Toxic Home Transformation Summit

Abounding in Hope with Lyme

Lyme Disease, Homeschooling and Faith

Exercise Options for Those With Chronic Illness

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Exercise Options for those with Chronic Illness

When you’re suffering from physical pain and exhaustion the last thing on your mind is to get up and exercise, at least it was for me. Previously, I shared a post about the benefits of exercising when you have Chronic Illness, Why You Should Exercise When You Have Lyme. You can read that later but for now, let’s talk about options for exercising when you’re fatigued, in pain and you don’t have the motivation to stay consistent.

At first, you might think of walking, running or some other form of physical exertion and those might be good options if you’ve recovered and aren’t prone to relapses. These exercises are much more difficult to sustain for those who are suffering from chronic pain and fatigue on a daily basis. Even walking can prove to be exhausting.

Most doctors and health professionals would agree that exercising is absolutely necessary for recovering from any sort of autoimmune disease or chronic health issue.

The important thing to know is that you don’t have to go out and run 5 miles in order to have a successful exercise program and while I am not a specialist in this area, I’d like to share a few options with you to shift your mindset about physical fitness and recovery.

Physical Therapy

Physical Therapy is a great way to slowly get back into an exercise habit. When visiting a physical therapist, the focus would be on rehabilitating an injury or helping a patient rehabilitate after surgery. I have found that you can also go to a physical therapist to recover from chronic illness. It’s important to communicate your needs to your physical therapist so they know how to best assist you and what types of strengthening exercises to give you. They will work with you on proper form and be there to ice or rub away any painful spots afterward.

Personal Trainers

Before you are released from your physical therapist, ask if they know of any personal trainers who specialize in recovery exercise training. If your physical therapist doesn’t know, ask around or do an online search in your community. You might even find someone who will come into your home and continue to guide and assist you as you build up strength and endurance.

Indoor Pool

Swimming is an excellent form of exercise for those with chronic illness. If you can’t tolerate the chlorine in the pool, find a natural saltwater pool. You can build strength and endurance without injury because there is no impact on the body.

Local Fitness Centers and Gyms

Many fitness centers and gyms have personal trainers who can work alongside you to ensure you are using correct form, to teach you how to use the available gym equipment and give you direction for which exercises would be best for you. If your trainer is not familiar with chronic illness or recovery, you must be extra cautious and listen to your body. Never push yourself or exercise beyond your abilities.

Online Videos

If you prefer to work out at home, you can find just about any type of exercise online or on YouTube. If you’re using YouTube, create a playlist for your favorite workout videos so you don’t have to search for them every time. If you have a laptop, HDMI cord, and a Roku device, you can play your YouTube playlist right on your television. If you have a smart TV then you’re all set, just pull up YouTube, find your playlist and get started.

Types of Exercises

The type of exercises you choose will depend on your physical capability and your energy level. Here are some ideas to get you started.

  • Walking
  • Rebounding
  • Stretching
  • Swimming
  • Riding a stationary bike
  • Dancing
  • Physical Therapy Exercises
  • Yoga
  • Tai Chi
  • Pilates
  • Low Impact Cardio
  • Gentle Strength Training
  • Search online for specific exercises for Chronic Illness, Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, Chronic Fatigue or even MS
  • Healthy Moving with Jenn Hoffman

Do you have a favorite way to keep moving,  get those lymphatics draining, to build strength and endurance? Share below and let me know what you have found helpful! If you’re not there yet because you’re still very sick, don’t get discouraged. Do whatever you can, even if that means walking across your living room. I’ve been there and while it can be discouraging, celebrate every achievement, no matter how small.

Why I’m Doing Yoga Even Though I’m a Christian

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Recently, I posted a picture on social media exclaiming that I’ve been doing Yoga 5 days a week and have gotten stronger than I’ve been in years. A sweet friend asked me if I had any problems or felt uncomfortable with the Yoga that I was doing. We are Christians and typically Christians stay away far away from Yoga for reasons I’ll explain in this post.

[Read more…]

What if Your House Was Making You Sick

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What if Your House Was Making you Sick

Have you ever wondered if your house was making you sick? What would you do? It’s certainly not possible to pick up and move every time you discover something unhealthy about your home. Fixing the cause of mold, bacteria or other toxins could cost you thousands of dollars and sometimes, the problems aren’t fixable.

