Wots her name again?

What Not To Say To Someone with A Chronic Condition

2023-02-27T00:00:00.004-08:00

What Not To Say To Someone With Lupus - Wots Her Name Again?

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Lee-Anne x

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Seeking Guest Writing Opportunities

2023-02-23T16:51:00.005-08:00

https://wotshernameagain.uk

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Lee-Anne x

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WANTED: Guest Post for Wots Her Name Again?

2023-02-23T16:11:00.003-08:00

Sky Jump In Memory Of Sandra Weise-Blake for LUPUS UK

2023-02-23T13:21:00.006-08:00

Sky Jump In Memory Of Sandra Weise-Blake For LUPUS UK (wotshernameagain.uk)

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Lee-Anne x

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Selena Gomez Responds To Harsh Body-Shaming Comments: My Thoughts

2023-02-20T07:38:00.008-08:00

Wots Her Name Again? Blogger Meet-Up

2023-02-19T20:07:00.004-08:00

Wots Her Name Again? Photoshoot Sign Up

2023-02-19T18:42:00.005-08:00

Seeking a photographer and make-up artist that is affordable in southeast London

for a street-style shoot.

Intrested?

Please fill out the form below

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Lee-Anne x

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Electric Lunch Box Review

2023-02-13T07:32:00.005-08:00

Taking a Break Before The Breakdown

2023-02-12T04:30:00.002-08:00

What Does A Good Work Life Balance Look Like?

2023-02-05T04:00:00.002-08:00

Don't have time to read? Let's get Audible

2023-01-29T13:29:00.001-08:00

Whenever I am burnt out, walking Sassy-Love in the park, weather permitting or taking the long drive to Wiltshire to visit my Nana, I turn to audiobooks as a familiar comfort. As a self-proclaimed audiobook girlie, I've spent hundreds of hours listening to some of the most, in my opinion, fantastic authors. My reading or listening tastes are varied at best, but hey, I love what I love, and I especially love that I'm always discovering something new to get into.

Many of the books I tend to read were based on movies or tv shows I have previously watched, such as The Colour Purple by Alice Walker or Trainspotting. Or books I had read when I was much younger and probably didn't understand, like The Colour Purple.

Sometimes I want to read something rachet like Confessions of a Video Vixen by Karrine Steffans, which I also read when I was younger solely to find out what famous names were dropped.

In high insight, I didn't understand the traumatic life of the troubled girlhood of this woman who lived through abuse, drugs, and rape and lived as a teenage runaway.

Whether you're gearing up to take a nine-hour plane flight to your next exotic destination or seeking a compelling tale to listen to while you do your spring cleaning, I've got you covered. But if you are unsure if my tastes are for you, feel free to judge a book by its narrator— all of whom have 10/10 stars in my book.

My most recent indulgence is Interview with a vampire, which is a part of The Vampire Chronicles, written by Anne Rice, following the release of the Interview With A Vampire TV series which I still have yet to watch.

I did watch the Interview with A Vampire movie when I was younger and The Queen of the Damned starring the late Aliyah, but I had no idea that The Vampire Chronicles series had so many titles containing rich, interesting characters. Once I am finished with Interview With The Vampire, I'm looking forward to jumping onto the following:

I know that looks like quite a reading list, and I by no means intend to binge-listen to all of them in one; I will most likely alternate with some of the other titles in my wish list, such as:

Here are a few titles I previously listened to and enjoyed

How Does Audible Work?

You start an Audible membership with a comfortable 30-day free trial with 1 free audiobook.

Once your 30-day trial ends, you will begin paying the subscription fee of approximately £7.99/month; at that point, you can officially call yourself an Amazon Audible subscriber :).

You can use each credit to purchase one audiobook at a 1 credit. That means an audiobook will cost you 1 credit no matter which audiobook you choose and the tag price of the audiobook you pick.

Audible Trial

Trying out the trial is a no-brainer since you can simply cancel and you get o keep the audiobook!

Let’s be honest here; even if you don’t want the membership, that’s the equivalent of getting ab audiobook for free!

Just be sure to remember to cancel the membership before the 30 days.

I definitely recommend you give it a try because there is no downside.

Click here to start your Audible Trial today!

❖

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Lee-Anne x

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The Introverts Guide To Having A Social Life

2023-01-29T04:00:00.002-08:00

New Year check-in and 40/40 BUCKET LIST update

2023-01-27T09:10:00.001-08:00

I'm not one for making New Year's resolutions, ok I'm lying; I love making them, but last year I chose to make a 40/40 Bucket list; instead, I promised to be kinder to myself this year.

So far, I'm mindful of my bucket list, as I haven't done anything officially.

The main reason I published my 40/40 bucket list was to keep myself accountable, so I should update monthly and let my followers vote on what item I should complete if I have to do anything that month.

Going back to my promise to be kind to myself, My health and fitness are something I definitely need to take as a main priority. While I can avoid looking at the scales, it is becoming harder and harder to ignore the effects I see in daily life.

I'm not a fan of going to the gym during warmer times, but I grew to love my walks with Sassy-Love. I have been discussing taking regular Yoga or Pilates classes; however, with my recent Lupus involvement, I have been advised not to rush into anything. It is also essential to be sure that the instructor for whatever discipline I choose has experience working with people with conditions involving joint pain and muscle issues.

While I'm not in a position to jump and do anything physical, I can put more thought and effort into picking and preparing the best fuel to put into my body.

With my lifestyle (or lack thereof), I think meal prepping is the best thing for me, so I'm trying to find the best way to make it work for me, i.e. preparing my meals myself or using some kind of service to provide the meals myself even though I can't bare to think of how much that would cost.

I may have told a cheeky lie earlier in this post.

I actually have completed or started some points on my bucket list.

