Avoid going stir crazy in self isolation with these activities

Roaring at Coronavirus

If you're a high risk individual like me, you're probably sick of Netflix and chilling. The good news is there are plenty of other things you can do while house-bound and even a few things you can do outside the home. You don't have to go stir crazy. You may even have a few things on your to do list you can check off while in forced isolation.

So, what's on that list of yours? If you've been putting off dull household chores like organizing cupboards, re-arranging or repairing things around the house, now you have plenty of time to address them. Likewise, if you're an artist, writer or have another hobby you never have time for, here's your chance to explore your creative side.

Getting out of the house is possible. You just have to avoid people. Spring is nearly here. How about planning your garden or landscaping? On warm days, you could do any needed outdoor repairs. Tackle small painting projects. Or, just sit on the porch, sip lemonade (or a margarita) and watch the crocus bloom.

Speaking of, what if you just want to relax and have fun with your forced time off? The good news is, you can enjoy the great outdoors without the chores. Take a nature walk or just a scenic drive without any worries of contracting anything. Just stay away from highly populated tourist areas and attractions.

You can have plenty of indoor fun too. There's always video games and other tech related entertainment. Or you can do some things you haven't done in a while. Kick it old school with board games, cards, etc. If you have no one to play with, well, ironically, there's always solitaire.

How do you stay in shape? Well, there's those aforementioned nature walks. You could make use of that dusty basketball hoop on the garage. Or, you could check out online or on demand exercise videos. Better yet, crank up the music and go footloose. A little dance session never hurt anyone. Plus, no witnesses.

So, what am I doing during my own personal self isolation? Well, there will be music. If you're lucky, you won't catch me dancing. Nobody needs to see that atrocity. But you might catch me flinging paint at a canvas in wild abandonment or happily tapping out blog posts. In short, I'm having fun with it and so should you.

Bath soaks and other creative methods for detox

There's more than one way to rid your body of harmful toxins and pollutants. Opening pores with delightful bath soaks can really help. Dry brushing is another detoxification method. Whether you believe in toxins or not, they believe in you. Why let them make a home and clog up your system? Eat right, get plenty of exercise and try these detoxification bath soaks along with dry brushing to keep pores free and clear. Here are some detox methods that don't involve fasting or fads.

Flat tummy soak

Rid the body of toxins that trap fat and promote big bellies with this citrus soak. Get bikini ready with orange essential oil in your bath. Just five or six drops helps clear pores so fat trapping toxins exit the body. Combine with crunches and plenty of fluid flushing water for even more tummy flattening power.

Epsom salt soak

Grandma was “spot on” with this one. Epsom salts really do draw toxins and inflammation out of the body to promote healing. Just add a couple cups to the bath and soak those toxins right out of you. Follow up with dry brushing for best results.

What the heck is dry brushing?

Brushing dry skin with a natural bristle brush boosts circulation and frees the skin of dead cells. Dead cells block pores. Pores are the body's natural escape route for toxins. For the detoxification method of dry brushing, work toward the heart. End with a warm shower and cool rinse.

Eating right as detox

Fancy fad cleanses and flushes are completely unnecessary if you eat right to begin with. Avoid food toxins such as pesticides and preservatives that wreak havoc on your system. Get plenty of fiber and antioxidants by eating fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes. All these are natural daily maintenance detox methods.

Sweat it out detox

Toxins are eliminated naturally though sweat glands. Want to pump up the volume on this natural detoxification method? Stay home to work out so you can skip the antiperspirant until the after exercise shower. Sweat glands are concentrated under the arms. Blocking these pores with antiperspirant keeps toxins in. Try the sauna for a good sweat too.

Go organic to detox

The best detoxification method is not to encounter toxins in the first place. Use organic products for personal hygiene and cleaning. Stay away from cigarettes and smokers. Don't abuse drugs and alcohol and try your best to live pollution free.

These homemade toothpastes are fluoride and baking soda free

Are you worried about the dangers of fluoride in your drinking water and dental care products? What can you do? Some of the natural brands are fluoride free. Unfortunately, they still contain our old friend sodium laurel sulfate. What can you do? We all know about brushing with baking soda. Unfortunately, it leaves a lot to be desired in the flavor dept. So, here's some other inexpensive kitchen ingredients that keep teeth white, bright and healthy.

