Stress Relief

Stress is a killer. It comes in so many forms that we can even fool ourselves into thinking that this is what true aliveness is: That without stress we can feel bored or numbed out to our daily living: That we need a bit of stress to stay alive and out of harms way: That a bit of stress can help keep us alert.

It is a wonderful full time goal in life to live struggle free. Many are too addicted to struggle to even want to listen to this. Let this not be you - or be willing to change this pattern also. It is our natural right to be happy and to have what we want without sacrificing our very bodies to have it.

Many of us cannot even for one second quiet our thoughts, which keep running in well oiled ruts in our brain. Worry is a good stressor and guilt is a real good culprit. Auto-immune diseases help create a self-centeredness. Add stress to that and you have a flare-up in the making. This leads to pain - and increased pain, rightfully so, leads to more self -absorption.

A Stress Releaser

Find a quiet, comfortable place to either sit or lay down in for 15 minutes. The first time you try this, 15 minutes might feel like forever, but hang in there. Each time will become easier and more desirable.

Close your eyes and place both feet on the ground if you are sitting. If you are lying down, make yourself as comfortable as you can, lying on your back, arms comfortably at your sides, or resting on your stomach.

Slowly take several very deep breaths in one flowing movement: in-out-in-out-in-out. With each exhale, feel as though you are letting tension go from some part of your body.

Feel your body starting with your head; then neck, shoulders, arms, torso, thighs, calves, ankles, feet. This includes all the joints. Take your time. Really tune in.

Where you sense any tightness or tension breath deeply and on the exhale, let the tightness go. This works. And it will tune you into your body more and more. And your body is where you need to be living, not just in your head. This is where you should be all the time - every minute of the day. You should know what it feels like and what it is to be in tune with your body. So, take these first steps and do this stress releaser as often during the day as you need. This should be a part of your daily routine like brushing your teeth and eating. Remember, your mind can talk you into or out of anything and everything. Your body never lies.

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Sleep Assistance

Troubled sleep and fatigue are two of the most common problems experienced by people with Rheumatoid Arthritis. You may wake up 3 to 4 times a night - 80% of people with Rheumatoid Arthritis do. And even if you don't come fully awake you may be subject to subliminal seizures which shock you out of a deep stage 4 sleep into a shallow stage 1 sleep. It often seems that no matter how long you sleep, you rarely feel rested. This obviously contributes to fatigue, but you may also feel edgy or anxious as a result of low energy.

By detoxifying your body you can help bring your energy levels back into balance while helping to alleviate many other symptoms. A particularly gentle yet potent cleanse is the 8 Day Cleanse which not only helps eliminate toxins, it also eliminates parasites and helps bring your digestive system into balance.

Finding a comfortable sleeping position can also be a problem, particularly if your joints are swollen and painful like mine. This problem can be helped by using an adjustable bed which can help distribute your weight differently to minimize joint pain and discomfort.

I have also found that a buckwheat husk pillow can be exceptionally comfortable. These orthopedic pillows, recommended by many Chiropractors, Physical Therapists, Massage Therapists, and Rehabilitation Clinics, have been used for the relief of headaches, neck pain, lower back pain, muscle tension, stress, sleeplessness and snoring.

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Attitude

Of all the help and awareness suggestions, this is probably the most important.

A grandmother used to say to her young grandchild on occasion, ”There are two men behind bars. One looks out and sees mud, the other, stars". What a wise grandmother. And, more importantly, the grandchild who took those words to heart. It caused a shift in many bad perceptions and bad attitudes. It kicked her out of a state of gloom and doom. And to this day this "girl" can not linger long as a victim.

One of the personality characteristics of people with auto-immune diseases is that they see themselves as victims of the disease. And this is quite often reinforced by the people around them.

As long as you hold someone else or something else - even genetic pre-disposition - responsible for your condition and your life you will always be a victim. And as a victim you are powerless to change your condition or circumstances. As a victim you have nowhere to go but deeper into this self-made prison of pain and self-imposed torture. If you don't like the sound of this, if this makes you angry - "How dare anyone suggest that I would choose such a condition for myself" - be thankful. It is you who has the choice: whether to accept your condition as it is and accept that it's incurable and that you're stuck with it becoming progressively worse; or to take responsibilty, face the lie that you are powerless over your own body, and take the steps you need to take to walk free.

I know this is not an easy decision to make, particularly if like I was, you are surrounded by people who not only see you as a victim but have become comfortable with you in that role. But, when you make the decision to take responsibility for where you're at and to fully face yourself with courage and conviction, you open up a new world of possibilities for yourself. It’s understandable if you feel anxious and uncertain at first. So just be easy on yourself and be patient. Keep remembering that you now have somewhere to go. Eventually you will discover that even though it was you that put yourself in your own prison, the door has never been locked. To take responsibility for your condition is one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself and for those around you.

When you take responsibility for your life, you are able to see the stars . . . And the possibilities for change that your choices, attitudes, emotions, thoughts and feelings can have on your life. Your own body created the disease. Your own body can re-create health. You have everything to say about this. Or you can remain a victim and dig deeper into your disease. You absolutely do have this choice to make.