10/21. Achieve my Ideal Weight/Pay attention to health, which aligns with my promise to be kind to myself. While this hasn't officially started, I have started putting serious thought into enough so that I checked out the NHS BMI healthy weight calculator, which gave me a BMI of 32, which lets me know that I need to do some serious work to get me to a Healthy weight range for my height.

25. Charity Skydive for Lupus UK Deposit has been paid, and the date is in the diary 1/6/2023, Mumsies Birthday) My go fund page is also live, and I have already raised £170, but I am away from my target amount, so please look at the page and donate what you can to a great cause.

26. Mani-Pedi or facial at least once a month: Luckily, where I work, there is a student salon that I have yet to utilise, but that has not changed because today I booked my first of many regular Mani Pedi appointments. be ready for loads of Clackity clack. The bad bitch is back posts.

What were your New Year's resolutions, and have you been able to stick to them?

❖

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Lee-Anne x

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18 Simple Ways to Practice Self-Care on Tough Health Days

2023-01-23T14:11:00.007-08:00

Practising self-care is crucial for everyone, even more so if you live with chronic or mental illness. Finding time to look after yourself and nourish your body and mind is often challenging but always essential. Doing so regularly will hopefully help you manage physical or mental health conditions.

Check out these simple things you can do to practice self-care.

1. Keep a list of accomplishments for each day to help you reflect on what you should feel proud of. If getting out of bed that day was difficult, it was an accomplishment. It is down in what we haven't done that day, but we should focus on what we did well.

2. Tidy, clean, or reorganize a drawer, cupboard, space, etc. Getting something organized can feel therapeutic, and it could be something small like a drawer in your desk, the clothes in your wardrobe or your whole spare room at home. Just take your time and don't overdo it. You should feel accomplished and have a sense of control after finishing.

3. Schedule a regular phone call with a friend or family to catch up and chat about whatever comes to mind. A weekly half-hour phone conversation with a friend can help combat feelings of loneliness and stress, and in our busy world, it can sometimes feel challenging to keep up with and in touch with those we love. Making it part of your routine can help, and you should start looking forward to it.

4. Have a duvet day. Grab your duvet, snacks and drinks and snuggle into the sofa with books, DVDs and a cuddly toy or your other half.

5. Take a bath. I love a good bubble bath, but I also like an Epsom salt bath or Natural Dead Sea Bath Salts to help me relax and recharge. Lighting some candles and putting on some relaxing music while you relax should help, too.

6. Fix a minor annoyance at home that's been bugging you, such as a missing button, a broken door handle, a light bulb that's gone, a picture that needs hanging, etc.

7. Try meditation. It can help you feel back in touch with yourself and ease stress.

8. Unplug yourself for an hour or even a day. Switch off phones, computers, the TV, social media, etc.

9. While we're on social media, edit your feeds on Facebook and Instagram, for example, and take out any negative people or sources. If you don't want to unfriend, unfollow, or delete them, you can hide their posts from showing up on your feed.

10. Consider removing Toxic Friendships/Relationships or energy stealers from your life. They're not good for your mental or physical health; even if they're family, you shouldn't feel bad about removing them from your life or limiting contact for your health and well-being. Life is too short of having people who bring you down in your life.

11. Try a massage. You could go to a masseuse, ask your other half to give you a leg or back massage or even have a go on yourself. YouTube has helpful videos on giving a hand, neck, head, leg and feet massages which you could do yourself. They can be super de-stressing, help you get ready for sleep and feel rejuvenated.

12. Read a book. Reading is well known to be relaxing and an escape from reality.

13. There isn't a mood that music can't elevate; make a playlist of songs that motivate you and give positive vibes and play it when you're feeling particularly low, stressed out or in need of some good tunes. Good singing or even boogieing can raise feel-good chemical levels and lift spirits.

14. Give yoga a go. Just like meditation, it can be suitable for stress levels and even be practised in the comfort of your home if you don't feel ready to take a class; YouTube has helpful videos To help you ease into it.

15. Try cooking a new meal. Something healthy and wholesome. Pick up a cookbook or check out youtube for some tasty tutorials online. It's essential to give your body what it needs and eat well. If you take time to prepare something, your body will thank you for it.

16. Find something that makes you laugh: a comic series, your favourite TV show or even some old photos and memories. Laughing is a potent mechanism.

17. Do something crafty. Make a card for an upcoming friend's birthday, create a pin board or Vision Board, or take a look at Pinterest; there's bound to be something for everyone or visit a hobby/craft store for inspiration.

18. Light a candle and some essential oils or fragrances, and relax.

Is there anything else you would add to this list?

Please share in the comments below.

❖

Love Life |Love Health | Love Beauty| Love Creativity

Lee-Anne x

Why not check my social media networks

And, of course, Instagram.

40/40 BUCKET LIST Embracing 40 Sassy, Classy Fabulous and always tired

2022-11-27T16:26:00.013-08:00

Well, my birthday is officially over, but this post needed to go up as I want to start this next chapter as I mean to go on.

Not going to lie; I wasn't excited bout turning Forty as they were so many things I thought I would have accomplished by now.

However, putting together this list helped me realise how much I have accomplished, and as for the stuff I haven't done yet, in the words of the late great Jeanie, "it ain't over till it's over."

And that's what a bucket list is for, right?

Here is the plan…

Below is forty things I want to accomplish this year. Will I do it??

Let's see

Shouts out to everyone that made suggestions on my socials. Now I just need you to help make sure I do them ALL.

