A new normal...

I have some autoimmune issues, and have been researching anti-inflammatory diets for awhile. Since I have recently shared this information with a few people, I wanted a place to keep it all together. It is mainly for my own reference, but you can peek, too :o)

I am about a year into my "issues", which seems to have been jumpstarted by getting rheumatic fever after untreated strep throat after an allergic reaction to penecillin. It triggered some lupus-like reactions and I am currently undiagnosed (I went to a rheumatologist who said I have something, they just don't know what...that's always a comforting answer and apparently pretty common). Basically I feel achy pains throughout my joints and things on a daily basis (kind of how you would feel as you are about to get the flu)...some worse than others depending on activity and what I eat. People may ask me how I am feeling and I am still trying to figure out how to respond. Sure, I may be in pain...but that is apparently my new "normal" - and I guess normal is good, right?

I am not big on being treated with drugs and I am currently pregnant again which means most of the drugs that a doctor will prescribe you normally are not allowed anyway. When I was diagnosed with rheumatic fever I was treated with a shot and pills of steroids, which worked - but the effects were miserable. I started looking at alternative ways to keep the pain down, and while it is kind of a pain to do, I have seen a difference.

I hope to share various bits of my research and helpful tidbits through this blog. I hope you find it interesting and helpful. Take a look at the helpful links and the labels listed in the right-hand column in order to find information you may be looking for a bit quicker.