You’re Not Going to Believe the Summer I Had

August 29, 2016 by Unconventional Traditional Leave a Comment

I was blind-sided by summer this year!

This year’s circumstances came as quite a surprise. As a result of my recovery from fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, depression, etc., I became pregnant with my miracle baby. Now my “baby” is a seven-year-old little boy made of snakes and snails and puppy dog tails.

Unlike during the school year, my little boy woke up every day around 6 am ready to go-go-go! He went all day straight until bedtime. And he seemed to need my constant attention. I never knew
someone else could get so bored that it was painful to me. (Here we are bouncing on the new trampoline!) In all honesty, we had a difficult time finding our groove during the first half of summer.

I decided to “give up” on getting much done, and I focused on enjoying the time with my son. Even though I had cut way back on work, I was able to help my private coaching clients have major breakthroughs with their health. (See the invitation below for a FREE initial consultation.)

We went on vacation to northern Ohio to The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, swam in Lake Erie and toured Put-In-Bay. We got a season pass to a local amusement park and rode roller coasters every week. We also continued our martial arts training (I feel like such a bad-ass now!). All in all, we ended up having a marvelous summer!

If you would like to take your life back from the pain, fatigue and brain fog, why not join me for a FREE consultation?

During this special session we’ll work together to:

Create a crystal clear vision for the ideal life you’d be living with vibrant and vivacious health
We’ll uncover hidden challenges that may be sabotaging your efforts and keeping you sick
You’ll leave the session re-energized, inspired and ready to finally take control of your health once and for all

These sessions are for a limited time and spaces are limited. To connect with a time that works for you go to www.TheFibroLadyCalendar.com. Register today and start living your new life!

Yours in joy and health,

Leah

Filed Under: family, joy, mothers, seasons, summer Tagged With: enjoy family, family, joy

Cope with Fibromyalgia?

April 22, 2016 by Unconventional Traditional Leave a Comment

How to Cope with Fibromyalgia – NOT!

How did Leah cope with Fibromyalgia cope with fibromyalgia Cope with Fibromyalgia? Before I don’t write a lot about coping with the symptoms of fibromyalgia for one main reason – I sucked at it! I did not “cope” very well at all. My life was a shambles, my pain was out-of-control, I couldn’t work, I could barely care for myself, and I was so miserable I didn’t want to live anymore. I felt a prisoner in my own body. Sound familiar?

I was just living a life of quiet (and sometimes not-so-quiet) desperation. I couldn’t see a way out. Now I know a way out, that has not only worked for me but others as well. I compare it to being lost in the woods: someone found a path out and led me out. I have now gone back to help others get out.

I don’t write about coping not only because I did not do it very well, but because I feel it’s a waste of time when I can tell you about recovering. Yes, you need strategies to help you in the here and now, but you can find them all over the internet. What is more unique are strategies for healing and recovery, so that is my focus.

I want to help you recover your health so you can do whatever it is you want to do in life. Maybe you want to lead people out of the woods too, or maybe you want to raise your children, finish school, or start a business. Whatever it is, it will be nearly impossible if all you can do is “cope.”

You don’t need to feel like a prisoner in your own body. For the last six years of my illness I was in bed 12-16 hours a day. I felt stuck. Don’t do like I did, get unstuck and take your life back.

So if you are wondering how to cope with fibromyalgia, I invite you to follow my “roadmap” for recovery from the symptoms of fibromyalgia and its coexisting conditions. You can read the first chapter of my book for free at https://unconventionaltraditional.com/my-story/ . I would love to hear your thoughts about it.

If it feels right to you, then I invite you to take a look at one of the many resources I offer, including the upcoming 3D Fibro Healing TeleClass. Our first class is free and it is on April 21st at 7pm EST. To get information go to www.3DFibro.com/optin .

I look forward to hearing about your recovery and what you do once you take back your life!

Yours in joy and health,

Leah

Filed Under: anxiety, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia Tagged With: cope with fibromyalgia, cope with illness

Got Seasonal Allergies? Try this Immune System Booster

April 15, 2016 by Unconventional Traditional Leave a Comment

Got Seasonal Allergies? Try this Immune System Booster

About three months into my recovery from fibromyalgia, I started using Agaricus Gold and it turbo-charged my recovery! I had chronic, swollen lymph glands under my jaw bone that were so bad, that it looked like I had an orangutan double-chin (not pretty!).

The swelling subsided and that constant scratchy throat feeling went away. Not only that, but I started giving it to my husband eight years ago for his seasonal allergies. The first year he still needed the Zyrtec. The second year he only needed it occasionally. By the third year on he didn’t have seasonal allergies at all! They have remained gone all these years later and although he doesn’t take the Agaricus Gold regularly, just when he feels like he’s coming down with something.