1. Do a Boudoir Photo Shoot

2. Relax in a Sensory Deprivation Tank

3. Have No Credit Card Debt

4. Make a Will

5. Eat at a Michelin 3-star Restaurant

6. Get a Tattoo

7. Do a Random Act of Kindness once a month

8. Volunteer at Lupus UK

9. Write a Letter to My Future Self

10. Achieve my Ideal Weight

11. Stop smoking

12. Take a Yoga Class

13. Fly First Class

14. Sleep in a Capsule Hotel

15. Join and travel with a travel group

16. See the Eiffel Tower Glitter at Night | France

17. Visit Stonehenge

18. Go to Amsterdam

19. Try 40 new dishes

20. Walk 40 mins a day

21. Pay attention to health

22. Colon cleanse

23. Book your 41st birthday trip

24. Do something creative once a month, i.e. visit a gallery, play or workshop

25. Charity Skydive for Lupus UK

26. Mani-Pedi or facial at least once a month

27. Go on a hot air balloon

28. Create another stream of income

29. Have tea at the Ritz

30. Cocktail-making class

31. Susi making class

32. Do something new in the flat

33. Pay off my watch

34. Go on a holiday with Sassy

35. Get a complete makeover

36. Go on a blind date!

37. Create your dream home

38. Tell at least 10 people about your bucket list and encourage them to join you!

39. Go on a meditation retreat

40. Get closure on any past unhappiness

41. Document my journey on my blog

Thank everyone for the birthday pressies, social media shout-outs, texts, WhatsApp messages and good wishes. I love you all, and you all made me feel super loved.

❖

Love Life |Love Health | Love Beauty| Love Creativity

Lee-Anne x

Why not check my social media networks

And, of course, Instagram.

Is it Ok To Not Have Your Sh*t Together In Your Late Thirties?

2022-01-19T02:00:00.004-08:00

Lupus Flares: Recognizing one, triggers, and prevention

2021-08-17T04:24:00.004-07:00

Prednisolone what is it? What are the effects?

2021-08-09T03:49:00.002-07:00

Any Luppie or anyone dealing with a chronic condition is likely to have a love hate relationship with Prednisolone.

I thought it would be a good idea to do a little research into this drug that I have been taking on and off for over a decade and write this blog post in the hopes that it could help anyone that has been newly diagnosed or even the friends and family of a person with a chronic condition in order for them to provide support

Photo by Klaus Nielsen from Pexels

What is Prednisolone?

Prednisolone is a synthetic form of a natural substance (corticosteroid hormone) produced by the adrenal glands and used to treat arthritis, blood problems, immune system diseases, skin and eye diseases, respiratory diseases, cancer, and allergies. It reduces the immune system's response to various diseases to relieve symptoms such as pain, swelling, and allergic reactions.

How to use oral Prednisolone?

• Take this medication by mouth, food, or milk exactly as directed by your doctor to avoid indigestion. Dosing with a special measuring device/spoon.

• Do not use homemade spoons because you will not get the correct dosage.

• Liquid prednisone has many brands, advantages, and forms. Please read the dosage instructions for each product carefully, as the dosage of prednisolone varies from product to product. See also the precautions and storage section. Follow the dosage plan carefully.

• The dose and duration of treatment will depend on your health and response to treatment.

Photo by uncoveredlens from Pexels

Side Effects

You may experience

• Nausea

• Heartburn

• Headache

• Dizziness

• Menstrual cycle changes

• Sleep disturbance

• Increased sweating

• Acne

If these effects persist or worsen, please tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible. Remember, your doctor prescribed this medicine because they found it to be good for you.

Infections: Many people who take this drug do not experience serious side effects. Because this drug weakens the immune system, it reduces your ability to fight infections. This increases your chances of getting serious (rarely fatal) infections or developing a certain type of infection. If you have any signs of infection (such as cough, sore throat, fever, chills), please tell your doctor immediately.

Yeast Infections: Long-term or repeated use of this drug can cause thrush or yeast infections. If you notice white spots in your mouth or changes in vaginal discharge, consult a doctor.

Blood Sugar Level: In rare cases, this drug can increase blood sugar levels, which can cause or worsen diabetes. If you have symptoms of high blood sugar, please tell your doctor immediately. For example, your doctor may need to adjust your diabetes medication, exercise plan, or diet.

Serious Side Effects

If you experience any of these unlikely but serious side effects, please tell your doctor immediately:

• Abnormal tiredness

• Swollen ankles/foot

• Abnormal weight gain

• Blurred vision

• Easy bruising/bleeding

• Facial swelling

• Abnormal hair growth

• Mental Mood swings/changes (depression, mood swings, agitation)

• Muscle weakness/pain

• Thinning of the skin

• Slow wound healing

• Bone pain

• Chest Pain

• Cramps

• Gastric/intestinal bleeding symptoms (such as stomach/stomach pain, black stool/tar, ground-like Vomiting)

Severe Allergic Reactions

Very severe allergic reactions to this drug are rare. However, if you experience symptoms of a severe allergic reaction such as skin rash, seek medical help immediately. Itching/swelling (especially face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, shortness of breath.

Does Prednisolone interact with other drugs you are taking?

Drug interactions can change the way drugs work or increase the risk of serious side effects. Keep a list of all products you use and tell your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop or change the dosage of any medicine without the approval of your doctor.

Some products that may interact with this drug are aldesleukin, other drugs that weaken the immune system, such as azathioprine, cyclosporine, cancer chemotherapy, and mifepristone, which may cause bleeding/bruising. Drugs (including antiplatelet drugs such as clopidogrel, "blood thinners" such as dabigatran/warfarin, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin/celecoxib/ibuprofen) interact with it.

Other products such as estrogen, azole antifungal drugs, rifamycin, St. John's wort, can affect the removal of prednisolone from the body will affect the effects of prednisolone. For more information, please consult your doctor or pharmacist.

This product will affect certain laboratory tests (such as skin tests). Make sure that the laboratory staff and all your doctors know that you are taking this medication.

Have you ever had to take Prednisolone?

How did it effect you?

Please comment below

❖

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Lee-Anne x

Why not check my social media networks

And, of course, Instagram.

Cyclophosphamide: What is it? What are the effects, and how to get through them?

