Need solutions for the medication, medical appliances and/or medical travel that you can't afford? READ EMPOWER Yourself.
A Health Information Management professional, I survived a life-threatening emergency with information that only a person of my professional experience would know. And I’m sharing it!
All in a day's work (mine starts before dawn). Early this morning I sent this message in response to an information request from a USA Today Reporter:
Katy I suggest reading the Coping with Pain section in It's MY Crisis! And I'll Cry If I Need To: EMPOWER Yourself to Cope with a Medical Challenge for solutions that cost less than a few dollars. Some readers have hugged me in gratitude for those "THEY WORK!" ideas (x, y, z and then some!) The e-book and print edition save lots of wear and tear on a reader's nerves, let alone their wallets. Doctors recommend this book for a reason. It's helping people worldwide.
Name: Katy Tomasulo USA Today Category: Biotech and Healthcare Email: Media Outlet: USA Today Deadline: 1:00 PM EST - 11 May
Query:
I am compiling pain management products for an upcoming "Pain Management" magazine published by USA Today. I'm looking for products aimed at relieving chronic pain for all parts of the body, including feet, back, and head. I am only interested in non-drug-related products. These might include but aren't limited to insoles, heating pads, rubs, etc.
Requirements: Please reply to this query with a brief description of the product and, if available, a link to more information. Please do not send attachments as they will not make it through the HARO system. I will contact you for additional information, images, and pricing once we've narrowed down the submissions. Thanks very much!
Here's an informative bit of pain management news for Becker's ASC Reviewand beyond: Surgeons preparing to do corrective surgery on my feet were astounded to learn that I had not been taking any pain killers for the deformity currently messing up my walking abilities. How astounded? The head of the department asked me if I was afraid to reveal how much medication I take, as the situation was affecting my ability to even stand, run or walk! He informed me that most people find the situation unbearably painful.
I assured the doctors that
the pain management tips shared in
have served me well. I literally ate the foods or took the vitamins listed there. They minimized or canceled the pain altogether. The only reason I'd sought the surgical consult is because time and the repeated use of my feet and legs have worn down some of the parts. That caused an awkward gait. I need to walk with greater stability. So, I'm going to have corrective out-patient foot surgery in the foreseeable future.
Pain management specialists, anesthesiologists and nurses can learn quite a bit from the book. So can the average reader. The first time I'd had surgery for the situation was almost a drug-free experience. I simply meditated as the surgeon rearranged the bones and muscles for me. I only needed pain killers to a small degree, near the end. That surprised the staff supporting me.
Many of my real life and cyber acquaintances are in physical pain due to accidents and/or to eating nutrition-challenged "foods" for Easter (candy only looks cute in the box, not in your gut) and Passover (too often overloaded with sugar and eggs, let alone matza). It's a memorable lesson in the harm that sugar and dietary excess can cause to human bodies.
Here are some helpful and quite economical tips from the "Coping with Pain" section of
I was in a freak accident in which my left elbow and ulna (a long, slim bone in the forearm) were broken in multiple locations. I’d been left-handed lifelong.
My disability was significant and my level of pain due to the complicated fracture was too awful to describe here. I took powerful painkillers that only removed a bit of the mega-wattage agony. Doctors in the hospital eventually gave me morphine so I could endure arm-saving surgery.
Physical therapy was a matter of raw courage. I wept through several sessions, struggling to restore the use of my hand, forearm and upper arm. I stopped taking narcotic painkillers over time, fearful of addiction problems from prolonged use.
Then I gradually put together an all-natural pain-reducing plan that worked.
Here’s some potentially helpful information for anyone healing from a bone fracture as I did, or for anyone interested in protecting their bone health.
I minimized the pain by:
· Using my Personal Pain-o-Meter (explained a few paragraphs below)
· Listening to soothing music
· Sitting in cheer-me-up sunshine (which provides Vitamin D for strong teeth and bones) with and without friends
· Basing part of my grocery list on advice from Dr. Neal Barnard’s Foods That Fight Pain book. I bought it after interviewing Dr. Barnard about some of his innovative health-promoting techniques several years ago (I’m still a health writer/journalist for hire, folks).
