Annaliese Jade

With fibromyalgia there are a lot of things  I just can’t put into my body without suffering consequences. Even if you don’t have it, you should take a look at this list. I found this information here. Here is a list of food additives:

Safe

-ALGINATE
-ALPHA TOCOPHEROL (Vitamin E)
-ASCORBIC ACID
(Vitamin C)
-BETA-CAROTENE
-CALCIUM PROPIONATE
-CALCIUM STEAROYL LACTYLATE
-CARRAGEENAN
-CITRIC ACID
-DIACYLGLYCEROL
-EDTA
-ERYTHORBIC ACID
-FERROUS GLUCONATE
-FUMARIC ACID
-GELATIN
-GLYCERIN (Glycerol)
-GUMS:  Arabic, Furcelleran, Ghatti, Guar, Karaya, Locust Bean, Xanthan
-HIGH MALTOSE CORN SYRUP
-INULIN
-LACTIC ACID
-LECITHIN
-MALTODEXTRIN
-MONO- and DIGLYCERIDES
-NEOTAME
-OAT FIBER, WHEAT FIBER
-OLIGOFRUCTOSE
-PHOSPHATE SALTS
-PHOSPHORIC ACID
-PHYTOSTEROLS and PHYTOSTANOLS
-POLYSORBATE 60, 65, 80
-POTASSIUM SORBATE
-PROPYLENE GLYCOL ALGINATE
-SODIUM ASCORBATE
-SODIUM CARBOXY-METHYLCELLULOSE (CMC)
-SODIUM CITRATE
-SODIUM PROPIONATE
-SODIUM STEAROYL LACTYLATE
-SORBIC ACID
-SORBITAN MONOSTEARATE
-STARCH and MODIFIED STARCH
-SUCRALOSE
-THIAMIN MONONITRATE
-TRIACETIN (GLYCEROL TRIACETATE)
-VANILLIN, ETHYL VANILLIN
-VEGETABLE OIL STEROL ESTERS

Avoid

-CAFFEINE
-DEXTROSE (CORN SUGAR, GLUCOSE)
-FRUCTOSE
-HYDROGENATATED STARCH HYDROLYSATE
-INVERT SUGAR
-LACTITOL
-MALTITOL
-MANNITOL
-POLYDEXTROSE
-SALATRIM
-SALT
-SUGAR
-TAGATOSE
-XYLITOL

Don’t Eat

-ACESULFAME POTASSIUM

-ARTIFICIAL COLORING:
BLUE 1, BLUE 2,GREEN 3, RED 3, YELLOW 5, YELLOW 6
-ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL FLAVORING

-ASPARTAME (Nutrasweet)
-BENZOIC ACID

-BUTYLATED HYDROXYANISOLE (BHA)
-CARMINE

-CASEIN
-COCHINEAL

-CYCLAMATE
(not legal in U.S.)
-GUM TRAGACANTH

-HIGH-FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP
-HYDROGENATATED STARCH HYDROLYSATE

-HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL
-HVP (HYDROLYZED VEGETABLE PROTEIN)
-LACTOSE
-MSG (MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE)
-MYCOPROTEIN

-OLESTRA (Olean)
-PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL
-POTASSIUM BROMATE
-PROPYL GALLATE
-QUININE

-SACCHARIN

-SODIUM BENZOATE
-SODIUM BISULFITE
-SODIUM CASEINATE

-SODIUM NITRATE
-SODIUM NITRITE

-SORBITOL
-SULFITES

-SULFUR DIOXIDE

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One way I have learned to deal with my fibromyalgia is by changing my cleaning products. This happened accidentally actually. Two summers ago Sania and I watched every episode of ‘Dr. Quinn, Medicine Women‘ It was one of those times when I found myself stuck in bed for a prolonged period. Well, running out of multi purpose cleaner one day got me thinking. What exactly did my great grandmother use to clean her house. I’ve herd it was so spotless, you could eat of f the floor. Not that she would have allowed that! The old methods were better for the environment and you don’t have to smell toxic chemicals while using them. This past year when researching fibromyalgia, I found many of these old fashion, organic cleaning methods are much better for those living with fibromyalgia (and I’m sure everyone else).