2021-08-05T08:01:00.004-07:00

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

I recently went through s cycle of Cyclophosphamide and was thoroughly surprised about how I was effected by the side effects, which unfortunately was not made aware of by my medical professionals.

Even though I have yet to see the benefits of the treatments, they can take up to three months before they can be noticed I thought it would be helpful for me to write to help anyone who is currently having or considering the treatment along with some tips

Photo by Thirdman from Pexels

What is Cyclophosphamide?

Cyclophosphamide is a chemotherapy drug that is often used to treat various types of cancer and certain types of kidney disease in children after the failure of other treatments.

Side effects of cyclophosphamide can include:

Nausea

Vomiting

Loss of appetite

Stomach pain

Diarrhoea

Hair loss

Darkened skin/nails.

Nausea and vomiting can be severe. It may be necessary to prevent or relieve nausea and vomiting. Dietary changes, such as eating smaller meals or restricting activities, can help reduce some of these effects. If these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor immediately.

Temporary hair loss may occur. Hair can grow back after the treatment is over or even during the treatment. However, the new hair can be of a different colour or texture.

Serious Side Effects

The drug may have serious side effects. However, your doctor has prescribed this medicine for you, because they believe that the benefits to you outweigh the risks of side effects. Close monitoring by a doctor can reduce your risk. If you have serious side effects, including the following signs then seek medical help.

Kidney or bladder problems (such as changes in urine output, pink/haematuria)
Mouth ulcers
Joint pain
Menstrual interruptions
Existing wounds and slow healing
Black/bloody stools
Heavy abdomen /Abdominal pain
Yellow eyes or skin
Dark urine
Mood swings
Muscle weakness/spasm.

In rare cases, this drug can have a very serious effect on the heart, especially when used in high doses or combined with radiation therapy or other chemotherapy drugs (such as doxorubicin).

Seek immediate medical attention if you experience the following conditions: chest pain, jaw/left arm pain, shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat, heart failure symptoms (such as shortness of breath, ankle/foot swelling, abnormal tiredness, abnormal/sudden weight).

Anaemia: This drug reduces bone marrow function, which causes a decrease in the number of blood cells, such as red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. This effect can cause anaemia, reduce the body's ability to fight infection, or cause bruising.

Infertility: This medication usually causes temporary infertility, but in some cases, it may be permanent. Please contact your doctor for more information.

Other cancers: Although Cyclophosphamide is used to treat cancer; some patients may have an increased risk of developing another cancer months or years after treatment. Please contact your doctor for more information. It is very important to receive strict medical supervision during treatment.

Abnormal Lumps: You should also see a doctor regularly even if the treatment is over. If you experience any abnormal bumps or lumps, swollen glands, sudden or unexplained weight loss, night sweats, pelvic pain, or frequent urination, please tell your doctor immediately.

Allergies: Very severe allergic reactions to this drug are rare. If you experience symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, including rash, itching/swelling (especially face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, and difficulty breathing, please contact your doctor immediately.

Does Cyclophosphamide interact with other drugs you are taking?

Before taking cyclophosphamide, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it or any other chemotherapy drugs (such as busulfan, chlorambucil).

Some products that interact with cyclophosphamide drugs include chloramphenicol, chloroquine, allopurinol, digoxin, phenobarbital, phenothiazine’s, nalidixic acid, primidone, voclosporin, St John's wort, turmeric (curcumin).

How to get through the side effects?

Photo by SHVETS production from Pexels

Take Rest

Fatigue is the most common side effect of cancer patients, especially those receiving chemotherapy. Therefore, even if you feel good, rest and avoid overwork. Now is the time to return to normal energy levels. Remember, you can ask for help.

Photo by Ecuen Images from Pexels

Stay Hydrated

Diarrhoea, vomiting, and other side effects of chemotherapy can cause dehydration. It has low energy, but it can also cause other health problems. Make sure to drink plenty of water during treatment. Caffeine-free tea, juice, and milk can also help. If you cannot get enough fluids or stay hydrated, please consult your doctor.

Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

Eat when you can

Chemotherapy can cause nausea and loss of appetite, so it is important to eat as much as possible to avoid malnutrition. Please note that during the treatment, many foods will taste differently. In some patients, food may have a metallic taste during and after chemotherapy. Create a sense of normalcy in your daily life. If possible, stick to your daily routine. Small things like dressing or eating with family every day. These rituals will help you stop thinking about cancer. Contact your support staff and nursing staff during treatment.

Photo by Lisa from Pexels

Make Yourself Comfortable

Chemotherapy is difficult. Therefore, please seek support from your family, friends, and caretakers. The doctors and nurses will do their best to make you feel comfortable. However, you must ask questions and express your concerns so that they can help. Your favourite blanket, delicious snack, your best friend, a good book, or anything else that makes you feel more comfortable and keeps you busy while you wait.

Photo by Anna Tis from Pexels

Nausea and Vomiting

Nausea and vomiting are usually manageable. Before each chemotherapy cycle, you will receive oral or intravenous medications to treat the disease, and you will get some painkillers to take home.

Photo by Thaís Lima from Pexels

Hair Loss

Most cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy will experience baldness, which usually starts 7 to 21 days after the first treatment. Some people gradually lose their hair, and some people have large strands on their pillows when they wake up, but hair loss depends on the type and dosage of chemotherapy you will receive. Before starting treatment, discuss with your doctor what will happen, and then plan what to do if you lose your hair. For example, if you start to lose hair or decide to try protective styles, scarves, wigs, turbans, or hats, you may want to consider getting a haircut or shaved head.

Photo by Anete Lusina from Pexels

Protect your skin and nails

Moisturize your skin to reduce dryness, but choose a cream with the least amount of perfume to minimize the risk of reaction; test a small area of skin.

Take care of yourself in the sun first: cover your skin and wear a hat, use high SPF sunscreen, and avoid the sun during the hottest part of the day.

