perhaps I just need to focus on a visual reminder to get me through this year.  Puzzle.                                                                 (image: Buffalo Games)

This year, I chose only five goals that I want to see myself accomplish and complete.  I am viewing each goal as if it were a part of a big puzzle.  With Neuschwanstein, I am breaking the whole thing down by working on the sections of the picture: castle, lake, and branches.  With my goals, I’m using the same process and one that is recommended whenever we put together our action plans to address personal goals.  By having objectives that are specific and measurable, I’ll have direction, more focus and know when I’ve completed the tasks.  That will eventually make up the goal, because each image will become clear with every piece I place.  One of my five goals is still about improving my health, but I think I’ve come up with a more targeted action plan and already see positive progress.  Eureka!

One objective I’m using to measure my progress this year to “Build More Health Opportunities” (both for this project and myself) is choosing resources that get me to be more physically active and outdoors.  My current gym membership—you know, the one I made a big deal about starting last year?—expires in March and I’m not going to admit to you how many times I actually ended up going.  Let’s just say they were pretty darned expensive workouts.  The good news is that I do better with actual deadlines imposed on me by others AND I’ve found a way to integrate the gym experience more into my daily life.  That’s a whole ‘nother post, though.

This past week, I went to my first PDX Meetup.com group called Portland Women’s Outdoor Club .  The registration for this group grew so quickly and, I suspect, will continue to do so, as many of us celebrate in the realization that we can find others at similar physical and skill levels to motivate us to get out there.  There is a great mix of skill levels, interests and ages among the women who attended the first meeting.  I was happy to hear that the activities that I want to take part in more often and learn for the first time were shared by the majority of gals there.  Beginning mountain climbing/repelling, hiking, backpacking, and snowshoeing (although I really need to work on my stamina for that one!).  It was easy to find someone who had a lot of experience in this group in these particular activities who could lead the rest of us newbies.  There are also some pretty creative gals in coming up with some other options when the Oregon winter just isn’t something we feel like experiencing.  I haven’t gone to one of the activities yet, but my curiosity is peaked about this Wednesday’s gathering to learn how to make a coke can alcohol stove (for those ultralight backpackers  in all of us.)

 I will go ahead and cross this objective off, because I’ve signed up with an opportunity and met some of these gals—my biggest hurdles.  I am really excited and encourage any of you locally to check this group out.  The more people, the more options, more opportunities and all the more likely I will take part.

I hope to see you, too!

The LFA Pacific NW Chapter will be hosting their annual Mad Hatter Walk N Roll for Lupus event on that day at Magnuson Park at Sandpoint Way.  Step out to join your community – both the lupus community as well as your Seattle one – and present lupus with energy and fun, something we know there is usually so little of in our daily lives.  Get your families involved, even if you didn’t raise funds (which doesn’t have to be much and does help our PNW).  The more we are present, the better our ‘present’ feels knowing we aren’t alone in this. 

A special guest will be on hand to offer up her recent book, Despite Lupus (Four-legged Press, 2009) – Sara Gorman will have some of her books on hand to sign and sell.  She is an AWESOME gal – just meeting her is a gift in itself.  We will be having her join in on our November group book discussions to be mentioned later.  For now – go say hello to her and all the others who are there to spread the word:

Life is ours and we want you to see that we are living as well as we can, despite lupus~

We are beginning a group chat today about the book by Tina Vindum (2009) entitled Outdoor Fitness.  You might wonder why, especially for us Oregonians, we are going to cover a book like this as we head into the winter season.  There are a couple of reasons for this particular choice:

The first reason is that, here in the Pacific NW, we have a whole lot of gray and damp winter weather.  Since many of us feel more pain due to the dampness, we resist moving and that choice makes our pain even worse in the long run.  Remaining a little physically active is important in managing the pain and flexibility, but I know staying indoors doesn’t work for me when there is a sofa beckoning me to watch another movie.  This particular book brings out ways to physically move in everyday outdoor spaces that gets us out of the house, hopefully offers us social opportunities to share it with friends and family, in addition to getting us moving without thinking of it as “exercise”. 