There isn’t much to making your own cleaning supplies. I get the kids to help make the supplies and I find it actually makes them want to use them! There are a thousand formulas out there, I keep mine simple. Here are a few of the products I use and the recipes I use them in.

Ingredients:

Grated Soap – I use dove white soap and grate it with a fine cheese grater. I would suggest picking up a used one at a thrift store for using with the soap. Dove seems to be the only soap I can use. Recipes I looked up called for castile soap (which is a natural organic soap). I found this had a sent I wasn’t found of, dried my skin, and left a film on dishes when used for dish soap.

Borax – Found in the laundry isle

Washing Soda – Also found in the laundry isle

Baking soda – Found on baking isle or laundry isle

Lemon Juice – I use the kind in a bottle, but if you want to go more organic, squeezing it yourself is an option.

Rubbing Alcohol

Ammonia – One site listed this as organic, I’m not so sure on this though

Distilled White Vinegar

Recipes:

Dish Soap – using an old dish soap container

-Grated Soap- Fill about 1/5 of your bottle with this

-Hot water- run hot tap water to almost the top of your bottle

-Lemon Juice – about ¼ cup

Dishwasher Detergent – only need a couple of spoonfuls

-1 part borax

-1 part washing soda

If dishes do not come out clean, add grated soap to the mix. It will depend on your water and dish washer

Dishwasher – Use distilled white vinegar where the jet dry would go.

Laundry Detergent – I use about 2 tbsp per load, I have a small machine so you may need a little more

-1 cup borax

-1 cup washing soda

-1 bar grated soap

Fabric Softener – I pour distilled white vinegar into a Downy ball. I fill it to the same line you would with the detergent. If you add your fabric softener in a different way, I’m sure it would work that way also. I have also used the dryer balls or tennis balls in the dryer, things are not as static free and soft with the balls though.

For Whites – Instead of bleach use ammonia. It doesn’t bleach out the colors of your other clothing and your whites nearly sparkle.

Baking  Soda – Use baking soda to absorb grease from clothing (just sprinkle on and let set). To scrub away stubborn stains. In your bath for really silky skin. In your laundry to eliminate foul odder on clothing (works great on urine  soiled clothing from potty training or using cloth diapers).

General Cleaner -

-1 part water

-1 part distilled white vinegar

This works in a spray bottle or in a small bucket for counters, tables, sinks, tubs, floors, ect. I keep a spray bottle for the kitchen and another for the bathroom with this in it. For my bathroom I add a little (about a spoonful) of rubbing alcohol to do the mirrors with.

Glass/Window Cleaner – use in recycled spray bottle

-1 part water

- 1 part distilled white vinegar

- Spoonful of rubbing alcohol

Now I’m in search of good recipes for homemade shampoo and conditioner. Any suggestions?

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Hubby and I had an appointment with a real estate agent this last week end… which we canceled. We did go to look at another rental apartment complex though. This complex was in the absolute most ideal location we could possibly think of. It is next door to our church and the community center where we seem to do everything from homeschool association to dance class. John will be teaching a computer networking class there at about the time we will be moving. It has 50% more room than we have now, good size closets, and a second bathroom. On the down side, it is at the top of our desired price range, we would prefer 3 bedrooms (it only has 2), and storage space (which it really has none of) is an extra $40 a month. Keeping this in mind, location IS our biggest priority. We are a one car family and about 85 to 90% of my driving is to  the community center. Being across the street from our apartment would be a huge bonus.

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My little Annie boo buttons is sick. It’s two a.m. and we are on the couch watching a Strawberry Shortcake video. She is the best sick person I have ever met. She doesn’t complain or even get whiney. Actually she is in kind of a chipper mood when she gets sick. She is congested, coughing, and has a slight fever. She may also have a sore throat and hurting ears. She says she does when I ask, but being three, it’s hard to tell if those are actually symptoms. Well, I guess we will be calling her doctor in the morning.