Hand cream helps keep hands, feet, and nails hydrated.

Photo by Polina Tankilevitch from Pexels

Maintain a positive attitude

Sometimes our fears are worse than reality, and daily treatments will surprise us. Pay attention to the positive aspects of your day, no matter how small and trivial, to keep you in a good mood.

❖

Love Life |Love Health | Love Beauty| Love Creativity

Lee-Anne x

Why not check my social media networks

And, of course, Instagram.

Tips To Battle Brain Fog

2021-07-08T03:00:00.018-07:00

Making Cooking Easier When You’re Chronically Ill

2020-12-07T10:14:00.002-08:00

A healthy, balanced diet is vital for everyone. It provides your body and mind with the fuel they need to function optimally. However, when you live with a chronic illness, it becomes even more important to ensure you’re eating well. That’s often a lot tougher than it sounds.

Why a balanced diet is important

It’s important to note that when we’re talking about diet, we simply mean the foods we choose to eat, rather than any type of food restriction. As well as the usual health benefits of eating well, there are many reasons a balanced diet is important for those with chronic illness. Firstly, fatigue is a common and debilitating symptom of many chronic illnesses. Therefore, giving your body as much energy as you can help to set you up for success and enables you to tackle fatigue as much as possible.

Often those who are chronically ill have a weakened immune system. Eating a healthy diet can help to combat this by providing your body with the nutrients it needs to fight off illness. The right diet also helps our body to heal and repair itself and promotes stronger bones.

A healthy diet can help you to maintain a healthy weight, which becomes even more important if you have joint problems. More weight on your joints with conditions such as arthritis, often makes movement mobility more challenging. When you live with chronic pain, your stress levels are often high. These prolonged stress levels can cause other physical issues (such as problems with your heart), which a healthy diet can help to combat.

Many of us who live with chronic illness struggle with cognitive issues. For example, I live with fibromyalgia and struggle with ‘fibro fog’, which makes memory, concentration, and thinking clearly challenging. Eating a healthy diet helps your mind to function properly and plays a part in tackling cognitive issues.

Eating the right balance of foods can help to combat inflammation. This is particularly useful for those with chronic pain because inflammation can cause and worsen pain. Lastly, chronic illness can sometimes make you more susceptible to developing other health issues: a healthy diet plays a part in preventing this.

Easier said than done.

Knowing all of this is great, but it’s so much easier said than done! When you live with chronic illness, so much of your time is spent surviving, managing your symptoms, and doing your best to function. It’s hard enough to cope without trying to add extra tasks to your list.

If you've heard of the spoon theory, you’ll know that we only have so much energy in a day. If you’re a spoonie yourself, you’ll already know how draining just living is! It’s hard to dedicate much of our energy to cooking and preparing food, when you have other priorities. Taking the time to regularly cook homemade meals can feel like climbing a mountain, and is often simply not realistic.

Tips to make cooking easier

Thankfully there are ways to do the cooking and eating a healthy diet more realistic and manageable. Let’s take a look at some tips:

Shopping online

Going out to get your food shopping can take up so much energy. You can save those spoons for other tasks. Instead, shopping online can be so much easier. You can do it on your sofa or your bed. It allows you to take your time to think about what you want to buy (instead of grabbing for less healthy alternatives).

Best of all, your shopping gets delivered to your door. Don’t be afraid to ask the delivery driver to bring your bags right into your kitchen for you, and even to set them on the counter to save you from bending down. You can always ask a loved one to help you unpack your shopping. If you don’t have help, start with putting away your frozen and fridge stuff and then you can take your time after that. Allow yourself to take breaks and cheer yourself on.

Buy pre-prepared foods

There are so many supermarkets which have pre-prepared packets of food. This isn’t referring to ready meals (although these can be helpful too at times), but rather pre-prepared ingredients. For example, you can buy chopped, peeled and washed vegetables, or ready chopped fruit. This saves so much time and energy!

Depending on where you shop, you might also be able to buy pre-prepared meat which is seasoned and chopped. These options allow you to just open the packet and start cooking, which can be much more manageable.

Batch cook

If you get a burst of energy, it’s important not to overdo things, but it’s a great idea to utilize your ‘good days’. It can be useful to cook healthy meals in batches which you can put in the fridge or freezer. That way when you’re having a hard day, you just have to quickly heat them up. This stops you reaching for unhealthy options, but is still convenient and quick.

Use kitchen gadgets

Don’t be afraid to use kitchen gadgets: they can make life easier and aren’t always very expensive. A great option is a slow cooker. This allows you to put in all of your ingredients and simply leave it to cook for the day. At the end of the day, you have a warm, healthy meal just ready to serve. There are lots of great simple recipes online, or you can experiment. Depending on the size of your slow cooker, you can even use it to cook in batches.

Another useful cooking device is a steamer. You can pop fish, vegetables, meat, and all sorts of other ingredients in there and leave it to cook. It cooks quickly, and is very healthy as you’re not using any oils or fats to cook with.

There are lots of other helpful gadgets you might find, such as an electric can opener (this can save energy and be great if you struggle with pain in your arms and wrists). There are also plenty of easy-grip options for knives and other utensils.

Sit down

When possible, sit down to do your cooking. No rule says you need to be standing in the kitchen. You may even be able to buy higher stools to allow you to sit at the right height for your kitchen counter if stools are comfortable for you.

Keep meals simple

Healthy eating doesn’t mean that things have to be complicated or fancy. Choose simple meals with few ingredients to minimize the time and effort you need to put in. This also tends to reduce cost. Simple meals can be just as tasty, filling, and healthy.

Ask for help

Asking for help can be really tough in any area of life. Sometimes chronic illness can feel as though it has taken a lot of your independence away from you. There are a lot of emotions which can come along with asking for assistance. However, learning to ask for help when you need it can be really beneficial.