The second reason is also about the weather.  I know how much rain we get and the fact that it will be flu season here shortly.  If you have lupus, even if it isn’t technically discoid lupus where skin is involved, the sun creates some trouble for us if we are out in it too long.  As with even ‘healthy’ people, a sun tan is your body’s natural defense system – and one in which alerts your other ‘systems’ that there is a pending threat.  This response may not cause you rashes or lesions (as it does with individuals with discoid lupus), but it still gets your immune system in an uproar and will potentially cause you harm wherever your lupus presents itself.

Choosing cooler temps and less ‘stressful’ conditions to challenge your body while exercising makes good sense.  You can choose morning and evening workout times during the summer, but I know many with physical pain find they loosen up and move better later in the morning or early afternoons.  For those who struggle with fatigue, waiting until after work or exercising in the evenings just taxes you more than you are already feeling after a long day.  Yes, there will be rain – but we don’t melt when it hits us, it is easier to remain cool and the air is easier to breathe without dealing with pollen.  Gyms will be festering with recycled air and bodily fluids – sound inviting?  We aren’t talking about aiming to build lean muscle – unless that is what your goal is.  What this group chat is about will be to get us moving, even a little, and doing it in a way we feel a part of something good for us, active within our local neighborhoods and living with lupus out in the open on our best terms.

I know that our illness – the fatigue, the weakness, the medication side effects, the clots, migraines and sometimes constant chronic pain – can get in the way of our seeking to remain physically limber, flexible and as healthy as we can be. Fact is, we with lupus have increased risks of diabetes and heart disease and that is a sobering reality, but sometimes still not enough for us to push ourselves more than we already feel pushed around.

This book may have an athlete talking about getting into the best shape ever, but the concept intrigues me. I also want to become less secluded, more social and begin really appreciating the place I live….but at my own pace. I think her ideas or recommendations on using every day outdoor structures such as parking meters and trees are inventive and cheap. How many reps will always be up to me, but I need a little kick to my flabby tush in getting going.

Thus, this group book chat. I envision that we will read, discuss, critique and set an agreed upon individual target for each week – personalizing those activities based on our health, our doctor’s okay and our own goals for what ‘activity’ means to us.  It will also offer us a chance to meet more locals who will be joining in and maybe looking for a buddy to keep us honest.

No pressure, but perhaps a little spark of motivation – I want to keep this fun.  You don’t live here in the Pacific Northwest?  No problem – hearing from you and what you’re doing in your neck of the woods only adds to learning more innovative ways to move, no matter what your address.  We look forward to hearing about your adventures, too! 

So, here we go!  Looking forward to meeting and moving with all of you!

Knowing that, why is it that I have to constantly ask myself:  “Who is on first”?

My living with lupus and watching a game of baseball are a lot alike.  In fact,

 being the fan I am of  baseball, there are many commonalities with lupus that I want to remind myself of.  Maybe seeing these connections as I head into Spring will help me feel more motivated in paying closer attention to my own game:

All ‘players’ look like they can play just fine, until they either hit the field or the batter’s box.  There are on and off days, no matter what uniform you’re wearing.

Generally, there are coaches and umpires all screaming at us to do this, that or let us know how we’re doing.  In fact, they sometimes reside within our own heads. 

There are frequent tests and concerns about lab results, occasionally culminating in some pretty harsh judgments when meds -like steroids- are taken (granted, they are not the same ones athletes use)

We’re always pitched to, thrown to, batting at or having to catch a ball -  usually from someone else. 

There’s no place like home(plate), but you’re still important if all you do is bunt or sacrifice - it’s sometimes necessary to advance another player for the good of the team.

The game may be slower paced, but the strategies involved with winning the game are very important.

The amount of money that is exchanged is mind-boggling.

There are days when we strike out or hit it out of the park – either way, we need the support of those watching from the stands.

We made not make it to the majors or the World Series, but the importance of training and our gritty determination will get us through the ‘off-season’ as well as the ‘playing season’.

I think the most important comparison is the fact that this is a team sport.  One player doesn’t win the game and communication, trust and good sportsmanship offer us great opportunities to stay in the game with a strong team.  You may or may not be a baseball fan, but living with chronic illness is quickly becoming an American ‘favorite’ pastime -whether we want to play it or not.  Grab yourself a mitt, pull together some teammates and prepare to play ball the best you can.  Develop signals, practice time outs, resist storming the mound, be on the constant lookout for the ‘refreshment’ vender…

and no matter what, always know who is on first!