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I was spending about $200 on prescriptions every month (that’s with insurance)  for fibromyalgia, and I remained very sick spending half of my life in bed. Now, I take vitamins and I feel like a normal person. If you were to buy all of these at the same time from my super market, it would cost you about $30 or $35. Some of these come in 3 month supplies, so the average monthly cost is between $20 and $35. Big savings for our budget, but more importantly my health. I also see a chiropractor, get massages and  get in a little yoga.  Here is what I take:

5-htp

Valerian root

Fish oil x 2

Calcium, magnesium, zinc

B-complex

Multivitim x 2

Here is why…

5-htp and Valerian root help with sleep and the production of serotonin. Often, those with fibromyalgia are diagnosed with sleep apnea. Well, this is actually part of the fibromyalgia. I have gone to the sleep clinics and used the annoying little sleep/breathing machine for several months. Still I wasn’t able to obtain restful sleep. Now I take these two vitamins and I actually feel like I have been asleep when I wake up in the morning. If you still have trouble falling asleep try chamomile tea. I will write about sleep and fibromyalgia in a later post.

Magnesium. Fibromyalgics are low in magnesium inside the muscle tissue, NOT in blood serum. If your doctor test your magnesium levels with a blood test they are not testing the magnesium in your muscles. I do not know how to test magnesium levels in muscle.Try to get at least 600 mg of this in a day.

Calcium, Fibromyalgics are also low in calcium. This makes us prone to breaking bones. I have had a total of 19 breaks. They have happened to me in groupings. Meaning there have only been 4 times that I have broken bones, but generally I break many bones with one incident.Calcium also helps the immune system.

B-complex helps your body absorb some of the other vitamins. If you do not have enough of the B vitamins, you will not absorb some of the other stuff you need. Oh, and like the last two, fibromyalgics are low in them. We have a difficult time absorbing the nutrients we need from food and vitamins in general.

Fish oil contains omega vitamins which help the immune system. People with fibromyalgia have a very week immune system, so double up on this.

Multivitamins, I take two different types. Like I mentioned earlier, fibromyalgics have a hard time absorbing nutrients. Taking 2 helps ensure I get what I need. Most multivitamins are just a little different so I take two different types. One specifically for grown ups and a dose of my kids vitamins when they are taking them. Who says I’m too old for Flintstones?

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None of us have celiac, so why do we eat gluten free? Because gluten sets off fibromyalgia, John and I decided to have the whole family eat gluten free. There are the obvious foods that contain wheat gluten: bread, pasta, bread crumbs, cake. We have also come to realize there are many items that also contain gluten that we originally didn’t consider. So our best strategy is to check labels. A list to of ingredients that may contain wheat can be found here. Many of these ingredient names make it fairly easy to determine they contain wheat, however there are a few tricky ones:

Abyssinian Hard

Amp-Isostearoyl

Barley

Bulgur

Chilton

Couscous

Criped Rice

Dinkle (Spelt)

Disodium Wheatgermamido Peg-2 Sulfosuccinate

Durum

Edible coatings, films, starch

einkorn

emmer

farina

farro

filler

fu

germ

granary

groats

heeng

hing

hordeum vulgare

Kamut

kecap Manis

ketjap manis

maida

malt

macha

matza

matzah

matzo

meringue

meripo 711

Mir

Nishasta

perungayam

roux

rusk

rye

seitan

Semolina

Semolina Triticum

Small Spelt

Spelt (Triticum spelta)

Stearyldimoniumhydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein

Strong Flour

Suet in Packets

Tabbouleh

Tabouli

Teriyaki Sauce

Triticale X triticosecale

Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Flour Lipids

Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Extract

Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil

Udon (wheat noodles)

