Gettin' some Zzzzz help from ZzzQuil

It happened again. About a week ago my lower back went out - Oh, you want to know where & how? You don't need to know that.... It actually hasn't happened in quite a while. I have issues with my hips not lining up correctly and when it goes out my lower spine tends to twist and my left leg drops and drags and then I trip.

Anyway, after 2 chiropractor visits (the 2nd one was wonderful & then my back went out again the next morning) and a massage visit (which was wonderful as well) I was left very sore and in a lot of pain from my ribs on down through my hips. 

About a month ago I was offered and accepted a VoxxBox for ZzzQuil and since I have occasional sleepless nights I thought why not? I try not to take any kind of sleep aid but lately it seems I've been needing it more and more as new Fibro symptoms seem to be showing up. My VoxxBox came in early this week and I decided to take one of the pills after my massage so I could sleep off the worst of the pain.

Details:

1) ZzzQuil is for the relief of occasional sleeplessness, non-habit forming, it's not for cold or the flu. 

2) ZzzQuil is only for helping you to sleep & wake up refreshed.

3) You need to make sure you have a 7-8 hour period for sleeping without interruption.

4) You should be ready to sleep within 20 minutes.

My experience:

I fell asleep after I got home from the massage therapist which is normal for me. I find sleep is the best pain reliever with my Fibromyalgia Pain and often I fall asleep for several hours until my body wakes up on its own. The end result is that usually I cannot sleep until early in the morning - anywhere from 2-4 am!

I took ZzzQuil on a weekend so I didn't have to worry about waking up with the alarm. It was Saturday that I had my massage and I slept from 630 - 9:30 in the evening. (This is common with my fibro). I knew by 2 I wasn't going to go back to sleep even though I was tired so I decided to take 1 of the pills. I took it around 2:15 and finally fell asleep around 3:30. I would of probably fallen asleep around 245 but Lily the Cat decided to start yowling at something outside about then so I had to get up, turn on the air, calm her down and shut all the windows so she would quit waking up the neighborhood. (No idea what got into her - this is a new thing lately)

I woke up about 10 am on Sunday morning. Did not feel drugged or nauseous before or after sleeping which is usually the way I feel after taking some medications particularly ones that make me sleepy. I was very impressed. I was also pain free thanks to all the sleep I got after my massage as well as the massage itself. I will definitely keep ZzzQuil for those nights I cant sleep - I love that it's not habit forming and that I wasn't nauseous or dizzy when I woke up. 

Disclaimer - I received a sample of ZzzQuil to review on GivingNSharing in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to have a positive review.

The benefits of Lavender Essential Oils

In June, I signed up to sell Simply Aroma (no this is not a sales pitch - but if you'd like to order just click on the link). I was curious to see if Essential Oils could help me combat the constant pain and achiness. It's usually bone deep and not even Chiropractic can do much more than lighten the pain for a day or two. (Chiropractic has helped me get rid of 80% of the headaches I used to get and I very rarely have migraines anymore.)

One of the oils that came in my Free Kit (which is still available till 9/15/14) was Lavender. I wasn't going to touch it. I don't like the smell of Lavender - the only thing I do like is the deep beautiful purple on the plants. Then I heard it would help the baby I watch sleep better. She was only sleeping 45 minutes if I was lucky, refused to sleep in the packnplay as her last sitter just let her sleep on the bed & at almost 6 months that definitely wasn't going to work. So, I decided to try the Lavender on myself first & got out the diffuser.

I loved the smell. It was light and refreshing and while I didn't notice a difference in my own sleep right away - I sure did with the baby. She went to 2 hour naps in the AM and 2 hour naps in the PM! I didn't really notice anything for myself in quite a while - until about a month ago.

For over 30 years I haven't reached the REM stage of sleep which is very common with Fibromyalgia patients. Lately I hurt at night and was tossing and turning. I just couldn't get comfortable. Plus I was hot! (I'm nearly always cold & no it's not due to Menopause or Perimenopause)

I started noticing I was more relaxed during the day. Then I started thinking about my sleep and realized that I haven't been tossing and turning as much. I'm still not dreaming and really don't think I'll ever get back to that point. About 2 weeks ago I realized I haven't been as stiff. Actually I'm not stiff at all in the morning when I go to stand up. My back pain has gone down at least 70% when I get out of bed and while I don't think it has anything to do with the Lavender or my sleep my hips haven't been going out as much and there is no stabbing pain.