This amazing mushroom has been known to have strong medicinal effects:

- lowering blood sugar
- strengthening bones
- aiding in the digestive system
- reducing blood pressure
- boost heart health
- lower the risk of cancer
- promote immune function
- ward off viruses, bacteria, and FUNGI
- reduce inflammation
- combat seasonal allergies
- help balance blood sugar levels
- support the bodies detoxification mechanisms

Improve your bodies’ defense against foreign invaders by enhancing the ability of macrophages, neutrophils and Natural Killer cells (NK cells) to fight a wide range of challenges such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. Agaricus Gold agaricus blazei mushroom extract is made from the mushrooms that contain the highest level of beta glucans, which are a polysaccharide compound, of all the medicinal mushrooms tested by far.

You can purchase Agaricus Gold online from Ripples Health Shop.

Filed Under: allergies, immune system, Recommended Supplements, taking care of yourself Tagged With: allergy remedies, natural allergy remedies, seasonal allergies

Where’s Leah? In Ohio and All over!

April 15, 2016 by Leave a Comment

North Carolina Integrated Medicine Where’s Leah? In Ohio and All over! IMG 2181 Since completing the telesummit, I have been traveling quite a bit. Here is a quick summary of what’s been happening!

A Keynote Speaker at a Medical Conference

This was one of the high-points of my career! I was one of the keynote speakers at the Southeast Regional Integrative Medical Conference 2016. It was held March 4-5, 2016 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.

I have officially gone from doctors telling me “it’s all in your head” to “thank you for your presentation” !! I presented to them the methods I used to recover from fibromyalgia and its coexisting conditions, how they can implement it with their patients, and the stories about how others have recovered using this method too.

Honestly, I was a bit nervous about how my talk would be received, but these medical professionals were so gracious and open to learning new information. I actually went to the other classes for my own education. There was fantastic information there.

I unveiled my brand new Freedom from Fibromyalgia Professional Certification Course. Soon we will have listings of medical professionals all over that can partner with the members of our community.

In OHIO!

Since I live in Ohio, you would think I speak there a lot. I actually present all over the country, but in April I have an unprecedented three speaking appearances in Ohio.

The first one was near Cincinnati, The Younique Wellness Expo on Saturday, April 2. My topic was 3D Healing.

The next one I did was near Lima, and it’s the Allen County Weston A. Price Foundation Chapter. It was on Monday, April 11. I love presenting to WAPF chapters!

The third one is a bit different for me – I will be doing a marketing talk to aspiring authors at The Dayton Book Expo on Saturday, April 30th, (time to be announced). I will be part of a panel of authors that have self-published their books. The admission is free and will be held at Sinclair Community College in Dayton.

Free Support

I am part of two fibromyalgia support groups that meet in Ohio. I attend every other month to the Cincinnati or Dayton Fibro Fighters. If you are interested check it out on http://www.meetup.com/Cincinnati-Fibro-Fighters/ or http://www.meetup.com/cincinnati-Dayton-Fibro-Fighters/ .

If you are not able to make it to our in-person support groups I invite you to join our secret FaceBook Group, The Hope Army. To join send an email to leah@thefibrolady.com, subject The Hope Army, and include the email address you use to log into FaceBook. An invitation link will be sent to you. Once you join, please introduce yourself to the group and let us welcome you!

Big Announcement – Everywhere!

On the heels of The Healing Fibromyalgia – Chronic Fatigue – ME World TeleSummit I am pleased to announce the start of a group class called the 3D Fibro Healing TeleClass.

The first class is FREE and we will have 5 calls total, consisting of information and Q&A time. This is a fantastic opportunity to go through the Freedom from Fibromyalgia 7 Steps to Complete Recovery with me holding your hand all along the way.

We will have the first class on Thursday, April 21st at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time (4:00 p.m. Pacific) and then the other classes will go over a period of 7 weeks. This gives you the opportunity to see your results over time and to ASK, ASK, ASK questions about your specific situation. Everyone will learn from each other!

To receive notifications about this exciting new class, go to www.3DFibro.com/signup and sign up with your name and email address. As a thank you for signing up, you will receive my NEW special report “Natural Ways to Reduce and Even Eliminate Fibromyalgia Pain.”

If you know of or have a group that would like an inspirational, informative and engaging speaker, feel free to contact me at Leah@TheFibroLady.com.

Well, that’s about it for now! Keep up to date on all my happenings on the Where’s Leah tab on my website and stay in touch with me on FaceBook, Twitter, and, YouTube.