When researching Lyme disease, you’ll read much about making sure your home is a clean and safe place to live. It’s critical to avoid mold and other toxins if you want to heal. It is certainly possible to live a green and chemical free life but what about those things you can’t control, like neighbors spraying toxic chemicals on their yards or farms. Worse yet, what if you have toxins in your home and it isn’t safe?

I’ve shared before that as soon as we moved to our new to us home my health began to decline. Oddly enough, everyone else in my family began to heal more quickly from their tick-borne infections. I discovered that we have a bacteria that comes in from the foundation. We spent thousands of dollars to put in french drains, sump pumps and to seal the basement floor.

Cup with Home is where your story begins.

photo courtesy of Unsplash & @AnnieDowns

Air Conditioning and Mold

Yesterday we had our AC unit inspected and serviced to get ready for the hot temperatures to come! We’ve only lived here in our “older-new” home for two and a half years and we’re slowly but surely getting things repaired and replaced.

We had no idea that when the AC guy came out he would give us such bad news. Not only is our Geothermal AC unit almost older than Methuselah, the bottom is completely rusted out and the whole entire inside is filled with disgusting, gross stuff that could potentially be mold. The inside is made of fiberglass and because the unit is Geothermal, which runs on water, there’s a ton of moisture inside.

My heart sank because I know that wherever moisture resides so does mold. I’m more than a little frustrated, after all, we had three mold inspectors come to specifically check the basement and we paid a home inspector to check the entire house before we purchased it. Each one of them told us there’s no mold! Wouldn’t you think the first place they would check would be the AC unit? Now, it’s entirely possible that what we’re seeing inside the AC unit is not mold but I doubt it and I plan to have it tested.

One percent of the population is highly sensitive to mold. Those are also the individuals who are likely to get sick with Lyme disease. Click To Tweet

I have to take a moment and brag, I have the best husband in the world, just saying! His first response was to call the AC company and get estimates for replacing the unit. He also told me to go ahead and get it checked for mold before they rip that thing out.

Testing for Mold

If you’re looking for where to get good mold tests check out Mycometrics. I’m not an affiliate but have read this is the place to go for mold testing.

Whether we truly have mold or mildew, doesn’t matter. They are both toxic, especially to someone with a sensitivity to it and someone who has been recovering from Lyme disease. Since moving here, my health declined in a big way. I found out last year that I have the MTHFR gene mutation so I don’t detox!

Living in a Toxic Environment

After we moved in I kept smelling something gross. Of course, no one else smelled it but to me it was overwhelming! I’m not even sure how I would describe the smell to you. I often smelled it when it rained or was humid. I began to notice it more when I would leave the house for awhile and come back in. I always call it the “The Granny Maude” smell! I’m sorry if your name is Maude, I don’t mean any offense, I just happen to name inanimate things, like my house and my car. What I’m trying to express is that this is an old smelly house.

Toxic Home Transformation Summit

I diffuse Thieves essential oil, especially on raining days. Whenever we would turn the air conditioning on the smell would get worse but we always thought the AC unit was blowing up the stinky smell from the basement, now we know it was coming from inside the AC unit.

Do you have any idea what it’s like to live in a house you think is killing you or at the least causing your pain and fatigue? It’s pretty much horrible! Sometimes it brings about anxiety and I’m not usually an anxious person. My worst personal experience with anxiety was when I initially got sick with Lyme disease.

Potential for Healing

On one hand, finding out there’s possibly mold in our AC unit is causing me to panic, not to mention panicking over the expense of fixing it. On the other hand, I think I’m relieved to know that I’m not crazy and hopefully, we found the possible cause of my misery! I pray this is the only surprise we’ll have and that once we get the air conditioning system fixed my health will improve.

So here we go, another huge, expensive project hoping it’s the one that will help me to start feeling better! But isn’t that the life of someone who has or has ever had Lyme disease? We’re constantly searching for a way to heal completely and have the best life possible.

Have you experienced any shocking discoveries in your house? Was it something that negatively affected your health? How did you deal with it? If you’ve been treated for chronic Lyme and co-infections, and you’re not getting better, explore the possibilities of mold in either your home, school, or work environment.