After a brief absence, the OR Branch of the Arthritis Foundation returned to the area a few years ago and offers some valuable resources to everyone living with a chronic illness.  I wanted to take this opportunity to re-introduce them to you and remind you of some things to consider in your health and wellness management.

Their focus is on living with arthritis, yet their program and services encompass many illnesses.   Fortunately, they recognize that sometimes we start out with one condition or disease and end up dealing with additional ones as time (and medications) continue.  As those of us with lupus know, we usually do not deal with only one illness or symptom at a time.  It is extremely valuable to us who are dealing with the frustrating fluctuations in symptoms and treatments to have a localized resource to draw from – when we need it.

Although there are only three staff members in the Portland office, there are 15 staffers working throughout the Pacific Northwest service area covering the states of Washington, Oregon and Alaska.  I have met with Janet Lamb, the Executive Director of the Oregon Branch and was so grateful to learn how committed she was to learn more about lupus.  It was wonderful to see an abundance of materials on diseases/conditions, nutrition, exercise, programs and more right there on site and within my own neighborhood.  In addition to educational materials, these ladies also offer services, programs and support to anyone seeking information in learning to live with their illnesses successfully.

Their website covers all of their information clearly and I strongly encourage you to consider their:

~ exercise classes open to anyone with chronic illness and not just arthritis or R.A

~ local Rheumatologist listings derived from the American College of Rheumatology (ACR)

~ local Arthritis Answers Help Line (1-800-542-0295) and speak with a trained volunteer       

They also have three walking events to choose from coming up in May in Portland, Salem and Eugene for Arthritis Awareness Month.

To learn more about them, their program or to receive some informational packets, please call them, drop by in-person or visit their website at Arthritis Foundation -Oregon Branch

You’ll be very glad you did.

I recently made a switch in my thinking about my health that I’m still struggling with.  I haven’t had insurance coverage for years due to being a temp as a way to manage my lupus ‘recovery’ and then, as a self-employed contractor who barely squeaks by.  I have always known that living on such a minimalist budget may not be responsible financially, but qualitatively – it has given me a life.  I earn less, but receive my meds for free.  I work less giving me more energy and better overall health without relying on state assistance.  I have fewer possessions, but appreciate what I do have or receive from others that mean more to me.

My most recent move was in joining a gym.  Shelling out the money for a year sent me into a panic when I saw that cash leave my hand.  All that money – but then, I reconsidered what that amount of money truly offered. 

For less than a dollar a day, I have access to opportunity, people and equipment that I don’t have right now for free.  By focusing on quantities, we actually can translate them into improving more quality.   The quantity of minutes away from the house on a treadmill can reduce the quantity of dollars spent on refilling BP meds (more time between refills).  Spending quantity from my house budget will potentially reduce the dosage quantity of Cellcept needed to keep my lupus out of my kidneys.  I will probably also reduce the quantity of time lost from work due to not feeling well.  What does a month’s supply of anti-depressant medication cost these days, by the way? Let’s not forget to mention the quantity staring up at me from yet another doctor’s bill.  How about my intention to avoid more quantity placed on my credit card for new clothes placed in my closet that I need – because I no longer fit into what I have.

If you’ve ever participated in a scrip program, the premise is that you will ‘eventually‘ have to shop and so you buy store/business scrip in values ranging from $5 to $50 (or more) for future use.  It’s just changing the token you will exchange to get what you want or need.  The tough part is in the anticipation or planning aspect to using scrip.  It is putting your spending into a very ‘future-oriented’ view rather than being impulsive or unorganized about it, which is really hard to change.  The upside is that you are investing into a common good- someone is benefitting from your participation in the program, besides yourself, through receiving a percentage of your purchased investment.

What a wonderful and positive way to view buying into a gym membership.  We hear about how we can save dollars by skipping the gym fees and taking care of ourselves through free online sources or creating our own workout programs.  Yet, is there anyone out there (besides me) who doesn’t necessarily lack motivation, but gets lonely in doing it by yourself?  I know I do and I also know that, if I don’t do something soon, I will continue to experience all of those lupus symptoms I have been able to avoid when I was younger and in better shape.  Changing my ‘attack’ on this declining state of being would be better served by considering it as an investment of quality rather than a divestment of quantity.