Non-fluoride baking soda brushing alternative

Did you know coconut oil works just as well for cleaning teeth as baking soda? The taste is much easier to take, though. Coconut oil is solid, not runny. It's about the same texture as toothpaste. It seems expensive at around 8.00-20.00 for a 16 oz. jar. That is, until you realize that jar is going to last you longer than several tubes of toothpaste with a lot left over for cooking and such. Simply put some in a separate jar for the bathroom. Add a drop or two of peppermint extract to freshen breath and you're good to go.

Note: Add a bit of hydrogen peroxide for whitening power.

Salt scrubs plaque clean.

I do a routine salt scrub once a week to keep my teeth plaque free. It makes an incredible difference in appearance. If you have issues with plaque build-up, why not give it a try? Simply pour about a teaspoon of salt into your hand. Wet a soft bristled toothbrush. Dip it in the salt. Now, brush away all that nasty plaque without fluoride rinses or strong gels.

Caution: Using salt daily may scrub away tooth enamel along with the plaque. This is a weekly or monthly treatment.

Strawberry/banana peel whitener really works!

Who knew a couple pieces of fruit could whiten teeth so well? We've all heard that rubbing the inside of a banana peel on your teeth whitens like magic. Does it work? You bet. I've tried it myself. I also heard that strawberries whiten teeth. My teeth were dingy from my old soda pop drinking habit. So, I decided to try them together. I mashed a strawberry, spread it on the banana peel and rubbed it on my teeth daily for a couple weeks. Sure enough, by the end of the two weeks, my pop stained teeth were replaced by pearly whites.

Lemon juice for teeth?

We've all heard that citrus is bad for your teeth. You wouldn't want to leave it lingering for long. Still, my grand-daughter says she has a marvelous fluoride free way of keeping her teeth super white. She brushes them weekly with a mixture of baking soda and lemon juice. I know. I said no baking soda. She does admit it tastes awful. So, since the lemon juice is the active ingredient, why not mix it with coconut oil instead? It'll be fluoride free and taste good too.

Please note: The author is not a licensed medical professional. This article is not intended to replace professional dental advice.

Why I still call myself a “Naturally Healthy Grandma”

I think I'm quite healthy, considering I have 4 chronic health issues.

After I wrote that last post, I saw the irony, though. Actually, I always have seen it. I have Lupus, Rheumatoid, Fatty Liver disease and Reynaud's Syndrome. Good heavens! How can I still call myself healthy?

Well, because that's not a literal title, of course. What I mean by that title is that I work on my illnesses with natural methods and in fact, only take man made cures when it's absolutely necessary. Such as when I'm having a flare.

Also, I have to say this, when I compare my health journey to that of friends with similar illnesses who take conventional meds, there is a clear difference.

Each time one of my friends is treated with another “miracle” conventional med, they seem to slide further and further down the health ladder. Whereas, at least my natural “cures” don't make me any sicker than I already am and in most cases, they are an improvement or a relief, even if it's a small one.

So there you go, I am as naturally healthy as one can be when fighting several chronic conditions. I believe that's due to my refusal to take certain recommended prescription medicines that have disastrous side effects and stick to healthier alternatives.

I believe that treating illness naturally is the way to go if you want to extend your life as far as possible. That makes me a Naturally Healthy Grandma. I'm as healthy as one can possibly be when dealing with this. I think I've earned the title.

Surprising cause of my fatty liver disease

Histological section of a murine liver showing severe steatosis. The clear vacuoles would have contained lipid in the living cells, however the histological fixation caused it to be dissolved and hence only empty spaces remain.

I've had the inclination to tell you all about this for a while. In fact, ever since I was diagnosed with fatty liver after an GI ultrasound several years ago. The reason for the ultrasound was that it had recently been discovered that I have had untreated Lupus since I was a young child. The doctors were checking to see what, if any, damage this had done to my system, since I was having some considerable digestive issues.