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Saturdays are busy/lazy days for the Richards’ household. Busy because we are not home for them. Lazy because we mostly sit all day  and visit with friends. We generally go to my friend Elizabeth’s house on Saturday afternoons. She is currently teaching me how to knit. So far I have only made one very wankie sided urr squarish piece of knit work. I will be giving this to Elizabeth to put into a blanket that will be donated to one of the many knitting charities she knits for. I think giving something hand made is a wonderful thing. I love handmade things, I love getting handmade things and giving them. I am generally the type of person that quickly gets rid of anything I am not using, UNLESS it was handmade. I guess it’s my way of being sentimental. Anyway, back to knitting, the plan is to continue knitting a few more of these squares for charity organizations until I get a little better at knitting. Then maybe donate a whole blanket or start doing scarfs for the homeless (and a hat and scarf set for my hubby).  Elizabeth has ensured me it’s ok if the ’squares’ are a little wankie, she can fix them when she puts them into the blanket. So far, I am much faster with the crochet hook than the knitting needle and still prefer it to the knitting needle. I realize these things take time though.

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Like for many families, the month of January leaves ours with shallow pockets. Thankfully for Christmas this last year my mom-in-law gave us a spiffy membership to COSI. Yes, I am talking about that COSI, the #1 science center in the nation (yes, I realize I repeatedly tell my friends this little fact way too many times).

Here is the scenario…

Sunday brunch with multiple sets of friends. A dozen or so kids running around my friend Amanda’s house and my older daughter is invited to a sleepover. Nia is totally hyped about the idea and we sent her on her merry little way. Annie (younger daughter), not so thrilled. So what is a conserving money parent to do. GO TO COSI!!!

This, Annie was thrilled about. She got to pick all of her favorite spots and have total attention of both parents. Oh, and that pricey parking is also deferred on Sunday, kinda. If you opt to park on the street, there is no fee to park downtown on Sundays. The lot is still $5.

Life was all well and good again. At least until bedtime when Annie realized she would be sleeping in her room all alone. Then when she woke up the next morning and realized she would have to walk down the hall to climb into bed with mom and dad, alone. Once more when I got her pre-breakfast water (Nia always does this, and apparently they have some sort of ceremony to it). Then repeatedly till Nia finally came home a little after lunch time.

Nia had a great time at her sleepover though!

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The lease in our apartment is coming to an end. It’s time to decide if we are renewing or if we are moving out. My first thought jumps right to moving out, but there are many considerations before making the final decision. We picked this apartment because it was just a little to small and thought that the tight space would encourage us to save up for a house. Our finances haven’t exactly flowed along the path we were expecting and we really don’t have much saved for a house.  With a little luck we could possible still buy a condo (we have decided we want a condo instead of a house), but would we be able to afford everything we want in our forever home if we buy now. If we don’t buy now, there is a very good chance we will do so next year. So, if we don’t buy, do I really want to put all that effort into moving, if we will probably just move again in another year? If we do buy now, am I willing to settle for less, in order to get what I want sooner? Our church, the girls dance classes, homeschool association, our friends are all about 25 to 30 miles away. That part of town is cheaper to live in, rent an apartment, and buy a house in than where we live now. Decisions, decisions, decisions.

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Monday night I watched Whip it. Loved it! Everyone working on this movie really did their job very well. The actresses in the movie all did fabulous. Whip it was directed by Drew Barrymore, I didn’t know she was directing now. She did a great job making you feel like the story was about the kid next door or happening to your family. The feeling was of an invisible camera crew following a teenage girl around as she experienced the growth of her athletic ability and life in general. The sets… The SETS! They felt so real. It seemed like you were inside a real greasy spoon type diner, not a polished Hollywood version. The main character’s home was very realistic, down to the decorative tea pot and gold, oval picture frame. The main character was Ellen Page, the girl that played Juno. Well if you liked Juno, you will love this also. My wonderful, amazing husband majored in film production, so I watch a lot of movies, a LOT of movies. This is definitely going on my favorites list and I will be searching for more directed by Drew Barrymore.

To see Whip It, I went to one of our family’s favorite places to go in town, Carriage Place Cinema.  They play movies 2 or 3 months after they hit the box office at a reduced price. Monday is their 50 cent night (for parties of 3 or more), so as you can probably guess, we have spent many Monday evenings at Carriage Place.

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