Last year, I had the opportunity to work with the Self Care Catalysts to share my story with the world. I wrote a piece on the importance of self care and tracking your accomplishments and it was a big hit with you guys!

I was so happy with that piece, Daily Little Accomplishments + The Self-Care Movement, that I ended up writing a follow up piece, My Favorite Self-Care Activities. Well, shortly after that, I learned that the Self Care Catalysts were looking to team up with bloggers to share another awesome tool for chronic illness warriors! So, I figured I'd better let you all in on the secret that is Health Storylines!

The foods you have in your pantry and fridge may be helping or hindering your brain. Dr. Christopher Calapai DO, a New York City Osteopathic Physician board certified in family and anti-aging medicine explains that the foods we choose have a lot to do with how sharp, attentive, alert, focused, and happy we feel after they are consumed. Certain foods may taste great but could have additives in them that literally cloud our brains and leave us sluggish and dull headed. The opposite is also true. We can eat certain foods and feel a charge of mental energy and focus. We spoke to Dr. Calapai and got a quick list of foods that boost and drain the brain. Which ones will you add and remove from your shopping list?

As a chronic illness warrior, pain is not new to me. Unfortunately, it's a daily nuisance that I have to deal with. On the bright side though, there are plenty of ways that I can distract myself from it!

Of course, I could easily take one of my many prescriptions or use an expensive medical device, but I like to stick to the more natural approach. Personally, I don't like adding anything else to my body if I don't have to, so I often try these seven techniques!

1. Dive into a new world.
Whether it's in a book, a tv show, or a movie, immerse yourself into something new! Find something that you can jump into and leave your world behind. Personally, I enjoy a good book! I tend to get restless while watching a tv screen and I can't help but focus more on the pain or hop around on social media. Of course, if screens are more your thing, then turn one on and let the pain be gone!

2. Find something funny.
While we're on the topic of screens, I figured this would be another helpful tip! According to some, laughter is the best medicine, so you should find something that you know will make you laugh! My husband and I really enjoy Joe Santagato videos, but I won't turn down something with a cute animal either! Whatever your preference is, it's only one search away!

3. Take a nap.
Now, I know this doesn't work for everybody, but it can be an easy way to distract yourself from the pain! Personally, my body fights me anytime I try to take a nap while it's still light outside, but most people don't have that problem. So, put on your pj's and go count some sheep!

4. Challenge yourself mentally.
This isn't necessarily my go to for distracting myself from pain, since it's my go to when I'm board, but it still works! Taking the time to challenge yourself mentally can be a great distraction! And the best part is, you can do it by yourself or with other people! For yourself, you might enjoy word searches, crossword puzzles, sudoko, or solitaire. And if you're with someone, you might enjoy chess or checkers!

5. Work on a big project.
Sometimes all we need to do to get our minds off of something is to put them onto something else. In this case, it's a big project! However, since you're already in pain, I don't recommend any heavy lifting or home renovations. Instead, you can write that novel you've always dreamt about or declutter your closet. Whichever big project you have in mind, get to working on it!

6. Explore meditation.
Although I've never successfully meditated, I can say that attempting to is a great distraction! So whether or not you're successful, just focusing on your breathing can be enough to filter out any thoughts of pain. After taking a stress management class in college, I learned that there of TONS of breathing exercises and meditation techniques. So, just pick one and see if it works!

7. Listen to music.
Whether you're mindlessly singing along or taking the time to digest every lyric, listening to music can be a great distraction! And if you're a multi-tasker, that's even better! You could easily listen to music while working on your big project for double the distraction! And if you really don't know what to do, you could make some new playlists too!

Myth #1: Starve a cold, feed a fever.
Do you starve a cold and feed a fever when you're feeling under the weather? Or is it the other way around? Starving is never the correct answer. When you eat a nutritional, well-balanced diet, many other factors fall in place that keep your body functioning optimally. Dr. Calapai explains that, foods that are rich in nutrients help fight infections and may help to prevent illness. “A wide array of nutrients in foods; some of which we may not even know about, are essential for wellness. When you rely on dietary supplements for good nutrition you may limit your intake to just the known nutritional compounds rather than getting the full benefit of all nutrients available in food.”

Myth #2: Reading in dim light damages your eyesight.
Good news, according to researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, reading in dim light doesn’t lead to permanent eye damage. While it may cause eyestrain and temporary dryness; you can read a menu in a dimly lit restaurant without it causing any long-term impairment. Likewise, the common belief that sitting too close to the TV set will ruin your eyesight is yet another old wives’ tale.

Myth #3: Can’t sleep? Drink warm milk.
Dr. Calapai says that, “today there's no scientific evidence that milk has the slightest impact on drowsiness. Milk does contain the nap-inducing amino acid tryptophan, but only in trace amounts. Eggs and cheese have more, but even an egg and cheese sandwich won't knock you out. However, if a hot-milk nightcap seems to help you catch z's, drink up. A little placebo effect never hurt anyone.”

