Hello everyone, I hope you all are doing and feeling great.
This is probably the first time I’m posting something not quite related to food but my personal life instead. This is a situation that happened to me a long time ago and that you’ll learn I’m still dealing with. I was around 20 years old when I was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, which later on evolved to “just” Rheumatoid Arthritis. I was a young adult then and if you're going through something similar right now, I do know it's hard to understand and please know my heart is with you.
I still remember the pain, struggle and anger I faced when I was younger, the fact that I had this illness AND that I had to live with it for the rest of my life was just indescribable. I consider myself an active man since I was a teenager, I even played with a National Volleyball team during my junior high time, and so the fact that I had to stop moving, running, jumping or even cancelling a gym membership was just too much for a 20-year-old. All of this was of course a possibility but fortunately didn’t become a reality. I still pray to the universe every day, so this doesn’t happen.
Now, at 37 years old and after many doctors, prescriptions, tons of challenges, mindset changes, remission states and not I can say that I know my body more than ever, that I respect myself more than yesterday and that happiness and food are key to control your RA.
I was living in Mexico when I got to my first remission state call, I remember my doctor’s exact words back then: “Tell me what you are doing and please share it with others”. I cannot express with words how I felt the time he called to let me know my blood was good and that I was officially in a RA remission state. I was happy and extremely proud of myself.
Before we move on, I want you to understand that seeing your doctor, understanding your body and your blood numbers is critical if you’re looking for a life quality improvement, which I’m sure you are.
Now I want to share some tips for you or if know someone with Rheumatoid Arthritis please share this post with them.
Juice. I will always be grateful with those people that introduced me to the juicing world. Go follow Drew Canole, he has great advice on this matter. To me, ginger root helped a lot, this “super food” has anti-inflammatory properties that worked and keep working great with my body.
Eat better. Vegetables, vegetables and vegetables. You know me; I will always encourage you to stay away from canned food, deep fried things, read meat, etc.
Do YOGA. I started to practice yoga because my sister loves it and actually, she was pretty persistent on me to try it out and I’m glad she did. It doesn’t matter if you’re 20 or 70 years old; this workout provides direct maintenance to your joints in a very smooth and efficient way.
Keep track of your numbers. Daniel always says: “if you cannot measure it, you cannot control it”. Go visit your doctor, don’t skip appointments, make all the blood tests you need and save the information, understand it! That way you will be able to make things to improve your health in a daily basis.
No alcohol. I LOVE my chardonnay, a glass of prosseco and don’t get me started on some aperol spritzes but know your limits and talk to your doctor about them.
Be happy. This may sound cheese and/or redundant but being happy and having the right people around you helps a lot. Be positive and surround yourself with the same thing. You have ONE LIFE to live, that’s all I am saying.
What I want to achieve with this post is first to tell you that YOU CAN control these kinds of situations and second, if you suffer from RA please keep on your prescriptions and I encourage you to start a healthier lifestyle, a clear mind and much, MUCH more love in your everyday life.
My husband, Nacho, my closest friends, my mom and sisters have always been there and showed strong support, I truly owe them my sanity (or lack of hahaha!).
And to you, my dear reader I tell you, don’t you dare to let any medical condition take you down, these are just challenges and you are just being challenged BECAUSE YOU KNOW YOU CAN SUCCEED.
I love you.
PS. I encourage you to get involved with the Arthritis Foundation, they have wonderful resources to help people with RA and other auto immune diagnosis.