Shop as I do and you just might feel better after buying from the organic green-grocer and health food store:
Almonds with Raisins (really!)
Beans (soak them for a day, changing water 2-3 times so you won’t develop belly bloat)
Broccoli Capsaicin Cream (a natural remedy made of chili pepper extracts!)
Fresh and powdered Ginger Root
Fresh Figs and/or Fig Jelly
Sweet Potatoes
Vitamin B6 (50-150 mg)
Vitamin E 400 IU
Zinc
I ate the foods in abundance and took the vitamins once daily.
These old standbys also helped me:
· Arnica Montana (a natural remedy that resembles tiny white pills)
· Cuprum Metallicum (a natural remedy that also resembles tiny white pills)
· Rescue Remedy Cream
· Rescue Bach Remedy Drops
· Any bar of soap at all. I have no idea why this folk remedy works, but after I place a bar of soap under a sweatshirt sleeve, under sheets, or upon some other area of sore muscles, the pain reduces noticeably.
Be sure to visit www.NutritionMD.org for more information about the role of nutrition in a variety of diseases and conditions.
Oh – if you or the person you're caring for can't swallow pills, here are some possible solutions to the problem:
Crush the pills. Place them in a plastic sandwich bag and step on them if you lack a pill crushing appliance. Then mix the bits with applesauce. Be sure to shake all the powder into the applesauce, too.
Warm liquid jell-o is another alternative. Pudding works. So does pleasant-tasting yogurt. The idea is to provide a slippery, pleasant-tasting food in the mouth so that the medication will go into the tummy with it. The pleasant taste prevents gag reflex problems. The slippery textures make the swallowing much easier despite the fear of swallowing the pills. And children will be eager for more dessert at medication time. Be sure to remind them that the medicine is not dessert, the pudding, applesauce, jell-o or yogurt perform that yummy job.
Do you suffer from leg cramps that wake you during the night? I sympathize. Here are my suggestions for preventing them:
PREVENT LEG CRAMPS
1. DRINK WATER - dehydration can play a part in leg cramps.
2. Stretch your calves during the day and night, especially before bed.
3. Riding a bicycle is one of the best preventatives, but a stationary bicycle a few minutes in the evening can help, too.
4. Keep your blankets and sheets loose at the foot of the bed to prevent your toes from pointing downward as you sleep.
5. Prolonged sitting, poor or abnormal posture or inefficient biomechanics (possibly related to poor flexibility) may cause leg cramping. Compensate as best you can.
6. Do the "Seaweed Soak": eating seaweed and drinking seaweed previously soaked in water before a meal. Eat, juice or blend good amounts of green leafy vegetables (parsley, squash, Swiss chard, etc.) and carrots, etc. Munch on sesame seeds and even add them to nut milks (e.g., almond milk). These foods hold tremendous amounts of magnesium, calcium, etc. which are very important for muscle comfort and function. You can learn about juicing and making nut milks in books or online.
7. Mix 1 teaspoon organic honey and 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar. Drink it once daily to prevent muscle cramps.
Certain leg stretching exercises can also help.
1. Stand 30 inches from the wall. 2. While keeping your heels on the floor, lean forward, put your hands on the wall, and slowly move your hands up the wall as far as you can reach comfortably. 3. Hold the stretched position for 30 seconds. Release. 4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 two more times. 5. For best results, practice this exercise in the morning, before your evening meal, and before going to bed each night.
Let's shift focus now, to Mind over Matter. Want to know how a Personal Pain-o-Meter works?
My recovery from that severely broken arm (doctors had to install a permanent metal brace under the skin, along my bones, in order to save the arm) had been challenging, to put it politely. I'd wept from awful, awful pain that major painkillers (including morphine) hardly affected. But I learned to cope with the agony by reducing it at will. Now I'm ready to share that technique with you.
Want relief from the physical pain of your medical condition? Try this nifty trick. Turn down the dial on your Personal Pain-o-Meter, a terrific technique that friend/Life Coach Ben Goldfarb taught me. Pain that does not serve a function is pain we can banish at will.