Then I read the Fact Sheet that is available to customers:

I'm amazed! I've always noticed that natural - or alternative methods have helped me more than drugs and just going to bed. But this is amazing!

Have you ever used Essential Oils? How have they benefited you the most?

Linked up to: Friendship Friday, Sincerely Paula, BloggyMoms, Turn It Up Tuesday

Disclaimer: I was not paid to do a review for Simply Aroma or any of their consultants. This was posted to share my experience with Essential Oils. I am a consultant and do receive a tiny commission from anything someone may purchase - please contact your local Simply Aroma consultant or if you'd like to chat please feel free to contact me via my website or on FB. Thanks!

The Omni Diet by Tana Amen

The Omni Diet
by Tana Amen
ISBN: 978-1250029843
$17.46 (hardback)
$12.74 (kindle)

About the book:
The Omni Diet is a simple 70:30 plant-to-protein model, carefully designed series of three, two-week phases, followed by a maintenance plan that offers a lifetime of healthy living. During each of the three phases, you are provided with meal-planning guidelines and daily menus that feature an exciting variety of easy, delicious recipes along with commonsense advice and simple tips.

My thoughts:
The Omni Diet caught my attention because over the years of fighting Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain I have become aware that eating a whole foods, natural diet is beneficial and helpful to combatting pain, weight gain and inflammation. I was excited to see what looked like a helpful tool that was easy and budget friendly. Here is Tana herself to explain what her goals are for The Omni Diet:


One of my concerns is that Tana says she can reverse disease and illnesses and personally I don't believe that you can reverse Fibromyalgia. Yes, most illnesses and disease are partially caused by Unhealthy Diets and our Environment - however some of them are also caused by genetic disorders. I do however, believe that eating a whole foods diet and limiting or eliminating environmental stressors and unhealthy choices can make a difference.

I will confess up front I have not personally started the diet (as of yet). The first half of the book is explanation and details as to why the Omni Diet works and how to use it and one of the issues I have with Fibromyalgia is reading long detailed chapters & understanding all of it. I don't know why - my doctor thinks it has something to do with the fogginess that comes with my illness. So, while I have read the first 1/2 of the book - I'm hoping I can get my hands on the audio of the book so I can listen to it while I'm in the car sometime.

 

The 2nd half of the book I loved. I found several pages of easy to follow recipes most of which aren't going to require me to purchase ingredients I won't use ever again. The recipes are easy to make and won't require a cooking degree either or a personal chef to create. The ingredients you use can be purchased fresh at the farmer's market or at your favorite grocery store. You eat foods like chicken & other meats, fresh veggies: avocado, carrots, peppers, onions, etc, fresh fruits, whole grains and even the desserts look delicious. You aren't going to find a "fad" type of Diet - Tana's goal is to draw you away from dieting and introduce you to a healthy lifestyle filled with delicious foods that will make you feel full longer and satisfied.

I strongly recommend The Omni Diet - it's ideal for anyone that wants to improve their everyday diet. It's a delicious, normal method of feeding your family.

About the author:
TANA AMEN, BSN, RN, is a nurse, health and fitness expert, and nationally-renowned speaker. Tana is also a nutrition consultant and coach for the wildly popular Daniel Plan, an inspirational health movement led by Pastor Rick Warren, which includes Dr. Daniel Amen, Dr. Mark Hyman, and Dr. Mehmet Oz. Tana has been featured in Everyday Health’s Recipe Rehab, GNC LiveWell Magazine, on PBS and Martha Stewart Living Radio, and has been a guest speaker at the Omega Institute and Saddleback Church. She works alongside her husband, New York Times bestselling author and physician, Daniel Amen, MD, offering nutritional guidance and practical support to hundreds of thousands of Amen followers at The Amen Clinics. (from Amazon)

Learn more about the author & The Omni Diet @ http://www.tanaamen.com/

Recipes

Order the book: Hardback or Kindle

Disclaimer:

I was offered a copy of the book to read and review on GivingNSharing. I was not required to have a positive review and no money exchanged hands. Thanks for reading!

 

Guest Post: Natural Pain Control for Fibromyalgia

~ Guest Post

Fibromyalgia is an increasingly common disease that causes unexplainable and
nearly unbearable pain in various places on the body. This pain can range from a
slight tingling sensation to a more severe stabbing or aching feeling.