Yours in joy and health,

Leah

The Fibro Lady

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Get Rid of a Hangover

December 30, 2015 by Leave a Comment

The Unconventional Hangover Remedy You’ve Probably Never Heard

I like to drink a little wine, but sometimes even only a little wine will cause me to have a hangover. So even if you like to drink a little, or even a lot, if you have never heard of this unconventional “cure” for a hangover, then I’ve got something for you!

Nux Vomica is a homeopathic remedy mainly used for vomiting and hangovers, basically supporting the body to remove toxins. (Not to be confused with holistic, homeopathy is a type of holistic healing.) Homeopathic remedies work on the principal “like cures like,” meaning something that causes illness is the same energetic signature that stimulates healing. For example the remedy for a bee sting is homeopathic bee sting, Apis. Homeopathic remedies do not contain active ingredients, just energetic signatures, so they do not contraindicate with other medication. Also homeopathics are very inexpensive especially compared to other medications. One tube of homeopathic pellets is around $8.

I originally learned about homeopathy from being involved in the Weston A. Price Foundation, an organization dedicated restoring nutrient dense foods in our diet. In their quarterly journal, Wise Traditions, the Classical Homeopath Joette Calabrese, writes a regular column about healing with homeopathy and nutrition. She has an amazing website full of free resources, classes, kits and even consultations. She is such an inspiration to me!

Although the homeopathic remedies seem to work like magic, they just support your body’s own innate healing. This remedy, Nux Vomica, like most other homeopathic remedies, work very subtly. One may find they have a raging headache one moment, get very sleepy in the next moment, or the symptoms just dissolve with nary a memory of their existence.

Although homeopathics are not my area of expertise, I use the 200c strength remedies as often as possible. I like this brand for Nux Vomic 200c. I’m new to this so this may not be the most accurate thing to do, but I find them to work faster.

If you would like to learn more about homeopathy I suggest you check out a couple of resources. The book I use in my home is Homeopathic Self Care. It’s so important to me that it is one of the books I would never lend out. I often find this book next to the display of homeopathic remedies at the health food store.

I am not a practitioner, I just let people know about what’s working for me and others. If you would like professional advice, I very highly recommend Joette Calabrese.

Here are the Unconventional Hangover Remedy Steps:

Prevent a Hangover

Drink plenty of fluids, but not just plain water before, during and after alcohol intake. (If all you have is water, add a pinch or so of unrefined sea salt, such as Celtic or Himalayan, to each glass.) Other beneficial fluids would include milk, broth, beet kvass or even herbal tea.
Do not use homeopathic remedies within at least 10 minutes of having anything like coffee, mint (toothpaste), eucalyptus, or menthol.
Before bed take 3-5 pellets of Nux Vomica 200c under the tongue and let dissolve.

If You Have a Hangover

When first arising take 5 (more) pellets of Nux Vomica 200c under the tongue and let dissolve.
Take another 5 pellets every 2 hours until symptoms fade, up to 4 doses.
Drink plenty of fluids listed in #1 above, and stay away from items listed in #2 above.
If you are so sick that you are vomiting and having the dry heaves and can’t keep anything down, here’s a trick. Put the pellets in a small jar with some water. Put the lid on and shake the jar about 10 times. Dose yourself by putting some of this water on a spoon and put that under your tongue, just enough to not cause you to vomit.

Additional Steps

When I was in the Army, our Saturday morning run was often referred to as a “beer run.” It helped heal the damage Friday night beers inflicted. The reason seems to be because oxygen to the brain really helps a hangover. So consider going for a run or a brisk walk. If you can’t do that consider this: lay down and take 30-40 deep breaths. (Inhale all the way using your stomach, stop for a second with your lungs full, exhale out all the way, and stop for a second with your lungs empty.) This can make you a little off-balance so you need to be lying down.

Do you have any hangover strategies? Please share in the comments.

My wish for you is to have a joyful, healthy and safe holiday season!

Leah,

The Fibro Lady

Filed Under: Holistic remedies, homeopathy, taking care of yourself

Are You Missing the Celebration… Again?

December 27, 2015 by Leave a Comment

If you have fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue, this can be the most frustrating time of the year, instead of the most wonderful, like it should be.

I know. I have been there and I have the scars on my heart to prove it. Because of my absence I have damaged relationships beyond repair. Not being there also counts, but not for anything good, unfortunately.

How confusing are the symptoms of fibromyalgia to the one who suffers?

How more confusing must it be for someone who only sees you a few times a year?