Go on. Create a dial in your mind. Study it. Say the level of your pain out loud: "On a scale from one to ten, ten being the worst level of pain, I have a pain level of... (fill in the blank with a number from 1-10)," then say this out loud, "I can lower my pain. I'm lowering it to (name the ever-lower wattage at each new pain-lowering session)..."
Then do it. Imagine the arrow on your Personal Pain-o-Meter dialing downward. Push it down with your mind. Choose to reduce your pain. Aim for less than half your present pain level.
Try again until you make progress. Yes, I know it's difficult. I do this exercise, too. My physical therapy workouts were not pleasant. C'mon. Try it again.
You can set aside time as often as needed to work at aiming that arrow increasingly down. You'll know you've succeeded when you realize that your discomfort feels significantly less than it felt earlier. Keep spinning that arrow down until your pain is as low as possible.
Ta-daaa, this is your one-step solution for pain reduction:
CHOOSE TO LOWER YOUR PAIN, AND TO REDUCE YOUR SUFFERING.
I rarely blog on Fridays, but I know that they can be the set-up for some truly lousy weekends. Why?
Bigmouths tend to take their best shots for hurting someone's feelings then. Why is a whole 'nuther story.
So I'm blogging today to
improve your chances for a
better today and tomorrow.
Sad about the sickening things people say to or about you? EMPOWER Yourself with this amusing thought:
"I don't care what is
written about me as long
as it isn't true."
Katherine Hepburn
I can't verify that Kate ever said that, but you can adopt the sentiments all the same. Go for the gusto. Live your life with purpose, decency and fun. Let the liars rot in their pickled worldviews. You don't need to.
Let me know if today's post gives you or someone you know emotional pain relief. Some bon mots are just great for emotional and mental health. Guaranteed!
Yes, your medical situation is painful. Heartache, physical pain that medications might not help, fear and, well, fill in the blanks.
You're facing unspeakable misery. But you can survive it. Make staying alive your hobby. Pursue health as much as you can. Pretend to be cheerful until you actually think of something funny or pleasant to say or do.
I have no control over how long you'll live, keep some of your body parts or how well medical intervention will work for you. But I know one thing: you can grab life by the collar, no matter how wispy it seems, and decide "I WANT MORE! I WANT BETTER!" Then make it so.
Behave with dignity. Thank the people trying to help you: aides, nurses, doctors, relatives, friends, strangers and neighbors. Cry as necessary, then commit yourself to coping with the problems you have. Find solutions.
Exercise hurts? Do 5 minutes instead of 10. Eating upsets you? Be sure to swallow basic nutrients and nibble away the rest of whatever's on your plate and tray.
What are you talking about? Aches? Pains? Anger? Disfigurement? Mourning? Anything negative? Does your voice have that "I must have said this 1000s of times already?" drone to it? Improve the sound.
STOP living in the trauma.
Live Your Life!
Look for joyous moments: lovely skylines, a hug, footrub, or lack of complications in some regard. You have a new "Normal." Go for the Gusto as best you can. Seize happiness, maximize pleasures no matter how small or big. FOCUS on them. Say pleasant things so people can hear you. Look for their signs of relief at hearing you speak this way. Share it.
Now, snuggle up in your bed or chair, wherever you may be, and bask in your victory. You're ALIVE, and proud of your behavior. You can repeat it, too.
The future can unfold with richer experiences. Let it. If you wish, share your richer experiences with me at Giveretgolani@gmail.com
The other day I referred to evidence that some foods are not good for long lifespans. They can make you miserable with pain, disease, and sadness you didn't ask for. One of the diseases linked with diet is cancer.
News junkies recently heard and read a lot about famous folks dying of cancer.
But Michael Landon, Patrick Swayze and William Safire aren't the only people who've died of Pancreatic and other forms of Cancer. Everyday people die of it, too.
Disturbing proof points to pancreatic and other cancers that are being caused by ethnic and dietary trends. We mortals hold potential solutions for preventing disease in our minds, hands and mouths.
You don't have to go hungry or feel deprived without your favorite foods. Spend time protecting your health by gradually increasing the fruits, vegetables and whole grains (e.g., oat, quinoa) on your menu. Sprout breads are yummy, filling and body-building. Increase them until they dominate your plate and ultimately replace the stuff that tastes good but isn't good for you.