Although some people can be diagnosed as young as the early teens, most patients are not discovered to have this disease until somewhere between twenty to fifty years of age. The sufferers of this disease are often left dealing with many other symptoms as a result. Some of these include depression, nausea and vomiting, anxiety, fatigue, and lack of energy.

The Real Disease Debate
Though the pain and other symptoms that these individuals put up with daily are most definitely real, there are many doctors who do not consider this condition to be a real disease. The reason for this is because Fibromyalgia does not have a specific known cause or cure. It can come about randomly or sometimes as the result of a traumatic accident or serious infection. However, the exact reasons for it are completely unknown. This makes the diagnosis of this particular disease very difficult and a bit of a shot in the dark.

To some physicians, it seems that people are simply given the diagnosis of Fibromyalgia when nothing else really fits their symptoms. In this kind of situation, doctors will often justify this diagnosis based on pure speculation, because there are not currently any solid tests that can be done to make any real determinations.

Treatment Options
Upon diagnosis, there are many different options for pain management that a doctor will present to his patients. Most often, he will prescribe them some kind of pain medication. Depending on the severity of the case, this medicine might be something as light as Ibuprofen or Tylenol or a much more intense treatment like Vicodin or Percocet. However, most doctors try to steer clear of the heavier drugs as they can create more problems than they fix.

Along with the medication, some physicians will suggest plenty of rest and a healthy, active lifestyle. Unfortunately though, there is no guarantee that even with these helpful tools the pain will ever subside or get any better. This presents a problem to many sufferers; they do not want to take a bunch of medication when they do not even know if it will help at all. A lot of people are very conscious about what they put into their bodies and many will refuse to use medicine of any kind. So, where does this leave them? Is there anything they can do to ease the pain naturally?

Natural Remedies
Fortunately, the answer is yes. However, like any other treatment for Fibromyalgia, there is no guarantee of success. For those people who do not want to take any medicine, there are a few natural remedies they can try. For example, it is said that eating well is one way to help the pain.

Making sure one gets the optimum level of fatty acids in his or her diet is a must. Fatty acids help keep the body in check and are also a natural anti-inflammatory. Along with these, it is suggested that sufferers try some sort of herbal remedy. Many different herbs such as turmeric, ginseng, and even ginger have been reported to help ease pain when taken in the right amounts.

If diet modification does not help, some people might prefer to soak in a nice hot bath. Taking a bath in Epsom salt has also been shown to decrease pain in the joints and muscles. Still others swear by yoga as the best natural way to get rid of the pain. These individuals claim that the breathing and posture promoted by yoga exercises make it much easier to feel better when suffering from Fibromyalgia.

Conclusion
When people refuse medication to help treat their pain, natural remedies are often the best way to go. Dealing with the symptoms of this disease can be extremely difficult; however, there are plenty of resources to guide the way to the best relief for each individual, and there is always hope for Fibromyalgia sufferers.

Valerie Johnston is a health and fitness writer located in East Texas. With ambitions of one day running a marathon, writing for Healthline.com ensures she keeps up-to-date on all of the latest health and fitness news.

Noxicare Pain Reliever

Most of you know that I have Fibromyalgia and I know many of my readers do as well. I'm always looking for something (anything actually) that will cut pain and I was excited to hear about a new pain relieving creme that is Natural and pinpoints the specific type of pain. I don't like to take all the pills (actually most just make me very sick - nausea, dizziness & all I do is sleep) and I've tried many kinds of creme made from Capsaicin which is made from chili peppers. The Capsaicin actually numbs the nerve endings & stings and produces a burning sensation to your skin. What I don't like about Capsaicin is the need to be ultra careful of touching your eyes, lips and face with your fingers as the burning is far more intense there than just on the skin where you are in pain.

I am thrilled that there is another option for chronic pain sufferers of all kinds - including tension headaches, neuropathy, musculskeletal, athletes, etc! 


How does it work?
What makes Noxicare™ stand out from any other natural pain relief formulas used by those with Neuropathy is: It’s not simply a mixture of natural pain relievers, but instead a proprietary blend of proven painkillers in precise amounts that:

• Enable each ingredient to effectively relieve a specific type of pain on its own 
• Cause each ingredient to act as a catalyst to the others, actually BOOSTING the effectiveness of the ingredients as a whole.

The result is an extraordinarily potent, natural pain relief formula that relieves all types of pain experienced by Fibromyalgia.