Perhaps that is the case of our current health care crisis.  Listening to many share their experiences with lupus as individual pursuits, there is a great deal of frustration in not receiving the acknowledgement or support needed from others in recognizing our personal efforts toward managing our health.  Whether it be the ever-so-helpful family member who suggests we “just lose some weight“, a doctor who tells us that he doesn’t know why we are experiencing that symptom and can’t do anything about it, the article that tells us to have a more ‘positive’ attitude completely overshadowing the reality of our challenges, or the insurance provider who tells us that the thousands of dollars we have paid into their pockets doesn’t allow us to determine what are or are not ‘covered treatment options’.  We need to have our hard work noticed and appreciated, even if our progress isn’t easily visible.

It is also difficult for ourselves to notice the value in what we do accomplish, because we’re too busy being distracted by our ‘shoulds’ and ‘shouldn’ts’.   Daily, we take steps in caring for the quality of our lives and we need to be sure to acknowledge, within ourselves first and foremost, the value we see our lives to be worth.

I will eventually come around to being okay with shelling out that gym membership, because the scrip that I will be using is my own self-determination.  Some of it will get lost in my purse or put through the wash, leaving it unused and without redeemable value.  However, the majority of that personal scrip will be used, because I value the quality of my days and know that it does include looking at quantity, too.  My contributions to an overall good will come from my participating in a program…any program.  This common good includes those I share my days with and offers me ways to show them the appreciation I feel having them around.  I believe I will also be acknowledging to others that I am serious about being a part of this community and well worth the investment -  lupus or not.

As someone who has had lupus for over a decade, I feel that I have lived successfully with it so far- meaning I’ve been able to manage the illness from progressing further in my kidneys, have been pain-free for about fours years and have remained able to contribute in supporting my family.  I also know, as a veteran who has witnessed and heard from others how easily our lupus can change, that I need to get off of my self-appointed throne and get more serious about keeping my progress in lupus management relevant.  It is good for me to participate in reviewing the routine information and sharing it with other participants through this workshop- because the reality is…I’m not paying attention to any of it on my own.  If I knew all there was to know about self-care and lupus, then why aren’t I following through with any of it?

This year will be one for me to address my attitudes about many things and one of them is recognizing the difference between exercise for weight management and exercise for my health.  Being thin for the most part, I have hit an age and created a lifestyle where all that glorious work that I put into my youth is now depleted.  I can no longer benefit from my athletic and outdoor adventures, which were both a means of exercise for me without me really thinking about it or being conscious of it.  I now need to start addressing the fact that my lack of exercise has aged me more than the years themselves have and if I don’t start becoming more conscious of that, I’ll really be in trouble very soon.

So, with February being Heart Awareness Month , I’ve decided red is the color I’m focusing on this year.  Not just because of my age or the fact that I’ve become a sloth, but also because individuals with lupus are in a higher risk bracket for developing heart-related problems.  I’ve put a huge widget on the site to serve as a reminder for all of us to take notice of our heart health (actually, I couldn’t figure out how to shrink it, but the other reason works better).

Here are some health information links that address heart disease and lupus for all of us to keep in mind during this heart-focused month.

Miscellaneous articles and sites on lupus and heart disease connection

Medical News Today  

Lupus Research Institute  

Lupus Foundation of America    Heart Disease Risks  and Lupus Information about Heart Involvement

For Tools and Articles on Heart Health, here is great problem-focused coping resource to check out through the American Heart Association including: 

Heart Attack/Coronary Heart Disease Risk Assessment

Warning Signs (for both men and women)

Tracking and Log Tools

An additional tracking tool for goals in starting up walking is offered at Womenshealth.org

A good layman source for recipes and general information to use in getting more heart healthy:  Better Homes and Gardens Heart Healthy Living – (note:  there will be pop ups).  Obviously, check out the more medically-based sites like National Women’s Health Resource Center  and WebMD

For those of you who are more emotion-focused in your coping, here is a link to a non-profit that offers inspirational and motivational stories about taking care of our hearts: Womenheart.org  .   You can also find many more people sharing their experiences and suggestions on several autoimmune- or lupus-related websites, blogs and social networking sites.

Wishing all of you some peace in your hearts~ Be Well, everyone

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Be sure to check out the MLWT bulletin boards “Blog Chat” forum for follow-ups on the workshop progress (Tuality Workshop thread).  I will also be adding more local information, resources and discussion opportunities in this forum following the blog posts this month.