You could ask loved ones to help you batch cook or pre-prepared meals so that you just have to heat them up. If you’re having a tough time, you could ask them to cook some meals for you. Remember that there’s no shame in allowing others to be there for you.

Cooking is achievable

Although it can be tough to prioritize cooking and eating well, it really can make a difference and is so beneficial for your health. There are ways to have tasty healthy meals without it costing a fortune or taking up all of your energy for the day. By making things easier for yourself, cooking healthy meals can be an achievable goal!

Lastly, remember not to be too hard on yourself. If you don’t have the energy to cook this week, take a rest instead. If you order a takeaway, enjoy it guilt-free! If you have a treat, don’t be harsh with yourself. Life with a chronic illness is hard enough: you deserve a treat now and then. You’re doing your best, and that is more than good enough.

Be kind to yourself and encourage yourself.

What are our fave healthy recipes?

please comment below

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Love Life |Love Health | Love Beauty| Love Creativity

Lee-Anne x

Why not check my social media networks

And, of course, Instagram.

Autumn/Winter Season Must Have Essentials Survival Kit

2020-10-11T06:46:00.002-07:00

The Cold of the winter, is followed by the warmth of spring, which is followed by the heat of the summer and then comes the chill in the air that signifies autumn is officially here and I for one is already noticing the effect from the weather change on my well-being.

Between lack of sunlight (Vitamin D) and the colder weather, my energy levels go lower than usual, so getting up in the morning is absolute torture, and after work as soon as I get through the front door I'm in a straight into a hot bath, warm jimjams and my bed.

So I suffer from a condition called Lupus that also brings its own problems, some symptoms being stiff joints, muscle weakness, Raynauds phenomenon causing numb fingers and toes, basically I just want to curl up in bed with some snacks, an iPad and hibernate till spring.

Of course, becoming a hermit is not a viable option financially, mentally or physically but not to worry I have a few tips to share that will hopefully take some of the chill off all these woes.

Hot Beverages

Hot chocolate, English breakfast tea, green tea berry tea, Ribena you name it I will drink it – except coffee yuck!

Something is relaxing and comforting about hot drinks and what's not to love about that warm feeling you get in your tummy

My fave thing to do on a frosty morning is sip something toasty from a travel thermos while I wait for my car to warm up and I wake up slowly.

Oversized Cardigans

Comfy woolly over sized cardigans are my number one solution during cold snaps, especially in places when I am not in control of the heating like work or if I am going somewhere where the temperature will be changeable because you can easily take them off and put them back on when you need to plus they are a lot lighter than coats.

Candles

Nothing better than enjoying a warm scent on a cold night to help relax, or even better while soaking in a hot bath while downloading all of my thoughts and feelings from the day.

Friends

Even though often want to skip meeting up with friends I'm mindful not alienate myself from loved ones. I try to think of creative activities to do with my friends to keep interesting at least once a fortnight

Electric Blanket

This could very well be the reason I go straight to bed when I get in from work. What can I say I love the feeling of getting into a warm bed, no rubbing my feet together to generate heat for me?

Hot Baths

Slipping into a warm bath after a cold day… I'm not even going to go into it but feel free to check out some of my previous posts:

LaCure UK Natural Dead Sea Bath Salts

Health & Beauty Benefits of Epsom salts.

Wash away tension and soak your way to relaxation

Lush French Kiss Product Review

❖

Love Life |Love Health | Love Beauty| Love Creativity

Lee-Anne x

Why not check my social media networks

And, of course, Instagram.

10 Things I Plan To Do When Self Isolation Is Over

2020-06-27T11:50:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you guys but for me, cabin fever defiantly kicking in. I'm constantly switching between struggling to get motivated to do anything too suddenly sunning around looking for anything to organise, upcycle or cook. Defiantly I'm sleeping a more than I usually do (If that is possible) and it is getting harder to see the light at the end of the tunnel especially since I will have to quarantine a further 12 weeks after this madness is over. Knowing that I am not the only ones this situation does help a little bit as We're all staying at home, crawling up the walls and finding something and anything to do to keep ourselves occupied. Whether it be re-grouting the tiles in the bathroom or organising photo's into photo albums.

The Things I Plan To Do When All This Is Over

Remember everybody to get these privileges back
WE MUST ALL STAY HOME AND FOLLOW THE RULES - THEY ARE THERE TO PROTECT US ALL!

See my friends and family

The day I'll be able to see touch and hug my family and friends again will most likely be an emotional one. I haven't seen my Grandmother since January as she lives in the west country; even though I speak to her every day, I will defiantly be going up to spend a weekend with her as soon as I can.

Go for long walks

Even though the lockdown has allowed one hour for exercise, due to me being high risk for the virus because of Lupus, I have to limit my outdoor activity and as I don't have a garden other than the times I have sneaked to the park (When I wake up early enough) going down to the letterbox doubles up at the highlight of my day

I so look forward to the day I can walk in the park, or even walk to the Tesco's across the road.

After this is all over, I vow never to take going outside for granted ever again.

Get a massage

My back has been feeling crazy, and I know I am carrying mad tension in my shoulders, can’t wait to get it all massaged away

Get the f##k out of the UK

I have already had to cancel three trips! Soon as I can, I'm going to get on a plane, and your girl is off whoosh!

Go Make-up shopping

I was starting to run out of everything! Before the lockdown so I can't wait to go to MAC and replenish my fave products

Go to the supermarket

The thought of going to do a NORMAL weekly shop without being barged out of the way by panic buyers and worrying about not getting a food delivery slot will be the highlight of this year for everybody. No more panic buying toilet rolls, baked beans, pasta, rice, sugar, flour...

Ok, I could go on and on. But the feeling of being able to shop in the way that society has taught us to will be quite a freeing and uplifting experience. I'm sure the shop workers will look forward to it too.