While some other Neuropathy pain treatment products might reduce inflammation, decrease muscle aches or increase blood flow to ease painful nerve endings, Noxicare™ treats all types of pain—not by numbing the pain point—but by targeting the source of the pain with a natural formulation that deeply penetrates layers of skin to help promote the body’s own healing process.

My thoughts:
When I originally received the Noxicare I was excited about trying this new pain cream out and seeing if helped even a tiny bit with the constant pain from the flareup I was currently having. I also wanted to see if it felt like some of the other pain creams that are on the market (like Bio-Freeze and Icy-Hot) 

At first it didn't seem like the cream was even touching my pain. At the time I was really struggling to turn over in bed, stand up or even sit. The pain was really bad. I finally ended up contacting customer service and they suggested several applications a day. I was also told that the cream is used to "ease" the pain - not to get rid of it.

I ended up putting the cream on heavily about 3-4 times a day. I'm not talking about a dime sized dollop - but enough to cover 3 fingers or about a 1/2 dollar size of the cream. That really seemed to help although the pain wasn't gone.

Here are my thoughts: I personally don't think I will be able to use the Noxicare to control my flareups. I don't get them often but when I do the pain is terrible. I rarely use over the counter pain pills and I'm currently off my pain medicine - so perhaps if I had taken the OTC pills and my Gabapentin I would have been able to use it better. I'm not sure. I love the idea of a product though that is targeted to individual pains and the areas they are in. I'm not taking something that is actually for something else (ex - Gabapentin is for Eppilepsy and I have Fibromyalgia) and the ingredients in Noxicare is actually for PAIN - not the sniffles, not sprains or bruising (although I think Noxicare would be IDEAL for sprains, twists, pulled muscles, etc) - and it doesn't BURN like creams made from Capsaicin which burns me and basically takes my mind off the pain and onto the burning sensation.

Buy It:
You can purchase Noxicare at some local stores (retail locator) and
it's also available online for purchase: Click here. The cream is available for $19.99 and this summer capsules will be released for $19.95 (I'm especially excited about this).

You can also suggest Noxicare to your local pharmacist & physician. Suggest they contact Noxicare at: to visit with them about carrying their product. I'm going to suggest it to my rheumatologist - Dr Deborah Doud.    

Remember:

Noxicare™ Natural Pain Relief is a breakthrough natural, patented pain relief formula that is a proprietary combination of 7 of the world’s most potent natural pain relievers that quickly and effectively alleviate inflammation, muscle aches and nerve pain—with NO known side effects and without a prescription.

Win it:


a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Fibromyalgia and Pain Relief?

  

One thing that Fibromyalgia and Arthritis have in common are intense pain. Granted it's in different areas - Fibromyalgia is located more in the muscles and tendons of the patient and Arthritis tends to be more in the joints and bone segments of the body - but many of the pain relief methods are similar.

Some of the pain relief methods are:
NSAIDS is the most commonly used method of controlling pain. They are non-steroidal anti-inflammation drugs which help relieve pain by blocking both Cox-1 and Cox-2 enzymes.

Over the counter drugs are Aspirin, Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin or Nuprin) and Naproxen (Aleve). Prescriptions drugs include: Daypro, Indocin, Lodine, Naprosyn, Relafen and Voltaren.

I have also noticed that for me it seems to be hormone driven - my pain tends to get out of control (sometimes to the point I can barely walk) about 10 days before my period starts and once it does the pain disappears within hours. This would obviously not be a problem for men that have Fibromyalgia - but possibly it could affect teens whose hormones are going haywire.

Fibromyalgia is becoming known as a condition with "over active nerves". I personally wouldn't call it a disease because it seems to be a problem with pain in the muscles or nerves. It doesn't seem to be caused by a fever or a contagious illness - although it is possible it starts with a high fever, a severe illness or an accident which causes severe pain (think a broken back or stressed/pulled muscles) - something which causes a person to have trouble sleeping, relaxing or healing.

As a Fibromyalgia patient I use pain killers such as: Aleve (all day relief) and occasionally Tylenol.  Most of the prescriptions I've been given have either made me very ill or don't work for me at all. We've ended up resorting to muscle relaxers and other more "natural" methods such as Chiropractics and Shock therapy with a TENS unit.  I also find very, very HOT heat will help to relax muscles and nerves that are out of control.