My Review of Essential Charms Lava Stone Jewelry

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Lavender fields Review of Essential Oils Lava Stone Jewelry

Recently I was asked to choose any product I wanted from Essential Charms in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely love essential oils and so I knew that anything they had to offer would be easy for me to review. I know what I like, I love jewelry, and because I’m a homeschool mom I need something that will hold up to my lifestyle.

I personally use Young Living Essential Oils on a daily basis. My typical day begins with applying Joy and Progessence Plus Serum. I diffuse Thieves or Christmas Spirit throughout the year. These are my two favorite scents and rather than purchase chemical room air fresheners, I opt for natural essential oils that also kill germs, boost my mood and even benefit my immune system. When I want to wear an oil I’ll sometimes choose Gratitude, Awaken or Stress Away.

Wearing Essential Charms Lava Stone Necklace

Here is how the necklace looks on. I didn’t realize that I was wearing pink in both of the pictures I took of myself. It’s my favorite color and the black chord looks beautiful with pink! It really doesn’t matter whether you’re hanging out at home or going out, this necklace is perfect for every day!

Personal Images Essential Charms Review

Which Item I Chose to Review

When I browsed through the selections from Essential Charms, my attention was immediately drawn towards Nature’s Beauty. Nature’s Beauty is a gorgeous necklace featuring an attractive flower and leaf design with a slight teardrop shape. It’s made from plated sterling silver and finished with a clear “e-coat” layer to prevent against scratches and tarnishing. All of their lava stone jewelry is nickel and lead-free.

I really love the Nature’s Beauty Lava Stone necklace. I think it’s very feminine and unique but also practical. I wasn’t sure I would like the black chord but it is comfortable to wear every day and it also gives this charm a classic look. It’s dressy enough to wear to church or a business meeting but casual enough to wear at home or to the grocery store.

Personal Image Essential Charms Lava Stone Necklace

The first day I wore my necklace I noticed that my locket was hanging open and the lava ball had fallen out. Thankfully, I found the lava ball. The clasp just didn’t want to stay closed and so I took my jewelry pliers and tightened the clasp a bit. This solved the problem and now my locket stays closed. When I contacted Essential Charms about this I was told that sometimes the oils can cause this to happen and to do exactly what I did.

You Should Try One

If you’ve never worn essential oil jewelry with a lava stone, you’re in for a treat. Sometimes applying oils directly to the skin is undesirable and that makes a lava stone perfect for daily oil use. Your oils will also last longer when you use a lava stone because one to two drops of your favorite oil is all you need for 3-5 days. When you apply your oil to the lava stone, remove the stone and place it on a paper towel, drop one or two drops of your favorite essential oil. Let it soak in before placing the lava stone inside the locket. Be sure your clasp is secure and wear your jewelry with style!

Essential Charms sells beautiful earrings, bracelets, and necklaces. You can purchase additional chains and lava balls separately. If you purchase anything be sure to share your picture on Instagram and tag me so I can see what you chose. If you’re interested in Young Living, let me know.

When a Lyme Blogger Finds An Engorged Tick

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Lyme Blogger Finds Engorged Tick - Pinterest

There I was, faced with that moment I never wanted to find myself in. Through groggy eyes, I stared down at my leg in disbelief. An overwhelming feeling of panic came over me as I realized that yes, that really was an engorged tick. I took a deep breath, gathered my thoughts and then went into action. [Read more…]

Healthier Easter Basket Options for Those With Lyme Disease

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Easter is just a hop away (sorry, I couldn’t resist) and when you have Lyme disease it’s super important to stay away from foods that might trigger inflammation as well as foods that might cause Candida. Sugar, food dyes, sugar alcohols, and GMO’s are super important to avoid and not just when you have Lyme disease. They’re just plain old bad for you, so why do we give this stuff to our kids?

I remember the first Easter basket I ever made for my daughter. It was filled with the healthiest treats, for little ones, I could find at the grocery store. When my husband watched as our one year old opened up her basket he began to laugh! He said he had never seen a “healthy” Easter basket before! Well, there’s always a first time for everything right?