Myth #4: Cold weather will make you sick.
“In terms of infectious illnesses, germs make you sick, not cold weather itself,” urges Dr. Calapai. To catch a cold you have to come in contact with rhinoviruses and you need to be infected with influenza viruses to contract the flu. Rhinoviruses peak in spring and fall, and influenza viruses peak in the winter. While there isn’t a connection between being chilled and getting sick, cold air may contribute to conditions that lead to illness.

Myth #5: You can catch something sitting on a public toilet seat.
Dr. Calapai says, “our fear of sitting on the average toilet seat (one that isn't visibly soiled) is overblown. There's no question that germs can inhabit the seat, the bulk of the organisms found are basically fecal-borne bacteria. These can include E. coli streptococcus (the bug behind strep throat), or S. aureus (linked to serious skin problems or pneumonia).” He explains that germs are on seat the doesn't mean they’ll make you sick. Your skin acts as a very effective barrier to keep germs out (unless you have an open wound or lesion on your behind). Organisms leading to STD’s such as the herpes virus, HIV, or other sexually transmitted diseases don't survive for long outside the human body, especially not on a cold, hard toilet seat. To infect you, they need to enter either through an open cut or sore or via a mucous membrane (your mouth or rectum, for example), which wouldn't normally come into contact with the seat. Dr. Calalapi states that, “all this makes the odds of infection from just sitting down miniscule.”

Myth #6: Chocolate causes pimples.
“Chocolate per se will not make you break out,” says Dr. Calapai. “In fact, there is little evidence that chocolate or any specific fatty foods will cause acne, but we do know that a high-sugar/high-fat diet can increase sebum production and promote inflammatory responses in the body which can lead to acne,” he clarifies. “Again, although we can’t make a direct connection between acne and foods that are high in sugar and fat, we can say that overindulging in these kinds of food may displace other nutrients that are critical to the skin’s health. Stick to skin friendly foods like fruits and vegetables,” he advises.

Myth #7: Chewing gum sits undigested in your stomach for seven years.
Swallowed gum passes through your digestive tract in a couple of days. Chewing gum is made from gum base, sweeteners, coloring and flavoring. It’s true that your body cannot digest gum given its mixture of elastomers, resins, fats, emulsifiers and waxes, some of which resist your stomach’s digestive juices. However, it doesn’t remain stuck inside you. Dr. Calapai says “your gut just keeps them moving through your system until they come out the other end.”

Myth #8: Excessive hat wearing leads to baldness.
Attention college students and hipsters, your ball caps, knit caps, and fedoras won’t mess with your follicles. Unless you wear hats that are too tight, ripping hair away you can ignore this myth. The X chromosome is the big gene associated with causing baldness not what you choose to wear on your head. Also as the body becomes sensitive to androgens, a male sex hormone, hair loss becomes common.

Myth #9: Swimming after eating is asking for trouble.
Any strenuous exercise is tricky after a big meal, but stomach cramps that lead to death by drowning are misguided. In fact, if you’re set for a long dip, a pre-swim snack is a useful energy boost.

Myth #10: Your urine should be almost clear.
Dark colored urine typically means you’re dehydrated and clear urine may mean you are over hydrated. Urine that is a light yellow indicates a healthy urinary tract with healthy bacteria. According to Dr. Calapai, “normal urine from a healthy, well hydrated person may be very yellow.”

Share this info with your grandparents, parents and anyone else in your life who has imposed these “words of wisdom” on you. They are busted!

We all want to improve ourselves. At times our own bad habits get in the way of the life we truly know we deserve. Scientists have come up with many reasons why we stick to bad habits. Some may be harmless yet annoying while others could be self-sabotaging. Why do we persist? More importantly how can we stop? Dr. Sanam Hafeez, a Manhattan based neuropsychologist, addresses some of the most common habits and why to kick them now!

1. Overspending your way into debt
Money worries can have serious health consequences. In a Rutgers University telephone survey, responders said financial stress contributed to high blood pressure, depression, insomnia, headaches, digestion troubles, aches and pains, ulcers, excessive smoking and drinking, and gaining or losing weight.

As Dr. Hafeez points out, “Getting yourself out of debt is a lot like losing weight. It takes time, can be hard on your ego and your lifestyle, you have to be constantly vigilant, and it's easy to revert back to old habits. But for those who succeed, and many people do, the results are stunning. You'll feel more in control of your life with less stress and fewer worries. They key here is recognizing the problem and not trying to tackle it alone.”

2. Overusing painkillers and sedatives
When not taken properly, long-term habitual use of pain medications can cause more problems than it solves. Using drugs like ibuprofen or aspirin for arthritis or muscle pain can over time increase your risk for ulcers, gastrointestinal bleeding, high blood pressure, and heart attacks. Since these drugs ease pain you may want to keep on taking them, which can lead to addiction.

According to Dr. Hafeez, “New pain-relief strategies can ease muscle, joint, and head pain with fewer pills and side effects. Kicking the sedative and prescription pain pill habit is possible with commitment and support, and once the pill taking has ceased, your body will quickly rebound from their effects. You'll spend less money on medications. You may cut your risk for heart and high blood pressure problems as well as gastrointestinal ulcers and bleeding. You'll also be more alert and enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that you've beaten a drug dependency.”