Another method I use is Chiropractics. My Chiropractor started me using the TENS unit and I also visit him every 7-10 days depending on my pain levels. I don't know as I would be walking very well if I didn't visit him when I need relief. If you'd like a referral for a Chiropractor in your area, I'm sure his office would be glad to help you out. Website

A couple of websites you might find to be helpful as you learn about Fibromyalgia or Arthritis - that I have found beneficial are:

Please note: this article is written based on my own experience. Every patient with Fibromyalgia has vastly different symptoms and extremes of pain so what works for me may not work for them. It's important you find a doctor who is able to and willing to work with you as you research and find new ways that may or may not work for you. NFA has a Healthcare Provider Directory of doctor's who work with patients with Fibromyalgia and The Arthritis Foundation has a downloadable article called Access to Care for Arthritis guide.

Articles you may find helpful:

• The Newly Diagnosed Patient
• Fibromyalgia FAQ's
• Fibromyalgia: David's Story

I hope you find this post helpful.  Thanks for sharing!

Oscillococcinum Review/Giveaway

This last week has been awful.  Today is the first day this week I was actually up and doing something.  I got some grocery shopping done, paid a couple of bills, talked to my neighbor a little, took out the trash & recyclables, cut out some reusable sandwich bags fabric for my booth this weekend (hopefully they turn out because I cut out a lot!).

I was just so tired and achy and now that I look back on it maybe I had the flu.  I hope not because I was busy with friends last weekend and I'd hate for them to get sick.  I've been trying to be more eco-friendly and also use more natural nutrition and medication when I can and I ended up doing a little research on Oscillococcinum^®  which helps to reduce the severity and duration of flu-like symptoms (headache, body ache, chills and fever).  It's a form of homeopathic medicine using plants, minerals or animal substance that helps to trigger our bodies to heal itself.

One of the things I've learned to ask about homeopathic remedies or nutritional supplements is whether any research has been done and if it has been published in peer-reviewed medical journals which Oscillococcinum has been.  According to their website the research has shown that 63% of patients who took Oscillo at the onset of flu-like symptoms showed "clear improvement" or "complete resolution" of their symptoms after 48 hours, vs 49% with a placebo. Click here

Points to consider: 

• Oscillococcinum is safe for children and adults over 2 years of age.
• There are no known side effects including drowsiness.
• It doesn't interfere with existing conditions such as high blood pressure, doesn't interact with other medications, herbs or supplements.
• Clinical studies have shown that it helps to reduce the severity & duration of flu-like symptoms.
• It dissolves UNDER the tongue and doesn't require water to ingest it.
• It comes in handy little tubes which make it easy to keep in your purse or in the car when you're travelling.
• It has a 5 year shelf life (that's HUGE for me!)

“Because of their inherent safety, I recommend homeopathic medicines like Oscillococcinum as a first course of treatment. In general, homeopathic medicines don’t cause side effects and don’t interact with other drugs,” says Dr. Schiller. “Oscillo® works best when taken at the first sign of flu-like symptoms, so it’s important to pay close attention to symptoms and, whether on the road or at home, be prepared by having Oscillo on hand.”

You can get more information if you'd like at: www.boironusa.com.  

I'm going to also check out their pain relief medications for my Fibromyalgia: www.arnicare.com.

Coupons:

You can buy your Oscillococcinum at your favorite store using these handy coupons. 

One expires in January 2012 and one in December 2012.  So you might as well print both. 

Giveaway:

Boiron has offered one of my readers a box of Oscillococcinum to keep handy for their next bout of the flu.  This way you'll have it handy when you start feeling achy, tired, runny nose, chilled, etc...

Mandatory entry: Visit Oscillo.com and tell us something you learned.

Optional Extra Entries: (1 entry each)

• Tell us: do you get the vaccination or do you try more natural methods to fight the flu? 
• Follow Oscillo on Facebook.
• Follow Oscillo on Twitter. 
• Follow ME on Facebook.
• Follow ME on Twitter.
• Go to Boiron's Blog and sign up for the Holistic Mom's Health Webinar: 5 Top Homeopathic Remedies for Family Wellness seminar on March 29th, 1-2 pm EST
• Tweet up to 3 times daily, 4 hours apart:  " RT @familyliteracy #WIN a package of Oscillococcinum from #Boiron at GivingNSharing, 4/5, US #FLU #health http://ning.it/dQDE9b

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.