This bowl of quinoa packs a powerful protein punch.
It's filled with other good nutrients, too. Pour some organic maple syrup on top and savor the flavor.
Save your life with a spoon, knife and fork, and excellent menu planning. Prevent Pancreatic and other forms of Cancer with your plate. Fill it with nourishing foods only. Pack nourishing snacks to take along during hectic days.
That's some grim title on today's blogpost, hmm? But those three phrases are topics that attract some of the busiest cyber traffic at this "Cope with Medical Crisis" blog.
Readers interested in reducing the stress associated with all or only one of those topics will probably benefit many times over when they learn what's in
Turn your worried look into a sigh of relief when you breathe with a smile page after informative page.
Reduce your pain. Learn cutting-edge methods of curing and preventing cancer. Find out about quality, cost-cutting medical care, medication, medical appliances and medical transportation for people with many diagnoses worldwide, all in one publication: EMPOWER Yourself to Cope with a Medical Challenge.
Yocheved Golani Coping with a Medical Crisis? Make the Changes You Need in Your Life
Let's continue a line of thought from yesterday's blogpost and my Self-Help Coaching skills. Cancer and infertility are messing up many lives around the globe. Stricken people are dumbfounded that they could suffer such problems. "After all," they reason, "I took care of myself. Ate well, drank lots of water, just like those natural health counselors advise. Local and national governments have standards for preventing disease in the food and water sytems. I know that what I ate and drank was clean, bug- and germ-free. I even switched from BPA-filled plastic water bottles to aluminum stuff. How could this happen to me???"
The answer is as startling as can be: The government-supervised foods and water you ingested might have been loaded with health-endangering chemicals. Yes, they prevented mold, bug infestations and sewage from seeping into your food and water supply. But how that was arranged seems to be the problem causing rising cancer and infertility rates.
Replace your chemically-laden plastic kitchenware over time as a protective measure. Use health-promoting wood, cast iron, glass, ceramic and porcelain items instead. Glass bottles or genuine glass drinking cups won't fill you with BPA and who-knows-what that might be disclosed in the future. Ceramic mugs are good, too - if they're lead-free. Fill your kitchen cupboards with cutlery and cookware made of natural elements.
And get a water filter!
Need water when you're on the go? Clean out empty glass wine and grape juice bottles and use them in a shoulder-strap water carrier as I do.
Want to improve more of your dietary habits, to increase the chances of better health and/or fertility? Consider reducing thefried and barbecued foodson your menu. They're known to cause problems, too (that's OLD News! ).
There's still a world of scrumptious, body-building menus to enjoy. They can protect and improve your health.
Read this book to know how changing my diet gave doctors pause when they realized I went from suddenly blind to sighted (in full color!) within months of changing my dining habits. My bones, muscles and overall health now rival that of a woman HALF my age. Medical experts are studying my medical miracles and reading the book, too!
The text can soothe you as you learn how to cope with your diagnoses in clear-headed fashion. Jokes and funny remarks from famous people appear throughout the text. They'll make you laugh and smile when you least expect it. The Global Resources section in the back lets you know about how to get help to conceive despite complicated fertility problems, how to get discounts on expensive medication and medical appliances, and much more - no matter the diagnosis you have.
There's a reason that world-famous psychiatrist Dr. Judith Guedalia calls EMPOWER Yourself "Lifesaving, emotionally rewarding, funny & helpful."
Here's a bonus: the manuscript also tells you about foods that fight pain! You can feel MUCH better after reading this book ;^ )
Diet may affect the way a pilot performs on the job... When commercial pilots ate a diet high in carbohydrates or fats, they did significantly better in simulated flight performance than when they ate... full story HERE
Hmm, now why should pilots have all the nutritional power? Everyone functions better with superb nutrition!
Improve YOUR diet with an E-book PACKED with excellent nutritional tips and can-do diet deals. It even informs you about foods that fight pain! Doctors read and recommend:
It's filled with other good nutrients, too. Pour some organic maple syrup on top and savor the flavor.