This is a difficult article for me to write as I explore the repercussions of the period of time in my life I had to cancel my attendance to events, and usually at the last minute. I actually just got to the point where I would not make any commitments rather than be a flake. It was very isolating, which only added to my loneliness and depression.

One of my biggest regrets is that I missed out on getting to know my nieces and nephews when they were small. When each one of them were born I really wanted a close relationship with them. Now I am just a familiar stranger to them, and it really breaks my heart.

What has this disease cost you in terms of relationships? I was fortunate, my marriage survived, but a lot of peoples’ don’t fare as well. Also, my relationship with my child is intact mainly because I had him after I recovered. I know a lot of parents who are unable to be the kind of parents they want to be.

If you have to miss the celebration this season, I understand. At the end of the day, you are dealing with an illness that is often invisible. You have to take care of yourself first. I feel for you, and I know that this too shall pass.

But please realize that relationships require attendance. You have to be there to connect. And isn’t connection what everyone is seeking? To feel the warmth of love and friendship with the people we care about the most. You have to be there to make the memories.

Now that I have recovered I have made new relationships and have deepened old ones. I can’t turn back time, and like I state before, some relationships have been damaged beyond repair. However, I am so grateful that I can now be there, I get to connect, and I get to make memories with the people I care about most.

What is your greatest wish? How are you going to make it happen? Do you have an example of anyone else achieving this dream?

This has been difficult to write about, so I want to add a bright spot. In the New Year we will be unveiling some free support resources for you to show you a path out of this darkness. Be on the lookout for the announcement of The Fibromyalgia – Chronic Fatigue – ME World Telesummit that will be broadcast January 26th-28th, 2016.

We are very excited about this! I will be interviewing experts all over the world that are helping people recover naturally from fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and their coexisting conditions. Real help, real hope, great information.

From the bottom of my heart, this holiday season, I wish for you the feelings of joy, health, understanding and peace.

Leah

The Fibro Lady

Filed Under: Uncategorized

The Secret Names for MSG

December 9, 2015 by 2 Comments

The Secret Names of MSG

I used “secret names” in the title of this chapter because on food labels, the words monosodium glutamate (MSG) do not always appear even though it is an ingredient. As I’ve been researching natural health I’ve been shocked to find that not all ingredients listed on food labels are all the ingredients in the food—some don’t have to be listed at all and some can be listed under such terms as “spices” to disguise what they really are.

You see, it’s required by the FDA that food manufacturers list the ingredient monosodium glutamate on food labels, but they do not have to label ingredients that contain free glutamic acid, even though it’s the main component of MSG. There are over forty labeled ingredients that contain glutamic acid,26 but you’d never know it just from their names alone. Further, in some foods glutamic acid is formed during processing and, again, food labels give you no way of knowing for sure.27

If you see any of the below-mentioned terms on a food label, I would avoid that food because, unless it is labeled as organic, more than likely it contains MSG. Also, the vast majority of restaurant food has MSG in it. Not only is it a neurotoxin but it can cause you to gain weight!

Here is a list of ingredients that ALWAYS contain MSG:28

Autolyzed yeast	Calcium caseinate
Glutamate	Glutamic acid
Monopotassium glutamate	Monosodium glutamate
Textured protein	Yeast extract
Yeast nutrient	Sodium caseinate
Gelatin	Yeast food
Hydrolyzed protein

These ingredients OFTEN contain MSG or create MSG during processing:29

Flavors and flavorings	Seasonings	Natural flavors and flavorings
Natural chicken flavoring	Soy sauce	Soy protein isolate
Stock	Broth	Malt extract
Anything enzymemodified	Carrageenan	Maltodextrin
Protease	Corn starch	Citric acid
Natural pork flavoring	Anything ultrapasteurized	Soy protein
Malt flavoring	Pectin	Powdered milk
Natural beef flavoring	Bouillon	Barley malt
Enzymes	Anything proteinfortified

Note: Natural, homemade stock and broth may contain some trace amounts of glutamic acid or glutamates. Gelatin, such as Bernard Jensen’s 100% Bovine Gelatin, and traditionally fermented soy sauce do contain trace amounts of naturally occurring glutamates. Unless you are extremely sensitive, the health benefits of these foods (with the exception of the traditionally fermented soy sauce) far outweigh the minute amounts of glutamates.

End notes:

26 “MSG: Is This Silent Killer Lurking in Your Cabinets?” Joseph Mercola, last modified April 21, 2009, accessed March 19, 2014, http://articles.mercola.com/ sites/articles/archive/2009/04/21/msg-is-this-silent-killer-lurking-in-your-kitchencabinets.aspx.