Easter Baskets on the Table

Now, to be fair and to be completely transparent, my husband and I don’t always agree on what makes a good Easter basket. He would be the first one to load that thing up with traditional junk and to buy much larger baskets than I do. It’s a good thing he’s not really interested in taking on that job. We have different ideas on what should go in our children’s Easter baskets, and I would rather give them cut veggies and fruit. However, I have always given some traditional favorites but because I also add a lot of non-food fillers as well as healthier treats, the amount of junk they’re getting is pretty small. I’m not completely legalistic when it comes to treats but I try to implement healthy choices the majority of the time.

Nowadays, it’s a lot easier to find healthier treats than it was when my kids were younger, so count your lucky stars! When my kids were all sick with Lyme and in treatment, I had to be super creative to make sure their Easter baskets were Lyme and Mom approved. At any given time a number of us were on sugar- and gluten-free diets. I never allowed for sugar-free treats because of the sugar alcohols, which can contribute to leaky gut.

I’ve put together some ideas for how you can create non-traditional Easter baskets. Hopefully, this list will get your creative juices flowing and you’ll be able to create a fun and healthier Easter basket.

If you’re making an Easter basket for someone in your life who has Lyme disease, try to make their basket fun and enjoyable. Don’t fill their baskets with pain creams and Lyme related things. Sometimes, it’s nice to get away from those things that remind, especially on holidays.

Healthy Easter Basket

Here are some ideas for fun and healthier Easter Baskets.

Fill those baskets with non-food items.

Bubbles, match-box cars, coloring books and crayons, silly putty, flip-flops, sunglasses, toys from the dollar spot, sidewalk chalk, gift cards, a DVD of their favorite movie, Legos, a flashlight, a devotional, hair ties, crochet supplies, paint by number, gel pens, make-up, beach toys, gardening tools and seeds, a stuffed animal, play-do, a water bottle, nail polish, chapstick, a deck of cards, a yo-yo, a new ball, and the list is actually quite endless.

Think about what your child, teen or spouse really loves and build on that.

Try choosing healthier treats.

If you know you can’t get away with not giving candy at all, try some of the healthier candy options. Be sure to read the labels because many times you’ll ingredients like too much sugar or fillers included and you’ll want to skip those. Try to look for coconut sugar, organic cane sugar or honey sweetened items. Here are some of the things we like.

Dark chocolate covered almonds, Dark Chocolate Candy Bar, Justin’s Organic Mini Peanut Butter Cups, Coconut Date Rolls, Gin-Gins Ginger Chews, Coconut Water, Sweet Potato Chips, fruit & veggie sweetened lollipops like these YumEarth Organic Pops and even jelly beans like Surf Sweet.

Make Your Own Treats

Coconut Macaroons from Dr. Axe

Try out these homemade treats from A Whole New Mom

Gluten Free Candy Bars from Alan’s Pantry

Fruit Basket

Why not fill up a beautiful basket with fruit, dark chocolate, and mixed nuts.

With a little creativity, you can make a beautiful Easter basket that’s healthy and fun!

Themed Easter Baskets

How about choosing a themed Easter basket based on your child or loved-ones interests.

Sewing Basket with a sewing kit, new scissors, spring fabric, and buttons.

Gardening Basket with seeds, a small watering can, gardening gloves, a kneeling pad, sunglasses.

Movie Night Easter Basket with popcorn, favorite movies or movie passes to the local theater.

Devotionals, journals, pens, highlighters, journaling paint, and stickers.

Puzzles & Brain Games

Sports basket with a new ball, tickets to a game, a handheld sports game, a sports book or magazine

The Real Meaning of Easter

As you can see, there are hundreds of ideas for creating a fabulous Easter basket that doesn’t set your health back or rot out your child’s teeth. Oh, that reminds me, throw in a new toothbrush and some all natural toothpaste.

Whatever you decide to put into your Easter baskets, don’t forget the real meaning of the season is celebrate the gift of eternal life that Jesus freely gave to us when he died on the cross and was resurrected on that third day!  Happy Easter & Resurrection Day!

Living Out the One Another’s with a Printable

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My recent guest post, Pursuing a Happily Ever Marriage in the Real World has become one of my most popular posts. If you haven’t read it you can find it on Angel Penn’s website here.

Writing a marriage post is not an easy thing to do. It’s probably why I don’t do it very often. Apparently, posts on marriage are very much wanted and quite frankly, I’m overwhelmed with the number of post hits and shares on [Read more…]

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