Get my hair and nails done

I had my hair braided just before the craziness started and they are currently looking crazy, thank god for headwraps

Go drinking with my girlies

Once restaurants and bars are open Tequila Mocking bird is one of the first places I want to go with my homes!

Drinks on me chikas

Thank the NHS

Before all of this, I have always been eternally grateful for the NHS anyway with all the GP and Hospital, and GP appointments have to go to let alone the treatments it's possible that I wouldn't be alive or my quality of life would be unimaginable. All of the NHS staff are incredible and should rightly be labelled as heroes. After this is all over, we all owe indebted gratitude for the way they have looked after us. The night we clapped for them outside our houses on that Thursday night should happen every week. And I on the meantime will be looking into a way to regular fundraising to ensure that they always have what they need

Socialise with the opposite sex

I have always been blasé when it comes to interactions with members of the opposite sex, but I'm not getting any younger…

Of course, there are many other things that I'm looking forward to doing, but these are the ones that fill me with the most excitement at the moment.

What things are you looking forward to doing when the pandemic disappears?

❖

Love Life |Love Health | Love Beauty| Love Creativity

Lee-Anne x

Why not check my social media networks

And of course Instagram

Protective styles to help manage afro hair when you have an invisible illness

2020-06-21T12:53:00.001-07:00

Invisible illnesses is not easy to live especially when you have a lot going on in your life. This could include managing the health of your afro hair. This is not easy to do when you have a flare-up, stressful job, kids or especially during this COVID-19 time. So, it’s best to protect your natural hair by rocking some protective styles. They will keep you looking glam while your hair health stays intact.

Mini Twists/Braids
Mini twists/braids are an easy style that you can do right in the comfort of your own home. It doesn’t require you going to the salon because you are just twisting/braiding your natural hair small. The small twists/braids will take some time to do so ensure that you have a couple of free days or hours to get it done. Also, you can make them extra small or just average small, it depends on you. This style allows you to keep your hands out of your hair for an extended period.

Wigs

Another protective style that you can do, is to wear a wig. Every week is different as there are lace frontals, 100% human, part closure, curly, straight or even a colour wig. In the end, it depends on your pocket, what you’re comfortable with and the hair goal you’re trying to achieve. If you just want to go to the supermarket, then you can wear a cheap wig from the beauty salon store. If you want to go out and show out, then we recommend wearing your lace or human hair.

Braids

Braids can be done at your local salon or through the aid of youtube. And luckily, there are a million braided styles to choose from. You can do box braids, Senegalese braids, Hawaiian braids, knotless braids and so much more. Each comes with its styling technique, braiding pattern as well as hair. Regardless, each protects the hair. The braiding hair is wrapped around your natural hair and acts as a barrier. It prevents moisture from leaving the hair thus reducing its susceptibility to dryness. As well as, keeps the moisture that you worked so hard to apply using the LOC or LOC method in. And more importantly, it prevents

And when all else fails wrap it up

On days when you just can't even,

Headscarves are your best friend! BFF!

Headscarves offer the cloaking abilities of a hat, but are way more versatile. With umpteen ways to tie a scarf around your head that require minimal effort, they are perfect option for not only rushed, lazy, crazy days but they are also fantastic for helping your hair retain moisture and even concealing hiding hair loss.

It’s amazing how a few simple styling tweaks, and turn a simple headscarf or wrap into a statement piece that can be worn everywhere from brunch to the office or post-work drinks. It really will save the day again and again.

All these protective styles require little to no maintenance of your hair from you. No need to fuss over how to style your afro hair for the next day or the upcoming week ahead.

The protective styles will maintain the health of your hair as it keeps the moisture locked in for an extended period. Your curls need to stay hydrated to keep it in a healthy state.

What are your favroute protective styles?

Please comment below

❖

Love Life |Love Health | Love Beauty| Love Creativity

Lee-Anne x

Why not check my social media networks

And, of course, Instagram.

How To Make Life Easier and More Organised With An Amazon Alexa

2020-06-13T02:00:00.001-07:00

In quarantine, no doubt that technology is our best friend. It is difficult to live under lockdown. So in this difficult time Alexa is your helping hand. Amazon Alexa has some very unique and different features for its Echo speaker to help you to better adjust in this quarantine.

Life has become boring because we are not going outside to meet anyone. But technology always proves our best companions. You can video chat with your family while feeling alone, can learn skills of music and art by online classes. Similarly, Amazon is also helping to better organized and maybe even keep your company working in this lockdown.

For its Echo speaker, Amazon Alexa has released its amazing features to maintain a balance in life. Amazon digital assistant is full of amazing features that help in our daily life.

Work from home, Stay at home

To help you to be on track in this unusual routine of quarantine, Alexa has two routine modes for you. When you open the app of Alexa, you will see three horizontal lines. You need to click on them to enable these features. Then you need to scroll down to click “Featured”. You will see “work from home” and “stay at home” routines at the bottom.

Germ-free

These routine features of Alexa remind you that it’s time to eat, study, work, start and end your day.

Alexa has the singing feature that helps you in time management during the washing of hands. You can ask Alexa to sing for 20 seconds when you are at the sink. It’s also a fun way when voice assistant on Alexa will sing for you while washing hands.

Questions about Coronavirus

Now Alexa has the feature of answering all the questions regarding the coronavirus. You can ask general questions from Alexa like what should I do if I feel I have COVID-19? Alexa then confirms it by asking you different questions like your travel history and symptoms etc.

Mental health and mindfulness

Headspace and Meditation Timer is the mental wellness platform of Alexa that you can use to keep your mind active. You have to say just, Alexa open “headspace” or “Open Meditation timer”.

There are also a lot of playlists that can help you to feel relax. Such as relax and meditate playlist is offered by the BBC sounds. Just ask Alexa to play Mindful music on BBC.