Their findings came up showing advanced fatty liver disease, which, with a proper diet, can be reversed in most cases. Unfortunately, time has shown that mine is not a reversible case. I've even gone about 95% vegan to no avail. But here's the interesting part.

It seems that my fatty liver was not caused by the Lupus.

Nor do I have a long history of drinking to excess. Now, I did have a short time period where I overindulged in my late 40's for about a year and a half. I was honest with my doctors about that. Still, they don't feel that would have led to the amount of damage done to my liver. Instead, they have determined that the cause of my fatty liver disease is likely my former long term addiction to soda pop.

Yes, you heard me right. Soda pop. I've always loved one particular brand which I won't mention here so as not to cause an uproar or a lawsuit. Anyway, when I worked as assistant manager in a convenience store for 2 years, I drank a lot of it. We were allowed all the free fountain drinks we wanted. And let's face it, double shifts require caffeine sometimes. And once I left, I continued to drink a lot of it, out of habit.

Now folks, fatty liver may not seem like the worst thing that I could have. But trust me, it's no picnic. In fact, it's downright horrendous. I can't flush my liver because my water intake is limited. I tried milk thistle, as well as conventional meds to no avail. Turmeric is a no go because it's too spicy for me to handle.

Not meaning to be graphic but a lot of what I eat comes right back to me. I have to basically under-eat if I want to keep anything down. I also have extreme acid reflux, due to my compromised liver, so when it does come up, it tastes like pure acid and absolutely fries my throat. It's incredibly painful.

Needless to say, I no longer drink soda pop.

I also cannot have a lot of sugar, which worsens the damage. I can't eat spicy food at all. Greasy foods are obviously bad too. I get sick immediately if I do sometimes. Other times, it takes an hour or two before I react.

My meal portions are about half the normal size most of the time. I can't eat past about 4:00. Plus, I'm not ever hungry. Which means that I have to be very cautious, so that I do actually eat something, at least for breakfast and lunch. I have learned that eating dinner invariably equals puking, so that's out.

The docs have told me that at this point, I just have to deal with it. What's worse? If I take conventional prescribed meds for Lupus and my other conditions now, eventually they will destroy my already damaged liver. The doctors, of course, want me to continue taking them, even with the risk. I'm not willing to do that. So I am off all regular meds. I take prednisone for flares but I can't take it regularly. Basically, I'm just trying to control these monsters with diet and lifestyle changes. Some of them work well. Others don't work at all but they do keep things down to a dull roar.

And of course, with Lupus, Rheumatoid and Reynaud's pounding on my door, my fatty liver is not the worst issue I have to deal with.

Anyway, here's the deal. If you drink soda pop, regular or diet, do yourself a favor and get off it. You do not want this miserable life I live. You do not want to constantly watch everything you eat and drink, sometimes to no avail. I cannot stress this enough. You may already have damage and just don't realize it. The symptoms sneak up on you. I never knew until it was too late. But it's not too late for you. 

Please, get off the soda pop now.I wouldn't wish this on anyone.

Lupus water cure update

Folks, I wanted to give this update a little time to be sure I was reporting my symptoms accurately. When I first started drinking a gallon of water a day as a Lupus cure, there were some issues. I've gotten those ironed out now. Not only that, I've been able to stop taking my Lupus maintenance med. Which was prednisone, for anyone who's interested.

Lupus, and/or the prednisone has brought severe, albeit occasional, acid reflux into my life. If you haven't had the pleasure of living with this horrendous monster, I assure you, it's a hundred times more “fun” than you might think. It's not just a tummy ache, folks. I described some of the symptoms in my last post.

My acid reflux symptoms worsened when I started drinking more water. I have ascertained through a ton of research that the reason is that due to the disease and/or prednisone, my kidneys and liver are not functioning properly. I believe that if I continue on with the methods I am using to reverse my illness, the damage to my organs will reverse as well.

Meanwhile, because my liver and kidneys are compromised, they simply can't handle the volume of water suggested in this cure. Ask any doctor and they will tell you that reducing water in patients with digestive organ malfunctions is commonplace treatment.

