Iron and Exercise

Adding an iron supplement has certainly helped with feeling better. I am not as cold or apathetic - and am feeling like exercising more. I have ridden my bike 4 times this week for 30 minutes each. Today I actually rode in the highest gear for most of the ride.

I was a bit fatigued yesterday, but am trying to make myself ride anyway. It's not perfect yet, but better.

Additionally, I am drinking a protein shake every morning either before or after the ride. This morning I had 2 Rome apples and cashew nut butter for breakfast and a half a cup of coffee. That flushed my system before the ride and gave me lots of energy. The protein shakes seem to be helping me with muscle recovery that has been such a challenge with dermatomyositis.

Just feeling like exercising is a huge improvement! I was beginning to be concerned about the onset of depression. Exercise is key to keeping my spirits up, but have been fighting it for so long ... just not feeling it.hy

The Biggest Loser - Changing a Person's Belief System

I am not much of a TV watcher - at least not until this last year. My partner watches TV like the average American: 3-4 hours a day. Amazing those statistics. But with muscle recovery being an issue, it has become more of a habit to lie down in the evenings elevating my legs to get the water off and reduce muscle fatigue. And, it has been an interesting year of television.

The Biggest Loser

The most recent show that we have started watching for the first time ever is "The Biggest Loser". With us both being particularly sensitive to this years weight gain and all of the emotional issues associated with rapid weight gain - or chronic weight issues - it is an intriguing show. I didn't realize that it was in it's 16th season already and has grown to include resorts around the country that help people with serious weight issues.

I think what I have liked most so far is that the coaches recognize the emotional baggage that weighs a person down literally to massive weight gain. I like that they are dealing with the emotional issues as part of the bigger picture with an understanding that until you deal with the emotional reasons for weight gain, a person may lose weight, but will eventually put it right back on.

Emotional Baggage/Weight

This has been a year or four of dealing with deep emotional issues in my life that have caused me to have numerous habits and attitudes. Watching this show is making me take a second look at emotional issues associated with the weight gain - other than what I've already blogged about: the dermatomyositis, anemia, sugar, prednisone etc... because ultimately, we emotionally and subconsciously do things to ourselves to sabotage our future depending on our belief system.

Your Belief System Drives You

There is no greater drive than our belief system. Every decision we make is based on our belief system. If it is faulty or been created by a set of false beliefs through misinterpretation of experiences or memories, then it can drive us to destruction. Also, if we have been programmed by those who raised us to have negative attitudes about ourselves, then it is faulty programming - because why should you believe what someone else says about you?

To me the first step in getting well is to begin to appreciate yourself through your eyes only. Sometimes you have to step away from what you have heard about yourself your whole life and create your own image - actually get to know yourself - honestly. Maybe some of the things people have said are true. But maybe, just maybe, they are not. Own the things that are true, and disown the things that are not true.

America is a great place for reinventing oneself. I've done it several times in my short life time. When what people around me were saying did not match what I knew to be true in my heart, I had to find new people to talk to. I've walked away from life long "friends" much the same way we expect an alcoholic or drug addict to walk away from a life style that causes harm. Some times you have to choose what is best for you and negative talk even from people closest to you is not what is best for you.

A New Perspective on Television

It will be interesting to see how the participants of the show this year progress through dealing with the emotional baggage. I'm proud to see them do it and know that it is inspiring others to do the same. Mostly I'm glad that watching TV has not been such a bad thing this year. I've been inspired. Thank you "Biggest Loser."

Anemia - Little known side affects

Since being diagnosed with the dermatomyositis, it's been a challenge to feel good and maintain a steady habit of exercising. I weened myself off prednisone a little over 2 years ago - trying to get the weight gain associated with prednisone under control.

Unfortunately, the prednisone weight did not fall off as my doctors had said it should, and as my friends who had also taken prednisone had said happened to them. In fact, not only did I maintain the weight, I gained more weight.  