Reminders of home routines to ease daily chores

We are juggling many tasks while spending more time at home. We can control many household jobs like thermostat, opening doors, turning on and off the lights at a distance through our voice commands. You can ménage all these works on your smartphone with the help of Alexa.

Recipes and cooking

When your hands are not free then asking questions from Alexa is very useful in the kitchen. You are free to ask Alexa to read the recipe step by step and can also ask some instructions about the recipes while cooking. For example, you say, Alexa, How to make rice recipes? What should be added next to this ingredient in some recipes?

Amazon Echo shows 8 is more useful in the kitchen because it has a large screen and you can see each step of the recipe while cooking with ease.

Engaging with Kids

In this lockdown, children are spending their all the time at home and it can be time-intensive. So Alexa is here that can help you out. Kids find it amazing to talk to Alexa. Alexa can read the stories for your children at bedtime. It can also help them with studying stuff. For example, you can ask Alexa, how does the water cycle works? Alexa how to spell laptop?

Indoor Workouts and Exercise

In this lockdown, it has become difficult to keep fit. But Alexa can help you by encouragement and also help you by giving workout routines. Alexa has some work out features which you can ask Alexa to open. You can also ask Alexa to play a motivational song for you.

Entertainment, Games and quizzes

Alexa is just amazing with a lot of quizzes and games on it. You just have to say, Alexa, start songs quiz. Alexa, start true and false games. You can also check multiplayer games from the games list of the Alexa App.

Learn a new language

Are you feeling bored in this lockdown? And you have a lot of free time? Then learning a new language can be a great hobby. You can easily learn that from Alexa. Just ask, Alexa how do you say mango in French? This would be entertaining and a great learning experience.

Music, radio and podcasts

Alexa is very helpful in playing the music but you should make sure to use all the available options of audio. You can listen to radio and podcasts through many services like BBC sounds which is one of the easiest ways to keep you informed.

Tracking of Calendar by Alexa

Alexa can help you to remind you of the things that you have planned for your day. You just need to connect your phone calendar to Alexa which is an easy process. Here we have explained simple steps of how to sync your mobile calendar with Amazon Alexa.

1. Firstly, unlock or open the Alexa app on your phone.

2. In the upper left corner, you will three horizontal lines on the screen. Click on that overflow button.

3. Click on the setting to open it.

4. In the next step, click on the calendar.

5. Click on Type of account if you wish to sync with Alexa.

6. Click on the Link your calendar account.

7. Then, click on the account which you wish to link with Alexa.

8. In the lower right corner, click on the allow button to continue.

That’s all set. Now you can say to Alexa, Alexa adds the event of lunch to my calendar for 1 pm on Monday or anything else. How amazing Alexa is? Isn't it?

The Best Alexa Smart home devices

Alexa can control a vast variety of devices from house doors to smart plugs and lights. Just imagine that you came home at night, have grocery bags in your hands. To open the door, you need to put the bags down on the floor, unlock and open the Alexa app on your phone, search out the controls of light and doors, to open the door and turn the lights on if you have installed smart lights and doors at home.

But with the help of Alexa and Amazon Echo, you just have to say, Alexa, Turn on the lights of the garage, Alexa, open the door of the garage without putting the bags on the floor. It is convenient to use, you can fix this device anywhere in your home. Here are some of the best devices lists for Alexa

Plugs for Alexa

It is relatively easy to track and reliable to use. Tracking is a feature found on most expensive smart plugs. Based on the time of the day, you can set a time table to go on and off. You can control various electronic devices such as lamps, fans, or whatever you want.

There is another more advanced plug, Smart wifi outdoor plug, which operates at a range of temperature -4 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. By using the sound of your voice, you can control it independently.

Light bulbs for Alexa

The best and the perfect light bulb for Alexa is the Yeelight Smart LED color bulb. This light bulb provides you various facilities. You can dim the light, on and off the lights, or even change the color of the bulb. The amazing feature of this bulb is that it does not require any hub; you can easily connect it with your Amazon Alexa device.

Another bulb, Eufy Lumos Smart Color Bulb can also connect with Alexa. Unlike Yeelight, it does have Away mode which is count as a special feature of this bulb.

Light switches for Alexa

If you are looking for a strong lighting system, then the WiFi Smart Wall Light Switch, which is Compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, IFTTT, app and voice controlled with a touch tempered glass panel, woulddefinatly be a stylish option and a highly recommended switch. With the sound of your voice, you can turn on or off the light in your entire home or your room. For example, you are ready to watch a movie on your TV launch, you just have to say, Alexa, turn off all the lights of the TV launch.

Home security cameras for Alexa

It is perfect to use to arm and disarm the cameras when you exit or enter your home. Besides, you can also monitor it to allow the specific views of your particular room through the Echo spot.

You can call live feeds from various devices in your house with the help of Wansview WiFi IP Camera, 1080P Wireless Home Security Camera Q5 for Baby, Elder, Pet Camera Monitor with Motion Detection 2-Way Audio Night Vision Pan Tilt Zoom that also works with Fire Tv, Echo Spot, and Echo Show.

Smart door locks for Alexa

To get enter in your home without keys

ZKTECO DL30B Keypad Lock smart Digital Lock,

is an amazing door lock for Alexa. At bedtime, you can check the door locks with the help of just your voice. There’s include a handy keypad that is perfect for guest and it is easy to use.

Doorbell cameras for Alexa

Ring Video Doorbell is the best doorbell camera that can connect with the Alexa. We can enable notifications or can set up morning routines with the Alexa App.

I hope my tips will help you to utilize your Amazon Alexa if you already have one, please let me know your thoughts in the comments below

And if you don’t have an Amazon Alexa would you consider getting one again comment bellow

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Love Life |Love Health | Love Beauty| Love Creativity

Lee-Anne x

Why not check my social media networks

And, of course, Instagram.