Therefore, about a week and a half ago, I decreased my water intake to a half gallon a day, which is still more than I was drinking before I started the water cure. I intend to increase that amount gradually as I heal. And I am healing. But how do I know this?

I know this because at the same time that I changed my water intake to a half gallon a day, I also stopped taking the maintenance dose of prednisone that I've been on for over 2 ½ years. And I don't feel any different. In fact, I actually feel better.

The water is working but it may take time. It's not just the water, though. Because at about the same time that I decreased the water, I also increased my determination to go all the way vegan. I have been vegetarian for years and started going vegan a few years back.

I've only had a few pieces of cheese in the past couple weeks. I intend to stop eating it altogether. Cheese was my last non-vegan food. I am a former cheese hound! Unfortunately, dairy products promote the inflammation that I'm battling, so they have to go!

Note: The other changes that helped me greatly were eating/juicing more green leafy vegetables and taking high doses of Vitamin D. Omega 3, B12 and Vitamin C. You see, when your system is sick, you need more than a normal dose because part of the dose goes to heal you and the rest is to sustain your normal functions.

So, as it turns out, at least at this point in my “cure” the cure that helps me most isn't a single change, but a combination of changes. My belief is that by continuing to seek out the issues that caused my Lupus tendencies to surface in the first place and addressing them one by one, I will continue to improve.

And yes, I still have bad days. But each time I address one of these issues, I feel a little better. And that's more than any doctor or conventional medicine has ever done for me. I'll keep you posted!

Note: The author is not a licensed medical professional. This article is in no way intended to replace professional medical consultation. It is the author's personal experience. Results may vary.

Day 2 of the Lupus water cure

So, some interesting things happened yesterday. Gross, but interesting. So, if you're not into gory details and/or feel uncomfortable with TMI illness posts, it's probably better that you don't read on. I mean, I like the page views but I'm not here to ruin your day (or your appetite) for sure.

Let's start with this morning, though. This morning I woke up, looked at my hand and gasped. I've been in a flare zone lately, so my right hand, which is where this all started, eons ago, has been particularly swollen and distorted. But this morning, about ¾ of the swelling was gone.

Now, I'm not one to jump to conclusions and I just started this drink a lot of water thing yesterday. It could be that my flare is simply going away. They do wax and wane like that. However, it's certainly encouraging and worth a mention.

Now for the grossness. I don't want to get too graphic but I spent a lot of time in the restroom yesterday. And yes, some of it was eliminating the overwhelming amount of water I was drinking. However, there were solids too, if you get my drift. It seemed as if I was flushing toxins. If you've ever tried a toxin flush, you know how it goes, right? And that's what it felt like.

And now for the really gross part. Ya, there's more. Along with Lupus meds and Lupus itself, many people have digestive issues in the form of acid reflux. I get it from time to time, although lately, due to green juicing, it hasn't been making an appearance. And thank goodness for that because it's nastier than it sounds.

Oh boy, now here's the really disgusting part. Last night, I ran to the bathroom at about 1:00 am and, sorry, there's no delicate way to say this, to vomit. There was no stopping it. And what came up was particularly strange. It was pure water mixed with a crap ton of stomach acid. The taste it left behind was indescribably horrid. I had to brush my teeth multiple times before it was gone.

I have no idea what this means or what caused it. Maybe my stomach couldn't take the extreme amount of water. Maybe I had excess acid that the water helped cleanse me of, albeit in a backwards manner. I don't really know what to think but I figured that if you're planning on trying this water cure, you would want to know what might possibly occur. Again, I apologize for the graphic details.

So there you go. I'm now starting day 2 with a little less excess everything in my system. Which is, I think, a good thing? Only time will tell. So far this morning, I have guzzled down nearly a quart of water. It's getting a little easier to drink mass quantities, even after just one day.

You see, with Lupus, I don't have much of an appetite, even for water. So that part is a good thing, anyway, even if the cure is a bust. At least I'm drinking more water, which we all should, of course.

I probably won't update you every day, but I thought all the changes were worth a mention, since some of you are trying this and might want to know what lies on the horizon. Today, I'm taking my home-schooled granddaughter on a field trip so I hope this isn't another “cleansing” day. LOL

Wish me luck!