Your Immune System

Most people do not realize that proper digestion takes measured amounts of vitamins and minerals. Depending on what you eat, digestion takes more or less of those vitamins and minerals. Additionally, for your immune system to function at its best capacity, your body also needs measured amounts of vitamins and minerals.

The most difficult and sapping item to digest is processed sugar. It requires large amounts of vitamins and minerals, which is why when you are sick, you should avoid sugar so that your immune system can function better to heal you or fight infection.


Based on this premise, a person with an overactive immune system, like myself, can calm the immune system down by eating sugar. Supposition:  If I have high amounts of vitamins and minerals in my body from either taking a multivitamin or eating high quality foods, I find that my immune system is over active and my dermatomyositis gets worse. Similarly, patients with Lupus are cautioned not to eat vegetables with Vitamin K because it make the Lupus, also and autoimmune disorder/disease, more aggravated.

Because of this, and in an attempt to stay off the prednisone, I was eating refined sugar to keep my immune system from being out of control. So I eat a healthy diet, feel my immune system becoming over active, I eat sugar. I try to exercise, but the slow muscle recovery - a side affect of the dermatomyositis - made me minimize my work outs. Over time, I just continued to gain weight. Even though my immune system was being kept in check without meds, I was unwittingly causing other problems.

Benefits of a Blood Test

I recently had a blood test that showed my cholesterol is borderline high, and I'm now pre-diabetic. All the sugar consumption has taken it's toll. I've gained over 50 pounds since my diagnosis 4 1/2 years ago and not been able to get it off. The other interesting thing my blood test showed is that I am anemic. I have been anemic before, but didn't realize how anemia affects your ability and willingness to exercise.

I did some research into anemia and exercise and found that low iron causes an apathy and lethargy in typical and usually active athletes in addition to the average "Joe or Joan". I never knew that and would never have considered that as part of the problem for me not being more active. Yes, the slow muscle recovery is a challenge, but combined with a biochemical reason that my body is resisting exercise has made it even more challenging.

Beets

As I often do, I try to listen to my body about what I need. I had been reviewing the different foods that help with inflammation because inflammation is the primary cause of the problems associated with dermatomyositis. (Inflammation is being recognized more and more as the cause of most diseases - and thereby identifying the foods and activities that cause inflammation as a preventative to inflammation and disease has become more prevalent in preventive health care and disease control.) Beets are an excellent source of iron, a liver detoxifier, and an anti-inflammatory. But what I didn't know is that beets cause the color of your urine to change ... especially if you have difficulty digesting iron!! Eating the beets made a huge difference right away.

I had been having the pre-diabetic and diabetic symptoms of being thirsty, having dry mouth , and having issues with frequent urination. Even though I recognized the symptoms, I refused to believe that I was actually pre-diabetic. No way ... not me. But then I had a rapid weight gain of almost a pound a week for almost 4-6 weeks. I was freaking out. Then I added beets.

The weight gain stopped. I actually lost weight immediately - both the recent weight gain, and started dropping weight I have had on me for the last 6 months. My thirst diminished, and so did the frequent urination. The other positive effects were that my brain fog and fatigue were also reduced. So now beets are a part of my diet almost every day. I continue to have the same benefits and weight continues to come off.

Anemia

The blood test showing the anemia was also an eye opener. And the research about the apathy. I did add an organic iron to my diet, and like the beets, the results are immediate and amazing. I actually feel like exercising and have started back to the gym and riding my bike. I am sleeping less (I was sleeping 10-12 hours a day) and have more energy and less brain fog. I feel like I am finally getting my life back. 

What I've Learned

While I thought that the sugar was a solution, over time, sugar has proven once again to be the killer it is known to be. In moderation a treat is not a bad idea, but not on a daily basis. Because I have been an active and agile athlete and then gone through this phase of not even having the desire to exercise, I can appreciate my good health even more. Of course I have compassion for others who suffer similar experiences, and I hope by blogging that at least one other person can glean some idea that takes them down a road to better health.