27 Ibid.

28 Ibid.

29 Ibid.

Filed Under: ingredients Tagged With: msg, other names or msg

Happy Holidays from The Fibro Lady Team

December 9, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Happy Holidays from The Fibro Lady Team

This is me, my team, and my little elf at the Team Party we had at my home last weekend. To show them my appreciation for all of their hard work I made them a gourmet meal of Beef Burgundy and Apple Crisp for dessert. I also made my Party Ranch Dip for veggies and chips and I have included the easy recipe in this newsletter. (The other recipes will be posted in upcoming newsletters.)

The Fibro Lady is not just me, Leah, but it is a group of dedicated individuals working as a team to help end the suffering of fibromyalgia and its coexisting conditions.

Some people think I sit at my kitchen table and write blog posts (and sometimes I do!). I am a Natural Healing Expert, but I am not an expert in accounting, or digital marketing and all of the other specialties needed to get this message out into the world to the people who need it most. Without their expertise I would not be able to help as many people as I have.

So I want to thank my team from the bottom of my heart for all the wonderful work they do. I also want to thank my family (especially my husband, Carl) for being so supportive, and I want to thank you, the readers, for all of the wonderful feedback you have given me. I truly hope each and every one of you have a healthy and blessed holiday season.

Yours in Joyful Health,

Leah

The Fibro Lady

Filed Under: holidays, joy Tagged With: happy holidays, thank you

6 Tips for Going Out this Holiday Season

December 9, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Going Out This Holiday Season? Make the Most of Holiday Parties…

I admit, I am truly blessed. I have recovered my health to a degree most people never dream of. I am now healthier and more vivacious than most “normal” people. Now that I am back among the living, I really want to make up for lost time, I really want to make the most out of my opportunities.

For my 20th high school reunion, I could not attend because I was basically bed-ridden and being over 100 pounds overweight, I was embarrassed about how I looked. When I was invited to my 30th year high school reunion I was super-excited. I went all-out: I got a nice dress, and fixed my hair and makeup special.

At the event I made sure I talked to everyone, took plenty of pictures, and had a spectacular time. What’s interesting is a lot of folks there did not even know my story, they were just blown away by how healthy I looked.

I am sharing this accomplishment with you to let you know that anything is possible, even recovering from an “incurable” illness.

I also hope that you take care of yourself this holiday season. Here are some excellent ideas for getting the most our of holiday parties:

Choose to only go to holiday parties and events that bring you joy.
Make sure you get plenty of rest on the day of the event.
Delegate as much cooking and cleaning as you can if your event is at your house (I really simplified my home so that I could clean it myself in about 30 minutes, thanks to the help of The Mess Mender, Polly Giblin.*)
If they are only going to have low-quality, processed food, bring your own or eat before you go. No one will probably even notice.
Careful with all the sweet goodies and alcohol, they can cause flare ups of symptoms.
Lastly, remember, you don’t have to attend every “drama” you are invited to. ☺

What are your tips for surviving and even thriving during the holiday season? Please share them on the Facebook page

(*Polly Giblin, The Mess Mender, will be one of our speakers in our upcoming FREE event The Healing Fibromyalgia – Chronic Fatigue – ME World Tele-Summit. Click here to register to learn more about it!)

This holiday season I wish you all the joy in the world!

Leah

The Fibro Lady

Filed Under: holidays, joy, taking care of yourself Tagged With: holiday events, holiday parties, holiday season

Protected: 5 Gifts for Fibromyalgia Sufferers

December 4, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Filed Under: Fibromyalgia Recovery, Holistic remedies, Paleo/Primal, Winter Tagged With: gifts, gifts for someone with fibromyalgia

You’re Not Going to Believe the Summer I Had

Cope with Fibromyalgia?

How to Cope with Fibromyalgia – NOT!

Got Seasonal Allergies? Try this Immune System Booster

Got Seasonal Allergies? Try this Immune System Booster

Where’s Leah? In Ohio and All over!

Get Rid of a Hangover

The Unconventional Hangover Remedy You’ve Probably Never Heard

Are You Missing the Celebration… Again?

The Secret Names for MSG

The Secret Names of MSG

Here is a list of ingredients that ALWAYS contain MSG:28

Happy Holidays from The Fibro Lady Team

Happy Holidays from The Fibro Lady Team

6 Tips for Going Out this Holiday Season

Going Out This Holiday Season? Make the Most of Holiday Parties…

Protected: 5 Gifts for Fibromyalgia Sufferers

My Blog

Get Back At It

Fibro Tip: Pause

Supporting Family and Fibromyalgia

Mix Feelings about Mother’s Day