Taking this step will create flexibility in your body. Be flexible. Be willing. Even if, right this minute, you can hardly move any body part without complaint, even if this sounds to your intellect like the biggest scam, even if it goes against everything you have believed, ask yourself this, just for the sake of argument, "If I am responsible for how my body is, how would I want it to be different, and what would I be willing to do to make that happen?". Say ‘yes’ to being responsible for yourself and you are on the road to walking free of disease.

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Teeth and Mouth Care

It has been made known for a long time now by some medical doctors, naturopaths, holistic doctors and homeopathic physicians that mercury fillings in the teeth cause problems, and often severe problems. Mercury in fillings can even trigger symptoms of autoimmune diseases and be a catalyst for the them to grab hold in the body.

Find a Dentist who will get those mercury fillings out and replaced with non-toxic material. Just a tiny bit of mercury is super toxic to the body and can throw the body off balance - from health to degeneration.

Also, some health professionals are recommending not having root canals done because they create places in the mouth that can harbor bacteria. And these can be the cause of more severe problems down the line.

Bacteria held in the mouth in the form of gum disease, tooth pockets or tooth decay can lead to heart problems and even a stroke or heart attack if left unattended.

Few of us realize how important the mouth is to the rest of our body. If our bite is not aligned, this can cause pain in the neck, shoulders, jaws and up the sides of the face. If we harbor bacteria in our mouth, which is one cause of bad breath, that bacteria can get into our blood stream and exacerbate all auto-immune diseases.

Going to the dentist, spending money on your mouth, which can be very expensive, needs to be looked at, needs to be part of your plan towards health. You need to prioritize yourself and get creative in finding out how to get needed dental work done instead of avoiding the whole problem. You need to say to yourself, ” I will find a way to create the money necessary so that I can walk free”. What we give ourselves to, is what we get. Make sure you are conscious of what you give yourself to.

People who have Rheumatoid Arthritis should have their teeth cleaned by a good hygienist three to four times a year instead of letting a year go by. And as a way of helping minimize teeth or gum damage, you should find these oral health products of value. They include an oral irrigator which provides a concentrated stream of water to remove food debris and bacteria - including those that brushing or flossing can't reach; an ionic toothbrush that literally lifts plaque off your teeth; and a gum-rejuvenating herbal formula that really helps towards preventing and reversing gum damage.

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Emotional Support

A characteristic, or let’s even call it a personality, of people with auto-immune diseases is the determined suppression of their anger. The emotion of anger has been self-judged to be bad even harmful - it would so "hurt the other person”. In reality, it's that we, ourselves, don't want to be judged or hurt by another. Being rejected is painful and is usually avoided whenever possible. It is safer to go underground and bury the anger in the unconscious mind.

This is what Dr. John Sarno, professor of Clinical Rehabilitation Medicine at New York University School of Medicine says:

” ...it is emotion within the unconscious mind, mainly anger and rage, which is intolerable to the conscious mind and is...repressed. This pressure and rage in the unconscious mind derives from experiences in infancy and childhood, self-imposed pressure, and the reactions to everyday life". As these undesirable feelings struggle to be acknowledged, the conscious mind prevents them from emerging into consciousness by using what he calls "mindbody symptoms" - like the pain and fatigue of fibromyalgia, Lupus or RA - as a diversion . . . This is the same thing as a defense mechanism. In other words: mind-body-spirit symptoms are designed by the mind to focus attention on the body and to prevent dangerous, unpleasant, and unbearable emotions in the unconscious mind from escaping into the conscious mind. He points out that we all harbor anger and rage. This is normal. But with auto-immune diseases, the level of repressed anger and rage becomes excessive.

Picture a nice big, bright, bonfire burning. Now take a wet blanket and throw it over the fire. The once bright fire is now smoldering and starved of oxygen. Blackened smudges occur and eat into the quenched debris. This is what happens when we suppress our anger. A once bright, hot body is now dampened and smoldering underneath the rubble. The smoke eats into what were once bright burning cells and aliveness.

Pain and suppression go together. Here is an exercise to try. When you feel pain coming on, stop. Sit in a chair quietly and think about what it was that you were just angry about. When you get in touch with your anger, especially without judging yourself or being harsh on yourself, your pain will begin to disappear.

Let it be that you break a pattern here of what you feel anger to be, and get in touch with how you respond to your own anger. Accepting your anger, taking responsibility for you anger, without feeling guilty or wrong for experiencing it, is healthy. Practice being real with your feelings in the moment. Above all, honor yourself and not the automatic responses that have put ruts into your mind. Burn brightly instead of smudging. This is a huge step in walking free.

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Rheumatoid Arthritis Help
Stress Relief | Sleep Assistance | Attitude | Emotional Support | Teeth & Mouth Care

Pain Relief | Diet & Nutrition | Nutrition Program
Physical Therapies
Symptoms / Products | Symptoms & Description

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