3. Nail biting (Onychophagia)
Nail biting can happen when stressed or excited, or in times of boredom or inactivity. It can lead to bleeding and even possibly infection. You might be involved in another activity, such as reading, watching television, or talking on the phone, and bite your nails without thinking about it.

Dr. Hafeez says that, “Unfortunately, nail biting is as much a habit as it is a response to anxiety. So there are two parts to stopping it. The first part is breaking the habit. The second part is making sure you control your anxiety.”

4. Stress eating
There are many reasons people turn to food when they experience negative emotions, such as stress, sadness, or boredom. Food can serve as a distraction from life’s realities. Research has also suggested that foods that are high in fat and sugar may actually (temporarily) quiet parts of the brain that create and process negative emotions.

“When a person turns to food as a coping tool, they run the risk of high blood pressure, obesity, hypertension, joint pain and other debilitating health conditions,” explains Dr. Hafeez. She adds, “the ability to draw upon other coping mechanisms such as exercise, deep breathing, counting when stressed or daily meditation can help ease off the need to soothe with food.”

5. Cell phone & social media addiction
Countless hours are wasted on devices meant to make us more productive and connected. Look around a restaurant, a city street, a shopping mall, and people are texting, snapping selfies and posting to social media. “Many people feel anxiety when they notice their cell phone battery running out. Many get physically uneasy at the thought of going hours without checking their cell phone,” says Dr. Hafeez. “This anxiousness is a sign of addiction. I advise gradually challenging yourself to see how you can enjoy a meal, a TV show, or a walk without the need to look at your phone. Start with 30 minutes, then 60 minutes. Then decide to unplug one day per week!”

Today, I went in for my follow up appointment with my Rheumatologist. Unfortunately, it did not go as planned, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me just rewind a little bit.

Earlier this year, my symptoms were quickly getting worse. I couldn't shower without nearly fainting, I couldn't stand up without getting dizzy, and I couldn't walk across my house without using the wall as a form of support. Finally, I had enough of being ignored by doctors, so I forced my Endocrinologist to do extra blood work. That's when everything changed.

Immediately, I was sent for more blood work and my Endocrinologist sent me for a consultation with a Rheumatologist. My original consultation then led to repeat visits. Soon enough, my Rheumatologist had requested a referral for every specialist under the sun. Here's what I learned:

• After my original appointment, it was confirmed that I had Fibromyalgia and CREST. 
• After two sleep studies, it was confirmed that I had Sleep Apnea. 
• After a visit to my usual doctor, it was confirmed that I had IBS. 
• After a normal barium swallow test, it was unclear what was causing my acid reflux. 
• After a pulmonary function test, it was confirmed that I had lung restriction. 
• After the CT scan of my chest, I was told that I had lung nodules. 
• After an abnormal echocardiogram, I was sent to see a cardiologist who then diagnosed me with pulmonary hypertension and scheduled a right heart catheterization, which I wrote about here. 
• After an evoked potential test, I was told that I did not have MS, which meant I did in fact, have Lupus. 
• After a visit to an ENT, it was confirmed that I had Chronic Sinusitis and Chronic Tonsillitis. 

This just kept adding up. Visit after visit, I was scheduled for another test and sent home with a new prescription. I would do everything that was requested of me and crossed my fingers that it would make a difference. Of course, none of it did.

After a few more follow ups, it came time for another CT of my chest. My Rheumatologist wanted to keep an eye on my lung nodules and so did I. The only problem was, my appointment to go over the results of the scan weren't for another month or so.

At that appointment, I was a train wreck. My anxiety was through the roof and I couldn't help but panic. Just the thought of being diagnosed with Cancer was killing me. However, my technician informed me that my results would go online within a week and I could view them myself.

I waited the week and was stressed beyond the norm. So much so, that I was checking my online portal every couple hours, every single day. Until, the report finally showed up.

As soon as I read, "No new masses are identified. The trachea and major central bronchi are patent. Neither hilar nor mediastinal lymph nodes are enlarged." I could breath again. Of course, I wasn't 100% sure what I was reading, but no new masses and no enlarged lymph nodes sounded pretty good!

Then a couple weeks ago, I went in for my eye toxicity test. It's mandatory that I have one every six months since eye toxicity is a possible side effect from my Lupus medication. Based on the last test, I figured it would take about 30 minutes and the doctor would give me the all clear! Of course, that's not how it happened.

This appointment lasted TWO hours! My prescription had changed again and we couldn't find one that worked. Everything was blurry. Then he performed the eye toxicity test and he had to keep double checking everything. He asked me a bunch of questions he's never asked me before and he definitely did not give me the all clear. He wouldn't even tell me anything. Instead, he scheduled me for two more in-depth tests as soon as he could.

Now, I'm sure you're wondering what this has to do with kids, but I promise I'll come full circle in a minute! 

How do brain activities play a role in strengthening the brain?
Dr. Hafeez explains that just like physical exercise, brain exercises strengthen and keep the mind agile and active. “You have a cognitive reserve, a finite amount of memory, problem solving and visual motor even verbal reasoning skills that declines over time. The more you engage your brain, the longer you can hold on to your cognitive reserve,” explains Dr. Hafeez.